Cats fumble away opportunity, again.

It was another impressive night from a numbers perspective for Mike Hartline and the Kentucky passing offense. The running game looks to have a solid future but certainly missed not having Derrick Locke. The defense also was not great, but at the end of the day- all Kentucky had to do was hold on to the football and they would have likely escaped with another victory and stay in the SEC East race. For the second time this year, they simply gave away a victory. You simply can't expect to turn the ball over and give up a short field in the SEC. Good teams take advantage of that and even mediocre SEC teams will usually not let you get away with it. First at Ole Miss, and now at home against Georgia...if the Cats had not fumbled themselves out of these two games, they'd be atop the SEC East standings with a 6-2 overall record and a 3-2 conference record.

Once again, an opportunity to make that next step forward in the SEC ended in disappointment. Things don't get any easier next week in Starkville, either. Dan Mullen's 6-2 Bulldogs are for real. They've already knocked off Georgia and Florida and they have a major New Year's Day Bowl within their grasp. The Cats can still position themselves for bowl season nicely with winning these last three games(and honestly, who would be disappointed with ending the season with a win in Knoxville?). But hopefully the Cats bounce back resiliently again this week and play spoiler to the great season MSU is having in a similar way that the Bulldogs did to the Cats in 2007.

And good news...Tuesday night is the Blue/White basketball scrimmage! Cheer up, Kentucky! Thanks to allkyhoops.com for this photo of Wall and Bledsoe going at it in last year's scrimmage.

Wall and Cousins' Impact will Remain With Program

Antoine Walker, Walter McCarty, Rodrick Rhodes, and Mark Pope. Talk about a blast from the past. When was the last time we heard or seen any of these guys around Rupp or Lexington? Their own senior day games?

Nothing against those guys, they all wore the Blue and White for at least three years before moving on to the NBA and they all had good careers at Kentucky. The question I have for you today is this: would you rather have a good player stay at Kentucky and contribute for three or four years and then never hear or see from him ever again, or would you take John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins for one year on the court with their continued support of the program for the rest of their young lives?

I'd take Cousins and Wall as lifelong supporters, even if they were only on the court for one season. After Wall was named MVP of the NBA Summer League and Cousins was named the Top Rookie Performer, the sensational duo (as well as Patrick Patterson and Eric Bledsoe)returned to Lexington this week for John Calipari's Pro Camp. They all spoke of how great their time was at Kentucky and how much they miss it and how much they look forward to returning here as often as they can.

I know it's only a few months from last May when these four young men finished up classes and left Lexington, but I genuinely believe it when DeMarcus Cousins calls Kentucky his home and I truly believe that John Wall is sincere when he says he dreams of the day that he'll be chosen to do the "Y" at Rupp Arena. Wall and Cousins will remain great representatives for this program. They will come back and scrimmage and help out
with our current players in the summer (by the way, I hear Brandon Knight held his own against John Wall...and Enes too against Cousins!). But most importantly, they'll be tremendous recruiting assets for years to come.

As two of the biggest rising stars in the NBA, these two phenoms will impact Kentucky basketball for much longer than just one season and likely longer than just 4 years. Coach Cal will no longer need Lebron James to sell the program to recruits. Now he'll be able to use his own UK guys. Their impact in Lexington will remain. I'd take these guys over almost any 4 year player, because when Wall and Cousins left Lexington, they never really left. Their heart remains here and they'll continue to support the Big Blue.

(Photo courtesy of Kentucky.com)

Since I last posted...

UK has made history with 5 NBA First Round Draft Picks in the same year. By now, I'm sure you know the teams, the players, and all the headlines that were made. I don't think it was the "greatest day in the history of Kentucky basketball" as evidenced by taking me so long to post anything about it, however, it is special. I understand what Calipari meant by that statement, even if he was a little caught up in the moment. This is a players first program, and it is players that will win Championships for us at Kentucky in due time.

However, giving hope to families and making kids dreams/careers come true might be more important in the grand scheme of things than winning a title. Championships are an easy choice between the two for fans, the state, and the University...but lets be honest with ourselves, would Eric Bledsoe rather have won a championship and then not get drafted and live on the streets the rest of his life? Look, these kids wanted a Championship really bad and they came short. They were all devastated after the WV loss, but in the long run things went right for these kids and it's a reason to celebrate. Congrats to all five of them!

In other news...

• Daniel Orton applogizes to UK fans via twitter.

• Josh Harrelson also tweets that he "has never played against anyone as good" as Enes Kanter.

That's a pretty bold statement considering a year ago he was playing pick up games matched up against Cousins, Patterson, and Orton (3 first round draft picks).

And the saddest news surrounding the program in quite some time comes tonight. Terri Krebs, the mother of UK's Mark Krebs, has passed away. My thoughts and prayers (as well as all of Big Blue Nation, I am sure) are with Mark and his family. Krebs was an absolute class act and a great representative of the program. He walked on for 4 years, played for 3 different coaches (which is very difficult for a walk-on to do), was an Academic All-American, and had a love for UK Basketball as much as anyone you will ever meet. I wish Mark the very best and pray that he gets through this difficult time.

Cal does it again!

A week after making a definitive statement that he will be returning to Kentucky next season and "finishing what he started", and ending all reasonable speculation that he would take a job in the NBA and possibly coach Lebron James next season, Calipari has added another 5-star recruit in Terrence Jones and possibly has surpassed the massive recruiting class that he brought in a year ago in his first few months on the job. Last year's class was looked at as a "once in a generation" recruiting class, and perhaps even "the best ever". In just his 2nd year at Kentucky, Calipari might have done the unthinkable of actually surpassing the recruiting class that included John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, and Daniel Orton- whom all are expected to be drafted in the 1st round of the upcoming NBA Draft. The really scary part of all of this (for the rest of college basketball) is that next year's class looks to be even better. In the coming days, I'll take a look at the incoming 2010 class as well as the 2011 class and compare them both to last year's class that revitalized the Commonwealth to a 35-3 season in the extraordinary start to the John Calipari era.

Also, I've got to give much deserved "shout outs" to John Wall for his 3.5 Spring GPA and for learning his fate as a Washington Wizard, Rajon Rondo for continuing to lead his Boston Celtics as the MVP of this year's NBA playoffs so far, and the UK baseball team for SWEEPING defending National Champion LSU last weekend in what might have been enough to clinch a spot in the SEC Tournament!

(Photo courtesy of mostlyuclahoops.blogspot.com)

Is Calipari Good for Kentucky?

A lot has been going on around Big Blue Nation the last couple of weeks. UK fans experienced disappointment over recruiting commitments for the first time in the Calipari era when CJ Leslie, Terrence Jones (supposedly), and Marcus Thornton have all decided to play their college basketball somewhere else. Calipari has offered a walk-on spot for West Jessamine star point guard, Jarrod Polson, and is currently trying to put the finishing touches on another great recruiting class at UK. Calipari also discussed with the press last week about the possibility of starting up a JV team at UK to allow more Kentucky kids the opportunity to suit up for the Blue and White.

In addition to the disappointing recruiting commitments more bad news came out last week when an article was written in the Lexington Herald Leader announcing that the UK men's basketball team compiled a team GPA of only 2.0, the worst since 2002 and currently the lowest of any sports program at UK. Then, the very next day, Yahoo reported that Calipari was interested in the opening head coaching job with the Chicago Bulls and not soon after that it was announced of UK's intention to restructure Calipari's contract to try to keep the coach in Lexington until he retires. In the last couple of days, more disappointing (but not surprising) news came out that Daniel Orton has hired an agent and Eric Bledsoe definitely intends to stay in the draft barring any major injury during NBA workouts. Unless Cal signs another big man, a lot more will be asked of Josh Harrelson next year as he and incoming blue chip Center, Enes Kanter, will be the only two post players on the roster.

Still, through all of the mostly negative news that has surrounded the program in the last couple of weeks, the Cats are still bringing in a top 5 recruiting class next year and have an even better class coming into the program in 2012. The team's GPA should certainly improve next season with the additions of Brandon Knight and Enes Kanter, whom are both very well known to be exceptional students. And Calipari, for now, is still in Lexington and he says he's happy here and doesn't even want a raise. I wouldn't be suprised to see Coach Cal make the move to the NBA down the road if the PERFECT situation presents itself with a playoff calibur team with Lebron James on the roster, and perhaps one of his former players such as Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall, or DeMarcus Cousins as well. I do think Cal is still intigued by having success in the NBA, but I also believe he has a desire to get to another Final Four and ultimately win a National Championship at Kentucky before he gives the NBA a second shot. If he is able to do that, I don't think anyone would be dissapointed in Coach Cal, just as long as he doesn't end up on Louisville's sidelines any time soon.

Just as Coach Cal explained on his Twitter last week, there will never be any more rumors about him going to another school because he now has the best college job, but his name will always be linked to NBA job openings, whether he is actually interested or not, and that is a good problem for Kentucky to have. It's a problem that nobody had to worry about when Billy Gillispie was on the sidelines for 2 short and miserable seasons and it's only a problem that elite programs and coaches have to deal with. Kentucky is clearly once again at an elite level, but some critics will beg the question if it is really worth it in spite of all the "one and dones", occasional academic shortcomings (yes- occassional; just look at his career graduation rates at Memphis and UMass), and the mention of Calipari's name for virtually every NBA job opening.

ESPN's SportsNation poll this week asked if John Calipari was good for the University of Kentucky. Cal's critics can be very loud, often biased (see Pat Forde), and almost always obnoxious (Louisville fans). On a national level, however, the SportsNation poll revealed that nearly 70% of sports fans accross the nation believe that Calipari is good for Kentucky and only two states- Kansas and North Carolina (not surprisingly), thought otherwise. Despite what your annoying co-worker from Louisville may tell you on a consistant basis, most other fans would love Coach Calipari coaching their team.

Just about every fan base in America would openly welcome superstars like John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, even if only for a year. They also wouldn't mind NBA rumors surrounding their head coach if it meant they were competing for National Championships every year, and most fans certainly wouldn't mind if their team went through a semester or two with a "C" average. The critics of Calipari can be very loud and annoying to deal with, but most of them would love to have Cal and all the "problems" associated with being an elite program with elite players. We're very lucky and proud to have Coach Calipari and it's just amazing to sit back and think about everything that has transpired with this program in the past year.

Yes, John Calipari is good for the University of Kentucky and we are extremely lucky to have him. He not only is a winner on the court, but he also connects with the fans off of it and understands everything that is expected of him as the head basketball coach at UK.

He's the perfect man for the job, and to quote Billy Gillsipie- "That's just not a very good question".

Official Press Release on 5 UK Players Entering the NBA Draft

(Photo courtesy of UKathletics.com)

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky freshmen Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton and John Wall and junior Patrick Patterson will enter their names in this year’s NBA Draft. All five players are projected as first-round picks.

It marks the second straight season a UK player has declared early for the draft. All-American Jodie Meeks decided to forego his senior season last year to turn pro.

Bledsoe averaged 11.3 ppg while hitting 49 three-pointers and shooting 38 percent from behind the line in his freshman campaign. Bledsoe finished sixth on UK’s all-time freshman scoring list (419), second on the three-point field goals made list (49) and fourth on the freshman assist list (107).

