Sunday Open Thread: Las Vegas Invitational Champions

by Truzenzuzex on Nov 30, 2008 1:46 PM EST in Open Thread Comment 65 comments

I woke up this morning trying to remember when the last time we won any kind of tournament was. Believe it or not, it has been almost five years ago -- the SEC Tournament in 2004 where we beat Florida.

That is simply amazing to me, and quite frustrating as well. But it was a real pleasure to be on hand when Kentucky finally brought home a trophy after a long drought. To bring that home to everyone, I have a couple of photos I took (please excuse the poor quality as I had to use my phone for these. I'll have more when I get back and have time to clean them up:

'Cats hold the trophy high in triumph.

Your 2008 Findlay Las Vegas Invitational champions!

Here are some news articles of interest as well:

Discuss. Enjoy your Sunday, and the this excellent victory. For me, it's off to the casinos for some fun and games.

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Check Back On 1979 Through 1983 Results

I think (not sure) you’ll a similar drought. No SECT championships. No NCAA titles.

by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 30, 2008 2:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But Several UKIT Titles And One Great Alaska Shootout

I checked Jon Scott.

by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 30, 2008 2:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think...

…That this trophy will do wonders for this young teams confidence…

Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.

by vinceuk1 on Nov 30, 2008 3:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Give me a break

Pitino"I would throw him off the team",referring to DL.After the carracter “saga” last season,pizzaboy has some nerve.

by -Zoso- on Nov 30, 2008 3:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Where can I read Pitino's comments about Liggins going on strike?

by Ken Pomeroy on Nov 30, 2008 10:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think it was in a Crawford blog

On the CJ web site.

by kykat51 on Nov 30, 2008 11:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Where is the guy

that says Pitino always speaks the truth and never spins and blah blah blah………………….?

If it is true, it is so vintage Ricky P.

Changing how you think will change what you think.

by wilson452 on Dec 1, 2008 9:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

HA HA

WKU 68 UofL 54.Hilltoppers knock of the #3 team in the nation.Congrats to WKU.

by -Zoso- on Nov 30, 2008 5:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

that's ahamed.... that's a damn shamed....

ieeiieeeiieiieeiieieieiieieieieiieiei

lol

Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.

by vinceuk1 on Nov 30, 2008 6:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You're killing me Vince!!!!!!!

ieieieieieieieieieieieieieieieei – WKU is no Iranian national team, but hell yeah!!!!!!!!

gobigbluecatsfan72

by gobigbluecatsfan72 on Nov 30, 2008 7:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

IEEIEEIEEIEEIEE!

By gosh, I laughed at it again.

I think the Iranian National team and its Islamic point guard have entered the Big Blue Lexicon for good.

by Ken Pomeroy on Nov 30, 2008 10:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah Tru hit the jackpot this weekend

UK wins the tournament and his alma mater gets a huge upset over Louisville! Congrats to WKU. I could not believe how poorly the Cards played and how dominating the Hilltoppers were.

by kykat51 on Nov 30, 2008 6:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

holy crap

Western over Louisville—what?!? I cannot believe this, I truly can’t. I didn’t see the game, was out running errands all afternoon, but I did go to see Western play at Murray State just last weekend and they were flat-out atrocious. I couldn’t believe how horrible they looked. Murray routed them by like 30 points.

I’m a Hilltopper alumnus myself and I have great affection for the place, that’s my number 2 team, so yeah, Kentucky winning two games in two days and taking a tournament trophy, finally, AND Western beating freaking LOUISVILLE…yup, pretty much perfect.

And Tru is on vacation on top of all that! Lucky bastard ; )

by blue kentucky girl on Nov 30, 2008 6:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I just saw this score flash on the bottom of the screen....

I had to run to the computer to see if it was true. Did I go to ESPN.com first, hell now, I came to ASOB. That’s right baby, and now I’m so happy to see that my eyes did not deceive me! That’s awesome! Go Hilltoppers!

gobigbluecatsfan72

by gobigbluecatsfan72 on Nov 30, 2008 6:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Isn't your husband a Louisville fan, Blue Kentucky Girl?

You must really be loving this then!

gobigbluecatsfan72

by gobigbluecatsfan72 on Nov 30, 2008 7:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

oh yes, he is a Louisville fan...

it was so sweet; I actually got the pleasure of INFORMING him about his mighty team’s defeat because he’s out of town visiting family and been has away from television/computers all day. It was SO awesome—he totally didn’t believe me, because, like I said, we saw Western play in person a week ago and they were embarrasingly bad. I so relished giving him the news—he was like, “you’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?” : )

by blue kentucky girl on Nov 30, 2008 8:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So does that mean...

Murray could beat Louisvile by 40? ;-)

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Dec 1, 2008 7:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would be happy with UK by 5

Changing how you think will change what you think.

by wilson452 on Dec 1, 2008 9:23 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

GO RACERS!

by racercat98 on Dec 1, 2008 2:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Congrats to you Blue Kentucky Girl!

You must be so proud!

gobigbluecatsfan72

by gobigbluecatsfan72 on Nov 30, 2008 6:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

This serves Spitino right.

Wasn’t it a couple of years ago he reneged on a game with WKU? What comes around goes around I guess.

by bluecrip on Nov 30, 2008 7:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

This turned out to be a decent weekend!

I’ve totally forgotten about the UT game!

gobigbluecatsfan72

by gobigbluecatsfan72 on Nov 30, 2008 7:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yep

Hope Tru is having a good time and lady luck went his way at the casino.If not,I will start the Tru Greyhound fund : )

by -Zoso- on Nov 30, 2008 7:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, Tru has to go to all the tournaments now.

Good Luck Charm!

by EEWildcat on Nov 30, 2008 8:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Traitor Rick goes down to the 'Toppers!

Sweet! :-)

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Nov 30, 2008 9:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

WKU win.....

That makes me smile :)

" I believe in pipedreams"

by Magnoliacat on Nov 30, 2008 9:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Nothing to do with UK, but.....

HOW ’BOUT THEM STEELERS..!!!

Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.

by vinceuk1 on Nov 30, 2008 9:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

How do you stop a LoseRvillE Basketball fan from masturbating?

Paint his “Johnson” Blue and White, and he can’t beat it for years……

gobigbluecatsfan72

by gobigbluecatsfan72 on Dec 1, 2008 1:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

A UK fan and his wife were driving through Louisville,

when he reached down to turn the radio station. All of a sudden there was a huge thump and his wife screamed “oh my God…I think you just ran over Rick Pitino…” The man quickly threw the car in reverse…another huge thud…

His wife said “I think you just ran over him again!?!”

The UK fan explained “I could see him in the rear view mirror…and he was still moving…”

gobigbluecatsfan72

by gobigbluecatsfan72 on Dec 1, 2008 1:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I like Pitino

Multiple Final Fours at UK, 1 National Championship and deserves most of the credit for the 1998 Championship as well. He left with UK as the dominate program in all of college basketball. Pitino EARNED every UK fans respect and I find it childish and pathetic that any UK fan would loath him.

by MyBloodRunsBlue on Dec 1, 2008 7:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Deserves Most Of The Credit For 1998???

Absolute BULLSPIT. Total hogwash.

Tubby Smith deserves FULL credit for his 1998 NCAA title.

Duke made 5 FF and won 2 NC during the Pitino era. North Carolina made 4 FF and won 1 NC during the Pitino era. Both defeated Pitino in head-2-head play every time they played.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 1, 2008 8:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

FortyYear...

Refresh my memory a litle bit as I do believe Tubby won that with his coaching.

I was in a Louisville hospital at the time and had only one other UK fan watching the game with me in the community room. I do remember that I quit watching at some point when UK was so far behind and I thought impossible to come back. My sister called me later and told me the Cats won! I could not believe it.

by kykat51 on Dec 1, 2008 8:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Pitino Left UK In May 1997

He had nothing WHATSOEVER to do with winning the 1998 NCAA title.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 1, 2008 8:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I was trying to say...

That even though Tubby had Pitino’s recruits…we won the 98 NC with Tubby’s coaching.
Can I make it clearer as to my question?

by kykat51 on Dec 1, 2008 8:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Pitino's Recruits

That had nothing to do with it.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 1, 2008 9:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

None of them played in the game or anything. LOL.

I don’t think Pitino would have won coaching that team, but he did have well-prepared players most years. He deserves some credit, but the lion’s share goes to Tubby.

by EEWildcat on Dec 2, 2008 12:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Half The Roster Never Played 1 Second For RP

And he gets no credit for the 1998 title.

He had the opportunity to use those 5 or 6 players (left in 1998) to win a title in 1997 but was unable to do so.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 2, 2008 6:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Liez

100% of the points are players that Pitino had. Heshimu Evans sat out a year at UK, recruited by and learning under Pitino, so he counts. Tubby’s players (Saul and Bradley) contributed 12 minutes and 1 rebound. You can’t say Pitino’s recruits had nothing to do with the victory! They had ALL of the points and every steal, assist, rebound, and block except for 1 rebound!

1997 was an overtime loss in the final game. A win would have been better, but it’s still a success by Kentucky standards.

by EEWildcat on Dec 2, 2008 10:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ptino's Recruits

Mean nothing. The fact that he recruited them is trumped by the facts that none had EVER averaged 10 ppg or made All-SEC at UK before 1998. Only one had started for a full year (Sheppard) at UK.

Pitino gets No Credit in my book for the 1998 title. Look at the “left over” players’ numbers in 1998-99-2000 compared to 1997 or before.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 2, 2008 2:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Leftovers?

Yeah,Pitino left Tubby with 4 NBA first round picks.Ironically,twice as many as Tubby recruited in 10 years at UK.Quit bashing the players with the namecalling.How many Final Fours did Tubby’s recruits produce?ZERO.

by -Zoso- on Dec 2, 2008 6:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

They BECAME 1st Round NBA Picks Under A New Coach

Look at Nazr in 1996 and 97 then 1998.

Look at Padgett in 1995 and 97 then 1998 and 99.

Look at Magloire in 1997 then 1998-99-2000.

Bradley never played until 1998 and 99 at UK.

Each was MUCH better under the new coach than the old coach. NONE was NBA draft pick (or close) in May 1997.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 2, 2008 7:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why they didn't play

1996 we had a whole team full of NBA-bound upperclassmen. Of course they weren’t going to play then.

1997 was Thunder and Lightning. Mercer and DA got all the plays written for them. Evans and Sheppard sat out. Everyone else was “learning” under Pitino. He had a balanced, well-prepared team, he gets some credit.

One thing I will say, mega credit to Tubby for fixing Wayne Turner’s free throw. Pitino was definitely remiss in that.

by EEWildcat on Dec 2, 2008 9:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wish tubby could have fixed chuck hayes' FT

man, that thing is painful to watch…worse than barkley’s golf swing!

GO BIG BLUE!! GO BIG BLUE!!

by UKWildCatFanatic on Dec 2, 2008 9:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

NBA

No coach in the NBA has been able to fix Chuck’s shot either. Free throws or jumpers it’s all bad.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Dec 3, 2008 9:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yet He Draws NBA Paycheck Anyway

Defense. Rebounding. I guess?

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 3, 2008 2:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Defense

Definitley defense. He can flat out play some D.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Dec 4, 2008 9:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

The 1996 and 1997 teams were loaded with NBA draft picks.

The 1996 and 1997 recruits replaced 6 NBA players with 2.

The weak 96 and 97 classes hurt UK in 2000 and 01.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 3, 2008 7:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I respect Pitino

For what he brought to the UK basketball program and a NC. He still regrets his decision leaving for the NBA. He lost his “Camelot”. But at that time in his life he went for the money and probably because JoAnn was never happy leaving the East Coast. I will always respect him although I did not like his decision to go to UL.

by kykat51 on Dec 1, 2008 8:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He Has Been Quoted (FWIW) That Louisville Is His Favorite Coaching Job

Or words to that effect.

He’s a city guy. Louisville is as “city” as it gets in KY.

U of L is in the Big East. It’s a better fit for him.

JUST LIKE Minnesota is a MUCH better fit for his successor.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 1, 2008 8:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

FWIW

I do not believe him.

by kykat51 on Dec 1, 2008 8:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I Do

Louisville and Big East are a much better fit for him.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 1, 2008 9:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Mistake

He has also said that the single greatest mistake of his life was leaving UK.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Dec 1, 2008 9:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

For Boston

He also said Louisville is his ideal coaching spot.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 1, 2008 9:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh well

We have witnessed what he has said in the past, before he left UK, and after. He has an ego bigger than anyone I have ever known. Let him be idolized at UL. I don’t care one twit or another.

by kykat51 on Dec 1, 2008 10:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It's A Better Place For RP

Just like Minnesota for Tubby.

UK is not for everyone.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 2, 2008 6:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Lies-lies and more lies...

Pitino has done nothing but lie to employers, presidents and recruits his entire coaching career…

Spin it anyway you wish, but you will never, ever convince my of anything else…
hell, Micheal Bradley & Ryan Hogan both said little Ricky’s told them point blank that he was coming back…

Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.

by vinceuk1 on Dec 1, 2008 10:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He Says He Changed His Mind In 1997

He first rejected the Celtics offer, then took it when the $ was doubled.

Bradley was good but Hogan never belonged at UK. Good kid but not UK caliber as a player.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 2, 2008 6:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wait, what....?

“Bradley was good but Hogan never belonged at UK. Good kid but not UK caliber as a player”

that has nothing to do with lying to the young men…

Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.

by vinceuk1 on Dec 2, 2008 7:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Both Asked To Be Released From LOI

But CM Newton refused their requests. He should have released them.

Ditto Anthony – he wanted out of LOI too.

None of the 3 ever got near NCAA title after 1998 and 99. Not close.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 2, 2008 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you're not making any sense...

or you choose to spin, but once again, I will repeat..

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RICK PITINO LYING TO THESE YOUNG MEN…

Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.

by vinceuk1 on Dec 2, 2008 7:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It Has EVERYTHING To Do With That

He lied to them, Bradley in particular. All 3 asked for LOI release but Newton denied their requests.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 2, 2008 8:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

while we're at it...

A Kentucky fan was enjoying himself at the game in a packed Rupp Arena, until he noticed an empty seat down in front. He went down and asked the guy next to it if he knew whose seat it was.

The guy said, “Yes, that’s my wife’s seat. We have never missed a game since the Rupp days, but now my wife is dead.” The fan offered his sympathy and said it was really too bad he couldn’t find some relative to give the ticket to and enjoy the game together. “Oh no,” the guy said, “they’re all at the funeral.”

by the spork on Dec 1, 2008 2:26 AM EST reply actions 0 recs