'One and Done' MAY be done in 2021
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You act like 2015 was a decade ago. It was 3 years ago. Coach K has been to 1 Final Four in the last 8 years. Cal just made them look easy for awhile.
No coach has recruited like Cal and gone consistently to Final Fours? What the hell does that even mean? He’s proven his system works pretty darn well.
It may as well have been for the topic at hand: How will Cal do IF players can go to the NBA straight out of HS. That’s the point you keep dancing around.
From 2010 to 2015, Calipari went to 4 Final Fours. He had the likes of John Wall, Boogie Cousins, MKG, AD, James Young, Julius Randle, KAT. In ‘12 he had Darius Miller as the veteran to push that team over the top, and had WCS in ‘15 on a team that very well should have won the title. They were LOADED with talent.
But since? You had Skal (remember how Thomas outplayed him in the NCAA’s). Otherwise, you’ve had fringe top-10 guys - guys who are still really good players, guys who might still get drafted after their Freshman year. But NOT guys that can make the difference in PERPETUALLY YOUNG TEAMS. Which is why Reid Travis is such a big deal for this coming year.
Without a TRANSCENDENTAL OAD and with a roster made up of young talent, it’s gonna be damn near impossible to maintain what Cal did from 2010-2015. He’s a good coach, IMHO does better with wholesale OAD’s that what K has done. But he’s NOT a damn miracle worker. No one - repeat, NO ONE has recruited like Cal has the last 3 years and achieved those kinds of results.
Taz, how many times we got to tell you? It's 'TOAD'. Get with it son.
I was a bit stunned when he picked up that New Zealand kid whose parents were competitive wood choppers. I watched him play twice and couldn’t figure it out. (This is the one who got kicked off the team for going to parties with a gun toting ‘body guard’)
Believe what you want. This reminds me of the days when people on here would adamently declare he’d never win a title. Until he did.
He puts himself in a position for a run every year. The last 3 years he’s had teams who could do it, you just don’t always get the draw/bounces in the tourney. He’ll be back soon. It’s ridiculous to even question that at this point.
He does?
Maybe ONE of his last 3 teams were legitimate Final Four contenders. And the way that team lost to UNC speaks volumes on the issues relying on OAD’s
This past year he played a #12 seed and #13 seed to get to the Sweet 16, where he had a #9 seed and an #11 seed between him and a trip to San Antonio - and blew it. How much more bounces you need?
He better.
2016 - it was Skal was overrated.
2017 - John Higgins.
Last year - Bruthie out-coached him (or was it the refs deliberately called fouls against who ever was guarding Washington, knowing he’d miss them??).
Excuses are running out. If he doesn’t make it this year ( he’ll have a team with better pieces than last year) the weeping and gnashing of teeth will begin . . .
Excuses are running out??? What?! Do you realize the double standard you’re holding him to? He’s been to the same number of Final Fours in 8 years as Coach K has been to in the last 19. No coach is going to make a FF run every year. Your bias is badly clouding your judgement.
UK’s seeds the last 3 years: 4, 2, 5
In 2017 they won over 30 games and lost in the Elite 8 by 2 to UNC who went on to win it all.
In 2018 they lost to KSU by 3 in the Sweet 16. Win that and they just have to beat Loyola Chicago to go to the Final Four.
They have a shot every year. That’s Cal’s strength as a coach. Always has elite talent. You’ve literally lost all credibility on this topic. Look, you don’t have to like the guy to acknowledge he’s one of the best coaches of all time.
Haven’t you listened to a word I’ve said?
I think Calipari is a really good coach. Really good. Great at getting young guys to buy into a role.
But he’s not getting the same TOAD (how’s that, Riki?
) he once did. He’s still fielding good teams - and if the TOAD’s can go pro straight out of HS, his recruiting is gonna be very similar to what he’s had the past 3 years.Which will make getting to Final Fours that much more difficult (as if they aren’t hard enough with veteran teams). If Cal misses the FF this next year, just watch the grumbling start. BBN was whining last January and after the K State loss. Personally, I think he does a great job. But I don’t for a minute think BBN won’t turn on him if he misses the FF FOR 2-3 more years.
