What no one expected was a Cardinal team that looked like the team ranked preseason top 10. Had the Cards not gotten back to full strength, were Caracter and/or Sosa still sulking; any number of variables could have not improved and the Cards don't have the depth to run down the Cats.

My take on it: congratulate the Cats on a hard fight and encourage them to keep giving 100%.

The most appropriate observation you make is that the UK fans do not have the patience to wait for the new system to work.  They want proof of performance now.  Question is......will Barnhart be able to weather the storm and wait for results?

I suspect with the conflict on the contract, that
Barnhart will support a "one and out" scenerio.  If only 1/2 of all of the rumors on the off court behavior of BCG is true, then he won't have any support from the aministration to give him the time he needs to recruits that will adopt his style.

A new coach is a certainty.  Can you imagine then how difficult it will be to get anyone to come and coach at UK?  It would only be a past player that would risk coming to this environment.  

We are in deep trouble.

But there was no Internet then so he was allowed time to implement his system and style.

After that 6-7 start, he finished 213-43 (83+ %) those 8 seasons.

I think he is as profound as you say. I do think "former player" is correct; if Billy Gillispie doesn't work out, we will see Travis Ford on the UK sideline, and he will be an incredible success.

Don't like Ford and want Pelphrey instead? Fine. I just don't think that the situation is as dire as you say with those two waiting in the wings.  

As for his insistence on man to man: every team needs it's "go to" defense and offense. This team hasn't learned to play Billy's man to man yet. I believe once Billy has players who have played his man to man successfully for a year or two, he will teach a one three one or a matchup zone. But he has to have ONE defense that players play well.

I've said this all over the internet and I'll say it here. We were left a team of four or five two guards, a "point forward" and some leftovers on the front line. We aren't quick, and we aren't good shooters from the outside. We don't really have a point guard or a center. Who will win with a team without a point guard or a center, without quickness, ball handling or shooting skills?

If healthy, the 2008 team CAN win 10 SEC games.

I am not one to sacrifice a season to instill an offence either, however we seem to forget that the coach we once worshiped used many very similar tactics...dedication to the offence, Game day practices, sparing with the compliments.  

I liked how that guys term as coach turned out... I am willing to bet that the new guy knows what he is doing.

I am willing to wait and see.

07 UK roster left over 2 C (if Morris back) 3 F - 5 G. Recruits included 1 C - 1 F with F and G added.

You know maybe, just maybe I could beat myself in the head with a hammer long enough that I could persuade any reasoning I have remaining to induldge this argument but I just have one glaring fly in the ointment so to speak.

I am to believe the genius of BCG and also accept the fact that his genius will not allow him to start Joe Crawford but his geniusness can play him for 35 minutes. His genius can play Meeks and Jasper when they're "available". Explain this psychobable first and then possibly I can make this ride to la la land and along the way say hello to the sugar plum fairy.  

Ya don't need 100,000 (or a million) assistants.

i think tru hits some great points and i agree with much, but i am a little more optimistic.

quick points:

1. apparently BCG's method of teaching his system is like training a wild animal. he seems to be trying to bend the team to his will. we all need to realize that this team will most likely not pull out of the tailspin this season.
2. the cats will, if BCG history is true to form, be good next year. bradley and crawford will move on and the team will be young and better able to adjust to his system.
3. it is apparent now why tubby chose the end of last season to leave. if he was getting the beat down over 22 win seasons, what would he do with a team that was headed for a .500 record? the fact is that this team would not excel under any coach.
4. the cats will win a couple that will surprise us this year. no matter if they are a little down on talent, they are starting to learn BCG's system. and although there are not NBA players on the team, they show some talent and heart from time to time. the last 10 minutes of the first half were wonderful.

Myself, like the rest of the crowd need to be reminded to step back look at what is truly going on.  Folks, it isn't "my way or the highway."  BCG is not a riverboat gambler and he hasn't gone "all-in."  Makes for good reading but it is void of reality.