“I never thought I’d be in this position after one year,” Bledsoe said. “Coach Cal pushed us all to be the best we could be and he believes I’m prepared to take my game to the next level. I want to thank the fans for all their support this year.”

Cousins was second on the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 ppg while posting a team-best 9.8 rpg average, all in only 23.5 minutes per game. He destroyed the UK freshman rebounding record by nearly 100 rebounds and scored the second-most points by a UK freshman, behind teammate John Wall.

The Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year also led the Wildcats in double-doubles this season with 20, the most by a UK player since 1973 and the fourth most in a season in Kentucky basketball history.

“Coach challenged me to grow on and off the court this season,” Cousins said. “I believe my game expanded along with my maturity. This year was the most fun I’ve ever had playing basketball and a lot of it had to do with the support I got from our fans.”

Orton served as the Wildcats’ sixth man this season and finished averaging 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds. He was second on the team in blocked shots with 53 and ranked eighth in the SEC in blocks per game (1.4).

“Being at Kentucky allowed me to play with some of the most talented players in the country,” Orton said. “Battling with DeMarcus (Cousins) and Patrick (Patterson) every day helped improve my game. I want to thank the coaching staff for helping put me in a position to be drafted this year.”

Patterson ranked second in the SEC and 12th nationally in field goal percentage (.575). He recorded nine double-doubles this season, fourth most in the SEC, and 11 double-digit rebounding performances. He finished his junior season ranked 13th on Kentucky’s all-time scoring list (1,564) and sixth on Kentucky’s career double-double list with 30.

“I want to thank the fans who have supported me all three years,” Patterson said. “I also want to thank the coaches for putting me in a position to showcase other parts of my game as well as my versatility. Lexington and UK will always be a special place to me.”

Wall led the Wildcats in scoring (16.6), assists (6.5) and steals (1.8) while setting the school single-season assist record with 241. The Adolph Rupp National Player of the Year recorded five double-doubles on the season, three in points and assists, and two in points and rebounds, making him the first player in UK history to record double-doubles in points and rebounds and points and assists.

“I’m not the same player as when I arrived at UK,” Wall said. “I believe I’m ready for the next challenge as Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans were the last two years under Coach Cal. I want to thank my teammates and the fans for all their support this year. I love them.”

“I’ve spoken with all five guys concerning the NBA and have encouraged them to put their names in the draft,” UK head coach John Calipari said. “They’ve all met individually with our compliance office to make sure they have a full understanding of eligibility rules and academic responsibilities. I’m so proud of these five young men, with everything they did for us on the court and the way they represented us off of it.

“It’s extremely unusual for four freshmen from the same team to have this opportunity, but it’s my job as a coach to prepare these young men for such opportunities.”

Reflection on a Great Season

First of all, I need to recognize the Women's team on their upset of #1 SEED Nebraska! Matthew Mitchell's 4th seeded UK Hoops' team now will face 5th seeded Oklahoma for a trip to the Final Four in San Antonio! Pretty good for a team that was picked to finish 11th in the SEC!

It looks like the Cats could be facing nearby Xavier in the Final Four before the inevitable dreaded Championship matchup with the UConn Huskies, who are currently riding the longest winning streak in the history of Women's College Basketball.

If these ladies can make it to the Championship game and even give UConn a run for their money, it will help ease the pain (at least a little bit) of Saturday's painful loss to West Virginia.

The Elite 8 matchup with the Lady Sooners will be on ESPN Tuesday Night at 9:00. Until then, enjoy this video to commemorate an unbelievable season that...

• brought us above 2,000 wins
• the "John Wall Dance"
• state supremacy
• wins over rivals Indiana, North Carolina, and Louisville
• millions of dollars raised by our team for Haitian earthquake victims in 24 hours
• a #1 national ranking and phone call from the President of the United States
• the first ever sold out ESPN College Gameday Show
• an unbelievable SEC Championship victory
• three very impressive NCAA tournament wins
• and an amazing display of future NBA superstars

But most importantly, this season has united a fan base that has been divided since the end of the Tubby Smith era. It started with book signings and rally's throughout the summer, from Pikeville to Paducah, and everywhere in between. The Commonwealth's anticipation for this season was higher than ever before, as thousands of fans camped out for tickets to Big Blue Madness, the official start of practice for what all had hoped to be an amazing season and a return to glory for Kentucky basketball.

The campout was a beautiful scene, as the nation's most passionate fanbase finally got what they wanted and deserved- a coach that understood Kentucky basketball and embraced the program as much as all of its fans. When Coach Calipari, his son Brad, the staff, and the players camped out themselves, played cornhole, and delivered food to all those faithful fans...we knew we finally had the perfect fit. A few weeks later, Coach Calipari delivered a moving and passionate speech to the fans at Big Blue Madness and John Wall made the crowd eRUPPt with dance moves that would soon become a national phenomenon known as the "John Wall Dance". Ah, what a year it has been.

Enjoy the video!

P.S. Brandon Knight is making his college decision on April 14th! Stay tunned for all the coverage!

Celebrate, take it in, enjoy...and let's win 6 more.

(Photo courtesy of ESPN.com)

• That was one of the greatest Kentucky games ever played
• It's definitely a time to celebrate for Big Blue Nation, but I LOVE the fact that the nets were not cut down.
• We want to win 6 more, than we'll cut down some nets.
• Don't tell me that one and done players don't care.
• I don't need to write a story- we all saw what happened.

1. John Wall's steal in the corner and quick basket cut the lead down to 1 with 40 seconds to go.
2. MSU makes 2 free throws to make it a three point game.
3. MSU purposely fouls before Bledsoe can throw up a three to tie it.
4. Bledsoe makes the first shot, misses 2nd on purpose.
5. Rebound Kentucky, three no good by Wall, rebound Cousins, he puts it up....OVERTIME!
6. Wall scores 7 points in OT, including a circus shot behind the 3 point line.
7. Cats win 26th SEC Tournament Title and 1st since 2004.

