john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

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john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by KahunaK » Tue Dec 31, 2019 2:19 pm

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... tball-died

Tough article but can't argue with it.

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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by jrdupe » Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:31 pm

There is no denying those were the glory days of UMASS basketball, but that's not to say they can't become relevant again. Say what you want about Travis Ford, but he had the program going in the right direction before he decided to bolt. If I recall, they were the #1 seed in the A-10 his 2nd year and lost in the 1st round of the A-10 tourney...I think everyone would agree if they won one game that year in the A-10 tourney they get an at large bid. I think the next year they were also on the bubble and lost again in the 1st round of the A-10 tourney which cost them an NCAA bid. Kellogg got them back in the top 25 and into the tourney along with a couple deep runs in the NIT...I hate to say it, but I think those should be the expectations...an NCAA apperance every few years and if they miss out, a trip to the NIT. Final Four is completely unrealistic and shouldn't be a measuring stick as to if you are relevant...lets face it, we caught lighting in a bottle with Cal...things may or may not have been done on the up and up when it comes to recruiting, but it's not like Cal was the only one doing it. I would love to see this class, along with the incoming Freshman stay all four years..that happens there is no doubt they win 1 maybe 2 A-10 Titles and make a decent run in an NCAA tourney...that to me should be the expectations.

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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by harbo » Tue Dec 31, 2019 8:06 pm

I get soooo tired of the "Julius Erving never played in an NCAA tournament" argument. During his time, there were only 25 teams in the NCAAs with mainly the "big boys" getting invited. In today's environment, the Yankee Conference/Eastern Eight would have gotten an automatic qualifier and likely very often an at-large bid.

Can't disagree with the overall thinking of the article and keep hoping that the A-10 will maintain its' usual three-bid status that seems to be slipping away.

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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by PreecherJenkins » Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:03 pm

this is from may, old news.
"You are what your record says you are" Coach Bill P.

JUST SAY NO TO THE MAC

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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by LS71 » Tue Dec 31, 2019 10:19 pm

It's a regurgitation situation.
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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by eldonabe » Thu Jan 02, 2020 8:16 am

The easier part is having a run of success. Kellogg for all of his faults, was able to manage 3 - 20 win seasons in a row. I think there are a lot of teams that can do that if they can find that one special force Like DK did.

The harder part is sustaining it. I still say that DKs run was a fluke and an unbelievable testament to how good Chaz was. The lack of success before and after Chaz makes that point. Regardless, Umass was truly on the map that one year and they could not seize the opportunity to stretch that run.

Ford was going to take a step back for at least a year or two if he stayed as well. We all know how bare of a cupboard he left after all.....


This is not about making the tournament, this is about being a contender to do so almost every year. The sad truth is that we are a long, long way from that - if ever.

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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by MJatUM » Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:22 am

The Cal years are never coming back to the Pioneer Valley... I don't think that is breaking news. HOWEVAH, UMass should be competing for a top 4 seed in the A-10 almost every year - not fighting to stay out of the bottom 4 every year. Other schools in the conference (Rhody, VCU) have shown that losing a coach is not a full reset button and it should be no different at UMass. Of course, you need to find success before we worry about sustaining it.

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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by 69MG » Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:49 am

^ That's not an unreasonable expectation (competing for top 4 A10 each year) considering our facilities, dining, etc. Years 2 and 3 of this recruiting class (and the next 2 classes) will be an indicator of whether or not we are there. Frankly, I'll be disappointed if we aren't close in a year or 2.

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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by Scott O » Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:16 am

Well that was a shocking headline if you read it fast/incorrectly like I just did. Glad to hear that Cal is doing ok.
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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:33 am

Yeah, this thread and title sucks.... the least of which considering this was already discussed here months ago.
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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by econalum » Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:59 am

Well, we are briefly highlighted by ESPN, but cannot argue with anything in the article.It has way more reach than any BB posts here. Hopefully, things progress toward a .500+ record and perhaps post-season, but it'll be tough.

And next week is UNLV, so this series has some legs.
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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Thu Jan 02, 2020 12:02 pm

econalum wrote: Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:59 am Well, we are briefly highlighted by ESPN, but cannot argue with anything in the article.It has way more reach than any BB posts here. Hopefully, things progress toward a .500+ record and perhaps post-season, but it'll be tough.

