I hope that would be the case.

 

Why do you even care?

:thumb:

 

I agree. If just picking hypothetically I go with Coach K, his record speaks for itself.

 

But, as a UK fan, I wouldn't trade Calipari for anyone right now. He fits perfectly what we want. His recruiting is off the charts, he plays an exciting brand of ball, and has the personality and ego required to do the job. I believe he'll eventually get a championship if he keeps bringing in this level of talent. Heck, under Calipari, our off-seasons have become more exciting than much of the last decade of basketball we watched. For a fandom that eats, sleeps and breathes its Wildcat basketball team 13 months of the year, Cal is serving up a feast.

 

Definitly! Great post

True. Winning cures a lot but you know as well as I do if Izzo gets to the Final Four every other year without a title people are going to complain about how "if we just had 1 top 10 recruit we'd win it all".

 

As for you guys being spoiled, I fear the year you guys have the number 9 class overall and not number 1. The sky is falling down mentality will be sky high.

 

Good points :thumb:, I withdraw my argument.

Why do you even care?

 

I am a fan of rational attitudes towards one's team. Should I not care? I coexist with UK fans and I enjoy it when they are rational. Is that so much to ask? I am trying to be a better visitor in enemy territory because I like a lot of you guys on here. Just trying to keep the peace. That's all. I can go back to being irrational if you prefer.

 

It also baffles me that if Coach K had been at UK since the early 80's and had the exact same succes at UK that he has had at Duke and if Calipari was currently working recruiting magic at Duke I know for a fact I would be picking Coach K in this thread. IMO, the answer to this question is a no brainer but it seems like everyone is subconsciously choosing Izzo because if Cal leaves with LeBron he is next on the wish list. I can't stand Ole Roy and he would be my choice after K. I understand everyone is different but the Izzo lovefest is intriguing to say the least. While in my opinion Cal is not in the same league as K and Roy and I can understand the homer effect. I'd likely take Cal over Izzo myself. I don't know. I guess I have undervalued Izzo or something. Didn't realize that he is the best coach in college basketball. You guys can have him. Again, I'll take the most proven guy with the best stats.

I am a fan of rational attitudes towards one's team. Should I not care? I coexist with UK fans and I enjoy it when they are rational. Is that so much to ask? I am trying to be a better visitor in enemy territory because I like a lot of you guys on here. Just trying to keep the peace. That's all. I can go back to being irrational if you prefer.

 

It also baffles me that if Coach K had been at UK since the early 80's and had the exact same succes at UK that he has had at Duke and if Calipari was currently working recruiting magic at Duke I know for a fact I would be picking Coach K in this thread. IMO, the answer to this question is a no brainer but it seems like everyone is subconsciously choosing Izzo because if Cal leaves with LeBron he is next on the wish list. I can't stand Ole Roy and he would be my choice after K. I understand everyone is different but the Izzo lovefest is intriguing to say the least. While in my opinion Cal is not in the same league as K and Roy and I can understand the moer effect. I'd likely take Cal over Izzo myself. I don't know. I guess I have undervalued Izzo or something. Didn't realize that he is the best coach in college basketball. You guys can have him. Again, I'll take the most proven guy with the best stats.

 

I believe Izzo is the best coach in college basketball. His teams always play reall hard and they almost always play their best ball in March. They were a 5 seed who lost their best player prior to the NCAA tournament and still made the Final 4. The year before they beat a loaded UL team in the Elite 8. If you look at careers there is no doubt that Coach K has had the best career right now and has an excellent program, but what Izzo has done recently is very impressive. A Final 4 is a successful season for any elite program IMO. If Duke got beat by WVU it would have still been a successful year this year. Look at the previous 5 years for Duke. Izzo is an excellent coach in his own right.

For the record I don't think anyone could argue that there is another current coach in the NCAA that's better than Coach K, it just can't be done due to his endless list of accomplishments IMO.

 

I didn't take him because who knows how much longer he'll coach? I don't get the sense that he's going to be another Joe Paterno or Bobby Bowden type of guy that stays with a program until he has to be placed on his death bed.

