Truth...I say the Truth shall make you Free.

I have not read A Sea of Blue in a while.  I felt like Tru was getting off a little bit but after today's article I see Hallelujah!

Here is the PART II of

Let the Healing Waters Flow: Throw a Little Whiskey on the Fire!

(We were talking about recruiting)

To me it is one of the most honored and favorite past-times of Wildcat Fans. A perfect weekend was spending Friday night and all day Saturday playing basketball and talking about recruiting. Who did we need? What positions were the most necessary? What was the word on the street concerning the recruits? The anticipation of maturation of new player was just as savory as reminiscing the legends. But that joy soon faded when Tubby started losing key recruits to other schools or having players that were of high caliber transfer. I stood beside and defended Tubby to friends and family saying, “You can’t build a program on one and done’s and you can’t get prima donnas that won’t listen. He’s the coach and knows better than we do.” But I started noticing a trend: the Bourbon barrel was getting low and even the sweetest victory turn sour in my stomach. Something wasn’t right; Big Blue Nation was becoming divided and watered-down. There were those Fans who refused to see that anything was wrong and those on the other side who magnified every mistake. What bewildered me the most is that no matter what level of talent that Tubby recruited, it seemed like that there wasn’t any development of the players. I felt like I was being forced to drink a weak Bourbon and Seven; flat Seven-up, lots of ice and only a touch of rawgut Bourbon. I was left very dissatisfied with the service.
Even players like Tayshaun, Bogans, Rondo and others it seemed like they only accomplished minimal strides every year, skill wise. They never had a break out year, or they never corrected the less-than-desirable habits that they had. I know a few of them won SEC player of the year awards but it never quite had the same taste. It appeared that Tubby tried but did not succeed in molding the players to his style of play nor his philosophies, or worse that he actual succeeded in doing just that and the product was uneven at best. Only a few ever exceeded promise, guys like Gerald Fitch, Chuck Hayes and Eric Daniels. Those Wildcats became integral cogs of the 2004 team that demolished the SEC and blew out Florida by 20 in Lexington; Florida came into the season ranked number one in the country. I do savor those moments and let the aroma soak in, because they came so far and few between.
I will point out that I think that Tubby is a fine play caller and sideline coach. To his coaching credit he always found a way to win at least twenty games whether or not they had great talent. He did win national coach of the Year a few times. Which is the mark of a good coach, but alas that is not the only mark by which the standard is set. Our teams were always physically out matched and out of shape. My wife, who didn’t know anything about basketball (at the time), would watch the games and make comments like, “why do Kentucky players look like little kids playing against men.” The Wildcats looked like the pudgy kid at the gym who could get on a hot streak, knock the lights out and win games they are not supposed to. It doesn’t matter that the other guys are more athletic and skilled players, so that is not a bad thing…but what if that pudgy kid got motivated and pushed to be become better and he trained more and learned defensive skills…I would say a tall glass, no ice.
Tubby did get twenty-win seasons but he also had many years of double-digit losses. A record of 22-15 is not a great record by Wildcat standards, especially if this is not your first few seasons and you have had ample time to prepare the distillery for production of your own brew. Heck, use the recipe that is probable still hanging on the clipboard from the last master distiller. Considering you inherited a recruiting gold mine and two national title games. The fact of the matter was that Tubby was the coach. He was responsible for recruiting, motivating, teaching, mentoring, and coaching the players.
He did some of those things well, others not so well. He was being paid millions of dollars to keep the Wildcats on the top and the Fans inebriated. But the Wildcats were producing bad batch after bad batch. Not even a draught of an SEC record of 16-0 and a number 1 ranking (for one season) could wash out the bitterness. I wanted Tubby to be great, I wanted him to carry the torch of Wildcat Mystique, but he did not. By season 10 the light from the ’98 championship was nothing more than a smoldering ember. Bickering, fighting, and anarchy in the heart of Big Blue Nation had broken up the ‘98 party; it was not Tubby’s intention, it was just the way that one went.
I felt like a recovering alcoholic who was being force-fed soymilk and grapefruit juice to sober me up to this reality; Wildcat dominance is a memory and a dream. The games were always close and we were being to be mocked by the national media. We were no longer the colossal giants of the nineties but the unlikely misfits that would find a way to win twenty plus games each season, hang around the top 25 and make it to the NCAA Tournament…but we were never a threat except for the 2004 season. Which was Tubby’s eighth season, interestingly enough that was same as the apex of Pitino’s dynasty. The only major difference is that Tubby was not getting a team right off of probation and full of overweight and unmotivated players. He inherited a team of Mcdonald’s All-Amercians and highly touted and recruited players, most of who had been to at least one National Title game.
The amplified bitter commentary of the likes of Vitale, Bilas, Davis, and Rafferty was sickening; too much vermouth for me to stomach. They would constantly talk about the lack of talent at Kentucky and that the talent of our recruits was sub-par; no longer the team to be feared or respected, that they once were. I tried to cut Tubby slack and tried to agree with those who said that he was just as good of a coach as Pitino, but the proof was just not there. It was a very restless time for me as a Fan. Absolutely the most confusing and emotional distress at this time was the fact that the media, both nationally and locally, were speaking out of both sides of their mouths. “Kentucky no longer has the talent of the big boys…” and then in the other breath say, “I don’t know what Kentucky fans are complaining about, Tubby is a great coach and recruiter, he is so great a coach, they are so lucky to have him in Lexington.” So I felt like that if I complained that I as being labeled a Tubby hater or disloyal. But in my heart I knew that the ingredients were there for success, the potential had not yet been reached.
Wearied from constantly trying to defend my beloved Wildcats from scoffers and haters, I just accept it that the Wildcats would never again get great recruiting and if we did they would never be utilized to their full potential (Rondo, Bradley, Crawford, and Morris). The pride was waning; everything that I had learned, my Wildcat Aficionado now was becoming inconsequential and nothing more than minutiae. I still paced the floors yelling at the TV during games, I still talked about recruiting and kept up with stats but in my heart I was losing interest; my obsession was being diminished to nothing more than a façade. I appeared to my fellow Fans that I was still true blue…but mainly I was blue. My head hurt and I felt like throwing up after every disappointing loss…I could see the fast approaching Tarheel in the rear view mirror. For me the Tubby Era was the mother of all hangovers from the drunken glory of Pitino.
After sobering up and putting a “mature” out look on my obsession with the Wildcats and all that that entails. The Wildcats, under Pitino, pushed the limits. Remember the line from Top Gun, “You never be satisfied unless you are going Mach I with your hair on fire.” That was my sentiment exactly. How can we Fans be satisfied with a dangerously close Four-corner-esque brand of basketball when we fell in love Secretariat-paced, absolute breath-taking game speed? My perplexity between Pitino and Tubby was the effort that the players gave. Pitino’s Wildcats let it all on the court and played with tremendously huge hearts, but I was always left with the impression that Tubby’s Wildcats played their hearts out but that their hearts were much smaller and seemingly out of shape. Now that Tubby has headed north to Minnesota, where he is doing well, I have nothing more to say on that subject. Enter Billy Clyde Gillispie.
He’s a down-home, blue-collar fellow that has a mule eating briars smile on his face most of the time (unless he is carving you up with his razor sharp sarcasm). He talks slow and seems indifferent with the magnified spotlight. I am sure that he would rather be recruiting or coaching than talking to the media. His intensity seems to bubble underneath the good-natured good ole boy, but the genius is evident if you watch and listen.
The philosophy of basketball that I have gleaned from watching Billy G. over the last year is; if you practice hard and you play hard during the game you will get more minutes. That would appear to Common Wildcat Sense, but it is amazing to me that the media and Fans have been hard on Gillispie for his hour practices before games and that the players who practice hardest get more minutes…huh? Why won’t Billy G. play A.J. Stewart, he is more athletic and explosive than a lot of the other guys? (I read that on a very popular blogsite). But look at A.J. now; he is looking very good and maturing. Simple facts folks, he wasn’t ready yet and had to be motivated to play. This should not be foreign concept to Wildcat Fans. Rupp, Hall or Pitino did not play players because of talent only. Just because you have a scholarship doesn’t mean you will ever see the floor; you had to earn the right to play
The apparent difference in Gillispie’s approach, the first year, was the exhausted look that the Wildcats exhibited but they continued to push themselves. There were a few early season losses because of it, but that same approach got the into the NCAA tournament at the end of it. (A few players suffered injures…it comes with the territory.) He was conditioning and training them, grooming them for the post season. But what you heard from the local media was that he was pushing these guys to hard. It was almost scandalous. It was like watching an over protective mother and father observing their pampered, spoiled children attending boot camp, and complaining to the drill sergeant that he shouldn’t be so cruel to their “Baby.” The first year produce an very uneven batch. It was plagued with a few contaminants, one heavy, biting lose to Gardner-Webb and one to San Diego. Those two especially were difficult to swallow; stiff drinks, kinda of harsh and didn’t go down smooth at all. The national media was calling the Gardner-Webb defeat one of college basketballs greatest upsets…leaving an ungodly taste in my mouth, yet there was something that I saw in the team; a glint of hope. There was a change happening, but as the season went on the drinks remained very harsh and stiff. After all, Bourbon aged only one year is about 125 proof…but at least it was not watered down or weak. It takes at least four years for Bourbon to come of age. Have patience.
Then the came the Tennessee and the Vanderbilt games, both were highly ranked at the time. Those victories were a smooth and sweet drink, and they warmed the body all the way down. In the words of Will Farrell, “It is so good…when it hits your lips, so good.” You can see our conditioning paying off, and the constant urging voice of Gillispie to go harder and faster was being heeded. The two Wildcats that benefited most from this throwback recipe of Kentucky Basketball were Bradley and Crawford. I was never so proud of two guys in my Fan-dom than those two. They became leaders and took the responsibility of team and the fans. They reached their potential that we always knew they could and we champion their accomplishments. They shouldered us and carried us to the NCAA’s with guts and heart. Both young men are worthy to go into the annuls of Wildcat Lore. I know that my kids will hear about Billy G. and the Two Senior Guards of ‘07.
I am sure that last season was a major disappointment to a lot of fans, but some are always going to be negative; it is part of the Gene. They want the Wildcats to win every game by 50 points…that may never happen (again…’96 was very close). Billy G. is challenging the Wildcats to pitch a defensive shutout this year. How does eighty-five to nothing sound? He is stirring up the tradition and characteristics of the heart of Wildcat Basketball, that has been here since the time of Adolf Rupp; play hard, play fast, play a smothering defense and play to win…BIG. What I have seen in the last two years has put me on the edge of my chair. Could it be? Could the Blue Collar, hard-nosed Attitude that Gillispie is concocting be the answer? The answer is YES.
He is not loquacious. He does not possess that polished, P.R. silver tongue, but then again he’s not running for Governor or even Mayor (hmmm…maybe after Titles 8,9,10, and 11). What he is, though, is intentional. There seems to a purpose for every action, every comment, not a single wasted movement. His resume stands witness to this ultimate focus; winning Big-12 Conference Coach of the Year 2005 and 2007 and SEC co-Coach of the Year 2008 (as well as Texas Coach of the Year numerous times). I implore you for a moment to pay no attention to the label on the Bottle. Just close your eyes and listen to your heart, bring the glass to your lips and slowly drink in…isn’t there something familiar about that taste, warmth, and aroma. Can you feel the energy, the excitement as the Wildcats are diving on the floor for lose balls, playing shut out defense, hitting a flurry of threes, slamming dunk after dunk…yes…something so familiar. It has been the missing ingredient in our recent recipes. Figured it out?…It is Passion.
These Wildcats have passion by the Barrels. You can see the intensity, desire on their faces, and a new swagger in their playing. Billy G. is blending a perfect combination of passion and fundamentals in to these young players…now it just has to soak and mature. So, I ask you, Big Blue Nation, that you open your wounded hearts and let them heal. Have faith one more time and allow that suppressed, frothing Passion come to the surface. Embrace Your Wildcats, Your Team, And Your Colors. Grab a glass and prepare for the outpouring in Lexington. That rich amber concoction is going to flood the streets and bring much needed health and happiness to the Fans. There is hope for my family and those who you know as well that are currently in equivalent of Basketball Hospice, because the only relief for the ADWGD (Advanced Deteriorating Wildcat Gene Disorder) is the abundance of the hard liquor of success. Come on Billy G. pour it on us. CHEERS!

