Calipari is the worst coach in college basketball

[Eric15]

Actually it isn't. as dumb as that argument is, here in ct the Hartford current actually had az poll asking who would win between the uconn men and the uconn woman. Something like 30% said the Uconn woman.

A high level high school boys team would beat the UConn women without much of a problem.

 

[HOFCeluck]

A high level high school boys team would beat the UConn women without much of a problem.

That's not the most PC take but 100% true.

 

[MikeSU02]

And now he's in the HoF.

Terrible, terrible coach... in the Hall of Fame.

 

[dasher]

A high level high school boys team would beat the UConn women without much of a problem.

yes. I was thinking a d-3 team would take them apart.

 

[Eric15]

That's not the most PC take but 100% true.

When it comes to fundamentals like shooting, women are right on par with men and often times better. But it's just physics... women don't have the agility and vertical leap that men do, and the rebounding differential would make women winning virtually impossible.

 

[sufandu]

When it comes to fundamentals like shooting, women are right on par with men and often times better. But it's just physics... women don't have the agility and vertical leap that men do, and the rebounding differential would make women winning virtually impossible.

And I don't know that they'd make a layup. Just too much size, strength, and athleticism from the men to get anything inside. It's still a relatively big deal when women dunk. I'm 5'10" and started grabbing rim when I was 14 and wasn't good enough to play D3 ball.

 

[RF2044]

anyone
but
Kentucky

And FYI, RF didn't think he's a bad coach. Just that the hype is out of control. Not an unreasonable take.

Exactly. In the preceding weeks leading up to Saturday, we've been bombarded by the sports media with talk about how this team was going to go 40-0, a championship was a fait accompli, etc. Oops..

And the pendulum is equally as absurd swinging the other way. On the way into work this morning, I was flipping through the sports channels, and heard two separate discussions on two separate channels [Mad Dog and one of the ESPN channels] about how Calipari doesn't deserve to be in the HOF, how a monkey could have coached this team to a championship, how his legacy is tarnished, etc.

Talk about polarizing hyperbole.

 

[longtimefan]

What time period is it that you're referencing? The thing I watched that talked about it stated that the NFL wasn't respected at the time, but I think the time period being referenced was the 1930's. I didn't know it continued for so long.

They played the College All-Star Game at least until the late '60's, and maybe into the '70's. I know Larry Csonka was on a college team that beat the pros.

 

[longtimefan]

Exactly. In the preceding weeks leading up to Saturday, we've been bombarded by the sports media with talk about how this team was going to go 40-0, a championship was a fait accompli, etc. Oops..

And the pendulum is equally as absurd swinging the other way. On the way into work this morning, I was flipping through the sports channels, and heard two separate discussions on two separate channels [Mad Dog and one of the ESPN channels] about how Calipari doesn't deserve to be in the HOF, how a monkey could have coached this team to a championship, how his legacy is tarnished, etc.

Talk about polarizing hyperbole.

Calipari is a good coach, but he doesn't belong in the HOF (at least not yet). They ought to hew to the rules of the other Halls--wait until the guy has been retired before thinking about inducting him.

 

[reedny]

It's an interesting thread... kind of a compilation of the sentiments many of us have expressed. Personally, I think it goes back to the heavy investment ESPN makes in the Ky. program .. which has resulted in unimaginably one-sided coverage. ESPN has humped Kentucky's leg the entire season, with constant references to the (miraculous?/shady?) talent level, interviews with Pay Pal, videos of Kentucky practices showing Calipari coaching, etc, etc. It's nauseating ... especially in a year where SU got slammed as hard as it did in the media and by an obviously disgruntled NCAA COI.

Something's radically wrong with this picture. Thank God big blue is out so we can watch some teams that compete with genuine student athletes.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Not to be that guy, but how are guys like Winslow Jones and Okafor more valid student athletes than UKs OADs?

 

[Nicknack]

...Thank God big blue is out so we can watch some teams that compete with genuine student athletes.

Not sure about "genuine" student athletes. Yeah, Kentucky is ridiculous. However, Dook has TWO freshmen that will definitely be leaving early, and very possibly THREE in Tyus Jones. Not exactly a poster board for student athletes. Wisconsin on the other hand... okay.

 

[Knicks411]

I disagree with #2. There is no evidence that he does anything to develop players. He only coaches them for a few months. What he is great at is recruiting and getting what amounts to an all-star team to play as a cohesive unit. But that is where his coaching accolades end. Basically he has a McDonald's All American team and you can see how pitiful those teams are when you watch the game - he coaches them up into a real team over the course of 3 or 4 months. But development? No. The guys he gets would be lotto picks if they went to Colgate or if the 1 and done rule didn't exist. Neither he nor Kentucky is doing anything to change that.

I think that is probably true for now, but it isn't like the guy was recruiting tons of all americans at Umass and even Memphis really, at least not toward the end of the run, and he was really successful there. I do agree his biggest strength now is getting his kids to buy into the team and sacrificing minutes and always playing strong D.

As for the game Saturday, I"ve been off the board a little, but I thought he did a poor job going to the stall way too early. And I would have put some more shooting (Devin Booker, looking at you) on the court down the stretch instead of playing the three big guys.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I think that is probably true for now, but it isn't like the guy was recruiting tons of all americans at Umass and even Memphis really, at least not toward the end of the run, and he was really successful there. I do agree his biggest strength now is getting his kids to buy into the team and sacrificing minutes and always playing strong D.

As for the game Saturday, I"ve been off the board a little, but I thought he did a poor job going to the stall way too early. And I would have put some more shooting (Devin Booker, looking at you) on the court down the stretch instead of playing the three big guys.

Seemed to me that Booker was their weak link. He seemed to be getting totally abused by Wisconsin on the defensive end - he couldn't cover anyone and he wasn't hitting shots. So I'll stick up for Cal on that decision!

 

[Knicks411]

Seemed to me that Booker was their weak link. He seemed to be getting totally abused by Wisconsin on the defensive end - he couldn't cover anyone and he wasn't hitting shots. So I'll stick up for Cal on that decision!

I was thinking more of an offense/defense thing, in general playing the three big gu ys together doesn't matter a ton, but if you're going to go 1-4 with Harrison, wouldn't you rather have Booker in the corner than Trey Lyles? I think some offensive sets I may have sat 2 big guys and played Ulis and Booker together with the Harrisons and Towns. Granted you'd need to be aggressive about making the offense/defense subs and you could get caught with your pants down on defense for a possession or two.

 

[Dave85]

Not to mention, it would be legit offensive to the pro team to even have to play the college team. If you don't think they would be set out to prove a point..

It would be ugly.

Something tells me the players would do it if the money was right.

 

[cuseincincy]

yes. I was thinking a d-3 team would take them apart.

The best player in womens NCAA basketball would be the worst player on pretty much any D3 mens team. When I was in college some of the girls on the womens team would play pickup games with us. They weren't bad. They could hang with us a little bit. A few times I found myself guarding a girl who is to this date (30 years later) the MAC's career leading scorer and rebounder, she was 3 time MAC player of the year. I had 4 inches on her, was quicker and could jump higher. She was a better shooter but had a hard time getting a shot off when I guarded her. And despite her rebounding positioning I easily went over her for rebounds. She couldn't guard me. I went around and over easily. When we pushed the ball they couldn't keep up. I didn't make Liverpool's varsity team and didn't start on either of Liverpool's 2 freshmen teams. It's another silly argument.

 

[NineOneSeven]

You're sexist!!

The best player in womens NCAA basketball would be the worst player on pretty much any D3 mens team. When I was in college some of the girls on the womens team would play pickup games with us. They weren't bad. They could hang with us a little bit. A few times I found myself guarding a girl who is to this date (30 years later) the MAC's career leading scorer and rebounder, she was 3 time MAC player of the year. I had 4 inches on her, was quicker and could jump higher. She was a better shooter but had a hard time getting a shot off when I guarded her. And despite her rebounding positioning I easily went over her for rebounds. She couldn't guard me. I went around and over easily. When we pushed the ball they couldn't keep up. I didn't make Liverpool's varsity team and didn't start on either of Liverpool's 2 freshmen teams. It's another silly argument.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Seemed to me that Booker was their weak link. He seemed to be getting totally abused by Wisconsin on the defensive end - he couldn't cover anyone and he wasn't hitting shots. So I'll stick up for Cal on that decision!

Because they kept switching screens. Booker guarding dekker or frank is a recipe for disaster.

But I agree, I don't mind taking him out. But not feeding towns every possession is silly.

 

[PeteCalvin]

What the failure of this year's UK team taught us: There is only one Anthony Davis. Even having 5 guys 6-10 or better, three of whom are McD AA's, does not equal the impact of that one kid. Chemistry is huge, and that Davis team had all the right pieces...but most importantly him.

By the way, the best guard on UK is Booker, hands down. I'd take him over Ulis or either of the Harrison twins. Booker should declare for the draft. Kid can shoot.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

didn't that happen once or twice when in football when a all star college team played a pro team? i forgot what they called that game, but it was played annually for a while and then discontinued

Played from '34 t0 '76. The amateurs won nine times, the most recent being '63 where they defeated Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers. The MVP and starting QB for the amateurs, Ron Vander Kelen, went undrafted by an NFL team and was a 21rst round pick in the AFL. He signed with the Vikings and played for four seasons professionally. He actually grew up in what is now part of the city of Green Bay.

 

[orangefog]

What the failure of this year's UK team taught us: There is only one Anthony Davis. Even having 5 guys 6-10 or better, three of whom are McD AA's, does not equal the impact of that one kid. Chemistry is huge, and that Davis team had all the right pieces...but most importantly him.

By the way, the best guard on UK is Booker, hands down. I'd take him over Ulis or either of the Harrison twins. Booker should declare for the draft. Kid can shoot.

I would add Gilchrist, that kid helped to keep it all together. There is no way the Harrisons would have been able to go all hero with him around.

 

[Briancuse]

RF you are a great poster, but I could not possibly disagree more.

 

[RF2044]

RF you are a great poster, but I could not possibly disagree more.

Brian, I assume that you haven't read the entire thread.

 

[PeteCalvin]

I would add Gilchrist, that kid helped to keep it all together. There is no way the Harrisons would have been able to go all hero with him around.

Yes, I forgot to mention MKG. He and Davis remind me of the one-two punch Duke has with Okafor and Winslow.