Kentucky 14 @ Tennessee 24: Postmortem
by Glenn Logan on Nov 27, 2010 4:06 PM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats Football
Email
PrintI have a confession to make -- I really didn't think UK was going to win this football game at any time. Tennessee has just been on a roll since Tyler Bray began starting, and they didn't come off that roll today versus the Wildcats.
Congratulations to the Tennessee Volunteers for an outstanding game. They did it with offense and they played just enough defense to keep the Kentucky Wildcats out of the end zone.
I really don't have a lot to say about this game. It went pretty much according to the script that the Wildcats have written for themselves all year -- poor defense, turnovers, and stalled drives a critical times. As the old saying goes, there is really nothing new under the sun.
Even Randall Cobb's heroics were not enough. The Kentucky ground game, which began to move the football for a while in the second quarter, got stymied eventually. The combination of time and score forced Kentucky to go to an all-out pass attack, and in the end, that attack just wasn't good enough.
Kentucky, who is pretty much known for getting big plays on offense almost every game, had a notable dearth of them today, and had numerous wide-open receivers that Hartline just plain missed. Conversely, the defense repeatedly gave up long vertical pass plays, many of them due to perfect ball placement by Bray. That kid is just as hot as a $3 pistol right now, and might be leading the conference in passing if he had started from the beginning of the year.
Superlatives:
- Randall Cobb amassed a ridiculous amount of offense today, but it wasn't even close to enough. Game ball.
- The defensive line played pretty well today, comparatively.
- The offensive line gave Hartline all the time he needed, but their run blocking could have been a lot better.
- The receiving corps ran exceptional routes today.
The not-so-superlative:
- The defensive secondary was just unable to stop pass plays. It wasn't that they were letting people get wide open or anything, but Denarius Moore and Gerald Jones just killed us.
- Special teams were loathsome. A missed FG that would have given us momentum, a shanked punt that cost us, a touchback when we could have pinned them down. Those plays were the difference between winning and losing, in my view.
- Bad throws by Hartline - he had a handful of receivers wide open and missed them for huge plays. You can get away with one of those, but not four or five.
- Turnovers. This needs no exposition. The end zone fumble effectively lost the game for us.
It's too early yet for me to sum up the season, and I have too much to do here to take the time to write a long post on that, but one will be forthcoming soon. Yes, this is a disappointment, but really, I am getting used to disappointment with this team. It has been one of those years where the potential has simply been unfulfilled due mostly to poor ball handling and badly-timed miscues. As good as this team looks statistically, they look disappointing in the only statistic that really counts -- winning winnable football games, especially in the league.
With that, I'll leave you to rejoin your Thanksgiving weekend, already in progress.
139 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Orange
I hate everything about that color so much I am swearing off even orange juice until the new year. Damn.
Glenn, have a great time in Vegas.
Maybe you can get out to see a real show like Love or Jersey Boys.
Our boys tried their guts out today, but the result was not the show we hoped to see.
forgive my outburst
in the game thread, I just cant see pickin on a single player, it was a team lose
Bluehound
No problem man. That guy made me want to vomit.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
With this kid Bray, look for 3 more straight losses to the Vols. 29 in a row anyone? Blast it anyway. Oh well, let’s all watch our Big Blue BB team maul BU Tuesday night at 7:00 PM. Me, I’m gonna take a deep breathe and TRY to pretend that this season didn’t happen. I never was fond of nightmares. Couldn’t seem to ever get enough straw to feed them properly. Hee. Hee.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Oh, man, I was thinking the same thing during the game
We’ll have 3 more years to face this kid. Maybe we can develop some safeties during this period.z
Just the way it is
This is not to knock any of the UK players or even the coaches, but to address the sad state of affairs that is UK Football. In a nutshell our players and coaches are doing about the best they can. Joker isn’t a Nick Saban or even a Bobby Petrino, he is just Joker. Our players arn’t four or five star athletics, if they were they would be at Florida, Auburn, Georgia etc.. They do the best they can.
Our total problem is the University of Kentucky and its lack of commitment to football unlike they do in BB. This hasn’t changed in my adult lifetime and I’m confident I will not live to see it change.
I said the other day that with the way things are in our sports programs and sticking to status quo, we would be better off moving to the ACC where our football program and basketball would both excel. Playing Duke and NC in basketball every year home and away would be a blast. Maybe not as interesting in the heart of winter as an away game say at Ole Miss or Auburn – a little sarcasm here.
I think it would be more enjoyable to at least have a chance to win 9-10 games a year in FB, rather then to take it on the chin year after year from Florida, Auburn, Alabama etc. and winning a misely 2-3 games in the conference and four blow away games from Sisters of Mary and other patsies.
26 long years and counting. We will not break this streak against Tennessee any time soon and we all know that after today’s game.
Foot Note: where would UK’s BB program be if we had kept Billy Gillispie as coach and he could only recruit 3 star players and maybe a four tossed in now and then…?
Nick
I'll bet at the end of this year Billy G will have coached UK to as many final fours as Cal.
Just saying.
I may be in a really bad mood.
I understand the bad mood and disappointment,
but for Heavens Sakes, don’t go wandering (wondering) down that path!
I have said this before..
Never have been a huge college football fan so I don’t really follow UK Football all that closely but until this program brings in a big time coach to compete with the big boys it will never flourish. When it was obvious that Steve Spurrier was floundering in the NFL I said UK should make a huge push to sign him as coach regardless of the money. Nothing against Joker but you have to have a name to recruit the talent you need in the SEC. Until that happens there will be season after season like this one. Or worse.
by maysvilleblue on Nov 27, 2010 6:34 PM EST up reply actions
maysvilleblue
+1 Been saying that for years.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I respect everyone's opinion
But we have to give Joker a chance. Recruiting is definitely looking better, as of now. And it may get even better than it is now. Things haven’t been super great this year, but I am still supportive.
Heck, we almost beat Auburn and they have an issue that could arise with their QB, soon.
As far as Spurrier, you want to pay him huge money because you think he is a better coach, while Joker and our team handed him a loss?
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
a2d2
Heck, I agree with you a2. I’ve said on here before that he should get at least 4 years but I’ve also said that I did not think that he would succeed. Of course it is always possible that I can be wrong. I’ve made many wrong assessments in my life about the success of people in sports.
To be honest about it, I never thought Joe B. Hall would be a great coach but I was definitely wrong about him. Same with Pitino until he broke even in his first year at Kentucky. And that with only 8 players. In football I was not a Rich Brooks fan but I was wrong about him too. I very much respect your opinion and carefully read your posts.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
JackBluto
I don’t believe I even want to go there, Jack. It’s academic now and my comment to a2d2 was just my opinion and admission that I can and do make mistakes in judgement. Still respect your opinion though.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I just don't think the whole "big name coach" is the answer.
Heck, even at South Carolina Spurrier has taken 5 years to get to the championship game. You can’t hang Joker out to dry after just one season. In addition, he doesn’t have the fanbase, money, facilities or stadium that Spurrier has been abusing the past four years.
I know the name Joker Phillips doesn’t instill fear in an opponent’s heart but there is no coach available that does. Maysville, I’m not aiming to single you out since this is a refrain heard from many parts of the fan-base put until a “named coach” can even be found to talk about there is little reason to bring up the argument.
The list of coaches who are both reputable and available (or soon to be?) is very short. Who’s on that list – Fulmer, Brown, Cowher? There really isn’t much out there; moreover, I’m still confident Joker can carry this program forward – IF he continues to fine tune his coaching staff and learns to instill a little bit of fire and aggression into his players.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
not to be picky...
but if you told me a big name coach could get us to the championship game in 5 years, i would say “book it”.
but i agree that joker needs to be given a chance.
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 28, 2010 12:09 AM EST up reply actions
5 years
And an epically weak SEC East. Spurrier would still be floundering at fourth place in the Eastern Division if Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee weren’t unusually weak this season.
