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.

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.”

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:

Balanced Attack Leads Cats on Senior Day

Five players (Patterson, Wall, Miller, Dodson, and Bledsoe) scored in double figures for the Cats as they took an 18 point lead over the Florida Gators, witheld a 2nd half rally, and closed out a win on an emmotional Senior Day at Rupp Arena. For the second straight game, the Cats nailed down eight three pointers- an area that has plagued them throughout conference play. The improved three point shooting and bench play has given Big Blue Nation little to worry about heading into tournament play. With Vanderbilt's loss to South Carolina on Saturday, Kentucky had already stood alone as the outright SEC Champion and today's win gave the Cats an 18-0 perfect record at Rupp this season and solidified themselves as a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

(Photo courtesy of UKathletics.com)

Mark Krebs, Perry Stevenson, Ramon Harris, and Patrick Patterson were honored in Senior Day festivities. Patterson, a junior, is on track to graduate this spring in only three years and could come back for another year if he chooses an M.BA (Masters of Business Administration Degree)at UK over the NBA next season, as a sign pointed out today in Rupp (MBA>NBA...One more year, Pat!).

I would like to personally thank each of the seniors for all that they have done. They've gone through so much playing for three different coaches and they deserve every bit of success that they are enjoying this season. Patrick has been one of the most significant players to ever put on the Kentucky uniform, Perry and Ramon were starters a year ago and have now accepted and embraced their roles on a Championship contending team, and I especially admire Mark as a hard working Kentucky kid with an unbelievable passion and appreciation for being able to suit up for the Blue and White. Krebs has also worked extremely hard to survive as a walk on under three head coaches and eventually earning a scholarship under Calipari. It's also been a pleasure of mine to personally meet and talk with Perry Stevenson on several occasions in his freshman and sophomore seasons at UK.

Be sure to check out Larry Vaught's video of Senior Day, these fabulous articles written on Mark Krebs and Patrick Patterson, and media day interviews with each of the four seniors on their experiences at Kentucky on John Clay's blog.

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.

Magic in Rupp

There was magic in Rupp Arena last night, both literally and figuratively. There was magic throughout the game as the Cats put together one of their best highlight reels of the season in their 82-61 rout over South Carolina to avenge their only loss of the season. The Cats also currently can claim that they have defeated every team that they have played this year, a feat that has only been accomplished by one Kentucky team at the end of a season: the 34-2 1996 Cats who split with Mississippi State and avenged their early loss to John Calipari's UMass team in an eventual meeting in the Final Four.

Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, as well as NBA Hall of Famer, Ervin "Magic" Johnson joined the long list of stars that have graced their presence through Rupp Arena this season to watch these super talented Wildcats. The presence of Roethlisberger, "Magic", Lebron, Drake, Mike Tomlin, Ashley Judd, and Eddie Montgomery at games this year are a testament to the Cats' emergence once again as the premiere program in college basketball in every sense of the imagination.



Ervin Johnson, however, was not the only "Magic" in Rupp last night. In fact, there's been a spark of magic in these Cats since their only loss in Columbia on January 26th that has made a world of a difference in this team. It's something that was missing throughout the season, and especially in that game at USC, that has been prominent ever since that game. What is it you ask? The dominating performance of Patrick Patterson that we had been accustomed to before the "new kids on the block" came in town this year. Before the season, Patrick Patterson was looked as the Cats' only veteran starter whom would lead the Cats this year and be a strong National Player of the Year Candidate. Instead, Patrick has at times been ineffective and has lost the spotlight to talented Freshman DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall. However, since that loss in South Carolina, Patrick has emerged along with Cousins to be an unstoppable force in the paint (and beyond the arc).

Here is what Patterson did in Columbia in the loss to USC and what he has done since that game:

• Patterson had a quiet and ineffective five point performance and let the smaller Gamecocks out rebound the Cats (the leading rebounding team in the nation).
• The next game he was 3 of 4 from the 3 point line against Vanderbilt at Rupp
• Patterson has continued to hit a three point shot in EVERY GAME since his poor performance in Columbia (that's 8 straight games- and the big guy only has 2-3 attempts per game from deep range)
• He then had back to back double-double performances that made the difference in close road games against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt
• Then on Thursday night, he capped that off with his highest point total of the season with 23 points and 8 rebounds

Patrick has recently played himself back into being a Top 10 pick in the NBA Draft, as he was considered to be before the season started. And with Patterson playing like this, along with Cousins being Cousins, John Wall being John Wall, and DeAndre Liggins NOT being the same Liggins we saw a year ago- the Cats' can't be beaten, not with this version of Patterson.

The Cats face the Vols tomorrow in yet another brutally tough road game to clinch at least a share of what would be it's 44th SEC Championship.

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!

Before I go to bed...

I just have to show some love and much deserved credit to a few more guys on the team and also make a few comments to end the day on. We've talked all about Patterson, Cousins, and Wall....but how about DeAndre Liggins?

When everybody talks about the tremendous job John Calipari has done this season, everyone brings up how well he has handled this superstar freshman class and has kept everyone happy and playing well together. It is very under appreciated how good of a job he has done with the returning players that were already on the team under Billy Gillispie and the amazing improvements they've made under their new coach.

As I have stated before, Patrick Patterson's numbers aren't as high, but he is an overall better and more versatile player under Calipari and has discovered an outside shot. Darius Miller was not much of a factor at all last season and has been a contributor and starter for much of this season. Ramon Harris no longer hurts us, but helps us with his rebounding when he comes into games this year and has also improved his outside shot, and I can even bet you that Josh Harrelson and Perry Stevenson are better players than they were a year ago, but they just happen to play on a much better team and don't get the same minutes and opportunities. However, the most pleasant surprise has definitely been DeAndre Liggins.

Liggins' success this season did not come easily. In fact, he did not even appear in a single minute this season until the Indiana game likely because of disciplinary reasons. However, he and Daniel Orton are now the first two guys off of the bench, almost every game. In the last four games, DeAndre has scored 9, 5, 7, and 8 points respectively in each game coming off of the bench. He also has the team's highest three point shooting-percentage at 10 of 17 on the season. Last year, Liggins' biggest problems were his shooting and attitude- now, they're two of his biggest assets and I guarantee you the difference is the way that John Calipari has positively handled him as opposed to the tactics of his old coach. Under Calipari, practices are all about skills. Under Gillispie, it was all about "toughness". Being tough was more important than developing skilled players under the old regime.

Liggins has not only improved his shot, but he's accepted his new role as a scrappy player off the bench. He gives the Cats a burst of energy every time he comes into the game. He dives for loose ball's and retrieves almost all of them. He doesn't resemble the selfish player he was a year ago in any way, shape, or form and his hard work will pay off next year when he will have a much bigger role on the team. Liggins, perhaps, is the most clear example of why John Calipari is the no-brainer choice for National Coach of the Year. He not only brought quite possibly the best recruiting class in the history of the game to Lexington in his first season, but he has coached them up very well, both the freshman and the returning players.

P.S.- It's absolutely incredible that Pat Forde did not pick Calipari as one of his Top 4 choices for National Coach of the Year, but should we really be surprised? His opinion is worthless. Be sure to check back tomorrow as I will preview the ESPN College Gameday appearance at Rupp!

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.

Is Patrick Patterson the Greatest Role Player in NCAA History?

Patrick Patterson and role player would have never gone in the same sentence prior to this season, but during tonight's sloppy win, I had an epiphany. Patrick Patterson is a role player on this basketball team, and he might just be the greatest role player in the history of college basketball.

His freshman season he averaged 16.4 and 7.7 per game. His sophomore season he did 17.9 and 9.3 per game. So far this year, Pat is doing 15.1 and 7.5 per game, but during SEC play, he is only averaging 11.8 and 5.7 per contest. In 2010, Patterson has yet to post a double-double, or even grab double digit rebounds in a game. It may sound petty, but during his first two seasons, we grew accustomed to him going out and putting up a double-double.

What exactly is a role player? Some people think of a role player as someone who isn't very talented but gives it all they have day in and day out. But according to this fabulous article written by a contributor at BleacherReport.com, there are 5 qualities a role player must have.

1. Must fill up the depth chart with versatility - Patterson can play Small Forward, Power Forward, and even Center. Not only can he post up anyone in basketball and hit a hook shot or pop out and hit a 15 foot jumper, but he has developed a consistent 3-point jumpshot. He is shooting 40% from downtown this year.

2. Has confidence and plays hard every game - He could shoot 0-20 and stink the gym up, but nobody would question how hard he fought and hustled. He is one of the toughest guys in college basketball.

3. Plays like a seasoned veteran throughout their career - PPat is a hard worker, good ball handler, has a nice jumper, top notch defender and rebounder, but most importantly he has a high basketball IQ. When the game gets a little sloppy or out of Kentucky's hands, Patterson always keeps a cool head and never tries to do too much.

4. Be humble - There is really no need for me to even try to prove this. The guy defines humble.

5. Steps up when called upon - My one complaint about Calipari this season is his lack of commitment to get Pat the rock late in the game. But there is one situation that comes to my mind where Pat rose to the occasion. At Florida, with just under 5 minutes left in the ballgame, the Gators were a defensive stop away from blowing the lid off the arena while trying to take the lead from the Cats. Pat had different plans, as he hit a turnaround hook shot while getting fouled. My point is, Cal might not call his number often in late game situations, but when he does, you can count on #54 to capitalize.

By no means am I questioning Pat's abilities, but on THIS team, he is just a role player. But a role player is exactly what we need. The last thing we need is someone out there trying to score every time they touch the rock. There isn't enough to go around in terms of stats, but it's everything else that 2Pat does is what makes him one of the most respected players in recent UK basketball history.

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!

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".

The critics have been silenced

Kentucky 68, North Carolina 66

(Photo Courtesy of the CatsPause)

In the first half, the Cats showed their full potential for maybe the first time this year as they blew the Tar Heels out of the gym and broke away with a 19 point lead. John Wall amazed everyone in front of a record setting Rupp Arena crowd of 24,465 fans and Patrick Patterson led the way with 19 points and 7 rebounds. The Cats improved to 8-0 for the first time since the 1992-93 season and it was the first monumental victory in the Calipari era. After the Cats rallied on a 28-2 first half run, Wall was cramping and had to leave the game for an IV shot, Bledsoe was still favoring his ankle and only played 17 minutes, Demarcus Cousins was again in foul trouble, and the Tar Heels were just too good to fall down flat on their face. They came back, but the Cats made key free throws down the stretch to seal the victory. The young Cats finally had the opportunity against a top 10 team to prove that they were as good as their #4 ranking indicated, and they did just that!

Savor the victory while you can, Big Blue Nation, because in just a few days the Cats will face UConn at Madison Square Garden in the SEC/Big East Invitational. It will be the first true neutral site game of the year. A game in which I believe will be more difficult to win than UNC at Rupp. Yes, there will be a lot of Kentucky fans making the trip up to New York, but it won't be the same atmosphere that helped the Cats beat UNC in front of a record frenzy crowd at Rupp. The players responded very well to the crowd and played off of their intensity yesterday. They need to play with that same intensity Wednesday night in a building that UConn is very familiar with playing in. If the Cats play with the intensity, desire, and passion that they exhibited against the Tar Heels, they cannot be beat. They must keep this same intensity on Wednesday night and going into SEC play. After UConn, the Cats will have their first true road game of the season at Indiana, which will surely be another great learning experience for this young team. It's always great to win while still learning, and with 21 turnovers committed against UNC, there is still a lot to learn. However, this team has a will to win, and that's what they do: win. It's scary to think how good they can be in March.

Previewing Carolina and Kentucky

(Photo Courtesy of Kansascity.com...yeah, I know, random huh?)

If you havn't heard yet, there's a pretty big basketball game tomorrow.

It's between college basketball's two winningest programs that are both chasing each other to be the first to 2,000 all-time wins this season. I'm not sure if it's actually Kentucky vs. North Carolina, or Kentucky vs. The World; however, because it seems like the Cats still have a lot of doubters and a lot to prove to the college basketball world, despite their #4 ranking, 7-0 record, and the fact that they are a 3 point favorite in this game.

Yes, it's the first really big and nationally hyped-up game for Calipari's young team this year. On a national stage, it's almost like this is the real beginning of the Calipari era. North Carolina has certainly played a much tougher schedule to this point, but I'm really not sure if they've look much better than the Cats. UK had close calls against Miami (OH) and Stanford, but the Cardinal could end up actually being a solid team this year out of the PAC 10, only time will tell, and I'm not sure if there's any team in the country that would beat that red hot Miami team by double digits on that given night. But what about Carolina's lackluster 1st half performance against Florida International? What about their 11 point win over Valparaiso and their seven point win over Nevada? Oh yeah, they also lost to a rebuilding Syracuse team by 16 points. And if you think UK's defense has been bad, they've given up 7 less points per game this season than UNC has. After the amount of players the Tar Heels lost from a year ago, it seems to me that they have just as much to prove as Kentucky does. They're a young team too, not as young, but still a young team.

I'm not doubting UNC is as talented of a team that Kentucky will face this year and maybe their biggest test, but I'm not more worried about UNC than I am about a handful of other teams such as UConn, Louisville, Tennessee, and even Florida after their suprising start of the season. Don't get me wrong, this is a HUGE game for both teams, but it's not the end of the world either way. We could win and have the best feeling in the world about this team, but then we play UConn at Madision Square Garden a few days later and could lose to the Huskies. We could also lose to UNC, but then redeem ourselves against UConn. If Kentucky just wins 2 of their next 3, they shouldn't fall too much at all in the rankings, if at all.

I see this game playing out in a couple of ways. If UNC shoots anywhere close to the way that a couple of teams have already shot against the Cats behind the arc, UK could get embarassed and lose by double digits. If UNC has a good shooting day, coupled with a productive game in the paint (which UK has not seen from anyone yet), it could be a long day. If both teams are on top of their game, I see the Cats winning by single digits with John Wall making a clutch play to end it, maybe in the final seconds. If UK plays to their full potential, plays stiffling defense, limits turnovers, plays under control, and doesn't let the hype of Rupp Arena get to them....I see UK winning by double digits. Remember though, this is the first really big game that these freshman have played at Rupp, and I'm not sure if they really know what to expect or not. The key is for them to stay focused and not get too hyped up or destracted from a few certain celebrities that could be in attendance. They don't need to be running up and down the court at 200 miles per hour either. UNC is too good of a team to do that against, and they will force too many turnovers.

If I had to pick an outcome out of the previous possibilities already given, I believe the Cats guard play will be the difference in the game. Everyone knows that UNC has a great frontcourt. Everyone knows that UK has a great frontcourt as well. Both teams are very talented and very deep down low. Both teams' big men must stay out of foul trouble as well, especially Demarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson for UK and Deon Thompson for UNC. It's obvious, however, that UNC's guards are not at the same level as Kentucky's. The Carolina kid, John Wall, will save the day once again in the final seconds of this one as Kentucky wins a thriller at Rupp.

Cardiac Cats Survive in Cancun!

Twelve years ago, Kentucky and Stanford last met in an epic overtime battle in which the 1998 "Comeback Cats" came back from a double digit deficit to defeat the Cardinal in the Final Four in San Antonio.

This time, the Cats and Cardinal met again even further south than the Alamo, in Cancun, Mexico. Scott Padgett made clutch shots in the '98 game. This time, he sat on the bench on John Calipari's coaching staff in another overtime thriller between the two schools. John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, and Ramon Harris all made clutch plays down the stretch and Darius Miller added 10 points as the Cats outscored Stanford 10-2 in overtime to win it once again.

Patrick Patterson had limited playing time in the first half due to early foul trouble, but the Junior All-American came back and played strong in the second half while posting yet another double double, the 25th of his career, with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Demarcus Cousins had a solid 13 points and 3 blocks, but made a crucial freshman mistake late in the game that could have been costly for the Cats. Down by 2 at the line, Cousins missed the first free throw with about 10 seconds remaining on the clock. He then proceeded to miss the second free throw on purpose and tried to rebound it to get another shot to tie the game. This was foolish because if he had just made the free throw, Kentucky could foul immediately. Cousins was immediately pulled from the game and chewed out by Coach Cal on the sidelines. Even if Stanford made both free throws, it would be a three point game with plenty of time for UK to tie it up with a three. Now, Stanford could clinch the game if they could make both free throws.

Luckily for the Cats, they missed both free throws and Kentucky rebounded the ball still down by 2 with 9 seconds left. It was now time for John Wall to bail out his buddy Demarcus and take over to save the day for the Cats. He drove to the basket and was fouled with 2.4 seconds left. He nailed both free throws to tie the game up and finished the game with 24 points, including a perfect 8 for 8 from the line. Overtime belonged to the Cats as Eric Bledsoe stabbed the dagger on the Cardinal with a devastating NBA-range three pointer with 33 seconds left in OT to seal the deal for the Cats as they escaped Cancun with an unblemished 6-0 record, only seven wins away from becoming the nation's first program to reach 2,000 all-time victories.

Happy Thanksgiving! Go Cats! Let's FINALLY beat Tennessee!

(Photo's courtesy of bigbluehistory.net and the Associated Press)

One down, one to go!

I guess Kentucky had what you would call, "a moral victory" today on the basketball court against a good Rider team that beat Mississippi State about a week ago. For most schools, a moral victory is a game in which you don't win but play well and feel good about it. For Kentucky basketball, a win isn't good enough. A 10 point win isn't good enough either. At Kentucky, a moral victory is a 30 point win against a solid opponent, then...after winning be 30, it's okay to be happy.

The Cats had been playing well in just about every aspect but one: perimeter defense. In the last two games, the Cats gave up 33 three pointers. Today, they gave up 4. By the time Rider made their first three point shot, the Cats already had a 28 point lead in the second half. At one point, Demarcus Cousins even committed a foul on a three point attempt. I think they finally got the message and played with the defensive urgency that was absent the last two games.

Rider Head Coach, Tommy Dempsey's Comments:
"I know they have taken a bad rap for some of the three pointers that have gone against them, but I watched every game and a couple of kids went nuts against them. They hit tough, fall-away, in your-face threes. They gave up open shots, but you can't expect them to not give up open shots in the course of the game, especially when they are pressing, jumping in passing lanes, and trying to create offense with their defense. Of course when you play that way, you're going to give up open shots at times. I watched the film and said to myself, 'If we have to hit shots like that all night to stay in the game, it's going to be a long night.' Those were some spectacular performances, and I don't think it was strictly a product of Kentucky not playing defense. But, I did think they looked better tonight. They were active and their big kids were aggressive guarding the perimeter. They made it hard on us."

It was indeed a long day for Rider. John Wall led the way with 21 points and 11 assists, while Patrick Patterson had an impressive 19 points and 18 rebounds (the Sports Illustrated cover didn't seem to have a curse on him), and Cousins finished with 18 points and 5 blocks.

Game 1 for today went according to plan, now it's about time for Rich Brooks' football Cats to spoil the plans of the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens. With a win tonight, and (cross your fingers) an end to the streak against Tennessee next week, the Cats can finish 2nd in the SEC East behind only Florida. Coach Brooks says that he plans to unleash Newton tonight and open up the playbook for the talented true freshman. Randall Cobb is questionable, but I have a feeling he's going to go, even if he's limited, because this game is a chance to move up the SEC ladder. It's a game that is crucial to the advancement of this program. GO CATS!

Learning and Winning at the same time

Unlike the last two years under Billy Gillispie, the Cats are learning while winning at the same time in November. The 3-0 start is their best since the 2006-2007 season. Their schedule is considerably tougher as well. Last year the Cats appeared to actually be heading towards a good season when they found themselves at 16-4 overall, and 5-0 in the SEC last January. Those 16 wins, however, came in meaningless blowout wins over the likes of Delaware State, Longwood, Lamar, and Mississippi Valley State. They were defeating helpless teams ranked in the bottom 300's of the RPI rankings. After losing the opener to VMI, they followed up with forty and fifty point wins against the worst of the very worst teams in the nation, and obviously they did not improve and it showed in February as the Cats fell apart and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in 18 years.

This year, they opened up with a solid win over Morehead State, an NCAA Tournament team that returns everyone from a year ago. Then, they squeaked past the Miami Redhawks who were 15 of 26 behind the 3 point line. Miami is a team that could win the MAC, but more than likely won't have too many shooting performances anywhere close to the one they had Monday night. And then tonight, we saw almost the same story, as the Cats struggled again with perimeter defense giving up 18 threes. This time the overall defense was a little better and actually did do some good things. The Bearkats of SHSU did make 18 three's, but they made them in 38 attempts. They were outscored 48-18 in the paint and only made 11 shots inside the 3 point line the entire game. Their shots inside were blocked by Wildcat defenders 12 times. These teams knew that they have no shot against the Cats inside with Patterson, Cousins, and Orton holding down the fort down low. Both teams' (Miami and SHSU) knew their only chance was to jack up a bunch of three's, and they made a lot of them. Some of them were contested, and some not at all.

It doesn't get any easier on Saturday against Rider, another mid-major team expected to win their conference and go to the NCAA Tournament. According to Calipari, they are a better shooting team than both Miami and Sam Houston State. They lost to Virginia tonight, but defeated #18 Mississippi State in their opener. Then, the Cats travel to Cancun, Mexico to face a Cleveland State team that beat Syracuse and Wake Forest a year ago. Calipari schedules these teams for a couple of reasons. One reason is they end up winning 2o games in their respective conferences, and improve UK's overall schedule and RPI rating, which helps seeding in the NCAA Tournament. This is how Memphis ended up still having top 10 ranked schedules while playing in Conference USA. They did not play any really bad teams outside the conference at all. These teams also help a young team like UK get better, while still being able to win early on while preparing for the big games against UNC, UConn, Louisville, and of course SEC play.

Bottom line is: the Cats need to get much better at perimeter defense if they want to be a Championship team playing in April. It obviously needs a lot of work, but UMass played good defense, Memphis played good defense, and I have no doubts that this young Kentucky team will play very good all-around defense come March. In fact, their athletic ability alone should make them one of the better defensive teams in the country once they get focused and disciplined enough on both sides of the ball. The main issue is communication on the defensive side. Individually, a number of Cats' have solid numbers in steals, blocks, and defensive rebounds. They're just not playing good TEAM defense together and they're not communicating, which makes sense for a bunch of Freshman in November. They're still learning and adjusting to the college game (mainly on the defensive side), but take a look at these individual offensive (and defensive) numbers tonight.

John Wall: 21 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2-4 from 3-pt.
Eric Bledsoe: 19 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 5-7 from 3-pt.

(good to see those two play well together tonight)

Darius Miller: 15 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 block, 3-6 from 3-pt.
Patrick Paterson: 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block

And the MVP for probably the second straight game with another double double....

DeMarcus Cousins: 27 points, 18 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.


One thing is certain: this team is very, very fun to watch individually. Once they put it all together collectively, they'll be very hard to beat.

I'll also predict this: UNC, UConn, and Louisville will certainly match up better with us inside....but none of these three teams will make 15 or more three pointers against us. It's just not going to happen. Even if our perimeter defense doesn't improve (I'm sure it will), at some point, teams (even the best ones on our schedule) are going to miss some shots and we will win 25 plus games, easily. The difference between a good 25 win season, and what we all expect and want (number 8) depends on how this team learns to play defense together.

Wall to the Rescue!

(Photo courtesy of Kentucky.com)

Was tonight's game what we expected? Absolutely not. But relax Kentucky fans. Ask yourself this: "What team in the country would win substantially over a team that shot 15 of 26 from behind the 3 point line?" 15 of 26. That's incredible. Heck, how many teams could win a game period with that kind of performance against them? Miami's Nick Winbush knocked down 8 of 10 all by himself. Kansas, North Carolina, or anyone else would have had their hands full against that type of shooting by the Redhawks tonight. There's not much you can do about a guy having a night like that, especially when it is not expected and you have only had three days to prepare and scout this team since Friday evening's opener. Miami, on the other hand, has had this game circled on their calendar all summer long. Miami shot the lights out and would have played with anyone tonight, and hats off to Charlie Coles, Nick Winbush, and the Redhawks. It was Miami's Superbowl. They hear it all up in Southwest Ohio about Wildcat basketball and take it from a Northern Kentuckian...they hate our guts. For the Cats, it was just another game, only three days after their opener against Morehead State.

If you can't see the talent out there and see what Calipari is going to do with it, than you just don't have a very high basketball IQ. The turnovers need to be cut down and Wall and Bledsoe need to learn to play together, but this was their very first time in game action on the court at the same time. Bledsoe looked like an All-American as he led the Cats with 24 points a few nights ago. Tonight, he was only 1 of 5 from the field for 2 points. Currently, the Cats' offense probably works better with only one of the two in the lineup at the same time. With them in together, the offense was actually a little too fast and uncontrolled at times tonight. But, keep in mind, this was their first time ever playing in a game situation together, including exhibition play. In the long run, these two are going to be unstoppable together come March.

The more I think and reflect on tonight's game, however, I can find more positives from this one than negatives. A freshman led team learning a new offense and a new coach found themselves down by eighteen points. Demarcus Cousins was on the bench early and in foul trouble and wouldn't see significant action until the second half. Then, Daniel Orton had to leave the game to get seven stitches after being head-butted near his eye and nearly smacked around by a blatant elbow. Orton would return and finish with six points and two steals in 12 minutes of play. All of a sudden, with Cousins and Orton out in the first half, this was once again Patrick Patterson's team in the post. Patrick as well as the sharp shooting of Darnell Dodson and Darius Miller helped the Cats claw back in the 1st half. In the second half, after a talk with Coach Cal, Cousins got back into the game and dominated with 10 points and 10 rebounds, earning himself a double-double entirely in the second half alone as Cousins and the heroics of John Wall took over in the second half, in his highly anticipated first game as a Wildcat. Wall would eventually lead the way with 19 points and hit the game winning shot.

This team refused to lose, they have heart, they're tough, and they found out a lot about themselves tonight. Calipari stated that he was "ecstatic" when he saw that they were down 18. He wanted to see what they had in them. You could see it in their eyes. They refused to lose. They matured and gained invaluable experience playing from behind that will help these young freshman down the road this season. They learned their flaws that need to be corrected and they learned what it is like to play in a high intensity game at Rupp with 24,000 fans screaming their heads off. They also found out that John Wall is their "go-to guy" in a last second situation. They found out all these things, while still winning. Keep in mind folks, these kids are 18 years old. They passed this early test presented to them tonight with flying colors. Could they have learned and improved as much as they did tonight with a 30 point win? I don't think so. They were also a bit humbled tonight. Maybe, just maybe, this was the best thing that could have possibly happened to them.

"They kept telling themselves", Calipari said, "We are not losing this, we are
not losing this game."

You know what else was refreshing? Watching Calipari coach his guts off tonight. Remember when Gillispie would just sit there with that sarcastic little smirk on his face down 15 by Gardner Webb? It was also refreshing to hear Coach Cal give a fantastic postgame interview with Tom Leach. He had a whole lot to say and was overall very pleased with being able to win against that kind of a shooting performance and that big of a deficit with such a young team. Remember Gillispie's post game interviews? "We got whipped," was just about the only phrase that would ever come out of his mouth.

Going into this season, I wasn't sure if these guys would play with the passion that they played with tonight. For a group of potentially one-and-done players, they love being here and are loving this experience. They know that this experience at Kentucky is one that they'll treasure, and they all want to leave a legacy here. Most importantly, they're having fun and they love their coach and want to play hard for him. Having fun, along with the positive attitude that Calipari has brought in and given these players, is the difference in winning and losing games like this under the previous and current regime.

What a Weekend for the Big Blue...and oh yeah, WHO DEY!

FRIDAY: KENTUCKY 75, MOREHEAD STATE 59

What a weekend it was for Kentucky sports fans. It all started on Friday night when the Calipari era officially began with a solid 16 point win against an NCAA tournament team that returned four starters and an NBA Draft prospect. They did it without John Wall, and once again, Eric Bledsoe played fantastic at the point and even made the #1 play on Sportscenter. Eric Bledsoe is about the best back-up point guard I've seen since Wayne Turner backed up Tony Delk in 1996. I can't wait to see these two guys play together for the first time tomorrow night against Miami University. If Bledsoe sticks around, this kid is going to be very special. He set a new record for the most points for a UK freshman in thier first game ever with 24 points. Kentucky basketball is back in every way imaginable.

Morehead had the talent to pull another Gardner Webb or VMI, but those days are over. This was a game the Cats could have lost in the past two years playing nervous and mentally stressed from the mind games and coaching tactics of their former coach. This year, you can sense that everyone is just having fun and playing loose, and letting their talent simply take over. They know that the pressure and expectations are as high as they possibly could be, but it's just not bothering them in any way. The expectations of having to win every game is not anything new to Calipari's teams. At Memphis, his teams were expected to win every conference game, and they did. They were circled on every team's calendar in Conference USA as the biggest game of the year. Things are obviously no different at Kentucky. And not once, after UofL, Cincinnati, Marquette, Depaul, and South Florida left the league, did Memphis ever get beat by an inferior team in the conference. Not even a solid UAB or Houston team ever walked away with a victory over Memphis during that stretch, even though those same two teams were good enough to beat a Kentucky team filled with 4 and 5 star recruits in 2007.

It was also great to see Patterson stepping up and scoring 20 points and grabbing 12 rebounds after struggling in two exhibition games. He must have seen that I picked Jarvis Varnardo over him in my 1st Team All-SEC selections. If true, I actually feel like I had an impact on his play for motivating Patrick to prove me wrong! You know when he recently said that KSR was his most visited website, he was actually probably confused and meant to say that it was Wildcat Wrap.

SATURDAY: KENTUCKY 24, VANDY 13

For the fourth straight year, Kentucky football will be playing in a bowl game. That statement has never been made in the history of this program until Saturday when the Cats reached bowl eligibility for the fourth straight year with a win at Commonwealth Stadium Southwest. There was a sea of blue in Nashville to watch the Cats make history against the Commodores. With a

couple of big but attainable wins over Georgia and Tennessee, the Cats could even be playing in a very large and meaningful bowl game. If they're able to win one of the last two, the Peach Bowl is a likely destination on New Years Eve for the Cats in Atlanta. If they win both, it's possible that they could be packing their bags for Tampa for the Outback Bowl against Penn State or Iowa. To even be in this position is impressive with everything that this team has gone through. They went through a brutal 3 week stretch early on against Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina and came out of the first five games with a 2-3 record.

They had one of the worst quarters you could ever imagine against Florida, but they battled back to make it a respectable final outcome. The next week, there were more than a few questionable calls that went in Alabama's favor that if not made, would have been a totally different game. The week after that, the Cats' led almost the entire game and Mike Hartline was playing his best game of his career. Then, he got hurt and the Cats let one slip away in a devastating 2 point loss to South Carolina. Just as Hartline had finally solidified himself as "the guy", he gets hurt and the Cats are forced to switch to a three quarterback rotation. Amazingly, the three headed quarterback of true freshman Morgan Newton, Will Fidler, and Randall Cobb each had a rushing touchdown and shocked a 5-1 Auburn team on the road. Morgan Newton would eventually emerge as the primary quarterback as a true freshman and has struggled at times like a true freshman in the SEC should struggle (remember when Matthew Stafford lost to UK and Vandy as a true freshman in 2006?).

But, in the end, Newton has won 2 out of 3 SEC games with the help of Randall Cobb doing just about everything except kicking field goals. Cobb and Derrick Locke combined for 144 rushing yards after the duo both sat out last week's game against EKU. Locke even completed a pass for a gain of 41 yards to Morgan Newton who was lined up as a receiver while Cobb was under center. Cobb made a reverse handoff to Locke, and then Locke found Newton wide open down field. On the very next play, Cobb was in the "Wildcobb" formation again and ran it 21 yards into the endzone to give the Cats a 7-0 lead. Plays like these are ones that need to be called more often from Joker Phillips for the next two years with Randall Cobb. If he's utilized to his full potential, he will emerge as college football's best player by his senior year.

Along with the heroics of Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, Newton has stepped up when his number was called as a freshman quarterback and put UK in a position to possibly play in a very big bowl game. With the announcement that Hartline will have season ending surgery, Newton has the chance to do something that hasn't been done in Lexington in a very long time: beat Tennessee.

"It is a huge step and you can't downplay that in my mind because it's never happened," UK coach Rich Brooks said about reaching a fourth straight bowl game. "But at the same token we're not happy with where we are at this stage. We had a close one get away at South Carolina and we didn't play as well as we're capable against Mississippi State. We'd be looking a lot better right now if we had won one of those. Those were very tough losses but I'm proud of how the team has bounced back. Now we just want to climb the ladder a little higher."

Beating Georgia and Tennessee to cap off the regular season would certainly help the Cats climb up that SEC ladder that Coach Brooks keeps on talking about. In a few years, when Newton is a junior and Randall Cobb is a senior, hopefully the tandem will take this program to the unimaginable next level: the BCS.

"It's significant. We won't be satisfied with a 6-6 finish but we've taken one step from the bottom of the SEC to the middle of the pack and now we've got to build toward the top," senior defensive tackle Corey Peters said.

SUNDAY: BENGALS 18, STEELERS 12

(Photo courtesy of Cincinnati.com)

Last but certainly not least, I absolutely have to give a shout out to WHO DEY NATION! The Bengals completed the sweep today against the defending Super Bowl Champs, and it is in no way delusional now to start talking about the Lombardi trophy coming to Cincinnati. With games coming up against Oakland, Cleveland, and Detroit...the Bengals could be looking at a 10-2 record. Yes, 10-2, (could be 11-1 if not for the immaculate deflection in week 1 against Denver). They could also complete an undefeated season in the AFC North with a win against Cleveland. Then, if they're able to knock off Brett Favre and the Vikings, the Bengals could seriously win out.