So what now?

by JL Blue on Apr 7, 2007 5:18 PM EDT in Basketball Comment 6 comments

The basketball season is now officially over. Tubby Smith is done, and Billy Gillispie is on board. Randolph Morris is a (non-playing) Knick, and thus far no other player has departed or hinted at leaving. [Ed. Note: corrected] Three scholarships for next season remain, and Jai Lucas and Patrick Patterson know the situation, or soon will after likely meeting with Billy Clyde in the next week or so.

So where do we go from here?

It's the least favorite part of every Kentucky blue-blood's year, when the pause after a non-championship year becomes reality. Maybe it was postponed this year, but it's now done.

I suppose recruiting is the preferred offseason pastime for some, though with each passing year it becomes less and less entertaining and more and more stomach-churning.

Kentucky baseball turned a corner last season, and there are more avowed UK baseball fans now than there were a year ago at this time, but it still seems somehow way too early to follow, or way too strangely anticlimactic.

Spring football? Meh. I mean, good that the team won a bowl, and certainly with so many good offensive players back, there's room for optimism. But does anyone without a kid on the team honestly feel confident of anything more than a .500 season next year? I hope and will look forward to a strong season, but at this point, it's all blocking drills and sub-25 recruiting classes.

So we're left to write season obits, long for tempermental 18-year-old pituitary cases to make us feel wanted and scan the web for articles about the next big thing.

Anyone else ready for Midnight Madness yet?

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Quick question

Don't we have 3 scholarships now that Morris is gone? Just wondering.

by T Svoboda on Apr 7, 2007 5:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good pt.

I guess you're right.

Color me corrected.

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on Apr 7, 2007 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well,

I imagine there will be lots of recruiting rumors and news, some players will be de-committing and recommitting elsewhere. A few more coaching vacancies, a little baseball (although I admit, I am not much for baseball).

Summer is coming, but we'll find something to talk about.

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 7, 2007 6:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lucas and Patterson

Is anyone else concerned that Lucas all of a sudden has decided to consider Florida? I was alittle pissed thinking that Donovan may have put us off to pursue Lucas, but I believe Lucas' interest is a by product of Patterson. They did want to attend college together. A team that wins a national championship is always a sexy choice. I know we do not want to start reading tea leaves again, but I have just felt, especially recently, that Patterson really likes Florida. Maybe mine is a myopic view, but I don't think Lucas' interest ( especially coming this late in the recruiting game) in Florida bodes well for our chances of getting either he or Patterson.

Go Cats!

by Blueman2000 on Apr 7, 2007 11:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm a little skeptical

of the timing. But with Green planning to go to the Association, it certainly makes sense.

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 8, 2007 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Donovan scam?

As a UK fan, I'm a fan of Donovan as our former assistant (unless they're playing UK or competing with us for recruits). So I don't think he would deliberately lead us on.

Of course, that's just me as a generous UK fan. Greg Doyel of CBS thinks differently.

http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10110246

Again my generosity makes me think that this new interest from Jai is because Taurean Green is gone. So I can see the attraction for Jai: a chance to go to a program that's just repeated and be able to play immediately for a third. (Not that they are going to get it, but I can see the appeal)

The problem with that reasoning is, the REST of Florida's "quality minutes" roster has been completely decimated, too! Who are they going to have back that has actually played? Next year's florida players are going to have NOTHING in common with the team Lucas and Patterson have been watching. You really need to have some experience to work with when you're a freshman point guard.

IMHO, Patterson would be MUCH better off here. Kentucky has a massive big-man gap that needs to be filled (Morris, Woo, Thomas, Perry, anyone who played serious minutes - all gone! I like Carter and Stevenson, but they can't play the whole game!). But Kentucky does have some excellent experience and potential coming back in the guard+3 slots. What good is a post player if you can't get him the ball because your guards are out-classed by more experienced college players? The SEC is tough! Patterson will have a huge opportunity to showcase his skills here in his first year, better than at Florida.

And Jai should follow Patterson, he can really contribute at the point and grow into the position. Despite the big man gap, we will have a more fleshed out team for Jai work with than Florida next year.

And of course Billy Clyde is going to be awesome.
:)

by EEWildcat on Apr 8, 2007 12:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs