I've read some great comments about the loss to MSU

While it was an entertaining football game to watch it's a shame

that two main screw ups occured on the coaching side that was the

major reason the CATS lost.  I know that players have to execute!

1.  Unexcusable that Def Coord Brown can not make a simple adjustment to

get out of "nickel" pkg and make them beat you with the pass.(passing was not their strength!)

2.  Go straight into "wildcat formation" when we had the ball first and goal down 31-24.  For

crying out loud Phillips called not one but two QB draws.  Wouldn't you rather have a proven

stud like Cobb executing these plays out of the wildcat than a freshman who runs a 4.9 40 yrd

dash on a good day!

We've got to win two of the next four to go bowling.   GO CATS!

Last week the bragging rights went to ALLBLUCAT although others were right there with him. Figuring an exact winner is tough when no one gets the score perfect so he won the multiheaded coin toss. In any case, lets try again with the Missssssissssssippppppi State Bulldogs coming to Commonwealth.

MSU brings a top SEC rusher (Dixon) into our home along with some young talent brought in by first year coach Dan Mullen. The weather is forecast to be raining all day saturday with it diminishing towards gametime and the temperature around 50 at kickoff.

My guessimate: Ky - 34, MSU - 17. A surprisingly high scoring affair when Kentucky figures out it's quarterback rotation and the defensive secondary feasts on MSU miscues. Add to that Superman Cobb turning in another multi-headed offensive performance. My hopes are based on: two games experience with the Barnum & Bailey quarterback show; game film from the ULM game showing the defensive secondary what NOT to do; great player participation numbers from the ULM game raising the team confidence; UK's holding Dixon to 48 yards last year; and my irrational enthusiasm. Our major test will be coping w/o Micah and continuing to cover for the ailing Lindley.

Now each of you can add your more sensible predictions for this weeks bragging rights.

Hi guys and gals.  I wanted to put this up in case you receive bogus emails from Ken Howlett asking for money or something.  Ken's account was pillaged by hackers, and now they are sending fraud emails to everyone on the list.  Please ignore any emails you get from howlettkl@yahoo.com.

Ken will have a new account working shortly.

15 OOC games - 13 W.

Possible L to UConn and UNC.

16 SEC games - 14 W.

Possible L in 2 road games.

3 SECT games - 3 W.

Cats are SECT champs!

4 NCAA games - 3 W.

Maybe more but...

So I predict 33 W.

What say ye? 30 W would be a darn good year but I want (and think UK will get) more. 

I keep typing more words so I get to the 75 word minimum, sorry.

Basketball and Bashing Columnists Have Taken Over!

Continue reading this post »

(This was written as a comment to a post on a Casual Hoya, but it became too long for a comment, hence the FanPost).

I apologize for not writing a more timely follow-up to your post, but I passed a couple of full length mirrors and became distracted. 

As an official representative of the People’s Mepublic of Big Bluistan, I would like to take this opportunity to express our extreme pleasure in your public acknowledgement of hating all things Kentucky.  It is our policy to further advance animosity between our beloved Wildcats and other fans around the nation.

 Poor inter-collegiate relations is an important component in the world realizing that the University of Kentucky possesses the most awesomely awesome basketball program in the entire galaxy.  You question the need for our Big Blue Madness to be translated into 7 languages, but what you don’t understand is that it is for the betterment of mankind.  Obviously, Wildcat basketball would be the primary reason alien intelligent life would visit our planet, and as such, probability states that the televised broadcast of Big Blue Madness would be the alien’s Rosetta Stone for understanding our languages. 

In my anti-diplomatic role, allow me to provide you with a few more reasons to hate on Kentucky.

1.      Our cheerleading squad has won the Division 1 National Championship, 13 out of the last 15 years.  Not only are the extremely good at what they do, but they are awful purty doing it. 

2.       We get to drink bourbon as part of the eating locally movement. 

3.       Wind power is going to bring great wealth to our state because of the high wind speeds due to the fact that Ohio sucks and Tennessee blows. 