The Present & Future:  DeCourcy said it best in an article we all loved and held to (until a couple more losses brought out the short sightedness of UK fans once again):  "Winning any particular game is not as important, in the long term, as establishing a method by which championships can be won. If Gillispie had his players running stairs on the day of the Gardner-Webb game, he likely had a reason. If the reinforcement of whatever principle moved him on that day eventually leads to a victory in some Elite Eight game, we'll never know. He will, though. And Kentucky will find itself back in the Final Four for the first time since 1998."  If he were to write this today, he would have added something about playing m2m every minute of every game.

The Past:  Again, I will defer to a man much more capable of verbalizing this than I am: "Kentucky did not get to where it is now in one off-season. It took years of mismanaging the program by the previous coach -- and the bosses who failed to properly direct him -- to get the Wildcats to the position where they could lose five of their first nine games. It took some stunningly uninspired recruiting and some dumb scheduling to get them here. It is going to require energetic recruiting and smart scheduling to move them forward. Most of all, though, this process demands patience. But that appears to be in shorter supply than elite talent."  Remember my friends, BCG has already singed more talent in less than a year than Tubby did his previous four.

I applaud BCG for what he is doing.  He is doing it the right way.  Elite coaches are driven by the will to win and building a legacy.  BCG is no different.  

He didn't accept the UK job to come in and go 20-12 and get beat in the second round of the NCAAs year after year.  He didn't come to UK to become another 10-loss-Tubby.  He came to UK to rebuild a crumbling empire; to make it what it once was--the dominating force in college basketball.  

Why do I say BCG is doing it the right way?  He has tunnel vision of building long-term dominating success at UK and he is not going to let a wonderful & very vocal fan base or local media bantar change this.  BCG is certainly not going to let short-term woes change what he knows it is going to take for UK to become dominate once again.  Fellow Wildcats, do not buy in to this "my way or the highway" bantar.

This season is about the future.  If UK plays every minute of every game in man-to-man defense it is because that is what is needed to rebuild UK into long-term domination of the SEC.  It is not about being stubborn.  It is not about "my way or the highway."  It is about rebuilding; it is about changing a deteriorating program; it is about developing long-term success.

Folks, read DeCourcy's article again..  then read it again.  Then email it to every UK fan you know.  It is truly insightful; it is written by someone who truly understands Billy Gillispie and what is going on.  

Lastly, I want to encourage my UK brethren with this.  It is always darkest before the dawn.  The prior regime drove us into this dark night.  A new regime with proven success and ability to recruit elite talent is now at UK.  They will bring us into the new dawn.  UK is in the midst of a necessary yet painful transformation.  When the metamorphosis is complete what you are going to see is the most athletic, talented and dynamic program in college basketball.

I expected some adjustment difficulties, but after 13 games, dangnabit, this team should be showing some improvement.  As of yet, I have seen absolutely NO IMPROVEMENT in the team or BCG's ability to bench coach.

I want to be patient, but patient for what? More of the same?  His flippant answers in interviews provide little insight into what his strategy is and what he is doing  to solve these problems so we can win games ASAP.

I am frustrated more than just with BCG's win-loss record at UK right now.  His relations with the media and the fans are strained at best.  He seems to be stubborn, pompous and flippant when dealing with the media and the fans. He needs to realize that the fans are an important and knowledgable part of UK basketball and they need to be informed and treated with respect.

I'm a diehard fan and nothing will sway my allegiance.  But I hope BCG will become more UK-friendly the longer he is here.

Take a deep breath, Tru. We cannot afford to have those as knowledgable and passionate as you give up too early.

I, for one, will be glad when UK basketball becomes fun again.  One of my favorite seasons was the 1990 season.  We played .500 ball, but were a blast to watch.  That team knew what it was like to have the snot pounded out of them, as evidenced by the 13-19 record the year before.  The players on this year's team have had nothing of that to motivate them.  All of BCG's rebuilding projects have started from the trash heap.  Give him time and, if you can't, go join those who questioned Barnhart about keeping Brooks.  Perhaps those people should fire up www.firerichbrooks.com to go along with their www.firebcg.com sites.  Oh, wait, that Ditch Rich movement has already been tried.  We see how that worked out when someone has a bit of patience.

Folks - the man is a winner - period.  I know that many of us think we are basketball geniuses, but I highly doubt any of us are being paid millions to coach basketball.

Let it ride, see if we feel this way by the end of the season or the end of next season.

