I Can't Complain....Literally

I'm back, with a vengeance. I want to promise my loyal reader(s) that I have at least 2 good articles brewing, but am having trouble finding time to write them. I have to get caught up on Mad Men and 24 and its hard to write these in class, not because I'm paying attention, but because I'm checking out recruiting news, other great stuff on the BBNR, or playing Sporcle quizzes.

But I wanted to write today about the inability to complain about this team.

See I'm the kind of guy that loves to complain, loves to point out weaknesses. Not because I'm a Debbie Downer (Waaaa Whaaaa!) but because I never want to jinx anything. I never want to get my hopes up too high just to get them dashed. I will never say, well we are winning that game. I'm never comfortable with a lead until its mathematically impossible for us to lose it. It's just the way I'm wired. Same reason I'll never believe I got an A in a class until I see the grade (also, I don't get A's in classes...only because I'm trying to entertain all you readers, not because I'm lazy and am trying to make the Cubs win the World Series on MVP 2004 for the Playstation 2 and go undefeated by playing every single game).

I just always feel better with a chink in the armor, something we need to work on. It's the same reason the debate rages for undefeated teams on if they need to lose a game before the tournament. If you check out Bill Simmons Book of Basketball, which is 700 pages and I read it cover to cover in about 3 weeks (TAKE THAT Law School books that I still haven't opened this semester). He talks about all the greatest teams in NBA history (96 Chicago Bulls, 87 Lakers, 86 Celtics, etc.) all had to have an excruciating loss the previous year to harden and dedicate them to become the amazing team they did. Well about half our team has never lost a game in college. Besides Patterson, Harris, Miller, and Stevenson nobody playing any major minutes has gone through the terrible embarrassment of missing the NCAA for the NIT last year.

But this team, no matter what they have done, remains perfect in the Win-Loss Column (the most important column, narrowly edging out my column for the BBNR, and the column of meats and cheeses I put on my famous One foot high victory sandwich "The Heart Clogger"). So we have literally nothing to complain about.

Sure we can be bothered about lack of consistent outside shooting, Cousins' attitude when he gets frustrated, our uncanny ability to make other teams shoot 3's like they are on fire in NBA Jam, or our inability to put teams away, letting many comeback after we build up big leads. But so far Nothing we have done has hurt us. We've had many close calls, some against inferior teams in terms of talent. But right now we are sitting at 18-0 and have the opportunity to take back the number 1 ranking that we haven't seen since 2003. I mean last year we were unranked and missed the tournament, this year we are the team that gets talked about playing the worst NBA team to see if it would actually be a close game (one of my favorite nonsense arguments sportscasters make, but you know what, why not. We have 3-4 possible lottery picks in this draft and another 2 for next years and have 15 more wins than the Nets, bring them on).

After the last few years we should be happy just being competitive but THIS?!?! They have exceeded every single expectation so far. Cal can say we are really 10-8, a thing I actually like because it might keep the players from getting caught up in the hype, but we are undefeated and all the players are showing tons of swagger and no nervousness to finish off a team in the end.

This inability to complain actually worries me. I have drank the Kool-Aid (I hope that reference doesn't cause a huge pitcher of red drink to smash through my wall). I want the undefeated season. I'm in with John Wall. I'm being realistic, I know we have lots of weak points but its attainable at least. So now I watch every game with a sense of urgency. There is no comfort of a problem we need to fix so we can say well that's why we could lose (because again, none of our problems have hurt us enough for a loss).

Of course with my luck this post will be a huge jinx and we blow the game. After all WAY too many people are already putting UK at number 1, they have been since Texas lost. I hate when everybody thinks one thing will happen because it rarely does. (Same reason I hate everyone for picking the Cowboys for the Super Bowl guaranteeing them a loss in the Playoffs). Plus Pelphrey is a good coach and Arkansas is a tough team, and if anybody can help break through the Rupp Mystic its a guy that played there right? We also rank at 248 in 3 point field goal defense nationally. Just behind that team of 80 year olds at the YMCA that NEVER miss free throws and just ahead of a college inter-mural team of fat guys that show up for games only half sober. Which seems like a big deal when Rotnei Clarke shoots about 50% from 3 and already has a game this year where he went off 13-17 from 3 and dropped in 51 points. (did that stat just give you shivers, my eyes bulged out when I saw it) I am TERRIFIED of that guy.

But until the other shoe drops I just won't be able to complain about this team. I'll get nervous, worried, turn my fingernails into fingernubs, but from where I'm sitting there's just no reason to complain. (at least not yet).


Let us know what you think in the comments section. About the Arkansas game, UK on the verge of a possible number 1 ranking and how that could effect our play, about how surreal it is to be where we are now compared to the past few years, or just how bad my articles are.