Realistic Replacement List For John Calipari

[Tomcats1990]

30 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

I’ll go down the list. 
 

Mark Pope- Besides being a former UK player, why is he on this list? If people were not happy with the job Calipari has done even before this year. Why would fans want him, who hasn’t accomplished anything?

Travis Steele- Why is he on this list? He literally has not done much at all with Xavier, since he took over to prove that he is even the right coach for them. 
 

Richard Pitino- Once again why? Has not shown anything to show that he could even come lose to the expectations UK fans have. Literally would be better off calling his dad to see if he wants to give it another try. 
 

Tony Bennett- Very good coach, but UK fans would not like him at all. He is a defensive first coach, who’s offense also is not to great. Fans would complain about his style, and probably complain about his recruiting. 
 

Chris Beard- Another name fans mention a lot. He did make a title game. However, his style fans would not like either. Recruiting would be a complaint, and most of his success has came with senior grad transfers. That really wouldn’t fill the need of wanting playing for more than one year that people want. 
 

Scott Drew- He is someone that probably wouldn’t be that bad to have, but let’s see how he does with his top team this year. If he falls short of the final four with his top team. Then chances are UK fan base would eat him alive, with how he hasn’t accomplished much. 
 

Nate Oats- Is definitely moving up the coaching ranks. He would play a style that fans would like.  He seems like personality wise he may be able to handle it. He could be a possibility. 
 

Bruce Pearl- Personality wise could handle it. Plays a style that fans would like. Can recruit, and hopefully can do it without getting the program in trouble. Has made a final four. He is decent choice. 
 

Chris Holtman- He definitely has moving up the chart with his coaching. Having a very good year this year. He honestly wouldn’t be a bad choice. 
 

Frank Vogel- Zero reason to have him on here. He is not leaving Lebron and the Lakers. 
 

Out of this list, the only ones who I think could be a possibility they could get, who the fans also probably would like in terms of style of play, big enough personality, recruiting, etc Is Scott Drew, Nate Oats, Bruce Pearl, and Chris Holtman. 
 

Guy I would call first though is Brad Steven. Which doubtful he would come, unless they fall short again and the Celtics want to move on from him. I would also give Billy Donovan a call. I do think he was considering it before, but literally to hard of a move to make going from rival Florida who he had success with to UK. Better chance of him coming now, than before IMO. So I would call those two guys first, and then call the four I just listed too. 

Agree with most of that my first 3 calls are Stevens Few and Wright no Donavan he turned us down.enough times already. After those 3 presumably say no these are the next coaches I’d look at some more realistic then others. Really like Holtmann he is from Nicholasville and grew up a KY fan. He knows how crazy this fan base is. I think Pearl would be a home run hire but don’t think KY would look at him because of the NCAA sanctions.

[futurecoach]

37 minutes ago, Tomcats1990 said:

Agree with most of that my first 3 calls are Stevens Few and Wright no Donavan he turned us down.enough times already. After those 3 presumably say no these are the next coaches I’d look at some more realistic then others. Really like Holtmann he is from Nicholasville and grew up a KY fan. He knows how crazy this fan base is. I think Pearl would be a home run hire but don’t think KY would look at him because of the NCAA sanctions.

I have no problem with Donovan turning us down before. He had zero reason to leave Florida, a program he built and won titles with. It would have been to tough of a move for him to leave there, to come join a team in the same conference and same division at that. Donovan is probably more than happy in the NBA, but if he were to come back to the college game. I do think he would do that for UK this time around. 
 

As for Mark Few, he like Donovan at the time when he was at Florida. Would have zero reason to come to UK. He is a wear coast guy, and has built Gonzaga into a team that can compete for titles, without the pressure of our crazy UK fanbase.

 

I have always been a fan of Jay Wright. I think his style of play would be something fans would love. With that said, the funny thing is with him though, before he won his two titles. He was known for his teams underachieving and bailing out early in every tournament. If he were to do that here at UK, the fan base would have ran him out of town long before he ever got to get a chance to win a title. 
 

