Disgusting is right, but I'd be judicious in bringing him back if he contributed at all to the drama off of the court that plagued last year. I have zero clue if that's the case or if he simply wants out of the dumpster fire that is UK Bball, but I can't imagine that his actions after the season would bode well. How could a guy like that come back without some serious trepidation and find his role on the team?
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What Cal has allowed to happen ( Sharpe and Reeves) for example is sending a message that we are desperate and you can call the shots at UK. Cal has lost control regardless what he has stated previously about never being held hostage again. It is naive to believe that players care about what university they are playing for. They are playing for the coach or a big NIL deal. Sorry for the rant but just my opinion.Comment
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I don't think it's a major deal that the players are calling the shots. I mean NIL sort of sets up that dynamic anyway. And Cal has always said it's a "players' program," etc. I think that was always just a recruiting ploy.
That the players have bargaining power isn't a bad thing because they're the ones that drive the economic bus in this (and all) sport. I think what's happened to the program on a micro level is far more concerning, i.e. the day to day stuff that appears to be just awful to be a part of at this point.Comment
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UK certainly has to be viewed as an easy target at this point. Don't forget about Hamidou almost pulling a Shaedon on us.
The next coach will have to continue to recruit at a high level, but it's going to take a system offensively that helps attract the kind of players you need to win big here. Player development and NIL will help cut down on the excessive turnover we've had and hopefully will get us back to where we can actually build some teams.Comment
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He was able to attract the right kinds of players with this recruiting class. Whether they turn out to be actually good or not, who knows. But when you go in and rake the top 10 like he did then IMO you're accomplishing a major part of what wins in this sport.
The other stuff you have to do, particularly enticing players to stay and creating some semblance of a veteran presence, he not only failed at, but failed so unbelievably that it's got to be historic.
I have to think that goes beyond his offensive system and into more basic things like simple relationships with players.Comment
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That class had one really solid year in 2004-2005, but of course you still had vets in there with Azubuike and Hayes.
The next season things got a little funky and then after that they progressively got worse.
I'm not sure that class had much to do with how that whole thing ended. In fact Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley were part of that class and by the time Tubby left they were basically the only thing the program could be proud of. Because after that class Tubby started landing guys like Morakinyo Williams.
I do think there's a really good chance Cal strikes out on next year's recruiting class though, in part because of the mess that's happened this spring. You have to think people will be talking and the mere suggestion of dysfunction that's going on here will scare people off. In that way maybe there are some similarities to what happened with Tubby at the end, where it became clear to everybody he was just sleepwalking through.Comment
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Yep. We all know Antigua and Coleman are here for recruiting firepower, but can they not also help bridge the gap between HC and players? What are they actually doing aside from recruiting? What does Bruiser Flint do besides chew gum voraciously ?
Again, like Tubby, allowing the staff to fall from premium to disarray is huge error rooted in ego. You have to address your weaknesses as a coach.
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That’s sorta my point. I think this year’s class is highly likely to be a hollow accomplishment to close out Cal’s time at Kentucky.Comment
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How long before someone puts a "For Sale" sign in front of his fence?Comment
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We used to have a situation where players couldn't work summer jobs and yet you could walk into Rupp and see guys selling t-shirts out in the parking lot with the players' faces on them. I don't care what anybody says, that's a jacked up system.
The problem is that the unregulated morass of NIL has created a situation of almost outrageous bargaining and bidding. That'll have to be reigned in. And yet...wasn't that the exact same situation that happened in secret for years in college basketball? I mean years and years, going back to what everybody refers to as the "good old days."
We all loved Joe B. later in life. Is there any doubt in anybody's mind that Joe B. Hall paid for players? Do we think the players weren't "calling the shots" back in the 1970s? Of course they were.Comment
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