It's been almost 48 hours since our boys in blue suffered their first loss of the season, and if you're like most people I've talked to, you've had time to come down off the ledge and re-evaluate our position. Despite losing a game we should have won, Kentucky is still sitting pretty at 19-1 and has had an amazing start to the season.Let me ask you something... last year, when we were suffering through the second installment of the failed Billy Clyde Experiment, would you have believed someone when they told you at this point next season, we'd be 19-1 and ranked #1? No, you wouldn't have, and I wouldn't have either. This has been an amazing turnaround for our program, and we don't need to act just plain silly after one tough loss.
Now a few Thursday night notes...
:: Since the defeat, Cal has remained positive, but he's also stepped up the intensity in practice. He's also giving a little tough love to his team, demanding his players quit making excuses and step up their energy and toughness (insert Billy Clyde joke here.)
:: Thankfully, the stink over a supposed punch thrown by DeMarcus Cousins to a receiving South Carolina fan has quickly blown over. No major media outlets said much about it, and the kid that claimed to have been hit has shut up. Consider this dodging a bullet.
:: Patrick Patterson is clearly frustrated, and not by his own play, but by the response of the Kentucky faithful after losing to South Carolina. Pat posted on Facebook that he doesn't want to receive any negative messages from Kentucky fans about their play or their love for the school. Let me go on the record as saying any such statements were made by the vocal minority and certainly do not represent the biggest part of basketball-loving-Kentuckians.
:: Rojon Rondo has been named an All-Star reserve for the upcoming NBA All Star weekend. The Boston Celtic point guard is having a phenomenal year, and he's certainly worthy of the honor. Congrats Rojon!
:: Former Cat Derek Jasper will miss the next five weeks due to a knee sprain. This is sad news for Derek, who's career has been plagued by injury from almost the word go. Here's hoping that he heals up in time for the end of the season tournaments.
:: Vanderbilt is Kentucky's next opponent, and it will be played Saturday night at Rupp Arena. This will be the second game to be carried by ESPN this week, and we're all hoping that Kentucky plays more like they did against the Hawgs and not a repeat of Tuesday's air-ball. I think Coach Cal and the Cats will come ready to play and will use the nationally televised game to remind everyone why they were voted #1 to begin with.
Well that's all for now. Be careful in the snow this weekend. We'll have more UK news and views tomorrow.
It is amazing how some people choose to use the Internet. The overwhelming majority of fans aren't like that, but there is the 2-3% of people that might shouldn't be allowed to reproduce out there that show up at the first hint of failure.
ReplyDeleteIn my postgame rant I mentioned Pat needs to demand the ball a little bit more, but I don't question his or anybody else on the teams intentions, heart, integrity, etc. I admit that my priorities are a little bit warped with the amount of time I spend talking UK Basketball, but lets just try and keep things in perspective.
These people are the ones that give our fan base a bad name nationally. They are always the ones that seem to yell the loudest or at least they are the ones that people pay attention to. It really pisses me off that they are the face of Big Blue Nation for so many people.
ReplyDeleteNational media members already have that picture painted of us, and just use these isolated incidents as proof. You aren't ever going to hear any of the griping and moaning from Duke fans when they get beat in the second round again this year mentioned on ESPN. Dana O'Neill mentioned the Patterson thing on ESPNews the other day the day after. It just fits in with what they want to believe about the people of Kentucky.
ReplyDeleteThey need to thank their lucky stars we are here because we turn the needle. We sell out any venue, and we have sky high TV ratings. We don't get the respect though. Too many in the media think we are overzealous and uneducated hillbillies. There is a small faction that might meet that criteria, but it pisses you off when that vocal minority is emphasized by some.
There is some truth to our zeal. The UK job is the best in college basketball when we are on top and the worst when we are down.
Gomez here...
ReplyDeleteGood post, Michael. I also agree with you guys (JLee and AMart), while having the most passionate fanbase in all of college basketball, we also have some morons that should retire their Kentucky blue if they can't act any better than that.