ENJOY it, Big Blue Nation. Don't worry about what happens next until about an hour from now when the pairings are announced. THEN, we'll dissect the brackets and talk about the road to Kentucky's 8th National Championship.

SEC Coach of the Year is...who? Say that again?

As expected, John Wall won SEC Player of the Year yesterday and Demarcus Cousins won SEC Freshman of the Year. Patrick Patterson made the All-SEC 1ST Team, while Eric Bledsoe made the All-Freshman team.

But the SEC Coach of the Year selection is just simply, laughable. Yahoo's Jeff Eisenburg ponders the question: "How did this man not win SEC Coach of the Year?"

Eisenburg was right on. There's no logical explaination other than the SEC Coaches simply did not want Calipari to win. It's hard to imagine that a group of college basketball head coaches could be this silly and immature. Hatred, envy, and jealousy have never been more obvious. But considering that Billy Gillipsie won this award in his first year at Kentucky, it just goes to show how insignificant this really is.

And if the SEC Coaches think they're sticking it to Kentucky and Calipari- they couldn't be more wrong. UK fans LOVE IT when things like this happen because it makes it so obviously transparent that we are hated. When we're hated, things are going very well in Big Blue Nation.

Here's Boogie's thoughts:

Cats silence critics, clinch 44th SEC Title.

After an abysmal 2-22 from 3 point range Saturday at Tennessee, the Cats spent extra time in the gym this week working on outside shooting and apparently it paid off. The Cats hit 8 threes tonight, and silenced the doubters that they didn't have the shooters to make a deep run in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Leading the way for the Cats behind the arc was John Wall (3-5) and Darnell Dodson (3-6). Wall also led the team it total scoring with 24 points while Patrick Patterson added another double double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Another weak spot of Saturday's performance was bench scoring. The Cats only had 5 points off the bench against the Vols, today they had 24. Dodson scored 11, Liggins was once again his usual scrappy self with 5 gritty points off the bench along with a steal. Orton added 4 points and a block, and even Perry Stevenson and Ramon Harris each added 2 points. Harris was awarded 11 minutes of play and contributed with 2 offensive rebounds and three assists as well as his 2 points- talk about a guy who knows his role and thrives with it. Tonight was, perhaps, the best overall TEAM win of the entire season. In a night that DeMarcus Cousins had only 6 points and 4 rebounds, everyone else stepped up and played brilliantly TOGETHER.


It was also a great team defensive effort. The Cats suffocating defense totaled up 8 steals and 14 blocks and created plenty of offense as they put on a clinic in points off turnovers with one of the most fast-paced highlight packed games of the season. Defense, transition offense, bench scoring, and three point shooting all were bright spots for the Cats tonight as they ended Georgia's 4 game conference home winning streak and clinched at least a share for the school's 44th SEC Championship.

On Sunday, Seniors' Mark Krebs, Perry Stevenson, and Ramon Harris will be honored on Senior Day against Florida. With a win, the Cats win the SEC Title outright. It will also likely be the last game for three of the most talented players to ever wear the blue and white, and it is rumored that Patrick Patterson (who is academically a senior and graduating this semester) will also be honored. Get your tissue's ready, it's going to be a sad but surely memorable afternoon in Rupp as 24,000 will sing "My Old Kentucky Home" one last time in this storybook season.

Cousins says, "CALL ME!"

All week long, DeMarcus Cousins received thousands of racist text messages and phone calls from Mississippi State students and fans. Cousins, who had a reputation as a player that could easily lose his temper, stayed cool and composed throughout the heat of a battle in a rowdy crowd in the deep south. Once again, the trend continues of every team's fans absolutely bringing their loudest and largest crowds for when the Cats come to town but unfortunately this time, it got out of hand.

Cousins stayed composed, while MSU fans threw bottles on the court and an MSU player even refused to shake his hand. Cousins just kept walking and showed a lot of class and maturity tonight. I'm not wanting to teach a history lesson here, but I've got to throw this out there- you witnessed tonight why Adolph Rupp was not able to bring African American players to Kentucky for so many years. If it's like this in Starkville in 2010, imagine what it would have been like in the 1950's and 60's.

Moving on- THREE players scored in double figures tonight for the Cats (Wall, Cousins, and Patterson).

Wall, our point guard, out-rebounded Jarvis Vernardo AND was only two assists away from a triple double. Wall's line tonight was 18 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks and was perhaps his best all-around game as a Wildcat. Patterson also stepped up and had the huge game that we had been waiting for and had been accustomed to seeing in his first two seasons in Lexington. Patrick had 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks; however, tonight- the center of attention was DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins. Everyone wanted to see how "Big Cuz" would respond to the fans. Boogie was calm, cool, and collective tonight with 19 points and 14 rebounds. The only response, besides his play, that Cousins showed was a simple gesture with two words to the fans: "CALL ME!". A simple hand motion known as "the John Wall dance" has become a sensation in the Commonwealth, and Cousins' small gesture to the record setting crowd at MSU will also make its own mark on what has become a DREAM SEASON in Lexington thus far.

Other Notes and Observations:

• DeAndre Liggins continues to earn the trust of John Calipari. He played 25 minutes tonight and was on the floor at the end of regulation and throughout the entire overtime period. His three point shot with 2:44 left in the game with the Cats down 7 points was EPIC! DeAndre now has a major role on this team as not only one of the best hustlers, but one of the best shooters.
• Cousins continues to lead the nation in points and rebounds per minute, and it's not even close. The Cats got some calls down the stretch, but it went both ways the entire game. Cousins continues NOT to get the fouls called against him, but found himself in foul trouble most of the game. He scored his 19 points and 14 rebounds in 30 minutes of play and only 25 minutes in regulation.
• Patterson was able to step up in Cousins' absence. Unfortunately during that same stretch, Daniel Orton was offensively ineffective tonight as he went 1-4 from the field and 0-1 from the free throw line.
• Darius Miller's 9 points off the bench deserves mention and cannot be forgot in a close battle like tonight.

But without a doubt, this night belonged to DeMarcus Cousins, who purposely did not change his phone number this week because he wanted to hear what MSU fans had to say to him AFTER the game. Cousins is starting to be a fan favorite in the Commonwealth in what truly has become a dream season in Lexington!

Reece Davis Reflects on Gameday

To highlight the interview, Reece says that he admits that most of the fans did not show up to see their show, but to exhibit their passion to the rest of the country, "which quite frankly, is simply unmatched," he says. He also goes on to say that he usually doesn't like to rank Gameday appearances because he doesn't want it to get on the Internet and be a shot against other schools, but in this case, he has not experienced anything like he did in Lexington on Saturday. When he looks back on his entire career, Reece ranks Saturday's Gameday Show as possibly the most incredible thing he's ever been a part of. Reece is one of the few employees of the Worldwide Leader of Sports that truly understands and appreciates college basketball's greatest program and fan base.



Be sure to check back with us here at Wildcat Wrap as we "Wrap up" tomorrow night's battle with Mississippi State in Starkville. Just like the Wall/Downey matchup a few weeks ago, the Jarvis Vernardo matchup with Cousins and Patterson in the post will be another one to take a close look at. One of the few dark spots in the Tennessee win was a single digit performance by Cousins, ending his seven game streak of putting up a "Double-Double". It was Cousins' worst game of the season and he'll need to rebound from it against the nations best shot blocker on Tuesday. If it's another quiet game for Cousins, than Bledsoe and Wall might have to take over again.

DeMarcus Cousins: most dominant SEC big man since...Shaquille O'Neal.

(http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/c1XcxrtUvo_/Long+Beach+v+Kentucky)

Charlie's post got me thinking, and if Patrick Patterson is even remotely considered a role player, than exactly how dominant does that make DeMarcus Cousins? There isn't another big man in the country that could play on the same team as Patterson and make Patrick look like a role player, because Patterson simply isn't or wouldn't be a role player on any other college team except this one. Patterson is an All-American type player and would be putting up some of the best numbers in the country (like he did the last 2 seasons) if he had played on just about any other team. Cousins has had seven straight double double's and all of a sudden has challenged John Wall for National Player of the Year and the #1 pick in next year's NBA Draft. There has never been 2 players from the same school get selected with the top two picks, but it might just happen this year with Wall and Cousins. Only a situation like this could make Patterson look like a role player, which indeed he is, on this team- and on this team only.

Cousins has been so dominant on the boards and in the post that I believe it would be a greater loss if he were to be injured than losing John Wall. Wall is a playmaker and a primetime clutch performer when the game is on the line, but when you need consistent points and rebounds and dominance in the paint throughout the course of a game, Cousins is our most overall dominant performer. Eric Bledsoe can do a lot of the same things on the court that John Wall can, and even though Patrick Patterson is one of the best post players in the country and reserve Daniel Orton would be the starting Center on 95% of every roster in the nation, they still don't impact the game as much as Cousins does, which says a lot. Cousins' only issue is getting in foul trouble, and some say his temper is a problem, too, but it has been less of a problem as the season has matured even though he continues to get physical and verbal abuse from almost every team he faces. His points and rebounds per minute is by far the most impressive in the nation and the numbers compare to great college big men such as Kenyon Martin, Blake Griffin, and Tim Duncan (and you can find the numbers on KSR). You probably have to go back as far as Shaquille O'Neal at LSU to find a more dominant post player in the SEC.

If Cousins stays out of foul trouble and plays for 35+ minutes, than you can count on Kentucky having a comfortable lead without even having to rely on John Wall's last minute heroics. Wall can save the day, but the game is never even in question when Cousins stays out of foul trouble and is on top of his game. The Cats are the best rebounding team in the country because of Cousins, Patterson, and also Daniel Orton- who will be a super sophomore next season. When the Cats rebound, they win. It's that simple, and Cousins is their best rebounder. The only game this year that they have been outrebounded in was against South Carolina, the Cats only loss. They've shown that without John Wall, they can still play some of their best basketball, as evidenced in their 81-55 dominating win over LSU where John Wall only scored six points. In the first few minutes of yesterday's game against Alabama, Wall even cost the Cats as he played sloppy and out of control and made the first several of his six turnovers of the game. It should be noted that Wall ended up having a great game with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block. My point is, however, that DeMarcus Cousins very rarely does anything on the floor that hurts the Cats besides maybe his temper, which hasn't been a problem of late.

Many may wonder if this season has helped or hurt Patterson's draft status. Being around so many stars has lowered his numbers and made him look less like a superstar, but he has actually improved his overall game dramatically. He has discovered his outside shot that nobody knew he had in John Calipari's offense and practicing against Cousins and Orton everyday has prepared him for what it will be like going against the best of big men in the NBA, because Cousins will be one of them very soon. Very few college stars come straight into the NBA without paying their dues and working their way into the regular starting lineup. Cousins and Wall might be the exceptions to this next year, but Jodie Meeks is experiencing it right now and even Tayshaun Prince sat the majority of his first two seasons on the bench in Detroit before leading the Pistons to the World Championship. This season has shown NBA teams that Patrick is okay with not being the star player and will play in whatever role his coach asks him to. Patrick has been in this situation since high school when he played on the same team with O.J. Mayo at Hunnington (WV) High, then for two years at UK with Jodie Meeks, and now with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. Patrick doesn't care what role he plays, he just wants to win, and he'll continue to be a winner at the next level.

