WOW! Calipari to get $52M for 7 years

[StandUp]

Harry -
I do not have a vendetta with Calipari or Kentucky. I just think that Calipari is not a good "coach". Kentucky is overrated almost every year. See last year, almost not getting into the NCAA Tournament. Everyone seems to forget that. Truth is I think they were a #9 Seed. Don't bother trying to tell me, "but Kentucky got to the Championship Game last year". Yes, no doubt they got to the Championship Game last year, credit to them, but the reality was that they played a number of very close games and like I have said before, anything can happen once you get in the NCAA Tournament. See UCONN.

No one ever said anything about Calipari coaching SMU. What I said was give LB the same roster at Kentucky and Kentucky would roll teams because LB is a much better "coach" than Calipari. Truth is, if Calipari had SMU's roster I would seriously doubt that Calipari would have the same level of success.

Don't exactly see how bringing up Duke in a thread on Calipari is relevant.

East Coast Mustang -
Yes I watched the Championship Game. Kentucky lost to UCONN A team that SMU beat twice.

SMU 86 -
Agreed. Of course we all would take the money if we were given that ridiculous contract. That wasn't my point either. The point was that Calipari is not a good "coach" and definitely not deserving of the contract. We can all name at least 10 better coaches off the top of our heads than Calipari.

mrydel -
Exactly. LA Lakers and New York Knicks definitely helped with Calipari's Kentucky contract negotiations. Why the Lakers or the Knicks would want Calipari is beyond me. Funny thing is that the last time Coach Cal coached in the NBA he was not all that successful. New Jersey Nets. Maybe it was because he is not a good "coach". A good recruiter does not translate into a good coach. Two totally different skill sets.

[East Coast Mustang]

If Cal is worth $7M+ a year, what is Saban really worth? Bama football generates a ton more revenue than UK basketball

[LA_Mustang]

“@jeffborzello: RT @WojYahooNBA: Before finalizing UK extension, John Calipari weighed 7-year, $60M-plus package w/ Cavs. http://yhoo.it/1qh7U3V”

[OhioBrownFan]

It is unreal, but he's worth every penny. And I don't know how StandUp can criticize the coaching when he got them to the Natty...again. He had a bunch of freshmen, what'd you want them to do? Run the table from November to February and then lay an egg in March like Duke? They peaked at the right time and he got them to rally and almost another natty. He's the best there is in the business, as much as I despise him. You don't ever let him walk if you're Kentucky without putting up a hell of fight.

As for Saban, I don't even know where you begin to put the price tag on him. Best college coach ever and I think that gap is getting much wider every year. There's only a few that really rival what he's done in the last 35 years, I can think of two. Jimmie and Pete. That's about it. And Jimmie left the U early. What Carroll did at USC was remarkable and he's now doing it in the NFL. You just can't let coaches like that walk and if that's what it takes to keep Cal at UK, so be it. Anyone in their right mind would die to have Cal as their coach. Recruiting is 50% of college basketball unlike football, so much more weight on it.

[StandUp]

Gee, how can I criticize Cal and his coaching? Truth is that with the talent on his Kentucky teams Cal should be winning consistently and winning big. Like I said give the same team to a real coach, Larry Brown, and Kentucky would probably play up to their potential.

How can I criticize Cal and his coaching? Two or maybe three years ago Kentucky didn't even make the NCAA Tournament, I think they lost to Robert Morris in the NIT. It wasn't because of lack of talent on their roster. Could it be because lack of coaching? Last year his Kentucky team almost didn't make the NCAA Tournament. Everyone wants to forget that. In the NCAA Tournament, no doubt Kentucky got hot, credit to them, but let's don't act like they walked on everyone in the tournament. Kentucky was in a lot of close games all throughout the tournament.

Again, no doubt that Cal is a good recruiter, that is evident every year. This topic is not about recruiting, I thought that this topic was about coaching. When was the last time Coach Cal actually out coached an opponent? Good question. Not UCONN. I am pretty sure that Larry Brown out coached Kevin Ollie twice last year.

All these jabs at Duke because I am a Duke fan are a little obnoxious. They have nothing to do with the topic at hand. But if it makes you feel good, bring it on! I am pretty sure that Ohio State lost to Dayton in the second round. Can't wait for all you Duke haters to watch what happens next season with Duke. Probably one of the best teams Duke has had in 10 years. Oh yeah, while we are talking about Duke, what school is trying to emulate Duke? SMU, enough said.

[StandUp]

Was that Coach Calipari who coached the USA Olympic Team to Gold? No. That was Coach K. Where does Coach K coach again? Duke. Was Coach Calipari even asked to be on the coaching staff for the Olympics? No. What team did Coach Cal coach in the Olympics or maybe it was the World Games (who cares? doesn't even matter)? The Dominican Republic.

