Cats Double Up Drexel, Remain Perfect

Cal's Cats put a bruising on his former assistant, as Head Coach Bruiser Flint and his Drexel Dragons left Lexington as the 2000th victim of Kentucky's vaunted, historic Wildcat basketball program. The final was 88-44....and it seems odd to say, but it wasn't even that close.

UK turned up the defense tonight, in a way that has to strike fear in its future opponents. I don't want to get too carried away with this 12-0 start, but seriously, if these Wildcats start checking teams consistently the way they held Drexel to 20 at the half tonight....well, they're going to be on their way to the next millennium's worth of victories in very short order.

Let's not forget, the last time a Kentucky team started a season with 12 straight W's, it reached the Final Four (losing to *ugh* Georgetown in Seattle, 1984.) UK held Drexel under 30% from the field in the opening frame, and looked like they could have named the final score tonight.

Rather than rhapsodize about Cousins' 18 and 13 on the game (in only 14 minutes, natch), or about J. Wall's behind the back, Globetrotteresque layup, I'd rather spit a few words about the whole game scene and the after-party.

Coming across the TV signal this evening, the overall atmosphere just seemed 2000% electric at Rupp. One of those games where you really wish you could have been there-- and 25 years from now, about a million people will undoubtedly claim that they were. You had Jamal Mashburn calling the game for the worldwide leader, you had interviews with Sky Walker, and Joe B., and this grown-up kid's idol, Kyle Macy.

The confetti. The streamers. Herky Freakin' Rupp. Richie Farmer's beard.

Man, what a production.

And as usual, Calipari nails the interview, staying humble about this team, and yet showing the pride that he has to have with their progress in these first dozen games. Of course a mention of Mr. Wildcat was in order, and handled perfectly, and just basically the school and the marketing people did everything right in celebrating this milestone. (See above t-shirts handed out to the team as the clock wound down, and already available for sale online. Great Christmas gift. I'm a large.)

Was it all a little crass, a smidge over the top? Maybe. But hey, it is a significant and wholly legitimate accomplishment for the University and the Commonwealth. For the fans. For all the former players and coaches. 2000 wins, man. Like Joe B. said...that's 20 a year for a CENTURY.

Worth celebrating, I say. And 'tis the season to celebrate.

UK Downs Austin Peay for Program's 1999th Win

Just a little Prince Rogers Nelson for ya to celebrate the fact that John Wall did NOT get hurt in the victory yesterday. I don't know exactly how quiet it got at Rupp, but the 'ol Fox & Hound was certainly relieved to see him finish the game.

Mr. Wall is so enigmatically creative with the basketball that maybe someday down the road he will decide to change his name to a symbol...

Wall In An Empire State of Mind, Leads UK Over Huskies

Giga-frosh John Wall played the first of what should be many games in New York's Madison Square Garden Wednesday night. He scored 25 points-- in myriad ways -- against 14th-ranked Connecticut. His "old-fashioned three-pointer" with half a minute remaining sealed the deal in the Kentucky victory, and he once again displayed a breathtaking athleticism and basketball wisdom that belies his years.

I think it would be safe to declare that Mr. Wall has a fully stocked arsenal in terms of offensive moves, and he demonstrated that with a varied assault for the patrons at the Garden. Your pull-up jumper. Your two-handed jam. Dagger trey. Cool as an igloo free throw at the end.

And yes, I've got a bigger man crush on the guy than Dick Vitale does right now.

Kentucky certainly needed every bit of Wall's production to top UConn. That's back-to-back December games for the Cats that felt a little more like March matchups. And they go to Bloomington this weekend. Oh my.

UK cooled off quickly (to put it kindly) after a white-hot start against Jim Calhoun's squad. That 12-0 lead was nice, but perhaps a bit too good to be true. Unfortunately, it seems like Kentucky tends to let its collective foot off the pedal after building early margins over decent opponents. I don't know that you can call it a pattern just yet, but we'll keep an eye on it.

The early foul trouble was a big reason that the Huskies were able to claw back and take a first half lead, as Cal's starting five seemed to get caught flat-footed frequently and were also caught hacking away by the officials. Wall, Cousins, and Bledsoe all spent extended time on the bench for their transgressions. (Due credit to Dyson for driving effectively and aggressively.)

Patrick Patterson seemed to be moving VERY gingerly in the second half. Vitale and Schulman kept calling for him to get more touches late in the game, but I think Pat was really hampered with what they were describing as a lower leg issue. Kudos to him for showing that toughness that Big Blue fans have come to expect, and checking the box score he wound up with 16 big points for the Cats tonight. Is that guy a gamer, or what?

Of course, you throw in another 10 for Big Cuz and that was about it for UK's offense. Young Cousins also had 10 boards, although Kentucky was outrebounded 42-34...to demonstrate another reason UK was fortunate to win.

Honestly, that was a "survival" type of win, considering Orton and Bledsoe both fouled out and contributed little to the stat line. Darius? Don't get me started. The game truly shaped up more like a Big East slugfest, which in my way of thinking would obviously favor UConn.

And yet, the Cats are now 9-0 with a couple of nice scalps in the win column now. Not a bad visit to New York, New York.

Sublime 20 minutes for UK vs. Huckleberry Hound

Kentucky fell behind at the start, and then absolutely blitzed North Carolina on its way to a 15-point halftime lead and eventual 2-point victory. For a very long stretch, the Cats looked every bit worthy of their top-5 ranking.

John Wall, the usual suspect, put together two MASSIVE fast break plays that turned the momentum early and sbsolutely jacked up the Rupp Arena crowd (a record 24 thousand and whatever.) Question: how does a facility that's over 30 years old continue to set attendance records? Folding chairs? Somebody call the fire marshal.

Anyway, Mr. Wall was perhaps working on one of his better performances of this young season before suffering from cramps that severely curtailed his minutes in the second half. Eric Bledsoe wasn't exactly at his best either, due to an ankle injury he picked up in practice on Friday. The hampered backcourt situation gets most of the blame for Carolina scratching their way back into this one. (I am loathe to give UNC Head Coach Huckleberry Hound credit for anything other than an astounding innate ability to cry --or alternately, cuss-- during his pressers after NCAA tournament losses.)

Wall's speed dunk on a breakaway, and his acrobatic, left-handed "and one" were also matched by a couple of big late free throws by the young man from Raleigh, who undoubtedly wanted to put on a show that the folks would remember back in his home state.

I suspect there will be much fretting from the UK faithful about how the team operates without Wall at full capacity, but to me the Bledsoe injury was just as critical. Neither player looked close to 100% down the stretch. Honestly, that makes their free throw shooting even more impressive, considering the Cats needed every one of them to put the Tar Heels away. (Combined total on the day: 10 of 13). And while UK's offense was held to 25 second-half points, there were still enough buckets to keep the rally at bay. Barely.

What I would hope that Kentucky gets from that second half is, again: stay hungry, guys. And stay humble. We still have 20 shopping days until Christmas. Your defense will create opportunities. Also, don't forget about #54...the man needs some more touches, people. Really. Darius: you can score yourself, buddy. Just get a step on your man, or use a pick to get within 12 feet or so, and I bet you hit about 80%. Heck, take a couple more threes whenever you can get clean looks. You can stroke it.

And a special word to the man they call Big Cuz....

Just. Settle. Down.

You are going to be great. You really are. Work on that basketball IQ, DeMarcus. Figure out when you're better off not forcing that sloppy half-hook shot. Let the offense come to you. Remain a beast on the backboards. Cut down your pouting by 47.5% You can do this. And keep taking all those extra free throws in practice.

*Steps back down off of soapbox*

Great win, though. GREAT win for the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Remember how bad Carolina thumped UK last year? (Actually, no, don't remember that.) Remember what you did in the first half today, Big Blue. Do that again. Do that consistently. This could be quite a season. Yes sir.

UK Wins Carolina Tune-Up in Freedom Hall

Coach Cal seemed unimpressed by Kentucky's blowout of UNC-Asheville. Listening to his post-game comments, he is obviously concerned that this team does not yet understand the urgency that they will need to play with, especially given that North Carolina (the REAL North Carolina; apologies to UNCA) is UK's next opponent.

