Kentucky Basketball faced another must-win game on Saturday as the Wildcats traveled to Athens, Georgia, to take on Head Coach Mike White and Georgia Bulldogs. However, Saturday was yet another embarrassing outing for Coach Cal and his Wildcats as Georgia dominated the Wildcats in all aspects of the game. Kentucky needed the win, but Georgia wanted it more. All season it’s been the same story for the Wildcats, as they have faced multiple chances to earn quality wins but can never cross the bridge to do so. Sure, you can give the excuse that Kentucky was without two guys on Saturday, but with the talent, they have on the roster this year, that should not be an issue to overcome. Yet, Kentucky lost again on Saturday and now needs a miracle to reach the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Earlier in the week, there was an article on this site talking about the road ahead for Kentucky and the path they may or may not have for the NCAA Tournament. In no way could Kentucky afford to take a loss on Saturday if they wanted any chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. Now, as the road to the NCAA Tournament has gone for the Wildcats, the conversation shifts to the toxic relationship Kentucky has with its Head Coach.

Over the last two years, several Kentucky media outlets have reported that Head Coach John Calipari no longer has a working relationship with the Athletics Department, boosters, fans, and even fans across the Bluegrass. Evidence of such came to light over the summer when Coach Cal was in the Bahamas with Kentucky when he commented, ” We’re a basketball school.” That comment alone started a war between basketball and football. Not only did it divide the programs, but it also divided the fan base. It also harmed recruiting, with other programs across the SEC using it against Kentucky to sway young athletes from committing to Kentucky.

From there, it was on Calipari to rebuild the bridges, earn back the trust of the Big Blue Nation, and provide common ground for the Big Blue Nation to hold on to head into the fall season. However, that never came. Kentucky Basketball has suffered a season-ending loss after a season-ending loss. Kentucky Basketball faces another season where the Wildcats go into the off-season without an NCAA Tournament win to hang on to heading into the next season. Kentucky has won an NCAA Tournament game since 2019.

What happens next for Kentucky Basketball is about as complicated as it comes. Kentucky signed Coach Cal to a lifetime contract a few years back with an unbelievable buyout if Kentucky were to fire Coach Cal. There have been rumors swirling around for a few weeks that Texas was interested in bringing Cal to Austin to be the new Head Coach of the Longhorns. As expected, Calipari denied those rumors and said he had the best job in the country. However, the relationship that Cal has with Kentucky is very toxic. With the way this season has gone, the question has to be asked, who divorces who? There’s no question; Coach Cal is a damn good basketball coach. He’s a Hall Of Famer. Yet, the product on the court is one that Kentucky fans are embarrassed to watch.

If you’re Kentucky and fire Cal without cause, you would owe him upwards of 70 million. If you’re Cal, do you let your pride come in the way of Kentucky Basketball getting back to the program they once were? Either way, you try to spin it; it’s messy. There’s not an easy fix to this. If you’re in Kentucky, you have to do what’s best for the program without letting personal feelings cloud the judgment of those in charge. It’s not an easy decision for either party, but for the sake of Kentucky Basketball, a change of some sort needs to happen. Kentucky has the talent to be a great team, and the potential is still there for this season, yet, it feels as if this season has already ended. There’s no answer as to who will have to make the call on the future of John Calipari as the Head Coach at Kentucky. It will likely come down to difficult conversations and the pride of both parties. But the current path is unacceptable and an embarrassment to generations that came before.

Remember, college basketball is a business. If you don’t perform at your job, you accept the consequences that are bound to come.