What a day! UK loses. USC loses. It is raining on my Vacation. But 1973-74 season gives me hope.

I  am having trouble with the blog today...I can't get the second part of my blog going.  But I am hating the lose today.  I love the black uniforms.  I hate to sound like a broken record but I still Gillispie is the coach but he needs a harmonic balancer or a play maker.  We don't have that yet.  The real difference between this year and last year is that both Ramel and Joe were both play makers.  This year we have had only one Jodie and when they shadow him then there is no way to score points except in transition and off screens.  

Consider this scenario:  Patterson, Meeks, Stevenson come back for next season.  Enter Jon Hood and Daniel Orton and GJ Vilarno.   DeAndre and AJ blossom.  Kentucky is back in limelight.  Oh, yeah and Mike Porter back as a senior 2 guard to knock down three's.  I am telling you that next season is going to be a great ride.

Next point.  I think that going to the NIT is not the worst thing.  remember that we what happened after Joe B. Hall's first season.  The second season  73-74' he went 13-13.  What would have happened if he would have been fired or let go.  We would have never had our 5 national title.  But he recruited well and built the program up.  And he followed the baron in the brown suit.  All is not lost.

Hopefully, I can get the PART II  put out.  Big Blue Nation rest well tonight and await Sunday.

Gillispie is still the Man for the Job. Billy G. is my Coach, and still Patrick's as well!!

PART I:
Let the Healing Waters Flow: Throwing a little whiskey on the Fire.
“Obsess Much!” This Jim Carrey quote epitomizes the life of the Kentucky Wildcat Fan. They appear to be sober individuals who are safely on the wagon of normal life. They have steady jobs, families, homes, other interests besides basketball…but in a moment of weakness they can be insatiable and out of control.
There are simple phrases or words that can send these Wildcat Fans in to a drunken frenzy, such as: Pitino’s Bombinos, The Untouchables, The Unforgettables…or Rupp, full-court press, three-pointer, SEC and NCAA. These loaded words trigger an almost involuntary array of symptoms: instant swelling of the chest, a sheen or glistening on the face, dilated pupils, slight dizziness, tingling of the hands, and in the more severe cases there have been documented incidents of suffers performing shooting or dribbling motions. All of this is followed by a verbal word vomit of facts, figures, names, dates, scores, and stories. This bizarre behavior usually leaves the listener (or designated driver) exhausted and uncomfortable, while leaving the Wildcat Fan a bit hung over. It is like watching a frat boy turn a fifth of whiskey and chug it…a bit disturbing but equaling intriquing.
Scientifically it is been diagnosed as The Wildcat Gene, passed from one generation to the next. To my knowledge there is no known cure. This condition is also contagious; it can also be contract by close proximity with those who are affected. It has been known to infect entire families by repeated contact with a known gene carrier. I was born with this Wildcat Gene. I have numerous baby pictures with my Wildcat t-shirts or blankets. The Gene just lay latent in my blood for eleven years before emerging but medically speaking I never really stood a chance.
My entire family is obsessed with the Wildcats. Unfortunately they have Advanced Deteriorating Wildcat Gene Disorder. It is very sad to watch, it is turrets for Basketball. It is brought on by years of disappointments and let downs, but also living in nostalgia. Every Christmas, for as long as I can remember, we watch whatever game is on in the first or second week of December. I have never heard anything but blistering comments about Pitino, Tubby, Billy G., Meeks, or whoever is not performing. It is just the basic negative Gene manifestation that demands perfection but never expects. For example, in the Miami game this year, most of the family that watched the game declared that there was no way the Wildcats could even come back after such a horrid and abysmal first half. My wife Nina (whom recently contracted the Wildcat Gene) and I disagreed and said we still believed that they could bring it back. And even when the Wildcats brought it back and nearly pulled off the upset, all my family could talk about was how selfish Meeks is and how UNC is inching closer to over taking us as the most winning college basketball program. Here’s a quote from Chadwick Alexander Stephens III that sums it up, “Obsessive goals un-reached lead to embittered words unleashed.” Ouch. But how very true.
The Gene was passed from my Dad. It did not make an appearance until I entered middle school. That is when he tumbled off the wagon; he hit the bottom hard. Blame it on the Gene. He began to fill my mind with the classics like Harden, Robey, Phillips, Lee, and Givens; his stories captivated me. Hours on end we would talk Wildcat basketball. We’d listen to the games as Cawood called every play. But the real credit of aggravating the Gene goes to two brothers actually, Richard and Ricky Blevins, my middle school classmates (and they say that education is gone to pot). That sixth grade year they began to teach me the finer things on the subjects of Mashburn, Pelphrey, Feldhaus, Farmer, Woods, and the three point shot. The lovely name “Pitino” just dripped from their mouths like well aged Bourbon. My young eyes were opened to a world that was full of magic and wonder, the world of Fanaticism. I start living eating, sleeping, breathing Kentucky Basketball. And that meant living vicariously through the wins and loses of the season; the highs and lows that every true fan goes through. Interesting fact, that the term FAN is a short for FANATIC. I had become an addict, the dreaded, drunken obsessed FAN.
It was at this time that the stories of old began to pour from my uncle Earl as well. I was becoming a lush. I was building a repertoire of Wildcat Knowledge: Former Players Names, Highlight scores and Games, National Titles, SEC Championships, Coaches (their strengths and weakness), and you get the point. I desired to become the most knowledgeable Fan around. I was very much becoming drunk on the hard liquor of success that Coach Pitino was serving out; I laid face up under the keg, chugging down all that I could stomach.
My mind drifted in school, daydreaming and drawing pictures of Riddick, Mashburn, and Ford. I fell asleep at night with visions of three-pointers, national titles and such things percolating in my head. And if I was quite enough I could here the unmistakable sound of sneakers on the hardwood and the rhythm of that wonderful bouncing ball. This was a great time in my life as I got to experience the purity of the college game without all the nausea and headaches from the Sutton Era. Which was a topic that we rarely talked about, it was merely contextual and for conversational use only, to secure that one had an entire working knowledge of all things Kentucky. My education and appetite was fast and as fierce as Pitino’s proverbial full court press.
I could talk a length on the Defensive and Offense philosophies of Pitino. The complexities and the superiority of the full court, man-to-man pressure that creates turnovers, and how they are converted into points by taking simple, easy shots: a.k.a dunks, lay-ups and (uncontested) three pointers. I loved to discourse on the theory of “The Run”: ‘a seeming Blitzkrieg defensive attack of full court man-to-man and trapping pressure that produces a astronomical amount turnovers, allowing optimum opportunity for maximum amounts of points in a minimal amount of time.’ The anticipation of ‘The Run’ was incredible. Everyone, meaning the fans (on both sides), the other team, and the announcers were all waiting for it. It was the moment in the game where there would be a maelstrom of points and turnovers; 29-0, 30-0, 15-0 (then another 15-0), etc…a steal and lay up, a turnover at half court passed ahead to Ford or Mashburn for a quick three ball, then another steal, and another three…it was absolutely euphoric. The opposing coach leaping around and screaming for a time out and slamming his hands together; disoriented in utter disbelief than in a minute or two his team that was tied with the Wildcats, is now down twenty points. It was feeding time and the tenacious, hungry sharks had caught a scent of blood. The other team would limp around numb for the rest of the game, realizing that they were not even in the same league as the Wildcats.
Pitino’s numbers/odds based philosophy mixed with a conditioning program created a basketball a monster that showed no mercy. Remember, “Fatigue is your friend.” The players needed to be conditioned so that toward the end of the game they never let up, just kept pushing harder and faster. This unrelenting style was my drink of choice, a smooth, rich bourbon snifter of success. And with two national title games sloshing around in my gluttonous stomach, during Pitino’s tenure, I could easily have belching the Wildcat fight song and the national anthem.
But where was the beginning of this success? And how was this recipe perfected? We can all remember the Kansas blowout, 150-95 and Pitino refusing to stop playing that ridiculous pressure defense and shooting three pointers.
“At the press conference announcing his hiring as UK coach, Rick Pitino said he would not sacrifice style in deference to weaknesses. Never mind the short-handed roster and lack of size, he said, “we'll run and press and shoot three-pointers. We're not going after close games," Pitino said on June 1. "I want to either win or lose by a great margin."” (Herald Leader Dec. 10 1989, Jerry Tipton)What I am not sure that most Fans know is that that game is the cornerstone for the ’96 bludgeoning of LSU. Where the Wildcats scored 87 points in the first half (129-97 was the final, just for posterities sake)…by full court man-to-man pressure defense and shooting a barrage of three pointers. Funny how that no one was upset by the exact same philosophy used eight years later. We would not have had that celebration or the national title with out going through Kansas first. Pitino cultivated the rye and ground up the corn, then applied the passionate fire of, “this is how we are going to play basketball here at Kentucky: run, press, and shoot threes”. All that was left was a perfectly blended sour mash. I can’t count the times that he pulled Farmer, Ford, and Padgett aside and told them to the effect, “We recruited you to shot, if you don’t want to shot you can sit on the bench and I put someone in who will shot the ball!” The process and hard work is easily forgotten is the jubilation of success, but you really appreciate them when you can sit back and reflect. This brings up an inevitable conversation, recruiting.

I hope you enjoyed this segment...I can guarantee that the recruiting will spark so fire...tomorrow PART II.

Good night and good luck.

SEC tournament....and I am back.

Wow. Who knew that moving into a new house and starting a new job would be all time consuming. I am so freaking exhausted. I have watched the games but haven't had time to even read anything Kentucky, until tonight. But here are some thoughts...during the SEC and NCAA tournament I am going to give a series on why I think Gillispie should be the coach at Kentucky.

It's a Bad Day In Catrock! BUt Porter Played a Great Game....He's a shooting guard for sure.

For those of you movie geeks you will get the title....for the rest of you (and me) it is a somber night.  We lost.  The ball never went our way.  You win some, you lose some, and some times you lose again.

On the positive note Porter was Awesome tonight...5 3pointers....He played with a lot of poise.  Darius continues to impress.  Meeks was quite but goes for average.  Patterson was tamed in the 2nd half...not necessarily tamed but, yeah he was, Georgia took him out of the equation.  It was a gut wrenching lose to watch....and Billy look different than I have ever seen him on the side lines.  I think he looks worried.  He has been humbled by the play of his Cats, his coaching, and the pressure from the fans to win.  I still think he is a great coach, but he has to win in Lex to prove it...

For what it is worth, I am a fan till the end, because I know that it can't rain all the time (and if you can get that quote you are amazing and have watched way to many movies.)

TOK out till later

What a week!!!

I must apologize...wow, I feel like I do that more than just post.  Nina and I finally signed for our house and got "mostly" moved in...we are both sleep deprived and weary.  I watched that great game on Saturday.  I am so hopeful for the future....these Cats are going to be great.  I wanted to leave a post to all of my loyal fans.

John actually had a good article , but what is funny is that why is it just now everyone talking about the "greeny" foundations of Kentucky.  We have only one Senior, Jared Carter, who barely has more minutes or points than Matt Jones (KSR got me hooked on blogging).  Of course we are green and there are only a few players who actually are very good (if not great) at their position....Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson...and both of those players have room to grow.  This is a team that will be absolutely great next season.  Here is what I said earlier in the year, that any win and any positives will be icing on the cake for the 08-09 season; 5-0 start in the SEC, Jodie scoring waves, Patterson's domination, Darius stepping up, etc... There are a great many things to be happy for....Next year we will have players who will actually be able to compete with the greats in the SEC at Every position.  (the jury is still out on point guard but we will have 4 to vie for floor general.

I agree with Mitch that it will take some time to help sure up the foundation.    I hope to post a series on why we should allow Billy G. at least four years before we lay judgement on his reign.

I am off to bed so I can function tomorrow at work....thanks so much for reading.

A Little Devan, Devan's the Whole Lump! BUT CAN THEY STOP JODIE FROM SCORING A WHOLE BUNCH!!

Top of the key. A drive to the left. A crossover right (and vice versa). Pull jump jumper 10-15 feet. Good. The last time that a player deja vu'd us like that was Miles Simon; 1997 championship game. Miles kept getting in the lane and shooting those freakin' jumpers. I wanted to tackle him or was hoping that one of our guys would have (just kidding. I don't like game violence.ha) That is the same move that Smooth used to beat teams last year (Smooth would have been good for this team, but I like to keep my eyes forward...Liggins or Galloway could evolve). If you are quick enough laterally, this is a shot that you should keep in your quiver. 

I really hope that Porter can stay with Downey and at least persuade (maybe he could talk him out of it) him to give up the ball. I know that Porter is not fast enough or quick enough, but maybe he can keep him on his toes. (hmmmm...not sure how...but you never know.)

What South Carolina brings to the table is athleticism. That has been their staple for the past five years at least (I have been married for a little of five years and Nina's family lives in Columbia...and that is where I finished my degree). The problem has been that there has been no structure to bring that athleticism to a head, to really see what it can do. Here is a philosophy that I live by and I thank it would behoove everyone to think this way (not being arrogant I promise..just listen). 

If one has a gift, let's say music, and that person is able to sing with no vocal lessons, and they are very good, that is great. But they have a talent but no understanding of the discipline of singing; why there are half notes and such. Now, take a person who is marginally good and they take vocal lessons for years and after a good many years they have learned the art of singing, but they become very good... The marginally talented can be as good as the gifted with understanding of discipline. They go on to get a record deal and both of them (the gifted and the learned) could be on the charts, and yet seemingly equal. Here is the kicker, take that person who is very good with out lessons and teach them the art of vocal discipline and what you have it something great, wonderful, and legendary.  

This is why your mid-majors beat Lordly Major Division I teams...they understood the value of discipline with talnet. Teams that have players that no one wanted to recruit are beating teams with 5 or 6 McD's AA. Passion without understading is unstable, unfaithful and volitale, but passion inside relationship is intimacy, fidelity and life long commitment....I know you did come to get a lesson on love or philosophy, but my point is that Coach Horn may have the discipline to make South Carolina a GREAT basketball school. What determines greatness (longevity) is recruiting and equipping. We will see.

On that same theme, you give a player like Jodie discipline and passion and well now you have yourself a  very gifted SCORER. I was watching a few games last week and one of the announcers was talking about one of the quick guards and he said something like, "Now, he can go for 20 or 30 a game, that is what kind of great scorer that he is.." My first thought was, "We don't know what Jodie's ceiling is." I mean he went for 54, but if the guys get him the ball a little more he could have went for 60!  99.9% of the players in college or the NBA don't have the kind of ability. On a great night when the stars are aligned and the "Conditions are Purfect! (flight of the concords qoute!) a player may go for 30 or 40...once or twice...but Jodie has hit 35+ 5x's, 40+2x, and 50+once. All this while shooting 46% from the field and 42% from the free throw line. And he is on the verge of breaking Travis Ford's record for most threes in a season, 101!

I remember that season of Ford's...He shot 53% for the year. Travis used to do this fast break 3 that I loved (and still do) to mimic. He would race down the court, get to the 3 point line, plant his feet, jump/lean forward (with the toes almost on the floor...just to let the ref know that it was a three), and let the momentum of his speed take the ball toward the rim as he drops his wrist. BOOM! So pretty!  That shot used to bring me out of my chair every time. But in all fairness, as great a shooter as Travis was he had a lot of help...Jamal Mashburn. Travis had a lot of shots and lot of chances to shoot because of the attention that Jamal would get. Want proof? Jamal goes to the NBA and Travis's 3 point percentage drops to a paltry 42% the next season...what a joke! LOL.

I really believe if the Cats come out in this game armed with Porter, Meeks, Miller, Perry, and Pat Pat they will have there best chance to win. Ramon would be a great 6th man. He plays great defense and is good for a few points and rebounds. A.J. could be the answer for a 2nd power forward, he can score and is athletic. Liggins and Galloway would be great spark plugs. I would really like to see Harrellson step up and be a power forward threat, but he just hasn't established himself. I see him being someone who has the light come on next season....I believe that he has two more years of eligibility. He will be a force, in time.

Tomorrows game will not disappoint, but I wouldn't feel bad it the Cats "beat the fire" out of the Gamecocks. They are my Alma mater, but my heart belongs Kentucky.   Go Blue.  Let's hope the Darius comes out of swinging for the fence.  "Felt wrong not to swing!" (Joaquin Phoenix, Signs).

Stirring up a Hornets. John Clay Posted Me On His Blog.

Wow, I have really done it this time.  My last article really exploded, thanks to  A Sea of Blue and John Clay.  I could take this time to defend myself, but I think that John will be just fine.  I grew up reading Mr. Clay.  I couldn't wait to get my hands on his stories, he brought fresh perspective...I am sure it was easier to write articles about the teams in the '90's.  So it was an honor to have a page dedicated to me...haha.  There is no such thing as bad publicity.  

And I have been reading A Sea of Blue for over a year, and think they do a great job over there...I love the new website.  A shout out to them for posting a link to TOK.  Hopefully the next one they pull over will be a better crafted argument.

Having said that, the only thing that I regret is writing 'alas'  in regards to Porter.  This is The Optimistic Kat, that shouldn't be in my vocabulary.  Today they played a great game.  UK 77 and UT 58.  Porter's three 3's were great (though I do agree with KSR...Porter's grouping of shots was really bizarre.  It is unusual for a shooter to miss everything and swish the very next one.  But he hit very timely shots... I am so happy for him.  He is becoming the harmonic balancer, lead guard, that we have needed [see my older posts to clarify that I did indeed say this earlier in the year]).  Darius was great, well he was perfect.  Patterson is a force.  Jodie played hard.  We would say he had a quiet game, but he does those little things so well; he is just a work horse.  He wants to make sure the offense flows and he gets his points in the flow.  

I don't think I sat down once during this game.  I was on my feet clapping and fist pumping (My neighbors below us probably hate all the pacing).  WHAT A VICTORY!  It was so great to sweep Tennessee.  I have similar feelings that KSR has toward UT, and they are not warm and fuzzy.  I can root for most teams in the SEC but I would just as soon see UT lose (unless they were playing Duke or North Carolina).

I knew that if the Cats continued to play defense the way they started the game, we would have a chance to route them.  The posture and demeanor of the Vols was one of defeat; Chism was moping most of the day.  And they looked dejected.

I still plan on writing "The Deatheaters" soon so stay tuned.  It is feeling that the local sports media have painted Gillispie in an unrealistic light (or maybe I am viewing him unrealistically).  I understand that when you are at Kentucky that you are under a microscope.  But guys listen, the media and unstable Kentucky Fans, have been ready to ship Billy G. out of town after the Gardner-Webb Loss and the San Diego loss last year.  Even though he turned Crawford and Bradley in to prime time players.  I am frustrated with the media's reaction(s) because we finally get a coach, after 10 years, who actually makes the guys practice and play hard.  The look like they are in great shape and they are athletic.  Give the man a fair shake, can we still give that to people here in Kentucky, especially a coach who is die-hard as we are.  I don't get it.

I am more excited about Kentucky Basketball than I have been since the one who shall not be named coached here.  And would some journalists please ask a real question!  There are rarely good questions being asked.  I can understand why Billy G. gets frustrated with interviews.  He does appear to be a bit more sarcastic in post game interviews after a loss, than a win.  Today, Billy G. talked a lot without being prompted.  That is part of the job and Billy G. does need to "humor" the media.  For more on this you should go to the archives here and pull up, "Laughter is the Best Medicine, A Ocean of Blue,  and A Weak to Get Strong."

Now, before I am labeled, a Gillispie's fan club president.  I don't agree with everything that Gillispie does, but there is so much negativity hanging on the state of Kentucky that it makes frustrated.  I was at the Mississippi State games and the fans were in rare form, yelling and booing.  Kentucky is my team and I am a passionate fan, but I want to give support without tearing down.  I would like to know why that there is no contract for Billy G., but my feeling is that if this were a major concern of the University that it would be taken care of.  But enough already. 

Wow, I have been on here too long...need to go to sleep.  After this week I will be ready to blog away, in preparation for SEC Tourny and March Madness.  Thanks so much to my loyal readers (and to those who are looking for spark to ignite their torches [to run Billy G. out of town.])haha.  Every one have a great night.

Get the Broom, Billy G and the Cats Just swept the Vols.

I can't go to bed before I just say, "That game was Awesome!!!"  I hope tomorrow to go deeper into the depths of the Victory. 

There is No Harmonic Balancer.

John, John, John...you are one of the DeathEaters (coming soon).  You speak so sordidly towards Gillispie as though you know enough about him to make a judgement.  Mr. Clay don't you understand that once you bring up negative questions to a rabid fan mob, that you can say as many things nice or logical afterward and all they hear is white noise...the ringing of rage is so loud in their ears they cannot and will not listen to reason.  They question you raise are not stories they are sensationalism.  You have not even addressed the team or evaluated the team in a respectable manner.

Gillispie is in practice everyday.  He knows his players ability.  Here is the main point that needs to be addressed; the harmonic balancer.  The lead guard or point guard is the key ingredient that is missing.  Did you notice that we our guys cannot figure out what to do with the ball once the get it in the lane.  Why, because Liggins and Miller have not matured enough.  Galloway is out of control.  Porter, alas, is the closest thing to a harmonic balancer.  The point guard is supposed to be an extension of the coach on the floor.  Gillispie says that players will do the opposite of they play they called.  You can coach them but can't make them execute.  Meeks, as I have said before, cannot be concerned about being a leader (harmonically) if he is trying to work to get open and score.  There is no other player on the team that can be trusted to score.  I know that I am supposed to see the positives and I will get there.  This team will be great if next year we get a true point guard (like John Wall) or if Liggins just wakes up and becomes a great point guard.  Billy G. is getting the best out of these players that he can...they are not just the greatest at every position.  There are better players in the SEC, and they have proved it.

And for the record John, Tubby's recruits didn't do much under Tubby but flourished under Billy G..  Bradley, Crawford, Meeks, Porter (yes, he is much better than he would have been under Tubby).  That is all I have for now...must sleep!

Game Day

I apologize for not get you guys more positive analysis.  I am not sure how much blogging that I will be able to do the next two weeks.  We are moving into a new house.  Between boxing up, working, and making sure everything is ready (financially and with the builders).  After the move TOK will be back in full force.

I will blog in the next two weeks before or after games and when I can.  My goal is to write a blog every day after the move.

TOK

Dear Loyal Readers:

There are a couple of reasons that I haven't been able to get you the optimistic perspective of UK Basketball in a timely manner: 1. we are moving in two weeks and the time and energy packing and making sure everything is in order is cosuming us. (Nina and I). 2. My laptop is extremely slow. Usually when I get a blog up fast I am using the Macbook Pro not my Toshiba Satellite (it was really good about 4 years ago.) Nina uses the Macbook for editing pictures...that is a little more important. 3. The time needed to devulge and delve in to the stories has not been there for me like I would like. 4. Started a new job. All this adds up to less time to blog about 1 of my many passions. Don't worry I will have a post up about the game sometime tomorrow (we are meeting with the Mortgage Lady tomorrow) and I will have an insightful Piece. But my great work maybe the piece on The Death Eaters, so stay tuned for that one. There is no projecte date on that...but you can bet that I have negativity in my cross hairs and I am pulling the trigger. So until tomorrow. Thank you so much for reading it is a pleasure to serve you.

Sincerely,
TOK

The DeathEaters (coming soon...)

"The Next Game is the Most Important of the Season [...]" Billy G.

I think it was 1991. I was in my room on a Saturday afternoon. The Cats were playing USC. The Gamecocks were on an early run and Ralph Hacker said "The Cats better get it together, South Carolina can let the air out of the ball." The Cats then went on a tear. Caywood calls this play, "Quick 3 by Pelphrey, write it down...inbounds the ball...turnover, quickly down Farmer for 3...YES SIR...WRITE IT DOWN." The Cats went on to win huge, that was the spark that was needed. Man, I loved that team. Before they were the Unforgetables, they were near and dear to me. Pitino's Bombinos were so exciting. I don't care who Pelphrey coaches for I will root for him (except on Saturday). He is and was unforgetable.

Over the last few days I have been rummaging through all of the audio over the last week and there is so much great stuff. I found a great tidbit on Billy D.'s pre-game Kentucky audio, "I don't think that the SEC has any one who would intentionally hurt someone...I know that there has been some around the league [...]" Then his own Hodge goes out and intentionally steps on Perry's arm. That seems bizarre and it happened the very next game.

We, Big Blue Nation, are waiting with baited breath to see if Patterson will play. I think we could win with out him, but I like having him in there. He just hustles so freaking much. It appears that he is about to hit his stride, where he just takes over games. He is the one that keeps us grounded. (with Jodie we are [breaks into singing],"SOARING, FLYING, WE'RE BREAKING FREE...uh hum...sorry about that.") "He is relentless...Warrior-like...One of my favorite players in the league". That was straight from Pelphrey's mouth. How cool is that. See you can't get away from the connections. Funny things is, Pelphrey means as much to Kentucky basketball as Patterson, but ONLY one can actually help secure the future of Kentucky Basketball. One day we will be able to reflect on the NBA star Patrick Patterson and how he shouldered us in our lean years. Yeah, I'd raise my glass to that.

Here's to the momentum that Porter and Galloway played with against Florida, that it would continue. I really think that if Galloway and Liggins can hold down the point that Porter can get some open looks without having the pressure of holding the team together. See, here is the difference in the mentality of a point guard (and lead guard as well) and a scorer. Notice that I did not say shooting guard. Let me explain, when a player has spent his career as a catch and shoot scorer (or slasher scorer), and he is used to just putting the ball in the hole, the added weight of making sure that everyone else is in position can take you out of your rhythm and your head. If Porter can relax and just focus on shooting or setting up the post with a quick drive and dish, I think that he can give great minutes. Now, those of you loyal readers with know that I said earlier in the year that Porter would be a great point guard and that we would be glad to have him in the tournament...well, if he is our only option, then yeah, but if Kevin establishes himself...We suddenly become a real threat: 2 tall, quick point guards in Liggins and Galloway. 2 shooters in Jodie and Mike. Mike may wind up being a John Paxon or Steve Kerr. (To those of you young ones, the Bulls won a couple NBA Championships on their 3 point shots, and Jordan was on those teams. Those 3's were last second game winners.)

I know the mentality of a scorer, that is what I am. I can play point (since I am 6 feet tall, I would be a 1 or maybe a 2 in college) but my mind doesn't tick like that on offense. If you get me the ball, I look for the best option; if it's me, then the ball goes in the air. More so If I am posting up or I curl around for the 3...but when I am playing, my mind is on getting the ball in the hole.

Disconcerting News from Arkansas, Fortson suspended indefinitely and Marcus Monk. Marcus Monk is quote, "No longer a member on the University of Arkansas basketball team." Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long. (I hate the source of this article but it was the only good one I could find in a pinch...I have a real dislike for Jerry. My "positivity" is for the Team not for the Local Media...because the influence the perception of lots of people, and I think they get it wrong way more than right.) So, one of the best guards in the SEC this year is out for a while. I think this is a game where we can establish some dominance "again". Billy G. did say though that Bud Walton arena is on of the best arenas in college basketball. I know that we can't overlook anyone, and I don't suggest that we do that but without solid point play any team is in trouble. (We should know that).

1:00pm is when this all comes down...we'll see you after the game.

Sad News Reaches the Bluegrass

UK recruit Daniel Orton's mother died yesterday.  It is a sad day when a young man loses his mother, or any parent.  I send out my sympathies and condolences to the family.  I hope that he finds comfort and peace in these trying times.

The Day After, Still Just as Sweet.

First I need to correct an error that I made on my last post.  It was Galloway that made the last second foul and not Meeks.  

I just got finished watching some hightlights, that last shot was just a great shot.  Guts and sheer determination willed it in.  Billy G. entertained the media with his witty remark on how the play was designed.

There are just a few numbers that were very interesting.  Florida shot 40.7% FG for the game, 28.6% from 3, and 65.4% from free throws.  Those numbers aren't bad but the Cats shot 47.3% FG, 41.2% from 3, but a paltry 56.3 from the free throw line.  It has a tops turvy feel to win a game with a free throw percentage not close to 80.  But a win is a win is a win. 

What is up with the hostility this year;  Hodge's stepping on Perry's arm.  Asbury stepping of Budinger's head.  Why would these players even think that it is ok or that they can get by with it.  Was Lattner their childhood hero?  Just play the game and stop trying be a thug.  You're in college, supposedly better yourself and improving your education, that means that learning progressive thinking and philosophy.  I know that I graduated a few years ago ( '06) but I don't remember Dr. Dre or 50 cent giving any lectures or publishing any university level curriculum.

I don't think that you can say enough about Nick Calathes.  He is not the greatest athlete (but he is athletic no doubt).  He is able to get around his man, and get to where he needs to go.  He appears to have the entire court memorized and knows exactly where he is and where all of his players are at all times.  I don't think he is the most dominate player on the floor.  But he does all the little intricate basketball details and dirty work and at the end of the game when you add all of those up, it usually ends up producing a win.  I was very impressed with this strength and poise (he was able to to the basket when he needed to and get tough, tough lay ups...and 1 circus shot).  I know this is a Cat blog but I was so impressed that I took a paragraph to give some respect to a great player.  I will say that I am so glad that he missed those free throws.  (71% on the year).  He ended with 33, but he was 3 points shy of being the Hero, that role belongs to Jodie Meeks.

Patterson is day to day with his ankle and IT IS ONLY sprained.  We, here at TOK, are hoping for a speedy recover.  Patrick is such a force that I can't wait to see what he can produce as the Cats (Porter, Harrellson, and Galloway) continue to plow up fallow ground.  Opening up the inside and the outside for both Patterson and Meeks.  "This party is going to be crazy!"  A classic line from Nacho Libre.

That is all that I have for today.  I love basking in the glow of a victory.  Now, off to sleep and to dream of hoops.

Holy Meeks What a Finish!!! Prayerful Shot Answer's the Question of Our Faith.

Meeks fake drives and pops back into shooting position.  Calathes played perfect defense,  his hand was right near the ball as Jodie was ready to shoot, but he was not going to foul.  Jodie simply pulls the ball to his right shoulder, away from Nick's hands.  It looks as if he was allowing his body to adjust to and to compensate for the momentum carrying him to the right. And he just let it go.  My heart stopped and stayed in my throat.  It was so pure, so right, and so much need.  And my faith was answered with Jodie's prayer.  That shot has been burned in to my mind and my heart forever (well, a long time).  I was thinking that this game may come down to a last second shot and that Jodie should be the man to shoot it.  

The Cats definitely brought it today.  The intensity that they played with was that of warriors.  I know that there was a few times when we got lucky with a missed three on bad defense.  At times the Cats look so out of sync on offense.  You see them drop or miss handle so many questionable passes, that it makes your heart stop a little, but what you see it determination.  7 days off and the Cats are back to competing on every play (nearly every play).  They didn't look like the same defeated team that lost the Miss. State.  They were animals.  They played like Wildcats.

Galloway brought the competition.  The coast to coast slam brought me to the verge of screaming (I was at home and my wife and best friend were watching a TV show and talking, I was watching on the Computer so I was paying them courtesy).  That is how a Div. I point guard takes advantage of being a great athlete.  And then the post up move over two guys.  I expect great things from Galloway the rest of the way this season but next year as well.  Tonight he recorded 6 HUGE points, 8 needed rebounds and 9 assists (to only 4 turnovers).  Guys don't look now but the Cats may have found their rotation at point; Porter and Galloway.

Porter showed why he was recruited as a shooting guard with 3/4 shooting and 9 points.   Perry had 10 points and 8 rebounds and 3 blocks (his 4 turnovers are less than desired but he was solid).  Harrellson's  11 point and 3 rebounds give validity that The Cats need more than a consistent 3 scores but 4 or 5.  That would make us a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Tomorrow I will come back and discuss the nature of Hodge's un-sportsmanlike conduct and Patterson's ankle.  I do not wish to speculate on such an injury until the jury is in.  We will know more tomorrow.  

It was a great game and a jolt of confidence for the Cats.  Oh, and they are back on top of the East..."We will return."-Billy G.

It's Too Quiet.

I have spent the weekend preparing for changes in my life and was not "able" to blog.  But reinstating myself in to this maddening world I feel pricked by a unnerving nervousness.  Not that I think that Florida can beat us or that they will beat us, but the fact that the fans seem to be doing and saying...well, nothing.  The paper is even quiet.  (Well, they still have their 3 articles by Story, Clay, and Tipton...but not commentary [pre-game] fro Billy G.)  The blog sites and even the influx of violent banter has quelled.  Is Big Blue Nation so broken that they are not going to get up for the game?  Are they saving their energy to unleash on game day?  KSR  has only one article with more than 30 comments on it, and that is it.  It is an eerie calm.  Feels like a ghost town; tumbleweeds are rolling down Vine Street.  Or is the pain of enduring another lose so overwhelming that the fans would surf everywhere but their favorite sites?  Or have they lost the will to live?  Or I am just caught up in the heavy melancholy of woe?  I hope not, considering I am The Optimistic Kat.

There seems to be so much to be excited about when it comes to Kentucky:  2009 recruiting class, Jodie broke Issel's 53 point record...against Tennessee and they were ranked, Patterson having a monster year, Ramon getting hurt and coming back, Miller finding his confidence and showing some moxie....  Guys, it is not like that there is nothing to cheer about.  Here is the problem, or what I see as a problem: we want to be able to gloat a great team.  But this year and this team have deprived us of the ability to gloat with out looking foolish in front of other fans.  But there is more at stake here than that for the players and for me as well.  Remember, 99% us did nothing to make the program great.  Our athletic contributions are nil.  We've have never made a 3-point shot to win the game or made a great defensive stop, but we behave as though we did.  And we take offense when others question the Legacy of Kentucky.  The offense undertaking is Noble, but not necessary. We do it because we are for the team.  Our efforts with our opinions show passion but most it is unwarranted and negative.  As Craig Kilborn would say, "Check Your Negativity at the Door."

If you give up on the Cats until they get rid of Billy G., then you are not committed.  I would seriously question you fanhood.  I will call you on the carpet right here.  Let me say again, you are merely a fan of winning so you have the means to gloat.  You'd rather be right than be loyal.   Loyalty is a commodity that is so far removed from this post-modern era.  We have the greatest tradition known to college basketball.  We have nearly 2000 wins, 7 national titles, 43 SEC titles, 25,000 screaming fans at Rupp, etc...  Guys were are a dynasty, legendary even.  One season that doesn't meet expectations is not going to unravel that.  Have some faith in your team.  What is life without faith?  It is misery and death...and we are not even close to that here in Kentucky.  The Cats are young and strong, like Derby Challengers...those that grow up to be Champions; champions like Man O' War and Secretariat.

So I stand like a man on a mountain with a oversized megaphone (under appreciated blog...haha), "GET UP...GET UP AND SEE...THE CATS...THE CATS MARCHING TO VICT'RY!"  I say get in your favorite chair, with your best of friends, turn on ESPN (9:00pm), and let the faith and hope flow forth.  Hope deferred makes a heart sick, but laughter (of joy) is the best medicine.  Tomorrow night I hope we are all laughing as we make our way to bed, sleep a peaceful sleep and wake up still singing in the morning.  Here is something that will explain this kind of faith: Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the Substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."  I ask you, "CAN YOU HAVE FAITH IN YOUR TEAM?" or "Are you all tired out?"  You need to show the same effort and teamwork "rooting" that you expect from the players "actually playing"...it is your only real contribution, MAKE IT COUNT...for the team.

A Week to Prepare, A Weak to Get Strong!

It is friday and I think maybe that someone at the Hearld-Leader read my last post.  The article SHOOOT!!! reads eerily similar to my HURTS ALL OVER post.  Mark Story is usually all over the place, but this time he actually wrote a descent piece.  Mainly because he agreed with me. Ha, ha!

I really think that a blog like The Optimistic Kat can bring balance to Big Blue Nation.  Most of the bloggers appear more critical.  I know that it is called analytical, but for the most part analysts are giving opinions based on experience and perspective.  KSR, depending on who is blogging that day, can give a good view, but their readers are brutal and extremist.  Big Blue Nation needs to have an 'Airplane' moment.  When people are lined up to slap the 'freak out' woman.  Get a grip boys and girls, it will be fine.  

Consider this: if we could steal John Wall, that would be the coup of the decade, we could be in the elite or Four next year.  (Conceding that Jodie and Patrick stay.  I know that that is really thinking optimistic like...that is what we are all about Here).   He is blue chip, 5-star recruit that would more than give us a shot in the arm, it would give us upward direction.  The Cats would have two blue chippers: 6-10 Orton and 6-4 Wall.  Now, couple that with Jodie and Patrick, an improve Miller and Liggins, and of course Perry.  Orton at center, Patrick at power forward, Perry at the small forward, Jodie and Miller rotating on the shooting (Miller also going to the small forward), and Wall and Liggins sharing the point (Liggins could also go the the small forward.  It would be really nice to have a lot of guys on the court that can handle that ball and shoot...his shot will improve).  I am telling you that the ceiling is not even there.  You get my point (guard).  We could so use this, Come on Billy, "Hook him and bring him in."

Well, Gillispie has a week to get their swagger back and find their game.  I think that this is just what the doctor (would have) ordered.  Take this time and allow you mind to drift to things that can distract you till Tuesday at 9 pm, when you shall be avenged the last 3 games.  It is my cry that Kentucky hits back and hit back hard.  PUT FLORIDA ON THE MAT, "KNOCK OUT!!!!  KNOCK OUT!!!"  Billy "The Clyde(sdale) G. vs. Billy "The Kid" D.   That is it K.O. 'em baby.  That is my thought for the day, have a great won.

It Hurts All Over. But Hope is Just Around the Corner.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick [...], Proverbs 13:12.  Last night was Nina's first game at Rupp.  She was thrown in to the fire. It a hard game to witness, first hand.  My heart ached so much, wanting to erupt in cheering, but there was little room for that.  The negativity oozing from the fans was just unbearable.  It was like a heavy shroud that blanketed the arena.  I think that the fans came in with the little hope and prepared themselves for a loss.  I had a gentleman in front of my that shook his head the entire game, at everything.  The fans are disgruntled and upset.  I too am upset and bewildered.  But I am not about to come with a petition for Billy G.'s head.  This is not the last game of the season, or the last game ever played.  It is what it is: a tough and heartbreaking loss, but I will not mail in my resignation of fandom.  I will stand by their side and cheer them on.  They need fan support now more than before.  You know who your real fans are when you are losing.  If we never win another game I hope that I will still be here, just as passionate as before.  This is the true test of your faith.  Do you believe, or can you believe they can win?  And if they don't, will you still be here?  Are you just a fan of winning and not of the Wildcats?  Take a moment and reevaluate your motives.

The game plan appeared to be to get the ball to the inside and run the offense through Patterson.  Billy G. said in the pre-game that the Cats were going to challenge Vernardo and drive to the basket.  They did little driving that amounted to much.  Indecision plagued them when they got the ball past the 3-point line (and beyond the 3-point line for that matter): take a shot and get blocked or try and pass out of it.  Patterson was triple teamed most of the night and seemed to turn the ball over, get block, miss the shot, or not get the ball out quick enough for a 3.  It was a tough game for him.  This caused most of fans to call out for 3's to fly from Porter, Miller, and Galloway.  I am not sure that those would have been the best shots.  I know that they were wide open but remember the Cats were 7 of 28 last game.  They let them fly to no avail, not everyone is a 3-point shooter.  And the fantasy of Never Never (losing in the SEC) land for the Cats is over.  Jodie is no Peter Pan.  The SEC coaches have permanently sown a shadow on him and every step he takes.  If he gets a shot he will earn it.  News Flash: Our weakness have been re-exposed.

Early in the season it was known that we would have very few guys who would be able to score consistently and take pressure away from Jodie and Patrick; it is still a problem.  Perry didn't have a great game.  Darius played very well.  Josh had good minutes.  Galloway had a few good possessions (that missed dunk attempt was awesome.  He was trying put an exclamation point on the game and Vernardo's head, but he was fouled and missed 1 of 2. Slone was pushed aside as a non-issue by the Miss St. guards.  All of this adds up to a serious state of affairs.  If these Cats don't bring it every game they are not going to be successful...It takes me back to Billy G.'s main philosophy:  Compete every possession.  They are not doing that. 

Last nights game is a gut check.  You win 5 straight and drop 3 in a row.  If you shape it up and get the intensity back you can still be 13-3 (better than the 12-4 of last year.)  If you continue to let it slip away you can be 8 and 8 in the SEC.  We need to regain composure on offense.  But here is the main reason for the lack of offense, we don't have a point guard.  Porter can get the ball across mid-court and direct some traffic.  But he is not quick enough to penetrate and dish or draw defenders to him and deliver a precision pass.  He would be a great zone buster or 2 guard, to give Jodie a breather, but not to be going up against all the quick guards of the SEC and ACC.  Having said that, he is our best option for a floor leader.  Jodie is a scorer.  Ramon is a defender.  Miller is still a freshman and still learning.  And Liggins is wants to get his points, much like a SF.  With no floor leader the team is in disarray.  There is no one to help keep everyone else calm and control the offense.  Their passes are weak and uncertain and unsettling.  You can blame the coach, but he can only control so much on the court, they players have to follow orders and yet adapt to game play situations.  We have not found our team leader.  Jodie was for a while, but most teams have taken him out of the equation.

There is another twist to the rise and quick success of Jodie Meeks.  He hangs 54 on Tennessee and now every team is gunning for him (and Patterson).  If Jodie hits 34 or 40 at Tennessee, teams may think of him as a threat and keep an eye on him, but now they know that if he gets hot it may be a really long night; no one wants to be the next victim of a record night, not in their own house or in Rupp.  I am not saying that all is lost.  I think that the 54 points was amazing and so much needed in the period of little to cheer about over the last five years.  And I know that Billy G. and his gang are not going to quit and give up trying to get Jodie good looks and try and get the flow going again.  Billy G. and Jodie don't remind me of people who will back down from, well, anything.

3 losses in a row is hard to swallow.  Especially to teams that weren't supposed to be close to challenging us.  I know that Billy G. and gang don't like to lose.  But we are here now and we need to find away to get up and playing again.  Maybe they need to throw some bourbon on the smoldering passion.  You know, ignite the waning embers.  Like the Run during the second half when the Cats brought it to a 3 point game, you could feel the energy rising; they were stoking the flames.  But when Perry was called for a Charge on the rebound it was like getting hit in the stomach.  The intensity started ebbing away and then it was gone.  It was like someone had sucked all the air out of our HOPE balloon.  And you could see the players give up as well.  Miss St. was dominate and we were submissive.

I asked Nina after the game her thoughts, here they are.  "I thought they were out of control, unsure and lacking confidence.  Even you are aren't sure, you still need to play with the passion and heart that you are sure.  You should still play like you are the dominant one.  It is Rupp Arena, your home, you need to play your hardest.  They didn't look like they played their hardest, only for about a 5 min. stretch.  Their passes look soft and lacking confidence."  Folks she has only been a basketball fan for 5 years and she can pick that out.  But she was not down on the team and will cheer them on as well.  THIS IS HOW THE OPTIMISTIC KAT FAMILY ROLLS!!  NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER BACK DOWN!

I have to give respect for Billy G. though, he is going to play his defense and his offense, regardless of the outcome.  What I mean is that he is not taking direction from the media or the fans.  The man is stubborn, but I do believe in time that it will pay off huge.  Right now we are still in the school of hard knocks.  It is like giving a Porsche to a student driver, they are going to grind a few gear, kill the engine, but if you let them drive it long enough they will master it.  The Cats are killing the Porsche now that they are stopped on the hill side (Perry actually said mountain, but we have hills in Kentucky). I saw a couple of times that Cat defenders didn't push through screens and other times they left their man open at 25 feet, they just seemed disinterested with the game and tired.  I think that 7 days of rest will bring them back to form again.  Billy has been pushing them hard for about 24 games, maybe a breather is in order.  I think the Cats will get their second wind and finish the season strong.  I still say that Billy G. is the man for the job...only time will tell.  But let us take a quote from Rocky:  "It is not how hard you get hit.  It's how hard you get hit and still keep moving forward."  We've been punched square in the mouth.  Are we going to wuss out and take it?  Or are we going to hit back?  I say hit and hit hard.  Swing for the Knockout. 

Tired, Stiff, and in Pain but A Smile on My Face

Write it Down! What a night. I haven't played ball in 6 months or so and I did great. Well, to be completely honest my dribbling and lay-ups were very unattractive but my 3-ball was singing; 8 of 15 in three games. Not to bad. My signature fade away over a bigger center in the lane (my first shot actually, a nice way to start off). Then there was a funky scoop shot that went down...oh, yeah I had a 10-foot bank shot that went in. I know that is a lot of meaningless information but I was playing with a group of guys that I didn't know and in an unfamiliar gym, sometimes you get out of whack. But more importantly I had a blast. It was so much fun, even though during the second game I was in need of a repirator and some oxygen. Just getting in the groove and flowing again; picking out the defenses and setting screens, cutting and hit the cutter, curling out for a three and pulling in the rebound. What a joy this game is; an ochestra in motion. I will sleep good tonight and will be ready for tomorrow...You don't know....

I scored tickets to the Miss St. game tomorrow. I know you think that something shady is going on but I assure you that everything is legit. The coolest part is that this will be Nina's very first game in Rupp. I don't know if we will see a barn burner like the USC game (I for one hope for a blow out, on UK's side...I would love to see a good thrashing) but the just being there is amazing. You can't get that experience on TV (but you can't get up to go to the bathroom or get a coke without taking 10 mins or so to do it at your house... it's all give and take.)

I remember my first time at Rupp. I was sitting on the sidelines, doing my journalistic thing..."The College Report." I had had big dreams of starting a TV show on the local cable channel. It was going to incorporate highlights from every sport at UK. The goal was to show it on campus as well. But between working full-time at ExpressJet and going to school full-time, I didn't have time to do any of it. The dream died. Now I think the dream can be revived with this Blog. I may once again be on the sidelines taking pictures and reporting "LIVE FROM RUPP ARENA." Well, I am off to do some scribing. Peace.

Basketball is Good for the Soul.

I have nothing to report or talk about in Catlandia but I am going to being playing some pick-up tonight...can't wait.  It has been several month since I have played.  The first Monday that I will have played without having to drive to Winchester (30 mins away).  So, I am so excited.  Peace...I will tell you how well I did later on.  Not that is important but I love to gauge how well I do by how much fun I had and how many 3's I hit. lol.  Look out Jodie.

An Ocean of Blue Can't Wash Away the Loss but It Does Warm the Heart

Rupp was rocking today. I mean 24,ooo fans just cheering their butts off. There was not more than 50 USC fans present. I did not wear a UK sweatshirt but a USC windbreaker. I took off my new Gamecocks windbreaker, it was too hot to wear it, and sported by UK t-shirt (couldn't help it in a sea of blue I am not going to be the odd man out, my heart wasn't in it).


I was just awed by the overwhelming, yet perfect shade of blue imbuing Rupp Arena; it was absolutely breathtaking. I lost my voice in the first five minutes. This is the my first game with Gillispie at the helm, and I liked it. Wow, what an atmosphere. The bad news is we lost. Devan Downey was nigh unstoppable, not Jodie Meeks at Tennessee unstoppable but he did significant damage to all of our guards. His dribble penetration was superb. He sliced in the lane right, switched to the left, and faded away, time after, time after time. We had no answer for him in the second half. And when we did Fredricks or Holmes stepped up with a lucky rebound or lose ball. The Gamecocks were both lucky and good today; we were solid but a little loose.

Patterson pounded away at the inside with Perry also doing a lot of glass damage, but it was just not enough. Two reasons why we lost: unnecessary turnovers and rebounding. Those two things change the momentum of a game like nothing else. Turnovers at half-court and under the basket were like asps to Cleopatra. And rebounds start transition offense, which can lead to easy points. Enough said about that.

I was very proud to be a Kentucky fan today. Yelling and cheering our team on, but when you get home and read the comments to the stories...well, it is just sickening. I agree with Brian the Intern at Kentucky Sports Radio, "SUPPORT YOUR TEAM...OR FIND ANOTHER TEAM!" The cantankerous fans are worse than fickle media. Guys suck it up and show your BLUE or stop caring. There has to come a time in a fans life when they will or they will not support their team. If you care more about winning than support, then you are not a fan; FAN is short for fanatic. People are so afraid of being wrong or being on the wrong side, that they will sell their heritage and souls to look good in the eyes of people or the validation of being right. Where is the loyalty man...always looking for something better? How can you look for a better program to stand with? If you want to move on go ahead, but this is the way this ship sails, with Billy G. But We Wish you all the very best, but don't come slinking back around when the temperature gets a little hotter here with Final Fours and Championship games. I say ado to you and good riddance.


Darius Miller played a whale of a game to day. That block in the second half was just perfect and a momentum changer; he is going to be something special, so cherish him. And I love the new look (old look) that Gillispie is protraying. He is not so much worried about Meeks scoring 40 every night, though he doesn't mind, just as long as the points come in the flow of the game. He doesn't want an offense that is centered around Meeks. Think of it this way, if we are scoring 70's and 80's without Meeks getting 40 and the other players are stepping up then that will come in handy in the tournament. Everything is gearing up to tournament time...nothing else matters right now.


Once again I will say it...Billy G. didn't forget how to coach. He is more of a throw back to Rupp, than any coach that I have seen. He had more awards and trophies than any coach on Barnhart's short list, so he is the man for the job. His demeanor and his sarcastic quips are something of legends. I am on board and I am enjoy this season much like learning to love the Cats all over again. I love this season. Being at Rupp today was great even though we lost. My faith is in the team, the coach, and the program. What do these players think about their fans that continuously speak negativity over the program? These kids deserve more from us, as fans, and I am going to give them my respect and support. It is falling in love all over again...I am in it for the long haul.

It's Bluegrass Miracle

I got a call tonight that guaranteed me a seat at the USC/UK Game...I am so stoked.  I graduated from USC and by right I am a Gamecock fan, but I was born and raised a Wildcat.  Tomorrow I will be slightly torn, but only slightly.   I hope the Cats sock it to them and hard.  Now my attire will be UK Sweatshirt and a Gamecocks hat.  My education maybe Gamecocked but my heart is Blue all the way through, and I am not going to even argue about it.  I am a Wildcat fanatic.  Go CATS!!!!

See you after the game, probably on Sunday...I hope to be drunk of the hard liquor of success.

Blanketed! Kentucky in a State of Emergency. (From the Snow not the Loss to Ole Miss).

No blogging yesterday.  Kentucky was in a State of Emergency.  We had friends over to our home that were without power until late in the evening.  Then we had Nina's parents come right after that.  So, I did  not get to do my usually research and analysis.

I can say though that I loved Gillispie's comments about how much he loves his team.  Come on, that is so awesome.  How many coaches say that after a loss.  Forget about his run-in with the sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards.  Because I for one have never, I mean never had any useful information reported in that ten seconds clip.  It is useless and an annoyance.  The coach is trying to get back there with his team and correct some mistakes.  But he has to stop and answer some inane questions that is are vague and ridiculous.  If Gillispie's half time strategy was to get Meeks more shots and more screens what was it any of our business.  He's the coach.  I think that that part of the game is so bureaucratic and political I could gag.  I hate the half-time Coach's comments.

"So, Coach, what are you going to do different in the second half to score some more points than your opponent?"  asks an annoying sideline reporter (whom are mostly all women...eye-candy for the networks?  Trying to justify hiring more women.  And I am sure that most women, who are journalistically-bent don't want to be doing this fluff, but probably have to if they want to have real reporting job in sports; political garbage)

The Coach responds, "Well, Jane Doe, we are going to play harder on defense and play smarter on offense."  Then he runs off to the locker room.  Wow, my inquisitive mind has been slaked by that Pulitzer Award Winning journalism.  

Jane Doe then turns to the camera and says something earth shattering like, "Well guys, there you have it play hard and smarter.  That is why he is one of the best coaches in the conference." 

Wow, that was riveting stuff.  That was such and in depth reporting that I probably could not have figured it out myself. 

 It was a tough loss and will take us out of the national polls, but the team nor the coach offered any excuses.  And I think that the reason that Gillispie didn't try to get Meeks open with double and triple screens was to force other guys to step up and prove that the Cats are more than two deep on offense; three or four deep.  For the most part it happened with Perry and Darius.  He tried to let Jodie's points come to him in the flow of the game and not force him to be the team's saviour.  If they had won then other teams would have seen how useless it is to just try and shut down Jodie and Patrick.  This was hands on training for Liggins and Miller (and everyone else).  I feel this is very important come tournament time.  These other higher ranked team will shut down Patrick and Jodie (or they will have off games) and if they other guys have found their offensive groove we will go far in the tournament.

I know that if the Cats had applied more pressure on the defensive end we could have had more transition points.  Now, Liggins did not make the best decisions in transition, but he is just a freshman.  Everything that Gillispie does is to strengthen the Cats' weakness so that the team is more mature and seasoned for the post season...that is all that really matters.  SEC championships are great but they don't have the same ring as NCAA Championships.  Remember Pitino said that a loss to Mississippi State in the SEC Championship game would not be good for the '96 Cats, but he benched most of his starters the last few minutes as the Bulldogs went on to win.  We lost the SEC tournament.  But he came out and said that it was good that we lost.  It gave the starter focus and showed that they were not invincible; brilliant idea and plan.  On the flip side if the '96 Cats win with the starters on the bench confidence is up that the team is so good that they could win with second tier guys.  Great a good lesson as well.  I don't think that Pitino's plan would have failed either way.

Here it is guys, Great Coaches are always teaching, every step of the way.  They are constantly pushing you to become better.  Gillispie has been challenging his other players to step up and preform.  This was the perfect stage, and if not for a few too many 3's and bad passes, this actually reinforces that same truth among the players.  Patrick and Jodie score 44 and the rest of the score 36.  Not too bad.  We can play and be successful playing this brand of ball, but everyone has to know their place and make better decisions with the ball.  I am sure that I haven't told you anything that you couldn't make up your minds about otherwise...I am just internet eye candy?  I feel so taken advantage of...

Here's a great article about Tubby.  A positive word about our former commander and chief.

Heartbreaker...Man What a Buzz Kill!

This was a heartbreaker of a loss.  I am still feeling the sting.  85-80...I guess that we didn't get our shut out.  I will be back in the morning with some encouraging words.  I will be driving Nina to work in the morning, I am going to need my rest when facing those icy roads.

GAME DAY!  It is a few moments before tip off.  I will come back after the game with some post comments.  Here's to 6-0!  Here's to an SEC road win!

On, On U Of K (Fight Song)

On, on, U of K, we are right for the fight today,
Hold that ball and hit that line; 
Ev'ry Wildcat star will shine;
We'll fight, fight, fight, for the blue and white
As we roll to that goal, Varsity,
And we'll kick, pass and run, 'til the battle is won,
And we'll bring home the victory

My Old Kentucky Home

The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home,
'Tis summer, the people are gay;
The corntop's ripe and the meadows in the bloom,
While the birds make music all the day.
The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,
All merry, all happy, and bright;
By-n-by hard times come a-knocking at the door,
Then, my old Kentucky home, good-night!

(CHORUS)
Weep no more, my lady,
Oh! Weep no more, today!
We will sing one song for my old Kentucky home,
For my old Kentucky home far away.

The Cats Crack the Top 25

CATS ARE IN THE AP TOP 25 FOR THE 1ST TIME SINCE 2007. Minnesota takes a seat in the top 30 in AP, but not in the Coaches poll, where the Cats have not broken through yet...but next week they will. Until tomorrow.

WHAT IS COMPETING AND COMPETITION?

4 out of 5 analysts agree that Kentucky basketball will be something to reckon with come March. That reminds me of on old saying, "beware the Cats of March." (I think it was in Shakespeare's Julius Rupp or something like that). I have been telling people for two years now that Gillispie was the man for the job and that his, yes, I am going to say it again, unrelenting conditioning and constant pressure to compete will pay off huge divide ends. I mean we have held every SEC school to under 39% FG shooting...THAT IS RIDICULOUS! The unassuming basketball genius is trying his best to get the Cats to hold a team scoreless for an entire game!?! I read earlier in the year Mike Porter said that Coach Gillispie challenged them to pitch a shutout this year. As I said a few posts back, how would 85-0 sound to Big Blue Nation? Our Chests would swell to a ginormous size and we wouldn't be able to be around any other fans without being obnoxiously over-chatty about it. Gillispie, a Texas native and former high school coach, preaches defense and shut outs...but is that the right attitude to have? Is it wrong to not allow the other team to score a basket? Don't baskets accidently get made? Not all offense is skill, there is a lot of luck involved. Could you imagine Lamar comes in to Lexington next year, or some division II school, and we thump them 85-0? Would there be anything remorseful about that for you as a fan or a person? This is brings up a very controversial point concerning a girls basketball team and another Texas coach, Micah Grimes.

The Covenant School girls basketball team defeated Dallas Academy team 100-0! That my friends is impressive. But here is the controversy, Dallas only has 8 girls on the varsity team and only 20 girls in their high school, and they have been winless in the last four years, and they were down 59-0 at the half. According to the Associated Press there is no mercy rule in girls basketball, so the game goes until the final buzzer sounds. The Head Master and the Board Chair issued a statement on their website to apologize for the "unChristian-like" display. WHAT? I am not sure I understand the logic behind this statement:

In the statement on the Covenant Web site, Queal said the game "does not reflect a Christ-like and honorable approach to competition. We humbly apologize for our actions and seek the forgiveness of Dallas Academy, TAPPS and our community."

What is a non-Christian about playing your best? The real question is why were the girls of Dallas Academy playing Covenant? And why are they in the same league? I can understand that there are those who think that the Convenant girls shouldn't have continued playing, but they did only score 12 points in the fourth quarter and 29 in the third. Were they supposed to stop playing all together? They play a full-court pressure and shoot a lot of threes. One of their players did score 48 points. They are also undefeated in their 2A district by score of 54-29, 66-7, 77-27. Nevertheless Covenant is going to forfiet the win. They do have losses to three other, larger schools. So, it reasons that they either became really good when they enter conference play or the competition is not worthy of that being called competition. Maybe they need to be moved to a 3A District, instead of the lower 2A. I'm not sure that the Dallas Academy girls should be in the 2A though, or maybe then need a new coach, considering they haven't won in four years. But to say that this was not Christian to continue to play, is a bit over the top. What would have been the Christian thing to do? Let them get a few baskets or play them at your skill level ? If this were a park game or a church league, then yeah, let them get a few baskets, but if you are talking about organized basketball with both teams agreeing on the rules and those rules remain unbroken...then it is a tough loss. What I think is great, is that the girls of Dallas Academy are over it and they don't really want to accept the forfiet loss; they want to earn the win. Good for you.

Here is a personal note. (Pulling from the recesses of my brain) I remember being 11 and having just started trying to playing basketball. My dad is teaching me in the driveway of our house; the lessons were purely fundamental. First, I wasn't allowed to shoot past ten feet away from the rim (not until I was strong enough to use the correct form from a farther distance). Second, the importance of learning to dribble. You need to be able to create your own offense, if you are always relying on someone else to get you the ball in the perfect spot you may not get to shoot too much. Third, defense is a must. You can score on accident, but you can't block, box out, steal, or shut someone down consistently by accident. Fourth, winning is a priviledge not a right; you have to earn victories. My dad played me to his skill level as a 40 year-old man and a once great athlete. Now, I am not condoning the physical level that he played me at, elbow to the chest, and pushing and shoving, but it took me four years to beat him; he missed one shot and in about 30 minutes of play and I didn't miss. He always said that the day I beat him that I will have actually beat him. He didn't allow me to win to feel better about myself, it was actually an achievement. He wanted to instill this in me so much that he wouldn't let me win at checkers. A win is a win and a loss is a loss.

This philosophy was the reinforced in middle school. I remember sitting in the locker room after gym class contemplating how unwanted I felt. I was picked last during a gym-class basketball game. Jimmie, a kid who had no coordination and no rugged boyishness about him was picked before me...I was dead last. Looking back I can't blame them. I can still see myself rocketing the ball towards the rim with unholy form and no skill whatsoever, and double dribbling everytime I touched the ball. (I don't think Jimmie even attempt a shot, that is probably why they wanted him over me). As sat there mulling over my play and the feelings of being last, I decided that no one would ever pick me last at basketball again. I went home and started a regiment of shooting for 6-8 hours a day (under my dad's watchful and very corrective eye) and all day weekends. I went from being picked last in middle school to playing with (skill-wise) and beating senoirs as a freshman in high school. The difference was passion and effort.

I really am glad that my dad didn't let me win just because he felt sorry for me. He would not have been helping me, but enabling me to think that I was better than I really was. Now, I have played many players ranging from college, ex-college, ex-semi-pro and gym rats and I have played very well. I haven't always won but I have always represented myself and my training.

The skill set that the Dallas Academy girls have been blessed with may have nothing to do with basketball. They may be great musicians or artists or business minded girls...but it is apparent that they need more training, passion, and effort before they get on the court. I hope that this either spurs the girls on to become great basketball players or to become great at what their skill set is. This much is true that are bad at basketball and there is no sugar coating it; Covenant is 100 times better than Dallas Academy.

The hardest part of this story, for me, is that the Coach Grimes was fired. The Covenant Headmaster is not commenting on whether that this had anything to do with the response that Coach Grimes emaied to a website. He stated that his girls acted with dignity and integrity. He didn't not agree with the school's apology. If the girls weren't jeering and making fun and they played within the rules, then I see nothing wrong with the score either.

All that to say this, I am hoping that the Cats shut out Ole Miss. That would be a great first for this team. Oh, and compete on every play. he he.

It's Game Day Baby!

It is Saturday. That is reason enough to celebrate and then put a Kentucky game on top of that is, well...GREAT. I do need to ask forgiveness for not having pre-game day, I was working hard with Scribing and watching children last night. The Elders and Deacons at New Horizons Church are having a weekend-get-away and their children need to be supervised.  It was a great time.  I taught them so simple fundamentals of basketball on a plastic roll-away kid's backboard and goal.  A few of the kids were very talented, while others have a way to go.  But if I were to actually teach them, I would say in a year they would be able to beat any kids on their street.  lol.  I always tell people that I can have them shooting correctly and with confidence in a mere three months, but with kids I would need a year...they were not so much with the dribbling, more of just running with the ball and shooting.  When they did dribble it was with both hands and lots of traveling, but a great time nonetheless.  Just a great bunch of kids to spend friday and saturday with, really enjoyed myself.  I will not be back till Monday to comment of the upcoming Tuesday game and just some "bandwagon news" from around the nation.  'Till then...'be careful' (that was not a threat)

The Breakdown of a Great Gillispie and Lobo Chessmatch

I stand corrected today as Patterson said that there was no ligament damage to his finger.  It has been jammed to heck and is swollen.  I had a friend who got a jammed finger, it still is not right; looks like a goiter on his pinky.  So here is a deeper analysis of the damage received and given.

The Tigers shot the exact same percentage from the 3-point line as the Cats, but they made twice as many.  They had 5 players hit from beyond the arc...we had just one, Jodie Meeks.  The reasons are two-fold (at least): 1.  The underdog mentality releases the pressure and nervousness from shooters and they know that they can just let loose.  What do they have to lose?  If they lose, well, they were supposed to...and if they win, well, then they played a great game.  2.  The game plan was to unleash the Beast Master (Patrick Patterson, see the post "Billy G.'s Amazing Act) and subdue the Tigers.  It worked.  Now the game plan for the Tigers was to make Jodie and Patrick beat them...and they did just that.  It was a great plan, but it was foiled by great execution on Kentucky's part.

The comparisons of the Tigers and the Wildcats ends right there, we dominated every aspect of the game:  Rebound 42-22, Field goal percentages 52.5%-38.8, Free Throw Percentages 81.3%-31.3%.  Another stat that is in credible is that the Cats only committed six fouls (that had a reward of shooting free throws), compared to 32 for the Wildcats.  Patrick, Jodie, Ramon and Perry just ventured into the lane on a mission.  I thought that Patterson was going to foul out the entire Tiger team by the end of the game.  

Interesting that Patrick and Jodie had identical FG, how's that for diversity?