How Does Kentucky Get Best Players Every Year

[MrBig33]

Stop overthinking it, they're Duffle Bag U.

We have Sandy Bell...nothing like that is going on at UK...and Coach Cal knows better than anyone that the bigger the stage the more eyes on you...he would be a complete fool to all of sudden start cheating when he doesnt even have to...you are forgetting who the "true" giant of college basketball is...its UK. Duke is legit and so is Carolina and Kansas..but last time I checked UK trumped all of them in wins and national titles.

[beerman2619]

a kentucky fan trying to tell people Coach Cal doesn't cheat . When is the last time the true giant won a national championship tubby smith days back in the day huh.

[Djstucky]

Great basketball players want to go to schools like Duke, Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Kentucky, etc...it's just a matter of who is the best at getting the best. Of late the edge goes to coach cal. I think it actually helps his kids don't stay for very long. The top incoming players don't want to sit on the bench even for a year and he always has a few starting jobs open.

[goldendome23]

Think it's funny that he's put 2 schools on probation and still gets to coach. Going to be 3 before it's said and done.

[big0mar]

Its clear you have idea what you are talking about....first off Marcus Camby at UMASS took money from an agent who wanted his services....Camby has admitted years ago nobody knew he did this including his own family..but yet Coach Cal knew LOL...laughable. Secondly you honestly think Coach Cal had someone take Derrick Roses SAT 2 YEARS before he even started recruiting him??...laughable. Stop listening to the media and haters out there and know the facts. The NCAA has NEVER investigated Coach Cal...on ANYTHING!!!...maybe one of the biggest myths in college basketball today. People hate success. Stop hatin.

When did I hate on anything? He breaks the rules. I'm indifferent to be honest.

[texhooper]

Think it's funny that he's put 2 schools on probation and still gets to coach. Going to be 3 before it's said and done.

mr uk will find this out eventually.

[doublej95]

All those great players at Kentucky and Coach Cal can't ever win a championship. I can't wait till Kentucky ends up with major violations and they suck for years.

[offshoregenius77]

You guys have it all wrong. He has Rod Strickland on his staff , and a bunch of other closers/salesmen. All his players go to the league. He coached in the league... And most importantly..... HE CAN CLOSE THE DEAL IN THE RECRUITS HOME!

BTW , None of the big players today cheat like Wooden did with Sam Gilbert.

Cal just gets outcoached at the top level . He'll F***k it up somehow this year. Guaranteed.. The beating he took from Huggy Bear in Wall's season was laughable!

[UK_gixxer]

All those great players at Kentucky and Coach Cal can't ever win a championship. I can't wait till Kentucky ends up with major violations and they suck for years.

You can't relate having top recruiting classes with winning championships. Sure, having great talent plays a major role in it, but at the end of the day, they are still freshman with lots of work to do to be able to perform to the truly best of their abilities- I'm a huge UK fan, but I do not correlate getting a top recruiting class with winning a championship. Now maybe if 2-3 of those great incoming freshman stayed around and played as juniors and seniors- you would see a team that truly played great ball.

But that won't happen- players don't care about the game anymore, players don't care that staying around for another year or two could make them into a better player all around; they want to get on to the NBA, sign that deal, and get that money.

UK is stepping stone to the NBA now. That's how we get the top players. Players know that at Kentucky they will get time, and that they will get seen.

Is that a bad thing? Yes and No. No because Kentucky fans are ruthless, they want to see results, and see them now. They have no patience for any coach INCLUDING Cal to build a team with juniors and seniors; they're all about the here and now- let's destroy opponents at RUPP, slam some dunks, win the SEC- but play like shit when it matters most. Yes because chances of winning the National title with so much young blood is slim- I don't care who the coach is.

So in a way Cal is given KY fans what they really want- a good show (even though they claim to want another championship, they just want the show and the spotlight).

As for Cal's coaching abilities- honestly, the guy is a good coach- but I feel he could do more. As a KY fan, I can't stand how he doesn't call timeouts to get his team in order....but on the other hand he does that so that the players will play through it and work it out themselves without being babied the entire way- and I can appreciate that.