"One and out" has to be the dumbest premise I have heard to date.  BCG will get several years to right the ship.  UK would not be able to withstand the backlash if he were released after this year.

I think Bilas said it better - You Wanted Change, You Got, Now Give Him Time (words to that effect).

BCG knows waht he is doing and the whining I hear about BCG not pouring out all his thoughts to the fans is pathetic.  Upset at BCG?  Cry a river, build a bridge and get over it.

For those reading my take, I want you to remember back to when Morris signed with the Knicks. It was the day Tubby left. If you are like me you instantly pondered the upcoming season. Thinking, "who do we have coming back, and who do we have coming in?"

My initial thoughts were that we were going to be in for a long season. Undersized with Morris leaving, and with a short bench. I honestly thought 15-16 wins would be a nice number to shoot for.

Then Clyde is hired, and he miraculously saves Patterson. If you are like me, you had your computer tuned to KentuckySportsRadio to listen to the annoncement live. I was giving a friend blow by blow updates over the phone. When Patterson put on the UK hat, rapture. All is well, and all will be well.

Until one really looks at the roster, and sees a cavernous hole next to Patterson in the paint. The same bugaboo that has limited the success of the program for the last few years. Plus, the fact that Bradley and Crawford both suffer from low basketball IQ. I don't mean that in a derogatory way, it's just a fact. Neither is a very good decision maker in the heat of battle.

The euphoria over the signing of Patterson is soon bolstered, and given validity by many in the national media with the ranking of UK in many Top 25 ratings. This fact alone should cause one to question the collective basketball acumen of those who thought this team, presently constructed, is anything approaching a Top 25 team. Patterson is good, but not Carmelo Anthony good.

Then the summer of injuries began. Crawford has surgery to clean out his knee, Jasper has risky micro-fracture surgery, Carter's poor shoulder falls apart...again. But, some in the BBN seemed to be oblivious to the potential disaster these injuries could cause. Myself included. I thought, "they'll be fine in time for practice". Wrong.

We entered the season with high hopes of success and much grandeur. Afterall, we have a new coach, a new hamburger All-American, a Top 25 ranking, and Ashley Judd. What else could anyone ask for?

What we did not have was a grasp on reality. Think about it. We lose Morris, we lose Perry, and we lose the head coach, off of a team that lost 12 games. Sure, Jasper and Meeks showed definite promise. They both had some terrific moments in '07, but they are still only sophomores, and they haven't been taught how to win at this level, and exchanging a 3 year starter at center, for a freshman, is not a good tradeoff.

If everyone had been healthy at the start of the year, I am sure UK's record would be markedly improved. Say, 9-4. But the same roster problems would still exist, and the fans would still be upset. The expectations were simply too high in the pre-season for the fans to accept 9-4.

But if we think back to the day Morris signed with the Knicks, we all knew the season was going to be an arduous experience. Many of us have simply let our hopes muscle out our ability to think logically as it pertains to how this team would perform. The giddiness over Gillispie, and what he has accoomplished throughout his career, and the signing of Patterson, bolstered expectations beyond what is realistic. I am as guilty as anyone else of this miscalculation.

This all hit me upside my head while I was suffering through the UL game Saturday. I'm thinking, "UL is so much better than us it's not even funny". They have better, and more athletes, who are pretty damn good basketball players. If UK played well, and UL played average, they would still win 9 out of 10 games. UK simply does not possess the horses to compete with that type of team.

We don't have the players. It's as simple as that. Nothing has changed from the last few years. Well, one thing has changed. A new coach has come in, and is attempting to instill his system of basketball into an injury riddled, talent deficient, group of players.

These set of circumstances are not conducive to immediate success.

It's been that way since the day Morris left, and Barnhart hired Gillispie. But in my excitement with the Gillispies hire, and the Patterson signing, I forgot that this team has lost 25 games in the last 2 years, and no GROUP of players is coming in to solve the problem. Gillispie is not the "Mindfreak". He doesn't walk on water, or change water into Makers (that's for you Tru).

My jubilation outweighed my logical observations.

