I want to float my feelings out there and see if you folks think they make sense, or if I’m imagining, whatever. The reason I think so many lost faith with Rich early, and that so many failed to see his goal was that we really didn’t understand his mission. We might have thought we did, but we really didn’t. Rich was working on a “program” scale. All of it. Top to bottom. And not just the actual program, but the entire entity of UK Football. From fans to facilities.

Joker is doing what we THOUGHT (or at least I wrongly did) Rich should have been doing, he’s working on the “team.” The program is established, if not an SEC contender, it’s the TEAM that needs to take it to the next level, and that’s what he’s doing, IMO. He’s getting guys to believe in themselves and each other. He’s getting them to believe in the coaching staff. He knows, again IMO, that getting this team to love to play the game with each other, and for the coaches, to love the promise of what practice means, and to embrace the confidence that their training is as elite as any and they will be “gameday ready” for any opponent, even florida. I mean, is there anyone here who think those wonderful guys aren’t training harder than ever? Not just on command, but putting in EXTRA time? Pushing themselves? Doing more on their own? You know it has a lot to do with Rock, but if I asked you if you felt that, with no inside knowledge, would you have the same feeling that I do that it’s happening?

That’s my feeling. You know, when Rich was coaching, you could always tell that he never really had confidence that we would beat the Florida’s and Bama’s of the league, you know. He spoke conservatively, and coached the same, and GOD did it fix our program. But you could just predict some losses, because we knew, and he knew, that he didn’t expect or need to win those games, he needed to set trends. He needed to impress a standard, and losses would do that as much as wins, so long as the losses were to top tier teams and coaches and were respectable. It was just getting us out of the basement so that there would be other SEC teams getting used to being the dogs that was important. He got media and fans to respect us.

Joker does not give me that vibe. I believe that Joker is coaching today with a firm belief he can beat Florida, and that the only way he’s going to lose to them is if they get lucky. I’m not suggesting he lacks respect. I’m saying he’s not gonna think they should lose to Florida until after they HAVE lost to Florida. It’s a subtle but significant difference.

It’s just a feeling I’m getting. This TEAM may lose games, but it will not be because they played second best, or were coached second best, or had second best abilities or talent. At least, that what I think THEY will believe for the first time.

That’s it. That’s my thoughts. Did I make any sense? Look forward to hearing from you. GO CATS and GO JOKER!!!

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It’s awesome to us that UK is playing well, and looks good (no jinx, cross fingers) to be in the FF or win out, but that’s just not a story they’re interested in.

I think that’s why that, every chance they get, media groups are looking for a reason to make a story out of nothing. I mean, Cornell versus Kentucky, and you’re pitching “Brains versus Brawn”? Cinderella stories are great, but c’mon. I’m no conspiracy guy, but I do understand bias, and if our uniforms had read Kansas, the lead to that game would be “Cornell next bump in the road as KU marches to Indianapolis”. But no, it’s brains versus brawn. It the smart veterans against the young talent. It’s every story and thought about why Cornell could knock of UK, when the entire idea was so stupid it hardly bore repeating. And, so I wonder, as I watch this tournament, what’s going on with these guys, and it hits me. This tournament has a story, but it isn’t the one they want to tell. They wanted a certification of Kansas’s greatness, and it’s gone. They’d love to have Coach K get vindicated for his underwhelming finishes the last few years.

Now they’re looking at these Cinderella’s, IMO, HOPING one of them does something unheard of so that can be the story. All of that when the obvious story is so easily clear that the only way for them not to run with it is by choice.

Am I making sense? I’m struggling to find the words for it, but you know there’s just a ..lack of enthusiasm from the big sports media market about the story at hand, ya know?

The way I see it, here is the real story. UK, after two years absence from the dance and a season ending in an early NIT defeat, fires it’s coach, goes out and makes a match with one of the most powerful coaching personalities in the game, who then brings in a recruiting class that may be one of the, if not the best ever assembled, and puts a team with three freshman starters on the floor, takes that team back to number one in the nation, never falls below three, wins the SEC regular season and conference tournament, locks up a number one seed in the NCAA tournament, and is on pace toward the Final Four and possibly the national championship.

I mean,.. does anyone think that sounds familiar? Because I remember only a few years ago when Ole Roy had damned near this SAME story at UNC and it was THE story of the entire dance. Does anyone else remember it that way? Big name coach, brings the program back to glory, and all that? Anyone seeing anywhere NEAR that kinda coverage or spin on this?

I mean, I k now we get some props, but that’s not what I’m getting at. There was never a reason, NONE, to try to make Kansas the story of this year. You get me? There was nothing remarkable about what Kansas had to offer. Outside of a good freshman playing for them, and twin brothers, they were just a veteran, talented, big twelve team. They didn’t have to climb mountains. They didn’t have to rebound from anything.

I’m going to predict something that I hope I am very wrong about. If UK wins it all (no jinx, crossed fingers) I expect ESPN to spend a much shorter than usual amount of time in the post tournament coverage debating how great this season was. My fullest expectation is that they will only give the legs required to be credible concerning the matter, given that it IS the biggest event in major sports now, but then drop it like a hot potato and look into the NFL draft, very quickly. We won’t see the great replays about it, and we won’t hear from experts who were thrilled to have seen it, and etc.

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To put it bluntly, Cal was sandbagging.

No question about it. No doubt in my mind. Flat out, SANDBAGGING. This team has just sort of muddled it’s way through the season. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they were bad, they just kinda… went game to game, sometimes big, sometimes small, but just really sorta operated with a “shoot it and we’ll go get it attitude. Obviously worked to the tune of over 30 wins. But what we saw LAST weekend?.. No.

UK didn’t just have energy. I think most of us felt like they were just playing together the whole year for THIS tournament. To make their show here. But what we saw, was an exhibition. We saw meaningful cuts. We saw movement. We saw speed. We saw shooting. We saw passing. We saw depth.

Play a zone. Go right ahead. This team is ready. Play man to man. Play 6 on 5 if you think you can get away with it, because that will still only let you stay in the ballpark. It won’t get you a guaranteed win.

Cal was lying to the world. Just lying. He sat back. He kept his cards close. He low balled his way into this tournament, and now he’s putting it on display. And I mean all of that in the most respectful sense.

Like I posted in another thread on the board, and well before Kansas got their humble pie, and in SPITE of the ESPN twits, There is a biggest, longest, strongest, tallest, fastest, deepest, and most talented team in this tournament. And that team has “Kentucky” on its jersey.

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Allow me to entertain you with a bit deeper analysis of my predictions, and I’ll use some examples to show you what I mean. BTW I’m going to use layman’s terms, but some of you may know exactly what I’m talking about and may know what ideology I’m referring to. If so, no problem. But, I think it’s time I did a little bit of explaining as to WHY I’m so adamant in my evaluations. Plus, it might convince you that I’m not just pulling my opinions directly from my behind without a slight bit of filtering…

If there’s one thing that my considerable training on human traits and leadership has taught me, it’s that everyone has strengths. And, when those strengths are matched to the job right, it can be dynamic. and when they aren’t, it can be disastrous. To use one particular idea, there are four basic personality types. Some are thinkers, some are doers, some are collaborators, etc. you get the idea. Well, I’ve been thoroughly tested, and I am a doer. I’m a guy who specializes in crisis management, and immediate decision-making. *I* am better at evaluating plays and playcalling than Joker. That’s right. I said it. I DO know football, maybe not as much as some, but I know the game like it was my wife. I can look at a defense, and tell you what a good play might be in seconds. I can also tell you what a bad play might be at the same time. I say might, because sometimes, even the wrong play can be made good with good playmakers.
Now, I can do that and do it well. What I do NOT do well, is interpersonal management. I’m not someone who has the inspirational personality. I come off as direct, and abrasive, even when I don’t mean to. IT’s the way I’m wired. But, in a crisis, people are glad I’m around because I can make immediate decisions to manage the problem. But, this isn’t about me, it’s about Joker…

Joker IS NOT like me. Joker is not a crisis manager, and that’s what makes him a generally poor playcaller. He is however, a good leader. He can get the most out of people because he can manage them and their feelings. He comes across as a family member, not a boss. And that’s why I think he’ll make a good head coach.

Now, let me give you an example that should clarify why I believe you need doers as coordinators, and leaders as HCs. Florida State. Think about Florida State. Imagine Bobby on the sideline, or after the game. Remember the way he was? A salesman. The guy could sit down with anybody and make them comfortable. Make them believe him. You agree?

Now, think behind Bobby. Think Mickey Andrews. What did he look like during a game? Chewing the gum rapidly. Barking out orders. