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Be Careful What You Wish For

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Replacing John Calipari might not be as easy as some UK fans believe. (Vicky Graff Photo)

A few nights before the SEC Tournament I was dining at our local pizza buffet and while I waited for the fresh pizza, I overheard the conversation at the table behind me.

These men, of course, feel as if they should be on the Kentucky Basketball staff and have more knowledge of basketball than most, at least in their own minds.

The summation of their conversation was that Kentucky coach John Calipari’s time at UK has come and gone. If he doesn’t make it to the Elite Eight (he didn’t) he should be bought out (of his contract). It is time for a new coach, one who knows how to coach and can get the team back to the promised land.

This made me think of last year. It seemed like the loss to Saint Peters’ started the “get rid of Cal” bandwagon which brought to question who would replace him.

Think about this. Last year at this time the BBN was rallying for a coaching change and the following names were at the top of everyone’s list.

Chris Beard (formerly Texas now at Ole Miss): We all know how this played out. If you haven’t read the police report I encourage you to do so if you have not yet formed an opinion on the situation. Also included in the report is a medical report detailing the injuries and statements of the victim. This should make any human being realize that Chris Beard would not be the person to represent Kentucky Basketball.

Nate Oats (Alabama): The handling of the Brandon Miller situation was one of the worst public relations failures ever witnessed. Granted no charges were filed, due to lack of evidence, but during the investigation Miller was not suspended and had no disciplinary action taken. Coach Oats showed no compassion for the victim or the child that now doesn’t have a mother. “Wrong place and the wrong time” was the summary of his feelings. He cared more about winning than doing what was right.

Eric Musselman (Arkansas): The only thing I can say is this:  I do not want the coach of my team ripping off his shirt and jumping into the crowd. Nobody wants to see a skinny pale man flex. I would much rather him focus on celebrating with his team while clothed.

So those were some of the names mentioned last year… Be careful what you wish for!

78 Responses

  1. I would be ok with bringing back Tubby or even Billy Clyde Gillespie if that’s what it would take to get rid of Calipari.

    3. Oh then you’re high level stupid, just say that instead thanks

      1. 1 MORE year, with the New Class that’s coming in which could go to the Elite 8 with Mickey Mouse as their coach. The Reason this team looked so good in the Bahamas & was picked as a TOP 5 team, Coach Cal stayed up in the Bleachers & let um play ❤️

    4. You got to be kidding me. Tubby won the final four with Rick Pitino team from the year before with seasoned players. Gillespie never did anything for the team. We have the best coach in the nation now. Times and rules have changed. The main thing is Cal is on top of things. Have you ever played ball with other players swatting at you or the ball and trying to score? We have plenty of arm chair coaches on this team. We need to be grateful for what we have. A true fan stands up for every part of the team, good or bad. I dont agree with all the decisions made but Im not the coach. Things are seen by him that I dont see. If we want to get behind the team, lets get better practice facilities and quit whining over a new coach that wont satisfy everybody anyway.

      1. Perfectly said! There is no one better than Coach Cal for Kentucky 💙💙

      3. Your a f’n idiot if you think Cal is the best coach anywhere! M’FER couldn’t win no matter who he has playing! Stupid basturd!

      5. Great comeback! Tired of hearing from know it all arm chair coaches. BBN will return to the glory days.

        1. The return of glory days to BBN won’t happen until Calipari is long gone. We are in danger of becoming the next Indiana if Louisville doesn’t beat us to it! All of you Calipari lovers should be deported to Bloomington!

      6. HAHA!! A new practice facility???? Put the same fading coach in a NEW PRACTICE FACILITY, and you will have the same sub par coaching performance.

    6. NOT Billy Clyde – never, never, ever. I could not believe they hired him the first time.

      1. 1 MORE year, with the New Class that’s coming in which could go to the Elite 8 with Mickey Mouse as their coach. The Reason this team looked so good in the Bahamas & was picked as a TOP 5 team, Coach Cal stayed up in the Bleachers & let um play ❤️

    9. Granted cal has has a rough couple years but u must be smoking meth to want billy g over cal

    12. This guy left off the a few names from the list. But the #1 option is Scott Drew. He has proven he can coach AND bring in talented players to Baylor in Waco, TX. Have you ever been to Waco??? Definitely not a hotbed for basketball. This guy is a proven winner and brought Baylor from the death penalty to a National Championship and top 10 ranking every year. Kansas State coach Jerome Tang is a Scott Drew disciple who learned under Drew’s system for many years. Scott Drew is the son of a successful college coach and has always been a true student of the game. Imagine what he could do in Lexington in this NIL world we live in…

      Scott Drew is the man for the job.

  4. I’m with you, Tina, and especially agree with your comments about the conversations you overheard from those who think they know it all. I’m with Coach Cal though good times and bad. Thanks for your contributing articles which I enjoy.

  8. There is not one of the top 50 coaches in America that would touch Kentucky. Tubby left because of the same crap going on with Cal now. Cal just brushes it off.

    1. I Don’t think he will leave pro ball?
      But…it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
      I like Sean Miller of Xavier
      Or Shaka Smart.
      Likelihood of getting anyone other than Cal…
      Isn’t good.

  12. I am in agreement that we shouldn’t buy Cal out. However, when the day comes to hire a new coach I am on the Scott Drew train. Has proven he can win with a natty already, and he’s a man of integrity as far as we know.

    1. Scott Drew is no coach idiot! One tournament and you think he is a f’n coach!! All I say is f’n Barnhart doesn’t need to do the hiring at UK!! I drove through Alumni drive today and seen all those nice facility’s and the teams that play there done nothing to get them!! F’N BARNHART FAMILYS FACILITIES WRIITEN ON THE SIGNS!! That is a joke! Football, Baseball, basketball needs to be winning something to get that special treatment!!

      1. You are sooo right my Friend!!!
        Nobody holds Mitch "The God" Barnhart accountable, he’s the one who gave Cal the "Lifetime Contract ". We should fire Barnhart, Cal and Kyra Elzy!!

  13. Cal would be fine if he just asked his guys to shoot at the "hole" and stop throwing it at the rim! Hell, I’m no basketball player, or coach, but nobody can make a basket if they don’t get the ball over the front of the rim. It works best if you just play with abandon and shoot at the big hole in the rim and have some confidence in your shot. That means you’ve got to get the ball over the rim, coming down …and a team can not win by depending on one guy to make all the plays. I don’t care how good he is! If I know that’s what your doing, guess who I’m going after!

  14. I think Coach Calipari has about one more year to bring home a SEC championship, and really a NCAA championship before his rope runs out. If he exits the NCAA tourney early, or God forbid, fails to make the field next year, especially with all the inbound stars and NBA dreamers coming into the program, the fans will be up in his grill for sure. Besides, many UK fans are starting to gravitate toward football more and more, the major sport attraction in the SEC, forever, no doubt about that. Be careful what you wish for? Most of us fans just want a coach who knows the game, and can win a NCAA championship at Kentucky every four or five years, instead of being a training ground for the NBA every stinking year with "one and done" talent leaving before we even learn their names real good.

    UK basketball quite frankly is losing ground with this overpaid coach at the helm. UK is no longer looked at as the "blue blood" it once was. Talking heads are saying so on national TV. This fall has happened on his watch, let’s be honest. That is the real world sports fans, and the clock is ticking on Coach. He has brought in more talent to UK than any roundball coach in the country but still couldn’t win No. 9. I hope he wins it all, but I doubt it, On On UK!!!

    1. If winning a championship every 4 or 5 years is what we want, there is no coach in the world who will satisfy us! And if we live our lives based on what television talking heads have to say, our problems go far deeper than basketball. How often has UK gone fewer than 10 years or two coaches between championships?

      As the article points out, the grass on the other side of that fence is just grass.

