John Calipari, Arkansas earn more respect than Kentucky in SEC power rankings

Kentucky basketball fans are not going to like this at all. In Isaac Trotter's SEC power rankings published late last month over on 247Sports, he had the audacity to place John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks one spot ahead of Mark Pope's Kentucky Wildcats. Big Blue Nation might be making a mountain out of a mole hill out of this, but that is just par for the course on these sort of things, right?

Calipari was a great success during his decade-plus tenure in Lexington, but one that had quickly worn out its welcome. His lone national title came over a decade ago in 2012. Despite being the greatest adopter of the one-and-done philosophy in college hoops history, the returns were diminishing to say the least. With an opportunity to replace Eric Musselman, Calipari up and left.

Even if that's the case, look at who ranks one spot ahead of Kentucky in Trotter's SEC power rankings.

1. Auburn Tigers
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
3. Tennessee Volunteers
4. Texas A&M Aggies
5. Florida Gators
6. Arkansas Razorbacks
7. Kentucky Wildcats
8. Ole Miss Rebels
9. Texas Longhorns
10. Mississippi State Bulldogs
11. Missouri Tigers
12. Oklahoma Sooners
13. Georgia Bulldogs
14. South Carolina Gamecocks
15. Vanderbilt Commodores
16. LSU Tigers

Personally, I don't have much of a bone to pick with these rankings, but I do have some thoughts here.

Kentucky ranked below Arkansas in latest SEC basketball power rankings

I have to be honest. I don't watch a ton of college hoops, hardly at all in fact. However, I am still able to roughly absorb who is good and who is bad on the college hardwood. Seeing Auburn, Alabama and Tennessee near the top of these rankings seems right to me. As for Texas A&M and Florida cracking the top five, I will trust Trotter's judgement since this isn't my area of expertise. But about Kentucky...

To me, this feels like Trotter is siding with Calipari's experience in SEC play over Pope's complete lack thereof. He may be a great coach in this new league for him, but we have no earthly idea. BYU may compete in the Big 12, but they were in what, the West Coast Conference, not all that long ago?! The point is Calipari may have a few more trade secrets up his sleeve to navigate the SEC than does Pope.

Ultimately, things will play themselves out on the court. If Pope is as good as Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart thinks he is, then Big Blue Nation will be rewarded as such. Do remember this. Calipari left on his own accord. Things may have been getting testy, but he was not fired from his post. This was a reactionary hire for both schools with Musselman leaving Arkansas to go to USC.

I wouldn't fall to pieces over the rankings, but I can understand Kentucky's fans mounting frustrations.