"Tony Woods is a punk and Louisville deserves him." I remember thinking that last year when I heard about him, and the drama that was associated. I even made a couple smart-ass tweets. That was then. In the last day or so, Tony Woods has met with all the big shots at UK, with the obvious possibility of a basketball scholarship for the upcoming season being thrown around. Now, it seems no one in the UK sports universe wants anything to do with him, and thinks the school is crazy for even being mentioned as a potential destination.
We all know what Tony did: he hit his girlfriend and broke her back. Or did he? Earlier today, I read Jason King's wonderful article about the incident.Here's what it boils down to: minor incident, no proof of harm, simple misunderstanding. (Doesn't that sound like a UK fan's familiar defense?) Even the victim said as much. Read the article, if you haven't already, and come back to me. I'll wait.
After I first heard the news of a UK-Woods wedding, I didn't have an initial reaction. Wanted to see how it played out. After some thought, and a few eye-opening events, here is my reaction:
The University of Kentucky should absolutely give Tony Woods a scholarship, and feel proud that they did.
Why? Because just a few hours ago, I saw the body of a 28-year old woman lowered into the ground. A 28-year old with four small children, children who will spend the rest of their lives wishing they could see their Mommy again, and not knowing why she had to die. I don't know why she had to die, and I'm not here to get into religion, or death, or any of that. We all suffer grief at some point in our lives, and we all deal with it and go on. But what I saw today made me absolutely sure of one thing. In the big picture, sports is absolutely meaningless.
I say that hypocritically, because I used the Tony Woods-UL fiasco as a reason to feel superior to Louisville fans a few months ago, and every fan around has used someone's past as a reason to look down; it's the nature of being a sports fan. Now think back to the funeral I mentioned. Several people who attended will watch baseball tonight, or go play basketball in the morning, as a way to keep their minds off the bad parts of life. But that's all sports is, an escape. There are sportswriters and coaches and personalities and athletes who feed their families through sports. For them, it's a means of survival. But for the fan? It means nothing in the grand scheme of things.
After reading King's article, I immediately thought of second chances. I thought of Tony Woods' young son. And now I think of the four motherless children. I'm not at all trying to say that someone getting arrested and getting a bad reputation is anywhere near as serious as death; I'm not that shallow. But I am using that for perspective.
Here is the perspective: Tony Woods made a fairly serious mistake. Therefore, UK fans (and I include myself here) are saying "this guy is trash, we don't want him. Look at what he did!" How many fans who are saying that have ever been arrested for DUI? Anyone that has has no right to say anything judgmental about him. I've had a DUI, six years ago; blew nearly twice the legal limit. What Tony Woods did is no worse than what I did. Granted, I didn't cause anyone harm, but that is only because I was fortunate enough to go to jail before I hit another car on the interstate. Now, how many people have missed child support payments over the years? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. How many people have ever been consenting party to an abortion? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. How many people have ever screamed at someone, made fun of someone, turned a blind eye to someone's misfortune? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. We are so quick to throw stones at others, but at some point in the rock-throwing, we broke the mirror we need to be using to look at ourselves.
What Tony Woods did was wrong, but it wasn't anymore wrong than anything I listed above. Remember Tony's son? If his father doesn't get a second chance, what message does that send to the boy? That mistakes aren't allowed? That remorse and regret aren't acceptable? What kid needs that pressure on him? I like to think this is a world where second chances are allowed, and given. UK should absolutely take a chance.
I've given the emotional reason for this, now let me give the sports fan reason: If Tony plays at UK, it doesn't change a thing. In twenty years, no one will care, and it won't affect gas prices, or world hunger, or domestic abuse, or drug use. Some talking heads are going to spew ridiculous derogatory bullshit, even if John Calipari signs a homeless quadriplegic deaf-mute who comes from a family of third-world nuns. A Tony Woods signing would only serve to give the snipers more bullets. I've said before, people are going to believe what they want, regardless of what evidence there is to the contrary. This situation is proof of that. I also say that, at the end of the day, who gives a damn if the media thinks UK is the epitome of evil? The media can kiss my ass, and hopefully yours. If Tony doesn't come to UK, people are still going to find something to bitch about. Personally, I think Calipari, and for that matter the school itself, has much more to gain than lose. If he messes up again, it was to be expected and UK keeps hearing the criticism it has always heard. But if he succeeds...Oh man, think of the possibilities! For starters, it would put the school in a positive light for once. It would also take some heat off Calipari, a man who himself is all too familiar with having molehills made into mountains in the press. He is also familiar with making success stories out of questionable characters. And least of all, it would give UK a talented big man with something to prove. But honestly, the team's needs are the furthest thing from my mind. I could care less about whether the team needs him, I care that Kentucky fans lower their collective heads enough so that they no longer have to look down their noses at a human being who made a bad decision.
Want proof UK fans are looking down their noses? How about this one: "Tony Woods deserves a second chance, but not at UK. UK is an elite program." Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt your caviar and champagne, Chauncey Fitzpatrick Pendlethorpe IV. I must've forgot that none of us have ever been appalled at a rich person ignoring the less fortunate. That wasn't us! To me, that's just another reason to bring this young man on board. Set the bar. Show the world that UK isn't too big and precious to take a chance on a guy with a checkered history. I bet all you self-righteous, elite program snobs rooted for the sheriff of Nottingham instead of Robin Hood.
Regardless of what I, or you, or ESPN, or Jason King, or anyone thinks, UK and John Calipari are going to do what they see fit. Here's to hoping they see fit to give a young man with a bad name a second chance. Practically all of us have had them; who are we to tell someone else they don't deserve one?
Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
May 13, 2011
April 18, 2011
KNIGHT TIME ISN'T THE RIGHT TIME
I thought I knew how to approach this. When I first heard of Bobby Knight's allegations regarding the entire 2010 UK starting five not attending school the second semester that year, I laughed a bit at the absurdity of it. Then I thought about it, which got me aggravated at what an egregious asshole he is. Next thing I knew, Matt Jones tweeted that it is the goal of Kentucky Sports Radio to force an apology from ESPN on Knight’s behalf. Then I wondered, if KSR was focusing on Bob Knight, who would tend to the children and young adults that aren’t reading? That’s when blog ideas started churning through my head.
