John Calipari says he understands the high expectations of Kentucky basketball. (Vicky Graff Photo)
From 2006 through 2012, John Calipari got his team to at least the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 every year.
He took Memphis to the Elite Eight in 2006 and 2007, the national championship game in 2008 and the Sweet 16 in 2009.
His first year at UK, the Cats got to the Elite Eight in 2010 followed by a Final Four trip in 2011 and national championship in 2012.
Kentucky missed the NCAA in 2013 but made the NCAA title game in 2014, reached the Final Four in 2015. Kentucky got back to the Elite Eight in 2017 and again in 2019 after a Sweet 16 trip in 2018. Kentucky was eliminated in the second round in 2016.
Still, that meant Calipari had his team in at least the Sweet 16 12 times in a 14-year period. However, he’s now gone three years with just once NCAA tourney win and has not got past the second round after Sunday’s 75-69 loss to Kansas State.
While some UK fans are fine with the “wait until next year” rallying cry knowing Calipari has a star recruiting class coming in, many are wondering what has gone wrong who once went to the Final Four five times in a seven-year period but now has not been back in eight years.
Calipari said after Sunday’s loss that he understood the fan frustration.
“I have empathy. I understand what this program is about. I think, again, that’s what makes it what it is, and that’s why I tell players, this isn’t for everybody because the expectations are so high,” Calipari said.
“The same with coaching. It’s not for everybody. This thing is — there’s a high expectation level, and it is Kentucky. You put that on. The other team is going to play out of their minds, and they’re going to play like they have nothing to lose.”
If that’s true, it did not just start during this 12-loss season. It was going on when Adolph Rupp and Joe Hall were coaching and certainly happened with Rick Pitino coaching the Cats.
“That means you’ve got to play that way. So, yeah, I understand it, but my concern are these kids, and I tried to keep what you are saying off of them. Obviously, with a couple maybe I didn’t do as good a job as I thought I did,” Calipari said.
“I wanted them to just play, have fun, enjoy the experience. You know, make the plays you make, take what they give you.”
Any player that comes to Kentucky not understanding what basketball means to the UK fan base is delusional or lives in an ivory tower. Donkeys will fly before UK fans quit caring about the Cats. That passion is what makes the program what it is and that passion can be overwhelming if things are not going well like what UK has experienced the last three years.
TBS college basketball analyst Charles Barkley, a former Auburn all-American and NBA all-star, wondered “when is the last time you mentioned Kentucky” as a championship contender before Kentucky played Kansas State.
“John is a helluva coach. Do they have the level of talent they have had? No. But they still have good players,” Barkley said. “Every player can’t play at certain schools. Your standard is not everyone’s standard. The fan base is on your case (at Kentucky).”
However, those are the same fans who flocked to Nashville and North Carolina to watch the Cats play in the SEC Tournament and then the NCAA Tournaments. Fans care, want to win and when UK doesn’t, many are going to be unhappy.
Gonzaga has made eight straight Sweet 16 trips. Kentucky is 0-for-3 in the last three years.
That’s not meeting the high expectation level of Kentucky basketball.
28 Responses
Sometimes I think that we’ve turned into a participation trophy society.. Man.. I’m not ok with not participating in late into the tournament from year to year.. Is wanting UK to win it all every year bad.? It’s unrealistic but certainly I don’t think bad. It’s how I grew up. I don’t wanna be like everyone else. UK fans shouldn’t feel guilty about wanting more.
Kentucky Wildcat basketball coach John Calipari is the highest-paid coach in the country. The 64-year-old makes $8.4 million annually, quite the chunk of change.
But, his results in Lexington have been less than exceptional. Brought in in 2009 to recreate the Kentucky dynasty, John Calipari has captured just one national championship in his fourteen years at the helm. And, given the sensational recruiting classes and star players that have come through the program, it’s a borderline-impossible level of incompetence.
That pretty much says it all. It’s time for Calipari to be a man and move on.
#Princeton has more NCAA Tournament wins in the last 4 days than #Kentucky does in the last 4 years!
When will enough be enough? I would rather have Billy Clyde back than to suffer through another season with Calipari!
Ouch Barry
I don’t think so about Billy after he treated our players and the program when was here.
Agree! The mucky mucks ran off old Tubby and now it’s “Wait til next year”! with the highest paid coach in basketball! The world wants results Not excuses and excuses are all Big Blue Nation gets every year!
I can’t wait to be preseason top 5 again next year, stumble our way through a frustrating season, watch the worst coaching you can possibly imagine, and get bounced in the 2nd round! Woohoo!!!!!!
We have never been the same since the loss to Wisconsin in the Final 4. Calipari didn’t want to break Andrew Harrison’s heart and instead, broke the Kentucky basketball program. He is too damn arrogant, selfish, and over paid to own up to this infamous accomplishment. Dr. Calipouto needs to fire Barnhart first, then give Calipari the chance to do one last honorable thing…resign and move on!
Fire Cal! idgaf how good this mf recruits, we can’t f’ing win when it matters.
This guy was a man of few words but summed it up with the right ones.
This place is not for everyone applies to head coaches as much as players, maybe more!!!!
Time for Calipari to do the right thing and announce his retirement. I am ok if he wants to make it effective 1 year from now, but announce it and move on.
These three yo-yo’ s need to give the Cal-bashing a rest… Cal did not miss any shots in the last game,just like Joe B. Hall did not miss any shots in the second half in 1984 in Seattle against Georgetown… Finding young men with grit is more important than so fleet of foot and a shooting touch seems to be the current recruiting key for Kentucky…
He would not switch to zone however and let a 5’8” guard score 25 layups on us.
Zone is a no-no for Calipari
Oh I know Larry. Just one of the many baffling things about his coaching.
But Andy you correctly note that high priority is not put on recruiting shooters
Andy YoYo, Joe Hall was man enough to step down the next season after failing to get back to the Final 4. If Calipari wasn’t such a prima dona, he would do the same.
The Sweet 16 is when the serioius tournament begins. The first weekend is there to allow the rest of the basketball world to participate, and a "chance" to become a cinderella.
the final 16 teams include the top 6 teams (at the end of the regular season). 18 of the last 21 NCAA Tournament champions have been a top 6 team at the end of the regular season. Add this this exclusive group #8, #13, #14, and #16, and that is 10 of the Sweet 16 from the final top 16.
That is no accident.
Yes, there is a cinderella (#107 Princeton), and there are 5 more teams that finished with rankings between #17 and #40. UK finished in this zone (#26) as well, but they end up like the other 19 of teams in that group of 24 teams have ended, with first weekend losses just as their performance through the season would have predicted.
UK’s standards have fallen so low over the last decade to the point that many fans are excited and satisfied that UK was simply in the field. Many additional fans feel the season has been justified by a first round win against anybody, just get a win please.
The standard for this program once was competing for championships which at a minimum requires competiveness at the Elite 8 level. Calipari often says so, more so in his first few years than now, of course, because he does not want to dirrect the fans’ attention to that standard.
Calipari also says about players, this program is not for everyone, and that statement probably applies to head coaches as much or more than players.
When that group that included AD won it all, thought I had a pretty good chance of seeing UK overtake UCLA’s 11. Have more than serious doubts now – as in nada. Actually think UCLA will tack on another before we do. Next year will be the litmus test – if we can’t win it with whats been called the #1 recruiting class – well, WHEN will we win it. One and done schematic will be kaput as will be John.
would not bet the house on NCAA title next year
Talented, experienced players will usually beat talented freshmen. With the portal, it is much easier for coaches to plug a hole or two on experienced teams. I thought with the experience this year, UK would have done much better.
I am really starting to believe that Cal can no longer win with players that do not come in NBA ready. Cal does not seem to spend much time trying to develop players, he wants them ready for the NBA when he gets them and then just make some tweaks to their game.
Every UK game is just a showcase for the NBA. Cal’s dream night is getting in the Green Room at the draft.
Signing out till I get back home in late September – have nothing more to add.
Google Indy Star Sports. Read what former Purdue outstanding player Robbie Hummel says about Purdue fans all over Coach Matt Painter.
IF John Calipari was smart at age 64, he would coach Reed Sheppard and POSSIBLY ? Travis Perry until they graduate. I do not see either leaving early for the NBA at this time. YES, I know Lyon County current junior Travis Perry still has a year of high school left and has NOT yet committed to any college. In another 4 or 5 years, Calipari can take the job in UK Athletics in Fundraising and Public Relations for $950,000 a year as stated in his contract.
That will be 18 or 19 years with only one national title with no additional SEC titles. It would be hard to see him being an effective fund raiser if he drags the program through another 4 to 5 years of mediocrity. Forgive me for being selfish, but I most likely have only 10 to 15 years left in this life and I would hope to see the program restored back to its place of relevance once again. We are in danger of becoming another Indiana. I fear that Calipari is just that arrogant and selfish to run our program into such an abyss.
Gene Keady was head coach at Purdue for 25 years and NEVER won a national championship.
Wasn’t expected to either
Gene had a chance in 1984, the last time they been to final four and Purdue has had some good teams last 5 years and still choke.
I really don’t know what to say. Disappointed. MAD. Sad. Unbelievable. I do believe that Coach Cal needs to CHANGE coaching styles. He is outdated. Stale. Predictable. When I read things like (from that stupid, know-nothing Finebaum) "Kentucky basketball, John Calipari ‘irrelevant’ after NCAA tournament loss" . . . really ticks me off. Perhaps truth hurts; but there was a time when no one would dare say something like this. No one fears UK any longer. We have won our last championship under Calipari. He must have no pride within himself to continue to stay. I know Cal lovers will say, well, who then? Guess what? I have no idea. I do know that something MUST change. UK Wildcat fan forever.
Andy K… you must have graduated from MIT!! Cuz u be spot-on !! You Cal haters just need to STOP!!! My goodness!! Stop and look up into the rafters and appreciate Cals top recruiting class, Off-season banners!!! Aren’t they purttyy? Does UCLA have as many as us!!! NADA!!! Another brilliant point from our MIT grad…. the players miss the shots. Man, how do you know so much? Whats that you say Andy K? Your MIT diploma says Murray In Tishomingo ??? NOOOOOooooo!! So then you think Cal can coach? NOOOooooo he CANNOT!!! recruit? Not anymore. How you say? Just look at the numerous players that have left and have thrived under other coaches. Two that come to mind are the kid we just played at Providence and another is the three point shooter that went to Gonzaga (Wiltjer). Now look at "lights out shooters" on other teams that we miss recruiting. Why? And the ones we do land, unfortunately don’t get any better, because he can’t coach. What he can do is yell, BS fans, repeat himself, and be himself – an absolute idiot. An idiot if he thinks we believe his same excuse on why the team lost a game or why the season wasn’t a success of……"These are all freshman, and experienced boys…." then that just proves he’s an absolute moron. But that’s his excuse for failing. He secretly blames it on the kids. Their youth. Their inexperience. All to distract the fans from the real problem – CAL. And the comments about how are only certain players, can I "make it" at Kentucky, is complete and utter BS. Again, that is simply Cal’s "smokescreen" for recruiting the wrong player, or not being able to develop/coach the player. I will end with these last points. UK doesn’t have to win it every year, hell, they don’t even have to make the final for every year. Elite 8…. maybe. However, an absolute MUST for EVERY YEAR is the Sweet 16 AND the anticipated excitement of the possibility of winning every year, just like his span of success (06-12). You know, the years when we all thought we would surpass UCLA oh and hanging "real" banners in the rafters of RUPP. Unfortunately, something has changed. And from what I have learned, apparently he dismissed the "real" coach of the team. The real "X’s & O’s" asst. Which is fine if he would’ve paid attention to keep the success going, but he didn’t. Again, IDIOT. I just attended the high school sweet 16 in RUPP and was talking to an employee of RUPP. When I commented about the lack of attendance for some of S16 games, the employees replied with "I’ve seen more fans at these games than some of the Kentucky games." So Andy…… yes, the players play the games and miss the shots, but it’s all about the coaching that develops the player to limit the misses, and unfortunately, we’re missing EVERYTHING; shots, coaching, recruiting, and even attendance. #sendcalouttocpasture