Is Kentucky still Kentucky?

The University of Kentucky prides itself on being "The Gold Standard" in college basketball.  UCLA has LA, Tobacco Road has the Panthers and Canes, Indiana has the Colts and Notre Dame football (haven't won a NY6 bowl since 1994), but not Kentucky. The Bluegrass has Kentucky basketball and that's it.  The heart of Kentucky beats at Rupp Arena.

When I first got to Kentucky for my summer orientation, the first photo I took in Lexington was a grainy poor passing shot as I passed the cinderblock that seemed larger than life.  The Keeneland buglers, singing My Old Kentucky Home, watching my favorite hype video in sports and chanting C-A-T-S CATS CATS CATS for the first time was an exhilarating experience that exceeded what I imagined it could be.  Little did I know, that 2016-2017 Fox/Monk/Bam team would be the last time Kentucky could be considered what was once the greatest show in college basketball under Cal.

Since the heartbreaking Elite 8 loss to UNC (which happens in March), Kentucky has been a major disappointment.  In the 2018 NCAA Tournament, Kentucky, after avoiding Arizona and Virginia, had a matchup of Kansas State in the Sweet 16 in Catlanta.  Gaining an advantage of 15 more FT attempts and out rebounding Kansas St. by 9 was worthless after shooting 25% from 3pt and 62% from the FT line.  The opening round against Davidson, which saw Kentucky snap the longest running streak of three pointers made in 1,047 consecutive games did not just foreshadow the game against Kansas St, but the future of Kentucky Basketball under Coach Cal and his inability or unwillingness (not sure which is worse) to adapt to the modern game.

What was once the greatest show in college basketball with the likes of John Wall, Anthony Davis, and 38-1, has divulged into years of continuous national embarrassments.  The 2020 season saw the worst season of Kentucky basketball in over 100 years finishing with a record of 9-16 (8-9 in SEC).  To make matters worse, we saw the likes of Johnny Juzang, who was not good enough to play at Kentucky according to Cal, transfer to UCLA only to average 23 PPG in 6 NCAA tournament games.  Because, you know, according to Cal three point shooting isn't that important today.

The 2021-2022 season started with a promising reload offseason, as does every season under Cal.  However, this time UK lands Oscar Tshiebwe from WV.  We get a veteran big man that can make an impact right away.  And boy does he.  Tshiebwe is named the 2022 Naismith Player of the Year after leading the Cats to an overall record of 26-8, an SEC record of 14-4, and a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.  It felt like the 2016/2017 team, who were also a 2 seed.  UK fans knew they had a good shot at winning their first National Championship since the 2012 team led by Anthony Davis, who is Kentucky's only other Naismith Player of the Year winner.  The stars were aligning.

Then St. Peter's happens.  Sometimes cinderella's get hot in the tournament.  This was different.  This was an embarrassment.  Kentucky was outplayed, out matched, and Cal was out coached.  The box scores do not do the game justice.

St. Peter's

UK

In fact, Kentucky was winning 68-62 with 4:13 left in the game.  However, as is too familiar with watching Coach Cal, the team proceeds to go scoreless for three minutes allowing St. Peters to take the lead 69-68.  In March, when the game slows down, coaches make the difference.  St. Peters played a modern game with undersized bigs moving the ball effortlessly.  Meanwhile, Cal continued playing his stagnant and archaic dribble-drive offense that is only successful when you have explosive guards like John Wall or De'Aaron Fox.  The coach who infamously passed on recruiting Kemba Walker for being "too small" only to get beat by the same player in the 2011 Final Four, was getting embarrassed by a 6'2" white boy with a Top Gun mustache.  10 points in the last 1:30 plus overtime.  Dougie McBuckets send the game to OT and St. Peters outscores UK 14-8 in the extra period.  Handing Kentucky its worst loss in the NCAA tournament.  Finishing the year with an abysmal 26% 3pt display on the national stage.

The nation noticed, including Jonathan Givony, at the time ESPN's NBA draft expert who now works for the Portland Trailblazers front office.  The same Trailblazers that picked Shaedon Sharpe.  The phenom freshman that conned Cal into allowing him to use UK's facilities and brand to increase his value for the NBA.  This is not a criticism of Sharpe, but rather an example as to how myself and other UK fans feel Cal views Kentucky's success as secondary.  When you are the state's highest paid employee, this is unacceptable.  While analyzing the loss to St. Peters, and projected first rounder Tyty Washington, Givony exclaimed, "almost no one (successful) plays this style of cramped offense anymore, anywhere in the world."  An indictment.  

Everyone knows how Kentucky plays now.  Clustered, slow, and stagnant.  We hoped, we prayed for things to be different for the new and current 2022-2023 season.  However, once again, Cal was out coached and outmatched on the national stage against Michigan State, Gonzaga, and UCLA.  This is not a complaint that Kentucky lost to these opponents, but how they lost.  On the same day UK lost to UCLA 53-63 after NOT SCORING IN THE LAST 4:30 OF THE GAME, Gonzaga scored 53 points in the second half.  These teams aren't beating Kentucky, they are playing a different sport.  

I wrote everything up until this point prior to the game today.  I wasted nearly my entire Saturday morning drafting this because I knew Alabama was going to embarrass Kentucky.  Fast forward to today's beatdown by Alabama.  Yes, Alabama just beat Kentucky by a score of 78-52 after shooting 5/20 from 3pt.  Alabama football would never allow this to happen, so why is Kentucky tolerating this waste of state funds.  SEC losses to Missouri by 14 and Alabama by 26.  A record of 10-5 and 1-2 in SEC play.  Bringing UK's record to 4-14 against their last 18 ranked opponents. Meanwhile, Bryce Hopkins, who averaged 6 minutes a game on a team that lost to St. Peters (you might notice his name not in the box score above) is averaging 16 ppg & 9 reb for Providence.  A consistent theme of players flourishing once they leave Calipari's pathetic attempt at an offensive scheme. 

For a coach who has not won a national championship in over a decade, the widest gap for any coach besides Adolph Rupp, it is puzzling as to why Mitch Barnhart bent over backwards to give Cal a lifetime contract.  This is not Syracuse.  You don't get rewarded for doing something you did over a decade ago here. 

This is Kentucky.  Or is it anymore?