I guess it depends on your definition of trouble. The main point I was making was grey area of recruiting anyway. He has never been sanctioned by the NCAA. If he's coaching Lebron next year he doesn't need to worry about a governing body stripping him of wins for using an illegal player. Is that good?

 

I am not sure what you mean when you keep referring to the "gray area of recruiting". I would bet that what you and Cal consider gray are night and day. Without you being on every recruiting trip, and listening in to every phone call Cal makes, how in the world would you know what he is doing is gray? Now, on the other hand, if Cal was a habitual offender and had been fired previously for violations, then I could go with you on the "gray" argument. But, for now, I have to reserve judgment. Kids just love playing for him, kids nowadays love his DD and unleashed style of play. I would love for my son to play for him, because imo, he has blind loyalty for his players.

I am not sure what you mean when you keep referring to the "gray area of recruiting". I would bet that what you and Cal consider gray are night and day. Without you being on every recruiting trip, and listening in to every phone call Cal makes, how in the world would you know what he is doing is gray? Now, on the other hand, if Cal was a habitual offender and had been fired previously for violations, then I could go with you on the "gray" argument. But, for now, I have to reserve judgment. Kids just love playing for him, kids nowadays love his DD and unleashed style of play. I would love for my son to play for him, because imo, he has blind loyalty for his players.

 

I agree with most of your post...but I think blind loyalty for anyone or anything is very dangerous and extremely naive.

How many college coaches have gone to a job where they coach a top 3 player in the league? It's not just hot college coaches that aren't successful. Most coaches that take a job where there isn't much talent end up not succeeding. I'd guess Phil Jackson couldn't win big if he coached the Clippers the last decade. That's the only reason I think there's even a slight chance Calipari would make the jump. Coach K taking the Lakers job a few years ago is one of the only times I think it could have worked really well. You have to have talent to win no matter what.

 

Point taken...and I agree to an extent. But, many times they fail miserably. A good coach should be able to improve his team and gradually build them up.

 

I think coaching college and professional sports are very different and there aren't that many guys who are suited to be good at both. Larry Brown comes to mind.

Point taken...and I agree to an extent. But, many times they fail miserably. A good coach should be able to improve his team and gradually build them up.

 

I think coaching college and professional sports are very different and there aren't that many guys who are suited to be good at both. Larry Brown comes to mind.

 

It's obviously different, but how different? I'm not sure. All I know is college coaches don't get a fair shake most times they go to the NBA. Calipari did go to the playoffs in NJ correct? I'm assuming somewhere along the lines he made them better. Pitino's famous speach was correct IMO. Larry Bird didn't walk through that door. Doc Rivers almost got canned the year before he won the title. Know why he won the title? KG and Ray Allen walked through that door. Talent trumps almost everything in the NBA.

 

What really cracks me up about some UK fans is how they easily dismiss the Calipari to the NBA rumors. If Calipari's only goal in life was National titles why go to the Nets originally? Calipari right now isn't considered a failure at the college level. He is at the pro level. Why does his ego not need to be successful in the NBA? It does IMO if the situation is right. He won't leave here to coach the Nets again w/o LBJ and some help. Would he really turn down the Bulls job if it was ever offered if LBJ and Rose ask him to do it and their roster includes Noah and possibly Bosh? Just b/c he says whatever he says in the media and we want him to win titles here doesn't mean that's what he wants. He won't leave if the situation isn't perfect and he might not get an offer at the perfect situation, but some people need to get their head out of the sand.

From Coach Cal's Twitter this morning:

 

UKCoachCalipari I want to address this with the Big Blue Nation one last time, I will be coaching at Kentucky next year. Now let's finish what we started!

From Coach Cal's Twitter this morning:

 

UKCoachCalipari I want to address this with the Big Blue Nation one last time, I will be coaching at Kentucky next year. Now let's finish what we started!

 

I will take him at his word and quit worrying about him leaving. I'm not saying there is no way he would go to the NBA, but I now believe that he won't based on other statements and this statement. Reporters should leave it alone IMO unless they have concrete evidence that he is interested in a pro job.

I will take him at his word and quit worrying about him leaving. I'm not saying there is no way he would go to the NBA, but I now believe that he won't based on other statements and this statement. Reporters should leave it alone IMO unless they have concrete evidence that he is interested in a pro job.

 

That's the problem with today's media. They throw speculation out there trying to break stories without enough evidence to back it up. I would like to see someone track all this crap that gets thrown around and make reporters accountable for what they put out there.

It's obviously different, but how different? I'm not sure. All I know is college coaches don't get a fair shake most times they go to the NBA. Calipari did go to the playoffs in NJ correct? I'm assuming somewhere along the lines he made them better. Pitino's famous speach was correct IMO. Larry Bird didn't walk through that door. Doc Rivers almost got canned the year before he won the title. Know why he won the title? KG and Ray Allen walked through that door. Talent trumps almost everything in the NBA.

