When do you call a 44-point victory "close?"  Apparently, we saw that last night -- that is, if you only watched the first ten minutes.  But there is no doubt that Kentucky's start could have been better, and the intensity could have been higher.  That's the main subject of today's links, but not the only one.

• John Clay has ten observations about the Transylvania game.
  I'm not "an alarmist" like Calipari. I saw just about what I expected to see.

• Joker Phillips teaches how to read the pass defense pre-snap.

• Nick Fasulo writes about the ten great things to look forward to this season.
  I really like the last one. Really. A super, super lot.

• Marquis Teague said Transy was "baiting" the 'Cats into shooting threes.
  This is just what happens when you are young -- you don't understand the game as well as you think. Of course Tansy wanted you to shoot threes instead of easy 2-footers. Hello!

• Calipari says Kidd-Gilchrist must start.
  That's because he knows that every game is a life or death struggle. That's the attitude it takes to go all the way to New Orleans.

• Matt Roark says that he was not "looking" the ball into his hands.
  This is a typical problem for wide receivers dropping the ball. The thing that bugs me is it's one they usually have figured out by the time they are seniors.

• Is 44 ponts "close?"
  Seriously, the game was much closer than it should have been in the first half.

• Butler bows to Division II Northern State.
  Butler has lost a lot the last two years. They are definitely in rebuilding mode.

• Coach Cal says Kentucky has "a long way to go."
  He's right. Last night showed that this team right now is only a shadow of what it needs to be. But I'm pretty sure he believes they can get there.

• CollegeHoops.net on conference realignment.
  Most are against it.

• Mike Miller says point guard depth is an issue for UK, UNC and UConn.
  Based on what I saw last night, I'd say he's right. Doron Lamb did not look comfortable at the point.

• Rush the Court says Calipari was "excited" about the slow start.
  Well, he's right -- that's what Calipari said.

• I talk with Red Cup Rebellion about the Ole Miss-Kentucky game Saturday.