I generally am not one who over-expects. I don't bash coaches, I don't second guess every out-of-bounds play, or substitution. I think I am realistic enough to know that a lot has changed in the last 20 years in college basketball, and UK isn't going to win 28-30 games every year. No team can. But going in to this season, after the Gillispie hire, and the Patterson signing, I over-expected. Well, the chickens came home to roost Saturday in the form of a reality check courtesy of the most hated man in Kentucky. Uhh, close to the most hated, anyway.

I am going to, from this point forward, embrace this team for what they are. An extrememly flawed, marginally talented, hard working group of players. I expect them to get better, but not so much better that they will win the SEC East, or anything close to that achievement. But I expect them to progress to the point to where they are competitive with all the SEC teams. I don't think that is too much to ask for.

It is a hard and bitter pill to swallow. The '88-'89 season is still fresh in my memory, and it wasn't any fun. But that was a totally different set of circumstances. Emery Freight permeated every aspect of that season.

Now we have the future to look forward to. We know players are coming in. We know great seasons are in the offing.

Getting there is sometimes not easy, though. The dark, dark days of the late '80's were soon followed by many fun and entertaining seasons. Filled with victories and championships.

By the'92 Duke game, the probation years seemed like a distant nightmare. When in reality, that was UK's first year off of probation.

We're not on probation, but we are in jail. But soon the warden will open the cell door, and free we will be.

I know one coach who will never play a zone, even against Louisville.

Ben Howland.

Never plays zone.  If man to man is played properly, it shouldn't be a problem.

I keep coming back to the Norman Dale analogy. Dale insisted his team make x amount of passes before shooting. He stuck to his coaching philosophy even to the point of playing the end of a game with only 4 players.

Is Clyde doing the same? I don't know. But his conviction is not wavering. For that he is to be applauded.

The concern about Crawford not starting, to me, is ridiculous. He plays 30+ minutes most every game. Although, an argument can be made that UK cannot afford to "give away" any possessions. By having Coury in, instead of Crawford, the opponent only has to guard 4 players instead of 5.

Clyde clearly has issues with the medical staff. When answering questions about injuries one can hear the disdain in his voice.

It is very difficult to "out-coach" superior talent.

What must be remembered is that Gillispie is not Rupp, or Dixon, or Howland. What they do, or did, has no bearing on Clyde, or his philosophy. Clearly the man is not going to play zone, even though zone has been called for many times this year. I feel he is taking a short term pain, long term gain approach, which Tru notes is risky.

But really, how risky is it? Barnhart is not going to fire him. The worst Gillispie can expect is to rile the fans a bit. At this early juncture I doubt he is overly worried about fan reaction. He believes his gameplan will succeed, as it has at UTEP and TAMU. Well, some say this isn't UTEP or TAMU. So. It's still basketball, regardless of what the fan base thinks. At his other stops he did not have the outspoken fandom that exists here, but what does that really matter. He will be given time by his employer to implement his system and strategies. Barnhart doesn't make decisions based on emotion. Which is why UK pays him, and not the K Club to lead the athletic department.

The sad part about all of this is that it could be cleared up very quickly by BG himself.  He could say, I'm never, ever going to play zone.  Or he could say, I'm going to play zone after they learn how to play man.  Or he could say, I want to play zone, but they can't seem to get it in practice.  I understand why BG won't say anything about the medical questions since I believe there is an NCAA rule against disclosing medical information for student athletes, besides there are ethical considerations when it comes to disclosing the medical progress of a young athlete.  But I can't understand BG's unwillingness to a single g--d--- thing about what is going on with the team's practices/progress.

The 2008 TAMU squad is 100% Gillispie recruits and 14-1 (I think).

Message to coach though...please be more careful off the court.  You have told us this is where you want to be and its every coaches dream to coach here?  Than live life off the court like you want your players on the court to do!

This rigidity makes us very predictable and vulnerable to tactics of opposing coaches.  They don't don't have to prepare against a zone; they can focus on backdoor cuts instead.  Pitino's 3-2 put the 2 behind Patterson so he could catch the ball, then used the 3 to cut off the passing lanes to the wings.  Then when UL trapped at mid-court at the beginning of the 2nd half, Pitino didn't have to worry about any counter from UK.  

He'd better be a great, great recruiter if he is going to win at high levels with a predictable game, no alternative tactics and no in-game adjustments.