What's your opinion on the careers of Bill Frieder and Lou Henson? Henson somehow won 779 games in his career. Had Frieder not stupidly left for Arizona St., he might have approached that number as well. Both those guys had some immensely talented teams in their day, only to be hamstrung by their sorry coaching ability. Incredible underachievers.

 

Before you go Big Blue Crazy on me, I'm by no means saying either of them are even remotely on-par with Calipari as far as actual coaching ability. But given the ridiculous talent Calipari brings in on an annual basis, it's fair to say there's some serious underachieving going on with him.

 

Lou Henson was a good coach. He made two Final Fours and won 779 games. I would have a hard time knocking him.

 

Frieder got caught cheating and had to vacate games. He also lost 197 games and never made it past the Sweet 16. He isn't a great coach.

And when we are talking about supreme talent, Cal has been doing that at UK for almost 8 years. The previous however many years I am not sure he ever had a top recruiting class. He had some good parts, sure, but people are grading his win totality as if he has had the top recruiting class for 25 years running. If you want to ask if his tenure has been successful at UK with the talent he has landed, then that is a fair question.

And talking talent, just because he has the most talented recruiting class doesn't mean he has the most talented team.

What's your opinion on the careers of Bill Frieder and Lou Henson? Henson somehow won 779 games in his career. Had Frieder not stupidly left for Arizona St., he might have approached that number as well. Both those guys had some immensely talented teams in their day, only to be hamstrung by their sorry coaching ability. Incredible underachievers.

 

Before you go Big Blue Crazy on me, I'm by no means saying either of them are even remotely on-par with Calipari as far as actual coaching ability. But given the ridiculous talent Calipari brings in on an annual basis, it's fair to say there's some serious underachieving going on with him.

 

Some serious underachieving? As someone mentioned while he had good classes at other schools, he wasn't having the most talented teams in the country. In fact most of his career, he probably hasn't had the most talented teams in the country until he got to UK. Which now since he has been at UK he has been to the final four 4 out of his 7 years here. He has won one title, and been to another Championship game. 4 Final Fours in a 7 year span, is probably in the top 10 or 5 in history in the most successful runs in such a short time period. So I am not exactly sure how you can say there is some serious underachieving going on?

 

Then his time at Memphis he went to I believe 2 final fours, and one Championship game. At Umass which doesn't have a good basketball history at all, he took them to the final four with one good player. So I don't think there is anything that can be labeled as underachieving. Basically if 2 or 3 games had different outcomes, he is right up there with Coach K in terms of titles.

Some serious underachieving? As someone mentioned while he had good classes at other schools, he wasn't having the most talented teams in the country. In fact most of his career, he probably hasn't had the most talented teams in the country until he got to UK. Which now since he has been at UK he has been to the final four 4 out of his 7 years here. He has won one title, and been to another Championship game. 4 Final Fours in a 7 year span, is probably in the top 10 or 5 in history in the most successful runs in such a short time period. So I am not exactly sure how you can say there is some serious underachieving going on?

 

Then his time at Memphis he went to I believe 2 final fours, and one Championship game. At Umass which doesn't have a good basketball history at all, he took them to the final four with one good player. So I don't think there is anything that can be labeled as underachieving. Basically if 2 or 3 games had different outcomes, he is right up there with Coach K in terms of titles.

 

I remember those UMass teams, and while Camby was the one transcendent player, they had no shortage of talent with guys like Lou Roe, Harper Williams, Tony Barbee, Dana Dingle, Donta Bright, Derek Kellogg, Mike Williams, Edgar Padilla, Tyrone Weeks, Carmelo Travesio, etc.

 

Those guys aren't Kentucky-level guys like what he's getting now, but that's a pretty good run of talent for a school such as UMass that hadn't had much of a history beyond being the school where Dr. J played.

 

Memphis St. had a strong run of talent during his time there as well.

I remember those UMass teams, and while Camby was the one transcendent player, they had no shortage of talent with guys like Lou Roe, Harper Williams, Tony Barbee, Dana Dingle, Donta Bright, Derek Kellogg, Mike Williams, Edgar Padilla, Tyrone Weeks, Carmelo Travesio, etc.

 

Those guys aren't Kentucky-level guys like what he's getting now, but that's a pretty good run of talent for a school such as UMass that hadn't had much of a history beyond being the school where Dr. J played.

 

Memphis St. had a strong run of talent during his time there as well.

 

Yeah and with UMass he made the final four. Losing to what some people consider the best or one of the best ever in uk in that final four. Which he actually split with UK that year beating UK at UK. However unfortunately for him the one they lose mattered more in the final four.

 

At Memphis he made 2 final fours, and was a last second three away from winning a title there.

 

The man has been to 7 final fours, 3 Title games, and won 1. That is one of the best resumes of all time. Doing this while playing in arguably the hardest tournament to win a national title in. Which is why even most hall of fame coaches only have 1 to 2 titles at most.

 

So I have to agree to disagree on him being highly underachieving when his resume is one of the best all time.

I remember those UMass teams, and while Camby was the one transcendent player, they had no shortage of talent with guys like Lou Roe, Harper Williams, Tony Barbee, Dana Dingle, Donta Bright, Derek Kellogg, Mike Williams, Edgar Padilla, Tyrone Weeks, Carmelo Travesio, etc.

 

Those guys aren't Kentucky-level guys like what he's getting now, but that's a pretty good run of talent for a school such as UMass that hadn't had much of a history beyond being the school where Dr. J played.

 

Memphis St. had a strong run of talent during his time there as well.

 

How many of those Players had NBA careers longer than one year?

How many of those Players had NBA careers longer than one year?

 

Lou Roe lasted parts of two seasons. But I did insert the caveat earlier that they were good players that UMass wasn't getting before Calipari arrived. Solid college players.

Lou Roe lasted parts of two seasons. But I did insert the caveat earlier that they were good players that UMass wasn't getting before Calipari arrived. Solid college players.

 

They were but I felt Cal and staff had a lot to do with how solid they performed.

After watching 28 minutes of SMU smashing Memphis 81-33, Im glad we have CAL and they have TUBBY

You have to coach those players to win that many games. Anyone who says John Calipari is a bad coach is wrong.

 

He's a very good coach but the coaches who are elite don't cancel pregame shoot arounds vs UCLA, they don't stop teaching fundamentals because their team blows out Arizona St in November.

 

Cal thought for a second he had a couple aces up his sleeve similar to AD and MKG year.