Initially, I thought there is no reason to force an ESPN apology regarding Bob Knight. For starters, the comments weren’t even made on ESPN, they were made at a speech in Indiana. Secondly, everyone knows Bob Knight is a grumpy bastard on a good day. My thought process was this: Bob Knight is not senile; he knows what he says. The question is, who heard him say it? If a UK fan heard it, they know it isn’t true, and just another example of “haters hating”. If a non-UK fan heard it, that means one of two things: either they are impartial to UK and don’t care about the remarks, but perhaps frown on the negative happenings of college basketball, OR, they already hate UK, so it doesn’t matter whether the negative remarks were true or not. Therefore, I concluded that his words have no lasting effect either way, with the possible exception of being used against the school in recruiting battles. But then, recruiting is a slimy business anyway, and it’s hard to separate bullshit from lies in a recruit’s living room. So I didn’t think any more about it, other than to think that UK fans shouldn’t worry about it too much, because who cares what Bob Knight says?
But then I started thinking about it again.
And I realized who was saying it. Bob Knight. Class A, USDA-certified steaming asshole. Thrower of chairs, kicker of shins, cusser of students in grocery aisles. As CBSSports.com columnist Gregg Doyel put it, “Bob Knight is a bad guy. Great coach. Valued education. Didn't cheat. But a bad guy.” Pretty much sums it up. It also isn’t the first time Knight has had misgivings about John Calipari-related items. Plus, he got his lunch eaten by UK for the last 10 years or so he was at Indiana. And he had his undefeated season ruined in ’75, causing him to hit Joe B. Hall in the back of the head. He has good reason not to like Kentucky. But he has never done anything so blatant as to outright slander the school.
Yes, he slandered UK.
We all know what slander is: a lie, usually spoken, with the intent of character defamation. This is opposed to libel, which is basically slander, but in a more permanent, tangible form, such as print or recorded audio. Bob Knight defamed the character of John Wall, which is bad enough. But his remarks also defamed Patrick Patterson, who gave his sweat and blood and tears to graduate in three years while being a stud on the basketball court. That’s when I started getting pissed. (Patrick Patterson didn't seem to care for it either). Being slanderous is easy. Just say this out loud: “Bob Knight molests orphan children.” Did anyone hear you? If so, you just slandered Bob Knight. Now, a libelous statement would be if I said
BOB KNIGHT MOLESTS ORPHAN CHILDREN.
See what I did there? That was libel, because we know he doesn’t molest orphan children (or do we?), just as we know that 100% of the 2010 starting lineup went to spring classes. Here, I’ll give you another example of libel:
BOB KNIGHT HAS A TINY PENIS, AND THUSLY FEELS COMPELLED TO RUN DOWN ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE HIM.
Got the hang of it yet? Good. (Bear with me, I have a point in here somewhere). Now, would you like to read a non-slanderous statement?
BOB KNIGHT ONCE SHOT A FRIEND IN THE BACK, AND TRIED TO COVER IT UP. THAT'S THE KIND OF ASSHOLE HE IS.
I’ve pretty much always been of the thinking that peoples’ minds are going to be made up about something, and outside evidence won’t really affect their opinion; that is, if I think Bob Knight is a shitbird, his donating $50,000 to an orphanage (not that he did, but if he does, it's probably to hide the molestation) won’t change my opinion of him. Likewise, anyone who is looking for a reason to dislike Kentucky and Calipari will latch onto the first thing they can, not letting the fact that Calipari and his team washed the feet of underprivileged children in Detroit tell them otherwise. As Jerry Seinfeld (I think; it was either him or George Carlin) once said, “You can take away all the drugs in the world, and people would spin around on their lawns until they fell down and saw God.” That applies here, since we are dealing with reality vs. perception, through the eyes of a man who obviously needs some kind of medication to even his bitter, delusional ass out.
Still with me? Wow, I’m surprised. Now, after all that, here’s the deal: ESPN should either force an apology from Knight or send him packing, if for no other reason than it has to be a serious conflict of interest regarding the SEC TV contract for mouthy pricks such as himself to go around spewing derogatory nonsense. I’m glad Mitch Barnhart got in on the action, because that may help force the network’s hand. At best, Bob Knight is eaten up with petty jealousy, and can’t help himself trying to piss off Kentucky alumni and fans. At worst, he is a hypocrite and a coward, an old man trying to tear down one coach with nothing on his record, while building up another who is serving a suspension next season. He is a coward because, for starters, he won’t set foot in Rupp Arena, since he knows that would be the equivalent of walking into a lion's den wearing pork chop pants. And for this: someone on Twitter noted that Bob Knight has never said anything negative regarding UK unless he is in Indiana. This means he doesn’t have the enlarged guts to go with the enlarged asshole.
Here is my advice to Robert Montgomery Knight. Go away, while you are still at least somewhat relevant. Go away, and spend the remainder of your years shooting friends on hunting trips, and wondering why your eyebrows didn’t grow all the way across your eyes. You aren’t willing to say anything (truthfully) useful on TV, and apparently your speaking engagements reek of shenanigans and bullshit. As much as you have to offer the world, with your coaching intellect and storied past, you instead choose to continually take the low road by being a yellow-bellied coward, a hypocrite, and a shit stain on the silk underwear of life. Oh, and you are a pompous, arrogant asshole. Have I said that yet?
Bob Knight was once lauded for getting a high percentage of his students to finish classes. It’s just too bad that class isn’t a word he knows anything about these days.
Initially, I thought there is no reason to force an ESPN apology regarding Bob Knight. For starters, the comments weren’t even made on ESPN, they were made at a speech in Indiana. Secondly, everyone knows Bob Knight is a grumpy bastard on a good day. My thought process was this: Bob Knight is not senile; he knows what he says. The question is, who heard him say it? If a UK fan heard it, they know it isn’t true, and just another example of “haters hating”. If a non-UK fan heard it, that means one of two things: either they are impartial to UK and don’t care about the remarks, but perhaps frown on the negative happenings of college basketball, OR, they already hate UK, so it doesn’t matter whether the negative remarks were true or not. Therefore, I concluded that his words have no lasting effect either way, with the possible exception of being used against the school in recruiting battles. But then, recruiting is a slimy business anyway, and it’s hard to separate bullshit from lies in a recruit’s living room. So I didn’t think any more about it, other than to think that UK fans shouldn’t worry about it too much, because who cares what Bob Knight says?
But then I started thinking about it again.
