UK vs. UT

I woudn't call them mediocore they were coming together nicely as a team sure they lost at Florida how is that a big deal when they crush everyone at home this year ?  They nearly beat Lousiville on road earlier this year and were really starting to play better as a team.  Medicore by UK standards yes but still were a 8/9 seed range for the tournament with chances to improve with home games vs Missouri and Florida later this year win those games and play well other places and UK could have climbed to a 6 seed.

In 2011 UK was in worse shape record wise at this point just 5-5 in conf and they got hot to end the year won the conf tournament moved up to a 4 seed and made the Final 4 and was within an eyelash of beating eventual champ UCONN.

You just never know how things would have turned out but none of that matters now.

Pretty good run the 1st 3 years Elite 8, Final 4, National title.  Can't expect every year to be a top team running players in and out like that it just happened that this year's crop of freshamn they got are not as good as the previous 3 classes.

Just my guess, but UK will have Wiltjer, Hood, Harrow and Polson to go with Harrison twins, Young, Lee, Johnson and however they finish out the recruiting class.  Poythress, Goodwin and WCS all project in the first round right now which probably forces their hand in a weak draft class. 

I think UK will find that last year will be the exception not the norm (not just in winning titles, I mean in regards to players returning)

More often than not the Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb's of the world will leave after 1 year instead of returning.  UK fans should get used to a complete lack of continuity between seasons if Cal doesn't change his recruiting strategy (or the NBA doesn't change the one and done rule) 

Here is the question for UK fans...  

Chargie Goodwin has been killing the team with bad decisions.  Do you hope he leaves or hope he stays? 

Wiltjer can't buy a bucket... or a foul. 

Actually to me the whole thing starts with Harrow.  They've lacked any continuity at the point guard and that has been the crux of all the other issues.  Too many other guys that are not point guards trying to handle that position.  I would take Archie Goodwin back at the natural 2 guard for him and another year of maturity. 

You'll have Wiltjer returning next year...FOR SURE! Haha...and if you wouldn't call this team mediocre Muto...what would you call them? Reeling...

Can we FINALLY stop mentioning Kentucky and NCAA Tournament in the same breath? This team isn't mediocre or even bad. Bad would be a compliment. Abysmal would be a good word. Goodwin and Poythress can both go pro. They sure as hell proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they weren't worth 1% of the hype.

Pork rinds are soggy, facepaint is running, and the PBR tastes like Lite beer. Must be the gator, I mean crocodile tears.
GO BIG BLEW !!!
Thought starting the two white guys was genius.

I just can't possibly fathom how Goodwin, Poythress, and Cauley-Stein could possibly still remain in the discussion of being 1st round draft picks up to this point in the season. They have proved that they don't even deserve a starting spot on most college rosters. With that being said, I will never allow my fandom to wish a good-character kid to leave the team for any reason. I hope that all 3 return and hopefully develop their games so that they won't fade into oblivion when they do get drafted, or sign free agent contracts. I can't argue with the results that Calipari has delivered in his first three seasons, but this is his first season at UK where he hasn't had upperclassmen return that were experienced within his system. Wiltjer was the lone returning player with any form of significant playing minutes from last year. Harrow, although practicing with the team last year, and Mays have never played against competition under Calipari and these things are showing on the court all this season.

Charger I think its a combination of a weak draft class along with the fact that all 3 of them have NBA size and athleticism coupled with plenty of potential.  Now once March rolls around other guys may jump them based on their tournament play and knock them out of first round consideration.  I have a feeling now that Noel is out and the focus is on them they may also drop. 

I just can't possibly fathom how Goodwin, Poythress, and Cauley-Stein could possibly still remain in the discussion of being 1st round draft picks up to this point in the season. 

NBA draft is about potential, not performance.  What else don't you understand?

So since this is the first season where Cal isn't relying on any upperclassmen...

Is it safe to say that Cal's success all came with Billy G's players?  (sorry, couldn't help it) 

Speechless...

"Wishful thinking here, but the combo of Cauley Stein and Poythress? Stokes is gonna get his, just hoping as a team we get more! This would be a great game right off the bat for Cauley Stein to have a coming out! "
Fricking Kreskin ! At about the 8 minute mark I think.
GO BIG BLEW !!!

Just mark this year off your calendar.  No big deal.  Been a great run the past 3 years.  Just have to take a little breather this year.  Remember it is only a game.  Nothing but a bump in the road, for this year.

Medicore by UK standards yes but still were a 8/9 seed range for the tournament

8-9 is pretty medicore lol.


Final 4 and was within an eyelash of beating eventual champ UCONN.

The made 3 makes it look closer, and thats overlooking the beatdown Uconn gave them in mauii.

I think UK will find that last year will be the exception not the norm (not just in winning titles, I mean in regards to players returning)

Even if players return, last year's team is still the exception, rather than the norm. Kentucky's team last year had great team chemistry. The kind of team chemistry that probably happens once every 10-15 years. That said, I don't expect most Kentucky teams to be like this year's team either. On a bell shaped curve, last years team was on the right side and this year's team is on the left. Most teams (with top recruiting classes) will probably fall in between the two.

But this does show Cal's inability to coach-up players and illuminates the fact that his primary talent is recruiting. He reminds me somewhat of Roy Williams.

Have to give dit up to Tennessee; they played their best game, IMO.  That said, Poythrus and Cauley-Stein did NOTHING  to clog up the center.  Cauley-Stein looked liked he is new to the game.  In our area, CBS got it right; they switched to game to Pitt and Marquette when Tennessee went up by 30 early in the half.  That game was painful to watch.  Never thought the Cats would look that bad.

Kentucky's team last year had great team chemistry.

This. This. Very much this. Last year's Wildcats were a very special team that you just won't see every year in this one-and-done era of college basketball.

Big Blew Cave is dreary today, outta PBR,  the face paint was 2 shades off, the pork rinds were too salty. Maybe something sweet is in order.
Got a strange craving for an Orange Crush. Huh !
GO BIG BLEW !!!