And next week is UNLV, so this series has some legs.

This is from May. The UNLV article came out months ago....
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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by uz2b-len » Thu Jan 02, 2020 12:34 pm

I'm not as skeptical about long-term prospects. A Calipari type run is possible some time in the future, but it's something that will never last. That's the whole point. Calipari's don't stick around at our level. Unfortunately, Cal's departure left us with a sequence of coaching problems. Because the '96 team did so well, it was late in the hoops calendar when he resigned. Whether that's the reason, I don't know, but there was little or nothing in the way of a coaching search and we ended up with an unproven 30 year old head coach. I think his main problem was getting the talent here. When it looked like he did, the bottom fell out--Anderson was ineligible, Jarrett Kearse couldn't even get admitted to the U. That team would have really rocked with both those guys. Then there was the Lappas debacle, due to stupid meddling from somewhere up above. Travis Ford was a great hire. I had no clue who he was but he really knew what he was doing. Too bad he couldn't resist becoming a multi-millionaire. Who could? Kellogg was a reasonable reach, but just not that good of a coach. He had his moment of genius, though, in getting Chaz here. I have to guess there was a lot of luck in that, considering the quality of all his other recruits. Anyway, here we are. We'll see how things progress. Bamford and McCall seem to understand the goal and seem determined to get there. Whether that determination is enough, I don't know, but it's an essential component that has been lacking in a lot of the previous years.
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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by eldonabe » Thu Jan 02, 2020 4:13 pm

uz2b-len wrote: Thu Jan 02, 2020 12:34 pm I'm not as skeptical about long-term prospects. A Calipari type run is possible some time in the future, but it's something that will never last. That's the whole point. Calipari's don't stick around at our level. Unfortunately, Cal's departure left us with a sequence of coaching problems. Because the '96 team did so well, it was late in the hoops calendar when he resigned. Whether that's the reason, I don't know, but there was little or nothing in the way of a coaching search and we ended up with an unproven 30 year old head coach. I think his main problem was getting the talent here. When it looked like he did, the bottom fell out--Anderson was ineligible, Jarrett Kearse couldn't even get admitted to the U. That team would have really rocked with both those guys. Then there was the Lappas debacle, due to stupid meddling from somewhere up above. Travis Ford was a great hire. I had no clue who he was but he really knew what he was doing. Too bad he couldn't resist becoming a multi-millionaire. Who could? Kellogg was a reasonable reach, but just not that good of a coach. He had his moment of genius, though, in getting Chaz here. I have to guess there was a lot of luck in that, considering the quality of all his other recruits. Anyway, here we are. We'll see how things progress. Bamford and McCall seem to understand the goal and seem determined to get there. Whether that determination is enough, I don't know, but it's an essential component that has been lacking in a lot of the previous years.

Post Cal decline was a couple things. Giving your 17 year old the keys to the Porsche was the biggest over arching problem. But Bru struggled with discipline (Aj Bassit was a huge problem and the best example). That kid was the epitome of Crash Davis - Million Dollar Skills and a Five Cent Head. If he could have toed the line the way Cal would have made him, that kid was really, really good when he stopped showboating after making an uncontested layup.

Bru was also just too damn stubborn when it came to game planning - Man to man and press no matter what... Ketner (rest his soul) could have been a Umass All-timer in the right system. Edgar and Carmelo we good enough defensively to play lock down man to man the first year and keep thongs under control, but after that, Ketner was exposed in that man to man defense and Bru never adjusted to anything that would play more on his strengths. Even though Bru made those two tourneys. They lost twice to teams they should have beaten. If he had just won one tourney game in each of those two years, I think Bru would have been able to sustain it and been the coach here for a decade - a very successful decade (or more).



Lappas is the one who really fucked us though - he killed the program.

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Re: john-calipari-left-umass-basketball-died

Post by uz2b-len » Thu Jan 02, 2020 4:17 pm

Lappas certainly did, and all the more so, the a-hole who pushed him through.

Inthescoop, close your eyes for a minute. Thanks. We would have won the tourney game except for two early bogus offensive against Ketner.
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