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
by chirop1 on Nov 28, 2010 11:18 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Agree
Our team is slower, weaker and in worse condition than most every other team in the SEC. It has been that way my whole life and probably always will be that way. I have always said we should recruit extra baskerball players and give them football schollies. That way we could be 20 30 deep on the bench…
Still, there is no comparing Basketball to football. No amount of resolve to commit to the football program would ever change the fact that we are not Auburn, Alabama, Florida, or not even Tennesee. Not to mention the most important thing. High school football stars and even quality players are at a premium in state. Those other schools can load up a pretty good second and third string with in-state kids. Our best player is only at UK because he was overlooked by his home school. Good coaches are not going to take this job and young coaches who might become good will leave as soon as they start winning.
Still, I will cheer for the Blue and White anyway. What else can I do? They are my team!
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Our team is about 15% players that UGA and Ga Tech passed upon.
Our Ga. players are typically among our best players too.
Point? Beats me. Probably that Ky is not deep enough in football talent to support UK’s efforts to field a top SEC team, and picking up the second and third tier of of other sourthen states by definition puts us behind from the beginning.
KansasUKCat??
Man I don’t know what you think is wrong with our basketball program but I DO totally disagree with you even though it is your
opinion and I must respect that. I admit that I don’t get it.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I didn't say anything negative about our BB
I was saying the university doesn’t provide the same opportunites to the FB program as they do BB. And that is because they are not as serious about FB. They are content with a 6 win season and a minor bowl appearance every year and believe the fans are also, I assume.
Nick
KansasUKCat
Re-read your comment and have to agree. However the football fans are serious about having a top notch program.
I wouldn’t think they would fill Commonwealth Stadium like they do if they weren’t serious. As for me personally, I really don’t think I care what they do in FB. I haven’t watched a complete UK FB game for at least 15 years before this season. None of their bowls games. Just tired of seeing the same old 7 and 6.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I agree with you AB and all the other oldtimers like us
We were 22nd nationally in FB attendance for 2009 and Commonwealth was filled to 102% capacity. Arkansas was ranked 24th. and their program under the loathsome Petrino is soaring – makes me want to gag. Yes the UK football fans are not lacking in their support, its the UK administration that is. We are a mid to lower tier program every year but still bring in the big bucks for the UK coffers. Its a shame the administration isn’t as supportive of the program as the fans are.
Nick
Kansas
The UK football fans who are booing and leaving early are not support the team, they are “bandwagon fans”
I would love to see where we rank at the end of the game? Mayby 75-100?
When we convert Commonwealth into a dome with a new basketball arena inside, we will have a winning football team. Can you imagine 70000 at Midnight Madness?
"SPORTS"--Not interested----"CATS"--Pull up a chair,I've got all night.
kydamcat
Are you stealing my thunder? LOL. I proposed that very thing to the university about 5 years ago by e-mail. They didn’t respond of course and I really didn’t think they would. I do believe the proposal deserves some consideration though. In my e-mail I suggested that they drop football. Probably went over like a lead balloon. Hee. Hee.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Kansas, the money in the SEC is to big to walk away from.
It comes because of football, not basketball. Also, a lot of the football players that UK gets come to play in the SEC, they probably would not come to play at UK if they were in a lower football conference like the ACC.
If I'm joining in too early, just let me know and I'll back out.
But I’m still buffaloed that UK didn’t got for it on that subsequent 4th down in Tennessee territory. Your running game was working really well on the day.
by David Hooper on Nov 27, 2010 4:59 PM EST up reply actions
Not too early, Hooper,
it’s just a microcosm of our season. I’m not sure what that word means (:-)), but I think it’s the opposite of orgasm.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena . . .who spends himself for a worthy cause . . ."
well now we can focus on the sport uk is actually good in
i for one am glad football season is over… time for those football schools to get smacked and the phrase " wait till football season" is uttered
kentuckywild
Agreed. Can’t see UK going to a bowl this year. I was going to add to my comment but I’ll refrain. LOL
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
You will.
The SEC has to fill out its bowl tie-ins, if nothing else.
by David Hooper on Nov 27, 2010 9:47 PM EST up reply actions
Hooper
Yeah. Nothing like eating a can of dog food when you could have had a steak. LOL
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
God bless the True Big Blue Football Fan
Having a record of 6-6 and getting excited or even mildly interested in going to a minor bowl reveals a lot about the BB FB fan base. My deceased Brother-In-Law was one. I have become only a casual observer in FB since the late 70’s.
This saids a lot about our FB fans because our true BB fans would never be satisfied with a 15-15 season and praying for an post season NIT bid – we just wouldn’t accept that. Maybe someone can expound upon the different view points between the two fan bases and why this is so..?
Nick
Some of us feel that supporting our Wildcats
(Win or lose) is important. It is called school pride. I have never gone ballistic on any of our coaches in football or basketball. (Yes, this includes our last BB coach.)
Do you remember all the bandwagon fans there were just before RP was hired? I remember it well. It appalled me that so many fans people were not supporting our school.
I support UK because I was born this way, not because it is something I merely want to do. It has little to do with how many trophies we have obtained in over 100 years. It is about the teams and coaches that many people said would never be any good fought, scratched and clawed their way to prove the naysayers wrong. They may have not been instant successes but they kept fighting until they proved them wrong.
That is how the BBN began, many decades ago. Folks that continued to back their school when others no longer felt like it. Bleeding blue, I think, is more about the heartache than the banners.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Our serious BB fans would go completely insane
If year after year we were posting only 15-16 wins a season and praying for a NIT bid. Thats the difference between the two. Football fans are somewhat conciliatory or indifferent about our FB results but the BB fans will never accept our program being mid to lower tier.
So why are the Big Blue BB fans so different, are they not also Bleeding Blue fans..?
I totally respect your opinion but would like others to explain to me why the vast differences between the two fan bases.
Nick
by KansasUKCat on Nov 28, 2010 10:02 AM EST up reply actions
It's because
Most Kentucky Football fans are fans of pride, whereas Many Kentucky basketball fans are fans of winning alone, and closet themselves up in anger and loathing when the winning stops. It’s human nature — look at UNC fans, if you want to, recently.
If Kentucky basketball went 15-16 year after year, most of the fans who would go completely insane would switch to a new team that was winning, at least until Kentucky does so again.
______________________________________________
That's (333333jorkland)^2 and $$$$$immons to you, chump.
Not this fan
Not No but Hell No
Never
"SPORTS"--Not interested----"CATS"--Pull up a chair,I've got all night.
a2,Hang in there with them
You must feel like the 300 Spartans, they’re coming at you in droves.
I’m on your side in this one, and most other times also.
I have ordered a truckload of “passies and blankies” for you to hand out.
We can all curl up in the corner of the crib, and hopefully in time, recover
from this football season.
"SPORTS"--Not interested----"CATS"--Pull up a chair,I've got all night.
Thank you kdc
Or should I call you Tonto? I was feeling a bit like the Lone Ranger. :-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Better bring a few more, you know that one will be the most wanted
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Grandmothers
My grandmother, like yours, was a Wildcat fan and an acquaintance of coach Rupp.
She ran a “Reform School” in Indiana and once offended him by offering to let “her boys show his boys” how to play defense.After that ,coach always called her “Madam”
I have or had a picture of the two of them standing in front of a drug store -late fourtys?
Would dearly love to have it in my wildcat den.
"SPORTS"--Not interested----"CATS"--Pull up a chair,I've got all night.
That would be a great addition to anyone's Wildcat den!
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
KansasUKCAT!!!!!!!!!
Im not satisfied with a minor bowl!!!! WHOE what happen to IOWA!
Go CATTTTTTTTTTTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, we just went 6-6 and we're thrilled. ;-)
I know what you mean, though.
But if it helps a bit, things didn’t go all bad for Kentucky either. Many first years under new coaches go disastrously thanks to new systems and changes in priorities. Even though a few games were left on the table, at least you didn’t have a bad year. If one year is enough to project, it looks like Kentucky will either be successful or will flatline under Phillips, but it doesn’t look like they’re going to regress.
I don’t know if that helps the day after a loss like that, but that’s what I see.
by David Hooper on Nov 28, 2010 11:26 AM EST up reply actions
Hooper
Hoop, you want to know what 6-6 really is? It means we ended up just like we started. From an advantage standpoint we are no better off than 0-0. Except our pride is terribly bruised. The NCAA or whoever is in charge of bowl invitations can keep all of their parody bowls.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
It may have been inadvertant but
you may have hit on it – they should be called parody bowls (not parity bowls).
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
hoboat33
Obivously you think I mispelled the word. I quoted the word that I intended to. The whole bowl system is a joke “er”. LOL
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I am always exited about going to a bowl.
It’s good for the team, it’s good for the program, the kids get more practice. It has no downside whatsoever.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Nov 28, 2010 12:10 PM EST up reply actions
Glenn at 9:04 AM PST: “This year has a chance to be different. This year, the Wildcats have a real shot at winning, even though the game is on the road.”
Glenn at 1:06 PM PST: “I have a confession to make — I really didn’t think UK was going to win this football game at any time.”
Discuss among yourselves. : )
Those two sentences are entirely consistent. :)
(I mean it though – and they are certainly not inconsistent.)
I’ll go one step further. We may have a real chance to win this game a number of more times in future, but I will never “think UK is going to win this game” again until it has been done. I just can’t force myself to do it anymore.
agree with you JB
so many people thought this was finally the year and i have to confess i thought a number of things were lining up in our favor.
i still say if we had not turned the ball over at all, the rest of the miscues would not have mattered….
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 27, 2010 5:46 PM EST up reply actions
When we fumbled into the end zone, you could just tell
Couldn’t you? It wasn’t going to happen again this year. The steam went right out of us.
after that fumble
I looked at my dad and said, “We’re still Kentucky and they’re still Tennessee.”
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
by chirop1 on Nov 28, 2010 11:26 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Nothing to really discuss
This is just UK Football and the season is over. Time to say farewell and move on to BB.
Nick
I'm probably going to catch hell...
and perhaps I shouldn’t stick my head in here…
But your program has come a LONG way to be annoyed with a bowl game. There was a time when I expected us to walk all over Kentucky, and honestly you guys scare the crap out of me now. The streak will obviously end at some point, and while I certainly don’t look forward to it… I can’t help but feel it will probably occur in the near future.
that is an interesting comment/perspective
some schools would kill to be going to their 5th bowl game in a row.
that being said, it is somewhat hollow given we have not been at 500 in sec play during that run…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 27, 2010 7:53 PM EST up reply actions
Memphis Wildcat
Haven’t been to top bowl in that time either. I’ll lay odds right now that 1. This is the last bowl UK goes to for a long time and 2. UK loses the next 3 games to Tennessee also. Any takers?
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
until we actually beat UT...
i will keep my expectations low.
as far as a bowl goes, given the way we schedule, you are looking at 4 OCC wins (assuming UL remains in disarray – which may or may not happen), a win at vandy (depends on who they hire as a coach) and then getting lucky only once during the season (ala usc this year).
the bet would be that we don’t go to a warm weather bowl anytime soon….
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 28, 2010 12:20 AM EST up reply actions
memphis wildcat
You got it, guy. I’ve said this before and I know it sounds like a broken record but I started following UK FB and BB at the age of 7 in 1948. The BB program speaks for itself, however in all these years, with the exception of The Bear, UK has not had a program worth writing home about. Curci and Claiborne had several really good years for a UK program. But that’s about it.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
You do not have a clue what you are talking about alwaysblue.
UK actually did better than they should have this year. The defense was decimated and we had 4 out of 5 new offensive lineman. We still might not go to a bowl game this year if the SEC only has one BCS bowl team. Joker looks to have the best recruiting class in years coming in next year. Coach Brooks set the table and I believe Joker will bring the food. We might not win the SEC East for a while but I do think we will compete for one within the next 5 years. Your always negative about the football team and for good reason but the last guy that was like that ended up getting band from the site. So for us true UK football fans maybe you could say something nice once in a while.
by Grasslands1 on Nov 28, 2010 2:42 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Grasslands1
You and all the rec’d’s sure act as if you are professional analysts, but I doubt that any of you have as much “gray matter” when it comes to football or basketball as the lot of you try to convince people that you do.
As for my having a clue, you and the others are just trying to lure me into another controversy. Your comment above is very insulting but then again I have never known that to bother the likes of you. That’s all there is there ain’t no more. I have started a blacklist of members that I will no longer respond to, and guess who’s on it?
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I am proud to be the first on the list.
I suspect others will be hoping to get on the list also. You even admitted how wrong you were on Hall (not so sure you were wrong, he did less with more than any coach I know), Pitino, ect. ect. You can tract down my predictions for this years football team to last year. I did not see success as hard as I tried. I couldn’t believe how people were getting fooled by this team but instead of being negative all the time I kept my mouth shut. Try it sometime, it doesn’t hurt.
Grasslands
I was really proud of you until you started slurring coach Hall.
I’ve been handed two checks and escorted off the jobsite for defending coach Hall.
He’s one of the few to replace a legend and not get fired.
He’s also a duck hunter,which makes him ok in my book.
"SPORTS"--Not interested----"CATS"--Pull up a chair,I've got all night.
by kydamcat on Nov 28, 2010 8:25 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Let's try ...
… not to be so unpleasant. You could have made this point just fine without the “You do not have a clue” part.
Let’s try to disagree without being disagreeable.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Nov 29, 2010 12:17 AM EST up reply actions
I do apologize for my wording Glenn.
It does get difficult for us that care about the football team to listen to the negative people, especially after a defeat to UT. Especially when they are uneducated about the team which is certainly the case if they haven’t followed them for 15 years.
Hey, kydamcat, Coach Hall was not regarded by the fans of the day as a great coach or by a lot of UK fans as even a good coach. He was a great recruiter thought. I met Coach Hall once and he seemed like a very nice guy but as a coach he was considered by the players to being a not so nice guy.
Grasslands1
Coach Hall and the fans back then kind of reminds you of Joker and the fans today. :)
He replaced a legend and survived, some would say flourished, to retire.
Thats a pretty rare accomplishment in any endeavor. UCLA is still looking, I think. Arizona, Kansas, Illinois, DePaul and others have had varying degrees of success at finding replacements.
"SPORTS"--Not interested----"CATS"--Pull up a chair,I've got all night.
by kydamcat on Nov 29, 2010 11:59 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Glenn
OK, Glenn. You know me and I have not crossed the Rubicon on this one. I was serious about the list though. It will be better for me I believe and for our site. Thaks for the alert.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I’ll add this to it. I said nothing about NOT following UK football. I had and still have a radio. What I said was that I haven’t watched a COMPLETE FB game in 15 years until this year. I’m not down on or against the UK FB program. Just can’t stand to repeatedly see the same thing year after year. It’s like having a curse upon you.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
SevenRings
Man, is that funny?
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I turned it off
when it became apparent that nothing had changed. I refuse to watch the same old stuff game in an year in. I said before UK has the football program it wants. At least the one it will pay for! Paris is right! I didn’t like him shoving it down our throats, but he was right!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
But I can't turn it off
I don’t watch the NBA, but I do watch the NFL. Add UK playing a game, and I will miss most anything that is not important. (I try to work schedules around those). A season usually only has 12 or 13 games and that is not enough Wildcat football for me. Win or lose. I am a football girl. Where’s the flag?
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Our football team
keeps improving and soon we will break the string of losses.
OPERATION: GROUNDHOG DAY
2010: 2-6
2009: 3-5
2008: 2-6
2007: 3-5
2006: 4-4
2005: 2-6
2004: 1-7
2003: 1-7
2002: 3-5
-- Tim
and the sad part is...
with all the “improvement” i can only argue that we “should have” won the ole miss game and you would like to think both ut and miss state were winnable. that puts us at 5-3 IF you allow me to keep the miracle win over usc – which would be the best record since 02.
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 28, 2010 12:14 AM EST up reply actions
Sad as that summary looks, it neglects one point.
The SEC as a whole had improved considerably during that time. While our record seems to be treading water, our team has had to get better to maintain the status quo in the conference. Compared to 5 – 10 years ago I see a big differences when I look at the upcoming schedules.
We used to look at the schedule and look at Vandy for a win and maybe the rotating team from the western division. The other eastern teams were a stretch, at best, to be considered a possible win. Now when we look at the schedule we know we belong on the same field with these other teams and, with the exception of Florida, battle them toe-to-toe. We are no longer an automatic win for our conference foes. Kentucky has evolved from essentially a bye week to a team that has to be seriously planned for.
While we moan about the apparent lack of progress (and at times I feel it); talk to people from other schools and see how their perception of Kentucky teams have changed. In the last few years we’ve given wake up calls to Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Arkansas and South Carolina with wins and scared the hell out of Alabama. Fans from other schools have seem the improvement, it shouldn’t be that hard for us to also see the rise.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
Very well said hobo.
Even the Florida fans act like they have to come to play to beat us which does honestly surprise me. UK needs to quit getting freaked out by Florida.
Randall didn't even score today
A first this season. I didn’t realize that.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
wow....
got to believe that seals the deal on him leaving. how can you look him in the eye and tell him to stay…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 28, 2010 12:24 AM EST up reply actions
I don't think we can, memphis
.
Randall has been tied to this program long enough. I am not even sure what progress was made from Game 1 to Game 12 this season. Or what the team’s “identity” even is.
And was that really the end result of 2 weeks of preparation??
With such a small window of $$$ opportunity in the NFL- especially for a smaller guy who is going to have to make his living being willing to go over the middle and be tough- Randall needs to seriously consider going for it right now. As much as I would love to have him back- being my favorite player and all- I really don’t know if that would be best for him.
He has been the heart and soul of our program. He has done enough.
It may be time for a new campaign around here: FREE RANDALL.
-- Tim
I'm still not seeing it
I just don’t see Cobb as a high draft choice (4th round or later at best), due to his lack of measurables (size, speed, etc.) and unclear position. Given that, I’m not sure why he would (financially) choose to leave – he would be better served by further developing his skills and perhaps snagging an award or two to make him more marketable in the NFL.
I agree about his draft position
He’ll be a 4th rounder, maybe late 3rd, as late as 5th or 6th. The NFL is big on measurables.
However, his stock isn’t going to get any higher with another year at UK. I think he goes.
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
However, his stock isn’t going to get any higher with another year at UK. I think he goes.
This I think, sums up Cobb nicely, and if Kentucky’s offense struggles to get him the ball where he can make a major impact next year — which it might. New QB, RB, and the best pure Wide Receiver make next year hold a lot of question mark for the cats.
______________________________________________
That's (333333jorkland)^2 and $$$$$immons to you, chump.
Further developing what skills.... in Kentucky's offense next season?
.
The development that Cobb needs to start making is with whatever specific uses an NFL team has in mind for him. In a NFL offense. That’s it. I am not sure what else there is for him to develop in next year’s offense at UK.
You make an excellent point about the NFL’s reliance of measurables. Like you, I don’t think he will be drafted particularly high, either. Who does?
The NFL scouts know their business, and they have seen Cobb. I don’t know what another award or two is going to do for his marketability. Or another year in Kentucky’s offense. And he sure isn’t going to grow another 4 or 5 inches taller to improve on his measurables.
I think he has a chance- he might as well take it now without risking another year on potential injuries.
All of that said- I sure wouldn’t cry if Randall decided to come back and go after Tebow’s SEC record!
-- Tim
Fair point (to both you and Bobo)
Kentucky’s team may be an anchor to Cobb that he is unwilling to drag around.
But. . . if he believes the team might be equally competent (unproven but supposedly talented QB, older O line, surely the D can’t be any worse), he will begin the year on any number of “watch-lists” for best all-around player and/or receiver. If he thinks he can put together a big year and be in the national spotlight somewhat, doing so would (IMHO) make teams give him a better look in training camp or perhaps draft him higher than he should be.
I mean, the NFL just does not have that many early entrants. Teams value physical (and emotional) maturity and durability much more than they do in basketball.
If I were a betting man, I’d bet on blue. But I could be wrong – wouldn’t be the first time.
NYC, not sure I went so far as to call UK an "anchor"
but I guess I was leaning in that direction. If Cobb played for higher profiles like Florida or Alabama or Notre “NBC” Dame, I think your scenario would have a much better chance of playing out as far as spotlights and ‘watch lists’ are concerned. But bobo is right- if we struggle to get him the ball next year, it will be somewhat of a wasted year for him to come back. Heck, I am not even sure that I have been completely happy with us getting his hands on the ball this season- but that is a whole other can of worms. I am sure all of this is a big part of his decision.
Most of my opinion (like around 80% of it) is simply based on the ‘short shelf life’ aspect of football in general, and how Randall is going to have to make his living, in specific.
He is going to take some hits up in the NFL- and will have to be super tough. Lots of wear and tear. And the older he gets, the harder it is going to be. I just don’t see the reason for another year at UK and not going ahead and getting up to the NFL now and starting the process of learning what he is going to have to do.
I don’t have any idea which way I would bet, either… hopefully he is getting much better advice on this then what he would get from an “internet guy” like me! I really like your scenario about the ‘watch lists’, etc.- but I just don’t know how much we will help him stay on those lists. There will be a lot of questions about how the season is going to go.
I think I would tell him to go, but I have no idea which way it will come down.
-- Tim
HSLex
+2 I laughed so hard at that I thought I would choke. LOL
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
The word I'm thinking of begins with an F
end with an uck.
The fumble at the two killed all momentum.
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
If one fumble killed all momentum, they had very little momentum to start with. Someone was asleep at the wheel when this class of defensive players were recruited. I agree with those who say that Joker has done the best he could with what he had. Brown? That’s another story. My mother, God rest her soul, taught me that you get what you pay for. If you buy a $50 pair of shoes, then you will have a $50 pair of shoes. Same goes for coaches.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Then most likely your mother also taught you that
The wonderful “home grown” vegetables are 100 times better than what you could buy, for any amount of money. Just sayin’.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Not referring to Brown
Home grown was referring to a coach like Joe B, but different sport. :-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
a2d2
Yes she did. And they were and still are better. However I don’t think vegtables is a good analogy for FB coaches, IMO. But a Kentucky resident like Claiborne would be more apt to stick. As I said, I could be wrong about Joker. He’s a KY. man.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Passing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hartine, can, t hit a receiver after about 12 yards!!!!!!!
Go CATTTTTTTTTTTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
awaysblue!!!!!
took the words out of my mouth;amemmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go CATTTTTTTTTTTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
football-sec!!!!
at least we got Auburn too cheer for in BCS game!!!!!
Go CATTTTTTTTTTTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Olliecat
That’ll work. Their SEC family.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Fodder to chew on
Lets look at our 2011 FB recruiting against other similar teams:
Rivals rankings as of today:
UK at #35 nationally with having signed 0 five stars, 1 four star and 18 three star players.
North Carolina is ranked #9 with having signed 0 five star, 7 four star and 13 three star players
Virginia is ranked #30 with having signed 0 five star, 2 four star and 17 three star players.
Rutgers is ranked at #33 with having signed 0 five star, 1 four star and 15 three star players.
Louisville is ranked at #38 with having signed 0 five star, 1 four star and 17 three star players.
Alabama ranked at #2 with having signed 2 five star, 12 four star and 5 three star players.
Florida ranked at #6 with having signed 0 five star, 10 four star and 7 three star players.
Tennessee ranked #21 with having signed 0 five star. 5 four star and 13 three star players.
The SEC has ten teams ranked in the top 25.
The ACC has three teams ranked in the top 25 with three of these, Florida St at #4 and Clemson at #5.
Looking at these rankings we still have a ways to go to compete in the SEC. Hopefully Joker can do it and next season sees us having a more fruitful year.
Nick
KansasUKCat
That recruiting info is very interesting. I didn’t know where we stood on the recruiting list nationally. But you know something, and I’ve seen it in BB and FB, some of these guys who come in as 3 & 4 star players turn out to be exceptional. Remember, these young men are just that, young men. Many of them have not developed into what they will be in a year or two. Big Dan Issel didn’t exactly set the woods on fire his sophmore year but boy he burned them down his junior and senior years. Love Big Dan!!
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Oh I agree there
The intangibles when measuring a man’s heart and desire is a different matter.
Nick
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Community Guidelines
[UPDATED 01/18/2012]
Related FanPosts on A Sea Of Blue
Related FanShots on A Sea Of Blue
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
