WOW! Calipari to get $52M for 7 years

[Harry0569]

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.

Well said.

[StandUp]

OBF -
I guess we can just agree to disagree about our opinions of Coach Cal and his coaching ability. You were completely right about Tubby Smith and Billy Gillespe showing up at Kentucky after Pitinio, but before Calipari. My mistake. Honestly, I totally forgot about Tubby Smith and Gillespe. Regardless, Kentucky has been an established program with talent every year for a very long time. SMU has no history of ever being an established basketball program and by no means has ever had the talented roster that Kentucky does year in and year out. Coaches coach who they have on their roster. LB outcoached Calipari last year. Wasn't LB in the running for Coach of the Year? I don't remember Cal's name being mentioned.

Give any coach the problem of having 7+ McDonald's All-American's on their roster and I am sure that they would gladly except the challenge. My heart doesn't go out to Calipari every year for his challenges. Whoa is Calipari, I hope he can somehow manage the egos and extreme talent to win some games at Kentucky and barely get into the NCAA Tournament We all know that historically most basketball programs, including SMU, do not get any McDs AAs. SMU has had one in our entire basketball history. I fully understand that being an McDs AA does not automatically mean that you are going to be successful in college, but again, give LB or any prominent college coach the challenge of having multiple McDs AAs on their roster year in and year out and something tells me that they would gladly accept the challenge.

[OhioBrownFan]

I think my points went over your head.

At no point did I say coaches wouldn't love to have Cal's problem. But that's also what makes Cal a great coach. He lands players others can't. And there was no reason for SMU to ever not be good. Great location, great city, great fanbase, great alumni, a TON of money, recruiting hotbed....what more could you ask for?

The point was simply that you're not appreciating what Cal is doing in terms not only landing the talent, but meshing it and going to multiple natty games in his first 5 years when the NCAA tourney is a complete crapshoot. LB/Cal situations are completely 100% different and they've both been successful in different ways. That's what makes them both good.

[Grant Carter]

OBF -
I guess we can just agree to disagree about our opinions of Coach Cal and his coaching ability. You were completely right about Tubby Smith and Billy Gillespe showing up at Kentucky after Pitinio, but before Calipari. My mistake. Honestly, I totally forgot about Tubby Smith and Gillespe. Regardless, Kentucky has been an established program with talent every year for a very long time. SMU has no history of ever being an established basketball program and by no means has ever had the talented roster that Kentucky does year in and year out. Coaches coach who they have on their roster. LB outcoached Calipari last year. Wasn't LB in the running for Coach of the Year? I don't remember Cal's name being mentioned.

Give any coach the problem of having 7+ McDonald's All-American's on their roster and I am sure that they would gladly except the challenge. My heart doesn't go out to Calipari every year for his challenges. Whoa is Calipari, I hope he can somehow manage the egos and extreme talent to win some games at Kentucky and barely get into the NCAA Tournament We all know that historically most basketball programs, including SMU, do not get any McDs AAs. SMU has had one in our entire basketball history. I fully understand that being an McDs AA does not automatically mean that you are going to be successful in college, but again, give LB or any prominent college coach the challenge of having multiple McDs AAs on their roster year in and year out and something tells me that they would gladly accept the challenge.

You seem to be ignoring the fact that Cal creates his own "problem" of having too many mcd all Americans. Recruiting is a massive part of what a college coach is paid for, you do get that right?

[Harry0569]

OBF -
I guess we can just agree to disagree about our opinions of Coach Cal and his coaching ability. You were completely right about Tubby Smith and Billy Gillespe showing up at Kentucky after Pitinio, but before Calipari. My mistake. Honestly, I totally forgot about Tubby Smith and Gillespe. Regardless, Kentucky has been an established program with talent every year for a very long time. SMU has no history of ever being an established basketball program and by no means has ever had the talented roster that Kentucky does year in and year out. Coaches coach who they have on their roster. LB outcoached Calipari last year. Wasn't LB in the running for Coach of the Year? I don't remember Cal's name being mentioned.