Does cal cheat/pay players? I consider this argument to be as worthless as having as an argument over if a game was fixed or not. Does paying players happen? Sure it does in the sport somewhere...does Cal and KY specifically participate in this? I don't care who you are, you can't prove it one way or another- the very same allegations can be made for most top 10 teams and let's face it, everyone is quick to judge but i guarantee 95% of the people in this forum don't have a perfect moral compass...so think about that next time you want to argue over something that can't be proven specifically and probably happens at a lot of schools.

[ebbearsfb1]

lol kentucky fan getting very sour.. take it easy bud.. the boys of sbr just having some fun

[offshoregenius77]

Cal is a pimp in coaches clothing. But the bastard sure does bring in the talent. Put his recruiting with Stew Morrills game coaching.... Then you would have something

OG

[MrBig33]

When did I hate on anything? He breaks the rules. I'm indifferent to be honest.

So please inform us on what rule he broke??...He HAS NEVER BEEN investigated by the NCAAA...EVER!!!...You are fooled by the haters and media out there lol....Coach Cal cheats but guys like Jim Calhoun never gets talked about when cheating rumors surface but his team has been investigated multiple times by the NCAA. So yes you are hating when saying Coach Cal cheats..because you will never be able to state a situation in where he cheated...or broke rules!!!!

[MrBig33]

You can't relate having top recruiting classes with winning championships. Sure, having great talent plays a major role in it, but at the end of the day, they are still freshman with lots of work to do to be able to perform to the truly best of their abilities- I'm a huge UK fan, but I do not correlate getting a top recruiting class with winning a championship. Now maybe if 2-3 of those great incoming freshman stayed around and played as juniors and seniors- you would see a team that truly played great ball.

But that won't happen- players don't care about the game anymore, players don't care that staying around for another year or two could make them into a better player all around; they want to get on to the NBA, sign that deal, and get that money.

UK is stepping stone to the NBA now. That's how we get the top players. Players know that at Kentucky they will get time, and that they will get seen.

Is that a bad thing? Yes and No. No because Kentucky fans are ruthless, they want to see results, and see them now. They have no patience for any coach INCLUDING Cal to build a team with juniors and seniors; they're all about the here and now- let's destroy opponents at RUPP, slam some dunks, win the SEC- but play like shit when it matters most. Yes because chances of winning the National title with so much young blood is slim- I don't care who the coach is.

So in a way Cal is given KY fans what they really want- a good show (even though they claim to want another championship, they just want the show and the spotlight).

As for Cal's coaching abilities- honestly, the guy is a good coach- but I feel he could do more. As a KY fan, I can't stand how he doesn't call timeouts to get his team in order....but on the other hand he does that so that the players will play through it and work it out themselves without being babied the entire way- and I can appreciate that.

Does cal cheat/pay players? I consider this argument to be as worthless as having as an argument over if a game was fixed or not. Does paying players happen? Sure it does in the sport somewhere...does Cal and KY specifically participate in this? I don't care who you are, you can't prove it one way or another- the very same allegations can be made for most top 10 teams and let's face it, everyone is quick to judge but i guarantee 95% of the people in this forum don't have a perfect moral compass...so think about that next time you want to argue over something that can't be proven specifically and probably happens at a lot of schools.

Very nice post...also the walk on water coach who just broke the record isnt as clean as the "average" fan thinks...those who follow college basketball know who Myron Piggie is....just google him and you will see that our beloved Coach K is no saint....and more importantly the NCAA has never taken away Duke final four banner from the year Corey Meggette played....he was in fact ineligable to play because he took money from a AAU/drug dealer...but yet Coach Cal cheats with no proof and no NCAA investigations...what a joke.

[MrBig33]

All those great players at Kentucky and Coach Cal can't ever win a championship. I can't wait till Kentucky ends up with major violations and they suck for years.

