Will Kentucky Go Back to the Platoon System Next Year?

[pittsburghheel]

You must not remember the 90's very well.
UNC went to 5 elite 8s, went to the Final 4 in 91,93,95,97 & 98. Won the championship in 93. I say that's better than UKs run.

I remember the 90's quite well. But I am not going to involve a different era of NCAA Basketball to make my argument. This is like dealing with UCLA fans who were glorifying the 60's and 70's during the 90's.
My argument involves this decade and specifically, the Calipari at UK.

 

[pittsburghheel]

Do you also have the number of 5 stars and/or OAD's that each program has brought in during that same time frame? I would bet Roy's accomplishments would look even more impressive considering that he hasn't
been getting all the talent that shady and rat get.

Would you be ok when people used the same argument against Dean Smith (who basically hand picked McD AA year after year)?

Much (if not most) of college athletics is recruiting talent. Calipari has gotten elite talent to come and win a lot of games in Lexington...and the future NBA success of those players is also evident. As much as we UNC fans talk about "player development," our NBA presence is quite underwhelming.

 

[uncfan in ky]

I remember the 90's quite well. But I am not going to involve a different era of NCAA Basketball to make my argument. This is like dealing with UCLA fans who were glorifying the 60's and 70's during the 90's.
My argument involves this decade and specifically, the Calipari at UK.

YOU'RE the one that said the the run U.K. Was on is better than ANY run UNC has had since you've been a fan. Don't get mad because you got proved wrong.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Expanding this to include K

    CH RU FF EE SS 32 64 NIT  W-L
Cal  1  1  4  6  7  7  7   1 26-6

Roy  1  1  2  4  5  7  7   1 21-6

Krz  2  0  2  3  5  6  8   0 20-6

Sure, but that starting point is somewhat arbitrary and if you extend it one more year to include 09 it then Roy's stats would be the best.

 

[HeelFan58]

Yeah. UK and Cal were predicted to win the NC almost every year and played in a very weak conference. UNC not so much.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Sure, but that starting point is somewhat arbitrary and if you extend it one more year to include 09 it then Roy's stats would be the best.

2010 was actually a reasonable starting point because Cal wasn't at UK before that. The conversation started looking at Cal, so to include a year without Cal changes the focus.

Now if we start a year later, Roy and UNC look better. That view drops our NIT year, knocks off one of Cal's Elite Eights, and eliminates one of K's championships. Making everything really close except on W-L where K looks much worse.

 

[TarHeelMark]

Now if we start a year later, Roy and UNC look better. That view drops our NIT year, knocks off one of Cal's Elite Eights, and eliminates one of K's championships. Making everything really close except on W-L where K looks much worse.

Yeah let's do that... I'd love to see K look worse. Besides we all know he sold what was left of his evil soul to get that 2010 ring.

 

[mikeirbyusa]

How many teams won 38 games?

And if you LOSE the last one what does that matter?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

And if you LOSE the last one what does that matter?

You are sad - as we were last year. But you probably still feel good about your team and coach - as we did last year.

 

[Steat]

That sounds about right. But still a good team, that looks ripe for platooning.

Frankly, if I were a Duke fan I'd be worried that Cal would try to snag Duval. With 2 clearly good PGs the platoon thing probably becomes real. Otherwise a CG or SG would have to run the B squad.

Greene - Duval (or Gilgeous-Alexander)
Diallo - Gilgeous-Alexander (or Baker)
Knox - Vanderbilt
Gabriel - Washington - Killeya-Jones
Richards - Wynyard

Both those squads should be very good. Both also have question marks - with Diallo being uncertain and Duval a long shot. OTOH, I didn't even include Bamba (because I am holding out for him to come to UNC). But the A squad gets a big boost if Bamba commits to UK.

I was with you until you got to the Bamba possibility to UNC. The chances of that happining are slim and none, and slim died several months ago.

Now, Duval to Kentucky is interesting. Calipari could pull that off just to keep Duke from getting him. Devin Booker was one of the players under Calipari's platoon system a few years ago and he is rising star in the NBA. The kid hit 70 points in a game this past year! Calipari didn't need Knox. I'm convinced that he added Knox to keep him from Duke and UNC. Mission accomplished! He needs another point guard. If Green goes now they are going to be in big trouble. Duval to Kentucky? If Cal wants Duval, he's headed to Kentucky. WWW can make that happen. Just look at Kentucky 2017 as a college Olympic Team of OAD's. There will be NBA scouts at every game. If a players gets 10 minutes and shines in the game, a NBA scout saw him. Think about it.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Boy I hope Duval goes to UK!

Well I guess it is time to focus my overwhelming optimism on Bamba now!