Give any coach the problem of having 7+ McDonald's All-American's on their roster and I am sure that they would gladly except the challenge. My heart doesn't go out to Calipari every year for his challenges. Whoa is Calipari, I hope he can somehow manage the egos and extreme talent to win some games at Kentucky and barely get into the NCAA Tournament We all know that historically most basketball programs, including SMU, do not get any McDs AAs. SMU has had one in our entire basketball history. I fully understand that being an McDs AA does not automatically mean that you are going to be successful in college, but again, give LB or any prominent college coach the challenge of having multiple McDs AAs on their roster year in and year out and something tells me that they would gladly accept the challenge.

When you say barely get into the tourney...you mean on the S-Curve they were #24 aka not even close to being on the bubble.

Based on the NCAA seeding, they were #29 aka nowhere near the bubble.

We get it, you hate Cal, you hate UK and need to reiterate that on a daily basis with nonsensical rants that are rooted in no fact.

[PonySnob]

Does Ashley Judd still go to the UK games?

[StandUp]

Harry -
Get over yourself. I do not hate Calipari. I guess we just think differently about #9 Seeds in the NCAA Tournament. To me a #9 Seed from a major conference almost didn't get in the tournament. I guess for you it is ok for Kentucky to miss the NCAA Tournament like they did 2 years ago and lose to Robert Morris in the first round of the NIT. To me that is not coaching his kids to their potential. I guess none of what I have mentioned are facts to you. That is fine. Agree to disagree. Move on.

OBF -
Not that it matters... Your points did not go over my head. You believe that it takes a talented coach to bring together a team of McD AAs. Maybe it takes some coaching skills. But like I said any coach would be more than willing to accept that challenge. And in my eyes many other coaches would be able to do even more with the talent at Kentucky. I respect your opinion, but just disagree. We can move on too.

[OhioBrownFan]

Harry -
Get over yourself. I do not hate Calipari. I guess we just think differently about #9 Seeds in the NCAA Tournament. To me a #9 Seed from a major conference almost didn't get in the tournament. I guess for you it is ok for Kentucky to miss the NCAA Tournament like they did 2 years ago and lose to Robert Morris in the first round of the NIT. To me that is not coaching his kids to their potential. I guess none of what I have mentioned are facts to you. That is fine. Agree to disagree. Move on.

OBF -
Not that it matters... Your points did not go over my head. You believe that it takes a talented coach to bring together a team of McD AAs. Maybe it takes some coaching skills. But like I said any coach would be more than willing to accept that challenge. And in my eyes many other coaches would be able to do even more with the talent at Kentucky. I respect your opinion, but just disagree. We can move on too.

I am going to move on, but the points clearly did. The first point is HE GOT COMMITMENTS from those McDs All-Americans. The next point is that he then meshes an incredible group of kids that maybe 3 coaches in the entire country could have a prayer at landing. He gets them to buy into a team concept and understand that scoring is not everything but helping the team wins games is more meaningful. Third, his teams consistently get better from the beginning of the season to the end of the season.

John Calipari has won a national championship at Kentucky in his first five season, taken them to 2 natty games, 3 Final Fours, and 4 Elite Eights. AND YOU DWELL ON ONE YEAR HE MISSED THE TOURNEY with his best player being gone for the year and a weak crop of freshmen across the board Come on dude. Like I said, I wasn't trying to get on you and at this point I apologize in advance for coming across as an ahole, but your posts are so ridiculous that it is mind-numbing. In year #1 he took them to the Final Four with a program that had just suffered the SECOND MOST losses in Kentucky's entire basketball history (UK is a blueblood FYI so they have a pretty long history) and a program left in pretty damn bad shape by Gillispee. The year before Cal got there, they didn't even make the tournament along with the 2nd most losses in their history and lost to a weak ND team in the NIT quarterfinals.

I'll move on now but that's just ridiculous to not acknowledge Cal as a top 3 coach and I absolutely despise the guy.

[OhioBrownFan]

I just want to add to earlier, his 3 final fours at Kentucky in a 4 year span are the most since Pitino and Tubby's first when they went to 3 in a row. And they had not been to a final four until Cal's second year since Tubby's first year in '98. So yes, he is as elite as they get when it comes to coaching and recruiting and even KENTUCKY hadn't been to a final four in well over a decade. Yet now they've been to 3 in 4 years....

[East Coast Mustang]

Wait, we're arguing about whether a guy who has been to two national championship games (and won one) in the past three years is a good coach or not?