You just dont get it...you are a simple minded fair weather college basketball at best. This is year 3 at UK...he said the first day on the job this will take 3 or 4 years for him to get it right. First year...elite 8...second year final four...he is making quick progress. If UK ever gets on probation when Cal is there it wont be because of something Cal does..will be a greedy player taking money from an agent...last time I checked that happens everywhere. You cant stop that. The only way that get stopped if the NBA makes a rule if these greedy agents get caughty they get banned from representing players. Another hater...keep em comin!

[InTheDrink]

Joe B Hall = cheater
Ever read Tark's story about trying to recruit Sam Bowie against UK? One of the great cheaters of all time was crushed at his own game.

Eddie Sutton = cheater
Program should have gotten the death penalty. All of the violations were very similar to SMU footballs just a few years earlier.

Pitino = cheater and giant scumbag

Tubby = reasonably honest, railroaded out of town

Cal = you draw your own conclusion here

[Scoobdog24]

Gateway to the NBA, why wouldn't the best players go there? I agree, Calipari is not a good coach, he will never win a Championship. These kids don't go to Kentucky to win, but to showcase their skills and become a lottery pick.

[UK_gixxer]

lol kentucky fan getting very sour.. take it easy bud.. the boys of sbr just having some fun

no, definitely not sour- and I'm sorry if you took it that way. If you read and actually understand the post you should have seen that I'm actually a Kentucky fan that is extremely neutral towards the whole situation.

Look- it's sad to say, but this world is extremely corrupt. This crap goes on, and on- from games being fixed, to NCAA rules being broken.

All I'm saying is that it's unfair to single out one single coach, or one single program to put all the corruption. You can't honestly believe that either coach Cal or Kentucky bends the rules? If that were even remotely trues, and Kentucky/Cal were the only playing a little bit dirty (and I'm speaking completely hypothetically because I'm neutral on this particular situation) then the NCAA would have shut this program down already- but they can't and won't because as sad it is to say- most likely a majority of the top 10 are doing the exact same thing. So why punish Kentucky because they are in the spot light some?

Me, I really don't care- I'll be there every single game day @ Rupp, midcourt 5 rows up screamin and cheerin my ass off for the cats and looking and waiting for those moments that really just blow my mind and make me forget all the negativity that sports in our day and age have become and remind me that this is a game- and its pure, exciting, and beautiful- its a reminder for those of us less talented that greatness lies within everyone, and the potential for man knows no limits.

And that's what I love about not just about Kentucky basketball, but sports in general.

[UNCGQ]

All I'm saying is that it's unfair to single out one single coach, or one single program to put all the corruption. You can't honestly believe that either coach Cal or Kentucky bends the rules? If that were even remotely trues, and Kentucky/Cal were the only playing a little bit dirty (and I'm speaking completely hypothetically because I'm neutral on this particular situation) then the NCAA would have shut this program down already- but they can't and won't because as sad it is to say- most likely a majority of the top 10 are doing the exact same thing. So why punish Kentucky because they are in the spot light some?

This isn't Memphis or UMass. The NCAA has no interest in bloodying the nose of it's blue-bloods and cash cows. You have to make the NCAA look stoopid to draw it's ire (how much had to come out publicly and stay in the 24 hour cycle before they got around to USC and Ohio State in football?). It's not going to show up at UK just because of rumor or because they think something is up.

WWW has had more press than the ugly Kardashian sister and the NCAA can't do anything with him. They don't have subpoena power and he's not tied to a school/agency/etc.

I take issue when people rail against any one school, but I absolutely abhor the excuse of 'everybody does it'. No, not everybody does. And 'it' is also a pretty broad brush. If I got busted for going 5 over the speed limit and another guy gets busted for driving a stolen car at 120+ on the interstate, high on meth, we're both 'breaking the law' but nobody's buying the argument of 'everybody's breaking the law so I can break it too'.

[iFrat]

They really do have great tradition there though. All the whole town of Lexington and surrounding areas have is that basketball program.