Pitino or Calipari---Who Do You Like Best???

[Wireman]

Not sure if it is older age or the fact Rick is at UL, but he seems to have gotten snippier and more bitter the older he has become. Both seem petty and neither would probably give me the time of day, but at least Cal makes me feel like he would potentially be friendly. So, Cal... by default?

 

Calipari is very friendly and down to Earth. I was at his house for the selection show and he made me and other members of the media feel right at home.

[bugatti]

Calipari is very friendly and down to Earth. I was at his house for the selection show and he made me and other members of the media feel right at home.

 

Good to hear. Rick I feel would host a selection show party at his house and not even be present until he had to do his interview.

[bugatti]

In fairness, I probably wouldn't like people if I was in their shoes.

[okie1]

They were/are both great fits for the UK program. Their successes here while at UK are both unbelievable.

 

I think Pitino gets as much out of his players/teams as any coach in history, however the "give Pitino Cals players" and see what happens doesn't fly with me. It takes a special person to deal with the ego's and get them to buy in the way that Cal does. Pitino's tear them down and build them up philosophy wouldn't work with players that Cal brings in IMO...that is why Pitino doesn't get those types of players.

 

I know Pitino changed the way the 3 point shot is looked at....wasn't he also the first coach who would sit any player who committed a second foul in the first half?

 

They both have the ego and personality to coach at UK and those are few and far between!

[mexitucky]

In fairness, I probably wouldn't like people if I was in their shoes.

 

Could you imagine the type of conversations you would have around this Commonwealth if you made yourself truly accessible? I can't listen to the call in show. Cal and Rick have to sit through entire shows week after week. Then having to speak w/ these idiots in public???? I'd be a huge jerk. UK fans are crazy, but worse many have no tact.

[GrantNKY]

The same could be said with Pitino and his use of the 3 pt. shot at Providence.

Very true. Pitino at Providence is a little before my time so sorry for that not instantly popping up in my mind.

[jericho]

I dont see Cal flipping people off as he leaves either.

[Randy Parker]

If we're just talking personality, I'll take Calipari.

[Hatz]

Could you imagine the type of conversations you would have around this Commonwealth if you made yourself truly accessible? I can't listen to the call in show. Cal and Rick have to sit through entire shows week after week. Then having to speak w/ these idiots in public???? I'd be a huge jerk. UK fans are crazy, but worse many have no tact.

 

Why Isn't Richie Playing More?????

[Wireman]

I like Rick Pitino's sense of humor. I imagine I would like him away from basketball, too.

[All Tell]

I can't disagree with your opinion. It's logical. I often tell the fans down here: "Sure Cal's Satan. But he's OUR Satan." :thumb:

 

But I'm curious, based on the criteria above; who is worthy of our coach in shining armor?

 

Coach K has had his own moments with Myron Piggie, to missing jewelry, etc.

 

Roy Williams and Dean Smith now both seem to have an academic scandal past.

 

Bill Self; if he hadn't already lost credibility with the ineligible player on the NCAA title team the current scandals have rocked him.

 

To be honest, it's hard for me to find a current coach who isn't guilty of something or a real jerk on, if not off, the court.

 

Honestly I'm so cynical that I think once you get to the big time level, much like getting elected to congress, the money, attention and power are corrupting. I don't believe or trust any of them and have pretty much been turned off on college basketball. Coach K lost any credibility with the Grayson Allen situation. It's my opinion that NC got away with wrongdoing under Roy William's watch and much like Pitino and Cal he has pleaded ignorance. Look at Bruce Pearl. He was unofficially "blackballed" from coaching in D1 because while at Iowa as an assistant he turned in coaches at other schools for violations. Only after lots of success at Southern Indiana did he get a chance at a D1 school. A few short years later he was gone after violations were committed at Tennessee, but he's back.

 

Coaches that have been found guilty of violations are welcome back at other schools with open arms, provided they were successful. That applies in all major sports. College coaching has become a cess pool.

 

And just to throw this out there I would much rather spend time with Joe B. or Denny then either Pitino or Calipari.

Edited March 21, 2017 by All Tell

[Hellbird]

Neither.

 

Pitino should have been booted when the Sypher fiasco broke and definitely when the McGee controversy broke.

 

Calipari has had 2 teams he's coached to final fours vacate those accomplishments because of NCAA violations.

 

I have never bought that either Pitino or Calapari was unaware of what was going on right under their noses, they both want 100% of the credit when things go well but throw whoever they have to under a bus when things go badly.

 

They're both lying sleezeballs as far as I'm concerned.

So then I take it you think the same for Dean Smith, Roy Williams and any other coach that had NCAA violations come down during their tenure? I don't get all the grief that Cal gets simply because he was never indicated in any of them. One of the violations you speak of took place by a player while he was still in High School and the other he has been cleared of any involvement what so ever also.

[UKMustangFan]

So then I take it you think the same for Dean Smith, Roy Williams and any other coach that had NCAA violations come down during their tenure? I don't get all the grief that Cal gets simply because he was never indicated in any of them. One of the violations you speak of took place by a player while he was still in High School and the other he has been cleared of any involvement what so ever also.

 

You didn't read his follow up post, did you?

[All Tell]

So then I take it you think the same for Dean Smith, Roy Williams and any other coach that had NCAA violations come down during their tenure? I don't get all the grief that Cal gets simply because he was never indicated in any of them. One of the violations you speak of took place by a player while he was still in High School and the other he has been cleared of any involvement what so ever also.

 

Read my follow-up.

 

I'm not a UK fan but I think it's a travesty that after the Eddie Sutton violations he was allowed to coach again at Oklahoma State with no penalty while UK had to bear the punishment.

 

I was a UofL (and Denny Crum) fan. When the violations occurred under his watch he should have been punished instead of having one of his assistants made a scapegoat. At least he stuck around and was at Louisville while they were on probation.

 

I have long been an advocate that punishments should follow the coaches.

 

College coaches are the ultimate control freaks. They want control of every aspect of their program and their players. There's no way I'll ever be convinced that a head coach at any big time program can have violations occur within their program and not be aware of them.

 

Again, the head coach wants every bit of the credit and financial rewards when their program is successful, they should be just as willing to suffer the consequences when their program is found to be dirty,

[bugatti]

 

College coaches are the ultimate control freaks. They want control of every aspect of their program and their players. There's no way I'll ever be convinced that a head coach at any big time program can have violations occur within their program and not be aware of them.

 

Again, the head coach wants every bit of the credit and financial rewards when their program is successful, they should be just as willing to suffer the consequences when their program is found to be dirty,

 

And as I have said before, I think it is worse in college basketball. College basketball coaches are the main focus of a program and are overly protected by administrations and media. College football coaches do not get near the latitude because the programs themselves are larger than the coaches.