I see. I certainly hope Bradshaw or his people don't mess this up.
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John 3:3
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Cal's press conference yesterday the same old same, players first since he came here and that will remain the same which means wins and losses Championships, just doesn't factor into his goals, he could care less a out the program tradition or the life long die hard fans that support Kentucky basketball.
Wish him well while he's here but this dude ain't it, hope its over sooner than later....Comment
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Agreed. I search and read alot of comments on other social media sites or groups that pertain to Kentucky basketball and folks not even hiding it anymore, people fed up want him gone and flat out mock every word he says in a been there done that type of enthusiasm. With the right coach, I still think we get great players to play at Kentucky..Comment
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You don't speak for the entire state of Kentucky.
There are plenty of people who would dislike him and plenty of people who are indifferent to him staying or leaving (me, included), but there are just as many (probably more, including casual fans) who still adore him.Comment
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If you are a UK fan and your coach says players first and he isn’t changing, how can you be a fan of the coach?? Not even sure where the University ranks on his list.Comment
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I'm mostly indifferent. If Cal leaves, fine. I'd be excited about the future. As is, it is what it is. (Boom, two cliches in one. Top that.) But even those of us in that situation, the thing I (and probably 'we', but I can't presume to speak for all) like most about Cal is his "Players First" approach. That's my approach as a teacher. It should be anyone's approach who's dealing with young people.
The reason people don't like that (and I get it, I promise) is it hasn't resulted in a championship outside that one time. And that's unfortunate, but it's not BECAUSE of "Players First". In fact I'd argue that Players First is what has put us in the position to have too many heartbreaks (2014, 2015, 2017, 2019). It doesn't explain results since then, which is why I'm souring on Cal. Something else is going on.I am LittlemeyerComment
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I don't disagree with you at all. I don't like his Players First approach because other Coaches have always put the Kentucky Program and the University first and we won 7 Championships that way. But Cal's approach brought a huge number of outstanding players here, and they were exciting to watch. My main issue with Cal is his conduct on the sideline, the stagnant offense he runs and refuses to change, his inability to make in game adjustments and his end of half and game management. IMO, these issues led to those disappointments because he has had the players to win NC's.Comment
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Agree with all this. Every coach runs a "players first" program, Cal just has the brass to say it.
On the topic of whether I'd be happy if Cal left, I'm with you. I'd be curious and excited to see who's next. I am more excited about this coming season than I was two weeks ago but huge mistakes were made in how the roster was assembled, and it's still a sketchy roster unless we get a lot of luck. It shouldn't be that way given how much Cal is compensated at UK.Comment
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When he leaves, I won't shed any tears. I can't understand the fawning over him to be quite honest. In my opinion, any other coach, having the resources he has to work with and receiving the salary he receives, would have been ridden out of town on a rail by now.Philippians 4:11-4:13Comment
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UK made it pretty difficult to do that, though.Comment
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As somebody said above, I think the fawning mostly comes from younger fans on social media. Cal is the coach those guys grew up with. Plus younger fans by and large have less of a problem with the one-and-done culture.
As far as the other point about being run out on a rail, I'm not sure that's entirely true. I think what complicates Cal's situation is the enormous success he had early on. And it's not been THAT long since Cal put a winner out there; the COVID team with Quickley for instance got really robbed of what could have been a deep run.
That isn't a defense of Cal or anything, I'm just saying.
The most damning thing with Cal at this point though isn't really the wins/losses or even St. Peter's. It's the fact that nobody wants to stay at Kentucky. That's a major problem. Even back in the day when he was stacking freshmen talent you always had a small group come back. That has dried up and that's a huge, cataclysmic issue for Cal. It can't continue for him to succeed...but it probably will continue.Comment
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It’s an issue that he can’t fix here. My guess is that hiring someone like John Welch a few years could have helped some players see the value in staying here, but certainly it wouldn’t have solved the issue.
UK’s constant roster turnover said to me that pomp and circumstance was about the only value recruits saw here, not so much the value of the rest of the program. Guys don’t come here to develop and grow. They come here to be advertised, build some attention, and then hit the draft.Comment
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