While it is sad, I can’t say that it isn’t what I hoped for. Truth be told, I WANTED the number 1 recruiting class and this is the price we have to pay.

I wish each of those young me the best of luck in the future and hope this is a one-time thing.

some of this, I just cannot see a better way of handling it. The UK fanbase has been screaming for this to happen for quite a while. Now we have a case of wanting to have our cake and eat it too.

You are dead on that the Landon Slone situation is really going to rankle some folks, but again, it was necessary. We are kidding ourselves if we do not step to the plate and recognize ( and I am willing to go so far as to do it publicly) that our talent level was nowhere near what it should have been. Coach has come in and fixed that problem, resoundingly so. We asked for it…..we got it. Now we have to live with the consequences of our desires. We told the man we wanted a change and that is what we got.

My father has “allowed himself to slip away from the game” as he calls it. He says that UK just isn’t what it used to be, and he is right. We are much different now than in the past in a lot of ways, however not all of these ways are bad. Mitch and Dr. Todd are going to hear about this, however we have no one to blame but ourselves for the fallout. Whether we like it or not….we want success….and that my friend does not come without a price. If we have sold our souls to the devil here, then we have collectively said, “so be it”.Coach Calipari may be a S.O.B. in some people’s eyes, but he is OUR S.O.B.

No one could have predicted the kind of immediate success that Coach has already had. Without playing a game, he has rekindled a fire in the entire Commonwealth concerning our Wildcats. Without using too many more cliches, we knew what we were doing, now we pay the piper.Guilt is a terrible thing for those who cannot understand it’s necessity. My heart goes out to each of these kids for their effort. Problem is…..effort wasnt feeding the bulldog…..or in this case….the Wildcat.

my dad told me about Coach Rupp….something about a quote that went, “you show me a good loser, and I’ll show you a loser”. Now I do not know if Coach said those very words or not, the story has been told since my I started listening to my grandfather tell about listening to the Cats on the radio in the 30’s and 40’s. Sounds to me like Coach Cal gets it better than most. Just win, baby.

The clock started ticking the minute Cal signed on. He knows that. It is unfortunate certainly, but the vast majority of Kentucky fans are going to want results yesterday. This is a guy who is a competitor and is going to do everything he can to achieve the best results as quickly as he can. I think we have to tell ourselves this will be a one-time event and move forward.

new mindset of college sports I think. Its no longer about getting a degree its about making money for the University and about bringing glory to the program. As much as I love Kentucky, I strongly disagree with this if it was the decision of the coach not the kids. We need to honor the schollys. UK is not just for bball its a university. Its a university first. BBall is second. Let these kids get their education. Education is expensive and its not fair that UK is forcing them to quit. UK is becoming now just another school that cares just about winning, nothing else. As a Kentucky bball fan that is ok but as a former Kentucky citizen it makes me sad.

We all saw the writing on the wall. The quickest way to improve, was to bring in better players. I thought some of this type of change occured when Rick Pitino first arrived. It’s a shame for any player who wanted to stay, especially a kid like Landon Sloan who always dreamed of playing for UK.

Let me know your birthday and I’ll get you a pair of binoculars. However, I do compliment your ability to type with one hand while the other holds your nose. :)

Stewart was going to miss games due to cutting class, everyone thought Carter was already done, and Williams had that agreement with Billy G to go off scholly.

What is the problem? How does UK look bad?

I don’t think you should rationalize how poorly the kid was treated by stating that he just wasn’t a good fit, and that he serves at the discretion of the coach. That misses the point entirely.

A 5 minutes conversation, man to man, at some point in 40 days on the job is not too much to ask for. And even worse, to apologize via twitter is pathetic. No matter his stature on the team, he deserved better than that. Attempting to claim that Cal probably meant to meet with him doesn’t absolve him of the fact that he didn’t, and then tried to make it right in the most impersonal manner possible.

I was unable to make it up for Senior Day, but I believe Jared Carter was honored as the only Senior. If my recollection is correct, nobody (Calipari or BCG) ran him off. He had no intention of coming back.

And it’s a good thing. FAR better than the alternative.
Is it a perfect world? Far from it.
But what we have here is the best case scenario for what we need most of all: Success.

Congrats all around!

about a 5th yr senior who has played less than almost any UK scholarship player in history that stayed 4 yrs….a player that was about to become academically ineligible for at least 1/3 of the season, a player that had a 1yr scholarship, and a walk-on……..at Kentucky!!!!…..someone wake up and smell the coffee here!!

No one has gotten more mileage for less performance than Jared Carter at UK. He got an education for free. AJ Stewart caused some ( not all ) of his own problems by his own admission, Williams knew his deal was a 1 yr only….and EVERY walk-on in the NCAA knows they are there until something ( or someone)better comes along. The next player ( or players) may not have the same profiles, but these guys have no gripes…..

And everything you mention is known facts. These players should appreciate the time they had on the UK team and I feel they appreciate what they had during this time.

Please tell me how you can post incessantly on this site and still be productive with your insurance business? You must have a very talented and productive staff! Kudos to you for that. My hubby had the same staff which allowed him a lot of time away :-)

The media (mainly blogs) are all ready crucifing UK for getting rid of some players. They of course don’t mention the fact that Williams came her knowing he would reevaluated come his sophomore year. Carter was finally graduating.
\I will miss stewart. Billy G never really gave the kid a chance—thus him “not being taletned enough”

Working your schedule to meet the public’s non-work schedule.

Hubby was an early riser and got out to the local restaurants at 5am and then continued on to 2 more before he actually hit the office at 9am. By that time he had names and all the info we needed to get a quote for a prospecive insured.

Wish you continued success in your business. It’s tough these days.

against UKAA.More to come.

Judge-“Mr. Barnhart,why did you terminate Mr. Gillispie”
MB-" he wasn’t tough enough,and failed to sign a contract after 2 years being on the job"

Judge-“Mr. Gillispie,why did you not sign your contract?”
BG-“thats a bad question your honor”

from Landon’s girlfriend in Paintsville what Cal has done or is doing for him? I live in Paintsville.

cleaning house in his first year.It happens all the time,everywhere.How many of these players did Cal recruit? ZERO.It is not like he offered a scholly then pulled it away.Complete non-issue.

Per his own admission. He missed some classes last semester. I never saw him staying at UK with BG as coach. He quit the team and then came back. It was a mess last semester with many of the players. There was just something going on with the coach and team. As much as I liked BCG at the beginning my thoughts descended when he said he was only hired to coach and not be a rep for UK. He did not like the publicity or the things that a UK coach must incorporate into his schedule.

I am glad it is over and look forward to the new season.

Cal is faced with a team he didn’t build for a system he don’t run. I like the heavy recruitment and removal of players that don’t fit. Carter was one of the players I hoped would turn around but his injuries and lack of effort never got him on the floor. As for the other 3 I hope they find a fit somewhere. Maybe then can follow Billy to somewhere that basketball isn’t the biggest sport on earth.

I wouldn’t want it. When it comes to this kind of “decision making”. I never liked “cutting” in high school! The one thing that I will say is that C-Cal told everyone up front that this was going to happen. Those on the recieving end could have left on their own and made this go smoother. They didn’t, and forced his hand. He was honest and up-front from the start. The only one so far that I feel very bad about is Sloane. AJ is looking at a 10-game suspension for academics. Carter has had his chance, and Williams? Who knows about him? Sloane is the only one who can gripe that he wasn’t treated completely fair and honestly. I hate it, but the boys were given their options from the start. This isn’t over yet either. No one enjoys this side of things. I wish all of them the best.

Let’s hope all of those coming in at UK took their own SAT and we aren’t going to be left with a whole lot of explaining in a few years.

First, as has been said earlier, Williams was a one year deal only. You can’t lose a scholly if you did not have one. Carter had used up four years of scholarship time; once again, you can’t lose what you don’t have.

Second, I have not seen anything that says coach took Stewart’s scholly away from him. Coach stated in his initial interview, and has repeated this, that he would simply tell a guy where he stood and let him decide. Stewart was not going to play and who is to say that he did not leave to seek playing time?

Finally, just because the most recent coaches did not boot players when they took over does not establish some type of precedent that it can not be done or should not be done. I remember Dennis Felton doing this at WKU when he took over 8 or 9 years ago. Guys had been given scholly’s by the previous coach that did not deserve them and the new coach had to clean up the situation. This happens all the time. Pitino did not do it as he had no one to replace the players he had with. Tubby did not need to as he was taking over a team coming off of a title game and Gillespie took over a team that had more talent than what he was used to (even though it had less than we are used to). Coach was hired to fix a problem and he is doing it. Let him be.

I do not mean to be cold or rationalizing nor harsh to those with a different opinion. I just believe making room for better talent is college athletics today and sensible. Calipari’s particular instance did not create this situation. The attention, the money and the demands to succeed created it. You want a better team, you need better players, I’ve had friends not select me in pick- up games if a better player was available. It is competition. It’s not like any of these guys will not a chance to get a free degree. They’ll just have to go some place that matches their skill set. If I really believed that any of these young men were being tossed out without a chance to complete their education or play basketball again, I might feel differently. They all will have that chance just not at Kentucky.

If my SAT score and grades get me a scholly to MIT but I cannot keep up with the more accelarated program put in place by a new math department head and because of a new wave of genius freshman, should the university be forced to keep the curriculum "dumbed down" for me or should they offer to help me apply to another school while they attend to more advanced studies? I’d be OK with Princeton.

I cannot so easily say that competing in today’s climate could have been postponed two years. How do we know that without the buzz that surrounded this year if indeed in two years there would have been a stellar recruiting class at all? Maybe Patterson doesn’t come back. Maybe the momentum is lost. The program is not thought of. Sure maybe this would not have been the case. I just think we are applying the standards of the past to today and speculating about what could be based on old views of a game that has changed already. This situation has not changed it.

There are many things about the “new” game that bugs me. What is and is NOT called walking these days. Taunting and crying about every call. Not going into a game when ask to do so. Extremely long shorts. Duke and North Carolina getting home court the first two rounds of every NCAA Tourney. Coaches that swear they are staying and then leave. Players going straight to the NBA or worse staying in “college” for 1 year. But this is the game now. I accept that. Heck, there were things about the old game I disliked. 4 Corners, no dunking, extremely short shorts.

I may not have the heart that is necessary to make these kinds of decisions myself but I am OK with the necessary decisions that are being made. I will miss the players that transfer. I like Stewart. I kept thinking, man this year….this year, Carter is going to break out! I still believe it will happen. I missed Roderick Rhodes after Kentucky. I will cheer for the players like I always cheer for anyone who has ever donned the Blue and White. I wish them all the best but I understand and support the coach in these decisions. Now walk-ons—— that is a different story.

Forgive the vanity in reposting my thoughts from another thread here. I do so as I think it is far more pertinent here than the previous. That being said, Tru, though I appreciate the thoughts you share in your piece, I think it Much Ado About Nothing in a larger sense of what these kids receive rather than lose by going elsewhere. Ultimately, I think it the jew in me that says "What? I could go to a great school for a year or two, get a great education, learn and coexistence with those of different cultures, backgrounds, mindsets, and do it for free? That is such a bad thing? Where do I sign up?"

Whereas you would say it gives UK athletics a black eye, I would argue that it is commonplace. Moreso in a program as demanding as this one. Yes, the arguement has been made about players being paid for performance. Yes I fully appreicate both sides of that argument. However, aren’t they ultimately paid with an experience outside of their realm of being (say Landon Slone the quintessential hometown boy) able to draw upon these experiences later in life as they looks back at the whole of their life as a point of reference upon the universe stating "You were here?"

The experiences these kids take from the table, the guidance and direction allowed them whereas so many others aren’t given that opportunity, far outweigh the supposed, if not farcical ‘ethics’ involved. Argue them if you must, but I find it a fleeting argument at best akin to a Jerry Springer show. My basis for this is perhaps predicated by an article in ‘Scientific American Mind’ that reveals a study being done that suggests: a single amino acid within a protein on a genetic level dictates a quicker coming to and/or proficiency in greater motor skills.

Let me repeat that: a single amino acid within a protein on a genetic level decides a Micheal Jordan from a Micheal Tompkins working at the local 7-11. If this study proves true, how much greater the opportunities allowed these players, even for a brief time, to experience a world outside of their own; to learn either a skill set or even opportunities that were not there prior to a hit-and-miss attempt at basketball glory?

This discussion, though inevitable, borders on semantics if not hypocrisy as I mention in my repeated thoughs from another thread. Deal with it as you must but what opportunities that are granted, be they on a simplier scale of perception and ethics as you would suggest, or be they a life changing experience for those coming from rural America to a chance at more altruistic means and a better life having received a quality education, is ultimately based on perception.

Lastly, Forty, you dictated the tenure of Tubby’s reign in the preceding thread that the following thoughts were issued. I respect Tubby for what he achieved at UK. He is/was a good coach. I, along with many (obviously), didn’t see his contributions as being vital enough to the program as some. He took Pitino’s kids to the big dance. He never repeated that glory, for the team, for the program, for the school, for the fans. Again, as UK fans, those willing to live and die in the trenches with our beloved team (this being accepted whereas we, as we always do, greet each class of incoming players, coach and coaching staff, with open arms and a hope for a better, brighter tomorrow) embraced Billie G inspite of the speculation that was out there prior. Tubby was a good coach but not a UK coach. The fans (yes, all of us), demand perfection first and foremost, then championships. Above all else, we demand championships. This fact plays into the whole hypocrisy of releasing players in that we demand absolute excellence out of our coach but do not hold the players to the same degree as Tru discuss in their piece.

Regarding Play to Stay

First off, wassup! First time poster, several day reader. Love the site. Good stuff. Its a given that anything a recruiter tells you is 90% bs with 5% snakeoil salesman-esque charm, and maybe, God willing 5% truth to it. As a vet, I was conned like others. That being said, performance begets playing time begets scholarships. Kentucky is, was, will continue to be the upper echeleon of colliegate basketball for as long as the fans demand perfection. And demand we do.

To simply cast that scrutinity upon a coach and not on the players as well (players that clearly aren’t the caliber of UK’s expectations) would be a greater injustice. The fact that UK is turning away talent (be it mediocre, good, or effing phenomenal) leaves me wondering if we have retaken the throne as basketball immortals too soon. I would suggest that of the incoming freshman, Alabama and/or Arkansas (Sorry Pelfrey for the season ahead of you) would consider it a banner year to have one of them in their recruiting class.

Tubby Smith was a good coach. He wasn’t a UK coach. Billie G clearly isn’t a good person, his coaching skills being suspect. But still, definitely not a UK coach. Those players to receive scholarships should have to earn it. Cannot muster up? Louisville (cheap dig, I grant you) is right down the road. As UK fans, we demand perfection then championships. Above all else, we demand championships. But with that great scrutinity comes great love and adulation.

Beyond that, and far more outweighing than a petty squabble over the potential integrity involved, these kids are being given the opportunity, for however long they retain their scholarships via performance, allows them a great education and a wealth of opportnities to grow as athletes, scholars, and individuals. That alone, aside from the legacy and the pagentry of playing for the greatest colliegate basketball program should be their focus before assuming the next great chapter of their lives.

All the more reason I am so proud of PPat’s decision to return. The NBA will be there. That is a given for someone of his, and Jodie’s talent. However, are you better served in not completing your education first? That argument goes both ways with valid points to be had by all. Just the same, I would encourage education first
.
Keep up the great work. I’ll keep reading. Go CATS!