And I realized who was saying it. Bob Knight. Class A, USDA-certified steaming asshole. Thrower of chairs, kicker of shins, cusser of students in grocery aisles. As CBSSports.com columnist Gregg Doyel put it, “Bob Knight is a bad guy. Great coach. Valued education. Didn't cheat. But a bad guy.” Pretty much sums it up. It also isn’t the first time Knight has had misgivings about John Calipari-related items. Plus, he got his lunch eaten by UK for the last 10 years or so he was at Indiana. And he had his undefeated season ruined in ’75, causing him to hit Joe B. Hall in the back of the head. He has good reason not to like Kentucky. But he has never done anything so blatant as to outright slander the school.
Yes, he slandered UK.
We all know what slander is: a lie, usually spoken, with the intent of character defamation. This is opposed to libel, which is basically slander, but in a more permanent, tangible form, such as print or recorded audio. Bob Knight defamed the character of John Wall, which is bad enough. But his remarks also defamed Patrick Patterson, who gave his sweat and blood and tears to graduate in three years while being a stud on the basketball court. That’s when I started getting pissed. (Patrick Patterson didn't seem to care for it either). Being slanderous is easy. Just say this out loud: “Bob Knight molests orphan children.” Did anyone hear you? If so, you just slandered Bob Knight. Now, a libelous statement would be if I said
BOB KNIGHT MOLESTS ORPHAN CHILDREN.
See what I did there? That was libel, because we know he doesn’t molest orphan children (or do we?), just as we know that 100% of the 2010 starting lineup went to spring classes. Here, I’ll give you another example of libel:
BOB KNIGHT HAS A TINY PENIS, AND THUSLY FEELS COMPELLED TO RUN DOWN ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE HIM.
Got the hang of it yet? Good. (Bear with me, I have a point in here somewhere). Now, would you like to read a non-slanderous statement?
BOB KNIGHT ONCE SHOT A FRIEND IN THE BACK, AND TRIED TO COVER IT UP. THAT'S THE KIND OF ASSHOLE HE IS.
I’ve pretty much always been of the thinking that peoples’ minds are going to be made up about something, and outside evidence won’t really affect their opinion; that is, if I think Bob Knight is a shitbird, his donating $50,000 to an orphanage (not that he did, but if he does, it's probably to hide the molestation) won’t change my opinion of him. Likewise, anyone who is looking for a reason to dislike Kentucky and Calipari will latch onto the first thing they can, not letting the fact that Calipari and his team washed the feet of underprivileged children in Detroit tell them otherwise. As Jerry Seinfeld (I think; it was either him or George Carlin) once said, “You can take away all the drugs in the world, and people would spin around on their lawns until they fell down and saw God.” That applies here, since we are dealing with reality vs. perception, through the eyes of a man who obviously needs some kind of medication to even his bitter, delusional ass out.
Still with me? Wow, I’m surprised. Now, after all that, here’s the deal: ESPN should either force an apology from Knight or send him packing, if for no other reason than it has to be a serious conflict of interest regarding the SEC TV contract for mouthy pricks such as himself to go around spewing derogatory nonsense. I’m glad Mitch Barnhart got in on the action, because that may help force the network’s hand. At best, Bob Knight is eaten up with petty jealousy, and can’t help himself trying to piss off Kentucky alumni and fans. At worst, he is a hypocrite and a coward, an old man trying to tear down one coach with nothing on his record, while building up another who is serving a suspension next season. He is a coward because, for starters, he won’t set foot in Rupp Arena, since he knows that would be the equivalent of walking into a lion's den wearing pork chop pants. And for this: someone on Twitter noted that Bob Knight has never said anything negative regarding UK unless he is in Indiana. This means he doesn’t have the enlarged guts to go with the enlarged asshole.
Here is my advice to Robert Montgomery Knight. Go away, while you are still at least somewhat relevant. Go away, and spend the remainder of your years shooting friends on hunting trips, and wondering why your eyebrows didn’t grow all the way across your eyes. You aren’t willing to say anything (truthfully) useful on TV, and apparently your speaking engagements reek of shenanigans and bullshit. As much as you have to offer the world, with your coaching intellect and storied past, you instead choose to continually take the low road by being a yellow-bellied coward, a hypocrite, and a shit stain on the silk underwear of life. Oh, and you are a pompous, arrogant asshole. Have I said that yet?
Bob Knight was once lauded for getting a high percentage of his students to finish classes. It’s just too bad that class isn’t a word he knows anything about these days.
April 04, 2011
LODI DODD-Y
I guess most of you have heard by now about the question asked of John Calipari at the Final Four, which went "How does it feel to coach in your first Final Four?" Once you quit slapping your knees at the overwhelming originality and humor of the question, you may have gotten pissed off. Well, the man responsible, Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com, has written a post about it. He basically says he stands by the question. I decided to comment, since I'm trying to get out of writing an argumentative essay for an online class, and was somewhat proud of what I wrote. If you don't feel like reading the article, here is my comment:
I'm as big a Kentucky fan as any other, so I've heard pretty much every insult, slight, and "he said she said" there is to hear, especially regarding the ethics of John Calipari, and for that matter, the University itself. Honestly, I'm past the point of caring or getting upset at someone trying to ruffle the feathers of a particular fan base, be it for hits in an online column, or any other reason. In that regard, I have no problem with you asking, facetiously or not, Calipari about the vacated Final Fours. What bugs me is that you chose the most sophomoric, frat house, "that's what she said", beaten-like-a-dead-horse phrase about it, and tried to pass it off as professional journalism. Hell, I have a nephew in 6th grade who could've come up with the same thing. I get that you guys are paid to be a watchdog of sorts, and that's all fine and good. But I also thought you were paid to tell me something I didn't necessarily know before. In this case, you failed miserably. To me, that particular question, in that format at least, was the equivalent of an average Joe meeting someone whom they had always wanted to meet, just to ask them a burning question. Then, once they meet that person and have a chance to ask, they make a fart noise with their mouth and run off laughing, saying "Haha, I got you good!" It also makes me wonder what kinds of chuckleheads are writing the things I usually enjoy reading, because apparently enough of them agree with you for it to warrant a mention in this column. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you are going to make a point, and aren't terribly concerned about taking the high road to make it, at least come up with something better than "How does it feel to coach in your first Final Four?" Surely there is a journalism degree somewhere in your office/den which proves you are capable.
