Kentucky Wildcats (12) 66, Alabama Crimson Tide 68: Postmortem
by Glenn Logan on Jan 18, 2011 11:47 PM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
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PrintWell, let's make no mistake about it, the Kentucky Wildcats deserved to lose this basketball game, and they did. Once again, the Wildcats allowed an SEC team to physically dominate them in the interior, at least for one half of basketball, and that half was enough. It is a tough loss for Kentucky fans to swallow, and raises some serious questions about how far this team can realistically go in the post-season. It shouldn't be overstated, but this loss was a major setback for Kentucky, one that could end up costing them at least one and possibly two seed positions in the tournament.
For Alabama, they played a terrific first half and held on by their fingernails in the second. There is no way they could have expected to put two halves of basketball together like the first one, and they did not. To their credit though, they managed to make the free throws that Kentucky did not, and played just enough offense in the second stanza to hold the Wildcats off. Congratulations to the Crimson Tide on a huge win, one that legitimately gives them an opportunity to get an at-large bid in the post season if they continue to play well.
From the HDTV set here in Louisville, it looked like Kentucky was too "up" for this game. They seemed very helter-skelter and played like freshmen, something they haven't done very often this season. Kentucky's interior defense was very disappointing, and Josh Harrellson struggled to deal with the physicality of Alabama's front line. Even worse, Terrence Jones and Darius Miller set him up to fail often, particularly in the first half, by allowing easy passes into the post from the wing.
More after the jump.
In the second half, the Wildcats were much more aggressive on defense and adjusted to the physicality of the game. Terrence Jones finally discovered his manhood and got the better of the matchup with JaMychal Green in the second half. Darius Miller, despite being undersized and forced to guard men bigger than him, found that he could do it if he would just fight to keep his man from getting position. It was good to see both him and Jones grow up as around the basket players, but it seems passing strange that it needs to happen at this point in the season.
Kentucky's transition defense was not good at all at times tonight, but it did tighten up down the stretch. The problem is that they simply could not afford, in a game as hotly contested as this one was, to keep making careless mistakes with the basketball and defensive breakdowns that led to dunks or fouls. I can't remember more than one or two fast breaks for Kentucky, which says a lot about Alabama's transition defense.
Another problem was that the Wildcats couldn't throw the ball in the ocean. We won't know how poorly until the stats become available, but Kentucky has now struggled twice on the road in the SEC. Part of that was the solid Alabama defense, particularly on the inside. But UK missed very many wide-open three-point shots, and you simply can't do that when that shot is your major offensive weapon. Live by the three, die by the three, they say, and tonight Kentucky died from three-point starvation. That, and an uncharacteristically unconscious night from three for the Crimson Tide.
Perhaps the most disappointing thing of all was the silly turnover on Kentucky's next-to-last possession when Kentucky had just made a huge defensive play to earn a chance to escape with a win. That exchange between Knight and Lamb failed because Lamb made a half-hearted cut and Knight made a very soft pass to a closely-guarded Lamb. That is fundamental basketball, the kind they teach you in high school. Two players of Knight and Lamb's accolades and ability should never, at crunch time, make a mistake like that. It very well could have cost Kentucky the game, and it certainly reduced their chances from maybe 40% to virtually nil. That should stick with both men for a while, as it is a painful lesson.
In closing, this is a major loss for UK and puts their season in a bad place. Yes, they can still win the SEC, but there are storm flags flying high now in the Bluegrass, because an 0-2 road record is an unmistakable sign of weakness that the NCAA committee will not fail to notice, nor will the rest of the SEC. Kentucky's season just took a hit amidships below the waterline, and the USS Wildcat is taking on more water that the bilge pumps alone can remove. It's going to require everyone on the team to grab a bucket, and keep this thing from foundering. Things don't get any easier, either, as it's down to Columbia to face the Wildcat-killer South Carolina Gamecocks.
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The emotional roller coaster
that this team puts me through is going to kill me. I’m waaayyyy to young for this…
How do you piss off an Angel?
By making some good booze!
Angels Envy
Kyle Henderson, Third Generation Whiskey Maker/Drinker
by floundringaround on Jan 18, 2011 11:53 PM EST reply actions
I feel just the opposite.