What I did like from the stat line was only 8 turnovers on this game. You might chalk that up to the level of competition (again, apologies) but sometimes it can be more tempting to get loose with the ball when playing with 30- and 40-point leads. UK did its share of ally-ooping and highlight-reel dunking against the Bulldogs, but still managed to handle the rock with a decent amount of care.

John Wall showcased his unselfish side with 14 assists, and threw down one of the flat nastiest (left-handed, baseline) tomahawks that you are likely to see in a college game. Also noteworthy was the fact that DeMarcus Cousins buckled down at the charity stripe to drain 8 of 10-- which shows how foul shooting is truly more of a mental exercise at this level, rather than a physical challenge. (I'm not buying the altered release point stuff. Seriously. It's all about concentration and confidence for a guy like Mr. Cousins.)

Being a Louisville native, I've always had a soft spot for the annual Freedom Hall game. I understand that attendance was down a bit for this one, but for crying out loud, it was a Monday night after a holiday weekend, and did I mention that the opponent was um, less than formidable?

Really not much else to take away from this one. In closing, back to Coach Calipari's wrap-up with Tom Leach... he wished both his wife and Joe B. Hall a happy birthday-- and he did it in his funny, sincere Cal manner that makes him the toast of Big Blue Nation these days. Cal will always win the press conference, won't he?

Early Season Thriller

I kind of like the idea of an overtime game in November for this UK team. Credit to Stanford for playing a very smart 45 minutes, with the game obviously much closer than the final, 8-point differential would indicate. So yeah, call me crazy, but I truly prefer a close one in this Cancun final rather than a Big Blue blowout. Keeps 'em humble.

The idea with these early tournaments is after all, to get players comfortable with one another, and in Kentucky's case, with the new coach and system. Well, the Cats looked anything but comfortable throughout most of this game. A lot of that was due to a very effective zone by the Cardinal, which UK had tremendous difficulty in solving. The early foul trouble for Patrick Patterson also contributed to the Wildcats falling behind in the first half.

In fact, if Landry Fields had not cooled off considerably in the second frame, UK could well have been looking at its first loss of the season. But taken along with the Miami game, at least Cal's Cats are learning how to pull out some close ones. Big props to Ramon Harris for coming up with some crucial boards and loose balls down the stretch, along with Bledsoe's 3-point dagger late, and of course Wall's clutch free throws to even send the game to OT.

I didn't think either of these matchups south of the border would get my heart going, but I truly had some jitters tonight that are normally reserved for games a little further down the schedule.

Los Gatos en Cancun Derrotan a Vikingos

What a funny little tournament this is. Some quirky opponents. Ballroom converted to a gym. Fourth-tier television coverage. Late afternoon tip-off? Sure. Whatever.

Well, UK survived 13 first-half turnovers and a real fit of over-passing vs. Cleveland State. Seems to me that the Cats are far too willing to share at times. If you're open from 8 feet, and you try to force it to a teammate who has a slightly better look from 6 feet, what have you really accomplished?

Let's just say that some of the lob passes and interior hand-offs near the basket were a bit of overkill in the first 20 minutes. I'm not so sure that the Vikings held UK to 35 points so much as UK limited itself to that figure, mainly with some decidedly bizarre passing.

Not that I would rather have the opposite problem. No sir. A team of me-first gunners would be a far worse issue-- and much more difficult to correct. So yeah, it is a much better thing to have a group that seems to enjoy feeding the rock to one another. Of course with all of the squad's newcomers, the key will be in learning when the extra pass is really necessary, and using it only at those times.

Kentucky seemed a little more settled in the second half, but the game was itself was still rather chippy and foul-filled. (My DVR cut off after 2 hours, so I missed most of the aftermath of the Cousins altercation.) Apparently no real harm done there.

The Big Blue scoring attack was certainly spread out, with Patterson's minutes limited due to an apparently balky ankle. John Wall tallied 15, and Cousins 14. I'll say that it was nice to have Josh Harrellson contributing 5 points in 11 minutes of action. (Cal may have wanted another rebound or two.)

Defense looked maybe slightly little better today, with UK limiting State to 26.6% from the field. Not sure how good of a shooting team the Vikings normally are though-- certainly a lot of their attempts were chucks and heaves.

But hey: it's a 24-point victory for the Cats. The fans looked to to be having a blast. I would imagine this is a great trip for team-building and hopefully for UK notching another win, this time vs. a BCS-conference school tomorrow.

Rider Remarks

Honestly, I'm still just a little giddy from yesterday. Very enjoyable sports day in the Kingdom of Blue.

Real quick, I just want to remind everyone to add Georgia quarterback Joe Cox to your Christmas card list, since I know a lot of you people jump on that stuff right after Thanksgiving. Poor Joe.

Anyway, I did want to throw a few thoughts out regarding the basketball game. It was every bit as fun as the win between the hedges, without all of the nail-biting and drama. UK threw a decent beatdown on Rider that bodes well for their trip to Cancun.

John Wall looked like he had a little extra bounce out there, although the guy probably eats bounce for breakfast. I really loved the 11 assists, and note that he got all of his 21 points the old fashioned way (no 3-pointers). Mr. Wall is one of those sneaky-quick guys too. I mean, everybody knows he's quick, but he makes it look so easy, and he has that glide to his game that gives it a little... deceptiveness... when he starts to make a move. That unstoppable hesitation dribble ought to be illegal for a guy as ath-a-letic as John Wall. Hardly fair.

Great game for Orton, too. Jeez, these freshmen! Orton had 14 of course, on 5 of 7 shooting and looked more comfortable than I've seen him in limited viewing this season. He still seems kind of boyish to me, I dunno. Am I crazy? He's a big guy, but looks like he's literally still growing into his Nikes and his Kentucky jersey. Maybe he'll be 7'4" by March. Regardless, I liked how he handled himself against the Broncs for the most part. He's a very important piece.

Quick turnaround for the team, in the midst of a multiple game stretch over this end-of-November time span. Really, I keep marveling at the overall talent upgrade that Cal was able to pull off and can't wait to see them on the court again. Next game, please! Not all of them are going to be 30-point wins, but my goodness these Cats are awfully easy on the eyes when they can get out and run.

Thanks for reading.

Football Cats Get Seventh Win

You're damn right I'm putting up two blog posts in the same day. It's just a little rule that I have whenever UK's football team beats Georgia in Athens. And seeing as how that hasn't happened since, uh, well, since way before my wife got caught up into teenage vampire dramas, I figure what the heck.

So you watched it, no doubt, or have seen the game highlights. You know about Randall Cobb playing through shoulder issues. You saw Georgia cough it up repeatedly. You jumped off the couch like me when Locke broke that screen pass and took it to the house. And you were most definitely nervous when the Bulldogs drove it down inside the Kentucky 5-yard line with a chance to tie.

But it really seemed like Georgia just didn't want to prevail. Obviously not in a literal sense....but man....on a Senior Night, in a week where their beloved mascot UGA VII passed away (no jokes here, I truly am a dog person), with Coach Mark Richt feeling some intense heat...just a pretty sloppy performance from what is normally a true SEC East powerhouse.

But let's not make this about the G-men. No, sir. We credit Rich Brooks and a great effort from his own seniors and stout underclassmen. That was a well-deserved road win by an opportunistic group of Cats. They took enough advantage of the fumbles, interceptions, and other assorted miscues to finally put the game away.

We shall give basketball a little love tomorrow, but tonight...take a bow 2009 footballers. Congrats on win #7.

Will The Rain of Allmonds Continue?

The Big Blue blogosphere has been full of dismay regarding UK's 3-point defense over the last couple of games. As you know, the Cats have given up a total of 19 treys in the last two games...to TWO PLAYERS.

Corey Allmond in particular had a career vs. the Wildcats, notching a Rupp Arena-record 11 three-pointers on Thursday. This comes on the heels of Miami's Nick Winbush tallying 8 of 10 himself in the previous game.

So what gives? Will this assault continue as UK takes on Rider this afternoon?

Well, you can bet that Cal is working on it. And there are several reasons why the threes have been raining on UK thus far:

1.) Poor switching on the perimeter. Players need to learn to SHOUT at each other, if that's what it takes, in order to communicate switches.

2.) Not closing quickly enough. When teams penetrate, there are going to be some spacing issues all over the floor. UK must learn to charge hard at the open jump shooter and not just lazily, leisurely try to close the gap.

3.) Hands up. All the time. Simply keep those long arms extended and make a special effort to distract the shooter and get a hand in his line of vision towards the target.