BTW - you neglected to address just HOW that 2017 team lost: up 64-59 with 5 minutes to go, they let UNC go on a 12-0 run over the next 4 minutes. And after they tied it, they started celebrating instead of getting back on D.
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Cal is all for guys being able to leave right out of high school. He’s said that many times now. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over oad being a thing of the past. This way, cal would know who’s going to school so he can recruit accordingly. As mentioned above sadly, if cal doesn’t have a final Four caliber team every couple years, the blue hairs come out with their pitchforks. It’s sad expectations for someone who brought us back from the gutter and the bcg years. As for TOAD players, cal is trying to get them, but they don’t just fall in your lap unless you’re Pitino with some nasty skanks. Cal may not have one on this years team but he has all the pieces it takes to win a title. Quite frankly, I don’t care where a guy is ranked 1-150 if he can help us win, the rankings mean nothing to me.
Well said.
You’re one of the more reasonable UK fans. But some of your brethren are complete nut jobs. I truly wonder how BBN will treat Cal if he doesn’t get back to a Final Four soon.
I don’t know how you can determine who a TOAD will be before they’ve even played a college game. So he went one year without a freshman all American? He has 4 five stars this year. You’re saying there’s no chance one of them turns out to be a TOAD? He has the #7 overall PG in 2019...0% chance he’s a TOAD?Haven’t you listened to a word I’ve said?
I think Calipari is a really good coach. Really good. Great at getting young guys to buy into a role.
But he’s not getting the same TOAD (how’s that, Riki?
Which will make getting to Final Fours that much more difficult (as if they aren’t hard enough with veteran teams). If Cal misses the FF this next year, just watch the grumbling start. BBN was whining last January and after the K State loss. Personally, I think he does a great job. But I don’t for a minute think BBN won’t turn on him if he misses the FF FOR 2-3 more years.
BTW - you neglected to address just HOW that 2017 team lost: up 64-59 with 5 minutes to go, they let UNC go on a 12-0 run over the next 4 minutes. And after they tied it, they started celebrating instead of getting back on D.
You’re setting a double standard here because of your bias and you can’t see through it.
Ok, I’ll bite - just WHO out of this years freshman class has a realistic chance to be a TOAD? A guy like a Anthony Davis / KAT? You really think one of these guys are that kind of player? Really?
He got four 5 Stars? Didn’t I say Calipari’s still gonna get good players? Didn’t I? But these guys are not on the level of the TOAD’s. You can delude yourself into believing that all you want, but that not gonna make them something they’re not.
Take a look at this article. Maybe it can explain this better than what I have. This line speaks volumes:
“Winning the NCAA tournament is crazy difficult. And it also requires a baseline level of experience”
That in bold is the whole point. Cal turning over teams every year leaves UK devoid of any experience.
Let's not make toad a thing....
Calipari will keep on chugging along regardless of eligibility rules. Can we all just leave it at that?
Calipari will keep on chugging along regardless of eligibility rules. Can we all just leave it at that?
TOAD was @rikki-tikka-tava idea. It’s mid-July, so I was just playing along.
My only point is IF the eligibility rules change, it will become almost impossible for Cal to have the same success he did from 2010-15. I also wonder how many years he can go without a Final Four with BBN turning on him.
Forget it - that's just ol' Micro-p being protective of his former nickname. Jesting and unconventional salute for working 'transcendental' into a hoops discussion- maybe a first. Wasn't expecting adoption so much as Micro-p charging in with an admonition to "Croot TOADs!"
Neither of us knows anything about their recruits. What we do know is they have four 5 stars and multiple MCD AAs. Last year Trae Young was ranked 16th in the class and I’d call him a TOAD. We don’t know how UK’s recruits will turn out and I really don’t care. Cal will be great regardless. He’s far above any single player or class.
That's where we differ.
Trae Young was a great college player. But where did Oklahoma finish? They barely made the NCAA's.
That's not a TOAD. That's a player that takes you from a good team to a GREAT team, and makes a great team a champion. Guys like AD, KAT, Jahlil Okafor.
Cal used to get those kinds of players. He hasn't for 4 years now - although getting Travis is huge. Again, I could be wrong. But if the Cats don't make it to Minneapolis this year with this group, just listen to the grumbling start,
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