The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Louisville Edition

[JFCats22]

I think from 2009-2015 Cal was an A+.

From 2015 - present I would give Cal a B+

Overall I would probably give him an A-

[J.Jennings]

I totally understand the flaws and frustration, but as a general rule I try not to criticize Cal and will defend him in most cases. It's sort of like someone makes you a nice sundae with sprinkles and syrup and cool whip, you're probably not gonna say "what, no cherry on top??" We've had it pretty good as fans.

During the UK-UofL game my sister and I were pulling up old box scores of Cal's past teams here. Obviously Wall/Bledsoe/Cousins, The Platoon team, just ridiculous all those names in one place. Would have loved another championship or two, and on paper it looks like they shoulda, but then "that's why they play the game".

Here is the difference between the Cal and Pitino era for me. With Cal i feel like if we don't have all the perfect pieces in place at every position we are doomed especially if it requires innovation or schemes to make you have work to the fullest. With Rick it didn't matter who or what we had, i always felt like we could beat anyone on any given night anytime, i was never ready to throw in the towel on the team or the system...

[Lighthouse]

Here is the difference between the Cal and Pitino era for me. With Cal i feel like if we don't have all the perfect pieces in place at every position we are doomed especially if it requires innovation or schemes to make you have work to the fullest. With Rick it didn't matter who or what we had, i always felt like we could beat anyone on any given night anytime, i was never ready to throw in the towel on the team or the system...

I feel differently, especially about Pitino. When he coached at Kentucky I felt he was a great recruiter and motivator, but a terrible bench coach. I thought he always had a game plan that in his mind would work, but when it didn't, he had no idea how to make the necessary adjustments. Hence, the game with Arizona when they continuously beat our press, and he continued to use it. I'm convinced we would have never won the NC when Tubby was the Coach, had Pitino not left.

[lilproUK98]

I feel differently, especially about Pitino. When he coached at Kentucky I felt he was a great recruiter and motivator, but a terrible bench coach. I thought he always had a game plan that in his mind would work, but when it didn't, he had no idea how to make the necessary adjustments. Hence, the game with Arizona when they continuously beat our press, and he continued to use it. I'm convinced we would have never won the NC when Tubby was the Coach, had Pitino not left.

If Nazr doesn't go 0-6 at the line, we win. It's mind boggling how many important games come down to ft shooting.

[J.Jennings]

I feel differently, especially about Pitino. When he coached at Kentucky I felt he was a great recruiter and motivator, but a terrible bench coach. I thought he always had a game plan that in his mind would work, but when it didn't, he had no idea how to make the necessary adjustments. Hence, the game with Arizona when they continuously beat our press, and he continued to use it. I'm convinced we would have never won the NC when Tubby was the Coach, had Pitino not left.

Wake Forest and Tim Duncan disagree, so does Coach Cal and Marcus Camby When it worked, we blew people out of the gym, loved the style of play. I am convinced that if Rick would have stayed we would have won it in 98 and also had guys like McGrady Nowitzki Boozer Maggette Brand and many others playing at Kentucky for National Championships. To say that Rick's system does not wok would be crazy, 98 Kentucky played Rick Pitino ball, Billy Donovan won alot of game and Championships playing Rick Pitino ball. Rick's biggest mistake and regret of all was leaving Kentucky....

[J.Jennings]

One Coach has 1 Championship and another coach has one Championship with 30 NBA draft picks, who really performed and under performed the most? Imagine a team today with Richie Farmer, Pelphrey, and Feldhaus, we would be downtown Louisville on the 2nd street bridge to Indiana with helicoptors flying around as we leaped off into the Ohio River. As if stands now, we don't get the top 5 players in the top 10 of recruiting, we already know how the season goes and how it's going to end, no hope or faith at all......

[J.Jennings]

Imagine Jeff Shepard and Scott Padgett at Kentucky now, stays two years if we are lucky transfer to another school when they are at there best and ready to perform...

[J.Jennings]

People can hate Rick Pitino for that Louisville job and yes i get it but can't no one sit here and say that while Rick was at Kentucky they wanted him gone so they could replace him with Tubby, Cal, Wooden, Coach K, or any other coach. Kentucky became dominate and that Arizona game is still a fluke with or without DA, same fluke game as Kentucky WIsconsin.


With that being said, Coach Cal almost did the unimaginable and go undefeated in the modern era, stall slow down ball is his achilles heal...

[Lighthouse]

Don't get me wrong JJ, I loved the way Kentucky played under Pitino. His teams were in top shape and played hard. I never said I was glad he left or I hated him for taking the UL job, but I have my thoughts about his bench coaching while at UK and that's the way it is. I also feel he was a much better bench coach at UL than he was at UK.

[J.Jennings]

Don't get me wrong JJ, I loved the way Kentucky played under Pitino. His teams were in top shape and played hard. I never said I was glad he left or I hated him for taking the UL job, but I have my thoughts about his bench coaching while at UK and that's the way it is. I also feel he was a much better bench coach at UL than he was at UK.

Well it's just a conversation us Kentucky fans will be having for years, no right or wrong answers, just a good conversation. I don't like Rick for all the things that happened under his watch at Louisville and Cal does a better job with fans than Rick but at the end of the day, two great coaches we have been able to utilize as Kentucky fans..