Cats back in rightful place

At Big Blue Madness, Coach John Calipari's "Domination Proclamation of the Big Blue Nation" promised that he would bring the Cats "back to their rightful place atop the mountain of College Basketball". Three months later, and about ten months since Kentucky was eliminated from the NIT, they now stand alone as the only remaining undefeated team and will be ranked #1 in the country tomorrow in both polls, likely a unanimous pick. It will be the first time the Cats have been ranked atop of the polls since 2003, and after the last few years, #1 has never felt so good!

Many rolled their eyes at Coach Cal's pledge in November that when this team comes together and plays as a team that they would be "unbreakable and unbeatable", but after their 31 point win over Arkansas to improve to 19-0, nobody is laughing anymore. Just a regular win would have given the Cats' a #1 ranking, but Saturday's dominating performance made them a no doubt #1. Conversations around the college basketball world have changed from "When will they loose a game?" to "WILL they loose a game?" We're almost into the month of February, and with a few more consistent performances like Saturday, the conversations will start to begin about this team's place in history as possibly the greatest college basketball team, ever.

Earlier in the week, ESPN's Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon had a serious conversation about who would win if the Cats faced the NBA's New Jersey Nets. They actually both agreed that John Wall would easily be the best player on the court. NBA scouts have also tabbed backup point guard, Eric Bledsoe, as the 2nd best point guard in the country and a possible lottery pick behind his teammate, Wall. Like most of Calipari's teams, this one is very talented, but greatness didn't happen right away, either. Veterans were learning a new offense and freshman were adjusting to the college game, as they barely escaped teams like Miami of Ohio and Sam Houston State, but still managed to keep winning while learning to play together. The same team that gave up 15 three pointers against Miami in November, including 8 from some guy named Nick Winbush, limited one of the best shooters in the nation (Arkansas' Rontei Clark) to only 2 of 9 shooting behind the arc.

A team that was thought to have a relatively weak bench (at least compared to the production from their starters), saw scoring from 12 of 13 players on Saturday, including 18 points from Darius Miller and electrifying sparks off the bench from Daniel Orton, Perry Stevenson, Josh Harrelson, and DeAndre Liggins. Liggins, who hadn't appeared in the Cats' first nine games of the season for disciplinary reasons, is now proving to be a key player off the bench along with Daniel Orton. Both Orton and Liggins look poised to take over next season in much bigger roles, that is, if they can earn a spot in the starting lineup after Calipari probably signs another #1 recruiting class.

The progression of Liggins, a former McDonald's All American who would probably start on any other team in the country, has adjusted his attitude to become a key part of the Cats' success this season. Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, and Patterson make this team the best team in the country this season, but players like Liggins, Orton, Miller, Harris, Harrelson, and Stevenson could all contribute to this team achieving their ultimate goal and becoming one of the best teams in history if they step up more consistently and take off the pressure of the aforementioned more consistent top scorers.

Yes, this team is very talented, but the coaching job that John Calipari has done this season is very under appreciated. He has molded a team of 6 newcomers and 7 returning players to create one heartbeat. He's taught an 18 year old kid on the cover of Sports Illustrated how to keep his focus and stay humble. He demands perfection of his team and in his standards, they're only about 10-9, not 19-0. Calipari's high demand and high standards is exactly why he hasn't let them slip up in 19 games and may not let them slip up all season. He's minimized the roles and playing time of starters on last years team, but they've accepted and embraced their new roles and are having a blast, more fun then they ever did playing 30 minutes a game on an NIT team. From Wall, to Patterson, to Liggins, to Stevenson, and all the way down to Mark Krebs, every player is just thrilled to be a part of this team. It's not easy making so many talented players happy and satisfied while playing so well together, which is why this has so far been one of the best coaching jobs the game has seen.

The Cats have remained undefeated longer than any team since Illinois in 2005. That team also probably deserved some consideration as one of the best team's college basketball has seen, but will never be remembered as one of the greatest teams because they didn't win the National Championship game against North Carolina. Especially for a Kentucky team, winning it all is what will ultimately define this team's success. The Cats could very well lose at South Carolina on Tuesday, a game that Seth Davis picked about a month ago to be the Cats' first loss of the season. Winning on the road at Vandy is always tough too, and ESPN's College Gameday comes to town on February 13th along with Bruce Pearl's Volunteers. Plenty of challenges await the Cats. It's not inconceivable to think this team could be 40-0 National Champions, but it's also very possible they could lose a game soon, or two, or maybe even three. Either way, if they want to be compared with the '96 Cats as possibly the best team in history, they need to win the big one in April. Coming from the NIT to #1 in 10 months has been a very wild ride, but there's still a long ways to go, so buckle up...and enjoy the craziest ride Kentucky basketball has ever had!

P.S.- Just a reminder to everyone that College Gameday tickets for the 13th go on sale tomorrow at 10 AM on Ticketmaster! Tickets are free with a shipping and handling fee, and as many as 8 can be purchased by one person. Let's pack the house!

Pelphrey's Hogs stand in Cats way of #1 Ranking

With a win today vs. Arkansas, UK moves up to the #1 spot in the rankings for the first time since 2003. The key to the win is stopping, or at least containing, the 3-point shooting of Rontei Clark. We saw what Miami of Ohio and a few other sharp shooting teams were able to do against the Cats early on this season. We will see just how much their three point defense has improved today against one of the best outside shooters in the nation. Ronei's weakness, however, is his speed and defense which should be greatly taken advantage of and exploited by John Wall and Eric Bledsoe. If the Cats play their way, up and down the court at a fast pace, the Hogs' only hope is an unbelievable shooting performance by Clark.

