How would Mike Casey know if BCG is in over his head? I'm not a big fan of BCG but Mike Casey's opinion doesn't do any more for me than some opinions on here.

 

Me either...

 

I could care less what Mike Casey thinks. For goodness sake, can we give the man some time to do his job? Did UK fans learn nothing from Rich Brooks?

I agree, this team should not be where it is right now.

 

I disagree about your reference of Harris & Porter. It should have also included Stevenson, Stewart, & Carter. That's five players that would have to work very hard to be a back-up on any other top 15-20 type of team. Instead, 3 of those guys are starters right now.

 

But you make a good point about BCG's lack of playing time for some players--Galloway, in particular.

 

As I have said before, Tubby started this era of medocrity, and BCG is just continuing it--even making us more of a non-factor. Both men deserve a great deal of blame.

 

Assuming we don't make the Dance or don't get past the 1st weekend of the Dance, this year will make the 5th out of 6 seasons where we didn't make it to the Sweet 16. The exception being the 04-05 team which lost to MSU in the Elite Eight. In 3 of his last 4 seasons, Tubby had us home the first weekend of the Dance.

 

BCG has failed to win a post-season game @ UK--a trend I fear will continue this season.

 

The Tubby vs. BCG debate doesn't make sense to me. Tubby was turning UK into just another program. BCG is struggling to keep us from falling even further off the radar.

 

I shall wait till the end of next season, and even moreso, the season after that before I start judging Billy G.

I shall wait till the end of next season, and even moreso, the season after that before I start judging Billy G.

 

I would agree with you if we were performing the way we are now w/o having losses to the Gardner-Webbs & VMIs of this world. And then the debacle @ Vandy last year.

 

That's what started me sour on Tubby--the 2nd round loss to UAB in '04. We lost to a team we had no business losing to (they went out and got trounced by 26 to Kansas in their next game). But BCG's losses to GW & VMI are completely inexcusable.

Billy G would start Porter and Harris in front of Jordan and Bird if he had them.

He's around 60. He led Shelby County to the 1966 state championship, and if he hadn't broken his leg in a car accident in the summer of 1969, many believe UK would have won the national title in 1970.

 

I value his opinion and his basketball knowledge. If we could magically put Mike Casey on this year's UK team, in his heyday form, they would more than likely be 25-4 right now instead of 19-10.

 

Did Mike Casey play PG?

For those who don't remember him, Casey was a part of the great Issel/Pratt/Casey/Terry Mills class that many consider to be one of the best of all time. Rupp considered Casey to be the best "money" player he ever coached and it is widely thought that if not for the accident UK would have another championship.

 

Casey, Pratt, and Issel are all good basketball minds and have stayed close to the program.

 

Is that the same Dan Issel that compiled a 180-208 record during his head coaching career? Just wondering.

Is that the same Dan Issel that compiled a 180-208 record during his head coaching career? Just wondering.

 

:laugh::ylsuper: Yeah, he really knows his basketball.

Me either...

 

I could care less what Mike Casey thinks. For goodness sake, can we give the man some time to do his job? Did UK fans learn nothing from Rich Brooks?

 

There is no comparison to what Brooks stepped into and what Gillispie stepped into. None. UK football had NEVER been consistently competitive (since Bryant without cheating), ... lowered scholarships, NO recruiting under Morris, sanctions, restrictions, in the best football conference in the country, etc. BCG took over a good team (not great) at UK with some decent talent (not great), no sanctions, with a 100+ year history of winning in a time when the conference is not very strong. Like I said, no comparison.

 

I do agree that we need to give BCG more time, but I think if the SEC was what it was 2-3 seasons ago, many would be calling for his head as they would not even be on the bubble right now. I think this actually works in his favor as he will get another year or so to right the ship.

 

As far as Mike Casey, he is entitled to his opinion like everyone else, and probably has a little more weight to it than any of us. I think he is probably tainted a little bit as he and many of the ex-players have not fully come on board with BCG as they did with Pitino and Tubby.

 

BEST CASE (and what I am sure all UK fans should be pulling for): UK wins the next 2 games and has a good SEC tourney run to get into the dance. Pulls an upset or two in the dance, and the mood on this forum will be MUCH improved. :thumb:

:laugh::ylsuper: Yeah, he really knows his basketball.

 

:isurrender:

 

I would take his experience, win or lose, over anyone on this board every day of the week and twice on Sunday! I am willing to bet he understands the game a little bit better than you are giving him credit for.

 

BTW, he had a better winning percentage in the NBA than Pitino.

Is that the same Dan Issel that compiled a 180-208 record during his head coaching career? Just wondering.

 

Higher winner percentage than Pitino in the NBA.

Billy G would start Porter and Harris in front of Jordan and Bird if he had them.

 

I am not a huge BCG fan, but I think that is a little overboard. We don't have anyone near a Jordan or Bird on this team. But then again, what college team does?

Two of the top 20 players in the country...

 

 

If one was a PG I would agree with all the BCG hate........

 

This is a guards game, PERIOD.

 

Look at teams that have made the "Cinderella" runs in the past, they have had solid, SOLID PG's or combo guards.

 

UK has neither.

I saw a clip a few years ago where Coach K was just starting out at Duke and it showed a young Coach K with a 29-32 record. Even if Casey is correct I believe it is still too early to tell. More importantly, I worry how UK attracts a high profile coach who realizes his shelf life is two years; especially after seeing what happened to the co-coach of the year his first year. It is frustrating but we cannot adopt this attitude this early IMO.

 

:thumb:

 

We'll turn in to UCLA post-Wooden...or Alabama football.

 

The only move that makes sense is to leave Gillispie alone for at least 2 more seasons.

 

I can't say I didn't see this coming though. It is UK basketball. And, he didn't inherit a strong roster.

 

For those who like to bring up Roy Williams at UNC, can we at least mention what he had to work with coming in? Namely a trio of talented sophomores that pretty much covered the bases...a very good PG (Felton); a talented, scoring machine on the wing that was a threat from long range and a great slasher (McCants), and a dominating presence insided (May). With that trio, he proceeed to go 19-11 overall, 8-8 in the conference with a second round tournament loss.

 

Fortunately, all three chose to remain at UNC and fortunately, all the key role players from the previous year were still there as well. Williams added one huge piece, freshman Marvin Williams. He won a title.

 

Situation #1 - Coach A inherits All-Americans and three key positions (PG, wing, inside). Gets to coach the same roster, plus one talented freshman that he recruited in his second year and wins a title.

 

Situation #2 - Coach B inherits one solid senior PG, one underachieving senior 2 guard, a solid sophomore PG, an explosive sophomore 2 guard and one incoming freshman big man. The senior PG remains solid. He turns the senior 2 guard into an NBA draft pick, when he'd have been lucky to play overseas prior to that. The sophomore PG is hurt for half the year and the sophomore 2 guard is hurt basically all season. Then, the stud freshman goes down just before the tournament.

 

In year two, he basically has a whole new roster. Sophomore big man and junior 2-guard are his only dependable players. The rest of the talent are freshman.

 

If we're gonna say the SEC then vs. now is apples to oranges, then let's be fair across the board.

Higher winner percentage than Pitino in the NBA.

 

Third times a charm?

Third times a charm?

 

:laugh::thumb:

 

In all fairness, Pitino did a pretty good job his first go round with the Knicks, but he also inherited Patrick Ewing.