Basically there is no coach out there, that would perfectly fit into every little demand UK fans want. Which is being able to recruit at a high level, also get KY kids, play an exciting style of play, have a big ego that can handle this fan base, and also win at a high level. So no matter who we get, fans are going to be unhappy. Actually there is one coach that checks all those boxes, but his past history and trouble prevents that and that is Rick Pitino. Which is part of the issue, fans have never gotten over Pitino leaving. 

[Tomcats1990]

Barnhart better start looking at our list!

[mcpapa]

Rick Barnes. 

[4 Quarters]

6 hours ago, Tomcats1990 said:

Agree with most of that my first 3 calls are Stevens Few and Wright no Donavan he turned us down.enough times already. After those 3 presumably say no these are the next coaches I’d look at some more realistic then others. Really like Holtmann he is from Nicholasville and grew up a KY fan. He knows how crazy this fan base is. I think Pearl would be a home run hire but don’t think KY would look at him because of the NCAA sanctions.

I don't exactly think Cal had a clean slate when he arrived either.

[GBR]

Just my 2cents, but I think you have to include Brad Underwood on that list. He has been very successful at every place he has been, and has the Illini in the national picture this year. Beat Duke at Cameron this year...and it wasnt close. He also has the smarts to hire Orlando Antigua as his top assistant.

[gchs_uk9]

9 hours ago, mcpapa said:

Rick Barnes. 

Knows how to win at Rupp Arena

[The Professor]

I’m assuming this thread is about some time in future years when Cal decides  to hang it up. They’re not going to fire him. I might have been given false info but I heard his buyout is 20 million.
 

Steven of the Celtics would be my first choice but he’s not leaving Boston anytime soon. What he did at Butler was amazing. One “almost” shot away from winning a title, plus another national runner up as well. 

[John Anthony]

17 hours ago, futurecoach said:

I have no problem with Donovan turning us down before. He had zero reason to leave Florida, a program he built and won titles with. It would have been to tough of a move for him to leave there, to come join a team in the same conference and same division at that. Donovan is probably more than happy in the NBA, but if he were to come back to the college game. I do think he would do that for UK this time around. 
 

As for Mark Few, he like Donovan at the time when he was at Florida. Would have zero reason to come to UK. He is a wear coast guy, and has built Gonzaga into a team that can compete for titles, without the pressure of our crazy UK fanbase.

 

I have always been a fan of Jay Wright. I think his style of play would be something fans would love. With that said, the funny thing is with him though, before he won his two titles. He was known for his teams underachieving and bailing out early in every tournament. If he were to do that here at UK, the fan base would have ran him out of town long before he ever got to get a chance to win a title. 
 

Basically there is no coach out there, that would perfectly fit into every little demand UK fans want. Which is being able to recruit at a high level, also get KY kids, play an exciting style of play, have a big ego that can handle this fan base, and also win at a high level. So no matter who we get, fans are going to be unhappy. Actually there is one coach that checks all those boxes, but his past history and trouble prevents that and that is Rick Pitino. Which is part of the issue, fans have never gotten over Pitino leaving. 

What’s interesting is we’re sort of trying to run a Villanova system now, but running a 1 and done system as well.  The first half of Cal’s career the elite kids were typically expected to leave after 1 year, now we’re recruiting good to really good kids, who honestly need 2-3 years of college, but has “potentially” elite kids coming in behind them.  Maybe the process is our current flaw?

[John Anthony]

Right now UK has zero top 10 recruits, but has the #11 kid.  I don’t follow b-ball recruiting as much anymore but I’m guessing we’re all in on the #2 Jaden Hardy?

[futurecoach]

12 minutes ago, John Anthony said:

What’s interesting is we’re sort of trying to run a Villanova system now, but running a 1 and done system as well.  The first half of Cal’s career the elite kids were typically expected to leave after 1 year, now we’re recruiting good to really good kids, who honestly need 2-3 years of college, but has “potentially” elite kids coming in behind them.  Maybe the process is our current flaw?