      1. 4 to 5 years is pushing it a bit but every 7-8 is not. UCONN has won 5 since 1999, with 3 different coaches! And the coach they have now is their best one, that is a true blue blood!

  15. You got to be kidding me. Tubby won the final four with Rick Pitino team from the year before with seasoned players. Gillespie never did anything for the team. We have the best coach in the nation now. Times and rules have changed. The main thing is Cal is on top of things. Have you ever played ball with other players swatting at you or the ball and trying to score? We have plenty of arm chair coaches on this team. We need to be grateful for what we have. A true fan stands up for every part of the team, good or bad. I dont agree with all the decisions made but Im not the coach. Things are seen by him that I dont see. If we want to get behind the team, lets get better practice facilities and quit whining over a new coach that wont satisfy everybody anyway.

  16. Yes. I agree. Cal is nearing his end. But who are you going to get that will put up with at Kentucky. Great job but surroundings….opponents, fans, media etc. Look at Louisville replacing Slick Rick. Everyone thinks they “know it all.” Well you try dealing with all the off court stuff. Not so easy.

  17. It’s time for Cal to go! Why would we want Billy G back? He did nothing when he was there! I like Tubby but he rode Rick’s team. People remember Mr KY Basketball, Travis Ford? He’s what KY needs!!! Get on the Travis wagon!!!!

    1. Yes I agree Ricky P is the XOXO coach you will find in the game of college basketball. Suggestion let Cal stay and recruit . Because there is Noone better at recruiting than Cal. That duo would be a college basketball dynasty in the making. The question is would cal be the bigger man and except the fact.

  20. I Don’t think he will leave pro ball?
    But…it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
    I like Sean Miller of Xavier
    Or Shaka Smart.
    Likelihood of getting anyone other than Cal…
    Isn’t good.

  21. I would take anyone over the used car salesman.
    He left UMass and Memphis with vacated wins and Final Four annd you act like he’s some Saint.
    Now he’s burning KY basketball to the ground on his way out.

  22. If Cal left (hope he doesn’t) but if he did/does, give me Greg McDermott all day long over 99% of the remaining coaches in the NCAA. This dude gets the best out of his team, exposes opponents weaknesses and plays a fun modern style!!

  23. I think when he came out in a BLM shirt was the beginning of the end for this fan. Oh I know nobody is as knowledgeable and righteous as the author of this article… actually he sounds like a prick.

  24. I like when people say Tubby won with Rick’s team. It may have been Rick’s team. But Tubby won. I don’t think Rick or anyone else would have won it. It’s so hard to win it all it’s crazy. Remember they were the come back cats. 15 down to duke. Coach K ran out of time outs. Because they played Tubby ball. Rick wouldn’t have won it that year. Don’t get me wrong I like Rick. Cal to. You have to give Tubby his do. People that say Tubby won it with Rick’s team they just don’t know college basketball.

    1. Agree Zeke some do complain but not sure I’ve ever seen a fan base that never complains. UK also has a lot of loyal supporters

  26. Cal is a great salesman and he can convince young men to come to Ky. He has 2 major faults. He won’t allow his assistants to contribute during games and he attempts to direct every move every player makes On the floor. That never works but he is too hard headed to change.
    Solution, hire Rondo as an assistant. He is known around the NBA a brilliant basketball mind. Let him work a few years and turn everything over to him.

    1. You’re right Professor. We all were wishing to get Calipari after Billy Clyde and now we have the NBA pimp. I am amazed at how many Calipari lovers still exist in BBN after it has become obvious to the entire basketball universe that he is single handedly destroying the Kentucky basketball program. I will pay for the hooker to boink him at Joe Bologna’s if that will get him fired.

  28. This one and done has killed Kentucky basketball. I blame the coach for that come play for me one year and get draft in the NBA first round. There is no more play for your school, to them it is a stepping stone. Did any point out to Oscar that he was making the same mistakes this year that he was making last year I blame the coach.

    1. I will credit Cal for trying to take the older, mature team approach the last two years but that has not worked either

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