centralbucksfan wrote: First of all, there are at least 10 or more other coaches who can do the same when they walk into a living room. Lets be frank, do you honestly believe that Cal had THAT MUCH to do in terms of getting all his one and done ready for the NBA in the LESS then a year he had them.
Those guys, no matter where they went, would have been one and done, I have no doubt about that. He helped, but not near as much as people want to believe.
Secondly, what did that team accomplish this past year? Remarkable? They didn't make the final four...which IMO, was an underacheivement with the talent they had. I think ANY UK fan would say the same.
Lastly, there is no quesiton Cal can recruit. Can he coach? Thats the question. But as far as recruiting is concerned...I believe things will eventually level out. He is the new guy on the block at the traditional power. Similar to when Williams took over UNC. He was pulling in huge classes. He still is, but it has leveled off. Samething will eventually happen with Cal. Especially if he doesn't get a title or at least to the final four.

thedynasty1998 wrote:

centralbucksfan wrote: First of all, there are at least 10 or more other coaches who can do the same when they walk into a living room. Lets be frank, do you honestly believe that Cal had THAT MUCH to do in terms of getting all his one and done ready for the NBA in the LESS then a year he had them.
Those guys, no matter where they went, would have been one and done, I have no doubt about that. He helped, but not near as much as people want to believe.
Secondly, what did that team accomplish this past year? Remarkable? They didn't make the final four...which IMO, was an underacheivement with the talent they had. I think ANY UK fan would say the same.
Lastly, there is no quesiton Cal can recruit. Can he coach? Thats the question. But as far as recruiting is concerned...I believe things will eventually level out. He is the new guy on the block at the traditional power. Similar to when Williams took over UNC. He was pulling in huge classes. He still is, but it has leveled off. Samething will eventually happen with Cal. Especially if he doesn't get a title or at least to the final four.

I disagree with you here. I don't think there are 10 coaches who can recruit the same way Calipari can.

He has coached in the NBA, that's one advantage he has over Izzo, K, Williams, Howland and most others. He can walk into a home and say, "Look I've coached in the NBA and know what it takes and how to get you there." Everyone can say it, but he's the only one with the experience (other than Pitino).

How can you not say last year was remarkable? UK wasn't a tourney team before he took the job, and within one year with really only one key player returning they reach #1 in the rankings. That's unheard of. Was he more talented than most? Yes. But that's a result of his recruiting.

With the recent success of Douglas Roberts, Rose and Evans, he has more credibility than anyone else when he says he will have you ready for the NBA.

His recruiting will not level off. I don't see it happening at UK.

centralbucksfan wrote:

Azubuike24 wrote:
It's kind of interesting if you take a look at many of the huge recruits who went on their own to lesser-known schools to be "the man." How many of them worked out to having the impact they wanted? Just in the last few years...

Tiny Gallon, Oklahoma
Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati
Kenny Boynton, Florida
Willie Warren, Oklahoma
J'Mison Morgan, UCLA
Chris Singleton, Florida State
Tony Woods, Wake Forest

All of these guys haven't helped their stock at all and none of them have really accomplished anything in college.

And this I would agree with for the most part.
But with the list above..I am not so sure it had to do with the school they chose as much as how they performed. Boynton for example, having seen him play a number of times...he is a pretty good PG, but nothing great IMO. Stephenson, although he shows potential, isn't exactly real consistant. I mean, Bledsoe could be on that list..only avg 11pts a game, and couldn't throw it in the ocean in NCAA. He honestly wasn't that much better then those above. But he got some recognition while playing at UK while those above didn't.

centralbucksfan wrote:Unheard of? Matta took OSU to the final in his 3rd season. Its not unheard of

centralbucksfan wrote: Coached in the NBA, and was aweful. Big deal. 10 coaches in any order:
1. Williams
2. Howland
3. Matta
4. Coach K
5. Calhoun
6. Donovan
7. Barnes
8. Self
9. Boeheim
10. Huggins

I ripped off those names within 30 seconds. All have had many recruits go one and done/leave early.
I never said all were as good as Cal in recruiting...although a few are very comparable IMO, and possibly better when you look at where they are compared to a storied program like UK.

Unheard of? Matta took OSU to the final in his 3rd season. Its not unheard of. And yes, the recruiting will level off at somepoint, always does.

centralbucksfan wrote: Lastly, there is no quesiton Cal can recruit. Can he coach? Thats the question.

SQ_Crazies wrote:

centralbucksfan wrote: Lastly, there is no quesiton Cal can recruit. Can he coach? Thats the question.

Could ask the same of your boy Thad Matta. But God knows you'll have a shit fit as soon as you read that..

SportsAndLady wrote:

centralbucksfan wrote:Unheard of? Matta took OSU to the final in his 3rd season. Its not unheard of

He said the 1st year...you say it's not unheard of by giving an example of someone who did it in his 3rd year?

centralbucksfan wrote: Only if I can shit on your bandwagon face.
But ya, I know what you mean. In only 9yrs as a head coach: NCAA runnerup, Elite 8, sweet 16, 3 big ten titles in 6 years, won conference titles in 3 different conferences. Yup, Matta is pretty questionable coach, thats obvious I guess.

thedynasty1998 wrote:

centralbucksfan wrote: Only if I can shit on your bandwagon face.
But ya, I know what you mean. In only 9yrs as a head coach: NCAA runnerup, Elite 8, sweet 16, 3 big ten titles in 6 years, won conference titles in 3 different conferences. Yup, Matta is pretty questionable coach, thats obvious I guess.

Can't you make that same argument for Calipari?

Last 9 years:
Sweet 16 once
Elite 8 three times
National Runner Up

Conference title in 3 conferences. 2 teams to Final 4 (and don't give me the NCAA infractions crap).

You want to say Matta is a good coach and Calipari isn't, yet Caliparis resume is better.

centralbucksfan wrote: To do this day, considering the mess that Matta took over at OSU...what Matta did was more impressive IMO.

centralbucksfan wrote:But ya, I know what you mean. In only 9yrs as a head coach: NCAA runnerup, Elite 8, sweet 16, 3 big ten titles in 6 years, won conference titles in 3 different conferences. Yup, Matta is pretty questionable coach, thats obvious I guess.

thedynasty1998 wrote:

centralbucksfan wrote: To do this day, considering the mess that Matta took over at OSU...what Matta did was more impressive IMO.

Matta took over a team that was 17-15 and 14-16 in the previous two seasons, and inherited a team with Butler (O'Brien's recruit), Dials, Sylvester, Sullinger, Stockman and Harris.

Not exactly the same as what Calipari took over.

SportsAndLady wrote:

centralbucksfan wrote:But ya, I know what you mean. In only 9yrs as a head coach: NCAA runnerup, Elite 8, sweet 16, 3 big ten titles in 6 years, won conference titles in 3 different conferences. Yup, Matta is pretty questionable coach, thats obvious I guess.

Doesn't Calipari have those same exact accomplishments? Hell, I would argue that winning 7 of 8 C-USA titles is "better" than winning 3 of 6 Big Ten titles.

SQ_Crazies wrote: LOL...glad to see you're still the same homer you always were.

Azubuike24 wrote: Eric Bledsoe was a bigtime recruit, but he was NOT considered a one and done guy. He went to Kentucky, with 3 recruits more highly touted them himself and another player in Patterson who was also a potential lottery pick. Bledsoe was a guy who many figured he would be around 2-3 years, would back up John Wall and would be developed.

What happens? He goes to UK. He gets a ton of recognition, both from his fellow teammates and his team, he gets major minutes and he's a potential one and done first rounder. This could easily be Kenny Boynton, Lance Stephenson or another player in Bledsoe's shoes. Those guys were better prospects coming into the season.

Had Bledsoe scored 16 PPG on a average BCS team would he be considered a first round pick? Would he be as known as he is? All speculation, but this is definitely a case where piggy-backing on Wall and Cousins helped the kid's stock. I happen to think he's far from ready for the NBA, especially not at the PG position, but he's gonna get drafted.

Lance Stephenson may not be drafted and Kenny Boynton didn't even consider turning pro.