Coach Cal

[TD_6082]

You have to wonder how much more he can endure before he says screw it.

I know he has $50 million reasons not to leave UK, but he's already made a shit-ton of money. Quality of life is important too & Big Blue Nation is going to make his life as uncomfortable as possible. He appears to be the type that kind of needs to be liked & there isn't a fanbase in America that hates their head coach more than UK fans hate Coach Cal. And now with the NIL, they should still be able to buy all the talent they depended on Cal to deliver. I wouldn't be too surprised if he pulled a Tubby Smith at the end of the season.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

He used to talk about wanting to take on the challenge of the NBA one more time. I think he should before he is too old to live that out. He used to be considered a pretty good X's and O's coach before the one and done strategy sort of reduced him to just doing a lot of dribble drive Iso

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Been saying this for awhile. UK fans have been brutal. He may feel underappreciated and looking for a change. The SEC is very tough and is getting tougher now that they can legally pay players. In the ACC with Pitt, he automatically becomes #4 behind Duke, UNC, and UVa and probably isnt shaking in his boots to compete against Scheyer and Hubert Davis.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Been saying this for awhile. UK fans have been brutal. He may feel underappreciated and looking for a change. The SEC is very tough and is getting tougher now that they can legally pay players. In the ACC with Pitt, he automatically becomes #4 behind Duke, UNC, and UVa and probably isnt shaking in his boots to compete against Scheyer and Hubert Davis.

He’s not leaving UK for Pitt , stop it

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

He’s not leaving UK for Pitt , stop it

So rarely do we agree, but I guess SMF brings people together with his insane thoughts.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

He’s not leaving UK for Pitt , stop it

I don't think he would either but its worth a phone call and I dont think the chance is 0%. Its like 10%. You call and ask how much. Then you go to your boosters and ask how bad they want him.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

10%!?!?!?!?!?!?!? One in ten chance Calipari wants to come to Pitt after coaching in the pros and at Kentucky?
Lol. I think it's 0.0001%, but sure, make the call, why not. This is like those WVU threads where people are like "I bet Saban wants to come home and retire here, coach us for a few years"

 

[PittPharm2002]

10%!?!?!?!?!?!?!? One in ten chance Calipari wants to come to Pitt after coaching in the pros and at Kentucky?
Lol. I think it's 0.0001%, but sure, make the call, why not. This is like those WVU threads where people are like "I bet Saban wants to come home and retire here, coach us for a few years"

I mean calipari will come here and the miller brothers will be his assistants

 

[Pittnerski]

Don’t be so sure. #Cal2Pitt has some traction. Becomes hometown hero, close to family and friends and close to his alma mater Clarion.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a conversation if we get rid of Capel.

BBN has been ruthless to him the past few years and it appears to be wearing on him.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

#Cal2Pitt has some traction.

In much the same way that a car driving down hill on bald tires in the middle of the six foot snow storm they had in western New York had traction.

 

[TheLogicalTake]

Calipari will stick around for next year with the loaded class he has coming in, but after that I could see him calling it a day when those kids go pro and collecting a big network paycheck for a year or two before reassessing if he wants to get back into the game and where.

The interesting part will be if the next guy tries to continue chasing the one and done kids or if they try to install a more traditional culture/program. After years of complaining about Cal, the reaction from their fans if the next coach tries to build a program with kids outside of the top 50 will predictably be ridiculous

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

10%!?!?!?!?!?!?!? One in ten chance Calipari wants to come to Pitt after coaching in the pros and at Kentucky?
Lol. I think it's 0.0001%, but sure, make the call, why not. This is like those WVU threads where people are like "I bet Saban wants to come home and retire here, coach us for a few years"

Saban is winning NCs almost every year. Cal is losing in the early rounds of the NCAAT and many fans want him out. The situations are much different. Its why I think Pitt has a 10% chance of landing him. He needs a scenery change and may want to be a hometown hero. Ask him how much.

You guys are kidding yourselves if you dont think he'd at least consider coming home if we met his price. Fans are crucifying him down there and with his ego, do you think he likes that. If he came to Pitt, he would be a conquering hero and go up on the Mount Washington Sculpture with Mario, Sid, Clemente, Roethlisberger, and Bradshaw.

This is good:

 

[TD_6082]

Saban is winning NCs almost every year. Cal is losing in the early rounds of the NCAAT and many fans want him out. The situations are much different. Its why I think Pitt has a 10% chance of landing him. He needs a scenery change and may want to be a hometown hero. Ask him how much.

You guys are kidding yourselves if you dont think he'd at least consider coming home if we met his price. Fans are crucifying him down there and with his ego, do you think he likes that. If he came to Pitt, he would be a conquering hero and go up on the Mount Washington Sculpture with Mario, Sid, Clemente, Roethlisberger, and Bradshaw.

This is good:

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Coach Cal would definitely win the press conference. Once you get past that, I'm not sure what Pitt would be getting.

When you say "ask him how much" and "if we met his price"...there's where you start getting into problems. For what UK is paying for in his salary & NIL money, they have to be getting the shittiest value in all of college basketball. That said, what does Coach Cal bring in terms of value in today's world? Obviously in the past its been his connections that allow him to game the system to land elite one and dones. In the NIL era, would it be logical to assume that UK would still be able to land those type of players without Cal? And would Cal still be able to lure elite players without the backing of overzealous boosters that exist at UK and Memphis?

The product Cal is currently putting on the court is flat-out unwatchable.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Coach Cal would definitely win the press conference. Once you get past that, I'm not sure what Pitt would be getting.

When you say "ask him how much" and "if we met his price"...there's where you start getting into problems. For what UK is paying for in his salary & NIL money, they have to be getting the shittiest value in all of college basketball. That said, what does Coach Cal bring in terms of value in today's world? Obviously in the past its been his connections that allow him to game the system to land elite one and dones. In the NIL era, would it be logical to assume that UK would still be able to land those type of players without Cal? And would Cal still be able to lure elite players without the backing of overzealous boosters that exist at UK and Memphis?

The product Cal is currently putting on the court is flat-out unwatchable.

I don't think he's a fantastic X and O coach but he's better than some people give him credit for. No, he wouldn't land Top 10 kids here. Maybe the rare one. But I do think personality and status makes him able to land the Top 50/75 players but maybe more important than that, he would be able to land higher level transfers. College basketball has become a transfer sport. Teams really arent going to be able to load up on McD AA and win anymore. His blueprint doesn't work anymore. Having to compete for transfers levels the playing field for him at UK because they select from a wider pool whereas as Top 10 HS kids just choose between Duke and UK. The transfer game brings Kentucky down to Earth......but at Pitt, it could elevate them BIG time into a Top 15/25 program with him at the helm. Make no mistake, he would win here. NC? No. Final Fours? Probably not. Sweet 16s? A couple. NCAA Tournaments. 8 in a 10 year period. Is that enough to pay him his asking price? I think it is but we'll go cheap again

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

Calipari could get Camby to UMass, and the incoming 1988 class to Pitt; he would get talent to Pitt again. He'd cheat if he had to (yes you could still do this if your NIL money isn't as big, nature finds a way), he recruits. But he won't take the job, I can't really think of anyone who won a national title at their current job, was currently employed, and went from a top 3 (#1?) job to a like borderline top 50 one.

Like Mack Brown took a step down to UNC from Texas but only after six years of unemployment

 

[TheLogicalTake]

Calipari could get Camby to UMass, and the incoming 1988 class to Pitt; he would get talent to Pitt again. He'd cheat if he had to (yes you could still do this if your NIL money isn't as big, nature finds a way), he recruits. But he won't take the job, I can't really think of anyone who won a national title at their current job, was currently employed, and went from a top 3 (#1?) job to a like borderline top 50 one.

Like Mack Brown took a step down to UNC from Texas but only after six years of unemployment

You mention “cheating” as if that’s an advantage only to the chosen few anymore. It’s legal and it’s not a coincidence that NIL is exposing cracks at the Kentucky’s and Louisville’s of the world. Cal is a good coach but hardly a heavyweight when it comes to X’s and O’s, but he was an absolutely brilliant marketer and he had the money (and money laundering) machines behind him to make it all work. While 90% of coaches were pitching the “Rah rah, do it for State U” thing, he flat out said to hell with that and focused his programs on taking ultra talented guys and getting them to the league as quick as possible because if you get enough of them, you’re bound to stumble into titles. Results be damned, the message was brilliant and there was no better guy to sell it than Cal. He no longer has that advantage and I’d be stunned if he doesn’t get out ahead of the posse after he gets Wagner/Edwards to the draft after next year.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

You mention “cheating” as if that’s an advantage only to the chosen few anymore. It’s legal and it’s not a coincidence that NIL is exposing cracks at the Kentucky’s and Louisville’s of the world. Cal is a good coach but hardly a heavyweight when it comes to X’s and O’s, but he was an absolutely brilliant marketer and he had the money (and money laundering) machines behind him to make it all work. While 90% of coaches were pitching the “Rah rah, do it for State U” thing, he flat out said to hell with that and focused his programs on taking ultra talented guys and getting them to the league as quick as possible because if you get enough of them, you’re bound to stumble into titles. Results be damned, the message was brilliant and there was no better guy to sell it than Cal. He no longer has that advantage and I’d be stunned if he doesn’t get out ahead of the posse after he gets Wagner/Edwards to the draft after next year.

Kentucky, UNC, Duke recruiting hasn't been slowed down by NIL really. Right now UK has the #1 class overall, with the #1, 2, 6, 9, and 29 players on TOS. All five star on this site. This would be one of the top rated recruiting classes of all time if it holds, and at least on paper (which I get could be somewhat different than outcome) would be his best class of all time.

Even without Coach K, Duke has five 5 stars for next year as well. Their fans will pay what they need.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Calipari could get Camby to UMass, and the incoming 1988 class to Pitt; he would get talent to Pitt again. He'd cheat if he had to (yes you could still do this if your NIL money isn't as big, nature finds a way), he recruits. But he won't take the job, I can't really think of anyone who won a national title at their current job, was currently employed, and went from a top 3 (#1?) job to a like borderline top 50 one.

Like Mack Brown took a step down to UNC from Texas but only after six years of unemployment

It doesn't seem to make sense BUT

- he has a big ego and UK fans are trashing him

- Pitt is the hometown school. Perhaps its a new challenge he wants, to do something at Pitt.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

I wish you were right but if you have a big ego, you try to go coach the Knicks or Lakers, not the Pitt Panthers.

 

[TD_6082]

Calipari could get Camby to UMass, and the incoming 1988 class to Pitt; he would get talent to Pitt again. He'd cheat if he had to (yes you could still do this if your NIL money isn't as big, nature finds a way), he recruits. But he won't take the job, I can't really think of anyone who won a national title at their current job, was currently employed, and went from a top 3 (#1?) job to a like borderline top 50 one.

Like Mack Brown took a step down to UNC from Texas but only after six years of unemployment

Isn't that basically what Tubby Smith did when he left Kentucky for Minnesota?

The environment in Lexington has turned toxic. There isn't a fanbase in the country that hates their coach more than UK fans hate Coach Cal.

 

[TheLogicalTake]

Kentucky, UNC, Duke recruiting hasn't been slowed down by NIL really. Right now UK has the #1 class overall, with the #1, 2, 6, 9, and 29 players on TOS. All five star on this site. This would be one of the top rated recruiting classes of all time if it holds, and at least on paper (which I get could be somewhat different than outcome) would be his best class of all time.

Even without Coach K, Duke has five 5 stars for next year as well. Their fans will pay what they need

UK landed Wagner and subsequently Bradshaw based on the loyalty that family has to Cal. Louisville hired the kid’s grandfather and they still went to UK. Justin Edwards is the best player in that class so it’s a very impressive haul, but Wagner pretty much fell in his lap and brought a top ten teammate with him.

Duke is Duke. They have a bit more institutional stability than UK, so that well won’t dry up unless/until Scheyer gets exposed as being over his head.

Let’s see what the top teams look like in 2-3 years. I’m willing to bet there’s a bit more diversity in the rankings, at least as much as is possible with the agendas that run wild in the talent evaluation community

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

Isn't that basically what Tubby Smith did when he left Kentucky for Minnesota?

The environment in Lexington has turned toxic. There isn't a fanbase in the country that hates their coach more than UK fans hate Coach Cal.

Tubby was forced to resign to save grace, or he would have been fired. If that happens to Cal, sure, the situation is different. I took SMF as saying there is a 10% chance of calling Calipari today, with a job that is currently secure, that he would say yes to downgrading himself to Pitt.

 

[TD_6082]

Tubby was forced to resign to save grace, or he would have been fired. If that happens to Cal, sure, the situation is different. I took SMF as saying there is a 10% chance of calling Calipari today, with a job that is currently secure, that he would say yes to downgrading himself to Pitt.

Tubby might have been fired sometime in the future, but when that whole thing went down, UK was taken by surprise. He was just over the BS and he also wanted a paid staff position for Saul.

Kentucky isn't going to fire Cal either with a $50 million buyout and the class he has coming in next year. He needs to deliver a Final Four or better real soon, or things aren't going to end well there.

 

[TD_6082]

Kentucky sucks.