When your own fans start talking about everything you don't have, it's only a matter of time before the national college hoops media -- as groupthink a group as ever thought -- begins its groin punches.
And we're not even including new CBS Sportsline national columnist and erstwhile Big Blue antagonist Gregg Doyel. The latest is from another pundit, ESPN's Andy Katz, who once again tells us how Louisville's incoming players make all the difference (sound familiar, fans of the NIT?), how Texas A&M is a top 10 team and how Memphis will lose its three best players but be better because John Calipari told him so. The last time Calipari told anyone the truth, UMass coughed up its Final Four banners.
But I digress ...
It would not surprise many UK fans who spend any time online that Katz's preseason top 25 (#2) does not include the Wildcats.
And in many ways, it's understandable. They lost their leading scorer and a top sub from a 22-13 team that underperformed at every opportunity last year.
But this is still a team starting two McDonald's All-Americans, coached by an NCAA title winner, with a Rivals-ranked #16 recruiting class that features three top 60 players.
It's true that Ramel Bradley is unproven as a starting lead guard, but that didn't stop Katz from praising Villanova's Scottie Reynolds, a freshman.
It's true that Randolph Morris' foul troubles could plague a depth-deprived Cats all year, as they did last year, but that lack of interior didn't stop Katz from hyping LSU, despite losing Tyrus Thomas to the NBA. I guess Magnum Rolle has proven himself beyond a shadow of a doubt, eh?
I'm not really saying that Uk should be in the top 25. But these hypers never seem to learn that a freshman is a freshman is a freshman. If unproven players are the easiest to judge because they have no visible flaws, then Jodie Meeks should be the second coming of Tony Delk.