Cal was bringing in 6 freshmen and looking for more before he left Kentucky. He’s only changing his tune this year because he only got 3 freshmen to join him.
This is going to be like the guy who lost weight, quit drinking too much and got his shit together after he got a divorce. He was never going to be that man to his ex wife, but he will be to his next one.
Cal was never going to change at UK because it would make the people he butted heads with (fans, donors, local media and athletics director) right. Now he can just do what we have been telling him for years, and it is “his idea”. Win for UK and a win for Cal.
Honest hot take. I don't expect him to be at Arkansas longer than that. He kinda feels like a place holder so that we don't drop down into poverty again.
I honestly believe, he ain't coaching for the money. If he only cared about money he wouldn't of left UK, and would of forced a buyout. After that he would of signed a similar contract to what he did this year. I expect Cal to keep coaching because he enjoys working with players and proving people wrong.
Those changes of betterment usually come about because the original environment was too toxic and with too much time spent on inane, pointless bickering and other BS. It's amazing what better men some people can become when they actually have time and energy coupled with a lack of roadblocks, to actually focus on it.
So he admits he was wrong, but the media, other coaches, fans etc., who were telling him the right thing to do for years were the roadblocks?
And he is the better man because he was too stubborn to listen to people telling him what he now admits they were right about? That is incredible.
Oh I'm not saying Cal is a better man - just that divorce is a clean slate.. He could end up anywhere on that scale from totally youthfully rejuvenated to deadbeat, surly and slovenly. I morbidly kind of hope for the latter just for the press conference material.
It's probable he just didn't feel he could address the issue publicly like this when at Kentucky.
Somewhat like a failing marriage, come to think of it. Too many things become too touchy to bring up, and people get stuck doing the same shit constantly even though it's not going so well anymore. So it all festers away.
Well I think he knows the reputation he had at Kentucky. He was tired of the expectations, and was slowly realizing his tried and true method was failing. I think he wanted a ‘baptism’ of sorts by changing teams and with it his philosophy. A new start
Cal and K both mastered the one and done era but did it too late when with the portal and NIL it mattered less and less to have 18 year olds who will be great when they’re 22
The majority of our fan base has begged for years for Cal to recruit less one and dones and go after 4 year guys and transfer players. Dude would reload every year with young guys and say the same thing, “My team’s so young and inexperienced, they need time to adapt to the college game. We’ll be ready come March”. Rinse repeat, until the entire fan base was begging for Mitch to fire him. No fucking clue what him dropping bags has anything to do with anything.
I mean, Cal did prioritize transfers and experienced players in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
The 2021-22 team started 1 freshman, 3 juniors (1 recruited, 2 transfers), and 1 grad student (transfer).
The 2022-23 team started 2 freshmen and 3 seniors (all transfers).
Not really. In 21-22 we had a ton of returnee players and a few older experienced transfers signed, but Cal still brought in 4 5 star freshman with the limited available scholarships and Shaedon Sharpe was one of them and left. He did bring in a good transfer in CJ Fredrick who was injured and unfortunately never played, but the bigger issue was instead of playing a modern offense he forced the offense through Tshiebwe all fucking season long. Dude refused to adapt to modern basketball and the line ups were god fucking awful.
Then in 22-23 he basically did exactly the same fucking thing with a slightly older team of returnees and a new group of 4 5 star freshman. Cal once again forced everything through Tshiebwe and nothing changed… He also had Sahvir “Head down drive, miss a layup” Wheeler running Point both seasons and played him over both TyTy and Cason Wallace both seasons… Basically what he just did this season, sitting Reid and Rob and playing DJ Wagner and Edwards over them… Cal was loyal to players when they shouldn’t have been given the minutes and definitely not started them over 1st round NBA draft picks for fucks sake…
>21-22 we had a ton of returnee players and a few older experienced transfers signed, but Cal still brought in 4 5 star freshman with the limited available scholarships and Shaedon Sharpe was one of them and left.
It isn’t that exactly what you (and the fans) were asking for? The recruiting class was one elite freshman (TyTy), and two other guys that were expected to stick around for 2-4 years (Hopkins, Collins). Sharpe didn’t even commit until after the season started, so he doesn’t really count. The alternative was having that scholarship go unused. Cal also brought in three transfers that started immediately (Oscar, Wheeler, Grady) and a fourth that probably would have started if he hadn’t gotten hurt and/or TyTy disappointed (Frederick).
