MONDAY OPEN SHOT: Talk about the Cats

by Truzenzuzex on Feb 25, 2008 3:30 PM EST in Open Thread Comment 12 comments

A couple of items of interest just crossed my feed reader, and I thought I'd throw them out there for discussion.

John Clay has a blog post about an Arkansas writer who blames the officiating for the Razorback's loss this weekend. I saw it when it came out, but most of the Hog bloggers out there made no such excuses, which makes you wonder why the MSM'ers like Hall can't show the same class.

Bluesteel at Wildcat Fan Report brings us a few updates on our graduating seniors at the Combine. There have been several other reports out of there as well, and most of the Cats are looking good.

Here's a nice piece by Mike Huguenin of Rivals.com, looking at the state of play in college basketball and noting the sharp improvement of the Kentucky Wildcats.

Discuss anything Wildcat related, or stories you may have come across that I didn't. The world is ready for your wisdom ...

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SEC Coach of the year?

Anyone have a fave for SEC COY? Stallings again? Pearl...again? BCG for the great turn around of the Cats? Billy Donavon for the one he shoulda' won? Somebody else?

Stinky Blue

by Stinky Blue on Feb 25, 2008 3:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Much as I hate it ...

it will probably wind up being Pearl.

by Truzenzuzex on Feb 25, 2008 3:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Refs

i didn't see them being that bad towards arkansas. they called a pretty mediocre game at both ends.

by UK44 on Feb 25, 2008 4:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Agree

The out of bounds call towards the end where the ball sort of rolled up Jasper's back on its way out of bounds could have gone either way, and we got the benefit there. On the replay it did seem like the Arkansas player had his foot on the line with the ball before it rolled up Jasper, so I think the call was good.

If anything, Arkansas got away with a LOT of push-offs and strong "handsy" action, but the refs just didn't tighten things up until the end. This was really one of the first games in awhile I didn't cringe at the reffing - it seemed pretty even.

by blbskue on Feb 25, 2008 4:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree ...

Arkansas got away with a lot of grabs -- Crawford got grabbed at least 3 times on drives with no call, but they were letting contact go on both ends, so I though it was fine to the extent they gave both teams a bit of latitude. I certainly didn't see any more than a nominal home advantage you expect at every SEC game.

If they had been calling it close, I think Arkansas would not have had enough players. Their defense was very aggressive, as you would expect.

by Truzenzuzex on Feb 25, 2008 5:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

There were

at least 3 no-calls that I felt should have been fouls (called on the Hogs) in the last few minutes of the game. So I would say it all came out pretty even in the end.

by kentuckygirl0724 on Feb 26, 2008 8:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

rising on the bubblewatch

ESPN's Andy Glockner continues to slowly give the CATS some props on their tourney chances:

"Kentucky [15-10 (9-3), RPI: 66, SOS: 16] Make it eight wins in their past nine games for the Wildcats, who remain on track to get maybe 11 or 12 SEC wins and become a legitimate bubble discussion. If they can handle Ole Miss and Florida at home and a trip to South Carolina, they won't even need to win in Knoxville to get to the dozen mark. Who would have thought this was possible after a bad nonconference slate that included crippling home losses to Gardner-Webb and San Diego? Is there any way the ultimate Billy Gillispie irony happens, in which UK makes it and A&M somehow doesn't?"

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bubblewatch?id=69

Very cool-- except the CATS are on track for 12 or 13 wins in the SEC.

by mateotemprano on Feb 25, 2008 5:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

speaking of this

So, I was kind of half-watching College Game Night on ESPN late Saturday night. When they started talking about Kentucky I snapped to attention. One of their talking heads--Lunardi I think--was discussing UK's tourney chances. And he was saying that our "intra-conference RPI" was in the top 10!?! Did anyone else hear this? I've tried to verify this by some quick internet research today and haven't been able to find it (granted, my research wasn't exactly exhaustive). I found an out-of-conference RPI at kenpom.com (202--yikes) and of course the 65 overall RPI but no reference to an intra-conference RPI. Nonetheless, I'm relatively sure I heard Joe Lundari say ours was top 10.

Anyway, if my late-night ESPN comprehension is accurate, this would have to be a really good sign, right?

by blue kentucky girl on Feb 25, 2008 8:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Conference SOS

You can find this on ESPN's website under bracketology.

It was included starting a few years ago because so many conferences (Big 10, Big East, ACC) had teams that played different league schedules that didn't follow any pattern and some (like the Big East) had teams that didn't play each other at all in conference. The result of which was that, for instance, two 8-8 records were not necessarily created equal, even in the same conference.

As of now UK has a conference RPI of 10 (RPI based on conference games only), against the 29th toughest conference schedule.

What I'm not sure about is whether this is information the selection committee actually looks at, or if it was something put together by ESPN as another way to examine how teams are playing.

Looking for a rock to wind a piece of string around.

by JLeverenz on Feb 26, 2008 11:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am so glad

to hear I'm not crazy. Thanks! I guess this info must be in ESPN's Insider section, though--I can't access anything under RPI there.

Like you, I don't know if this is a number that would specifically be used by the committee, but it certainly makes me feel a little better about our chances.

by blue kentucky girl on Feb 26, 2008 6:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

pat patterson SEC frosh of the week.... again!

for the third time this season.

http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=37&url_article_id=21599&change_we ll_id=2

by mateotemprano on Feb 25, 2008 10:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Strength in the Middle

I have been amazed by PPat this season. To me, he has been the biggest difference between between the 06-07 Kats and the 07-08 Kats. It has been more than just his talented play. His eyes -- during many a close run -- harken back to the focused determination and intensity of Mike Singletary. They speak volumes as he refuses to be denied and refuses to lose. It is a striking contrast to his predecessor in the middle -- the uncommitted and lackadaisical Morris.

Our Seniors have made drastic improvements. But, I do not think they would have made the same metamorphoses without PPat's presence on this team.

by SirTanksAlot on Feb 26, 2008 12:06 AM EST reply actions 0 recs