Time for a little concern, and some long overdue recognition

Are Dynasty Defenders stirring up trouble again?? I'll pack my bags here in Raleigh and come on up and whoop some tail on behalf of Mr. Jasper if need be. Just say the word Tru and I'm there!

Derrick, you're heart and will this past season were likely the most direct reason for your team's change of fortune come conference play. Your efforts will surely not be forgotten.

Just so this doesn't look like a "reaction" to Tru's post...  I was giving at least giving him a little love, but not enough.  I haven't bragged on him too much because I try to stay at least somewhat on topic.

http://www.aseaofblue.com/comments/2008/4/10/9538/77318/86#86

http://www.aseaofblue.com/comments/2008/3/25/84653/5751/20#20

I'm also on the record how high I am on tall guards (too many comments to list).  Jasper definitely fits that mold.

He did an incredible job of being tough and playing through his injury.  I'm recovering from an injury of my own, and I wish I could do as well as he has!

He has done an AWESOME job in the off-season improving his shot.  That kind of personal dedication is what makes a player great.

He's got great heart - when he messes up on a play, you can see the frustration on his face.  He really wants to do well for his team and it shows.  He's clearly got an emotional investment in the team's success.  I can really sympathize with this a lot I think because I'm the same way (even though my endeavors aren't basketball related).

If you look at when the team started to improve, it was when Derrick Jasper came back.  Yes, there was some definite improvement to Bradley and Crawford, but I think it's more than coincidence that the real improvements in results came when Jasper returned.  My friends and I talked about it all the time during the season how much better the team looked when Jasper returned.  It seemed like all the haphazardness of our offense just evaporated when Jasper started playing.  He was creating shots for his teammates and taking advantages of weak spots in the defense.

He played great defense, even with a bum knee, against smaller, faster players.

He had to play the 4 position at times after Patterson went down.  It's not his position, so it didn't show him in his best light, but he did it anyway, without complaint, for the team.  because he's the only one that could do it.

Just for reality's sake, if there's one knock on Jasper, he still has some nervousness issues, like Jeff Sheppard had.  He hasn't yet been able to hit the clutch shot - but that's OKAY!  He's just a sophomore who, like his whole class, has been through 2 coaches in 2 years and all of that turmoil, plus the injury.  Still, I am confident he will overcome these and transition from great to awesome by his senior year and become the next Jeff Sheppard (or better!).

I think what endears people to Bradley and Crawford is first, that they were seniors, so they get celebrated more for their UK accomplishments because there aren't going to be any more.  And most importantly, it's the psychology of the UK fan base: it's a mostly Christian group, and the story of the Prodigal Son is well drilled therein.  The prodigal son is celebrated more than the steadfast son (or even Job) in the Christian tradition, and that's not fair, that's just how it is.

I think part of Jasper's discontentment might be - Gillispie has recruited 2 players (Galloway, Liggins) already that are "Jasper-replacements" i.e. 1/3 types.  But what he needs to understand is these guys are going to be new next year and Jasper will be a junior with 2 years of good playing experience.  We need to have someone (Liggins) when he graduates!

He's doing great and I've never listed his position as "needs help" from new recruits in any of my forum posts.  I've always said the positions where we need help are a backup 2 guard to replace Legion, and most prominently, a 4/5 guy to back up Patterson and Stevenson.  Derrick is a big part of our foundation and we need to build around him.

I'd like to see Jasper play the point next year.  He did a great job with it in the 2007 season, especially for a freshman, plus now he has a deadly 3-point shot, and he'll be at full strength for 2009, barring any injuries.

If any UK fan doesn't like Jasper's game, they're smoking crack, that's all there is to it.

Anyway, sorry Derrick, for all the man-love.  But I just like your game.

I was just thinking about Jasper last night actually, I was listening to ESPN radio talking about the NBA and they mentioned that Darius Miles was getting ready to be cut finally because he hasn't played a game in over two years after micro-fracture surgery on his knee.  Two years!  For a pro!  For Derrick to fight back and contribute mere months after a surgery that is known to end careers, I have always been impressed.

Early in Jasper's freshman year, he was my favorite player on the entire team just because he played so hard.  Any success that this team may have for the next two years really does depend in large part on the health and development of Jasper.  If he can get his confidence and health back to become a real threat in addition to a healthy Meeks and Patterson, this team can be really dangerous.  Without him... I don't think we can.

This does not diminish the admiration and respect we have for those who have stayed the course and been there, day in and day out, contributing with superflourous zeal, as Derrick has done.

He needs to look at all of the other sub-plots this year along with his. As the year wrapped up he became that future all pro lineman standing up defenders so his quarterback can throw his way to the first round and the glory that follows. Joe just put too many in the hole, Bradley clutched a few too many and BCG gained much love. For a team not in the top 20 and playing out in the first round of the SEC and NCAA the media only has room for 2 stories and 3 TOPS. That sucks.

Next season is your year DJ! You, Meeks and P-Pat will be the freaking All Steve Austin team and the story will be told far and wide.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

Kentucky is a rising 6 seed!  Heh.

It just wouldnt be prudent at this juncture to assume that all is well.

slip slidin away

Florida a 3 seed and UT a 9. I dont like either of those picks. Florida should be lower and UT higher than either got.

Gillispie is known as being tough on the players but of ALL the guys on this team this year, I think he was incredibly kind about and very high on Derrick Jasper.  He talked in the media very positively about his abilities and about his drive and his heart.  He got plenty of minutes.  I know UK fans can at times be unfairly tough on certain players--Sheray Thomas comes to mind. But Derrick Jasper?!?  I've never heard a fan in person or one on the internet at any of the usual fan gathering places say much negative about Jasper at all.  Ever. NOTHING beyond innocuous stuff like "wish he'd shoot more" or something like that.  The opposite even--I think fans are very fond of his game and his grit in coming back from the injury.  I certainly can't picture him not getting the love on campus, or when he actually meets fans in person.  The crowds certainly always came out in force to support him and his team on the court.  I'm not sure what more could be done to prove to a player that YES we like you, YES we appreciate you, and YES we want you here.  

I'm not trying to belittle what he may or may not be feeling.  For the record, he's one of my favorite players on the team, me having a fondness for tall guards myself.

I guess what I'm saying is that if he's really considering a transfer (oh please god no), or if he did consider it in the past, there's surely GOT to be more to it that not feeling the love from the program and the fans, 'cause looking at it from the outside, he has certainly gotten that.

RE Ford to OSU:  OMG!!!!  I guess it's perfect timing--we can now trade fretting about our coach taking another job for worrying that our PG will transfer.

I hope he does a great job at OSU.

GO BIG BLUE! GO CATS!