However, don't judge Arkansas too much by their 8-10 overall record. They have had an additional 15.8 ppg from Marshawn Powell since he and additional players have returned from suspension and have put together impressive performances in a 9 point loss to Texas, a 2 point loss at Mississippi State, a 12 point win over Alabama, and a 5 point loss against Florida. Today should be no different as Wildcat Legend, John Pelphrey, takes his talented team into Rupp Arena.

Weekend Wrap-up!

The Cats narrowly escaped the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday and are now one of only two undefeated teams in college basketball. It was a great week for the SEC as Georgia beat #17 Georgia Tech and a depleted Tennessee team shocked #1 Kansas. Purdue was also defeated which should give the Cats a #2 ranking this week behind the nation's only other undefeated team, Texas.

The UK women's hoops team is also rolling. After losing by one point in overtime, on the road against #8 Georgia, the Cats knocked off #16 Vanderbilt this weekend to improve to 15-2. Can somebody explain to me how this team is still not ranked? They ought to definately be ranked tomorrow!

And in football news, Joker Phillips is already making a big splash in his first week on the job as Head Coach. He has aleady made a few key staff changes and already has made a big impact on recruiting. He is saying all the right things, bringing new life and excitement to the program, and is gathering this fan base in a similar way that John Calipari did last summer. Say what you want about his play-calling the last few years with a young and inexperienced offense, but Joker has all the qualities of being a terrific Head Coach and is already impressing me on his first week at the job. I'll write more later this week on all the new changes, new staff, and incoming transfers and potential recruits that Joker is already bringing in, in just the first week on the job.


This weekend I was fortunate enough to see UK recruit C.J. Leslie and North Carolina's Word of God Academy (John Wall's old school) face Cincinnati Roger Bacon at Lexington Catholic on Saturday night. Roger Bacon pulled off the huge upset in a thriller which featured four or five lead changes in the last few minutes of the game but Leslie still impressed the Big Blue crowd, UK players, and Coach John Calipari whom were all in attendance. Leslie was the tallest guy on the floor for either team, but he didn't play like a big man at all. He is quick, explosive, a great shot blocker, and a great passer as well. He can play like a guard when asked to and should fit in very well in Calipari's Dribble Drive Offense. If he can improve his outside shot, he could be another Patrick Patterson next season. His game also reminds me some of Kevin Garnett. When asked about the likelihood of playing with his former high school teammate next season, John Wall, Leslie smiled and said that we would have to just wait and see and that Wall has been talking a lot to him about UK and luring him to come here.

You would think there would be no chance of Wall returning next season, but, who knows? With Leslie likely committing with the Cats, I wouldn't say that there isn't any chance at all of it being a possibility, even if it's a small chance.

I also got my first glimpse of the Bluegrass Stallions this afternoon. The Stallions feature a roster comprised of UK products Wayne Turner, Bobby Perry, Ravi Moss, Lukasz Obrzut, and Head Coach Kyle Macy, as well as EKU's Darnell Dials and Jason McLeish and also Justin Taylor of Georgetown College. Unfortunately, today was the last game for the ABA franchise at the Kentucky Horse Park Arena built for the upcoming World Equestrian Games. The facility is world class, but has become too expensive of a venue for the Stallions to rent out. I hope that this arena is still used for basketball in the future. It would be a great facility to host a high profile high school tournament, such as the one played this weekend at Lex Cath.

The Stallions will be playing the remainder of their home games in Lexington high school gyms and likely touring the Bluegrass region with games in the new civic centers in Corbin and Frankfort until they find a permanant home for hopefully a second season of basketball next year. The Stallions won today over a team from Louisville, by a score of 129-60. They play a very entertaining brand of basketball and it was great to see well known and adored ex-cats and other local players have the chance to stay around Lexington and play professionally. I hope they find a way to stay in town.

(Photos courtesy of highschoolhoop.com and the Bluegrass Stallions)

Wall makes history again for the Cats!

The Cats improved to 14-0 on the basketball court with a 104-61 dismantling of Hartford last night at Rupp. There was one reason, and one reason only, that this game was broadcasted on ESPN2 on national tv: ESPN, and almost everyone else, thought that we would lose to UNC and UConn and would be a 2 loss team, with Hartford projected to be the victim of our 2,000th win. Feels pretty good to prove them wrong and force them to show such a one-sided game that they would normally not show, doesn't it? However, ESPN did get to show a piece of UK history after all, as John Wall broke Travis Ford's single game assist record with 16 assists.

The game marked the 2nd this season that Wall has had 14 or more assists, and he continues to make every player on the floor better with his presence. Wall had another unselfish game against a team that he could easily score 30 on if he wanted to, but only finished with 9. He is exactly the type of player that last year's team lacked. Jodie could put up 40 points occasionally, and Patterson would give us plenty of double-doubles, but the team lacked someone who could effectively get other players involved as well. Wall was tabbed by many of his critics to be a streetball-type, selfish player as he committed to Kentucky. He has proved to be the exact opposite of everything he had been stereotyped to be, from the way he plays the game, works in the classroom, and conducts himself off the court. As Kentucky fans, we should enjoy every second that we witness this kid play in the blue and white, because I can't confidently say that he is not the most talented player to ever put on the storied uniform.

We all know who and what awaits the Cats on Saturday, but before then (sometime on the evening of New Years Day), I will break down the year that was 2009 for University of Kentucky Athletics. It has been quite a ride this past year on the basketball floor, hasn't it? It's truly incredible how so much has changed in the past year and makes me feel so grateful and appreciative of this year's team. Pictures of the Bowl Game trip to Nashville are posted on facebook, and I'll also give you any updates, if available, on the status of Rich Brooks. Until then, be safe and have a very Happy New Year!