So..here goes: Nobody foresaw the Knox to UK either, so why count Roy out with Bamba?

 

[Steat]

Boy I hope Duval goes to UK!

Well I guess it is time to focus my overwhelming optimism on Bamba now!

So..here goes: Nobody foresaw the Knox to UK either, so why count Roy out with Bamba?

I would love to see Bamba to UNC. Just don't see it happening. Bamba to Kentucky? It may happen as it's down to Texas and Kentucky per Bossi on the National Board. That guy has a 99% success ratio on his predictions.

 

[Coach325]

Boy I hope Duval goes to UK!

Well I guess it is time to focus my overwhelming optimism on Bamba now!

So..here goes: Nobody foresaw the Knox to UK either, so why count Roy out with Bamba?

I think if Duke loses Duval to anyone it would be to Under Armour / Overseas.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

I'll take it! lol

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I was with you until you got to the Bamba possibility to UNC. The chances of that happining are slim and none, and slim died several months ago.

Shhhh. I'm trying to generate a resurgence of interest.

 

[Tyblue22]

And the crazy thing is Kentucky still has one 'Mo' to go in this class.
Mo Bamba

 

[feelthebeirne]

You must not remember the 90's very well.
UNC went to 5 elite 8s, went to the Final 4 in 91,93,95,97 & 98. Won the championship in 93. I say that's better than UKs run.

I believe UK went to the FF in 93 (might have been 94), 96,97,98 and won the championships in 96 & 98 !

 

[Tom79]

2 NC's out of 16 tries, great percentage Cal.
Oh and you might try to capture all that cash bleeding out due to your alumnus agent ripping your own guys off.

 

[uncfan in ky]

And the crazy thing is Kentucky still has one 'Mo' to go in this class.
Mo Bamba

And UK will NOT win the title next year & then your entire team will leave one "MO" time.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

2 NC's out of 16 tries, great percentage Cal.
Oh and you might try to capture all that cash bleeding out due to your alumnus agent ripping your own guys off.

He's only been there 8 years. Correct ratio, though. 1 in 8.

 

[Steat]

And UK will NOT win the title next year & then your entire team will leave one "MO" time.

And I am one "Mo" poster that agree with you!

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

And UK will NOT win the title next year & then your entire team will leave one "MO" time.

I'm feeling generous after our 3rd championship in the Roy era, so I'll give Cal due credit.

Cal has UK in contention pretty much every year.

Since arriving at UK he has had a better NCAA post-season than any other coach (I haven't looked at every other coach, but I'm pretty sure that's true; Roy may be 2nd over that same interval; Roy is probably 1st over his career at UNC @ 42-10).

Cal is winning at a 82.5% clip at UK. Bill Self edges him out with 82.7% at KU. Again, I haven't checked all other coaches, but those are probably tops.

My point is that if Cal were our coach, we'd be happy with those results. We like Roy better, of course, but it's no surprise that UK fans are pleased with their coach.

 

[mikeirbyusa]

Why do we care what yUK does?

WE THE NCAA CHAMPIONS!

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

He's only been there 8 years. Correct ratio, though. 1 in 8.

Maybe he was including Cal's stints at Umass and Memphis. Although, in the eyes of the NCAA, those never happened.

 

[RoseHeel]

Why do we care what yUK does?

WE THE NCAA CHAMPIONS!

Because its the offseason and there's nothing else to do besides beating dead horses about recruiting.

 

[Tom79]

Sorry, I went all german at pearl harbor there...
point being who cares about a second rate sec team?

 

[gobblercalls]

Cal is winning at a 82.5% clip at UK. Bill Self edges him out with 82.7% at KU. Again, I haven't checked all other coaches, but those are probably tops.

My point is that if Cal were our coach, we'd be happy with those results. We like Roy better, of course, but it's no surprise that UK fans are pleased with their coach.

82.5% in the SEC is not the same as measuring against teams in the ACC or B-12. That 82% would drop quite a bit.

 

[HeelFan58]

Cal is winning at a 82.5% clip at UK. Bill Self edges him out with 82.7% at KU.

Yep , playing in a 2nd rate conference is great for your W-L record.

 

[HeelFan58]

Just a random thought , but I wonder if K's custom toilet paper has arrived? The one with Cal's and Knox's faces on alternating sheets.

 

[DSouthr]

YOU'RE the one that said the the run U.K. Was on is better than ANY run UNC has had since you've been a fan. Don't get mad because you got proved wrong.

I would suggest that Ky has GROSSLY UNDER ACHIEVED since Kalipari has come to Ky! Look, every year Ky recruiting class is either #1 in the nation or 2. EVERY season it is Ky being ranked at least top 5 and most of the time pre-season #1. It is duke and Ky back and forth for the recruiting titles and the pre-season who will win it all titles. And yet what does Ky have to show for it, 1 natty for kal and his kitty kats? Really guys, that is poor really poor results for a team that has the very best players available, just look at the list of NBA players kal has had that NEVER won a natty in college?