USA Basketball > Dominican Republic.... Coach K > Coach Cal

[Grant Carter]

Again, no doubt that Cal is a good recruiter, that is evident every year. This topic is not about recruiting, I thought that this topic was about coaching.

Separating coaching and recruiting like you are doing is silly. They have to hire one person to both coach and recruit because that is what the job of a head coach is.

[hoopmanx]

Cal can coach, anyone saying he can't doesn't know. The guy is the master of the DDM, which in many ways has redefined the prototype for an NBA ready PG. he's a master of offensive spacing as well. He's squirrelly, but he's one of the best coaching clinics you'll ever attend.

[StandUp]

How would you compare Coach Cal's coaching skills vs Larry Brown or Coach K? I guess I am a bigger fan of a coach who can do more with less vs a coach who does not coach his players up to their potential. Kentucky always has the hype, always has the McDonald's All-Americans every year, but I really do not see Kentucky players really playing up to their potential. By my definition, that is on the coach. Larry Brown did more with less last year and even imagining him with a more talented roster is flat out scary. Matter of fact in some cases I am sure Larry Brown more than coached up players. Last year's players developed probably beyond their own expectations. That is coaching. Next year is going to be fun!

[OhioBrownFan]

How would you compare Coach Cal's coaching skills vs Larry Brown or Coach K? I guess I am a bigger fan of a coach who can do more with less vs a coach who does not coach his players up to their potential. Kentucky always has the hype, always has the McDonald's All-Americans every year, but I really do not see Kentucky players really playing up to their potential. By my definition, that is on the coach. Larry Brown did more with less last year and even imagining him with a more talented roster is flat out scary. Matter of fact in some cases I am sure Larry Brown more than coached up players. Last year's players developed probably beyond their own expectations. That is coaching. Next year is going to be fun!

What did LB do that was so unbelievably incredible? He took a freshman player of the year transfer from Illinois State, threw him into the line-up, took a Nova transfer that was good but struggled with weight and threw him in the line-up, landed the top JUCO in the nation and put him in the line-up along with a 5* shooting guard and two more 3*s that were highly thought of. To act like the cupboard is bare is just ignorant. I'm by no means taking away from Larry Brown, but he also had some pieces to work with as well. Get a grip dude.

[East Coast Mustang]

I think StandUp was getting jealous of all the negative attention Big12Mustang was receiving and wants to give him a run for the most ignorant poster on PF

[StandUp]

Maybe it is jealousy, feel the love

OBF -
I enjoy reading most of your posts, I really do, but for you to ask "What did LB do that was so unbelievably incredible?" Really?... He showed college basketball how a coach and his staff can turn around a basketball program. LB changed the culture at SMU. Maybe you don't understand that because you have not lived through the less than stellar days of SMU Basketball. Words cannot express my appreciation for LB and his staff.

No one said that the cupboard was bare at SMU last year. Comparing SMU's roster last year to Kentucky's roster is not even a fair comparison. Two totally different levels of talent. Larry Brown was working with a lesser talented version of players by far than any of the players on Kentucky's team. Kentucky has 5* talent top to bottom every year. We had one 5* freshman who rode the bench. With all of our transfers and true freshman we really did not know what was going to happen. Talented yes, but not 5* talent. Getting all of our players last year, freshmen and transfers included, to buy in to the system, play and as team, and play up to their potential was a tremendous accomplishment. That is coaching. Many players showed steady improvement throughout the year. Sterling Brown, Ben Moore, MK, Cannen and more. Again, that is coaching. All credit to LB and his staff. Larry Brown changed the culture of SMU Basketball. Words cannot truly express what he has done for SMU. What LB would do with a talented roster like Kentucky's roster would be scary. Something tells me that he might do a better job than Calipari

Calipari inherited a program at Kentucky that Rick Pitino built. Good timing. Calipari has continued to recruit well, credit to Calipari, but let's don't act like he is a good coach. None of his players last year, including Julius Randle and the Harrison Twins, played up to their potential. With Kentucky's roster it is hard to understand why they do not win more games consistently, and win by larger margins. None of his players really showed improvement throughout the year. This has been a consistent theme for a number of years now, his players do not show improvement.

I will say it again, not to be redundant, but to get across my point, Kentucky almost didn't even make the NCAA Tournament last year. No one wants to address this point. This wasn't just some down year for Kentucky either. Remember when Kentucky didn't make the NCAA Tournament and lost to Robert Morris in the NIT (I think that was 2 years ago). No one wants to address that either. I guess that doesn't have anything to do with coaching Give me a break...

[RGV Pony]

TL; DR

Go ponies

[Harry0569]

Cal also did that at UK... (re: turnaround)?

see: the Wild Bill Gillespie years.

[OhioBrownFan]

Maybe it is jealousy, feel the love

OBF -
I enjoy reading most of your posts, I really do, but for you to ask "What did LB do that was so unbelievably incredible?" Really?... He showed college basketball how a coach and his staff can turn around a basketball program. LB changed the culture at SMU. Maybe you don't understand that because you have not lived through the less than stellar days of SMU Basketball. Words cannot express my appreciation for LB and his staff.

No one said that the cupboard was bare at SMU last year. Comparing SMU's roster last year to Kentucky's roster is not even a fair comparison. Two totally different levels of talent. Larry Brown was working with a lesser talented version of players by far than any of the players on Kentucky's team. Kentucky has 5* talent top to bottom every year. We had one 5* freshman who rode the bench. With all of our transfers and true freshman we really did not know what was going to happen. Talented yes, but not 5* talent. Getting all of our players last year, freshmen and transfers included, to buy in to the system, play and as team, and play up to their potential was a tremendous accomplishment. That is coaching. Many players showed steady improvement throughout the year. Sterling Brown, Ben Moore, MK, Cannen and more. Again, that is coaching. All credit to LB and his staff. Larry Brown changed the culture of SMU Basketball. Words cannot truly express what he has done for SMU. What LB would do with a talented roster like Kentucky's roster would be scary. Something tells me that he might do a better job than Calipari

Calipari inherited a program at Kentucky that Rick Pitino built. Good timing. Calipari has continued to recruit well, credit to Calipari, but let's don't act like he is a good coach. None of his players last year, including Julius Randle and the Harrison Twins, played up to their potential. With Kentucky's roster it is hard to understand why they do not win more games consistently, and win by larger margins. None of his players really showed improvement throughout the year. This has been a consistent theme for a number of years now, his players do not show improvement.

I will say it again, not to be redundant, but to get across my point, Kentucky almost didn't even make the NCAA Tournament last year. No one wants to address this point. This wasn't just some down year for Kentucky either. Remember when Kentucky didn't make the NCAA Tournament and lost to Robert Morris in the NIT (I think that was 2 years ago). No one wants to address that either. I guess that doesn't have anything to do with coaching Give me a break...

I'm not trying to attack you but you are way off-base. Cal inherited a program that was in pretty bad shape. First of all, Tubby Smith inherited the Juggernaut that Pitino had left behind and immediately won a NC in '98 I believe. Tubby was fired for having a few subpar years and in walked Billy, the walking/talking DUI drunk that hung out at a local bar and chased women around as if he was a college student still. He got fired and Cal inherited that mess. He may have also put them on probation to some degree, been a while since I recall and I don't follow the program closely enough.

Secondly, my point wasn't so much as you ignoring that there wasn't no talent on SMUs roster. The point was that LB did a good job with solid talent. Cal had great talent, I agree. Cal went to the NCAA Finals, LB went to the NIT. So Cal did more with more. LB did a lot with less. But to treat Cal like he doesn't know how to coach is absurd and to say he's below LB is a stretch. I wouldn't put one over the other because they both have their strengths, the point was that they're both good coaches and did a lot with their talent. LB didn't get his into the NCAA tourney because they let some games get away in the regular season that they had no business losing. Cal did the same thing. They both turned on the heat when they got into their respective tourneys.

I'm just going to assume you have never coached or played basketball. Cal is working with freshmen, they were much better at the end of the year then they were in December. Freshmen struggle, GREAT freshmen struggle. They're young, inexperienced, make plays that probably would put Cal in the hospital a few times a year if he was LBs age. That's jsut the way it is. It's like that at every level from freshmen in high school to a rookie in the NBA. Those players got better and you really discount the job he has to do to have 6 McDs All-Americans buy in that they're a team and no longer the alpha. Every one of them averaged 25 and 10 of some combo in high school. He gets 6 potential future superstars to sacrifice. That's not an easy concept for an 18 year old, look at how frustrated Keith was, he was one.

This entire post has little to do with SMU or take away from what was accomplished last year at Brown but more to point out the fact that Cal is a great coach. And I hate him, but I at least appreciate what he can do. And the year they missed the tourney, they lost their best player on a so-so roster. Just because they were highly decorated high school freshmen doesn't give them the experience of a college junior. You can't recruit college experience in the high school ranks. LB would face a lot of the SAME struggles if he was coaching the kids Cal has coached. That's the way Calipari recruits and likes to coach, that's fine. Many other college coaches operate differently and that is fine too.