FanPost

Thoughts on Eight

1) Yes, I was excited for Kentucky, Coach, the players, and all the fans, but on reflection I am most happy for Coach. Look, I love bball and have since I watched my first game at the old Lincoln High School in Paducah and I have watched literally hundreds (thousands?) of coaches coach. Some more closely than others. I cannot overstate how impressed I am with Coach Cal. I knew he could coach from his UMASS days, but didn't follow him closely until he came to UK. This guy can flat out coach. Hopefully, winning a NCAA puts a stop to the "he can't coach" stuff.

2) That being said, I sure want to understand why they played so much more slowly in the second half. Was TJ's ankle tight? MKG's shoulder bothering him?

3) CBS Sports has a list up of the greatest NCAA Championship Teams. I have no problem with IU 1976 being ranked #1. None. What I do have a problem with is neither of the Fabulous Five teams being on the list. I have a huge issue with that.

4) Possibly this UK team should go on next year's list. I am not one to canonize quickly, but this team was really really good.

5) If AD stayed another year or two year (and he shouldn't and won't) his performance this year leads me to conclude he would make the short list of greatest college players ever. For me that list includes Groza, Kurland, Russell,Oscar, Lew, Walton, Magic, Bird, Bradley, and so on. I don't think AD gets there after one year, but he could get there after two.

6) Back to the coaching thing. Am I the only person who see strong evidence of Coach Cal's Catholicism informing his coaching? At times, the language he uses (not the swearing well some of it) seems so Catholic to me. Not trying to start a Catholic Protestant dispute/friction, but if you go back and read Wooden, it is very Protestant sounding. I will have to read Coach's book if it also has a distinctive voice.

7) Commercials. I thought the UPS commercial had disapeared, but it reared its ugly head before the semis and the final. Yet that wasn't the worst commercial by any means. Budweiser: some bald buy is served a beer by a beautiful young lady and he doesn't say thank you. What is that? Then that Domino's commercial where the CEO says, great ideas don't usually come from the store level during a commercial about a great idea that came from the store. Dumb. BTW, I am not a food industry guy but, the filet of fish sandwich was created at a Mac's in Cincy, the Blizzard at a DQ in St Louis (probably to compete with Ted Drew) and was originally rejected by corporate, and, oh never mind, there are others. Where does the CEO think great ideas come from? Jeez.

8) With the possible exception of IU, UK lost the tattoo contest in every game. Why is that? Age of players? Upbringing? What is it?