The Official Keeping Up With Calipari Thread

[abroo588]

I may have to wash my mouth with soap for saying this but, I want Arkansas to beat Kansas because I dislike Dickinson and Self more than Calipari.

Rooting for Kansas to lose does not necessarily place you in the camp of rooting *for* Calipari. Just prioritizing who loses in an ideal world. No shame in that.

[EKYCat]

Same here LH. I'm all in on KU getting bounced by the Hogs.

[Joneslab]

I just want Arkansas to win because I want to see that second round game.

Cal's just crazy enough to knock Pitino out.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Who held him accountable? It certainly wasn't the AD. Make no mistake. If Cal hadn't walked or breached his contract or however you want to put it, he'd be on the sidelines in Rupp.
I guess the fanbase was putting pressure on him and he grew tired of dealing with us. I have to admit, I'd get tired of dealing with us too at times. I could maybe do it for $9MM a year 🤣 Can you imagine what his life would be like right now if he'd stayed? I don't think we make the tournament. He's not beating the likes of Duke, Gonzaga, UT, Florida...

Glad he's gone but I do think Mitch had a real conversation with Cal and Cal bounced not to long after that.

It's all good,,

[justafan]

I just want Arkansas to win because I want to see that second round game.

Cal's just crazy enough to knock Pitino out.

Cal vs. Pitino is one of those "he just knows how to coach against him". You cannot explain the lopsided win/loss when they were head to head each year otherwise.

Pitino has a handful of those coaches he just gets the better of for whatever reason.
Pearl has some as well (although I don't know if this year followed as much).

It is also why a long-tenured conference (like B1G) could be successful and then have bad tourney results, relative. Those long-tenured coaches just know how to coach against each other and then they get in the tourney and its like they forgot how to coach (not literally, just seems that way).

We'll see, for example, if Pope can regularly beat Barnes. That could be one of those matchups that Pope just knows how to coach against him. Or maybe this year was a fluke.

[EKYCat]

Cal had Rick's number for the most part at UK. But, Cal also had better players than Rick most years. That annual beatdown was pretty satisfying.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Mind blowing that Cal pretty much dominated Rick at Louisville though we did have better players for many years.

I think RIck is the better teacher better X's and O's guy but Cal is hands down the best at selling the game before the game, especially a big game.


What does that mean?

He finds a way to play the psychological warfare games leading up to a big game, he did it this year at Rupp. He had coach Pope continually talking about all the great things he done at Kentucky while Cal was taking "I WIN" whether I win or lose.

Now if Cal is playing some no name school in the NCAA tournament, he doesn't say much at all, ego, he won't even scout of prepare.

I don't know if Arkansas will beat Kansas but I believe he will have his team prepared because it's Kansas. If it was Troy, he would be traveling to some NBA games this week recruiting or doing anything but preparing to play a school by the name of Troy!!!!!

[Joneslab]

Paul Finebaum on how Cal's run has "already been a colossal failure for Big Blue Nation."

This is the ultimate "stick to football" take here.

https://x.com/KySportsRadio/status/1904570700012171454

[EKYCat]

How has it been a colossal failure? Both programs are in the Sweet 16. I still say if he coached UK this year we may not have made the tournament. He's not beating Duke, Gonzaga, Florida, Tennessee (twice), and is probably losing games like Mississippi State and Missouri.

[DA#23]

Paul’s just mining for clicks…I don’t think he follows college basketball at all though.

Indulge him at your own discretion.

[EKYCat]

I just want Arkansas to win because I want to see that second round game.

Cal's just crazy enough to knock Pitino out.

This aged very well, by the way.

[justafan]

This aged very well, by the way.

Cal knows how to coach vs. Pitino. He said it in an in-game interview, something like “well we’re pressuring them, and sometimes they say pressuring teams don’t like being pressured “.

At the bar in Lexington we were at, everyone was rooting for St. John’s, except one dude. After it was over and it got quiet he yelled “go SEC”. It was definitely funny timing-wise and the pro-Pitino/anti-Cal crowd.

[KentuckyWild2020]

I ain't going to lie, I said to myself I was going to bury the hatchet and leave this thread alone but Arkansas and Cal winning has me kind of salty lol...

I suppose it's because it's the fact that it's ex UK players and recruits that we thought we had coming.

Next year it probably won't matter and I wish Cal success, we had good times and he was great across the state, I actually think he's a pretty good down to earth type of guy with the common folk.

Anyways, I have figured it out this year. If I root against him he wins, im done with all that lol.... Bad juju and karma...

[TrueblueCATfan]

I don't hate Cal...loved him as our Coach...just got burnt out with him

Glad he moved on...I absolutely Love Mark Pope

[40bill]

Paul Finebaum is really good at football.
I kinda need him to consider this:
BBN is happier
Mitch Barnhart is actually showing up with the coach.
Cats are no longer under a 44 million dollar basketball coach buyout.
Mark Pope is making about half or less of what Cal was bringing in.
We have a coach that preaches the team and school is what it's about not the individual player.

Sooooooooo....
Yall explain to me how we lost in this whole deal.