How does Calipari ever turn it around at Kentucky?

I don't think he can unless he gets a bench coach and let's him run things. His coaching just isn't cutting it anymore. Especially at a place like Kentucky.

When he was first hire at Kentucky, he had the luxury of being at the only school in the SEC that took basketball seriously. Now they are not

1 common theme with the SEC teams still alive in the tournament.
They've got damn good assistant coaches.
Cal's assistants resemble the 3 stooges.

Honestly don’t think there are any Kentucky fans who disagree with most of this. I’d be furious if I were a UK fan.

It would require change. Cal is simply too proud to change.

Here's how it will go. Next year will be marginally better than this year ... maybe a Sweet Sixteen or another Elite Eight - and that will be the high-water mark of what it's going to be like under Calipari from here on out, until the end.

The end will come before the end of this current contract. Not because Kentucky fires Calipari, and probably not because Calipari takes the million a year pension. Calipari will leave, after contriving some kind of grievance against Kentucky, to justify in his own mind walking away rather than staying and feeling the heat any longer.

It's a shame. The guy was never a brilliant X's and O's guy ... but basketball isn't chess either. Cal was the first guy to embrace one and done, and he didn't over-coach in the beginning ... but he did coach. Yet, his inflexibility has always been an issue. He pissed away his first possible Final Four his very first year - when he decided the three point shot was the only way to attack the West Virginia 1-3-1. He pissed away an undefeated season when he insisted on playing two NBA prospects - the Harrison twins - rather than Tyler Ulis, the best point guard on the team yet a kid too small to go pro.

Even this year ... he has a line-up that is, literally, the most efficient +/- lineup in the nation. He played it against Kansas St. on Sunday - briefly - and Kentucky outscored the opposition 9-2. But Calipari will not use it often. Why ? Because it was the lineup the fans called for from the beginning ... and Calipari will not, ever, tolerate being shown to be wrong. Even if losing is the result.

He needs someone like Robic back. He trusted Robic to make Xs and Os decisions (he had been with him several years) and it worked.

At this point Cal is too proud to recognize he has deficiencies (every coach does) and can fix some of those with a solid staff. Right now, outside of Ulis, he has a bunch of recruiters.

ETA: He’s also burnt up almost all of the goodwill of the fanbase. Once that’s lost, you’re pretty much fricked at Kentucky unless you can bring home another title.

He will get his superclass next year to see if he's still gor magic with the best recruits. If that fails he will be fired and we will hire Brad Stevens.

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he has to find a way to get his team to play together as a team instead of playing street ball.. the talent is there..

that’s coaching, but it’s also finding the right players who will sacrifice for the team in order to win.

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This in the nutshell, have an up vote

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Brad Stevens.

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This hire scares me

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If that fails he will be fired and we will hire Brad Stevens.

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Brad Stevens seems to be enjoying the NBA and isn't in danger of losing his job. Even if he did NBA teams would line up to hire him. Why would he come back to college now? (Not saying he won't, but it seems like his college days are over)