Now IDK about you but me, I am about winning in college, final 4s, nattys, and the expects are there if you begin the season with the most talented team and projected nearly every season to win it all. And yet it has been a long while since we had anything close to the #1 ranked recruiting class, yet we just played in back to back natty games and we are right now the DEFENDING NCAA CHAMPIONS as KY and duke continue to flame out on the big stage! LOL

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I would suggest that Ky has GROSSLY UNDER ACHIEVED since Kalipari has come to Ky! Look, every year Ky recruiting class is either #1 in the nation or 2. EVERY season it is Ky being ranked at least top 5 and most of the time pre-season #1. It is duke and Ky back and forth for the recruiting titles and the pre-season who will win it all titles. And yet what does Ky have to show for it, 1 natty for kal and his kitty kats? Really guys, that is poor really poor results for a team that has the very best players available, just look at the list of NBA players kal has had that NEVER won a natty in college?

Now IDK about you but me, I am about winning in college, final 4s, nattys, and the expects are there if you begin the season with the most talented team and projected nearly every season to win it all. And yet it has been a long while since we had anything close to the #1 ranked recruiting class, yet we just played in back to back natty games and we are right now the DEFENDING NCAA CHAMPIONS as KY and duke continue to flame out on the big stage! LOL

There was a time when a lot of people were saying that the only reason Roy had a good record is because he was a good recruiter. We didn't like it. Although we agreed that Roy was a good recruiter, and that certainly helps winning, we also pointed out that recruiting is an important part of coaching. Lately Roy has smacked down the rest of that argument by doing very well with less star-studded rosters.

I point this out because it sounds like you and some others are aiming the same criticisms at Cal that used to piss us off when directed at Roy.

 

[grousehunter66]

You must not remember the 90's very well.
UNC went to 5 elite 8s, went to the Final 4 in 91,93,95,97 & 98. Won the championship in 93. I say that's better than UKs run.

UK had a similar run in the 90's as well. Believe they had 7 elite 8's, four final fours, one runner up and two championships. Decade following the 90's is what UK fans seem to only remember. Pitino and Tubby really had it rolling for a while at UK, but Tubby just could not maintain it.

Cal is putting up some gaudy numbers, but running into teams with experienced upperclassmen seems to be his downfall as far as winning championships. Still, as a UK fan, I enjoy watching a lot more than I did during from 2000-2009.

 

[trestyles]

I don't hate Cal or Kentucky. It's very hard to win a Natty. Especially with freshman. I don't think he has underachieved. I think he has a great run. However, his system is beatable in a one and done NCAA tournament.

I will also say I don't think he wins a national championship next season.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

I'm sorry but I very strongly disagree that I would be happy if Slimy was our coach! I would love being in contention and winning a bunch of games, but I would HATE that a person of such questionable character and who has stated that winning championships (a TEAM goal) is less important than players' draft statuses( An INDIVIDUAL goal). I would never subscribe to the idea that we should try to win at all costs and buy in to the OAD focused strategy! I can't condone lying to recruits or overtly recruiting over them either. (I won't even discuss forcing peeps out)

After 50+ years of DES, Gut, and Roy, very few coaches could live up to my standards at this point and ratty or Slimy don't even rate consideration!

Dang, it's good to be a Tar Heel!

 

[mikeirbyusa]

Best post on this thread.

 

[FlaTarHeel]

After 50+ years of DES, Gut, and Roy, very few coaches could live up to my standards at this point and ratty or Slimy don't even rate consideration!

Dang, it's good to be a Tar Heel!

 

[Archer2]

Would never want Cal at UNC.

 

[RoseHeel]

Would never want Cal at UNC.

Agreed. All the talent he's had and only one title is an underachievement. No matter how you spin it.

 

[Scotty00]

Cal gives the players 2 years at most. He forced Briscoe and Humphries out (sophomores) that will likely go undrafted. Calipari knows how to work the system. You have to give him credit. He really does not need Knox, but I think he added him just to keep him from Duke or UNC.

He will probably start Knox at the 2 as he promised. At least he is not K who lies to players. K told Goldwire that he was coming in to run the second unit. Second unit? When has K had a second unit?

Cal forced them out??? I know you don't like Cal but check your facts, they left on their own.

 

[2DDIMOND]

Yep , playing in a 2nd rate conference is great for your W-L record.

As is playing everyone on your home court, or a neutral site game on your other home court.............. unless you have to play a conference game or 9 on the road.