4.) More respect. Especially in the case of known sharpshooters like Mr. Allmond, players need to just...stick with the guy. There are certain folks on the opposing roster that require that type of attention and effort, even 20 feet from the basket.

5.) Desire. When it comes down to it, defense (like rebounding) is mostly about desire. Hunger. Having as much pride in stopping your man as in beating your man off the dribble on the other end.

Surely there are other more complex factors in consideration, not to mention the relative youth wearing blue this season, but I trust that the Cats will improve on the perimeter, sooner rather than later.

John Wall's Cape Size?

I'm guessing Mr. Wall is about a 44 long, and looking at the highlights he was speeding down Rupp Arena's hardwood faster than a speeding bullet last night, before the draining the "stop and pop" game-winner vs. Miami OH.

What a huge shot for the freshman, and a nice escape for the Cats in a very tough early season game. Looking at the stats, you can't expect many opponents to shoot that well from three-point land throughout the season, and this scenario makes for a great teaching tool for Coach Cal: UK manages to win while learning that they must bring tremendous defensive effort every night, regardless of the opponent.

image from capedwonder.com

Let The Day Begin

There have been tons of "debuts" and "firsts" for the Calipari era, and tonight represents the beginning of what will probably be a very short Kentucky career for John Wall, with UK taking on Miami, OH. All Kentucky fans can hope for is that Wall's one-and-done brings some significant hardware to Lexington.

So here's to you John Wall, and here's to you Tim in Columbus....

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Call:

The Time Is At Hand...

...and I have time on my mind. Perhaps that's due to the annual "fall back" of daylight savings last weekend. Lord knows an extra hour of sleep never hurt anybody. But more likely it's the heated anticipation of the very promising basketball season that lies ahead for us Kentucky fans and followers.

Not coincidentally, one of the more intriguing aspects of this season will rest upon the very concept of time itself. Specifically, playing time.

I would expect that any blue-blooded UK fan is going to have an opinion regarding playing time: Who's starting? Who's the sixth man? Who's buried at the end of the bench? Who should be seeing more of the court?

So consider one of Dan-O's favorite activities-- a little game of boxscore observation that I like to call "adding up the minutes."

The math is simple. A college basketball game runs two, 20-minute halves. (Barring overtime of course.) And with 5 players on the court at all times, that means John Calipari is going to have 200 minutes per game to divvy up amongst his players as he best sees fit.

Personally, I don't think there's any way that Patrick Patterson falls to much less than the 35 minute range. (Note: all estimates disregard the very real possibilities of injury and/or foul trouble. So just buckle up and play along.) Furthermore, Mr. John Wall should be putting in 35 minutes. Every. Single. Night. Basically those two guys figure to have one frontcourt and one backcourt spot on permanent lockdown for the entire season. November through (hopefully) April.

You give those two studs the occasional breather. Maybe you have to pull them for some specific tactical instruction-- again, only occasionally. They are by most accounts two singular talents, All-SEC if not All-American level projections.

Now personally, I think Eric Bledsoe is going to get the most minutes at the other guard spot. He's a freshman, like Wall, and he's going to be raw and learning throughout the season. But probably too good to keep off the floor much. And Sophomore Darius Miller is listed on my roster as a guard as well, although I think of him more as a "three". (He's 6-7/223). But I figure those guys are both good for 25-30 minutes per game in Coach Cal's system, given their skills and potential. In the spirit of this exercise, we will call it 27.5 per game for each of them.

Likewise, I figure the freshman tandem of Cousins and Orton (the poor man's Twin Towers?) are looking at 20-25 minutes a piece on the blocks. Perhaps this is optimistic. Maybe the DDMO won't fit their closer to 7-foot frames, or they have trouble adapting to the college competition. Cal has warned us that he won't be able to "hide" anybody in his system. But again, moving along, I'm going to pencil them each at 22.5 mpg.

Obviously, that's 6 players, and not all of them can start. We'll set that aside since Coach Bolus always said starting is overrated. So looking at my abacus, that would quickly get us to a total of 170 minutes out of Kentucky's 200 total.

Which is where it gets really interesting. You've only got a half hour, a mere sitcom's span of time remaining, to split between Hood/Harrellson/Liggins/Dodson, not to mention the team's two seniors, Ramon Harris and Perry Stevenson. (No offense intended to Mark Krebs.)

But think about it. Jon Hood was only Kentucky's prep Mr. Basketball last year. Dodson had 19 points to lead the team in the Campbellsville exhibition. Harrellson is allegedly shaping up to be a legitimate perimeter shooting threat. Stevenson would start for a LOT of D-1 teams. And so on.

Is it a nice problem to have, trying to split up 200 minutes amongst the available talent? You bet it is. And surely this little parlor game is not going to play out exactly as I've drawn it up.

There will be times where the rotation is overly tight against any given opponent due to matchups. I would also expect there will be blowouts where everybody gets in on the fun. Maybe a player or two comes down with the dreaded swine flu at some point.

Thus there are plenty of alternate scenarios to chew on, and I'm not sure what exactly we will be able to take away from an opponent the likes of Clarion. (Over/under on Patterson jams vs. John Calipari's alma mater: 6.)

We already know Bledsoe is probably out with an ankle injury for Friday night, and we also know that Wall is going to miss the opener vs. Morehead St. Plus, DeAndre Liggins tallied ZERO minutes against Campbellsville, apparently at Cal's discretion entirely-- and Cal has hinted that he is not ruling out further benchings of anyone on the roster, as necessary.

Which leads me to conclude that playing time figures to be a hot topic all the way through to spring time.

A Halloween Nightmare

No, I'm not referring to the football game vs. Mississippi State, painful though it was.

Instead, consider this scenario, dateline Lexington:

BLUE DEFEATS WHITE 55-48

Ramon Harris netted 15 points for the Blue team yesterday afternoon in Memorial Coliseum, leading all scorers in UK's intrasquad scrimmage. Harris also chipped in seven rebounds in a very sloppy pre-season effort attended by approximately 4500 fans and students.

Head Coach Billy Gillispie lauded Harris' toughness in getting to the glass, noting, "Ramon picked up a lot of those baskets on putbacks and second effort plays. He was really a fighter today, very gritty in the paint." The Cats will need plenty of production from Harris this season after the departures of Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks to the NBA.

There was little buzz leading up to the scrimmage, with most fans focused on UK's so-called "blackout" at Commonwealth Stadium last night vs. MSU. It seemed the majority of Big Blue fans preferred the tailgating scene rather than taking an early season look at Gillispie's squad. Most prognosticators have UK's hoops team penciled in towards the bottom of the SEC East.

Perry Stevenson and Josh Harrellson battled to a draw opposite one another in the post, netting 10 points each for the blue and white squads respectively. Both seemed a bit sluggish, perhaps due to the added bulk they were instructed to pack on during the summer. "Yeah, Coach had us focused on the weight room quite a bit this offseason," said Harrellson, "Personally, I hope to be pushing 280 by December. And believe me, I need every bit of it going up against (Matt) Pilgrim in practice."

Gillispie seemed especially impressed with the play of the White team's lead guard Landon Slone. "Landon was all over the place, scrapping for loose balls, taking charges. He does everything we ask of him, and I really look for him to see a lot of playing time, not just early, but in conference play as well." Slone did manage four points, three steals and three assists to go along with his 7 turnovers.

Many have wondered where the scoring might come from this season, noting it will be difficult to replace the nearly automatic 40 points or so per game that Meeks and Patterson tallied. Gillispie seemed to look largely to the backcourt, where true freshman Jon Hood appeared to be aggressive in taking the ball to the basket, and Darius Miller displayed a variety of drives and pull-up jumpers out of several disorganized-looking offensive sets.

The team also seemed notably lacking in athleticism without its NBA-bound stars, not to mention the transfer of long, lightning-quick DeAndre Liggins. The 6-6/202 sophomore to-be is sitting out this season as per NCAA regulations concerning his jump back to his home state of Illinois, where he will be playing for a different set of Wildcats, at Northwestern.

Michael Porter had 12 points for the white squad on 4 of 14 shooting from the three-point line.

Jack O'Lantern photo courtesy of "Riv"on Flickr.

Louisville: A "Trapalry Game"

Something does feel a little different about the U of L game this year.

