Smith or Calipari

[Majoga]

Tubby. Cal became a condescending anus.

[WeWant9]

I dislike Cal but I’m giving the edge to him due to the run between 10-17. Those were some great times, with amazing memories. The last 5ish years brings him down, but can’t deny 4 FFs and a title.

[bthaunert]

Cal and it's not even close imo. The last 4 years were brutal, but by every metric, Cal was better. Had Cal left after 10 years like Tubby did, it wouldn't even be a conversation.

[Bowfreak]

Cal is a hall of fame coach that brought the program back from the Tubby years

Tubby just can’t coach. He was handed a Cadillac and turned it into a Yugo.

Tubby never built a FF four team in his career. Cal has taken even school he’s coached to a FF.

4 times here.

There’s no comparison.


Like asking which is better, ice cream or a turd.

I think most would disagree that Tubby couldn't coach. Tubby was a much better coach than Cal. Tubby hated recruiting. His last few years were worse than Cal's and that is saying something.

Like others have said already....it is about championships and final 4s. They both have a title but Cal was in the mix much more with more F4s. It is hard to pick Cal for anything but when he was good, he was really good.

[KentuckyWild2020]

The thing that pissed me off about Tubby is the fact he took away the style of play that Rick implemented, I can't forgive him for that. Tubby knew how to coach and teach it he was just determined to do it his own way and understandably so, I get it.

Obviously, the game evolved and someone had to do it, full court trap basketball wasn't going to be around forever. Still I assumed the Tubby hire was continue on with RICK'S style of play but instead, I had watch Florida and Donavon win two titles...

Nothing against Tubby but I wanted Donavon two years in at Marshall. I suppose with Rick's recommendation of Tubby and Billy's inexperience, Tubby was the choice.

Still think the NCAA Duke game down 17 with 9 to go was one of the best coaching jobs one will ever see, Tubby was a Maestro that day..

I give Cal the edge because a few of those teams was a flat out cheat code in many ways.

Can only imagine what a real X's and O's coach would have done with all the talent Cal brought through Lexington? Same "what if" level had Rick stayed at Kentucky the whole time...

[SportsFan]

Tubby. Cal became a condescending anus.

I remember when Calipari was first hired at UK.... Memphis fans were saying "good riddance". That kind of blew my mind! When you look at his win-loss record at Memphis, and how he had just taken them to a championship game the year before... and Memphis fans were acting like "good, you can have him!"

Well....fast forward 15 years.... and it was deja vu. When it was announced that John Calipari was leaving to take the Arkansas job, the overwhelmingly vast majority of Kentucky fans were saying the same things that Memphis fans said 15 years earlier. And I suspect Arkansas fans will feel the same way.... matter of fact, quite a few already have and posted videos on YouTube and made posts on social media about it!

Cal is kind of a dirt bag. And like everything, when it's going good, you accept the dirt bag and overlook his dirt baggery and make excuses for him. But when it starts to go south, the same people that overlooked and made excuses can become some of your most vocal opposition (""raises hand "")

[Pete Hogwallop]

Cal is a hall of fame coach that brought the program back from the Tubby years

Tubby just can’t coach. He was handed a Cadillac and turned it into a Yugo.

Tubby never built a FF four team in his career. Cal has taken even school he’s coached to a FF.

4 times here.

There’s no comparison.


Like asking which is better, ice cream or a turd.

I think your memory of the Tubby era is a little off. In years 2003-2005 or so, we were the winningest program in the game. He just didn't get to a Final Four. But those were his years 5-7, so it wasn't that he just turned a Cadillac into a Yugo. The actual fall-off was just one year or so.

[Pobilly]

Rupp then Pitino, Hall, Cal, Tubby, Sutton, Clyde on cause someone gotta be last.

[UKWildcats1987]

Cal and it's not even close imo. The last 4 years were brutal, but by every metric, Cal was better. Had Cal left after 10 years like Tubby did, it wouldn't even be a conversation.

Yeah, 100%. The people saying Tubby are basically saying final fours don't matter. I thought this was UK.

[TrueblueCATfan]

Honestly I liked both Tubby and Cal

[KYJeff1]

To me, there were 3 John Calipari's. The Cal from 09-2015 had 'UK' and 'winning' in his top 3 priorities, that guy was a killer, he just couldn't coach a lick, just a good motivator and talent handler.
2016-2020 Cal got a little high on his "Boss" status and started getting smoked by K on the recruiting trail. Other than the 2016 class, he wasn't getting the best players and when he did get some, he didn't develop them, but he took credit for their NBA success.
The Cal from 2021-2024, was a narcissist that didn't have winning, or UK basketball on his top 5 priorities list. That guy was an asshat.

So, give me this:
1) 2009-2015 Cal
2) Tubby
3)2016-2020 Cal

2021-2024 Cal doesn't belong on this list.

[KYJeff1]

I remember when Calipari was first hired at UK.... Memphis fans were saying "good riddance". That kind of blew my mind! When you look at his win-loss record at Memphis, and how he had just taken them to a championship game the year before... and Memphis fans were acting like "good, you can have him!"

Well....fast forward 15 years.... and it was deja vu. When it was announced that John Calipari was leaving to take the Arkansas job, the overwhelmingly vast majority of Kentucky fans were saying the same things that Memphis fans said 15 years earlier. And I suspect Arkansas fans will feel the same way.... matter of fact, quite a few already have and posted videos on YouTube and made posts on social media about it!

Cal is kind of a dirt bag. And like everything, when it's going good, you accept the dirt bag and overlook his dirt baggery and make excuses for him. But when it starts to go south, the same people that overlooked and made excuses can become some of your most vocal opposition (""raises hand "")

Memphis didn't get the 2021-2024 John Calipari that we got. They got the Cal that was still hungey and motivated. The 2 situations are far from the same.
Plus, Memphis hasn't done squat since Cal left, UK has already made at least some noise.

[SportsFan]

Memphis didn't get the 2021-2024 John Calipari that we got. They got the Cal that was still hungey and motivated. The 2 situations are far from the same.
Plus, Memphis hasn't done squat since Cal left, UK has already made at least some noise.

Think you kind of missed my point. Entirely.

I'm not arguing anything you just said. My point wasn't really even remotely close to that. The point I was making is that CAL WEARS OUT HIS WELCOME AND ALIENATES THE FAN BASE OF THE SCHOOL THAT HE COACHES FOR. Period. I wasn't talking about any program's unique situation or the position they were in or are in. I simply mentioned how fan bases aren't crying that he's leaving or that he's gone once he is gone.

[SportsFan]

To me, there were 3 John Calipari's. The Cal from 09-2015 had 'UK' and 'winning' in his top 3 priorities, that guy was a killer, he just couldn't coach a lick, just a good motivator and talent handler.
2016-2020 Cal got a little high on his "Boss" status and started getting smoked by K on the recruiting trail. Other than the 2016 class, he wasn't getting the best players and when he did get some, he didn't develop them, but he took credit for their NBA success.
The Cal from 2021-2024, was a narcissist that didn't have winning, or UK basketball on his top 5 priorities list. That guy was an asshat.

So, give me this:
1) 2009-2015 Cal
2) Tubby
3)2016-2020 Cal

2021-2024 Cal doesn't belong on this list.

This, I agree with. 100%

[blueheretic]

Which did I LIKE more?

Tubby

Tubby was just a good dude.

Cal was more successful by far.

Cal was great up until the year that Bo stole his soul. After that, it was obviously going to hell in a hand cart with real slick wheels.

As soon as I saw that "Prevent Offense", I knew Cal was never going to make another Final Four.