The only reason you could pick anyone over Coach K is his age at 63. Still, I think he will coach another 5 years or maybe more and I like my odds of winning a title in 5 years with Coach K. All the coaches mentioned so far won first and foremost because they brought in the highest level of talent. Recruiting is job #1 for any coach aspiring to win a D1 title. That is why Cal is getting so much consideration (plus he is UK's coach so we know how that goes). But I echo many of the comments about Cal. He is perfect for UK and its fans. His recruiting is getting into the unprecedented zone and talent wins. He has won 30+ games now 5 or 6 years in a row. But he hasn't won a title and until he does that, the other coaches have a leg up on him. One coach not mentioned yet that should get some consideration is Bill Self.

The only reason you could pick anyone over Coach K is his age at 63. Still, I think he will coach another 5 years or maybe more and I like my odds of winning a title in 5 years with Coach K. All the coaches mentioned so far won first and foremost because they brought in the highest level of talent. Recruiting is job #1 for any coach aspiring to win a D1 title. That is why Cal is getting so much consideration (plus he is UK's coach so we know how that goes). But I echo many of the comments about Cal. He is perfect for UK and its fans. His recruiting is getting into the unprecedented zone and talent wins. He has won 30+ games now 5 or 6 years in a row. But he hasn't won a title and until he does that, the other coaches have a leg up on him. One coach not mentioned yet that should get some consideration is Bill Self.

I like Bill Self, but I can't get over some of the losses he has suffered in the NCAA tournament with far superior teams. Northern Iowa, Bradley, Bucknell, etc.

I like Bill Self, but I can't get over some of the losses he has suffered in the NCAA tournament with far superior teams. Northern Iowa, Bradley, Bucknell, etc.

 

Does VCU over Duke ring a bell? I know Duke wasn't a top seed that year but still. And that was just a couple years ago. I hear what you are saying but I think all the coaches we are talking about probably has a couple early NCAA losses that make you scratch your head.

Outside of the Championship year, Bill Self is a joke IMO. Don't get me wrong, he's a very good coach, but his team always, always disappoints in the tourney. People act like Coach Cal does, but I don't see how you can be that disappointed if you're Memphis or UMass. Kansas should have won it all last year with the talent and experience they had, or at least came close.

Outside of the Championship year, Bill Self is a joke IMO. Don't get me wrong, he's a very good coach, but his team always, always disappoints in the tourney. People act like Coach Cal does, but I don't see how you can be that disappointed if you're Memphis or UMass. Kansas should have won it all last year with the talent and experience they had, or at least came close.

 

He has some bad NCAA losses since coming to Kansas but he also has 2 elite 8's and a title.

He has some bad NCAA losses since coming to Kansas but he also has 2 elite 8's and a title.

 

Yeah, but most years he has the bad tourney loss. He's been at Kansas for 7 years. He has the title, but only 1 other trip to the Elite 8. And 2 other times has he got to the Sweet 16. So 3 times he's been out in the first weekend of the tournament. And it's not like he has 8 seeds or something, they've won the Big 12 the last 6 years, and were 2nd place his first year. The teams that Kansas has had during his tenure should have all been Sweet 16, and many no worse than Elite 8.

 

Like I said he's a good coach, but there are a few other guys who I'd much rather have my team ran by. JMO :thumb:.

I believe Izzo is the best coach in college basketball. His teams always play reall hard and they almost always play their best ball in March. They were a 5 seed who lost their best player prior to the NCAA tournament and still made the Final 4. The year before they beat a loaded UL team in the Elite 8. If you look at careers there is no doubt that Coach K has had the best career right now and has an excellent program, but what Izzo has done recently is very impressive. A Final 4 is a successful season for any elite program IMO. If Duke got beat by WVU it would have still been a successful year this year. Look at the previous 5 years for Duke. Izzo is an excellent coach in his own right.

 

Good points. Maybe this will be settled next year in the tourney as Duke will likely be the preseason #1 and MSU will likely be #2.

If they were recruiting my son and coaching at UK and I had a choice of any of them...I take...Coach K. I can say that without any hesitation!