Kentucky 101, Arkansas 70: Postmortem
by Glenn Logan on Jan 23, 2010 6:36 PM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
Email
Print19-0.
That's where the Kentucky Wildcats are. 19-0, 4-0. Pretty much amazing.
The Arkansas Razorbacks had a quick turn-around, playing their second game this week after only a 1-day layoff. They played a fresh team who had six days to get healthy and in shape. The outcome was predictable.
This was definitely not Arkansas' best effort, and is not whatsoever representative of the work they have done lately. Compounding all that was the ridiculous difficulty of trying to come in to Rupp Arena, a place that has become absolutely insane after four years of irrelevance, and trying to knock off a team that out-talents you 2-1. It was just too big a mountain for the scrappy Hogs to climb.
For the 'Cats, this was their most complete game of the season, possibly a result of the hard work they have put in over the last six days, plus the extra motivation of having the chance to ascend to the top spot in the NCAA polls. Kentucky basketball, as of today, is completely and totally back from the depths of the Ninth Circle of Hell. It has been a long, painful journey, but at this precise moment, I find myself completely content.
No, this wasn't the NCAA championship, but we will get more of those. What leaves me so happy is that this was the kind of basketball that we haven't seen at Kentucky in a long time, since at least 2004. It is so satisfying that I am replete with basketball happiness, and judging by the fact that nobody in Rupp Arena left despite an early end to the game, so is most of the Big Blue Nation.
More after the jump.
Superlatives:
- Darius Miller played a great game, and vindicated his place in the starting lineup. Game ball.
- Patrick Patterson could have done more, but he did enough.
- DeMarcus Cousins may have left some teeth behind, but he was the best player on the floor today.
- Eric Bledsoe's defense on Rotnei Clarke was the reason this game never got started for the Hogs.
- This was the most incredible defensive effort that the 'Cats have delivered all year, from every spot on the floor. I am going to expect this level of defensive effort from now on.
- John Wall was ... John Wall -- simply the best player in the nation.
- DeAndre Liggins wants more, and it shows. He must have hit the floor a dozen times today. His coach noticed, and rewarded him with lots of time. Liggins is becoming the player we all knew he could be.
- Daniel Orton is the best shot-blocker since Andre Riddick. I have no idea how many he got today, but per minute played, he must be starting to threaten Jarvis Varnado.
- Perry Stevenson played very well, I thought. Happy birthday to Perry.
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Bledsoe shutting down Clarke was the key to the game
Every team in the SEC is going to use UK taking away Clarke as a blueprint the rest of the way.
First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...
http://all-access.cbssports.com/player.html?code=kty&media=148678
No matter where you're at, there you are
Agree .. to big of a mountain for Ark to climb
I’ll be at the SC game on Tues and not only is it really hard to win in the Colonial Center but they will really have a hard time defending their #1 ranking. I’m happy for Darius Miller I have questioned his heart and ability before – I hope finally this is the game that gives him the confidence to perform at the level he most definitely can. Couldn’t get by without Kudos to Deandre Liggins for another hard fought game. Sorry about Big Cuzs’ choppers – another double double for the big guy – he totally outplayed Ark inside.
GO CATS!! ….. 40-0 …. one more step closer
Ahhh ...
Four Roses Single Barrel. Home-made roast prime rib of beef with English potatoes.
What a great way to celebrate victory. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
hopefully,
they got him to a dentist immediately after the game. That would be best. This is important stuff. He does have his looks to consider, you know? : )
Hah.....He is coaching us too.....
“Don’t get mad”, at the naysayers he says…..I love this guy and this team !! He emphasizes FUN !!
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Tru is coming around...maybe?
An undefeated regular season, perhaps?
LOL
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
You know ...
… Who cares?
If we don’t pull it off, what’s the big deal? We are playing Kentucky basketball again. That’s all that matters, at least to me. A loss here and there are going to happen.
I refuse to believe in jinxes. Fortune favors the bold!
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Jinx might not be the right word. I really don't care either and I too am very content...
I want this team to reach it’s potential where ever that goes. However, it is my personal
philosophy to not get ahead of myself and to stay humble.
The bottom line is....
If some see it as 40-0, I think 39-1 or 38-2 will also yield that coveted 8th banner. :-)
But I can gladly accept 40-0, if it were to happen. I think the team is capable…absolutely.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Okay.....strike the 39-1
that COULD be not so good. Depending on where the 1 happens….lol
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
On third thought....lol
38-2 could be ugly too…UGH numbers…LOL…..I will just stick with 40-0 :-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Exactly...LOL
My fandom took control over my thinking for a brief moment…hahaha ;-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
All I care about too
UL Football Fan/UK Basketball Fan ~ Okinawa, Japan
by The White Mandingo on Jan 23, 2010 8:35 PM EST up reply actions
I know Chism went out of the game in extreme knee pain...he did reenter but wonder
if he has a significant injury? Gators 36 / USC 30 12m left in 2nd half
don't know, didn't see the game
but it looks like UGA led the last 38 minutes or so and cruised with a ten+ point lead for a good while
No matter where you're at, there you are
Tru
do you ever go back and read post from this time last year or two years ago? Just for perspective? Good piece!
that'd be interesting
I found this place just after Cal was hired. and have often wondered what ASOB was like when the kool-aid wasn’t as sweet.
No matter where you're at, there you are
That's too much work, Tru -- write an article
heh heh heh :)
No matter where you're at, there you are
I found this site at the end of BCG's 1st year. There was a fair mixture of positive and...
negative. What impressed me the most about ASOB was how Tru (from my memory) kept the
really nasty comments off this site when things went downhill for BCG . In addition, this site kept it’s integrity during the decline of BCG while most posts were critical, thought out and fair.
Well...do you remember folks watching the door at Memphis
When Coach Cal was being courted by UK… traffic was off the hook during the firing of BCG and the hiring of Coach Cal. Hundreds of responses for each post..it was crazy
Ummm
I haven’t “watched a door” since my marijuana days. Back then it was an existential experience.
:)
No matter where you're at, there you are
LIAR! LIAR!
I’m totally calling you out. Bet you listened to Pink Floyd, too, didn’t you? Knew I liked you…. : )
Love That Song
but I think that one more appropriate to the current situation for the Cats might be “Learning To Fly”.
Pink Floyd laser light show at a planetarium is sooooo cool ;-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
cincy totally watched
The Wizard of Oz with the sound down while listening to Dark Side of the Moon, I know it.
And I am not at all saying that because I know anything whatsoever about such experimenting ;)
by blue kentucky girl on Jan 23, 2010 8:15 PM EST up reply actions
you blonde women all did bizarre stuff like that when we were all young and in college
just to keep us nerds from figuring out what you really wanted!!!!
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
Oh, I was the worst.
I mean, the WORST. I’m seriously lucky I came out alive after what all I did in college. I’m still a nerd, though ; )
by blue kentucky girl on Jan 23, 2010 8:21 PM EST up reply actions
I was the guy the hot girls called for help when they were in over their heads
and it did me absolutely ZERO good ……lol…….
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
I cannot tell you how many 3am pickups I did out of
the goodness of my heart…..lol..even if my motives were not so pure…..lol……didnt help!!!
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
ummm
Are you quite sure we didn’t go to college together? lol
by blue kentucky girl on Jan 23, 2010 8:27 PM EST up reply actions
Absolutely! :)
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on Jan 24, 2010 2:08 PM EST up reply actions
I was really wanting to make that
joke somehow, but couldn’t figure out a way to work it in there. So glad someone did : )
by blue kentucky girl on Jan 23, 2010 8:56 PM EST up reply actions
We don't need no education
We just need some ball control
No sarcasm in the media
Seth, leave them kids alone!
exactly, wineman.
with “Comfortably Numb”, being one of my most favorite tracks on that album, of course. Whether tripping or no, good stuff, that Pink Floyd. Or so, I have heard…… ; )
exactly, bigsky
A FRIEND told me all about tripping…yeah, that’s it.
Don’t do drugs, kids!
by blue kentucky girl on Jan 23, 2010 9:53 PM EST up reply actions
You know ! The Keasey's (the infamous Electric Kool Aid Acid test-Ken Kesey)
live right here near Niketown. Sounds like you might have hitched a ride on Ken’s psychedelic school bus that is displayed in local parades in these parts :)
by blue oregon on Jan 23, 2010 10:01 PM EST up reply actions
That would be the a group of folks calling themselves...
the Merry Pranksters as they toured and tripped across the country in a bus called furthur :)
by blue oregon on Jan 23, 2010 10:08 PM EST up reply actions
same here
but, read and watched for 4 or 5 weeks before joining, was following the john clay blog, including the game thread……no comparison, this site is far and away better than the others I’ve been to, kudos to tru, ken, bsc, and the other members that post
By the way, I'm not surprised that
Tru kept the nastier comments off the site. This is the cleanest place I’ve ever seen. I remember thinking about showing my 9 year old UofL nephew fan the Cardinal site. I went there and it didn’t take me long to figure out, “hell, no.”
No matter where you're at, there you are
There was a UL fan (Hoze King) on here for a while...
but I haven’t seen his comments for a while.
you ought to read "the smoking musket"
Those guys are downright hateful…
"Ignorance, I can fix, stupidity, well that's another matter!"-82nd Airborne NCO
It was different to say the least
It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
by floundringaround on Jan 23, 2010 9:10 PM EST up reply actions
It was great watching the players
(starters) on the bench as the seconds counted down…….jumping up and down and chest bumping……“We’re number ONE baby!!!!”
Listened to Cal before and after the game and the guy is just sooooooooooooooooooo good at everything Clyde wasn’t. Before the game he was saying that all he wanted was the Cats best effort and if they lost….on to the next game. After the game he was talking about not getting mad because people would be saying….“yeah but they haven’t played anybody”. He just seems to have the right kind of thought process about the whole thing.
19-0 and NUMBER one!!!! It’s GREAT to be a CAT fan!!!
You can't fix "stupid"!
coach cal
could sell you a horse with a broken leg, and you’d think you got a bargain….lol
Game Day ESPN Jay Bilas reports positive statements: Kentucky defense the difference today...
deserve #1 ranking
Hard to appreciate Digger. Kentucky's best game all year. 101-70...but the game was not that close.
Really picky to report 6 turnovers by Bledsoe.
You have to remember
that Digger never could beat UK.
Typical Digger
First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...
I am stealing Forty's line just for fun.....
19-0, 21 to go………ya gotta believe!!!!!
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
liggins and orton could both win the award for best six man in the country. They both could start at any non top 5 school in the country. Both played AMAZING today, but the starting 5 at kentucky were even better. An embarrassment of riches. I love this team.
Now, Let's go Clemson!!!!!!!
I will not root against Duke……I will not root against Duke…….I will not root against Duke!!!!!!
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
Congrats, guys.
You have an awesome team. And when they’re not killing my Hogs by 30 or 40+ points, I imagine they’re pretty fun to watch! Go get yourselves a championship.
Thanks......and keep that Pelphrey kid around another jear or two and things will improve greatly
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
I think he meant
it’s just ONE game. No Kentuckian would ever call basketball “just a game.”
by blue kentucky girl on Jan 23, 2010 8:25 PM EST up reply actions
ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.....my bad.......silly rabbit.....trix are for kids!!!
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
you started celebrating right after the game right????......3-4 shots???....lol
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
Wasn't it Richard Pryor who was quoted with ...
I don’t know Karate but I do know K…R…A…Z…Y
Thanks.
I doubt a championship, but I’ll take a Final Four.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Jan 23, 2010 11:03 PM EST up reply actions
I see no reason
to believe this team cannot win the championship if they play at the level they did tonight.
I still doubt ...
… that they will do either. But hope springs eternal.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Youth.
Talent overcomes youth in the regular season. But usually not in the tournament. Youth leads to inconsistency. We have seen some of that so far.
I have seen it time and again. There is only one example I am aware of where a team this young won the NCAA tournament — Michigan with the “Fab Five.”
Perhaps we will make history. But I would not place a bet on it.
But trust me, I hope I am wrong. Truly I do.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Michigan didn't win the tourney with the Fab Five--
did they? I thought North Carolina beat them that year. Of course they did go to the championship game which aint exactly chopped liver : )
Hopefully the youth factor in the tourney matters much less than it used to, since there are just far fewer very highly talented upperclassmen anymore.
by blue kentucky girl on Jan 24, 2010 7:07 PM EST up reply actions
No, you're right.
They got beat in the final game by UNC.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Jan 25, 2010 11:56 AM EST up reply actions
Experience does trump youth come tournament time...normally
The fab five didn’t have coach cal as their x factor. Cal is the best motivator I have seen in college basketball…ever! He will have this team ready and poised to win the championship.
btw, thanks for fixing my account!
how about 'Cuse in 2003?
Carmelo and Gerry McNamara were the two main guys, IIRC, and both were freshmen. I’m sure they had some upperclassman stability to help out, but not a Patterson-type.
GO BIG BLUE!! GO BIG BLUE!!
by UKWildCatFanatic on Jan 25, 2010 12:03 AM EST up reply actions
Yep.
There’s that. But they also had a couple of senior starters who saw major time. We don’t have a senior, right now, that even gets significant minutes.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Jan 25, 2010 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
actually they were nearly as young as we are
according to http://www.orangehoops.org/2002-2003.htm, the five starters consisted of 2 freshmen, 2 sophomores, and a senior (10 years of total experience). UK’s starters have 8 years total (3F, 1So, and 1J).
Syracuse’s bench was pretty young too, as the only the only 3 players to really play were a freshman, a sophomore, and a junior. no one else on he team got into double-digit games. I would say our 3 main bench guys are Orton, Liggins, and Harris, so a freshman, a sophomore, and a senior. Pretty similar again.
GO BIG BLUE!! GO BIG BLUE!!
by UKWildCatFanatic on Jan 25, 2010 1:01 PM EST up reply actions
Number One
I wonder how many votes Kansas or Villavona gets on Monday. I doubt UK gets all first place votes. Thoughts?
Not sure how all that works. How many people vote? How many does it take ?
If Kentucky has 25 votes and Syracuse has 24 are we number one?
If goosebumps were a disease....
I WOULD BE DEAD after today. I can’t believe its been since March of 2003 since we’ve tasted that sweet No. 1 spot. North Carolina better get there butts kicked out of the Top 25!
I cried myself to sleep (literally), pounding my pillow the night Laettner made me hate Duke. I would still love to punch Laettner in the face!
Did Miller and Patterson change jerseys today? Stat line looks that way.
Nice to know PPat isn’t on his game, and still win big.
Duke, beat Clemson...NOT!!!
I think my signature tells it all.
I cried myself to sleep (literally), pounding my pillow the night Laettner made me hate Duke. I would still love to punch Laettner in the face!
Game Day ESPN Hubert Davis also positive about the Cats. Said a young team really...
responded to the situation today and were very impressive.
That's my guess too.
TX will probably fall to about 7 or 8. With TN and K-State losing, it won’t look as bad as it should.
UK As #1 Team In Past 20 Seasons (1990 Thru 2009) Until Now
1/13/1993 Kentucky at Vanderbilt L 86 – 101 NR -
12/1/1993 Tennessee Tech at Kentucky W 115 – 77 NR -
12/4/1993 Kentucky vs. Indiana L 84 – 96 21 (at Indianapolis, IN)
11/24/1995 Kentucky vs. Maryland W 96 – 84 14 Tip-off Classic (at Springfield, MA)
11/28/1995 Kentucky vs. Massachusetts L 82 – 92 5 Great Eight (at Auburn Hills, MI)
12/2/1995 Kentucky vs. Indiana W 89 – 82 NR (at Indianapolis, IN)
3/2/1996 Vanderbilt at Kentucky W 101 – 63 NR -
3/8/1996 Kentucky vs. Florida W 100 – 76 NR SEC Tournament (at New Orleans, LA)
3/9/1996 Kentucky vs. Arkansas W 95 – 75 NR SEC Tournament (at New Orleans, LA)
3/10/1996 Kentucky vs. Mississippi State L 73 – 84 25 SEC Tournament Championship (at New Orleans, LA)
3/21/2003 Kentucky vs. IUPUI W 95 – 64 NR NCAA Midwest Regional First Round (at Nashville, TN)
3/23/2003 Kentucky vs. Utah W 74 – 54 NR NCAA Midwest Regional Second Round (at Nashville, TN)
3/27/2003 Kentucky vs. Wisconsin W 63 – 57 21 NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinals (at Minneapolis, MN)
3/29/2003 Kentucky vs. Marquette L 69 – 83 9 NCAA Midwest Regional Finals (at Minneapolis, MN)
by FortyYearCatFan on Jan 23, 2010 9:24 PM EST reply actions
In all honesty tenken,
like oldcat’69 brought up in the game thread. The way the team played the first half of today’s game, there isn’t anyone that could beat our guys. They were awesome. The best I have seen thus far. :-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Actually Not
The 1996 was ranked #1 for 3 games at the start of the season and 4 games near the end of the season. Not #1 anytime during the middle of the season.
Last time that happened was 1993 (once).
by FortyYearCatFan on Jan 23, 2010 9:48 PM EST up reply actions
Despite The 1990's Being UK's Best Decade Since 1950's
The Cats were ranked #1 only 10 games that decade.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jan 24, 2010 6:04 AM EST up reply actions
And Why Was 90's The "Best"?
W-L record? Or post-season?
"The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale." --Thomas Jefferson
Well, he said the best since the 1950's.
I would have to say both. 2 NC’s in the 1950’s and 2 in the 1990’s, and I think the winning % in the 90’s was the best for any decade since the 1950’s.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
What??? Dickie V??
Said we have a great shot at being unblemished? Did I hear him correctly???? I can’t believe it.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Big Cuz's two teeth
Had been knocked out before according to Daniel Orton.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Well, at least they were knocked out
instead of embedded in somebody’s neck!
Best line of the thread, wineman.
It takes a “seasoned” sense of humor to pick that stuff up, I guess. I’m sure neither you nor I did all that weird stuff these kids talked about earlier, right? Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun . . .
No moral victories--it's all about Ws and Ls!!!
You know what they say,
If you remember the summer of ‘69, you weren’t there!
Yeah, in the summer of '69, I was married,
and working two jobs-Bluegrass field pumping gas into airplanes, and Red Mile doing valet parking-while I waited for my ninth, and final semester at UK. Didn’t have much chance to do drugs, but sniffing that Jet A had kinda the same result.
No moral victories--it's all about Ws and Ls!!!
You youngsters that took all those weird drugs :-)
might not have ever seen pictures, and you aren’t old enough to remember, but a certain Wildcat, name of Issel-you may have heard of him-had two missing front teeth from an incident in which he reportedly tripped over one of the lines painted on the floor when he was in eighth grade. I can neither confirm nor deny the truth to the rumor, but when he didn’t have his false teeth in (during games, poker games, etc) he looked like a short-fanged vampire-a tall blond one to be sure, but one nevertheless. He did OK at UK and in the NBA.
No moral victories--it's all about Ws and Ls!!!
Yes '69
I do remember seeing Issel without his teeth. I had forgotten though.
Happy Days are here again The sky is all ways BLUE again Happy days are here again !
With kykat51 missing in action,
and wineman in VN while Issel was at UK, you and I might have been the only current ASOB blogsters who saw him in person, except maybe Forty.
No moral victories--it's all about Ws and Ls!!!
Probably saw him..
But too young to remember. (1967…) Watched him in the NBA, and thought he was as tough as they come.
"Ignorance, I can fix, stupidity, well that's another matter!"-82nd Airborne NCO
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