This is the first year that can truly say the process has been flawed. We already know where me and you stand on previous years since 2015. Which as I mentioned the tournament not being played last year, really hurt because it truly could have gave us a better luck at exactly where this program is. Say if last years team did make the final four, which you even admitted they were capable of. Then this year would be looked at as a blimp on the map, just like it has been for other top programs this year. 
 

So this off season and next year will be key in seeing if Cal can get it back turn around, or if it is truly time to move on. 

[John Anthony]

8 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

This is the first year that can truly say the process has been flawed. We already know where me and you stand on previous years since 2015. Which as I mentioned the tournament not being played last year, really hurt because it truly could have gave us a better luck at exactly where this program is. Say if last years team did make the final four, which you even admitted they were capable of. Then this year would be looked at as a blimp on the map, just like it has been for other top programs this year. 
 

So this off season and next year will be key in seeing if Cal can get it back turn around, or if it is truly time to move on. 

I think that’s a fair assessment.  Is the Hardy kid the key to next year, do you follow recruiting?

[futurecoach]

1 hour ago, John Anthony said:

I think that’s a fair assessment.  Is the Hardy kid the key to next year, do you follow recruiting?

Honestly I don’t follow it to much.  UK is usually in most players final list of schools. It is just to much to keep track of when a player may decide. Most of these guys seem like they like to let it play out because they like the attention. So it became to much paying attention to it every year. I usually pay more attention once guys truly get close to deciding. I do know though that Boston was suppose to be that type of stud recruit people have said Cal had been missing out on lately. Sadly he just hasn’t lived up to it. I doubt he would stay, but I think if he did we would see that talent come out next year. 

[Mojocat]

Kentucky fans.  You people are crazy, or something like that.  I remember all the way back in February of 2020, when the fine people at The Sporting News (probably the most venerated legacy sports publication, now that Sports Illustrated is...a mess) proclaimed John Calipari the Coach of the Decade.  Imagine that. Coach of the Decade, and 17 games into this season some want to ship him out.  

Now, I'm willing to admit this could end badly.  He is, after all, about to be 62 years old.  Aside from age, I've always wondered how someone who famously relished the role of underdog, who was a natural fighter ("you hurt one of mine, I burn your village down") maintains his fire when he's now.....on the yacht.  As he says.  Don't you inevitably get fat and happy?  So, yeah, this could be going downhill.  But what I see is rather a perfect storm.  A total roster makeover, key injuries pre-season and in-season, a pandemic wreaking havoc on training, teaching, and scheduling.  Nothing easy.  

We'll see.  But what i know is, it's crazy to want to run off the guy who was Coach of the Decade less than a year ago!

[futurecoach]

2 minutes ago, Mojocat said:

Kentucky fans.  You people are crazy, or something like that.  I remember all the way back in February of 2020, when the fine people at The Sporting News (probably the most venerated legacy sports publication, now that Sports Illustrated is...a mess) proclaimed John Calipari the Coach of the Decade.  Imagine that. Coach of the Decade, and 17 games into this season some want to ship him out.  

Now, I'm willing to admit this could end badly.  He is, after all, about to be 62 years old.  Aside from age, I've always wondered how someone who famously relished the role of underdog, who was a natural fighter ("you hurt one of mine, I burn your village down") maintains his fire when he's now.....on the yacht.  As he says.  Don't you inevitably get fat and happy?  So, yeah, this could be going downhill.  But what I see is rather a perfect storm.  A total roster makeover, key injuries pre-season and in-season, a pandemic wreaking havoc on training, teaching, and scheduling.  Nothing easy.  

We'll see.  But what i know is, it's crazy to want to run off the guy who was Coach of the Decade less than a year ago!

Agree with most of this. Absolutely zero reason for UK to move on from him. Probably a better chance of Cal deciding he is done with this fan base and moving on after this year, than UK moving on from him. 
 

With that said, Cal would have to show starting next year that he can get it turned back around again. Next year can’t even be an average year. Next year would need to show that he can get UK back to being one of the top teams, and that this year was just a rare bump in the road. If next year is a struggle and just average. Then I would it would be best for both parties to get a fresh start.