OPEN SHOT: Discuss the Wildcats

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 8, 2008 5:06 PM EDT in Open Thread Comment 33 comments

Well, we have this for all you Florida fans out there. I don't think Speights will go in the first round, but some projections have him there. Vince Gagliano over at Orange and Blue Hue has thoughts.

K.C. Ross-Miller, UK signee for 2010, is ranked 20th in the class according to ESPN. Jodie Demling has the goods.

The Cats take on the Louisville Cardinals tonight in baseball. Kentucky is currently ranked 9th in the nation, and the Cardinals aren't quite the same team as the one that went to the College World Series last year. Get Blitzed has lots of details.

Jeremy Jarmon is back on the gridiron for spring practice after having his knee scoped last season. In other football news, Rich Brooks says the offensive line is getting deeper. Good. Now if we can only get some quality depth in the D-line.

This is an open thread. Let's hear 'em if you've got 'em.

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Kentucky Basketball not over yet...

Barnstorming Event has been rejuvenated!...and it's way past time IMHO.

Check the link...

http://blog.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=5462

by kykat51 on Apr 8, 2008 5:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

WHOA!!!!!

All this talk of Bill Self being an assistant coach at OSU got me thinking... "Just who was head coach then?" So I got to checking wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Self

Low and Behold... he was on Eddie Sutton's staff!!! Billy Gillispie is part of the Eddie Sutton coaching tree!!!! Farrrrr Billy!!!! How did this escape our knowledge???? Did everyone know this??? Was it just me that missed it???? I'm so distraught...

Another interesting snippet from that page (and I'm finding it hard to believe... maybe someone edited the page with false information) was this little gem "After a successful playing career as Oklahoma High School Basketball Player of the Year in 1981 at Edmond High School and then playing for Paul Hansen's Oklahoma State Cowboys, Self joined Larry Brown's coaching staff at the University of Kansas, replacing the position vacated by John Calipari when he accepted an Assistant Coach position at the University of Pittsburgh. Self remained at Kansas as an Assistant Coach through the 1985-1986 seasons. Between 1986 and 1993, Self was an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University under Leonard Hamilton, then Eddie Sutton."

Did Bill Self really replace Calipari as an assistant at Kansas??? If that's true, how in the hell was that not mentioned in last night's game?

by chirop1 on Apr 8, 2008 6:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Mentioned in the pregame

Also, I think Self filters out the Suttonness so it doesn't reach our BCG. We don't have to feel tainted-- just look at it as a chance for any leftover bad karma to dissipate.

by CW on Apr 8, 2008 6:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Self

Very good coach. One of a small number to take 3 teams to Elite 8 (Tulsa, Illinois, and Kansas) in NCAA tourney.

Been coaching 15 years now. 1 FF, 1 NCAA title, 5 Elite 8, 6 Sweet 16. Plus 8 conference titles. 22-9 (71%) in NCAA games. 349-137 (72%) overall.

Better at Kansas, almost 82% W-L record but 75% in NCAA games.

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 8, 2008 7:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Best of all

he made it to the Final Four in a short span and won the NCAA title.. KU fans couldn't care less about the winning % as elite programs are concerned about Final Fours and titles.

by MyBloodRunsBlue on Apr 9, 2008 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hooper...

Damn, your womens basketball team is a force. They're at it again, congrats on another national title....begrugingly. :)

by wldcatsfreak on Apr 8, 2008 10:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

begrudgingly

by wldcatsfreak on Apr 8, 2008 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

JuCo All-Americans

http://www.njcaa.org/sports.cfm?sid=4&divid=1&gender=m&slid=2&menu=5 UK target Roderick Flemings on 1st team.

Minnesota signee Devron Bostick also 1st team and will be named National JuCo POY later this week.

by FortyYearCatFan on Apr 8, 2008 11:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

speights

If he goes... oh well. I think it's a ludicrous notion but more power to him. I won't lose too much sleep over it.

I feel pretty strongly that it's a bad decision for Mo on many levels.

Orange and Blue Hue: The World through GATOR-colored Glasses -- http://www.orangeandbluehue.com

by Gatorpilot on Apr 8, 2008 11:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Greetings Gator

I definitely think Speights is not ready for the Association, but I must admit he impressed me this year. I thought he showed tremendous improvement.

I didn't see him play enough to evaluate his stamina, but there are some who question his ability to play hard for extended periods of time. Sounds like a kid who needs another year.

Good to hear from you.

by Ken Howlett on Apr 8, 2008 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed..

I can't imagine him being a first round draft selection.. but he has size. However, even 2nd round picks are given guarenteed contracts I believe???

If UF loses him to the NBA, the Gators are back to the NIT next year (IMO).

by MyBloodRunsBlue on Apr 9, 2008 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Second round

Second rounders' contracts are not guaranteed.

by Acdixon on Apr 9, 2008 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tough call for Speights..

Next year he may not be as productive or noticeable with the two big men coming in. His stock could actually drop.

If he has a decent shot at being a late first round pick then I think he should come out.

by MyBloodRunsBlue on Apr 9, 2008 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Congrats to the Bat Cats

Keenan Wiley smacks a 12th inning walk-off dinger to beat UL 7-6.