I’m not totally emotionally invested in this team. They don’t seem to radiate a confidence and a “we are a team mantra” to me. It’s weird. I like this team, I think they are fun when they are clicking on all cylinders, but they aren’t a heartbreaker team for me. No way.
Wow!
BSC, you have stated what I have been feeling… exactly!
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro...Hunter S. Thompson
BSC...
I have been thinking the same way. Upon reflection, i think part of the reason is that i believe the program is on the right track and that we will eventually reach the top of the mountain once again. In other words, I feel like I have the luxury of enjoying the journey, not just holding my breath to see if we can get there – because i know we will (maybe not this year, but perhaps next year).
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 19, 2011 10:01 AM EST up reply actions
Perfectly stated
I was wondering why I felt a sort of disconnect with the team this season, but now that I really think about it, you have totally nailed it. It might be a sense of being spoiled by all of the talent that UK will be rolling in every season, but I am not crushed by the losses this season, like I would be before.
I actually enjoy watching the games and felt a slight sting last night, but didn’t walk away destroyed, as usual.
Wish I could feel that way.
I am totally emotionally invested in each and every UK team that suits up and every loss is a heartbreaker for me.
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 19, 2011 10:14 AM EST up reply actions
I'm with you
I only watched the first half last night because late games cause me not to sleep afterwards. Especially if they lose. It’s the emotional investment that you mentioned.
by maysvilleblue on Jan 19, 2011 11:17 AM EST up reply actions
Hammer,
Meet nail. Excellent observations. Anthony Grant is a defense first coach, watched him here in Richmond at VCU for years. He will be a force eventually in the SEC, I predict. He’s got his guys on his wavelength right now.
Seems like some of our guys are wavering a bit. Good tenacity in the come back, though.
Cal's X's and O's
I was really disappointed in the coaching the last 15 seconds. We failed to execute TWICE, both after timeouts. The turnover by Knight/Lamb was inexcusable and the last play of the game wasn’t much better either. You’d expect better execution but I guess we’re young…
by ukwildcatfan40 on Jan 18, 2011 11:56 PM EST reply actions
I think the coaching call was OK
the execution, as you point out, was not.
I do think I might have had Jones take the ball out on the last play
looking to pass to either Miller (he had the best 3 percentage in this game) or Knight. But with having to go full court and 2.5 seconds, anything is a hail mary.
Execution stunk...
But Cal made good choices on the play for both possessions.
I think Jones getting ball was a good choice – he has good hands, he’s a big guy to make the pass easier and, if all else fails, he can at least shoot 3s decently. Ideally, he would have gotten it at half court and made the pass to Knight or another shooter. The defense forced him to get it too far away, and he couldn’t (or just didn’t, I’m not sure because I was still screaming about the previous possession) find an open shooter.
Too short
Seemed to me the biggest problem was that pass was too short. We needed it to go to at least half court to give us a chance for a good shot. They forced us to throw short, and it ruined our best laid plans.
Of course, I think everyone knew that T. Jones wasn’t passing that ball to an open shooter. Everyone but Miller and Jones were superfluous.
by wildcatfaninexile on Jan 19, 2011 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
I don't disagree with you....
But I will say that if you had told me at the 15 minute mark down 20 that we were going to have a shot to win it I would not believe it. This team did not quit.
Hopefully, if we find ourselves in the same situation in the tournament we will execute better.
This team needs to develop a killer instinct fast. And TJ needs to breakup with the 3 pointer with whom he has fallen in love
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 18, 2011 11:58 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Jones took one three on the night (plus the last second shot)
by Ken Howlett on Jan 19, 2011 12:04 AM EST up reply actions
guess it seemed
Like he thought about it a lot in the first half. He was much better in the second half when he was taking it to the rim instead of pulling up. That is probably a better way to say it.
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 19, 2011 12:51 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Once again
excellent and prompt postmortem. Thanks Glenn.
Toughness. I know it sounds like shades of Gillispie, but Cal is calling it right on the postgame radio show. The young Cats are not reacting to physical play on the road. They are letting it throw them off their game, and it manifests itself in the road game shooting stats. Cal tells them that every conference game on the road is the opponents’ Super Bowl. After two games, I hope they get it. If not, winning the conference regular season is in severe jeopardy.
Good effort in the comeback, but they can’t wait until 10 minutes to go to play.
Thank you for reading.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Jan 19, 2011 12:00 AM EST up reply actions
Cal:
I was going to give them the day off tomorrow. But now, tomorrow is not going to be for the faint of heart. They have to learn.
Brutal
Cal better crush them tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. In all honesty, I think a little dose (and a temporary one) of Billy Clyde might actually do a ton of good right now.
We played like pansies. The first 30 minutes of that game were a disgrace to the uniform.
by wildcatfaninexile on Jan 19, 2011 8:48 AM EST up reply actions
Just two more and it's overtime.
Ugh.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Jan 19, 2011 12:11 AM EST up reply actions
Great write up
Summarized the situation exactly. My 2 cents:
1. Why are we depending on a last second shot? We should have buried this team by 20. The last second shot didn’t lose the game, the first 20 minutes did.
2. Terrance Jones, as great as he is, is starting to remind me of a big baby. He seems to play only when he wants to, or only when Cal is yelling at him so hard steam is coming out of his ears. Make no mistake, I’m very glad he’s a wildcat, and he’s single-handedly won some games this year (Maui). But he needs to step up to division 1 play and give a full 40 minutes.
3. Give credit to Alabama’s absolutely smothering defense. They had Kentucky’s number for sure. Our point guards looked lost against that D, and our interior game was nowhere. What happened to “20 point Louisville” Josh Harrellson tonight?
4. Sometimes the ball just won’t fall, and unfortunately luck was not on our side, but definitely was on Alabama’s. The problem is we have way more skill this year than luck, so why aren’t we beating opponents like this?
by MNBlue on Jan 19, 2011 12:11 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Yeah.
Ditto.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Jan 19, 2011 12:12 AM EST up reply actions
...And further more...
Right now I’d say you can forget about a tournament run, especially if we can’t beat 10-7 Alabama. All it’s going to take is for UK to run into UConn again, or a Syracuse, or Texas, and that will end post season right there. At this point, maybe, MAYBE a Sweet 16, but that’s it.
Lost?
Our whole team looked lost until 15 mins to go. Is it just me or does TJ seem to lack a certain synapse connection?
by bigbill992001 on Jan 19, 2011 1:50 AM EST up reply actions
bill
I was so mad I turned it off and watched the end of Heat and Hawks. I am almost as mad at Cal as the team. He was out of control! I don’t know how any young man can be expected to listen to the kind of foul mouth crap he was putting out. He has to get a grip!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
Par for the course
I’d be willing to bet a very large amount of money that what Cal was giving them was a) nothing they haven’t heard before, b) nothing they haven’t said before and c) common among a sizable percentage of basketball coaches.
Cal wasn’t the issue. Their terrible play was.
by wildcatfaninexile on Jan 19, 2011 8:50 AM EST up reply actions
while i do believe you do not need a foul mouth to win...
it is interesting that the memphis fans are complaining that Pastner does not cuss at all!
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 19, 2011 10:03 AM EST up reply actions
Have you ever coached kids?
I did, in soccer. Under 10 years of age. Frustrating as hell when they just won’t listen. I imaging that’s what it’s like for Cal sometimes.
When the margin hit 15, my wife announced, “I don’t need to see this.” She turned off the TV and went to bed. I watched the rest of it in another room with the sound off.
Fans, we have to avoid these mood swings. We were feeling pretty high coming into this game. Now we’re feeling pretty low. But it’s only the middle of January, and the report of our death is an exaggeration. Let’s see if Cal can get this team rolling in another month, when it really starts to mean something.
OC
I’m sure Cal is one frustrated puppy about now. We’re half way thru the season already and this kids aren’t ‘getting it’. This team looked totally at a loss and got down 20. It was certainly out of character for Cal to go into a tirade like that, but I’m also sure these kids have heard worse from family and friends. We’re just not used to seeing Cal like that. Purely, totally frustrated.
by bigbill992001 on Jan 19, 2011 7:07 PM EST up reply actions
An old favorite
of mine is an article that talks about how one motives one’s self and the job of a coach, parent, manager etc is to avoid demotivation techniquesl. As much as I support the coach this team seems quite “unteam” like when pressured. I am not sure who is responsible for those last seconds.