[StandUp]

OBF -
I don't dwell on his one year of missing the NCAA Tournament. That was 2013. This year 2014 Kentucky Team was a #9 Seed in the big dance. Almost missing the tournament last year. You seem to want to forget this point. Kentucky should be a #1 or #2 seed every year.

Yes, Calipari's Kentucky Team went to the Final Four in his first year. Anthony Davis (the #1 Pick in the 2012 NBA Draft) and Michael Kidd Gilchrist (#2 Pick in the 2012 NBA Draft) had a little something to do with that. Oh, and another future NBA Player Marquis Teague was on the roster. It wasn't exactly like the cupboard was bare. Calipari did not build up the Kentucky program without NBA ready talent. Good for him he recruited well and took a team with 3 NBA ready Freshman to the Final Four. Job well done And I haven't even looked at the Soph, Juniors, and Seniors on that roster. I am not impressed. Unfortunately we have never really seen Calipari coach a team at Kentucky that wasn't stacked with talent.

The cupboard was bare at SMU when LB arrived. LB has actually built a basketball program without true NBA ready talent. That is coaching. Give LB (or a number of other good "coaches" out there) three NBA ready players (including the #1 and #2 picks in the NBA Draft) and something tells me he would take them to the Final Four. Do you disagree? Didn't think so. We have one NBA ready talent in Mudiay coming in next year. We will get a chance to really see what LB can do. Next year should be fun to watch. Pony Up!

[East Coast Mustang]

Nick Saban didn't even make the national title game last year and then lost to OU in the Sugar Bowl. I think he's a bad coach, too.

[Harry0569]

Nick Saban didn't even make the national title game last year and then lost to OU in the Sugar Bowl. I think he's a bad coach, too.

HE LOST TWO GAMES IN A ROW PAWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. NOT AN ELITE COACH

[LA_Mustang]

I'm not sure why I'm responding to this garbage......OBF already explained it as well as possible. This guy/girl is arguing that Cal is not a good coach because he has unbelievable talent (all freshman) but only got a #9 seed in the tourney. First, who recruited these blue chip freshman to the school? Recruiting is the most important aspect of college basketball/football. Second, he got these freshman to come together and play up to their potential towards the end of the season. That's coaching! You don't have to know that much about basketball to know the guy can recruit AND coach as well as anyone in the country. It's why any school in the country would break the bank to have him.

[StandUp]

LA Mustang & OBF -
Nothing personal here, just hopefully having a healthy discussion. Again, we can agree to disagree.

So a #9 Seed in the NCAA Tournament is an acceptable seed for a loaded Kentucky Team in your eyes? Last year's team under performed all year and got hot in the tournament. I guess in your eyes that has nothing to do with "coaching"? Credit to them for getting hot. UCONN got hot with far less talent and won the tournament.

Maybe my posts were not received as intended. No big deal. We all know Calipari is a good recruiter. His first year at Kentucky he recruited what turned out to be #1 and #2 picks in the NBA Draft. The cupboard has never been bare. I am not questioning his recruiting abilities. I am only questioning his coaching abilities. No one seems to want to address that.

Calipari does not coach his players up. Calipari does not teach team first basketball. Watch next season, same story different verse. Kentucky has what some will call one of the best incoming recruiting classes ever. Watch his players, they typically do not show improvement while at Kentucky. Harrison Twins anyone? Please don't waste your time telling me that his players are only Freshman and that there is a huge difference between Kentucky's talented Freshmen and upperclassmen. Watch next season when Emmanuel Mudiay takes over, then tell me that he is only a Freshman. Kentucky's Freshman are highly regarded by NBA Executives almost every year.

Because of his player's talent, and credit to his players, Calipari's lack of coaching ability is on display every year. Why do you think he was not successful when he thought he was ready to coach in the NBA? Yes it was a money grab and yes the New Jersey Nets were a terrible team, but my point is that it wasn't like Calipari coached his players up in the NBA. He had less talent and he lost.

At Kentucky, Calipari is a player's coach and for the most part let's his team play street ball with little to no semblance of an offense. He does not teach defense on the same level when comparing "coaching" defense by other elite college coaches. Look at how Izzo, LB, Coach K coach their players up and actually teach defense.