My Kingdom For A Point Guard

South Carolina 78, Kentucky 77....

....and another 20+ turnover game has me sick.

I hate when the Cats lose under any circumstances, but when it comes at home, on a day when the Cats shoot 52%, a day when Meeks and Patterson score 20 & 28 respectively, its just frustrating. Oops, sorry. Meant to capitalize that. What I meant to say is... Frustrating. UK is simply squandering too many possessions to achieve any real consistency.

You can get away with it in stretches-- against weaker teams or in games where the opponent shoots poorly and doesn't make you pay for turning it over. However, it's not like this is a new phenomenon. The "lead guard" position was the biggest question mark coming into the season. Everybody knew Derrick Jasper was gone.

Man, do I miss that guy. Makes me wonder if he was really that good, or what? I liked Derrick's size and his defense more than anything, but his game management was obviously underrated by this humble blogger. I can't imagine him chucking the ball away as much as the current crop of Wildcat "1's". Of course, by most accounts Billy Gillispie did everything he could to try to convince Derrick to stay in Lexington, only the young man was convinced that he wanted to head out to Vegas. I'm not sure what to tell Coach G under the circumstances, "If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it?"

When it comes to point guard deficiencies, I suppose I could have posted something like this back in December, and unfortunately, it appears I could be posting the same well into February. UK is just weak there right now. I'm not even gonna bother naming names or beating up guys over it. They need to be coached up, especially the rookie. Suffice it to say they simply must come around, because the poor ball handling and bad decisions seem to infect the rest of the team. Everybody gets sloppy.

One does have to wonder if the answer is elsewhere on the current roster-- whether that involves a position change, a different scheme, or since we're not naming names-- maybe finding more minutes for a certain junior college transfer....or even a freshman from Paintsville. Grasping for straws? Perhaps. But unless Kentucky starts getting better execution from its point guards...well, I don't even want to think about it.

Billy Hearts Jeannine

Coach G didn't exactly do the university proud with his "halftime interview" on ESPN. It was obvious that the man was a bit frustrated, in a hurry, and not exactly enamored with the whole idea of his walk to the locker room being so rudely interrupted.

If you haven't seen the clip yet, here's the YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Faoev1qI3KE

We could argue the merits of the whole enterprise-- this recent phenomenon of grabbing a coach just before tip- or kickoff (or on his way off the field or court at the break), shoving a microphone in his face, and then asking for his thoughts on strategy/ game developments/ an injury situation, right "in the heat of battle".

Believe me, I watch a ton of sports, and I can't recall anything really earth-shattering being revealed by these snippets. It's not as if a coach is going to tell the four-letter network precisely what he is going to instruct his team to do, or what adjustments he's truly going to make. The best you usually get is the patently obvious, "We need to play better", or "Our team just needs to stay focused", or some such platitude.

I'd like to hear what Adolph Rupp might have told one of these sideline reporters.

Yet, that's the sports age we are living in, where the TV people call most if not all of the shots, and so a good coach learns to play the game of being gracious and putting up with the ridiculosity of it all. (I learned that word at UK, don't bother looking it up.) It's just part of the package. You play along. Brother JC cited Mack Brown and Pete Carroll as being two of the best at this type of thing. You smile, you throw the audience a bone, and you move along and get back to coaching.

What you don't do, in my most humble opinion, is try to embarrass the reporter. Especially a female reporter. It serves no purpose. It makes you look like a jerk. It just doesn't.... reflect well. This is different from breaking down some yahoo on a call-in show or getting a little testy at the weekly teleconference. This is a Big Tuesday, nationally televised game, with tons of fans, alumni, other media members, recruits, and recruits' parents all watching.

Just fake it, Billy. How hard is that? We know you're intense and you just care about your team, and that's great, we want your focus to be there. We love you for it. But they're going to put the mike in your face anyway, which means you're going to have to say something anyway, so how about you just do it without coming off like a jerk? Millions are watching.

Furthermore, I don't even agree with Coach that it was a bad question from Jeannine Edwards. Obvious, yes. I'll grant you that. But isn't that what makes it a good question? I'd venture to say it's the exact question that particular reporter had to ask under the circumstances. It's what everybody was wondering, after all. Your All-American candidate, who averages 26 per game, just went the whole first half without a field goal. What's she supposed to ask, "Coach, who do you like for Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire?"

Now, I don't mean to make a huge deal out of this. Rece Davis and the studio crew certainly laughed it off, and the only capital crime committed in Oxford last night was the Cats actually losing to Ole Miss. But it doesn't do much to elevate the program when you go out of your way to show up a reporter who is just trying to do her job. Where's the love, Coach?

Kentucky Turns In Clunker Vs. Ole Miss

Ugh.

I'm not even sure that I want to autopsy this corpse.

Let's start by saying that was not really a 5-point loss. That was more like a 10 or 12 point loss made a bit more respectable in garbage time. Credit the Cats for not quitting in the face of defeat, but that 85-80 final is surely a bit deceptive. Jodie Meeks nailed a couple of late threes that will help his average from nosediving, and he turned in his usual excellent effort from the free throw line, but otherwise he was greatly neutralized by the Rebels' defense.

Methinks however that this game turned on a lack of defensive intensity in the second half by Kentucky. You could argue they were a bit fortunate to be in the lead at the half, especially considering the kind of night Meeks was having-- but allowing 48 points to Ole Miss in the second frame was a bit disappointing. I thought UK looked a little slow of foot out there, just not stepping into passing lanes as frequently, trying to use their hands to impede drives instead of cutting off the dribbler, and generally not helping as much from the weakside as they have over the past 5-6 games.

The rebounding stat is pretty telling as well, with UK getting beat on the boards 45-40 despite Darius Miller tallying 9 by himself. For whatever reason, the Cats overall just seemed rather listless to me. (Two games in four days? Not really an excuse, IMO.)

Plus, I'm the first to admit that I would like to see more of D. Liggins on the court in place of Porter, but 16 shots? What in the name of DeWayne Miles is going on here? The freshman surely needs to recognize the difference between a good shot and a forced, contested, ill-advised (pick your adjective here) field goal attempt. He's obviously still a little out of control, and it seemed like Gillispie was content to leave him out there to take some lumps tonight. Growing pains, I suppose.

My preference would be to take a more measured approach, and allow Mr. Liggins to learn on the job by slowly gaining time as he demonstrates the necessary responsibility, especially in running the offense. Sixteen shots! The only UK point guard I want taking 16 shots is currently coaching Oklahoma State. Grrr. Kid's a freshman, I know. Liggins will certainly learn from this.

Hopefully, the entire team takes this one as a bit of a lesson. Was barely cracking the Top 25 that much of an ego booster or a distraction... to the extent that UK figured they could mail it in tonight? I should hope not. Surely the team has bigger goals for itself than that. Gotta learn to deal with success, after all. This is Kentucky.

UK Claims 10-point Victory Over Tide

Still no real details concerning the status of Ramon Harris (at least nothing that I can find at the time of this posting). I suppose we just have to sit tight and hope for the best.

In the meantime, I think I have a new favorite play for this year. Was it the Patterson jam? No. DeAndre Liggins finally draining a 3-pointer? Nope. The Perry Stevenson head fake, then up and under for a dunk? Negative.

Each of those were great in their own way. But my favorite has to be the Jodie Meeks head-first dive to corral a loose ball-- and that would be regardless of the ultimate outcome of that particular sequence. (Although the technical called on Gottfried for complaining about the play did make me giggle.)

I just really, really loved the way Meeks sold out for that one. It says so much about the guy, and by extension, the effort this team has been giving in these conference games. It was not in the waning minutes; it did not change the game per se; it was just a pure, hard-nosed, I want the ball more than you want the ball type of play. The guy is a superstar, averaging 25+ per game, and here he is out there sacrificing his body like a walk-on looking for extra minutes. Hats off to Mr. Meeks. Loved it.

After the first half that UK put in, I wasn't too sure this one would be that easy down the stretch. I did figure the Cats would rally, but with it being at Tuscaloosa and with baskets being very hard to come by, I thought we were looking at more of a football score type of day. Remember, Kentucky was sitting on 19 at the half.

Patterson being limited by foul trouble obviously limited the team offensively. Big Pat only scored 6, but Perry Stevenson stepped out of the phone booth with another double-double and 'Bama just looked discombobulated for most of the final 20 minutes. Something tells me that Perry likes staying under the radar, but he has a big ticker himself. He has some pride. He's maybe more of the quiet sort, but he likes wearing that Kentucky on his chest, and Coach G is starting to push the right buttons with the guy and putting him in situations where he can succeed.

So the Big Blue Express rolls over the Tide and next rolls into Oxford on Tuesday to face Ole Miss. Hopefully by then, Ramon Harris will be ready and able to join them.

Say A Prayer For Ramon

Just a quick note to send thoughts and prayers out to Ramon Harris. Early media reports indicate that he had not been feeling well-- and actually threw up-- prior to fainting at halftime of today's game. He was apparently taken to a hospital, but checked out okay and will be traveling back to Lexington with the team.

It's been awfully eventful for Ramon this year, and I'm sure he would much prefer to not garner this type of attention. Hopefully the fainting spell is unrelated to his previous neck injury and something he will fully and quickly recover from. More details will surely emerge soon.

I am sure his family and close friends will be very concerned, and I expect Big Blue Nation to be as supportive as ever.

The Michael Porter Conundrum

Okay, okay.

I've taken a chill pill, and I'm sorry.

I totally apologize for comparing Michael Porter to salmonella-tainted peanut butter. Maybe I shouldn't stay up late posting after some of these games, when the blood is still hot. Rather, give it some time. You know, sleep on it. Kentucky did win the game, after all.

The problem of course is that there is a reason that initial impressions have such a lasting and powerful effect. That is-- there is usually a big grain of truth to them. Mike didn't play his best game against Auburn, and that much we can all agree upon. But I don't really mean to pick on him; I consider myself a pretty optimistic type of UK fan, and certainly don't want to be a hater.

Mike is by all accounts a great guy. Very tough. He was a darn good high school football player from what I have read. He hustles on the court, gives great effort out there. I can honestly say I've never seen him loafing. To repeat: He really does hustle. No argument there. And I got a big soft spot for anybody wearing a Kentucky uniform that truly hustles. So I do not dislike Mr. Porter.

However.

And I mean this only the most constructive way....

He's awfully inconsistent, and there are a few holes in his game right now.

Namely, he turns it over too frequently. Well-documented. That is really what has always bothered me the most. Just a little too sloppy with the ball, a little too prone to throwing it away or allowing it to be stolen.

Furthermore: not the best or most confident perimeter shooter. Below average, I'd say.

Defensively, *cough* a bit susceptible to getting beaten off the dribble. And we'll leave it at that.

Now, I do believe he is going to continue to play substantial minutes. Coach Gillispie seems to regard him as the best option at lead guard and was very quick to get him back into the flow after his unfortunate collision with Ramon during the Lamar game. Michael can and will continue to be called upon to contribute to this team's success. So I do support him, peanut butter comments aside.

I suppose one of the things that nags me the most about his performance is the way he will go a few games playing fairly well, making good decisions, chipping in a few points here and there, and then out of nowhere - BAM - he looks just awful. Like he's really confused and overwhelmed. He'll turn in a game that just disappoints the heck out of me. It would be great if he could eliminate those bad games and just be more consistent.

He certainly hasn't shown that straight line of improvement, where you struggle as a freshman, really start to "get it"as a sophomore, contribute greatly as a junior, and then --hopefully-- dominate as a senior. If you didn't know what class Mike was in, it would be hard to tell from watching any one particular game. More importantly, to a lot of fans anyway, is that it's awfully hard to imagine him ever being dominant, or a premier guard in D-1. Of course with Pat and Jodie on the team, you can argue that he doesn't need to dominate, and certainly doesn't need to put up 20 ppg.

Where am I going with all of this? Well, Michael Porter is a conundrum. He frustrates me. I like his effort, I love it when he plays well and I am happy for him. I do believe there are more talented, athletic players on the current roster (Galloway, Liggins) who due to their own weaknesses and Coach's judgment, do not get to start or play as frequently as Mike-- and Coach has some other players on the way. Coach always has players on the way.

Now, I am not one to completely discount Porter's athleticism. The fact that he has logged so many effective minutes on mulitple occasions demonstrates that he can play winning SEC basketball. He can hang. I will again repeat that I love his effort, his scrappiness, his diving for loose balls. He has a winning attitude. But January is winding down, and as we reach the conference grind, there has to be some improvement from Michael, some real dependability game after game. Nothing spectacular, just a really boring, 100% pure.....steadiness. Let's start today vs. Alabama.

He absolutely has it in him. I am pulling for him.

And for the record, although I'm not real picky about it, I consider myself to be a Jif Extra Crunchy man.

UK Downs Auburn 73-64; Tiger Fans Blame Tuberville

Kentucky put in a brilliant effort on the boards tonight, with unofficial stats showing UK had a 42-22 rebounding advantage over Auburn. That's huge. It's even more important when you still turn it over 20+ times at home (more on that later.) Big Pat pulled down 18 off the glass by himself, which is listed as a career high.

We'll go ahead and credit the training staff here for deciding to only tape the one injured finger on Patrick's hand instead of taping it together with an adjacent figure. Hmm. Of course, it's basketball, not football-- and last time I checked it really helps to have all those digits operating independently when you handle it as much as Patrick does. He had a tremendous night scoring the ball again-- this despite the fact that Auburn seemed intent on fouling him early, rather than giving up easy buckets, so he hurt them from the charity stripe.

Perry Stevenson turned in a superb game statistically as well, notching a double-double and doing all the things on both ends of the court that keep him in the lineup and keep me optimistic about this team's ceiling. After all, Jodie is going to get his on most nights (a pedestrian 31 this evening. Yawn.)

But Michael Porter tonight.... Yikes! Not good. That strip out top where he got clowned by an Auburn defender was just plain ugly, but there was really a bevy of bad passes and a disturbing tendency to pass up wide open 15-footers. I'm sorry, but you have to occasionally take those just to keep a defense honest. Even a poor shooter is going to accidentally make a few, and from that distance there's no reason that Mike can't convert a respectable percentage. His confidence is just not there.

Unfortunately, I'm beginning to think that Porter is like that institutional salmonella-tainted peanut butter that is being recalled across the country and has everyone scared to death. They say that the majority of the product is actually perfectly safe and so you could probably make yourself a nice peanut butter & jelly sandwich with it-- which would be representative of Porter's normal contribution. But some games you get the bad salmonella batch, and the performance makes you violently ill. (Or at least makes you want to throw up as you watch another stupid entry pass into the post sail out of reach).

The worst thing about this scenario is that sure, you can beat a lot of teams out there with a peanut butter & jelly sandwich at point/"lead" guard, but there will be times when the opponent has a 16 oz. ribeye at that position, and then what are you going to do?

Well, I tell you what I'm going to do: stay positive, enjoy another conference win (on a night when Florida got beat), and hope this team keeps growing and developing, from starting point guard all the way down to the last guy on the bench. So pass the peanut butter, I've made myself hungry. Go Cats.

Patrick Patterson Facts

So it's been all about Jodie Meeks lately, and rightfully so, but I can't help but give some love today to Big Pat.

Patman.

The one the fans have voted "Bruise", as in "Rhythm and Bruise"-- the democratically selected nickname freshly applied to Meeks and Patterson, as organized by Mark Story in the LH-L.

I think this team goes nowhere in March without Big Pat. Gotta have his double-double, sure as the sun comes up in the morning. He brings that toughness. That quiet, confident determination. The sheer strength of will in the midst of the low-key demeanor. You know he's made of titanium under there. Well, maybe not his ankle (God how I pray his ankles and knees and everything else holds up)-- but definitely his heart. Titanium, I say.

So my first Patrick Patterson fact is that his heart is made of titanium.

And with apologies to Chuck Norris, I figured I would go ahead and list a few more Patrick Patterson facts for your enlightenment:

• Patrick Patterson can lead a horse to water and make him drink.
• Patrick Patterson can watch an entire episode of 60 Minutes in 14 seconds.
• When whoopa$$ gets mad, it opens a can of Patrick Patterson.
• Patrick Patterson played offensive line in high school. The entire offensive line.
• Patrick Patterson can get blackjack with just one card.
  
• There are no such things as tornados. Patrick Patterson just hates trailer parks.
• According to the laws of physics, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. However, light goes the speed of Patrick Patterson.
• Why did Patrick Patterson cross the road? No one has ever dared to ask him.
• If Patrick Patterson wanted your opinion, he would beat it into you.
• You should never bring a knife to a gun fight, and you should never bring a gun to a Patrick Patterson fight.
• The reason the universe is expanding is that it's trying to get away from Patrick Patterson.
• Patrick Patterson beats rock, paper, and scissors.

Cats Slap Dogs, Go To 3-0 In SEC

Another big-margin road win.

I could definitely get used to this.

Before getting to game comments, I thought I'd relate a few facts that were brought to my attention by (ultimate UK fan) Fred. Namely, he had culled from the interwebz a few enlightening facts about just how highly Kentucky is ranked in several D-1 statistical categories, despite the team not being ranked in the top 25.

The ones that jumped out at me were the rankings in free throw percentage (#3), assists (#10), and defensive rebounds (#4). Taking them in reverse order, one can surmise that UK should be quite successful in limiting teams to only one shot per possession, which was certainly the case against Georgia today. That has to be one of those stats that coaches really love, because it is an "effort" stat-- it shows how hard a team is working the glass and preventing putbacks. Assist-wise, it would reveal that UK shares the ball, which is a demonstration of the team being (for the most part) selfless. You don't want Jodie or Patrick to have to create everything from scratch, but rather allow the picks and entry passes of the offensive structure to do a lot of the setup work. Lastly, the free-throw percentage is pretty self-explanatory, but that gives a team a tremendous advantage in closing out games.

Taken together, and in light of the blitz of exposure the Cats got last week, I think they do make a strong case to crack the rankings sooner rather than later. We will be hearing a lot about how the conference is down this season, but it will be tough to ignore UK if things should keep rolling. (Thanks again, Fred.)

Now, to temper things just a smidge, let's keep in mind that was not the Los Angeles Lakers that Kentucky manhandled this afternoon. Still, the defense was plenty smothering and contributed greatly to Georgia looking like, well, a bunch of (lower case -d) dogs. UK got its usual tremendous effort from Mr. Meeks, and the offense was able to score points in bunches at times. Really, a couple of mini-runs was all it was going to take today.

I am encouraged by the further signs of development flashed by Perry Stevenson. He has to be that guy that can pick up a little more garbage just by being in the right place at the right time. He needs to remember his range and use that shot fake a little more, which works so much better when he makes the defense respect that little 8 ft. jumper. (Make it, Perry. Make it!)

Plus, he has either worked a ton on his ball skills, or has simply gained more confidence with the handles. I really like the fact that he can occasionally dribble more than once or twice before getting scared and looking for help. He's never going to be confused for a slasher, but he really doesn't have to be one.

Coach Gillispie again used his bench abundantly, which was quite fitting as the margin ballooned in the second half. (Of course, when did Coach G ever need a big margin to use the bench?) It was nice to have a Josh Harrellson sighting and to get a few minutes for Galloway as well.

So it's consecutive road wins and a dream 3-0 start to conference play. I'll take the wins and let the rankings sort themselves out like they always do.

Thanks for reading.

photo: Sephiroty Fiesta (flickr)

A Trip to Athens

As the Cats visit Georgia tomorrow, some thoughts on the meeting:

• Top question has to be: what does Jodie Meeks do for an encore? I can't imagine him approaching another half-century or scorching the Bulldogs for another 10 treys. Expect the offensive focus to be more on getting Patrick Patterson involved, which is really as it should be. Patrick remains a most crucial piece to UK's scoring apparatus.
• "Paging Mr. Liggins, Mr. DeAndre Liggins. Your playing time has become separated from the rest of your party. Please pickup the white courtesy phone, Mr. DeAndre Liggins." Who knows what's truly going on with this young man? I will save the ruminations for later, but after not seeing any action at all vs. Tennessee, I would expect Coach G to find more than a few minutes for him in Athens.
• Dennis Felton deserves better. I had followed him fairly closely as he coached at Western Kentucky, and consider him to be a fine coach and a very well-respected gentleman and role model. His record at Georgia to date does not reflect the caliber of coach and person that he is. We all know he was rumored to be on the hot seat until their great tournament run last year, and I hope he gets a chance to make good at Georgia (against every team except Kentucky, of course.)
• I definitely won't miss Sundiata Gaines, if for no other reason than I won't have to look up how to spell his name. Seriously, though, that guy was a beast. I'm not sure who we would have put on him this season-- Porter? *cough* Meeks? I have no idea; maybe you put a 3 on him like Ramon. That guy was tough. Just a tough player, won't miss him at all.
  
• I know I speak for Dan-O when I say-- Can we do it this time without the tornado, please?
  

An Exclusive Interview with Sam Bowie's Old Uniform Shorts

Wildcat Whisperer: Thanks for joining us.
Sam Bowie's Uniform Shorts: No problem, it was great to get out of that storage bin for a little while, if you know what I mean.

WW: Well, we really are glad you're here. So tell us, what have you been doing for the last 28 years?
SBUS: (Sighs) I've been all over man. From Lexington we first went first to Portland of course, then Big Sam made stops in Jersey and LA before he hung 'em up back in '95. It was a heckuva ride, though, I gotta tell ya. Mainly I've just been kept in different boxes and bins, you know, with old trophies and other memorabilia. But the good news is I'm 100% polyester, so I don't have to worry about moths or anything.

WW: That's good to hear. So, where are you from originally?
SBUS: Made in China, baby. From a straight-up sweat shop. Believe me, nobody cared about working conditions over there back in the day. I hear things have improved, though. Progress.

WW: And speaking of progress, I gotta ask...how long is the inseam exactly?
SBUS: Believe it or not, I'm one of the lucky ones, since Sam was over 7' tall. My inseam is a solid 5 and a quarter inches, which used to pass for standard. So don't get me started on the capris those guys are wearing these days. I think at this stage, the pendulum has actually swung too far in the opposite direction. A little bit further south and guys will be needing cuffs on those shorts, you know?

WW: Good point. I guess we can blame Michigan's Fab Five for starting that trend, along with Michael Jor..
SBUS: Whoa! Had to go there, didn't you!
WW: Jeez, I'm sorry, I had meant to avoid that particular subj...
SBUS: (laughs) I'm just playin', man. It's cool. Sam made his millions, had a nice little career, so no hard feelings. Just because you're considered by some people to be the biggest NBA draft bust ever, that doesn't mean you were a bad player. Hardly anybody compares to MJ anyway.

WW: True, true. So did you and Sam always get along?
SBUS: Oh yeah, sure. Sam's cool. Well, there was that one time back in '81 when we were about to take the court against Ole Miss, and I looked up at Sam and said, "Go get 'em, buddy. Break a leg." Oh man, he shot me the dirtiest look you could ever imagine! He didn't speak to me again until Selection Sunday. But other than that, it was all good.

WW: Any particularly fond memories of your time at UK?
SBUS: For one thing, I must say, that Bill Keightley was a prince among men. He never, ever washed us in cold, it was always in warm. Only the best fabric softeners. Folded crisp, fresh out of the dryer. But of course, it wasn't just the way he took care of the equipment, it was how he took care of the players. That guy truly was Mr. Wildcat. He deserves every accolade, the banner in Rupp, all of it. He loved Kentucky basketball, and Kentucky basketball players especially. Nobody ever had a bad word to say about Mr. Keightley. For him, it was always about the people, the relationships. The wins were nice, sure, the championships, but at the end of the day, it was about helping young men reach their potential, helping them grow into maturity. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.

WW: (wiping moisture from eyes) Wow, sorry, must be my allergies. Kind of dusty in here. (Sniffs) Anyway, um, the Sports Illustrated cover, that must have been nice, right?
SBUS: Actually, that was a different model. They switched uniform suppliers and went with a different style, with the UK logo on the front of the shorts rather than the sides, and if you look really close, the lettering is slightly altered, too.

WW: Oh, I beg your pardon..
SBUS: Common mistake.

WW: Well, I apologize again. I suppose we had better wrap this up. So is there anything else you'd like to add, anyone you'd like to say hello to?
SBUS: Yeah, thanks again for having me, and just a quick shout-out to Freddie Cowan's old socks. Those guys were really funky, man! Tell 'em I said, "Peace!"

That Was Not A Dream

After pinching myself this morning, I came to realize that yes, Jodie Meeks did in fact drop a big five-four on Tennessee last night.

Fiddy.

Fo.

Now, I probably couldn't score 54 points if you gave me an hour in any empty gym-- but even I can recognize that when a player passes a name like Dan Issel on any kind of basketball-related list, well, attention must be paid.

So you go back to your DVR and you break it down Zapruder-style and you see this: Mr. Meeks just really got off a remarkable amount of field goal attempts where he: first, got his feet set quickly, then made sure he had a clean look, was in the flow of the offense, and within his established range, and recognized that he was not overlooking an open teammate closer to the basket.

Now, I have come up with a very sophisticated term that I use for these type of shots. They are what I like to call--follow me here-- "good" shots.

That's right, Jodie took a bunch of good shots. And boy, he made more than his share.

Much to Bruce Pearl's chagrin. *giggles*

Now, sure as I am typing this, there are gonna be days where Jodie will be taking the same kind of shots, getting the same exact looks, and for whatever reason...they just aren't dropping. I told Brother JC that I was not trying to look for a cloud in the 54-point silver lining, but I do think there is a risk of this Kentucky team becoming over-reliant on that kind of performance. You don't want 4 guys standing out there just spectating, as an old coach used to say. Even if you've got a front row seat for the Jodie Meeks Show.

I'm sure Billy Gillispie will be working hard to prevent that kind of outcome, though. Patrick Patterson is certainly capable of putting up huge numbers on any given night, and I see glimmers from Miller, from Stevenson, from Harrelson (even though he didn't play against the Vols), that indicate there should be enough offensive firepower on this roster to win any given game, as long as the Cats defend well and continue to cutdown on the giveaways.

But it was definitely Jodie Meeks' night, and I for one will remember it for quite awhile. High-fiving everyone at F & H. Screaming "Shoot!" every time Meeks dribbled across mid-court. Was Wayne actually lifting that chair up over his head, shouting, cheering, laughing, while Jodie was making it rain in Knoxville? Yes, yes he was.... it really was not a dream. Or perhaps it was better said in Talladega Nights: "That. Just. Happened."

This Just In: Jodie Meeks Can Score

....and in other sports news....

Terrell Owens has a bit of an ego.

Yao Ming is kinda tall.

Tiger Woods is pretty competitive.

Also, don't quote me, but I heard Michael Phelps is a decent swimmer, Charles Barkley likes to gamble, and Peyton Manning has done a commercial or two.

Good grief. FIFTY-FOUR points. On the road.

I gotta let this one sink in a little.

Photo: Courier-Journal

I Heart Late Games

They are more of a drag on me than they used to be, but I've always been partial towards the late games. Especially when I was a youngster, I used to really enjoy those delayed broadcasts on WAVE-3 (Bob Domine with sports!) that would come on after the local news.

Depending upon the matchup, it was a bit of a question as to whether or not I would listen to Cawood Ledford's live call on the radio, and therefore learn the outcome before it was shown on television.

I know it's heresy, but sometimes I would prefer to not listen in as it unfolded on the AM dial. That's certainly no knock on Cawood, a legend if ever there was one. (I could probably do a dozen posts on his contributions to UK fandom alone, and still not do the man justice. Suffice it to say, I was a huge fan.)

But the fact is, at that age, sometimes I would just rather wait for the TV, with all of Dan Issel's Kentucky Farm Bureau commercials and the spots for Golden Flake potato chips.

Did I always stay awake the entire game? Well no, especially if UK was pulling one of its blowout specials on some hopelessly undermanned team in a rowdy Rupp Arena. I might wake up on the couch to that blizzard of "snow" on the screen, listening to the perfect white noise background that cable and Dish and DirecTV have all but eliminated from our existence.

But it seemed like a secret that I could keep to myself, with the rest of the house quiet, to stay up past 1:00am...pulling for the Big Blue and not caring how tired I might be at school later that morning. It was truly like an "event" for me. It was somehow better than a Saturday afternoon game with everyone else awake and watching with me. Late games, it was usually just me and the big fat housecat.

So of course things have changed. I no longer live in the Blue Grass, and am not even aware of an option for "delayed" TV broadcasts, unless you count DVRs. Telecasts can be streamed over your home computer these days, or you can at least get live audio, real-time stats, and who knows what all. The interwebz might not always bring progress, strictly speaking, but it is a wondrous thing. There's more information out there about his favorite team than any kid could have imagined that many years ago.

Speaking of kids, I have my own now, and somebody needs to make sure that they are tucked in and getting their proper rest (Thank God for my wife.) Being in the Central time zone also means that even the later tip-offs, such as the game with Tennessee tonight, should have me asleep long before midnight-- if I can properly unwind, and resist the temptation of another hour of SportsCenter.

So late games have their downside, to be sure. I might have a tendency to um, snack farther into the evening than I should. Yeah, snack. Or if I want to watch with friends and fellow Kentucky fans, it might keep me out on the town a bit later than I would prefer. But for me, there is still something about late games that just makes them seem special.

If the Cats can beat Tennessee in Knoxville tonight, it will be even more special.

Welcome back, Ramon

So apparently AJ Ogilvy came down with a severe case of Patrick Patterson-itis, ERR, I mean a bruised heel. Which means we did not get Vandy's best yesterday. No matter. I will take a 10-point win like nobody's business. Perhaps we will get a chance to see Mr. Ogilvy later this season.

Yes, the 10-point win could have been a bit more comfortable. UK started quite slow (again), but more troublesome to me was the way they allowed Vandy to close it down to a 6-point margin late in the game, after working so hard to build the lead up to 20 in the second half.

Good thing this team can make some free throws down the stretch. I'm not sure whether to credit the 'Dores for hanging tough, or if it was more a case of the Cats losing a bit of focus. Probably a bit of both.

What I liked best about this game was Ramon Harris looking so so strong, scoring 12 points on a perfect day from the field (5 for 5, including a couple of treys). Throw in 7 boards and 3 assists and you've got a guy really stuffing the stat line in a good way. It was just so nice to see him back giving such a great effort after that scary collision during the Lamar game. I imagine he is gaining more confidence every day, and this was by far his best game since returning to action.

I also enjoyed the defensive effort from Liggins, who looked pretty good on a couple of fast breaks as well. Jodie Meeks...well...he is just going to "get his" most games. It seems like he is having an off day and then you look up and he's got 20 points. I guess that's manageable when you shoot it 16 times.

But for Mr. Harris' output, he will be honored with our first Blue Grass Chemical Specialties' Player of the Game Award. He will receive a 600 lb. drum of 41% Ferric Nitrate, delivered directly to his room at Wildcat Lodge. Congratulations, Ramon, and welcome back!

Photo: Courier-Journal

A Visit From The Commodores

Remember when UK used to own Vandy? Or is my memory that faulty? Seemed like back in the day there was no question that when the Commodores came to town, you could pretty much count on them heading back to Nashville nursing big lumps on their heads like Elmer Fudd after a run-in with my man B. Bunny.

Not so long ago, the only amusing thing about Vandy was the fact that their lineup was often sprinkled with Kentucky kids, guys who seemed to always step it up big time when they played in Lexington. The name Barry Goheen certainly rings a bell, and then there was Dan Langhi more recently. So hang on while I check their current roster....yep, sure enough.....two kids from the Commonwealth...both freshman (CovCath & LexCath represent! What, no St. X?) EDIT: Apparently one of them is a redshirt this year.

Back to the point: if you check Vandy's more recent history against the Cats, you'll see that they have taken 5 out of the last 6 games, including 2 of the last 3 in Rupp. Not cool. Kevin Stallings might just know what the heck he is doing with that program. They have been more than competitive.

So it's high time for Kentucky to remind the 'Dores who's boss in the SEC, and in the East specifically. Now I see where they are coming off of a 30 point win on the road at UMass. That's pretty impressive any way you look at it. And you gotta like the big Aussie's line: 6'11" AJ Ogilvy is averaging 16 and half points per game and over 7 rebounds.

With this one being in Lexington, and the Cats coming off a quite different result (man that last-second loss to Louisville still stings)-- I do expect a great effort from the Big Blue. Nothing starts the opening of conference play better than a home victory within the division. Suffice it to say that I'd absolutely love to see those 2 Vandy freshmen get on the court in mop-up duty... with the Cats up by 20 or so.

The Mystery Technical

Much has been written (and speculated) regarding the rather unfortunate technical foul that was assessed to Coach Gillispie in the second half on Sunday. It may have been largely overlooked or lost in the shuffle had UK completed its valiant comeback effort, but alas, as we all know, that was not the case. Columnists and fans have rightly pointed out that the "T" seemed to turn the momentum towards Louisville, given the fact that it started the Cards on a 12-0 run, right after UK had spent no small effort to finally take a one point lead at 43-42.

Funny thing is, if you really consider it, there really is no "good time" to get a technical. Now that's not to say that many a coach hasn't occasionally taken a calculated approach, and intentionally pushed a ref just beyond the threshold in an effort to inspire his team. Heck, I don't even necessarily disagree with the tactic-- we've all seen it before. Coach rips refs, takes one for team, team responds with big rally. Tommy Braden used to pull this stuff all the time.

What I mean is, given the fact that the penalty is 2 foul shots and loss of possession, well...there really is no good time for that. You would never purposefully draw up a play that you know for a fact would lead to such a result, as it were. If a player makes a boneheaded decision that leads to a couple of foul shots for his opponent and loss of the ball, the end result on paper is clearly a negative. There's no arguing it.

As of this posting, Gillispie has not expounded on what he actually said to draw the technical. I suppose it is his prerogative should he choose not to explain his words or actions in that case. And in a 40-minute game, you can always select turning points, key plays and such, but it really is never fair to isolate one particular play or decision to be singled out for excessive scrutiny....there are simply too many other plays and decisions that must be taken into account over the entire contest.

Now, I went back over that particular portion of the game using my DVR, and it is obvious that Coach G is shouting something and gesturing with his hands, perhaps to indicate that he thought a foul should have been called on Mike Porter's drive to the basket. I suspect there was some profanity involved. But again, Gillispie isn't talking, and since you will almost never get a referee to fess up, we may never know what exactly was said.

But that doesn't stop folks from speculating, and I couldn't resist taking a stab at some possibilities for what Coach G was shouting at that particular moment to draw the Mystery Technical. Herewith, I share a few possibilities:

• You @#$%&! You've got chocolate in my peanut butter!
• Blow the whistle already, you Clay Aiken fan.
• Listen, pal. Whoever told you vertical stripes are slimming...they lied.
• YAHTZEE!
  
• Foul! That's a foul! Tom Cruise could even see that with his eye patch on.
• Jeez! Oh, wait....let me guess... you're related to Steve Kragthorpe.
• Come on ref, that smack was louder than Thunder Over Louisville.
• You want the truth?! You can't handle the truth!
  
• Hey buddy, Don Rutledge called. He wants his whistle back.
• Ha! Finally got the lead! You owe me a drink.
  
• Pardon me, my dear chap. But I believe-- just perhaps-- you may have missed one, Sir.

The Dreaded Dagger

Nothing quite like losing a game on a VERY long-distance jump shot, is there? That one really hurt.

But tell the truth: when Cardinals guard Edgar Sosa kept dribbling, dribbling, dribbling out in no man's land beyond the top of the key, it appeared unlikely that Louisville was even going to get a decent shot off. As the seconds ticked away, it seemed more plausible that the Cats might escape into overtime-- with all of the momentum. Give UK an additional 5 minutes on its loathsome rival's home court, and they probably walk off with the spoils.

Well, apparently Sosa had a plan, and a bit of luck on his side.

Usually a team would prefer to get something going towards the basket in the dying seconds. Get some penetration, hope to create a look for yourself on the way to the rim, or failing that--dump it off to a teammate crashing to the goal, or pitch it out to a spot-up shooter.

So it might not have been the way ol' Rick Pitino drew it up. Sosa threw in an absolute dagger from what, nearly 30 ft? (EDIT: most media sources estimate it at 26) And there isn't a whole lot that a defense can do in that situation. Frankly, I like our chances when you have a player resort to that kind of effort in a last-second situation. How many times out of 10 would he make that shot, even unguarded, and in an empty gym with no pressure?

It just smelled of desperation, honestly. It was practically a prayer. A heave.

And that's what makes the dagger so painful.

Cats must minimize turnovers against U of L

Let's delay the point guard discussion for another time... goodness knows there is plenty of ground to cover there. Suffice it to say that at this point, if you're looking for a single key to victory for UK, facing in-state nemesis Louisville tomorrow, it has to be simply taking care of the basketball.

At the risk of sounding like Mr. Obvious: Cut down the turnovers.

Sure there will be plenty of other factors and matchups that will play out (Samuels vs. Patterson ought to be quite pivotal), but I figure Rick Pitino will have instructed his players to trap, press, shove if possible, and then and trap some more. The Cards would like nothing better than to see UK's guards transform Cheat'em Hall into a bakery.

This game always delivers that great high-intensity college basketball atmosphere. It has been circled on everyone's calendar as soon as the schedule was released. How a youngster like DeAndre Liggins or Darius Miller, or even the more seasoned players like a Mike Porter or Jodie Meeks responds to the intensity that U of L is sure to bring will definitely go a long way towards determining the victor.

Naturally, Coach G has been preaching to his backcourt rotation that they must value possession like they should value cold hard cash. But this UK team has shown a nauseating tendency to throw the ball away like so many Benjamin Franklins right down the drain. Kentucky's guards simply must be able to effectively bring the ball up the court and get the offense started if the Cats are going to have any chance as an 8-point underdog. If it gets too sloppy out there early, there may be too big of a hole to climb out of later, a la the UNC game.

There are going to be some mistakes made for sure, since you can't play at full speed and push the ball without coughing it up occasionally. But there probably comes a tipping point-- make it somewhere around a baker's dozen, to strain the pastry analogy--so that if the Cats' turnover total starts stretching into the mid- to high-teens, it probably means Louisville will be doing a lot of Dunkin'.

Give me Liberty!

Congratulations to the football Cats for putting together a great second half to defeat C-USA champion East Carolina. A length-of-the-field kickoff return by David Jones to start the third quarter gets my vote for play of the game. Although there were plenty of fireworks later in the contest, Jones seemed to really put a spark into the Big Blue by taking one to the house after what had been a fairly listless first half. Frankly, Kentucky looked quite stale from the start, with the offense looking particularly rusty for the opening 30 minutes.

Rich Brooks deserves a ton of credit for getting the Cats to a third straight bowl and then actually managing to defeat a nine-win Pirate team that boasted victories over Virginia Tech and West Virginia this season. I also have to give Coach Brooks major props for being his normal crusty self during those obnoxious sideline interviews that always deliver the most predictable of questions. The guy has a way of blending irritability, sarcasm, and impatience, along with just enough wit to make me giggle. And the way he blasted poor Matt Roark on the sideline after roughing the punter, well, it was positively Bolusian.

It seemed the Cats not only had to overcome their own sluggishness but also a bit of referee/video replay shenanigans to snag this "W". A couple of things could have gone Kentucky's way to make it a bit easier, namely an obvious knee on the ground by an E. Carolina return man that was somehow missed by the zebras (but caught later in the 4th quarter-- never go to that well twice) and a fumble that was overruled (indisputable video evidence, right?) were both surmounted by a stubborn UK defense that just did not want to leave Memphis without that little bell of a trophy.

Ventrell Jenkins threw a stiff arm for the ages on his touchdown return to seal the deal, and I think the victim's mouthpiece flew a good 5 or 6 yards. (Not to mention his helmet being reoriented so that the face mask became more of a forehead mask.) It was a nice bit of athleticism from Jenkins, but it also only goes to prove the axiom that quarterbacks don't make good tacklers. Please note that despite this, I would personally hate to participate in any helmet-to-helmet collisions with Jared Lorenzen.

So the Cats end the season with a 7-6 record and hopefully some momentum that they can take into spring practice and the '09 season. We also learned once again that Mike Hartline needs to improve his accuracy if hopes to have any shot at the starting signal-caller spot in the fall. Hartline was more than erratic tonight, but managed to convert just enough third down throws and not give away the killer turnover or pick 6 to keep the Cats in the game. Of course Randall Cobb and a couple of stud freshmen look to give some real depth at that position, if not furious competition for playing time, come next August.

It looked like there were plenty of seats available, but I imagine the Wildcat faithful that made the journey into Tennessee were thrilled that they did. Dare we dream of a 4th bowl trip in a row? Grumpy Rich Brooks will certainly give his best to make it happen.

Welcome to The Whisperer

Happy New Year! A hearty welcome goes out to all friends, family, supporters, alumni, fans, and basically anyone demonstrating even the slightest interest in University of Kentucky basketball. I look forward to kicking off a "fine" 2009 by blogging about the Cats as they continue their second season under head coach Billy Gillispie. I hope you find something occasionally insightful (and more frequently, entertaining) to read here as UK pursues its eighth national title.