Thanks for your usual good analysis and great points.
Alabamba showed up win, and we showed up to try not to lose.
I don’t know how else to spell it out. We need to walk into EVERY SEC game and make it clear from the get-go we’re not backing down. We need to be frightening accurate in the basics of shooting (both in the paint and from the charity stripe) and show we’re not afraid of physical play… in fact when a foul is actually called in our favor we’re pleasantly surprised. If we can make that happen from now until the end of the regular season I think we’ll be a powerhouse.
At the risk of quoting from “Glory Road” (such a travesty, Buckheimer) “You Do Not Back Down EVER!” could be our rallying call.
That said, Cal is worth every darned dime of the salary. I’d have not been as kind as he was tonight…make of that what you will….
Proud member of the Big Blue Nation - Let's Go Cats!!!
us
Once again we got the other teams very best, and this is what they will build on, for us hopefully the young bluebloods grew up and will now understand that the SEC on the road is always going to be a battle.
Lovin’ Blue!!!
Glad I only saw the final 12 minutes
One gets an interesting prospective when all one sees is the comeback. I saw great defense, great hustle, good shooting. I also saw one, maybe two, bad defensive plays and three bad offensive possessions. Two ended with charges and one with a TO. Otherwise it was all UK. The charges by Lamb and Knight were awful.
Just like many said after Georgia, you have got to play hard for all 40.
Wish I could watch practice tomorrow.
by darkandbloody@gmail.com on Jan 19, 2011 12:50 AM EST reply actions
Terrence Jones
Did anyone see coach flip out on Jones towards the end? There is some chatter Cal cursed him out?
Oh, he absolutely did.
He went on a tirade at Jones with about 10 minutes left or so, and his language was definitely NSFW.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Cal apologized for his language on Facebook this morning.
He said that he got caught up in the moment but that it was no excuse and that the BBN and his players deserved better.
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 19, 2011 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
Flip out?
I guess you could call it that. Did you also see the faces of the assist. coaches as Cal was giving TJ the ‘thumb’? Those looks said it all. There were THREE totally frustrated coaches. Is TJ really THAT stupid, or does he just decide to do his own thing when he gets in?
by bigbill992001 on Jan 19, 2011 7:12 PM EST up reply actions
??????
Did UK loose tonight ????? Oh My……Say it isnt so……BLAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…
by Timothy Bartlett on Jan 19, 2011 12:57 AM EST reply actions
Looks like we have 2
big mouth newbies! Thay just joined to show threir ass!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
Glenn
Who were you referring to?
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
Please read ...
… the community guidelines. We don’t allow this kind of smack on ASoB.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Not ASoB material. Loose/lose? We may struggle at times with less/fewer, but never loose/lose
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro...Hunter S. Thompson
Thanks for your comment Timmy
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
by btcoop71 on Jan 19, 2011 8:20 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Anthony Grant was great
Great coaching from Grant. He really took advantage of our inexperienced team with his game plan. Great atmosphere nod to the Tide fans. They were loud and rowdy and made the game exciting. They definitely affected our players’ play.
Overall even officiating, great job by the officials. I complain a lot and loudly when they stink up the place, but this game shows you can have an exciting game by just calling it evenly.
What happens to this Kentucky team is they just get spooked on the road. They get out of the comfort zone and they panic and don’t play like themselves.
I got frustrated by our team’s horrible play to start the game and hit pause and took a break for an hour, even thought about not watching the rest. But, I’m glad I came back to watch it. I was really glad to see our guys finally fight back, much like the UNC game. But they need to kick it in earlier. We have a LOT of tough road games left, and we need to seriously improve.
Nicely said
I was also very impressed with the Alabama fans. SEC teams are going to fill up their arenas hoping to see UK lose. I thought Alabama fans were there just as much to watch Alabama win as they were to see UK lose.
The officiating was also superb, especially with the charging calls. Players like Dwayne Wade have popularized driving to the lane and hoping for a foul call. That’s not basketball, and kudos to the officials for not bailing out Brandon and Terrance.
Oh No Cal Cusses????
It seemed like the cameramen was hoping to catch Cal cussing. Because at any given time you could film any coach railing on a player. It does happen and it’s not big news.
When these bad teams beat us they win by doing things they usually don’t do. UGA truned into a near perfect free throw shooting team. Tonight Alabama hits from three as if they never struggled this season. I think it’s hard to win against this surprising higher level of play unless we play to win every possession. We have not brought that killer instinct on the road. I not sure if we have much of a killer instinct on this team anyway.
This year should be looked at as Cal’s rebuilding year. I hope Miller and Liggins and the players who return for next season can learn some lessons from these losses. Learn some toughness and some leadership skills.
This team is good and our season is not over but as Glen pointed out, losses like this on the road hurts bad in march.
Road games
As Glenn Logan pointed out, being 0-2 on the road already is not good. I can almost guarantee that we won’t win at Vanderbilt with their goofy court, and Tennessee and Florida will certainly be tougher games than Georgia or Alabama. Maybe I’m being reactionary and upset over tonight’s loss, but I think if we can’t win at least one of these three games, we will have a zero chance come tournament time.
I didn't get to watch the game, but...
I would like to say I appreciate the effort on the comeback. They being said, there never should of been a comeback. UK plays the first half, like they did the second half, they win going away. UK shot horribly from everywhere and got their ass kicked on the boards. They deserved to lose. I heard Cal say that if you don’t have an inside game in college basketball, you are a joke or farse or something like that. He is absolutely right. And UK doesn’t have a consistant inside game. This is the season I expected. Play good some nights, play bad others. UK doesn’t have any room for error. No inside game and no bench means UK has to play good the whole game.
I don’t care about the seed UK gets in the NCAA tournament. Butler was a 5 seed and beat Utep, Murray State, Syracuse, Kansas State, and Michigan State to get to the NC game and only lost to Duke by 2pts. By far the hardest road of the tournament. They played hard, smart, and was always ready to play. So it doesn’t matter if UK gets a 1 seed or a 6 seed, they better come ready to play or they are going home in the first round.
Not to be picky or choosy, here (and lord knows I'm sure enough of ya'll are irritated at me ;-) )
But what isn’t mentioned here is — in my opinion — the span of time that proved most critical in this game. At halftime, the game was 37-30. Four-and-a-half minutes in it was 52-32. Alabama might have eaten their breadsticks at halftime, but over the first ten minutes of the second half Kentucky was playing some of the worst defense I can remember a team playing. It was at that point I remember someone making the comment of “realistically, we’re not going to score more than 70 points this game. Our defense has got to shut them down from here on out” and, to UK’s credit, they did. 70 points would have won this one.
Alabama is not a good team, though they play much better at home. This loss isn’t a killer by any stretch of the imagination, but were I a Cats fan I’d be most worried about how this team seems to be very streaky on defense on the road, and about how they allowed Alabama to come out of the second half and just blow their socks off early. (Granted, part of that first 5-minute streak had to be some sort of crazy Voodoo, I still swear it. I’ve never seen a team make that many unnecessary mistakes and get burned for them by as not-good a team as Alabama.)
______________________________________________
That's (333333jorkland)^2 and $$$$$$$$immons to you, chump.
bobo
If we would have pulled it out you would be in bed by now! Good Night!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
First Person...
…I have ever seen that is slower than my wife getting ready to go out. :)
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
The interior play was the biggest killer for UK in the whole game
They bent Vargas over and told him he was going to take it and like it. Vargas got humiliated. Harrellson didn’t do much of anything either, except score the winning margin for Alabama for them. They embarrassed us in the paint. It was the difference in the game, easily. Stupid turnovers all night, as well. I didn’t blame Cal one bit for the tirades he was throwing.
So, you can tell this was about as frustrating a game as I’ve seen from this Cats team all season. I don’t think we did a single thing right until single digit minutes left in the game. Bama had some nice breaks as well, but we didn’t deserve to win.
I Take Away Positives Actually
I saw a team that seem to toughen up before my eyes. Sure they came out soft but the defensive scheme was awful. And they did not adjust too quickly. I say Coach owns this loss. He was out-coached. Playing off the ball turned out to be a bad idea. I think that affected the confidence of the freshman.
