If I could interject nikeman49, He too has frustrated me in the past. But I give a lot of slack because I remember the frustrating years of the late 00's and UK is as productive as ever in results. 1 Title, 3 other Final Fours, 2 other Elite Eights out of 8 years. That's pretty good.

 

I still think his loyalty to the Harrisons at the end of the Game cost the 2015 title, and having no ability to zone UConn in '14 truly hurt. But then I recall how fortunate the wins were for the 2014 run. And even Bobby Knight and Dean Smith and Coach K have lost with the "best team" in the tourney far shorter than the Final Four.

 

I think this will be a great challenge but 2011 and 2014 taught me to not count out Cal's teams. :thumb:

Good points......just why does it take Camp Cal to improve things with his team? Shouldn't that be done on a daily basis all year long? Make changes according to your opponent and the things they do and that probably will change every single game throughout the season.....this doesn't happen and when tourney time rolls around you are very used to making changes as needed to hang a banner in Rupp.....that is what the standard should be not how many millionaires we send to the NBA....IMO

Not the coach for me when it comes down to actually making changes offensively and defensively throughout the season and post season......has never, ever done that well and this year will be no different.....talks about making changes and never happens....just trying to pacify BBN and then goes back to his very limited knowledge of coaching and does the same ole dribble drive and man defense.....this team needs some real guidance and Cal just isn't the answer

 

How can you say his teams haven't gotten better as a season goes on. Shoot basically every single season come the last 2 weeks of the year and tournament time he has his teams usually playing better than anyone come tournament time.

 

Also you talk about the whole dribble drive offense. That offense was all the talk coming in from Memphis. However the dribble drive offense hasn't even been the offense UK has used the majority of his time at uk. Most of his years at UK he has gone completely away from the dribble drive with his teams. So I am not exactly sure what you are talking about.

Good points......just why does it take Camp Cal to improve things with his team? Shouldn't that be done on a daily basis all year long? Make changes according to your opponent and the things they do and that probably will change every single game throughout the season.....this doesn't happen and when tourney time rolls around you are very used to making changes as needed to hang a banner in Rupp.....that is what the standard should be not how many millionaires we send to the NBA....IMO

 

I HATE UK but I will say you are wrong with your analysis. While I don't think Cal is the best x-and-o guy there is, he can coach. To take new players every year and more often than not make a deep run tells you right there he can coach.

 

You look at how his team are vastly improved after "Camp Cal" (or whatever he calls it) and that tells you he can coach.

 

Has he had some mess ups? He has. What coach hasn't?

 

I always wondered why people go back and say they get better after camp cal. Imo it's opposite. We usually start off each year very good under Cal. Which it seems he more just let's them play and they win on pure ability, while he is learning about his young team. Then Camp Cal happens during Christmas Break and imo we usually see the team take a step back after that, because he truly tries to get them to realize what they have to do to get better and the players struggle with that early in conference play trying to do the little things needed. Which is why we usually have the UK fan base freaking out in January talking about this just isn't a good team, no way this team makes a tourny run, etc. Then come mid February is when we the team start truly understanding what it takes and starts playing their best come tourny time.

 

So imo it's not after camp Cal that makes them better. They usually perform worst after imo. Its after these young players get a season worth of experience and constant coaching from Cal when we see this team take off.

Not the coach for me when it comes down to actually making changes offensively and defensively throughout the season and post season......has never, ever done that well and this year will be no different.....talks about making changes and never happens....just trying to pacify BBN and then goes back to his very limited knowledge of coaching and does the same ole dribble drive and man defense.....this team needs some real guidance and Cal just isn't the answer

 

Good points......just why does it take Camp Cal to improve things with his team? Shouldn't that be done on a daily basis all year long? Make changes according to your opponent and the things they do and that probably will change every single game throughout the season.....this doesn't happen and when tourney time rolls around you are very used to making changes as needed to hang a banner in Rupp.....that is what the standard should be not how many millionaires we send to the NBA....IMO

 

To say that a major D1 coach has limited basketball knowledge is ridiculous. If you have ever been to a practice or coaching clinic you would understand that ALL of these guys have tremendous knowledge about nearly all areas of the game. They CHOSE to play a certain way and have certain beliefs.

 

Cal likes man defense. He should. If you have the athletes, there is no reason not to play it. Zone defense is for teams that can't match up and he rarely has that issue. Zone defenses open you up to the three and defending the three is one of Cal's top priorities. Also, they haven't run the Dribble Drive offense much during the last several years.

 

As far as Camp Cal, look at the November schedule vs the December schedule. Since games have started (and you actually know how they are going to play) they have 3 or 4 games per week and have limited practice time. In December, they are playing one game per week and have a lot of practice.

 

As far as the hang banners or making millionaires, that's his philosophy and I have no issue with it. If you're coaching college or high school, you'd rather have all of your kids be successful in life than hang banners (not that anyone wouldn't want both).

Good points......just why does it take Camp Cal to improve things with his team? Shouldn't that be done on a daily basis all year long? Make changes according to your opponent and the things they do and that probably will change every single game throughout the season.....this doesn't happen and when tourney time rolls around you are very used to making changes as needed to hang a banner in Rupp.....that is what the standard should be not how many millionaires we send to the NBA....IMO

 

I remember Pitino’s teams improved after break as well at UK. I really can’t explain it.

I remember Pitino’s teams improved after break as well at UK. I really can’t explain it.

 

As did Tubby's. By the time February got here, Tubby had his team playing well and he knew how to use the players he had to get the most out of them and the team.

What has Cal done to make you a fan of his......Am I totally wrong with my analysis of his coaching attributes or are you just a typical Cal is great guy?

 

Yes, you are wrong with your analysis.

I think that the fact that Cal has had mostly a freshman team in the majority of his 8 years at UK and has achieved what he has up to this point is the hallmark of a fellow that can coach. The one year that he didn’t make the NCAA tournament was the result of his big man Noel’s season ending injury. If that doesn’t happen that team was possibly a Sweet 16 team. However, the national sports media rarely ever mention that point when they bring up UK’s NIT year. That’s par for the course.

 

The rare year that he did have a good mixture of youth and experience his team went 38-1! That one loss stung in 2015 but even great teams can lose when it most matters. Houston in ‘83, Georgetown in ‘85, UNLV in ‘91, Duke in ‘98. It happens. And it happens to great coaches. Even K.

 

The guy can coach. As a fan I also occasionally want him to change things up a bit, such as maybe using more zone this year with this long and athletic team, but he has his methods and has been darn successful with them, so I’m in for the ride.