4.       We don’t have to live in such close proximity to Congress. 

In closing, I would like thank you for hating Kentucky and look forward to fostering our status as enemies in the future. 

I belabor a point, but University of Kentucky basketball will not rise strictly on the eligibility of John Wall. While that young man is an otherworldly talent, the point guard cupboard is hardly bare. DeAndre Liggins is back, this time slotting into a system that ought to allow him room to utilize his talent. As importantly, there is a young man by the name of Eric Bledsoe on the roster and something tells me Wildcats fans will do well to take notice of him.

Liggins, we all know, had trouble figuring out how and where he fit into Billie Gillispie's style of play. For that matter so did the other players. And it showed. And all of that is a sorry chapter in history.

Under Coach John Calipari, I expect we will see more of Liggins and he will have more time to refine and display his considerable abilities. Remember, Calipari did recruit him while at Memphis and Liggins was ranked the Number 5 point guard and 21st player overall in the Class of 2008 by Rivals.com.

That said, let us turn to one Eric Bledsoe. Rivals.com rated him the third-best point guard in the Class of 2009. (Wall was Number One and I am not quite sure who was rated 2.) Now here is the thing. Bledsoe's high school coach did not think his young charge should attend the same university as Wall. Playing time and all that. Yet Bledsoe chose to sign with Kentucky.

That speaks volumes. Granted, Wall came aboard after Bledsoe, but the latter knew that would likely be the case and he was still willing to take his chances. Compete against the best in practice. Never back down from a challenge.

To me, that speaks of heart, desire, character - those intangible qualities that cannot be coached. I suspect young Mr. Bledsoe possesses those in abundance. And I expect that in and around being a freshman, subject to freshman mistakes, UK fans will see him make plays. Maybe not of the WOW class, but the sort where you read the stat line after a game and discover that he had eight assists and a steal or three to counter a couple of turnovers.

Time will tell if I am correct or if I am viewing the world through Big Blue glasses.

For all of us who struggle to watch our Cats long distance ... I am drowning in A Sea of Blue happiness. Two weeks ago I changed my television service. Dropped my local cable provider, had my house and pool house rewired... 2 installers started at 10 am and did not leave until 8 that night.

But I now have Dish in virtually every room and it looks like seamless Cat coverage. When I could watch the ULM football game Saturday, my hopes soared for basketball possibilities. And tonight I am watching the Blue & White game live. Not on my computer; not on my phone; not delayed; but a scrimmage game "LIVE" despite the fact that I am here in the heart of Gator country!

Considering that I used to drive to the highest hill (hills can be hard to find in Florida) and sit in my car to listen to Kentucky games on the radio, and that I once listened to an entire game over the phone by making my mother (in Kentucky) sit her phone next to her radio... words cannot describe how happy I am with this coverage.

Only you all would understand...

Those who have been reading A Sea of Blue for any length of time know that we seldom stray from covering the 'Cats and their athletic pursuits.  But, for just a moment I would like to issue a non-sports related personal request. 

My father-in-law, and huge UK fan, Joe Morehead, has recently been diagnosed with what amounts to terminal cancer.  It's in his liver, and sadly, there just isn't anything they can do for him.  He's only 58 years old.

I know that cancer strikes hundreds-of-thousands people every year, and my intent is not to imply that my family members plight is any more important than the thousands of others stricken with this terrible disease.  But, I have decided to use the forum that Tru has given me to discuss UK sports, to in this case, ask for your help.

If you could find the time to send Joe and encouraging note, I think it would lift his spirits as well as his resolve.  Hearing encouraging words from fellow UK followers, strangers in one sense, but kindred spirits in every sense, should have an uplifting effect, and that's what I'm looking for.

If you feel like this is something that you would like to do, Joe's address is: 

Joe Morehead

1412 Clayton Court

Bowling Green, KY  42101

Thanks,

Ken