I always thought we were going to win this one. Unlike the Georgia game, I felt like the officiating was even and that gave us a chance to come back. One turnover away from winning a road game with sub-par shooting, poor play against a team that shot the best game of their season and played beyond there skill level. I am not seeing the sky falling just yet. Let’s see what happens at South Carolina. I predict a bounce back.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Playing off the ball...
was a bad idea, in hindsight. however, bama had hit only 3 three’s in 2 league games. Perhaps Cal should have adjusted more at half, but then again, we did out score them in the 2H by playing the same way.
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 19, 2011 10:09 AM EST up reply actions
Not sure it was the defensive scheme
so much as the defensive effort. They didn’t work to prevent interior passing, which set up the open 3 or left Harrellson guarding 2-3 guys in the paint by himself. During the comeback attempt, the defense was no different, the effort was greater, and UK did a good job getting stops.
I AM DISAPPOINTED
I think this team has skilled players, and those skills have been developed during the season so far. However, I don’t see that they have improved as a team.
Not bashing, but I really wish Cal’s sideline demeanor was calmer and more balanced.
I think part of the problem ...
… is that they simply don’t get along together as well as last year’s team. These guys are still living on the island of “Me.”
I think that fact explains Calipari’s sideline demeanor. The harder he rides this team, the better they play. When he brought out the harsh language, Kentucky came back from 20 points down.
Terrence Jones, in particular, is just a hard-headed player who I think means well but is simply not understanding what Calipari is trying to teach him. The main problem with Jones is that he only brings his A game when things are going well, and hangs his head when they’re not. Then, after being motivated by Calipari, he goes out and tries to take the game over.
Brandon Knight has the same tendency. Instead of being patient and getting the shot they need, Knight will often try to take the game over himself. Neither of these guys is trying to be a hero here, it’s just what they were expected to do when they were in high school and the chips were down. Old habits are very hard to break, and with this team, harder than usual.
Intensity has been a problem for this team all year, as well as communication. They won’t talk, they play hard but not with intensity, and you just can’t do that against more experienced teams who know what it takes to win in college. Calipari is trying to verbally ratchet up the intensity, but sooner or later that isn’t going to work. These guys have to get it.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Jan 19, 2011 7:00 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Just Disappointed
Great comeback. That in and of itself shows that this team has a big heart. I don’t think that’s the part of their anatomy that needs developing – it’s due north of that. The mishandled exchange, just a handoff really, between Knight & Lamb was as elementary play as it gets, yet even the most gifted athletes yield to the pressure sometimes. Let’s not forget folks that these “annointed stars” are just freshmen & we are living with the after effects of “one and done”. I do not feel that this method of recruiting is sustainable for advancing our program. I don’t want UK to become the number one minor league development team for the NBA.
As an aside, I am a little disappointed in Cal’s sideline comportment this year. If he actually was cussing Jones out – then I just lost a bit of respect for him. We don’t need another BillyClyde to guide this program. I know he’s as frustrated as a lot us out here, but please Coach remain the class act that we’ve seen since you arrived here.
Cal is human and susceptible to frustration as any
But I believe that Cal’s actions are calculated. He knows what he’s trying to do and using his complete motivational bag of tricks.
Cal swearing
On one hand I don’t mind him cussing out Jones, as I curse like a sailor myself.
On the other hand, the last thing we need is a Bobby Knight situation where Cal starts strangling players and throwing chairs. I agree with Bluegilla, class it up a bit coach, we are Kentucky, not Indiana.
Your second paragraph...
Is possibly the equivalent of “Godwin’s Law” applied to college basketball.
Haha...
..no, that would be a Duke reference, but funny none the less!
The more I thought about it today, I became much more okay with Cal’s swearing tirade. I would rather have a coach that was passionate about what he does, rather than just sit there, nod his head, and say, “well, we tried”.
+1
you don’t get someone’s attention by saying ‘please’.
by bigbill992001 on Jan 19, 2011 7:24 PM EST up reply actions
I think far too much is being made of a little profanity.
Besides, Calipari was exactly right. His method of expression wasn’t exactly Woodenesque, but he was right.
He apologized for his language on facebook and twitter, and I think that should be enough. If you still want to equate him with Gillispie, well, go ahead.
It’s a good thing ESPN wasn’t in my living room, or the would would have learned a new definition of “profanity.” If that’s the worst that can come out of Cal’s mouth, he needs to up his game. ;-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
That last para ...
… did not come out quite right. Correction below:
It’s a good thing ESPN wasn’t in my living room, or the world would would have learned a new definition of "profanity." If that’s the worst that can come out of Cal’s mouth, he needs to up his game. ;-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
If you've never heard the word before, you can't be insulted because you don't know what it means.
If you have heard it before, hey, you survived it then and you’ll undoubtedly survive it again.
Slogan for the NCAA: If it ain't broke, break it.
agreed
and, anyone who has kids can attest to the fact that they can push you to your absolute brink and sometimes you lose it. I assume this group is like that for Cal. Pushing him to the brink and he just lost it this time and it just happened to be in public for all to see. These are 18+ kids out there, this kind of language is not new to them. They might not have been the target before and that was probably a new experience for them, but I’m pretty sure they have all heard the words used before.
It’s not a huge deal for me, like you said he apologized and I thought his apology was sincere. And, I also don’t think it was calculated as some other poster said, and I also see this group pushing him again and again, so he might well just use harsh language to get his point across again, but I don’t think he will make the mistake of unleashing and losing it on national television next time.
If Cal was the only one to ever call one of his players a MFer that would be one thing
But sit courtside at a game and you hear everyone do it.
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
BSC
I know the words are said everyday by many people. I don’t use them nor my wife. It’s a choice thing. I’ve heard them and didn’t like it then or now. We don’t go to or watch movies because of the language. I don’t read some blogs because they allow kids to “cuss a blue streak” Now I have to worry about the camera getting in Cals face while he is foul mouthed. Mama told me that just because everyone else is doing it -don’t make it right!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
Any basketball fan who doesn't accept profanity as part of a coach's vocabulary needs to find a new sport.
Try football. No, baseball. Uh…soccer? Lacrosse? I’ve got it. Curling! That is unless the coach curses in his sleep.
Slogan for the NCAA: If it ain't broke, break it.
dont buy that one........
it can be done without all of the swearing, but frustrations can get the best of anyone. And from what I have heard, this is not Cal’s norm. He does his best to avoid the language, and has said before himself that it doen not accomplish anything. Having said that, I am not going to hold it against him, because it was taking everything I had in me not to do it myself, and I was not even at the game.
Emotions are a tricky thing, they can help and hurt at the same time. it happened, he apologized, Terrence understood what he meant, we move on.
I am and always shall be ABC, the Cat in the Hat!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Jan 20, 2011 9:33 AM EST up reply actions
Coach K drops 80 F bombs per game
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
Masking Our Weaknesses
From the begining, we all lamented the absence of a strong front line on this year’s team and predicted that this team would struggle against the more physical teams with a strong inside presence. Guess what…we were all right. When our guys are shooting well from the outside, we are able in many respects to mask our weak interior, However, when are guards can’t seem to hit the broad side of a barn, and we suddenly have to rely on our inside players for more than just lay-ups and easy put back baskets, our primary weakness gets exposed and our team struggles to win these types of games. I don’t blame Cal for this loss. Moreover, I am actually quite proud of this young team for staging such an impressive comeback in a hostile enviroment. However, when our guys miss wide open outside shots, like they did last night in the first half, we cannot expect a frontline featuring guys like Harrelson and Vargas to bail us out. Just my two cents… .
In other news....
Holy……
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
Al Davis going for the Crypt Keeper look....
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
that's really creeping me out.
I almost can’t look. Eww. He is creepy anyway, but this pic, is well, stomach churning so early in the morning. Thanks, coop.
I aim to please!
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
Simple really, years of hard living - the good life can sometimes eat you up..!
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
by KansasUKCat on Jan 19, 2011 11:26 AM EST up reply actions
More to my point...
In SEC play, Josh is averaging only 4 points a game, while Vargas is averaging only a half a point a game. This means that, together, our centers are averaging less than 5 points a game in SEC play.
DING, DING, DING!!! We Have A Winner!!!
Every lose this season has been when our interior offense and defense has been as porous as your grandmother’s wifi. Many times this season, this Achilles heel has been masked because of outstanding perimeter shooting.
The potential is there. We have seen greatness from a greater number of players this year than any UK team I can remember, but until they start communicating and building each other up, we will be an engine with cylinders that are timed correctly.
If we can manage to get to get our interior to perform at least at a mediocre level every game, then we can make a deep run. If Jones, Harrellson and Knight start thinking of each other as teammates instinctively, then our upper limit is VERY high.
Until then, well…. you saw last night the result.
Ok, I have mixed enough metaphors to last me until lunch.
Game????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tru——as ALWAYS you do a great job! This team has some fantastic players but when are they going to figure it out ??? THEY ARE YOUNG—-yes, but they don’t seem to even come close to grasping that’s -—IT NOT HIGH SCHOOL BOYS———!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know that most of them do well in the classroom, and I do realize, one more time—YOUNG.
This is on the players, Coach has proven himself———NOW SHOW US WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Don’t get me wrong—-I love this team—that is when they are playing as a team…….
Enough————————I BLEED BLUE—-WIN—-LOSE—-OR—-DRAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by kentuckystrong on Jan 19, 2011 10:09 AM EST reply actions
I really like Josh Harrellson and the way he has grown this season....
…but I think he needs to be our 6th man.
I haven’t rewatched this game yet, but it seems to me that Cal sat Josh,
and then Knight, Lamb, Miller, Liggins & Jones erased a 17-point defecit in about eight minutes.
What our freshmen did wrong can be corrected; we don’t need to get too down on them over this game, but Josh (bless his heart) is near his ceiling.
I can be convinced that I’m wrong about this, but it will take some doing.
Uggggh... did that really happen?
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
When we win..we are a final 4 team...
when we lose..we won’t make the second round..fickle much?? Road wins in the SEC are hard to come by..no matter who the team is..no matter what year you are talking about. IMO, this game turned on two factors: Grant went to a 2-3 zone and Eloy had some the worst minutes of basketball a player could have. For the next 20 minutes, covering the 1st and 2nd half, UK played their worst basketball this year. To their credit, they played some of their best basketball the last 14 minutes. There is a pattern here. UNC, UG, and Ala were very similar games..expect more of the same..these Cats need to find a way to play 40 minutes of fundamental basketball (blocking out, getting loose balls, avoiding silly turnovers, making foul shots etc.) at a D-1 level of intensity, then they will be fine. Just growing pains as I see it. Go Cats!!
..Playing the Cats gives you an uneasy feeling..like looking in your rear view mirror and seeing a police car..
I'll say this..
Eloy was painful to watch. I can’t imagine he is having much fun right now being on the business end of Cal’s short fuse.
He must have game, or he wouldn’t be wearing a UK uniform. Let’s all hope that Cal figures out how to bring that game out before it’s too late.
Cal signed Eloy as a back up for Enes and Josh
And probably hoped he would never have to be counted on for major minutes. Unfortunately now we actually need his help and havn’t seen any fruitful moments from him – none.
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
by KansasUKCat on Jan 19, 2011 11:51 AM EST up reply actions
On a related matter...
Nobody has mentioned it here, but did you notice how Alabama attacked our defense sucessfully by using double screens. This negated our speed in switching on the first pick and caused mismatches of epic proportions with our slow footed big men trying to stop Bama’s much faster guards from getting to the basket. I was impressed with Gran’t gameplan, that’s for sure.
I'm no fan of the dribble drive motion offense - at least not with this team
From what I’ve seen it seems to work decently against teams that we match up well against, but when the opposing team has rugged interior players it doesn’t. They knock us around and we make mis-cues handling the ball or put up a shot that is very contested. Sure sometimes we do kick it out for good open threes but overall against the teams we have lost to the DDM offense hasn’t impressed me.
Last night when we made our run to get back in the game it was all about good defense, quick hands, blocks and steals. We hit a good portion of our threes during this spell and they weren’t created from the DDMO.
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
Disappointing L But Nice Comeback
I had UK winning by 7 or 8 pts.
Unfortunately Alabama didn’t.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jan 19, 2011 2:09 PM EST reply actions
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