UK Women's Hoops Improves to 10-0, beats Louisville by 34

(Photo Courtesy of ukathletics.com)

If you didn't already know, Matthew Mitchell's UK's Women's Hoops team is also undefeated, with a 10-0 record. Today, they beat defending National Runner-Up, Louisville, by 34 points! Hopefully, today's game was a preview of what we can expect on January 2nd when the men play. These girls are for real, however, and deserve some attention. This Louisville team has had a few early losses and hasn't been performing at the level they did last March, but nonetheless, a 34 point win over a Final Four team from a year ago is very, very impressive. It will be interesting to see how high they can go up in the polls and how they do in the SEC. It's a shame that the Lady Vols don't come to Lexington this year, a game that would bring a lot of excitement and attention to the UK Women's team. They deserve it.

Be sure to check back with me later in the week for coverage of the 2,000th win that I hope to be attending tomorrow night vs. Drexel at Rupp Arena. Also, someone else who deserves some recognition is John Wall. In summer school, John earned a 4.0 GPA and just finished up this semester with a 3.4 GPA. He has so far been the example of what every major D-1 player should be, on and off the court at UK. If he wanted to, he could do the bare minimum to just stay eligible, drop out of classes when the season is over, and go straight to the NBA and make millions. Instead, Wall has plans of coming back to Lexington for summer classes each summer during the NBA off-season until he graduates. Something tells me Bob Knight won't have anything to say about this.

News and Notes: 12-14-09

• Kentucky has now reached all-time win #1,998. They face Austin Peay on Saturday and then the December 21st matchup with Drexel will likely be win #2,000. Any ideas on finding tickets, anyone?
• John Calipari was contacted by Madison Square Garden officials about playing an annual home game there, after UK arguably had more fans than UConn and St. Johns combined, in their own backyard at the SEC/Big East Invitational last week against UConn. I would personally love to see a UK/Duke matchup at MSG, since Coach K won't come to Rupp.
• UK moved up to 3rd in both polls today and received one first place vote. #2 Texas faces UNC on Saturday, which could push the Cats into the #2 spot with a Tar Heel win.
• #1 ranked Kansas plays Michigan and California the next two games, then plays a solid Belmont team, then Temple (who just knocked off previous #3 Villanova), and then faces Tennessee on January 10th. Look for the Cats to be ranked #1 after these stretch of games for the Jayhawks.
• John Wall received SEC Freshman Player of the Week honors for the fourth consecutive week. This is a streak that might not last the entire season by John Wall, but I wouldn't be shocked if Cousins and Bledsoe contribute to this award being won by a UK freshman every single week of this season. Which is really, simply amazing.

Last but not least, I want to thank Kentucky Sports Radio for this Youtube video they posted. Really, really funny stuff!

Adolph Rupp is looking down and loving what he sees!

John Calipari became the first UK coach since Adolph Rupp in 1931 to start out 10-0 in his first season in what is possibly the most coveted job in all of college sports. He's doing it with speed, talent, hard work, focus, and discipline....just how Coach Rupp used to. Also like Coach Rupp, Calipari has a lot of controversey and false accusations surrounding him and his wins. Nobody likes a winner, and when other teams' fans are taking shots at Kentucky, it usually means one thing: all is well in Big Blue Nation.

In this case, it means "weee're baaack"- and win number 2,000 is just two games away!

In the last few years, Rupp probably wanted to roll out of his grave and have a word or two with Billy Gillispie, but now the legendary coach can rest in peace along with his friends, Caywood, and the one we affectionately knew as Mr. Wildcat. The Cats have beaten three schools who have won a combined 12 National Championships in an 8 day stretch, and all is well once again in Big Blue Heaven.

Not only did the Cats beat one of their biggest rivals on the road today in their first true road game to stay unbeaten, but they did it in convincing fashion. Indiana played their hearts out and punched the Cats right in the mouth early with a 9 point lead and Assembly Hall was rockin. They shot over 60% from the field and behind the arc as well in the first half, but UK kept knocking down shots as well, almost like a never-ending game of HORSE, and went into halftime with a one point lead. Indiana had tried to slow the game down and force the Cats to get into their halfcourt offense as opposed to running and pushing the ball up the floor, but the Cats slowed it down just a little bit and their halfcourt offense looked as efficient and well-run as it has all year.

It was probably their best overall performance of the season as a balanced scoring attack defeated Indiana 90-73. Five Wildcats scored in double figures and Darius Miller added a solid 7 points. Eric Bledsoe led the way with 23 points and Patrick Patterson had yet another double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. It was the first great game Bledsoe has had since the very beginning of the season when he was the team's starting point guard while John Wall was sitting out. When both Bledsoe and Wall are playing at their full potential together, on the court at the same time, this team is unstoppable. There simply isn't an effective way to defend these two guys when they are both playing under control and making shots while Patterson and Demarcus Cousins combine for their typical 20 rebounds in the post.

Demarcus Cousins grew up a little bit today too as he was in a situation that could have potentially started a fight. He simply put his hands up and walked away after tangling up with a Hoosier while battling for a loose ball. Even the turnovers were limited to only 13, which is pretty good considering the fast paced offense that we run. Wall had eight assists and only one turnover. There was hardly anything to get upset with today about the Cats' performance. Even Coach Cal was pleased!

"He actually said we were 10-0 today," freshman forward DeMarcus Cousins said. "I guess he was worried about that three game streak. We knew we were a good team but we're trying to prove it to everyone else." Coach Calipari said we would find out where we are as a team after this 3 game stretch. We did, indeed, learn how good this team is and it's probably better than most thought, even with the sky high expectations. It's been a while since we've heard much from Pat Forde. Interesting, huh? Now, the Cats must continue to bring it each night against lesser competition until that January 2nd matchup with "you know who".