I'm as big a Kentucky fan as any other, so I've heard pretty much every insult, slight, and "he said she said" there is to hear, especially regarding the ethics of John Calipari, and for that matter, the University itself. Honestly, I'm past the point of caring or getting upset at someone trying to ruffle the feathers of a particular fan base, be it for hits in an online column, or any other reason. In that regard, I have no problem with you asking, facetiously or not, Calipari about the vacated Final Fours. What bugs me is that you chose the most sophomoric, frat house, "that's what she said", beaten-like-a-dead-horse phrase about it, and tried to pass it off as professional journalism. Hell, I have a nephew in 6th grade who could've come up with the same thing. I get that you guys are paid to be a watchdog of sorts, and that's all fine and good. But I also thought you were paid to tell me something I didn't necessarily know before. In this case, you failed miserably. To me, that particular question, in that format at least, was the equivalent of an average Joe meeting someone whom they had always wanted to meet, just to ask them a burning question. Then, once they meet that person and have a chance to ask, they make a fart noise with their mouth and run off laughing, saying "Haha, I got you good!" It also makes me wonder what kinds of chuckleheads are writing the things I usually enjoy reading, because apparently enough of them agree with you for it to warrant a mention in this column. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you are going to make a point, and aren't terribly concerned about taking the high road to make it, at least come up with something better than "How does it feel to coach in your first Final Four?" Surely there is a journalism degree somewhere in your office/den which proves you are capable.
March 26, 2011
THAT WAS FUN
Wow, what a game. A bit closer than I would've liked, and it should've been played in the Elite Eight or Final Four. But for a start to finish barnburner, it was hard to beat. Now, it's on the next one against UNC.
I figured Kentucky's defense would be solid, but damn, that was good. Josh Harrellson continues to force his way into our hearts, not unlike how one would enter a bathroom stall as halftime punishment. I honestly cannot get enough of watching Jorts play right now, and the line drive off of Jared Sullinger's chest added another chapter to his story, and probably sealed his legend at UK. The guy simply refuses to lose, and you can tell it has rubbed off on the rest of the team. I could think of different ways to say the same things over and over again, but it would get cheesy and run a bit long, so I'll sum it up with this: if UK wins it all, I am very likely to cry tears of joy and pride over how far Josh has come this season. I'm sure he realizes how proud he is making the BBN, but it is still hard to put into words. Hopefully I can find a way to sum it up in the next few days.
As for the rest of the team, I'm glad guys have finally decided to step up. I've never been happier to be wrong about something. Brandon Knight continues to amaze me; he has had a huge impact on every game UK has played in the tournament. Not too long ago, I felt pretty good about him returning to school for one more year, due to the likelihood of him being able to graduate as a sophomore. But with the way his play has skyrocketed, I couldn't blame him a bit for leaving after this year, as long as he gets fitted for a ring before he goes.
Now, about tomorrow's game. Early lines have the Cats favored by 1.5, but we all know that Cal is gonna be in his team's ear about the December loss in Chapel Hill. Carolina dominated Kentucky inside in that game, but that isn't gonna be the case this time. The only player I am worried about is John Henson, and that is because he is so long. The Harrellson-Zeller matchup will be a wash, and I believe team defense can keep Harrison Barnes in check. If UK keeps Henson contained, especially on the offensive glass, they win this game. Although, Kentucky's guard/wing play trumps Carolina's, so it may just come down to which team wants it more. Something tells me that team is Kentucky. Josh Harrellson will not let this team go home yet.
Cats by 6.
I figured Kentucky's defense would be solid, but damn, that was good. Josh Harrellson continues to force his way into our hearts, not unlike how one would enter a bathroom stall as halftime punishment. I honestly cannot get enough of watching Jorts play right now, and the line drive off of Jared Sullinger's chest added another chapter to his story, and probably sealed his legend at UK. The guy simply refuses to lose, and you can tell it has rubbed off on the rest of the team. I could think of different ways to say the same things over and over again, but it would get cheesy and run a bit long, so I'll sum it up with this: if UK wins it all, I am very likely to cry tears of joy and pride over how far Josh has come this season. I'm sure he realizes how proud he is making the BBN, but it is still hard to put into words. Hopefully I can find a way to sum it up in the next few days.
As for the rest of the team, I'm glad guys have finally decided to step up. I've never been happier to be wrong about something. Brandon Knight continues to amaze me; he has had a huge impact on every game UK has played in the tournament. Not too long ago, I felt pretty good about him returning to school for one more year, due to the likelihood of him being able to graduate as a sophomore. But with the way his play has skyrocketed, I couldn't blame him a bit for leaving after this year, as long as he gets fitted for a ring before he goes.
Now, about tomorrow's game. Early lines have the Cats favored by 1.5, but we all know that Cal is gonna be in his team's ear about the December loss in Chapel Hill. Carolina dominated Kentucky inside in that game, but that isn't gonna be the case this time. The only player I am worried about is John Henson, and that is because he is so long. The Harrellson-Zeller matchup will be a wash, and I believe team defense can keep Harrison Barnes in check. If UK keeps Henson contained, especially on the offensive glass, they win this game. Although, Kentucky's guard/wing play trumps Carolina's, so it may just come down to which team wants it more. Something tells me that team is Kentucky. Josh Harrellson will not let this team go home yet.
Cats by 6.
March 23, 2011
WE GOT THIS
I'm not worried about the Ohio State game. Yes, I just said that. It's only Wednesday, and already I've heard oodles and boodles of analysis regarding who will win this game and why, with reasons ranging from the players to the fans. I've even heard how Thad Matta is one of the classiest coaches in the game, but how classy is a guy who, in 2007, made a gimpy 42 year-old man carry them to the title game? Greg Oden still hasn't recovered. Here's something I haven't heard yet, and it's my reason why Kentucky will de-nut the Buckeyes: John Calipari.
You read that right. I think John "Roll The Ball Out" Calipari is the reason UK moves on to play Marquette (probably not, but the Big (L)East has to have something go their way, right?) and here's why: the man knows how to prepare his teams. I winced a little bit typing that, due to UK having lost six conference road games this season, but at that point he was still tinkering with the team's identity. Since the Arkansas loss, these guys are on a tear, and are as hot as any team still playing. Calipari is a great coach, but more than that/owing to that he is a brilliant salesman. He could talk the chicken off the bone. He could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo. He could motivate a team of 19 and 20 year olds to knock off the number one overall seed in the tournament. He is a master motivator, and he will have his team ready to play Friday night, especially because Kentucky is the underdog for once. Don't be surprised to see these guys come out angry.
However, that is not my main reason for this devout faith in John Calipari. This is: in 12 NCAA Tournament appearances prior to this season, a John Calipari-coached team has lost their first game of the weekend only four times. Of those four losses, two came against UK, one of these being the Final Four rematch in 1996, at the hands of a Kentucky team that God Himself would've needed overtime to beat. Of the remaining two, one of those was in 2009, when UK just so happened to have a coaching vacancy, a vacancy that would be filled by Calipari a mere 5 days after his team lost. That tells me his mind was on the UK job, whether it actually was or not. I'm not here to let facts get in the way. This leaves one loss, and it came in 2003 when 10-seed Arizona St. beat 7-seed Memphis in the first round. Want a caveat? That was Calipari's first NCAA team at Memphis, in his third season at the school. In fact, Cal's teams lost in this fashion twice. The other occasion was his first NCAA team at UMass.
What does that say? That says if a Calipari team has several days to prepare for a tournament opponent, they likely aren't going to lose. Now, add this little nugget into the mix: In 38 Sweet 16 appearances, UK is 28-10 overall. Coach Cal is 8-2 lifetime in the Sweet 16 himself. Add these together and you have a cumulative 35-12 record (I only counted last year's game once) in the Sweet 16.
Look for UK to come ready on Friday. They will hold OSU to under 40% 3-point shooting. I think Josh Harrellson and Eloy Vargas(!) can and will do a respectable job on Sullinger. Terrence Jones may have some defensive input there as well. On offense, I don't think the Cats will be as perimeter-oriented as everyone says, at least not early. I think they try to get Darius established early, and maybe get Doron a couple open looks as well. Brandon Knight may not have the game he had against West Virginia, but he will be a difference maker.
Cats by 5.
You read that right. I think John "Roll The Ball Out" Calipari is the reason UK moves on to play Marquette (probably not, but the Big (L)East has to have something go their way, right?) and here's why: the man knows how to prepare his teams. I winced a little bit typing that, due to UK having lost six conference road games this season, but at that point he was still tinkering with the team's identity. Since the Arkansas loss, these guys are on a tear, and are as hot as any team still playing. Calipari is a great coach, but more than that/owing to that he is a brilliant salesman. He could talk the chicken off the bone. He could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo. He could motivate a team of 19 and 20 year olds to knock off the number one overall seed in the tournament. He is a master motivator, and he will have his team ready to play Friday night, especially because Kentucky is the underdog for once. Don't be surprised to see these guys come out angry.
However, that is not my main reason for this devout faith in John Calipari. This is: in 12 NCAA Tournament appearances prior to this season, a John Calipari-coached team has lost their first game of the weekend only four times. Of those four losses, two came against UK, one of these being the Final Four rematch in 1996, at the hands of a Kentucky team that God Himself would've needed overtime to beat. Of the remaining two, one of those was in 2009, when UK just so happened to have a coaching vacancy, a vacancy that would be filled by Calipari a mere 5 days after his team lost. That tells me his mind was on the UK job, whether it actually was or not. I'm not here to let facts get in the way. This leaves one loss, and it came in 2003 when 10-seed Arizona St. beat 7-seed Memphis in the first round. Want a caveat? That was Calipari's first NCAA team at Memphis, in his third season at the school. In fact, Cal's teams lost in this fashion twice. The other occasion was his first NCAA team at UMass.
What does that say? That says if a Calipari team has several days to prepare for a tournament opponent, they likely aren't going to lose. Now, add this little nugget into the mix: In 38 Sweet 16 appearances, UK is 28-10 overall. Coach Cal is 8-2 lifetime in the Sweet 16 himself. Add these together and you have a cumulative 35-12 record (I only counted last year's game once) in the Sweet 16.
Look for UK to come ready on Friday. They will hold OSU to under 40% 3-point shooting. I think Josh Harrellson and Eloy Vargas(!) can and will do a respectable job on Sullinger. Terrence Jones may have some defensive input there as well. On offense, I don't think the Cats will be as perimeter-oriented as everyone says, at least not early. I think they try to get Darius established early, and maybe get Doron a couple open looks as well. Brandon Knight may not have the game he had against West Virginia, but he will be a difference maker.
Cats by 5.
February 24, 2011
UNLEADED
Last night sucked. Kentucky lost at Arkansas, the same way they lost at Vanderbilt, which was the same way they lost at Florida, which was the same way they lost at Ole Miss, and Alabama, and maybe Georgia, although Georgia wasn't really a bad loss, and neither was Florida or Vandy. The thing that sucks about it is how they lost, and how repetitive it's all getting to be.
I'm talking of course about the fact that Kentucky comes out flat, gets down big, makes a second half run, takes a late lead, and loses at the very end. Seven times this has happened, and seven times it's been hard to watch. For some reason, none of the losses really bothered me until last night. I don't know if it's because they probably pissed away a chance at a 2 seed in the SEC, or because Terrence Jones shat the bed for most of the game, or what, but the Arkansas loss struck a nerve, not just with me, but with a large chunk of the fanbase.
The team's defenders will say this a young team, and the detractors will say Calipari can't coach. I say that is all bullshit. For starters, if Cal is a bad coach, he wouldn't have been going for win number 500 last night. And for those of you who think this is a young team, you are wrong, at least for this time of year. There are only 3 games left in the regular season; these freshmen are much closer to being sophomores than freshmen. They are not young anymore. Hell, for that matter they aren't inexperienced either. You don't play seven road games that closely and not get some experience from it. What they aren't is clutch, as someone noted on Twitter. And more than anything, what they aren't is a well-led team. When I say that, I don't mean poorly-coached or undisciplined. I mean there is no one on this team who is capable of leading them on the floor.
Why does that matter? Consider the fact that most people thought last year's team would have this year's record, but last year's team only lost 2 road games all year. While there was arguably more talent, there was definitely more of a steadying presence. Part of that was John Wall being mature beyond his years, but the biggest part of that was Patrick Patterson. This team doesn't have that luxury, although Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins certainly could/should be, if Liggins can quit crying and pissing his pants everytime he gets called for a foul. The freshmen, talented as they are, just don't have that quality about them. And they shouldn't necessarily have to, they are freshmen. While I would like to see Brandon Knight be that guy, he isn't. Again, it's not a bad thing if someone isn't a natural leader, as long as there is someone on the team who is. This team doesn't have one. And the fact they continue to lose close games on the road proves that, because a well-led team learns from their mistakes and corrects them. I haven't seen these guys do that once this year, which is why they won't make a run in the NCAA unless they get one hell of a draw, which they don't even get in good years. Why would they now?
I say all that to say this: everyone keeps mentioning next year's team, with its all-time recruiting class and deeper bench and more talent, as the team to beat. But, if none of the incoming freshmen have great leadership abilities, Kentucky could very well be in the same boat they are now. Granted, more talent and deeper bench means there is a smaller chance of being in a dogfight on the road, but it will happen at some point. How will that team respond? I have no clue, and won't until I see what happens. But until someone shows some stones, I am keeping my expectations tempered.
I'm talking of course about the fact that Kentucky comes out flat, gets down big, makes a second half run, takes a late lead, and loses at the very end. Seven times this has happened, and seven times it's been hard to watch. For some reason, none of the losses really bothered me until last night. I don't know if it's because they probably pissed away a chance at a 2 seed in the SEC, or because Terrence Jones shat the bed for most of the game, or what, but the Arkansas loss struck a nerve, not just with me, but with a large chunk of the fanbase.
The team's defenders will say this a young team, and the detractors will say Calipari can't coach. I say that is all bullshit. For starters, if Cal is a bad coach, he wouldn't have been going for win number 500 last night. And for those of you who think this is a young team, you are wrong, at least for this time of year. There are only 3 games left in the regular season; these freshmen are much closer to being sophomores than freshmen. They are not young anymore. Hell, for that matter they aren't inexperienced either. You don't play seven road games that closely and not get some experience from it. What they aren't is clutch, as someone noted on Twitter. And more than anything, what they aren't is a well-led team. When I say that, I don't mean poorly-coached or undisciplined. I mean there is no one on this team who is capable of leading them on the floor.
Why does that matter? Consider the fact that most people thought last year's team would have this year's record, but last year's team only lost 2 road games all year. While there was arguably more talent, there was definitely more of a steadying presence. Part of that was John Wall being mature beyond his years, but the biggest part of that was Patrick Patterson. This team doesn't have that luxury, although Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins certainly could/should be, if Liggins can quit crying and pissing his pants everytime he gets called for a foul. The freshmen, talented as they are, just don't have that quality about them. And they shouldn't necessarily have to, they are freshmen. While I would like to see Brandon Knight be that guy, he isn't. Again, it's not a bad thing if someone isn't a natural leader, as long as there is someone on the team who is. This team doesn't have one. And the fact they continue to lose close games on the road proves that, because a well-led team learns from their mistakes and corrects them. I haven't seen these guys do that once this year, which is why they won't make a run in the NCAA unless they get one hell of a draw, which they don't even get in good years. Why would they now?
I say all that to say this: everyone keeps mentioning next year's team, with its all-time recruiting class and deeper bench and more talent, as the team to beat. But, if none of the incoming freshmen have great leadership abilities, Kentucky could very well be in the same boat they are now. Granted, more talent and deeper bench means there is a smaller chance of being in a dogfight on the road, but it will happen at some point. How will that team respond? I have no clue, and won't until I see what happens. But until someone shows some stones, I am keeping my expectations tempered.
November 12, 2010
DO I KNOW YOU? YOU DON’T LOOK FAMILIAR
Before we delve into this hot mess, let me just say that the last time I did a UK Basketball preview, the team didn’t even make the NCAA tournament. (But I did make the final four of the KSR “Who Wants To Be A Blogger” competition, even though I didn’t win. It makes no difference now, looks like Matt Jones has got himself a nice little following over there. I’m sure he barely misses me, if at all.)
Now, you may have noticed there is a slight difference between that team and this year’s. For starters, the coach is sober. And the exact opposite of what Billy “Don’t Call Me Surly, I’m Just An Asshole” Gillispie was. The only problem with John Calipari is that he recruits players the NBA actually wants, so it looks like we are gonna have a rather large amount of personnel turnover every season. Nothing wrong with signing blue chippers all day long, but by doing that you sacrifice the family aspect of having tenured players. This will eventually be an issue, if for no other reason than a sizable group of nostalgic old-timers will get together and bitch about how, back in the day, players stayed more than one or two years. Makes no difference to me, but I do like seeing at least one or two upperclassmen to show the young guys how it’s done.
In my opinion, that is the biggest downfall for this edition of Wildcat basketball. Sure, there is less size, less depth, probably less talent, but more than anything, less of a veteran presence. Nothing against the older guys, but Patrick Patterson carried this team for two seasons (with help from Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley for one of them), under very difficult circumstances. Last year’s freshmen knew they had to bring it, or the old man was gonna crack some skulls. This year? I’m not sure Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins can bring out that sense of “have to” that Patterson did. Nothing against them, that’s just how I see it.
On the flip side, when it comes to postseason play, apparently the veteran presence isn’t necessary for a big run in the NCAA tournament. After all, as good as Patterson was, he had played in just as many tournament games as John Wall and Co. (And the NIT doesn’t count. Stick the NIT in your ass if you think it does.) Even with a severe lack of postseason experience on last year’s team, they made a nice Elite Eight run, before picking the worst time of the season to forget how to play basketball. Here’s the caveat: a grizzled veteran calms that team down and makes them play within themselves, instead of jacking up 3’s all night. Patterson wasn’t able to do that, because he hadn’t been there before.
Which gets me back to this year: even though Miller and Liggins don’t appear (to me) to be able to bring out the best in their teammates, they will have a few tournament games under their belts come NCAA time. In other words, I don’t see them being as dominant in the regular season, but I think they have a better chance for a Final Four. Ah, the hell with it. I don’t know what is going to happen, and neither do you. And yes, I’m aware that I contradicted myself numerous times in the preceding paragraphs. Get over it.
Something else I wonder about with Calipari: since he recruits studs, is there a chance that, in the near future, Kentucky won’t have anyone to honor on Senior Night? There is only one sophomore this year, Jon Hood, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he transferred. He just seems like a moody bastard to me.
But back to my original point, if I even got there to begin with: nobody knows anyone who plays for Kentucky this year. That’s where I come in. Instead of some gutless prediction of scores and final standings, I’m gonna give you an inkling of who the hell these guys are. Because I’m nothing if not here to provide a service, let’s get to it.
*NOTE: MAY OR MAY NOT ACTUALLY CONTAIN PERTINENT INFORMATION
THE FRESHMEN
Enes Kanter, #0, 6’11” C. By far the biggest question mark this year, Kanter takes this team from solid contender to one of several legitimate favorites. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. A lot of people expect him to miss a few games before gaining eligibility, a la Randolph Morris. The problem with that is Morris had a year of NCAA experience before he missed time, so it was just a matter of getting back in game shape. For all of Kanter’s upside and Turkish pro experience, the American game is a different animal. I can’t confidently say he can just come in and clean house. I’m sure he will; just don’t be surprised if he doesn’t. Trivia: The anagram for “Enes Kanter” is “enter snake”, which is several different kinds of awesome. I really hope he gets to play.
UPDATE: Well, shit. Since I finished this entry, Enes Kanter was denied eligibility by the NCAA, who are a bunch of flaming bastard assholes. Unless UK wins its appeal, nothing I just wrote about him is relevant. Not that it was anyway.
Stacey Poole, #2, 6’4” G. Poole was the first one of the 2010 class to commit, and has been overlooked ever since. Kind of understandable, I guess, since he only has four stars. The guy obviously sucks. If Calipari truly goes with a 7-man rotation, I don’t see Poole getting guaranteed minutes.
Terrence Jones, #3, 6’8’ F/C. I’m looking forward to seeing how this guy does this season. He is one of the many players on this year’s team who was pilfered from U-Dub. A lot of hell was raised over Jones’ initial commitment to Washington, but he waffled and decided to join the winning team. I’m sure Cam Newton is responsible. Jones is a lefty, and tall and quick, just like me (one out of three ain’t bad), and he has potential to be an exciting player, if he could just quit with those damn water bottles.
Jarrod Polson, #5, 6’1” G. Polson is a walk-on cum scholarship from Jessamine County, so he already has a place as a fan favorite. The fact he is a scrawny little white guy helps; just ask Colin Cowherd. Not sure what Polson’s dad does, but I’m sure he doesn’t make plans to rob banks. Colin Cowherd is also an asshole.
Brandon Knight, #12, 6’3” G. Brandon Knight is the stud of this year’s recruiting class. He graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA, can recite Shakespeare, and isn’t quite as quick as John Wall, which means he is still quicker than everyone else. He has played great in every game so far, from the Canadian trip to both exhibitions, and the team will ebb and flow with him.
Doron Lamb, #20, 6’4” G. Lamb is the sharpshooter for this year’s team, and he will be oft-needed. He has drawn a few comparisons to Jodie Meeks for his style and shooting ability, and is considered a mentor for 2015 stud Jarius Docile, who is rumored to be a UK lean. Lamb’s anagram is “Bold Roman”, which would be more fitting for Brandon Knight, what with the Shakespeare recitation and whatnot.
SOPHOMORE
Jon Hood, #4, 6’7” G. I’m not sure how much of a contributor Hood will be this year. If he can show consistent touch shooting the ball early on, he has a good shot of getting serious minutes. If he struggles out of the gate, he may be fighting for minutes with Stacey Poole.
JUNIORS
Darius Miller, #1, 6’7” F/G. Darius Miller is officially the veteran leader of this team, and I’m not sure that’s a good sign. He doesn’t show much vocal leadership, but I’ll be the first to admit good leaders don’t have to be vocal. What worries me about Miller is his inconsistent intensity; can he make his teammates want to be better? As far as his ability, Darius can be a 20-point scorer if he wants to be.
Eloy Vargas, #30, 6’11” F/C. Vargas is another player who has been overlooked all year, but I don’t see that being the case for long. A transfer from Florida, he is the team’s main inside presence after Enes Kanter. Eloy is sort of a question mark; he certainly has the size to be a factor, but whether or not he is will have a lot to do with Kentucky’s success this season.
DeAndre Liggins, #34, 6’6” G. After a very up-and-down first couple seasons, I look for Liggins to be the vocal leader of this team. He has found a nice little niche as an energy/dirty work guy, and with a team full of freshmen, that is a nice option to have. Liggins appears to be a little quicker than last year, and he will almost certainly get more minutes. He could end up being this year’s X-factor.
SENIOR
Josh Harrellson, #55, 6’10” F/C. Harrellson is a guy who normally wouldn’t see much action, but with a thin front line, Calipari may call his number quite often, especially given his veteran status. Not the most athletic of the big tall slow white guys you’ll see, but he may be a big help in the rebounding department this year. It will be interesting to see how Josh is utilized with a short bench.
So there it is. Eleven guys (10 if Kanter doesn’t play) who will carry the torch this season. I look for Knight, Miller, Jones, Liggins, and Kanter to start, with Vargas/Harrellson, Lamb, and Poole/Hood being the key reserves. And yes, that is pretty much the entire team, save Polson, who may get good minutes if the starters see early foul trouble. As for the schedule, it’s a bit tricky, with several BCS teams in the non-conference portion. An early trip to Maui will be a great test for a young team; they also have to go to Chapel Hill. I see 5-6 losses regular season, another SEC title, a 1-2 seed in the NCAA, and another Elite Eight. If Enes plays, they are a favorite to win it all.
This has been another installment of “Vaguely Worded Analysis That Offers No Insight Whatsoever”. I hope you enjoyed it, and remember: Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things.
Now, you may have noticed there is a slight difference between that team and this year’s. For starters, the coach is sober. And the exact opposite of what Billy “Don’t Call Me Surly, I’m Just An Asshole” Gillispie was. The only problem with John Calipari is that he recruits players the NBA actually wants, so it looks like we are gonna have a rather large amount of personnel turnover every season. Nothing wrong with signing blue chippers all day long, but by doing that you sacrifice the family aspect of having tenured players. This will eventually be an issue, if for no other reason than a sizable group of nostalgic old-timers will get together and bitch about how, back in the day, players stayed more than one or two years. Makes no difference to me, but I do like seeing at least one or two upperclassmen to show the young guys how it’s done.
In my opinion, that is the biggest downfall for this edition of Wildcat basketball. Sure, there is less size, less depth, probably less talent, but more than anything, less of a veteran presence. Nothing against the older guys, but Patrick Patterson carried this team for two seasons (with help from Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley for one of them), under very difficult circumstances. Last year’s freshmen knew they had to bring it, or the old man was gonna crack some skulls. This year? I’m not sure Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins can bring out that sense of “have to” that Patterson did. Nothing against them, that’s just how I see it.
On the flip side, when it comes to postseason play, apparently the veteran presence isn’t necessary for a big run in the NCAA tournament. After all, as good as Patterson was, he had played in just as many tournament games as John Wall and Co. (And the NIT doesn’t count. Stick the NIT in your ass if you think it does.) Even with a severe lack of postseason experience on last year’s team, they made a nice Elite Eight run, before picking the worst time of the season to forget how to play basketball. Here’s the caveat: a grizzled veteran calms that team down and makes them play within themselves, instead of jacking up 3’s all night. Patterson wasn’t able to do that, because he hadn’t been there before.
Which gets me back to this year: even though Miller and Liggins don’t appear (to me) to be able to bring out the best in their teammates, they will have a few tournament games under their belts come NCAA time. In other words, I don’t see them being as dominant in the regular season, but I think they have a better chance for a Final Four. Ah, the hell with it. I don’t know what is going to happen, and neither do you. And yes, I’m aware that I contradicted myself numerous times in the preceding paragraphs. Get over it.
Something else I wonder about with Calipari: since he recruits studs, is there a chance that, in the near future, Kentucky won’t have anyone to honor on Senior Night? There is only one sophomore this year, Jon Hood, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he transferred. He just seems like a moody bastard to me.
But back to my original point, if I even got there to begin with: nobody knows anyone who plays for Kentucky this year. That’s where I come in. Instead of some gutless prediction of scores and final standings, I’m gonna give you an inkling of who the hell these guys are. Because I’m nothing if not here to provide a service, let’s get to it.
*NOTE: MAY OR MAY NOT ACTUALLY CONTAIN PERTINENT INFORMATION
THE FRESHMEN
Enes Kanter, #0, 6’11” C. By far the biggest question mark this year, Kanter takes this team from solid contender to one of several legitimate favorites. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. A lot of people expect him to miss a few games before gaining eligibility, a la Randolph Morris. The problem with that is Morris had a year of NCAA experience before he missed time, so it was just a matter of getting back in game shape. For all of Kanter’s upside and Turkish pro experience, the American game is a different animal. I can’t confidently say he can just come in and clean house. I’m sure he will; just don’t be surprised if he doesn’t. Trivia: The anagram for “Enes Kanter” is “enter snake”, which is several different kinds of awesome. I really hope he gets to play.
UPDATE: Well, shit. Since I finished this entry, Enes Kanter was denied eligibility by the NCAA, who are a bunch of flaming bastard assholes. Unless UK wins its appeal, nothing I just wrote about him is relevant. Not that it was anyway.
Stacey Poole, #2, 6’4” G. Poole was the first one of the 2010 class to commit, and has been overlooked ever since. Kind of understandable, I guess, since he only has four stars. The guy obviously sucks. If Calipari truly goes with a 7-man rotation, I don’t see Poole getting guaranteed minutes.
Terrence Jones, #3, 6’8’ F/C. I’m looking forward to seeing how this guy does this season. He is one of the many players on this year’s team who was pilfered from U-Dub. A lot of hell was raised over Jones’ initial commitment to Washington, but he waffled and decided to join the winning team. I’m sure Cam Newton is responsible. Jones is a lefty, and tall and quick, just like me (one out of three ain’t bad), and he has potential to be an exciting player, if he could just quit with those damn water bottles.
Jarrod Polson, #5, 6’1” G. Polson is a walk-on cum scholarship from Jessamine County, so he already has a place as a fan favorite. The fact he is a scrawny little white guy helps; just ask Colin Cowherd. Not sure what Polson’s dad does, but I’m sure he doesn’t make plans to rob banks. Colin Cowherd is also an asshole.
Brandon Knight, #12, 6’3” G. Brandon Knight is the stud of this year’s recruiting class. He graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA, can recite Shakespeare, and isn’t quite as quick as John Wall, which means he is still quicker than everyone else. He has played great in every game so far, from the Canadian trip to both exhibitions, and the team will ebb and flow with him.
Doron Lamb, #20, 6’4” G. Lamb is the sharpshooter for this year’s team, and he will be oft-needed. He has drawn a few comparisons to Jodie Meeks for his style and shooting ability, and is considered a mentor for 2015 stud Jarius Docile, who is rumored to be a UK lean. Lamb’s anagram is “Bold Roman”, which would be more fitting for Brandon Knight, what with the Shakespeare recitation and whatnot.
SOPHOMORE
Jon Hood, #4, 6’7” G. I’m not sure how much of a contributor Hood will be this year. If he can show consistent touch shooting the ball early on, he has a good shot of getting serious minutes. If he struggles out of the gate, he may be fighting for minutes with Stacey Poole.
JUNIORS
Darius Miller, #1, 6’7” F/G. Darius Miller is officially the veteran leader of this team, and I’m not sure that’s a good sign. He doesn’t show much vocal leadership, but I’ll be the first to admit good leaders don’t have to be vocal. What worries me about Miller is his inconsistent intensity; can he make his teammates want to be better? As far as his ability, Darius can be a 20-point scorer if he wants to be.
Eloy Vargas, #30, 6’11” F/C. Vargas is another player who has been overlooked all year, but I don’t see that being the case for long. A transfer from Florida, he is the team’s main inside presence after Enes Kanter. Eloy is sort of a question mark; he certainly has the size to be a factor, but whether or not he is will have a lot to do with Kentucky’s success this season.
DeAndre Liggins, #34, 6’6” G. After a very up-and-down first couple seasons, I look for Liggins to be the vocal leader of this team. He has found a nice little niche as an energy/dirty work guy, and with a team full of freshmen, that is a nice option to have. Liggins appears to be a little quicker than last year, and he will almost certainly get more minutes. He could end up being this year’s X-factor.
SENIOR
Josh Harrellson, #55, 6’10” F/C. Harrellson is a guy who normally wouldn’t see much action, but with a thin front line, Calipari may call his number quite often, especially given his veteran status. Not the most athletic of the big tall slow white guys you’ll see, but he may be a big help in the rebounding department this year. It will be interesting to see how Josh is utilized with a short bench.
So there it is. Eleven guys (10 if Kanter doesn’t play) who will carry the torch this season. I look for Knight, Miller, Jones, Liggins, and Kanter to start, with Vargas/Harrellson, Lamb, and Poole/Hood being the key reserves. And yes, that is pretty much the entire team, save Polson, who may get good minutes if the starters see early foul trouble. As for the schedule, it’s a bit tricky, with several BCS teams in the non-conference portion. An early trip to Maui will be a great test for a young team; they also have to go to Chapel Hill. I see 5-6 losses regular season, another SEC title, a 1-2 seed in the NCAA, and another Elite Eight. If Enes plays, they are a favorite to win it all.
This has been another installment of “Vaguely Worded Analysis That Offers No Insight Whatsoever”. I hope you enjoyed it, and remember: Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)