I have read plenty of commentary regarding the lack of sex appeal for '09, with reasons ranging from "it's not the opener anymore" to "no high-profile quarterbacks" to "uh, the Cards really stink". Taking a slightly longer view, certainly Bobby Petrino's departure has brought down the temperature on this face-off, which I have always looked forward to with ketchup-like anticipation ever since it was resurrected in the early 90's.

Now, there's no getting around the fact that Louisville is a rival. The online dictionary indicates that the origin of that term goes back to describing one who uses a stream (i.e. river?) in common with another. Although I don't suppose, given my present suburban existence, that I have a whole lot of concern about my neighbor's water usage-- what this does tell me is that the root of these things is proximity. I won't bore you with how many miles it is from Commonwealth to Papa John's, but I am sure ESPN will throw up a map, or maybe a cute little graph during the game broadcast which will paint it very nicely.

So the two largest state schools play each other annually now, the pads usually pop pretty good, and they give out a sweet trophy to the winner. And we all understand that they are close enough physically, and have more than enough history (across all sports), to hate each other with a righteous hate. It's often a surprising game, and it has seen more than its share of trash talk, not to mention blowouts, thunderstorms, and heroic performances.

And yet, I cannot get around the fact that this one-- this year-- doesn't quite fit under the typical rivalry/border war/backyard brawl kind of designation.

No.

From a Kentucky perspective, it has an added nuance, a different feel....for all the world....it seems like a trap game, too.

Being a much more recent sports-phrase phenomenon, all that means is there could be a tendency in any particular game for the favorite to overlook its opponent. I don't think I ever heard Keith Jackson utter the words, but clearly Louisville comes in to the Governor's Cup battle more lightly regarded than it has in quite some time. And subsequently, the Cats could find themselves in a trap.

Of course, being a UK football fan I will likely never get used to being the overdog.

But I realize that on paper Coach Brooks' team would seem to have the advantage in depth, momentum, and even the home field this season. So it is on Brooks and his staff to make sure the Big Blue comes out well-prepared and properly motivated.

Don't even THINK about top-ranked Florida visiting Lexington the following weekend. Tebow, like heaven, can wait.

Many are speculating that this might even be a must-win for Steve Kragthorpe, although I would expect U of L AD Tom Jurich to look at this season and Krag's tenure as a whole when making any personnel decisions. Suffice it to say that the Cardinals will view this contest as a great opportunity to make a statement for their coach and their program. They should be awfully hungry, and the Cards do have enough skill players to be dangerous.

Question is whether UK will respond with the proper intensity that this combination trap/rivalry game will require. I believe a legitimate, hard-nosed, thoughtful effort from the Cats should bring a victory with a margin of a couple of touchdowns. Respect the trapalry game.

Randall Cobb, Football Player

So yeah, I enjoy a little grid action around here, too.

And like most followers of Kentucky athletics, I came away fairly impressed by UK's 42-0 win over Miami (OH) in the season opener last weekend. Mike Hartline showed improvement, and the promise that perhaps he could get outside of that "just manage the game" box that he had seemingly been placed in. The defense? Well, it's pretty hard to find too many flaws in a shutout.

But what I loved most about the victory had to be the performance of Randall Cobb. The Alcoa, TN product was seemingly everywhere and always a threat to score when the Cats had the ball.

Mr. Cobb of course spent quite a bit of time under center last season, but looks to be logging all of his reps at receiver this fall. His speed, good hands, and savvy return moves should be keeping Steve Kragthorpe sleepless this week. (Cobb also returns kicks.)

Heck, Cobb's parents even had enough of a sense of humor to name him after a 70's actor and boxing legend. Jokes, people.

Cobb is listed as 5'11" and 188, but he plays awfully big. He caught a pretty (so pretty) 27-yard TD toss from Hartline to start the Cats rolling, and also ran for an 11-yard score on a direct snap from center vs. the RedHawks. The dreaded sophomore slump phenomenon must not apply to this young man. He looks like a game-breaker.

Football of course is a game of specialists, but Cobb has already demonstrated quite a wide set of skills in his brief Kentucky football career. I certainly look forward to seeing more of him this fall.

How Thorny Will Rose Allegations Be for UK?

(Forgive the bad pun, I'm a little rusty.)

So I'm trying to watch some NBA action when my heart literally sank upon seeing the crawler: "NCAA alleges major infractions at Memphis for 20007-08 season." I was initially hoping that perhaps it would be involving Tigers football. Or baseball. Or anything but men's basketball.

No such luck of course....although that women's golf program must really be a bunch of renegades (!)

Naturally, I sprang to the interwebz to see what could be found. I'll admit I feared the worst.

Apparently, the main (or key) NCAA allegation concerns whether Derrick Rose cheated on his SAT exam. Per the early indications from Memphis's internal investigation, he has denied it. I would expect plenty of details to emerge later, and I would be very interested to see how Mr. Rose's score improved, when and where he took the test, etc.

Will there be shades of the Sutton-era Eric Manuel ACT fiasco? Somebody try to pull the old switcheroo?

Let me get this clear before commenting further...

Cheating: not cool.

I hate cheating, and cheaters in general. I hate BEING cheated. Nobody likes a cheater.

So it should go without saying that I want Kentucky to run a squeaky clean program. Period. I want it like that glassware you pull from the dishwasher when you use Calgon and it doesn't even show any streaks. No improprieties. No taint.

But we don't have very many facts yet. Certainly the NCAA report itself does not appear to name Coach Cal personally. It's way too early to paint a clear picture of how this will all shake out, and apparently his presence has been requested at a June 6th hearing before the committee.

As of this posting, there has been no comment from UK's administration or from Coach Calipari.

Now, having said all that-- despite my previously stated distaste for cheating-- I also try to give people the benefit of the doubt. And it's always wise to hear both sides of the story and weigh all the evidence before delivering any verdicts. So I would expect the NCAA to do a thorough job of investigating this situation, and I would expect the University of Memphis to do the same.

Everyone deserves their day in court, and I hope this entire episode results in a fair and impartial hearing for everyone involved. Justice should be served.

In the meantime, the haters will hate on. Kentucky will take a lot of heat. Rivals and critics will do their thing. Pat Forde was already taking a swipe on the four letter network's site. Not unexpected.

As it relates to UK and Coach Cal, I can say that I do feel better knowing that Memphis was supposedly notified of the allegations back in January, and they still made every effort possible to keep Calipari when Kentucky became interested. That tells me something.

More importantly, UK's Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart gave multiple reassurances that he and Sandy Bell in compliance had done their homework prior to extending a job offer to Coach Cal. They felt absolutely comfortable with the hire.

Still, there's no denying this is a thorny situation.

Delk, Padgett Return to UK

John Calipari continues to press all the right buttons during his honeymoon period as UK's new basketball coach. With the announcement that both Scott Padgett and Tony Delk will be re-joining the program in administrative/coaching roles (albeit not yet clearly defined), Coach Cal certainly stays on a hot streak. This seems like a great move by Calipari and it stands to benefit everyone involved.

Unfortunatlely, it has been understood that former players had felt more than a bit of a cold shoulder under former coach Billy Gillispie's brief tenure. In fact, at least a couple of past UK stars went out of their way to openly criticize Gillispie during the team's tailspin last February (most notably Kenny Walker and Mike Casey). Calipari has wasted no time in starting to mend some fences, and I expect him to continue to create an environment that former UK players would find to be open, warm, and welcoming.

Although it will be difficult to judge the impact of this move until we learn more about the exact responsibilities that Tony and Scott will have, it does seem fair to say that Cal has continued to honor the Kentucky basketball tradition by bringing them on board. It is encouraging to see an effort by the new coach to reach out to these Wildcats and provide some assistance as they get along with their post-playing careers.

I don't think it would be any great stretch to consider these two young men to be amongst the finest to wear the UK blue. Without recounting all of their career statistics and accolades-- not to mention championships-- both Delk and Padgett exhibited great basketball IQs as college stars and while playing in the NBA. (I personally saw Scott play quite a bit as a Houston Rocket, though never really enough IMHO, under Jeff Van Gundy.)

Pure coaches-in-training? Well, again, that will remain to be seen-- yet there is little doubt that both of these guys should have much to offer in terms of experience at the college and professional levels, and they also strike me as the kind of guys who would have great work ethic and find ways to contribute to the program off the court.

I figure nobody would want for Kentucky basketball to excel as much as the guys who actually wore the uniform, and they will also have that unique background to draw upon when counseling players on the current roster. UK lost so much with the passing of Bill Keightley last year, and while it would be unfair to expect either of these guys to fill the shoes of Mr. Wildcat (understand: there will never be another like him), it never hurts to have people around your program that really "get it", that know what it's all about. Delk and Padgett lived in the Lodge. They had lockers at Rupp.

Additionally, I gather that Calipari gets a real kick out of assisting people who are entering the coaching profession. He's the kind of guy that has climbed the ladder to great heights, but left it there for others to use, rather than pulling the ladder up behind him. I took it as a positive that he was pushing former assistant Tony Barbee for the Memphis job upon his own departure. Obviously, that scenario did not play out, but I do admire that kind of perspective from Coach Cal.

From my view, there just doesn't seem to be any downside to this kind of move right now. The return of Tony Delk and Scott Padgett to the Blue Grass looks like just another reason be excited again about Kentucky basketball.

An Open Letter to John Calipari

Dear Coach Cal,

Welcome to Big Blue Nation! We're all very excited to have you aboard. I can't tell you how long it's been since we've won a national championship. Oh, who am I kidding...of course I can. 1998. Looks like you've got some work to do!

But first things first, pull up a chair. Whoa, not that one! That was Bill Keightley's chair. Pick another one, please. You probably know about Mr. Wildcat already, but if not... well, let's just say there's going to be a bit of a learning curve here, but I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle.

Listen, Coach. One thing we want to get out of the way right up front: we have high expectations. Very high. Astronomically high. Kind of like what Oscar Wilde once said about his preference for finer things, "I have the simplest taste. I'm always satisfied with the best."

Yeah, we want banners hanging in Rupp. And we don't hang banners for just making the NCAA tournament, or even making the Sweet 16 like your most recent Memphis team. That's not a slam on the job you did; there's no shame in losing to that tough Mizzou squad this season, but I'm just sayin'. High expectations. Banners.

Also: don't be a jerk. You might have heard a little bit about the guy who you're replacing. Pretty good coach himself. Lots of potential. But you probably got the highlights from your new boss, Mitch Barnhart. The previous coach... well, let's just say he wasn't exactly a people person. In fact, you might even say he was the polar opposite of a people person. (Maybe he was a dog person?) But I hear you're great on the lecture circuit and love selling your program, so we'll just leave it at that. Play nice with others and things will be fine, really. No sense beating a dead horse.

And speaking of horses...man, can you recruit 'em or what?! Wow, Coach...two of the top four according to Rivals.com and the inside track on John Wall. Impressive. Just keep in mind, any student-athlete you want to bring to Kentucky will have to meet some standards. No, this isn't Princeton or anything, but we do have our minimums and we do expect our guys to be good citizens. Above all, we expect you to recruit hard but according to the rules (more on that later.)

And if I may offer just one piece of advice on the recruiting, it would really be nice if you could keep some productive Kentucky kids on the roster. They don't all have to be super-duperstars, but surely you can find a few contributors. See, the trick is in determining which 17 year old is going to turn into the next Scott Padgett and which is going to turn into the next Todd Tackett. (Sorry Todd, it was either going to be you or Brandon Stockton. I just needed an example here. No offense.)

In the meantime, you do have a nice young man by the name of Darius Miller on the roster. Kid's a player. Really grew a lot as a freshman. And Big Blue Nation adores him. A big reason why is because he is in fact a Kentuckian. Excuse me, a former Mr. Basketball in the Commonwealth. So yeah, we dig Darius, and other players like him. That's just the way we are. So please, we're begging you, don't let the Darius Millers or the Chris Loftons of the world slip away. Especially to Tennessee. Jeez!

By the way, great move in calling up Joe B. Hall, et al on Tuesday. That's some real thoughtfulness on your part. Honors the tradition, pays some respect to those who have gone before you, and demonstrates a willingness to listen and interact that will surely serve you well in Lexington. Loved it! We're all about the tradition, Coach. We jammed a 60 year old gym for an NIT game.

We also halfway filled our next opponent's gym, on one day's notice, for a game 400 miles away. But I digress....

If you'll allow me just one quick comment on strategy: push the ball, Coach. Run when you can. Not mindlessly, of course. Not just for running's sake. But take advantage when it's there. You'll have superior athletes (right? you will have superior athletes)-- so don't keep them on a chain. Let 'em go. I like what I've heard about your offensive philosophy, so again, I don't expect any problems here. Just be advised: we much prefer it when our teams are allowed to run.

Finally, and this is really simple... PLEASE, I'm begging you...keep it clean. I would imagine UK's compliance people have been going through your laundry like nobody's business over the last 72 hours. We know about the Camby thing. And we know you can't be with your players all the time and force them to make good decisions. But seriously, do your best to win honorably. You must. No man ever cheats that first doesn't cheat himself. Frame a copy of that horrible SI cover (you know the one) and keep it in your office as a reminder if you have to. Never again.

So again, welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you better. Can't wait to hear about how the roster situation will settle out. Do yourself a favor and check out the spring meet at Keeneland. I was always more of a fall man myself, but it's still very nice if you catch a good sunny day. Talk to you later!

Sincerely,
Wildcat Whisperer

P.S. Banners.

Gillispie Broke A Rule

I'm one of those guys that thought it would be smart to give Coach G another year. I figured he might be able to adapt a little bit, and grow into the responsibilities that the UK coach must assume outside the lines. I saw the incoming class he had put together, along with the possibility of Meeks and Patterson returning, and figured Billy Clyde would really be able to turn the corner next season. Most reasonable people agree that under normal circumstances, two years is just not long enough to make a solid evaluation. Even Mitch Barnhart stated as much-- and he's the guy that sent Gillispie packing.

Yes, I was disappointed with Coach G's media interactions, and posted here about the initial Jeanine Edwards sideline fiasco. Speaking of the four-letter-network, I was also disappointed with the so-called "all-access" segment that promised some real insight into the program. Apparently, Coach had quite a different idea than me about what "all-access" was supposed to mean.

Some of the really preposterous losses stuck in my craw, too. Your VMI, your Gardner-Webb, your Georgia on Senior Night. Egregious, one and all. Certainly the NIT is nobody's idea of what Kentucky postseason basketball should be (much as I managed to enjoy it), and let's just go ahead and hit on the stupid game-day practices, puzzling substitution patterns, and apparent mishandling of the DeAndre Liggins and AJ Stewart "incidents" while we're at it.

As far as any other flagrant rumors or innuendos regarding Coach G's personal life, I simply refuse to go there.

Now... all that being said... again-- I would have supported a decision to bring him back for another year. Personally, I just thought it prudent, considering he's been a conference Coach of the Year multiple times, he's by all accounts a very hard worker, and and he seemed to have a boatload of help on the way in the form of recruits like Orton, Hood, et al.

However, as we all know, UK President Lee Todd and AD Mitch Barnhart decided to fire Coach Gillispie. They cited the fact that they considered him to be a "bad fit", and noted that "We obviously did not achieve the results we all desired on the floor this season".

But I believe the main reason Gillispie won't be returning to the Rupp Arena sidelines is the fact that he broke a very important rule-- and obviously we're not talking about any NCAA misdeeds. It's much more basic, and some might say, much more important than any recruiting infraction, for instance. What I'm referring to is something that mothers usually teach their children, a staple of Sunday Schools across the Commonwealth. That's right: The Golden Rule.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Eleven little words that carry so much weight, and so much wisdom. It's about basic decency. Respect for other people. Simply treating your fellow man as you would wish to be treated.

Had Gillispie followed this maxim, I believe he might still be in his office today. Instead, he reamined a stubborn, intractable individual who talked down to the media, never developed a good working relationship with his superiors, alienated alumni and boosters, and by many accounts simply ran his team into the ground. The comments from the Meeks family after Coach G's dismissal seem particularly relevant here.

I truly have no interest in "piling on" with this observation. Numerous writers and commentators have weighed in regarding this particular personality deficiency in Coach G, and it can be argued that his reclacitrance is just part of the package-- and even a strength in many ways. Certainly it's true that if he had been able to channel that stubbornness properly, things could have been quite different for him in Lexington.

But if coaching the Big Blue can be compared to Greek mythology, then Gillispie's poor treatment of others must be considered just as fatal a flaw as losing 27 games in two years.

Photo credit: collegehoops.net

Loss Ends Kentucky's Season, Perhaps Gillispie's Tenure

Notre Dame defeated UK 77-67 in the NIT quarterfinals Wednesday night amidst continuing speculation that Kentucky will part ways with its head coach sooner rather than later.

The game came down to the Irish raining in three-pointers seemingly at will throughout the evening, combined with Luke Harangody doing his best wide-body shuffle over the Kentucky frontcourt. Mike Brey's team finished with 12 treys and Harangody tallied 30 points, while UK's offense-- and Jodie Meeks in particular-- sputtered for most of the night.

The Cats did make a run to cut the deficit to 5 late in the second half, in a classic case of too little, too late. Meeks contributed the bulk of his 21 points in the last 8 minutes. UK finished with 10 turnovers on the game, with Kevin Galloway responsible for half of that total.

Patrick Patterson managed 18 points and 7 rebounds, but once again there were no other Kentucky players that reached double figures in scoring. UK fans can only hope it was not Patterson's last game wearing the blue and white, and that he will stick to his original plan of returning for next season.

Obviously, what transpires over the next few days will have long-lasting repercussions for the Kentucky program. Reports are that AD Mitch Barnhart will be sitting down with Coach Gillispie for an end-of-season meeting and evalution that will go a long way towards determining whether UK will retain Coach G, or go in another direction. University President Lee Todd was reportedly at the game in South Bend and indicated that no announcements would be made before Friday.

For now, it only seems appopriate for me to comment on the effort that this team gave under some very difficult circumstances as this season concluded. These young men are certainly not immune to all of the criticism and negativity circulating around their coach and the program's direction, and I just appreciate the fact that they did not completely "mail it in" for the NIT. Yes, that sounds like a very low bar being set, but I believe there are plenty of other college athletes out there that might lack the character that it took for these guys to beat a decent UNLV team, and to beat Creighton at their house, in the midst of such adversity.

The "Memorial Coliseum Game" was certainly a sweet note within the overall sour ending to the '08-09 campaign. I can't see myself ever forgetting the night Jodie dropped 54 on Tennessee, either. So the season was not without its highlights.

But at this point, the focus will surely be on the impending news from Lexington regarding one Billy Clyde Gillispie. I'm truly fatigued with all the rumors and speculation, but each day that passes gets me, and all of Big Blue Nation, one day closer to a resolution.

On, on U of K.

Kelly Tripucka's Mustache Announces Comeback

Dateline: South Bend, IN

In a press conference earlier this afternoon, Kelly Tripucka's mustache proclaimed that it was about to re-enter the area just below Tripucka's nose. "It's been awhile", announced the whiskers, "and I'm sure it will be tough at first, but the time has definitely come for my revival."

Observers could not quite pin down the last time Mr. Tripucka had sported facial hair, but most agreed that it had reached its peak sometime during his early 1980s stint with the Detroit Pistons.

When asked what precipitated the comeback, the 'stache cited several factors. "First and foremost, I love March. There's something about spring, the time change, that just really gets me itching to go. Oops, probably shouldn't use the word itching." The whiskers continued, "Anyway, Brad Pitt had a little cookie duster going for a while there that almost made it cool-- but really, I gotta be honest here-- I'm pretty jacked about the Notre Dame basketball team reaching the NIT quarterfinals against Kentucky. I dunno, it was just like some kind of sign or something. It's all about the Irish, baby!"

When asked what it had been doing for all these years, the mustache seemed non-plussed: "Doing!? What do you think I've been doing? Kelly's been dragging that Mach 3 over my (expletive deleted) every morning and rinsing me down the drain! That's what!"

The mustache's agent, Scott Boras, was also present at the news conference. He presented a list of demands, including daily hair conditioner treatments, weekly trims, and said that Tripucka's mustache "Absolutely reserves the right to use Just For Men, if it is felt to be necessary to demonstrate the proper ruggedness at any time." Boras then refused to answer further questions and left in a gold-plated Rolls Royce that was being physically carried by AIG executives.

The 'stache reflected further when asked for additional remarks about its Notre Dame affiliation. "Oh, that was when it all started all right. Back there with Digger. Jeez, what a blowhard that guy's become, huh? But still...good times for me and for Kelly, no question." However, the mustache went on to say, "If you're looking for a highlight, it has to be the 56 we dropped on the Bulls back in '83. People forget that one. We were on fire."

The 'stache seemed fairly confident that Tripucka was bringing it back for a substantial run. "Listen, Kelly's got nothing but love for me. He's heard it all, the Freddie Mercury jokes, everything. So I'm just going to keep doing my job and hope for the best."

Attempts to reach Tripucka's mullet-perm were unsuccessful.

Photo credit: Jim Cummins/NBAE/Getty Images

Cats Leave Blue Jays Feeling.....Blue

Advancing to the NIT quarterfinals with a 65-63 win over Creighton, UK managed to overcome a rowdy Qwest Center crowd in Omaha, Nebraska, and an all-too-brief first half performance from Patrick Patterson. Aided by some missed Blue Jays' free throws down the stretch, Jodie Meeks got 3 the old-fashioned way for the final margin, and UK survived a potential game-winning trey from Booker Woodfox (you just can't make these names up, people) as the clock expired.

Patterson figured to put up some monster (Warren Buffett?) numbers in the contest, with Creighton lacking comparable inside muscle-- but Big Pat picked up two early fouls that sent him to the bench with under 5 minutes gone in the first half. UK managed to keep the game well within reach for the opening frame, trailing by 2 at the break, and Pat did finish with 12 points. This one was practically a barn-burner from the tip, with multiple lead changes and neither team able to put together a big run to serve as a knockout punch.

Ramon Harris played a terrific defensive game in hounding Creighton's outside shooters. Also lost in the box score, Harris made an absolutely outstanding hustle play in diving for a ball near the endline, thereby securing possession for the Cats. Say what you want about Ramon's offensive skills, but the guy will give you that kind of effort almost every night, and Coach Gillispie has made no secret of his admiration for the dirty work that Ramon is willing to do.

The game winner was no work of art, either. Meeks effectively improvised off of a soft pick-and-roll with Patterson that didn't result in a clear scoring option. Basically, Creighton played it pretty well, and Jodie was fortunate to be able to slide past a defender and get "the hoop and the harm". Of course, that's what you expect of Jodie when the game is on the line... you tell him to put on his cape and go win it.

Creighton's crowd was fairly frothing at the mouth the entire game, and could easily have left happy had a few more breaks gone their way. The Jays carried the "mid-major" banner very well and were obviously a talented and well-coached team. I must admit to loving all the blue atmosphere everywhere-- the uniforms, cheerleaders, signs, fans with painted faces-- I would even go so far as to say that the feeling was....mutual in Omaha. (Sorry. Couldn't resist.) But honestly, Kentucky was just able to make a bucket and then get a stop at the end to survive tonight.

This game didn't have the sex appeal of Memorial Coliseum going for it, but from a UK fan's perspective it was still March basketball at its nail-biting best. Again: nobody wants to get too excited about NIT wins, yet it is admittedly nice to see this group of players get rewarded with some post-season success.

Coach G has made it a point to let the media know that the team has shown a lot of maturity since missing out on a bid to the Big Dance. He has cited inexperience as being a huge contributing factor to some of the losses UK suffered in conference play. Therefore, in the bigger picture, this would suggest some good foundation work is being laid for the '09-10 season, questions regarding Gillispie's return aside.

Kentucky continues its NIT run on Wednesday night vs. Notre Dame, with a trip to Madison Square Garden on the line. I understand that the team will not be returning to Lexington but rather will travel directly from Omaha to South Bend, IN. It should be interesting to see how the Cats will respond given the circumstances. Color me eager (like everyone else) to see the Patterson-Harangody showdown. First to eat 3 Big Macs wins!

Memorial Rocks Again

So it's unanimous.

The old girl still has it.

In a place that Kentucky basketball fans consider to be absolutely hallowed ground, the Wildcats opened the NIT with a 70-60 win over UNLV on Tuesday night.

But the biggest buzz of the night was not generated by Patrick Patterson's double-double, or Perry Stevenson's absolutely SICK dunk over (insert UNLV poster victim here), but rather the venue itself.

The Coliseum.

I almost want to spell it like the Romans-- exchange the "i" for an "o" and add another "s".

Big Blue Nation showed up for her. They wore their blue. They painted their faces and they cheered and they supported the Cats like it really was the Big Dance, and not a consolation event. The fans definitely wanted to see some more Wildcat basketball this season.

But I think most agreed that the night was really all about that old gymnasium where Rupp used to prowl the sidelines. Where Kentucky had accumulated a record of 306-38. (Make it 307).

In a building opened in 1950 to honor the true heroes of the Commonwealth-- those who had fallen in battle during both World Wars and the Korean War-- the Kentucky fan base seemed to truly sense what a rare opportunity it was to be able to pay that most special place another visit.

Memorial can still rock in '09.

Thoughts On A Sad Selection Sunday

• Let's start by congratulating the teams from the Commonwealth that did make the field of 65. So we raise a glass to the WKU Hilltoppers, the Morehead State Eagles, and *ugh* my wife's alma mater...the overall top seed in the tournament. Congratulations. If I were to throw my entire support behind one of these teams, well, it's no contest. My rooting interest would lie solely with Ken McDonald's "Big Red" Machine. The boys from Bowling Green surely won't sneak up on anyone this year, (after crashing the Sweet 16 in 2008) but Brother JC swears that the #12 seed suits them quite well in a matchup with #5 Illinois. Again, congrats and best of luck.
• Anyone wondering how I spent those precious few hours on Sunday evening as the NCAA brackets were revealed (and fully dissected) will surely sympathize that I just had to get out of the house for a while. I really couldn't bring myself to watch (even knowing that Billy Packer would not be involved). Naturally, I have gotten caught up for the most part, and certainly I will participate in an office pool or two-- but the "bracket reveal" itself....I just couldn't bear it. The thought was too much like Santa Claus skipping my house this year.
• Of course there's no time for continuing self-pity when UK will face off against UNLV on Tuesday night in the National Invitational Tournament. The Cats could only manage a 4 seed, which tells you just how far the team had fallen off the NCAA bubble. I can't help but wonder how many more wins it would have taken for Kentucky to get serious consideration(?) My guess is somewhere between 2 - 4, depending upon which victories might have materialized. Convert a couple of those close calls against quality teams (U of L / LSU) along with a couple of the "bad RPI losses" (best example: Georgia) and UK is singing a much different tune this morning. Okay, okay....water under the bridge.
• It will be rather odd to see Lon Kruger again on the opposing sideline. Of course, no more odd than seeing UK play a men's game at Memorial Coliseum. I can appreciate the novelty of such things, but would happily trade it all for a spot in the NCAAs in a heartbeat. My current thinking on the situation is that basically this season handed Kentucky and its fans a bunch of lemons, and you know what you're supposed to do with them. That's right... slice them up, squeeze them in your eyes and complain about the coach. Just kidding.
• I honestly have no idea how the Cats will respond tomorrow night. I really don't. My HOPE is that they realize that even though they are playing in the Little Dance, it is still an opportunity to finish out the season with some more wins and help to remove some of that horrible bitter taste from their own mouths, along with those of Big Blue Nation. While this is still no true referendum on Coach G, I for one will be watching closely (yet again) to see if the team is playing hard and "allowing itself to be coached." I am sure Mitch Barnhart will be doing the same.
  

UK Blacks Out Vs. Tigers; NIT Awaits

Kentucky bowed out of the SEC Tournament with its 67-58 loss to LSU today. Jodie Meeks was held to 8 points on 3-for-9 shooting in a game in which the black-clad Wildcats trailed almost throughout.

LSU proved to be the better team, as expected of the SEC regular season champs, and asserted itself with tight defense not only on Meeks, but also in limiting Patrick Patterson to a laborious 15 points. Ramon Harris was the only other Wildcat in double figures, tallying 11. The Tigers were lead by Marcus Thornton with 21.

The loss, Kentucky's 13th on the season, almost assuredly sends Coach Billy Gillispie's team to the NIT, which would be the the first time for the Big Blue since 1979.

And with that, it seems strangely appropriate to offer up a video today-- a Smashing Pumpkins tune named for that same year, now a full three decades ago. This is from the Punkins' 3rd studio album, (appropriately?) entitled Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. I hope it somehow helps to ease the pain of realization that UK will not be playing in Tampa this weekend. We will have plenty to discuss later....thanks as always for reading.

Good News in Twos: Cats Win, Patrick to Return

Patrick Patterson says he will be back in blue for the '09-10 Kentucky basketball season. His announcement was greeted by singing choirs of angels, confetti showers, and blaring trumpets. Shots were poured. Conga lines were formed. At least at my house they were. Probably yours too, since you're reading this blog. The idea having Big Pat on the roster for another year was enough to make my day just like Dirty Harry said.

Can you imagine Patrick after another off-season of conditioning and gym time? Starting his junior year without an injured ankle and finger? (and I don't care what anybody says, that d*mn finger is still bothering him). With a front line that would include incoming (stud) freshman Daniel Orton? Can you imagine? Patrick, bigger and stronger? Can you say giddy? Can I stop typing questions?

Yes, I know. Back to reality with LSU tomorrow. But let's celebrate this one for 30 seconds or so.

Again, normally Kentucky should not even have to play on Thursday of the conference tournament. But under the circumstances, and with Ole Miss putting together a pretty decent half, I was impressed with how the Cats were able to take care of first-round business. (True confession: I had to depart my regular game-watching venue with about 10 minutes left, so as to remain among the ranks of the employed. I make no apologies. I did listen on XM Radio on the way back to the office.)

I will say that it was very encouraging to see Kentucky attack a zone like it was something other than impregnable. Darius Miller was particularly effective in finding the soft spot around the free-throw line and then making pretty good decisions with the ball, taking shots as available and dropping a couple of dimes.

We also had a Perry Stevenson sighting in this game. He absolutely stuffed the stat line in 36 minutes, going 4 out of 6 from the floor, 5 of 6 from the line, 8 boards, 2 steals and an assist. (Also 2 shmurnovers with those 13 points.) I even enjoyed how Larry Conley and Tom Hammond were chiding him on one of those misses-- where Perry tried some kind of funky turnaround under the hoop, and the crew commented that most shots are easier to make when you're facing the basket. I will miss Conley and Hammond a little bit next year when the four-letter network takes over.

Of course Jodie got his 25, as Jodie tends to do. He also got UK's only 3-pointer of the game (in 10 attempts), a development that did not go unnoticed within our fan group. People get nervous about "the streak" being snapped when the second half is underway and the Cats haven't dialed in from long distance yet. Currently at 707 games and counting, the streak remains alive after Meeks was able to connect with 12:30 remaining.

The defense was excellent, particularly the second half, where Kentucky allowed only 20 points to a desperate Ole Miss team. The Wildcats only gave up 9 second chance points on the afternoon and only 2 fast break points. They outrebounded the Rebs 35-28, and let's pause here and give them some kudos for just basically bringing their lunch pails and doing some dirty work to get this win.

Friday will bring conference champ LSU though, and Tasmin Mitchell, Marcus Thornton et al should provide a much more difficult challenge. The good news is that the Tigers lost a couple of games themselves at the end of the regular season; so despite getting to rest today, perhaps Trent Johnson's group will have a bit of doubt creeping into their collective brains. On paper, they are better than Kentucky. Hopefully, Big Blue Nation can make it a de facto home game and turn the arena in Tampa into "Rupp South". I know I have a few friends over there that will be doing their part.

In closing, we give the Blue Grass Chemical Player of the Game Award to Perry Stevenson today. Perry gets a pair of steel-toed rubber work boots and some copper scrap that fell off of a pallet.

Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons by Fairocker

Can We Just Worry About Ole Miss For A Second?

Nearly lost amidst all the chatter this week about Coach Gillispie, UK's decline over the second half of the season, and the general sky-is-falling atmosphere surrounding the Kentucky program, is the fact that the Cats have a little game to play tomorrow. Or should I say a big game?

It may not exactly be a grand stage on Thursday as UK kicks off the SEC Tournament with an early matchup vs. Mississippi, but I do see some real significance in how well (or how poorly) the team performs in this opener. For starters, it will be a character test in its purest form: how does this unit respond to (ever-increasing) adversity? Will this Kentucky squad roll over as it has in several late season contests, or will it come to play like the team that showed such promise when sitting at 16-4?

Because people, Ole Miss is...well....how do I put this?....beatable. They are not a conference juggernaut a la LSU. There's a very good reason that they "earned" the 5 seed in the West. Not to take anything away from Andy Kennedy, but the talent level in Oxford is not exactly frightening. I mean this respectfully-- and in humble recognition that the Rebels did hand UK a 5-point loss in January-- but on a neutral court, Kentucky should absolutely take care of business and advance to play again on Friday.

Really, that is all I am looking for at this point. A win. Of any sort. Just a plain old, vanilla win. Survive and advance, as they say in March. With all the aforementioned hoopla, and the uptick in criticism that Kentucky's players and coaches have been taking lately (present company guilty), a victory would demonstrate that yes, there is still some Big Blue pride amongst these competitors.

Heck, I'll even admit that I'd like to see a Kentucky win at this point so that they can at least finish with 20. Seriously. Some of those 20 wins might be cheap, sure (I'm looking at you again, Delaware State) but there's always something nice about being able to meet that nice "round number" threshold of 20 wins. So just worry about Ole Miss, play a decent game, and UK can get there.

It will also be quite revealing to see whether the Cats can come up with a spirited assault tomorrow considering that there is some question as to whether Coach G has truly "lost" this particular team. Are instructions being tuned out? Are players following the scouting report and executing what is being asked of them? Personally, I'll be looking for effort stats, particularly defensive rebounding, as well as that word that rhymes with shmurnovers (I hate to even type it at this point).

Again, I don't mean it as a slam against opposing players like Malcom or Terrico White at all; but if anything, UK should have a bit of a "revenge" kind of edge in this one, simply to prove to those guys that what happened earlier this year was a fluke. You can't tell me that warriors wearing Blue like Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson don't have what it takes to claim a first-round victory in Tampa.

So for now, let's hope Kentucky can just focus on beating Ole Miss. Worry about everything else later.

Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons by Neville_S

Gillispie Speculation Rampant

In the Blue Grass State, second-guessing the UK head basketball coach and ruminating over the possibilities of his departure are fully understandable.

But when I grabbed a cup of java and checked my own local sports rag here "deep in the heart of Texas", it was quite surprising to see Billy Gillispie's name mentioned by a local columnist and blogger, in connection with the University of Houston. Link below:

http://blogs.chron.com/jeromesolomon/2009/03/post_90.html

I can only imagine how Tom Penders might feel about this, but let me go on record as saying that I personally think Gillispie will be back coaching Kentucky during the '09-10 season, at least as things stand this morning.

I will reserve full judgment on the job he has done with this team until a later date, but regular readers will be able to surmise that, much like many other Big Blue fanatics, I am less than pleased with the team's regular season record and its precipitous decline over the last dozen or so games.

I expect to hear much more name-dropping, speculation, and rumors of this kind over the next few weeks as the coaching carousel starts firing up, along with the information overload that accompanies the buildup to the Final Four.

Thanks for reading.

Senior Night-mare

With its season seemingly on the line, Kentucky decided to mail it in vs. Georgia on Senior Night in Rupp Arena. I ask again: where is the pride? Where is the fight? Against a team that had absolutely nothing to play for in terms of NCAA tournament aspirations, a team that UK had soundly beaten in their house back in January -- giving up only 45 points total, mind you -- the Cats managed to bungle their way to a 90-85 defeat.

Once again, the Cats demonstrated a lack of basketball IQ and defensive intensity, which point to a team without chemistry and heart. After this loss, much as I hate to admit, there's a very good chance Kentucky might not win another game in 2009. It was just that demoralizing, especially given UK's gaudy all-time Senior Night record (83-5?) and the fact that the Bulldogs came into the game winless in road conference games and averaging only 60 points.

Goodness gracious, if you had told me Michael Porter would hit 5 treys on the evening and only turn it over twice, I would have bet the farm on a UK win. I suppose you have to credit Georgia for hitting 11 out of 16 of their own threes, but once again, far too many of those were absolutely wide-open looks. Kentucky was outrebounded 38-27 and missed a couple of clutch free throws down the stretch that really could have changed the game. Probably the most disheartening thing about those two developments is the fact that rebounding and the charity stripe were actually strengths of this squad earlier in the season.

Which leads to the inevitable conclusion that the Wildcats have honestly and truly gotten worse throughout the year. A fact.

Coach G's seat must be feeling awfully hot this morning, and rightfully so. At this time, I do not care to speculate on AD Mitch Barnhart making any change in the near future, the merits of which are up for debate. (And you can bet those merits are being debated hotly throughout Big Blue Nation as you read this.) His benching of 4 starters early in the second half backfired utterly and completely, and since it's easy to Monday-morning quarterback such things-- it was a seemingly desperate and ill-advised ploy by the Coach. Remember, UK had closed a pretty big gap to end the first half and had the locker-room momentum.

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but I've always said if you have a 10- or 12- player rotation (especially in March), that means you really have NO rotation. It is just impossible to spread that many minutes around and believe that you can get a coherent and cohesive effort from your team.

Therefore, UK currently looks both incoherent and incohesive.

Another real shame of this loss is that it spoiled what is normally a revered Wildcat tradition of sending out its seniors with a victory, while serving as a nice tune-up and confidence builder for the looming SEC tournament. Poor, oft-injured Jared Carter actually did his part, scoring a bucket and pulling down a board in 4 minutes of play after being honored pre-game and getting a spot in the starting five.

I'm no math or statistics whiz, but I figure this loss will absolutely crush UK's RPI rating, further denting whatever Big Dance hopes that had remained for the team, in terms of obtaining an at-large bid. A strong SEC tourney showing seems unlikely as well, after such a poor performance against a Georgia team which now sits 3-12 in conference.

Anybody got any quick-fix ideas? At this rate, I won't even need the Selection Sunday Maalox because UK's fate will already be decided.

photo credit: Courier-Journal/Jonathan Palmer

March Is Here; Where Are The Wildcats?

Usually by the time February turns into March, Kentucky basketball fans are amped up and ready for the impending post-season action. However, March 2009 looks a little bit cloudy at the outset.

UK dropped a heartbreaker to LSU over the weekend, and despite some help from other conference teams (Vandy over SC?) it's hard to pin down whether or not Kentucky will make the big dance. The good news is they have a Senior Night game on Wednesday vs. Georgia that most would consider winnable. Wisdom says to take nothing for granted, but that would leave the Florida game on March 7th as a possible play-in.

Personally, I would feel much more comfortable as a UK alum/fan with those two wins PLUS a couple of conference tourney games. (Don't ask for much, do I?) Put it this way: I just don't need another Selection Sunday that turns into a Maalox moment. Heck, I could do without a couple of these GAMES turning into Maalox moments....although I normally enjoy a tight, competitive contest.

Problem is, it's awfully difficult to determine this team's attitude and mindset. They played absolutely terrific basketball for a good stretch of the second half against the Bayou Bengals. The fivesome that Coach G started that frame with is receiving raves from Big Blue Nation (no Porter being the main reason, IMO.) You could argue that if Jodie plays his normal game-- or basically just shoots a little better-- then UK takes it handily.

The defensive switch/non-switch that resulted in LSU's game-winning trey is a collective mistake, despite what Coach G or anyone else says....the players also have to recognize and communicate which picks require a "switch" in that situation. Just because a guy wanders out to the top of the key doesn't necessarily mean that you have to switch off of your man. (The way the blame game was played through the media in that situation was disappointing to say the least.)

It truly does take some better basketball judgment than what the Wildcats have displayed this season to win a nail-biter against a quality opponent. I believe this is the most significant reason why the collective UK fandom's exasperation level is so high right now, not the squad's overall talent level. Same old stuff: players confused about their roles, lacking confidence, not making the easy/smart play at times.

But you know what? Kentucky judges its teams by how they perform in March. If I'm Billy Gillispie, I tell this team, "Look, it's a new month and a whole new season. We've got two games that we know we can win this week, and then...it really gets fun." Get these young men to loosen up a little bit, if possible.

It's overstated in sports, but the Cats need to focus on controlling what they can-- forget about the RPI's and strength of schedules and all the rest of it, and truly forge their destiny. March is finally here. Pass the Maalox.