Sweet.

by Ken Howlett on Apr 8, 2008 11:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sweet, indeed.

Sucks they took us to extra innings.

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 9, 2008 7:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sizing up next year.....

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/09/SPGH1020GP.DTL

C....A....T....S CATS CATS CATS

by MartinGolf9 on Apr 9, 2008 9:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

19 for the Cats

Seems a little high for the pre-season to me. By the end of the year, certainly... but considering what we're losing, there's a lot of learning that will need to happen to get this team ready to play.

by chirop1 on Apr 9, 2008 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Louisville's ranking there

seems very low to me. Don't they have two 5-star guys coming in? I think Vitale listed them as one of his pre-pre-pre-season top 4. Of course that was before knowing Earl Clark was gone. Obviously rankings for next year are the wildest of wild speculation right now, but still, that's seems a bit low for them for me.

Not that I WANT them to be better than that, mind you : )

by blue kentucky girl on Apr 9, 2008 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks for the link.

Before reading the article I didn't figure UK would crack the top 25. Being listed at 19 seems pretty generous to me, but personally I don't mind. With a young team, the less pressure they feel is certainly better IMO. I'm sure there will be oodles of others who will have their pre-season rankings out there; I would hope they aren't taken too seriously.

Anyway, it doesn't really matter where you start, it matters where you finish.

by BigSkyCat on Apr 9, 2008 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

edit post

The second sentance of my post should have read like this:
Being listed at 19 seems pretty generous to me, and personally I wouldn't mind an even lower ranking.

Pretty bad when you are confused by your own post.

by BigSkyCat on Apr 9, 2008 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

also

"sentance" should be "sentence". Obviously there is NO hope for me today...

Here is Andy Katz's pre-season, pre-draft poll -- No UK.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=3337602

by BigSkyCat on Apr 9, 2008 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

SF Chronicle

UL 24th? I agree with everyone else, a bit, no, a lot low.

Love and Collison both declared. UCLA should drop back to earth.

UK 19th? Once again, I agree with everyone. To be ranked at all in the "pre-pre-pre-season" is certainly flattering, but I believe is more a testament to what people think of Clyde's abilities rather than being anything close to an accurate gauge of how good UK should be. Although, it would not surprise me in the least if Kentucky performs up to that standard in February and March of '09.

Now if Clyde lands Flemings and Harrellson, all bets are off. UK COULD be very good with those two guys.

It feel ridiculous to even be discussing next year, but it's a fun kind of ridiculous :) Afterall, we're UK fans, it's what we do.

by Ken Howlett on Apr 9, 2008 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ridiculous...

talking about the 2008-2009 basketball season when the current one isn't even cold yet?

Wait, how is that ridiculous again?? Sounds eminently reasonable to me : )

by blue kentucky girl on Apr 9, 2008 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Duke

#8 pre-season?? Has anyone else seen this? "Devils lose only Demarcus Nelson." Yea, Nelson who was their best athlete and go-to scorer on a team that was not that good and lost in the 2nd round of the tourney.

The Devils haven't been past the sweet 16 in four years, when is this going to end?

Yes, they will probably finish 2nd in the ACC again, but what does that really mean anymore? Not what it used to...

Still not a crook!

by TrickyD26 on Apr 9, 2008 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Duke

It's like putting Michigan football in the Top 10 every year....force of habit, but not accurate.

by Ken Howlett on Apr 9, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another poll

has Duke ranked #2 behind UNC. In most professions, people are held accountable for their work and poor performance could mean your job. Not in sports journalism. I think I'll begin my new career search...

Still not a crook!

by TrickyD26 on Apr 10, 2008 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm surprised

Louisville is that low on the list (and really that Kentucky is at 19 - I think we'll have a good year, better than this year probably, but we have a lot to prove losing our 2 top scorers - I did like "Billy Gillispie . . . will be back").

Re: Louisville, they do lose Earl Clark and D.P., but return tons of talent and have a top 5 recruiting class coming in. It might take a few weeks to get the freshman up to speed, but I see Louisville being better than this year, and being a consistent top 15 or better team all season.

Ouch - hurts to say that. At least we won the baseball game.

by blbskue on Apr 9, 2008 9:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Speights

needs another year and maybe two in order to have any immediate impact at the next level. I dont like the gators but I hate to see young kids make stupid decisions. He can only get better next season, its not like he has hit his ceiling yet and that is only going to help him make more money in the long run.

Second round picks are not given a guarenteed contract.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Apr 9, 2008 10:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes and no...

with two highly touted big men coming to UF next year, he may not be as productive. Of course it could go the other way, who know?

This year may be his only shot at being a first round selection. Of course it could go the other way, who knows?

If he can squeek into the first round which means three years of sure $, he should go. The NBA is now very good at developing its young talent.

PP's situation is much different. The $ difference between a lottery pick and late first rund pick is dramatic; something like the 5th pick in the draft is guarenteed $8 million or more and the 25 pick is guarenteed "only" $2.5 million).

by MyBloodRunsBlue on Apr 9, 2008 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs