I dropped into The Cats Pause today just for a look around, and what I saw should surprise me. Yet it doesn't.
Yesterday, two of the recruits that had UK on it's list dropped off -- Terrance Jennings and Olek Czyz. One poster on TCP is calling yesterday "Black Wednesday".
First of all, a bit of history surrounding these two guys. Terrance Jennings is a recruit that just appeared on UK's radar back on July 25th. It isn't as if we have been recruiting him for six or even three months, whereas Maryland has been recruiting him since at least February. The fact that we were even considered at all is a testament to the change around this program, and his choice of Maryland really makes a lot of sense to anyone not a UK fan.
As far as Olek Czyz, I said back when we first identified him as a potential recruiting target that the "zyz" thing could be the end of us. If he doesn't wind up playing for Duke, I will be surprised.
We UK fans need to get a grip. We have at most four scholarships available next year with one already filled, and we still have 14 players under recruitment for that year counting Czyz. I'm not taking Czyz off the board until he at least verbals, but even if we do, that leaves 13 recruits to fill 3 slots.
UK fans are well known for obsessing over every recruit, as if we could just manufacture scholarships at will. These players are not acting in a vacuum -- they perfectly well know what each school's needs are, where they are likely to get the most benefit, etc.
It is also quite possible that Coach Gillispie doesn't impress every single human being as much as he has the Big Blue Nation. I know this is a shocking thing to suggest, but it is quite possible some people don't care for the guy. Heck, I have even heard that there are some people who don't care for me, as genuinely stunning and nearly unbelievable as that is.
I suggest the concerned and troubled among us take a deep breath, or a big shot of Maker's Mark or whatever adult beverage you prefer, and relax. Just a bit. We still have a long way to go, and remember, there are always surprising bargains to be had at the end of every year -- Alex Legion comes to mind.
So in closing, to quote Treebeard from The Two Towers, "Now, don't be hasty." It would be nice if we had to turn away recruits every year, but that just isn't how it goes. The effort will be there. We must trust the results.