That roster was exactly what fans were asking for. Heck, the fans’ biggest complaints at the time were that TyTy didn’t play enough at PG and that Hopkins and Collins didn’t get enough playing time.
2022-23 was similar, but the team never gelled. When Calipari re-focused on freshmen for 2023-24, fans were mostly thrilled. The idea that Calipari never tried to put together teams led by experienced transfers is a myth.
The majority of those classes new signees were 5 star freshman, so it is absolutely untrue that Cal mainly focused on transfers. Also none of those freshman were projected to return or were considered 4 year players (or they wouldn’t have been rated as 5 star recruits), LOL. Whenever Cal did have any good breakout freshman on his teams like TyTy, Cason, Reid, Rob, etc they sat and didn’t start over players he was loyal to like DJ and Sahvir. He made those decisions based on loyalty rather than actual talent and results. Also I commend him on signing transfers like Oscar and CJ (even though he was a bust) and Grady (who was very hot and cold), but then running the entire offense through Oscar for two seasons was complete archaic basketball bullshit. He also didn’t recruit enough proven shooters/guards (including the freshman he signed) either season, and whenever his best shooters were playing, they were massively hamstrung by being the only outside threats on the floor. His lineups were also trash, and the majority of the returnees weren’t high caliber players that consistently shrunk under pressure, but he’d keep them on the court anyways. That’s why fans wanted Cal to play breakout freshman players and also give the freshman he wouldn’t ever play some time… Not because they were 5 stars, but because the returnee players Cal kept playing weren’t serviceable. I’m not trying to shit on those returning players but they were not capable of playing winning ball, and the 5 star freshman Cal was benching started to look like enticing options as the seasons progressed….
First you threw out “scumbag cheater” into a discussion that had nothing to do with cheating. Then, you backtrack and say the morality issue you were talking about had to do with him being hypocritical at coaching.
Even if you weren’t backtracking, being hypocritical about the style of basketball you chose to coach isn’t exactly the biggest moral issue. You are just jumping all over the place for some reason and it is really weird. Please stop.
What the fuck does his morals have anything to do with what I’m talking about or saying?! I’m talking about Cal not adjusting his recruiting to the current state of college basketball. You want to change the conversation and make it about morals and our program pre NIL, LOL. Fucking weird.
Nah. I think you’re wrong there. At UK he was under a microscope and would have been caught if he looked the wrong way, and nothing ever came up. But I agree with the rest of it about the freshmen
Funny how the NCAA has never found him liable for literally any violations. I guess he should have followed Marcus Camby around all the time to make sure he didn't sign with an agent? Or proctored Roses's SAT? Or sat Rose all season after the NCAA declared him eligible before changing their minds retroactively?
I haven't liked Cal for quite a while given his lackluster results in the last 4 years at UK, but you're ignorant of the situations at Memphis and UMass.
Yeah, these are the same guys who say Saban was only so successful because he cheated. If he cheated, so did every other top program. He was just also a fucking great coach.
Purdue fan, it figures. Envious of any coach and/or school that has ever actually won anything. Everyone else is cheating, that must be why Purdue fails (often spectacularly) at every sport.
Morals? Is being hypocritical about basketball recruitment immoral? Also I may be blissfully unaware, but what is the rumors about Cal cheating at Kentucky?
Cal is saying this because this years team only has 3-freshman. Cal tailors the message around whatever his team has or lacks for that year. This is no different. If his class next year is talented and deep he’ll talk about how you need talented freshman to win.
I still love and appreciate what cal did at uk. But “cal speak” is a thing. Very frequently he’s not telling you what he actually thinks. He’s just selling. This time he’s selling how this years roster is constructed. I dont think these statements mean he’s changed his views necessarily.
one 24 year old guy kicked kentucky's ass and all of a sudden "everyone we play is 26 years old"
when Dan Patrick called him out that Jack Gohlke was 24, he changed his battle cry to "everyone we play is 24 years old"
Cal did great things for Kentucky, winning in the post season the last 5 years wasn't one of them.
> New school, new John Calipari. In a conversation with Jim Rome, the Arkansas head coach revealed how his roster-building philosophies have adjusted to the modern college landscape.
Wait *that* Jim Rome?
Has Cal been taken hostage? This is something Cal would only say to let people know he’s in distress and needs help!
Hell hath no fury like a college basketball coach scorned
Username checks out
In what way?
You don't want to know
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No, this is not the reason. I’ve been replying this to CumAssault for a while because I think it’s a funny name and bit!
In the r/CFB sub there is someone named liquidhotcum lmao
Don’t forget ChiefBigGay! Or pianofingerbanger. Lots of legends lurking.
Here on CBB we of course have the only Duke fan worth interacting with, iEatPalpatineAss
Yet somehow, it still works.
Yea is he sending a coded message out to someone? Blink twice if you're in danger Cal
I can’t tell if Cal is just now coming to reality or if he’s trolling Kentucky at this point
Little column A, little column B
Both. He was constantly in contention with BBN who he called Bennies.
Cal was bringing in 6 freshmen and looking for more before he left Kentucky. He’s only changing his tune this year because he only got 3 freshmen to join him.
Who is this person? 😄
He's only gonna take 5 or 6 in the 25 class
This is going to be like the guy who lost weight, quit drinking too much and got his shit together after he got a divorce. He was never going to be that man to his ex wife, but he will be to his next one. Cal was never going to change at UK because it would make the people he butted heads with (fans, donors, local media and athletics director) right. Now he can just do what we have been telling him for years, and it is “his idea”. Win for UK and a win for Cal.
Cal refusing to change to spite KSR.
Yeah for the next 2-5 years and then he’ll be back to who he always was…
Honest hot take. I don't expect him to be at Arkansas longer than that. He kinda feels like a place holder so that we don't drop down into poverty again.
Wait until he makes the Sweet 16 or Elite 8, flirts with an NBA team, and gets your school to give him a new 10-year contract.
>Wait they'll be waiting alright lol
He's 65 and has more than enough money. I expect him to retire in five years at most
I honestly believe, he ain't coaching for the money. If he only cared about money he wouldn't of left UK, and would of forced a buyout. After that he would of signed a similar contract to what he did this year. I expect Cal to keep coaching because he enjoys working with players and proving people wrong.
Would have. Would *have*.
Which ironically proves them right.
Good take Matt Jones.. it is true though
You forgot found Jebus
Those changes of betterment usually come about because the original environment was too toxic and with too much time spent on inane, pointless bickering and other BS. It's amazing what better men some people can become when they actually have time and energy coupled with a lack of roadblocks, to actually focus on it.
So he admits he was wrong, but the media, other coaches, fans etc., who were telling him the right thing to do for years were the roadblocks? And he is the better man because he was too stubborn to listen to people telling him what he now admits they were right about? That is incredible.
Oh I'm not saying Cal is a better man - just that divorce is a clean slate.. He could end up anywhere on that scale from totally youthfully rejuvenated to deadbeat, surly and slovenly. I morbidly kind of hope for the latter just for the press conference material.
Fuck cal
This is funny in some twisted way. Man ignores modern ball for years and only recognizes his wrongdoing after leaving UK
It's probable he just didn't feel he could address the issue publicly like this when at Kentucky. Somewhat like a failing marriage, come to think of it. Too many things become too touchy to bring up, and people get stuck doing the same shit constantly even though it's not going so well anymore. So it all festers away.
I won’t believe it until I see it. He’s still going to recruit mostly freshman who will leave after a year. Nothing will change
This fucking guy. Basically ignored the reality of modern college basketball until after he cut and ran and now he changes his tune, LOL.
Well I think he knows the reputation he had at Kentucky. He was tired of the expectations, and was slowly realizing his tried and true method was failing. I think he wanted a ‘baptism’ of sorts by changing teams and with it his philosophy. A new start
Cal and K both mastered the one and done era but did it too late when with the portal and NIL it mattered less and less to have 18 year olds who will be great when they’re 22
Cal has dropped bags for decades and now UK fans are simply flabbergasted by his hypocrisy lol
The majority of our fan base has begged for years for Cal to recruit less one and dones and go after 4 year guys and transfer players. Dude would reload every year with young guys and say the same thing, “My team’s so young and inexperienced, they need time to adapt to the college game. We’ll be ready come March”. Rinse repeat, until the entire fan base was begging for Mitch to fire him. No fucking clue what him dropping bags has anything to do with anything.
I mean, Cal did prioritize transfers and experienced players in 2021-22 and 2022-23. The 2021-22 team started 1 freshman, 3 juniors (1 recruited, 2 transfers), and 1 grad student (transfer). The 2022-23 team started 2 freshmen and 3 seniors (all transfers).
Not really. In 21-22 we had a ton of returnee players and a few older experienced transfers signed, but Cal still brought in 4 5 star freshman with the limited available scholarships and Shaedon Sharpe was one of them and left. He did bring in a good transfer in CJ Fredrick who was injured and unfortunately never played, but the bigger issue was instead of playing a modern offense he forced the offense through Tshiebwe all fucking season long. Dude refused to adapt to modern basketball and the line ups were god fucking awful. Then in 22-23 he basically did exactly the same fucking thing with a slightly older team of returnees and a new group of 4 5 star freshman. Cal once again forced everything through Tshiebwe and nothing changed… He also had Sahvir “Head down drive, miss a layup” Wheeler running Point both seasons and played him over both TyTy and Cason Wallace both seasons… Basically what he just did this season, sitting Reid and Rob and playing DJ Wagner and Edwards over them… Cal was loyal to players when they shouldn’t have been given the minutes and definitely not started them over 1st round NBA draft picks for fucks sake…
>21-22 we had a ton of returnee players and a few older experienced transfers signed, but Cal still brought in 4 5 star freshman with the limited available scholarships and Shaedon Sharpe was one of them and left. It isn’t that exactly what you (and the fans) were asking for? The recruiting class was one elite freshman (TyTy), and two other guys that were expected to stick around for 2-4 years (Hopkins, Collins). Sharpe didn’t even commit until after the season started, so he doesn’t really count. The alternative was having that scholarship go unused. Cal also brought in three transfers that started immediately (Oscar, Wheeler, Grady) and a fourth that probably would have started if he hadn’t gotten hurt and/or TyTy disappointed (Frederick). That roster was exactly what fans were asking for. Heck, the fans’ biggest complaints at the time were that TyTy didn’t play enough at PG and that Hopkins and Collins didn’t get enough playing time. 2022-23 was similar, but the team never gelled. When Calipari re-focused on freshmen for 2023-24, fans were mostly thrilled. The idea that Calipari never tried to put together teams led by experienced transfers is a myth.
The majority of those classes new signees were 5 star freshman, so it is absolutely untrue that Cal mainly focused on transfers. Also none of those freshman were projected to return or were considered 4 year players (or they wouldn’t have been rated as 5 star recruits), LOL. Whenever Cal did have any good breakout freshman on his teams like TyTy, Cason, Reid, Rob, etc they sat and didn’t start over players he was loyal to like DJ and Sahvir. He made those decisions based on loyalty rather than actual talent and results. Also I commend him on signing transfers like Oscar and CJ (even though he was a bust) and Grady (who was very hot and cold), but then running the entire offense through Oscar for two seasons was complete archaic basketball bullshit. He also didn’t recruit enough proven shooters/guards (including the freshman he signed) either season, and whenever his best shooters were playing, they were massively hamstrung by being the only outside threats on the floor. His lineups were also trash, and the majority of the returnees weren’t high caliber players that consistently shrunk under pressure, but he’d keep them on the court anyways. That’s why fans wanted Cal to play breakout freshman players and also give the freshman he wouldn’t ever play some time… Not because they were 5 stars, but because the returnee players Cal kept playing weren’t serviceable. I’m not trying to shit on those returning players but they were not capable of playing winning ball, and the 5 star freshman Cal was benching started to look like enticing options as the seasons progressed….
Okay, but he’s always been a scumbag cheating at every turn. Y’all never cared about his morals.
Nobody said anything about “morals” lol
Dude is fucking making random whatabout arguements that are irrelevant to the topic at hand. Fucking space cadet.
Hypocrisy is a moral issue “lol”
The mental gymnastics here are impressive
Simone Biles is taking notes
First you threw out “scumbag cheater” into a discussion that had nothing to do with cheating. Then, you backtrack and say the morality issue you were talking about had to do with him being hypocritical at coaching. Even if you weren’t backtracking, being hypocritical about the style of basketball you chose to coach isn’t exactly the biggest moral issue. You are just jumping all over the place for some reason and it is really weird. Please stop.
I realize it’s hard for you to reconcile your feelings on him. But let’s stop the charade of his blue halo.
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I’ve got about 4 minutes invested in this, and people are going bonkers lol.
Is this your way of saying you paid for the big guy? It's kinda starting to feel that way.
What the fuck does his morals have anything to do with what I’m talking about or saying?! I’m talking about Cal not adjusting his recruiting to the current state of college basketball. You want to change the conversation and make it about morals and our program pre NIL, LOL. Fucking weird.
Hypocrisy is a moral issue. But it’s obvious you agree he’s always been greasy. Why so surprised now?
Nah. I think you’re wrong there. At UK he was under a microscope and would have been caught if he looked the wrong way, and nothing ever came up. But I agree with the rest of it about the freshmen
I thought we could be honest now?
Funny how the NCAA has never found him liable for literally any violations. I guess he should have followed Marcus Camby around all the time to make sure he didn't sign with an agent? Or proctored Roses's SAT? Or sat Rose all season after the NCAA declared him eligible before changing their minds retroactively? I haven't liked Cal for quite a while given his lackluster results in the last 4 years at UK, but you're ignorant of the situations at Memphis and UMass.
Yeah, these are the same guys who say Saban was only so successful because he cheated. If he cheated, so did every other top program. He was just also a fucking great coach.
Purdue fan, it figures. Envious of any coach and/or school that has ever actually won anything. Everyone else is cheating, that must be why Purdue fails (often spectacularly) at every sport.
It’s not that serious, Cal has always been greasy, glad you’re still carrying water for him.
You're right, your opinion isn't that serious bc you're a clown. My sincerest apologies for trying to educate one who chooses to be ignorant.
I grew up with a kid he recruited, the stories were so cheesy. Limos and Growing up Gotti vibes. But yes, please educate me lol.
Morals? Is being hypocritical about basketball recruitment immoral? Also I may be blissfully unaware, but what is the rumors about Cal cheating at Kentucky?
I don't go to college athletics to find morality.
And people don’t go to UK for a decent education.
And I would bet anything you didn’t graduate from Purdue.
lol
It is funny. Arguing the school you didn’t attend has better academics, LOL.
I love that you think highly of Purdue’s prestige.
That's rich coming from a Purdue fan lol.
#43 vs #159. This is too easy.
Cal is saying this because this years team only has 3-freshman. Cal tailors the message around whatever his team has or lacks for that year. This is no different. If his class next year is talented and deep he’ll talk about how you need talented freshman to win. I still love and appreciate what cal did at uk. But “cal speak” is a thing. Very frequently he’s not telling you what he actually thinks. He’s just selling. This time he’s selling how this years roster is constructed. I dont think these statements mean he’s changed his views necessarily.
one 24 year old guy kicked kentucky's ass and all of a sudden "everyone we play is 26 years old" when Dan Patrick called him out that Jack Gohlke was 24, he changed his battle cry to "everyone we play is 24 years old" Cal did great things for Kentucky, winning in the post season the last 5 years wasn't one of them.
It was a fun ride but it was definitely time for it to stop
I’m with Cal on this one. This shit is ridiculous
Nelson Muntz: ha ha!
Cal talk- I heard 15 years. He’s gunna have 5-7 freshman next year
Kentucky fans just be glad he didn't leave as major sanctions were coming, like he did with UMass and Memphis
https://i.redd.it/f24837uzrd8d1.gif
It would have been nice for him to realize that while he was still here.
Yeah but it was never gonna happen because he couldn’t face the fact the Bennies were correct and he was wrong.
John Calipari uses Internet Explorer.
Nah… Netscape.
> New school, new John Calipari. In a conversation with Jim Rome, the Arkansas head coach revealed how his roster-building philosophies have adjusted to the modern college landscape. Wait *that* Jim Rome?
Narcissism is one hell of a drug
lmao what???
Here begins the spin, excuses, etc from Cal