 

What really cracks me up about some UK fans is how they easily dismiss the Calipari to the NBA rumors. If Calipari's only goal in life was National titles why go to the Nets originally? Calipari right now isn't considered a failure at the college level. He is at the pro level. Why does his ego not need to be successful in the NBA? It does IMO if the situation is right. He won't leave here to coach the Nets again w/o LBJ and some help. Would he really turn down the Bulls job if it was ever offered if LBJ and Rose ask him to do it and their roster includes Noah and possibly Bosh? Just b/c he says whatever he says in the media and we want him to win titles here doesn't mean that's what he wants. He won't leave if the situation isn't perfect and he might not get an offer at the perfect situation, but some people need to get their head out of the sand.

 

 

He has said over and over that he isn't going anywhere. Hes UK's coach, our coach, so I'd just assume take his word for it and not worry about it anymore.

He has said over and over that he isn't going anywhere. Hes UK's coach, our coach, so I'd just assume take his word for it and not worry about it anymore.

 

Do you really think he'd come out and say I want to coach the Bulls? Did Nick Saban come out and say "I'm looking at the Bama job"? What do people expect him to say? He has all the chips right now. I still don't think he'll go. I just think to dismiss it is short sighted.

Do you really think he'd come out and say I want to coach the Bulls? Did Nick Saban come out and say "I'm looking at the Bama job"? What do people expect him to say? He has all the chips right now. I still don't think he'll go. I just think to dismiss it is short sighted.

 

If hes considering going if I was him I would say nothing, or atleast not volunteer the information on twitter that he is going no where.

From Coach Cal's Twitter this morning:

 

UKCoachCalipari I want to address this with the Big Blue Nation one last time, I will be coaching at Kentucky next year. Now let's finish what we started!

 

Because tweets are limited to 140 characters he wasn't able to write

 

"because as of right now/today I have no other offers that I'm interested in on the table. If LBJ orchestrates something that includes me as the head coach THEN I would have to make a decision but as of today I will be coaching at Kentucky next year."

I honestly believe these rumors get started by his arch rivals to have a detrimental affect on UK's recruiting. They love to place doubt in our recruit's minds. You don't leave UK, there is no where to go but down, and why all the hoopla about LBJ? Good player, but NO where near what Jordan was, NO where.

I honestly believe these rumors get started by his arch rivals to have a detrimental affect on UK's recruiting. They love to place doubt in our recruit's minds. You don't leave UK, there is no where to go but down, and why all the hoopla about LBJ? Good player, but NO where near what Jordan was, NO where.

 

While I'm sure other NCAA coaches will use it against UK my feeling is that the NBA pundits are the ones making this a story. The question revolves around the validity of it. Could we be underestimating the relationship between LBJ and Cal? Can LBJ convince him (and an owner) that he needs to coach LBJ's team? Pitino left UK when he had a mini-dynasty going. That tells us that the ego of a powerful coach is not to be understimated.

I honestly believe these rumors get started by his arch rivals to have a detrimental affect on UK's recruiting. They love to place doubt in our recruit's minds. You don't leave UK, there is no where to go but down, and why all the hoopla about LBJ? Good player, but NO where near what Jordan was, NO where.

 

All coaches (Cal included) try to place doubt about other programs to help bolster their argument. However, these rumors come from the press, the NBA 'experts', and their knowledge of Lebron's relationship with Cal (which is no secret). Can't blame this one on the arch rivals, but of course they will use it in the recruiting battle,... nothing new here.

 

As far as Lebron and Jordan, ... MJ has 6 titles. Probably would have had more had he not taken that baseball vacation. But Lebron is far beyond being just a 'good' player. He is arguably the best player in the game right now. Is he Jordan, arguably the best of all time? Nope. But then again, who is? However, I have never seen a player of Lebron's size have the strength & quickness that he possesses. He is a 2 time MVP for a reason, and not it's not because he just a 'good' player.

 

Hey look, I am a HUGE UK fan, ... but to think that coaching Lebron on a team with the potential to win a title is a step down from UK is a bit much.

While I'm sure other NCAA coaches will use it against UK my feeling is that the NBA pundits are the ones making this a story. The question revolves around the validity of it. Could we be underestimating the relationship between LBJ and Cal? Can LBJ convince him (and an owner) that he needs to coach LBJ's team? Pitino left UK when he had a mini-dynasty going. That tells us that the ego of a powerful coach is not to be understimated.

 

Pitino did leave, but admitted later that it was the single biggest mistake of his career. I don't think anybody on BGP actually knows what the relationship is between Cal and LJ, do you? Just not sure what motivates Cal. I do know he has been there, done that (NBA), and I do know that he wanted the UK job. It's amazing to me that all this speculation is happening after his first year. Guess it will happen every year, so let's get used to it. I also get perplexed on why the NBA would want a coach who does not know how to coach (according to lots here).

 

:idunno: