Doubting Kentucky can make a man look stupid

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Congratulations, Kentucky Wildcats.

You will be included in the next Projecting the Field when I update late Sunday/early Monday, and let me go ahead and apologize for being among the last to come around and reward you for your turnaround. I doubted you for a while because I couldn't get past how terrible you were in November, December and early January. Then you got better. But I still doubted you because your best player (Patrick Patterson) went down with a season-ending injury. That was reasonable of me, I think. But even if you disagree it doesn't matter anymore, because the way you've responded minus Patterson has been convincing enough to ensure we are now in total agreement, that playing Tennessee tight before winning at South Carolina and beating Florida to improve to 18-11 overall and -- this is the important part -- 12-4 in the SEC is sufficient for inclusion to the NCAA tournament.

Honestly, I'm not sure how you got this thing turned around.

But make no mistake, you got this thing turned around.

So congratulations, Kentucky Wildcats.

Ashley Judd should be proud.

kingbd1 Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Mar 20, 2007	Posted on: March 9, 2008 2:19 pm Score: 96 This comment has been removed. Post Deleted by Administrator
kingbd1 Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Mar 20, 2007	Posted on: March 9, 2008 2:25 pm Score: 93 This comment has been removed. Post Deleted by Administrator
Gary Parrish Reputation: 99 Level: Superstar Since: Feb 8, 2007	Posted on: March 9, 2008 2:32 pm Score: 88 Doubting Kentucky can make a man look stupid The simple (and short) answer is that I believe Texas A&M is fine. To be clear, the team hasn't been overly impressive. But relative to the other "bubble" teams, their body of work stacks up favorably. [ Reply to Comment ]
mikesyr17 Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Oct 19, 2007	Posted on: March 9, 2008 3:02 pm Score: 91 This comment has been removed. Post Deleted by Administrator
BDsparks Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Mar 1, 2008	Posted on: March 9, 2008 3:21 pm Score: 30 Doubting Kentucky can make a man look stupid What now are the scenarios that could knock Kentucky out of the "Big Dance"? [ Reply to Comment ]
BaseballTime Reputation: 94 Level: All-Star Since: Feb 4, 2007	Posted on: March 9, 2008 3:33 pm Score: 95 Doubting Kentucky can make a man look stupid There are no scenarios to keep them out. They were in before this game, to listen to everyone else other than CBS Sportsline, and I agree. Now, they are a solid ten or nine, and winning a couple in the SEC tourney, or winning the whole thing, moves them to a 6-8, in my opinion. I was saying on here in December they would turn around and get in, and got slammed and cussed, you name it. It feels great to know all the UK haters who thought it safe to come out of the woodwork is now scampering right back under their rocks [ Reply to Comment ]
uk_num_1 Reputation: 95 Level: Superstar Since: Mar 3, 2007	Posted on: March 9, 2008 3:58 pm Score: 95 Doubting Kentucky can make a man look stupid Too bad CBS didn't carry the pregame Senior festivities. Rajon Rondo was on hand to deliver their jerseys to the two Seniors. Will forgive Parrish. But kingbd's apologies are not accepted. Before we played Tennessee, I started a thread saying Kentucky would claw their way back to the top. You haters jumped in and mocked us. Glad you feel stupid about it now. No, we are NOT at the top. We won't get there THIS season. But watch out for us next year. And Parrish-- Billy did it through hard work, and the team came to have confidence in each other and to love each other like family. When Patrick went down, at his press conference, *he* predicted they could win without him. I guess they know a few things the rest of you don't know. [ Reply to Comment ]
dek0112 Reputation: 94 Level: All-Star Since: Mar 9, 2008	Posted on: March 9, 2008 4:15 pm Score: 18 Doubting Kentucky can make a man look stupid Kentucky is still on the bubble, as far as I'm concerned. They were not able to put away a weak Florida team, after leading by 13 points with less than 3:30 left in the game. Playing at Rupp, with over 20,000 fans breathing down the necks of intimidated SEC officials, is worth 10-12 points in itself. This win was less than impressive, and doesn't wash away from the memory the 40 point loss to Vanderbilt last month. Their RPI is still a weak 52. I believe they, at least, need to get a Friday win in the SEC tournament to get a nod from the selection committee next Sunday. [ Reply to Comment ]
dacey. Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Feb 14, 2008	Posted on: March 9, 2008 4:28 pm Score: 45 Doubting Kentucky can make a man look stupid Congratulations Kentucky WIldcats on turning your season around and playing with so much heart and passion at the end of the season when many people counted you out and gone. Good luck the rest of the way. [ Reply to Comment ]
AlwaysTrueBLUE Reputation: 96 Level: Superstar Since: Jan 30, 2007	Posted on: March 9, 2008 4:32 pm Score: 90 Doubting Kentucky can make a man look stupid dek, Don't take it outside of the conference. If UK is not in, then ARK, UF, or Ole Miss are not in either. This means only 3 from the SEC, that is not going to happen. They don't win pretty but they keep winning and show they can compete with the best in the country or get killed by them. That's the bottom line. The Cats are in now teams like Syracuse and others are up against ARK, Ole Miss, and UF for a possible fifth at large from the SEC or someone else. Gary wouldn't you agree? [ Reply to Comment ]

Gary Parrish

Parrish: The Thoughts