The Big Blue Daily Mail -- "We're Number One" Edition.
by Glenn Logan on Jan 24, 2010 10:49 AM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats News
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PrintDo you hear that sound, Big Blue Nation? That is the sound of ... inevitability. It is the sound of the ascension of your Wildcats to the top of the NCAA basketball polls.
And a sweet sound it is.
I think most Wildcat fans will agree that Kentucky played its best basketball of the season yesterday so far, and the Arkansas Razorbacks were the unfortunate opponent against which the young 'Cats decided to demonstrate how good this team can be when they really exert themselves for 20+ minutes. I say 20+ minutes and not 40, because UK achieved such a dominant position (note the game flow chart) that they took their foot off the gas for the last 12 minutes or so of the game.
With the defeat of former #1Texas Longhorns for the second straight game, Kentucky can see exactly how tough life can be on the road, and the Wildcats go back on the road Tuesday against a tough South Carolina Gamecocks team that lost a heartbreaker yesterday in Gainesville versus the Florida Gators.
The news follows the jump.
- Best player in college basketball? Our panel says Kentucky's John Wall - AnnArbor.com
Well, we will be seeing a lot of this now.
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LostLettermen.com: Dedicated Solely To Former College Athletes
Wayne Turner has a couple of podcasts here at Lost Letterman talking about his return to UK to complete his degree, and beating Duke in 1998. - SB Nation's College Basketball Power 16: Order Restored In The Bluegrass State - SB Nation
Indeed.
- Phillips knows Summers, Turner can help recruiting | Vaught's Views
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UK gymnastics gives season's best in losing effort | KentuckySports.com
The Gym 'Cats are strong this year. -
Ex-Wildcat Miller pleads not guilty | KentuckySports.com
Sad story from a player that helped resurrect this program. -
Legislators swoon over Calipari | KentuckySports.com
As Calipari said earlier, this is the Commonwealth's team. -
Packing them in | KentuckySports.com
Surprising ... Nobody! -
SEC excites UK women's coach | KentuckySports.com
This hoops team is the best we've had in a while. - No. 2 Kentucky tunes up for top ranking by rolling past Razorbacks, 101-70 - latimes.com
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Calipari, Kentucky look to be top cats - The Boston Globe
Rupp Arena has become a maelstrom for opponents this year. It's nice to see the place starting to return to form.
"They have a chance to be the best team in college basketball this year,’’ said Pelphrey, who has lost all three meetings against his alma mater as an opposing coach. -
Forde: Kentucky happy to welcome back that No. 1 feeling - ESPN
Love from Pat Forde that I know you've all been waiting for? Don't be fooled. He says Kentucky hasn't beaten anybody.
Unless we have a ballot-rigging that would horrify even Chicago politicians, the Wildcats will be No. 1 Monday when the new Top 25 polls are released. The last unbeaten team in America made that clear by humiliating Arkansas 101-70 in a game that wasn't quite as close as the Little Bighorn score. - Kentucky basketball routs Arkansas 101-70 en route to likely No. 1 ranking | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
- Arkansas Runs Into Kentucky ‘Buzz saw’ | Arkansas News
- Give to charity, get a T-shirt - Latest News - Kentucky.com
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UK Notebook: Cousins takes shot to mouth, breaks front teeth: AMNews.com
Heh. No wonder he didn't bleed. - Vaught's Views: Cats looked like the nation's top team against Arkansas: AMNews.com
- Louisville Mojo: Come Monday, it'll be Alright
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Stripping to the Truth of College Coaches -- NCAAFB FanHouse
These FanHouse guys are just ... something. Well, have fun with it. - Andrew Sharp thinks that UK has four of the top players in the nation. Yesterday, it looked to me like we had five.
- Meyer's Mailbag: Another top class for UK?
- C-USA haunted by the ghost of John Calipari
- Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Calipari, Cats talk about Arkansas win and on being number #1
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High Bidder for Calipari/Judd Dinner is Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing Frontman Paul Orberson
$100 grand. Wow. -
Notes from Kentucky’s romp over the Razorbacks John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's notes about the UK victory over the Razorbacks. -
courier-journal.com | Chris Diggs - UK Fan | The Courier-Journal
Indeed.
