John Wall is on a Horse...

(Special Thanks to Michael Toon for capturing this photo.)

The game last night started out like many other Cats game this season . We got out to a small lead, let off the gas, and watched the Bulldogs erase our lead. We were playing the same cat and mouse game that we have so many times this year, playing with our food before eating it if you will. We had a gigantic mashed potato volcano built early against the Dawgs, and Charles Barkley was EXTREMELY distracted by that.

Finally, Wall said enough was enough, and he took over. When he went in for his left handed fast break dunk, I was sure the game was ours. I am not sure if it was that amazing play that got our attention, or the lack of a foul call that got us stirred up, but we were a different team after that play. We weren't about to lose back to back games. Not on John Wall's watch. If we are ever in a tight spot, he is going to do something spectacular to carry us out of it.

There are going to be games like this in the NCAA, only against better competition. This team has shown an ability to keep the other team in the game, but they have also found a way to survive time and time again. They don't give out style points come March, just put up or shut up, and the Cats have been putting up ugly wins all year long. I am not totally sure what to make of it. You would love to see that killer instinct and get some stress free wins, but there is another part of me that likes the fact that we have played our opponents Superbowl 30 times this year, and simply found a way to win. What team is more ready for the stresses of March than UK, a team that has taken the opponents best shot each and every night?

We aren't exactly the well oiled machine you might expect from your typical title contender; that only comes with experience. I am not exactly sure what team is our doppelganger. Probably the Fab Five Michigan crew, or Ohio State a few years back. I vaguely remember the Fab Five, and can't really wax poetically about Rose or C-Webb during their college days. Sorry though, I think Wall is better than anybody on either one of those teams. I know how good Webber was, but I truly believe Wall is going to be one of the all time greats... And so does he. From what I gather, Webber was the most talented on that team, but Rose was really the team leader and guy that stirred the drink for those Michigan teams. Same goes for Ohio State. Oden was the best talent, but Conley was the one that made the team go.

Ask anybody on our young team who the man is, and you will only get one answer. They all love Wall, and they all know he is the man. After Wall's game winner against Miami Ohio in his first regular season game as a Cat, my favorite moment of the season (to date) occured. You can read the whole interview here, but I avoided the swarm around Mr. Wall, instead talking to Cousins after the game. His comments about his teammate were what stuck out the most to me.

On Wall living up to the hype.... "With John.... With the hype he has, it is all true. There is no extra behind it. I mean, John Wall is legit. He is the real deal. There is no guard out there better than him. I said it right after the game. John just started his legacy. That's John."

Nice work Cuz. We have guys fully capable of being the man, but Wall is like that guy on the horse in the Old Spice commercial. I am hopeful that Wall's ability to ride a horse backwards is going to get us through the ups and downs of March, carrying us to the promised land. Wall might even give your wife two tickets to that thing she loves, and you won't even get mad at him. Because he is the man. I know we are a flawed team (mainly due to youth), but I also see John Wall, the man, and feel pretty good about our team's chances.