As a Kentucky fan, as sweet as this win in and what it means for this team, you hate to see one of your greats on the other side taking the drumming. John Pelphrey is a heck of a coach but unfortunately, was literally beat down from tip to horn. - #1 never felt so good : Kentucky Registrar
- Well, we now know where at least one AP vote will be going.
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You get a rec Tru for the reference to my favorite movie
First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...
For those who don't know what we are talking about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5m1A7zoIcc
First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...
LOL....Thanks coop
I must have been sending strong ???? signals. I had forgotten about Neo. ;-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
I think I head..
Four recruits were at the game last night? If that is the case we sure gave them a show.
I like the way Cal has motivated this team ...
Playing on the road at USC will be a big test … they were really hurt by losing Archie … but Horn is a good coach and they’ll be fired up …
I’m sure Cal will have us ready to go on Tuesday ….
Hope we hang on to #1 until when it counts the most …. the end of the season!!
GO CATS !!!
I know people are a bit worried about SC,
but typical of a Horn team, they play very little D.
UK should DDDominate the paint area.
You guys have a major advantage in the frontcourt.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
by Gamecock Man on Jan 24, 2010 1:54 PM EST up reply actions
Copy that ....
We will have the advantage … If we had played USC (or any of sevreal teams we’ve played since) early this year, they probably would have clobbered this young team ….
It goes to show how far Cal has brought this team from the first of the year and how well the team has responded to his coaching (coach of the year IMO).
Agree
If UK and SC had played merely a month ago, I would be worried, but this team has made tremendous strides … of course you already knew that:)
It’s really too bad they lost Archie, that probably cost them an NCAA bid, which I felt they deserved last year.
They lost Mike Holmes from that team as well ..
In the 16 block loss at USC last year …. Holmes had 3 of em …. (Archie 4)
The 6-foot-7 Holmes led the Gamecocks in rebounding last season and had six double-doubles, averaging 10.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Note to ASOB: I attended that game and was so outraged at BCG that I joined ASOB and launched a rant to vent anger and frustration … thanks ya’ll.
The losses of Holmes and Archie are really a shame...
Devan Downey deserved a shot on the big stage.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
by Gamecock Man on Jan 24, 2010 10:30 PM EST up reply actions
On the UK hasn't beaten anybody argument.
Marquee wins by other top teams.
Texas: Michigan St.
Kansas: Temple (? Cal)
Syracuse: West Virginia
Villanova: Georgetown
Duke: Clemson (twice), Gonzaga.
Point is, few other teams have signature wins against top-twenty five teams. Maybe one here or there, but not solid resumes.
by Thomas Hunt Morgan on Jan 24, 2010 1:08 PM EST reply actions
Two things that come to mind
from last night’s performance:
First, if that level of defensive intensity can be sustained for the rest of the season, the Cats will be extremely difficult to stop.
Secondly, Darius Miller’s performance filled in the missing piece of the offensive puzzle for the team. This team now has five starters that can hang around 20 points on you on any given night. How do you prepare a team to stop that?
As for those who keep saying that in the end the lack of experience will be the downfall of this team, they are gaining experience every time they hit the floor and should be in pretty good shape by tournament time.
If he does..
Or can manage to consistently give us 10+.. we will be unstoppable. His ability to float in the lane and finish is amazing. I really hope he takes the confidence from the last game into the rest of the season. I wouldn’t be surprise to see Cal run some set plays for him early to get him going. If just has 3 games or so of solid and good play, it will be all he needs to keep it going the rest of the year.
Of course
my comments on Miller assume that he is breaking out of his sophomore slump or whatever it was that he was (is) in. If he has, then from this point on whichever poison the opposing teams selects should be enough to do it in, coupled with great defense of course. It will take a team with 5 excellent defenders to shut us down or a good zone on a night when we go stone cold from the perimeter and even that might not be enough.
You Said It
Defense leads to 101 points. Miller and Liggins contribute and the results are special. Miller may not dominate offesnively every game but as a team 10 for 33 from behind the arc is reasonably achieveable at a minimum. Provided Big Cuz stays inside and stops launching :) I like Miller’s defense too,
New SB poll..??
I know there are haters & homers who vote on these things, but how in the hell can Kansas & Syracuse each get a 1st place vote this week..???
Kentucky should be a unanimous #1 in the country, on ANY poll this week…
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
I understand that, but...
We dismantled a Arkansas team that gave Texas all it wanted…
Plus…
UK is:
1-0 in the acc
2-0 in the big east
1-0 in the big ten
4-0 in the sec
What more do you want..?? lol
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
Got this from KRS... Awesome....
Big Cuz having fun with it all…
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
I was sad to read he didn't think he could go out last night with broken teeth....
But I love his attitude, especially showing the # 1’s.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
He can lose
the teeth out of his mouth as long as they don’t take the teeth out of his game!
by kywineman on Jan 24, 2010 3:58 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Thank you Forde...
you just gave Cal more material. after “improving” to 12-7, i know Cal will be looking for such material….
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 24, 2010 2:42 PM EST reply actions
Our #25 ranked Lady cats are having their way with Auburn today...
36-16 still in the 1st half…
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
Dont think I saw this one
http://www.kentucky.com/kentuckysports/latest/story/1108666.html
but this is a hilarious piece by John Clay
When journalists at the Tour de France ask me if I am the best sprinter, I answer 'Yes', and that's seen as arrogance, but if they don't ask me, I don't say I'm the best sprinter in the world.
- Mark Cavendish
Is It Time To Ask?
And the companion question: Is it fair to ask?
Now with the euphoria of being ranked #1 after nearly 7 years and coming off the season’s most impressive performance perhaps it’s time to pose a few questions without being labeled Mr. Critic or some other pejorative term.
Yesterday’s stat line prompts my questions:
29 2/9 0/2 5/8 7 9 0 1 1 0
Over the SEC season:
139 21/39=.538 0/5 11/18=.611 25=6.3 53=13.3
No doubt, if you’re at all familiar with UK’s roster, you’ll recognize the statistics are for Patrick Patterson. Now for the questions:
1) Is this the production one would expect from an upperclassman and pre-season 1st team All-American?
2) How do these numbers compare to other members of that elite group?
3) Is it possible that Patterson is in actuality the 4th, 5th or 6th most talented player on the roster and, significantly, behind 3 or 4 freshmen?
4) Could it be that with the talent-deficient rosters of the preceding two years Patterson’s talent level might have been overvalued in comparison?
5) Is it plausible that moving from primarily post-up positioning to the more perimeter orientation required by the DDMO has been counterproductive? Correspondingly is this just a period of adjustment that will reap future rewards?
6) Is the decline in production a result of Patterson’s physical abilities, his deferential attitude or perhaps just the realization of the comparatively superior talent of his teammates?
7) Overarching is the question of whether UK can reach its full potential with Patterson posting elite player type numbers?
I have my own answers to those and I’d be interesting in reading yours.
"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
Errata
Should read:
7) Overarching is the question of whether UK can reach its full potential without Patterson posting elite player type numbers?
"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
Worried about PPat, not me
He’s playing alongside an upgraded front line. Actually “upgraded” would be an understatement.
He’s averaging 2- less points than last year (17.9 to 15.9), but he’s also averaging 1.6 minutes per game less, and he’s taking about one shot less per game (1.1 to be exact). He’s shooting 64.6% from the floor on his two-pointers, last year he made 60.3% of his two-point shots.
The biggest difference is obviously his FT’s (76.8% in ‘09, 60.3% in ’10)— If you adjust his FT % (this year’s) to match last seasons, it adds 12 points to his point total thus far this year, raising his scoring avg. to 16.6 ppg (from the current 15.9 ppg)
His rebounding is down 1.5 rebounds pg from last year, which can be attributed to him working alongside Cousins. He’s taking .8 less FT’s per game, which can be attributed to to him touching the ball less pg, once again due to Cousins and the other much improved players.
He’s taken 26 three-pointers this season versus only one last year (he’s made 10).
I think it’s simply a matter of being surrounded by far superior players than last season. But his precipitous drop in FT% is peculiar, indeed.
But Are His Numbers Worthy Of A-A Mention?
"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
Oh, I don't know
I do know he’s playing much, much better than Cole Aldrich.
He’s probalby not posting first Team #’s, but maybe second or third team.
Another question, would Cousins be as dominate without PPat next to him?
*Sigh*
Isn’t it a damn shame that raw numbers seems to be the primary resource for constituting 1st team—or any other team, for that matter—without considering a player’s heart and feel, or even simply examining the broad spectrum, for the game as a whole?
I can’t say PP’s passion for the game is greater than that of any other college basketball player in the nation. But I can sure say that he leaves it all on the floor, and he really has become the epitome of what separates college basketball from the NBA—heart!
Team Ball
Pat is playing team ball. And now he has a team. If any coach thinks he is option #4 or 5, I say let them play defense that way and Pat goes off for 30+.
To question #6
I believe that it is none of the above. I think it is a combination of #5 above and that he is surrounded with more talented players than last year so the burden on him to carry the team has been lifted. He now can function in that area of taking what the other team gives without having to force opportunities. If they let down their vigilance on Patterson, he will make them pay.
I'm gonna go with numero cinco (#5) on this one...
And I think the big man is adjusting just fine. Wait until March…you’ll see :)
Has anybody seen...
a clip of all of UK points from yesterday anywhere? Hope there is a video clip of all 101 points available somewhere. Any ideas?
Here it is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLKRbr1RGxc&feature=player_embedded
courtesy of Kentuckysportsradio.com
where's the video?
I’d like to see it since I missed the game yesterday. Work + faulty dvr setting = me missing what was apparently the best game of the year
by blue kentucky girl on Jan 24, 2010 7:03 PM EST up reply actions
Irrelevant comments
for the sake of argument?
Weasel, I beleive you have brought up a topic, that brought into an undefeated teams locker room, would undoubtedly be the beginning of a Greg Norman type meltdown!..
That being said, I would like to share with all the Patterson critics amongst us.
Glue; or Glued: The Reconstitution of something using an adhesive substance.
I encourage any follower of this site, to find an All-American who is or was, willing to jeopardize his draft status for the sake of “T.E.A.M” It is because of Patrick Patterson, that comments and press clippings such as yours, do not and will not alter the attitudes and extreme focus of this team..
Go Cats!
I dont think
that you will find any member of this site that would criticize Patrick Patterson, in any way. WW was merely asking what others thought, no harm in that
Feeling the attack
After WW’s questions about performance from P Pat. After reading the posts yesterday about the loyalty of JP to the program during his years in uniform, my emotions have been running in the race car red zone. Put simply, P Pat should and will be held in the highest of regards to UK fans fir his loyalty to the program. He could hve walked last year, earned his payday (like Meeks) and never looked back. Don’t get m wrong, I treasure meeks time in blue, but he will never have his jersey in the rafters. Somthing I believe Patterson will earn.
by BornBlue84 on Jan 24, 2010 9:31 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I hope so!
Patterson, especially for my generation of fans (21-27, or so), no other player (besides maybe Prince) has truly “earned” there spot up there in the rafters of Rupp like Patterson has. And if Patterson’s name was hanging on a banner in those rafters, No. 54, I think he would be about as humbled of a former player as any other that occupies that envied space.
Regardless, I love Kentucky right now, and it is everywhere it belongs. GO CATS!
I think
that Pat is probably enjoying this year very much. He had to know returning that all the emphasis would not be on him and I think that he probably likes that. He is a selfless person. I know he has to be very happy right now that they are staring down number eight!
Is this a first?
beating Auburn in football, and both men and women basketball, all in the same year?
There will be no meltdowns on this team this year......
There will be no calling of timeouts when there arent any
There will be no mistakes made in the last 2 minutes of the game which will lead to all of the critics calling for someone’s head.
There will be no swollen heads, oversized egos, or selfishness allowed this year.
There will be no inventing of problems where there are none.
We will play smart.
We will play confident.
We will play hard nosed.
We will press,guard,fight for position, block out,rebound,impose our will,make every effort to control every minute of every game.
19-0, 21 to go…….ya gotta believe…..
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
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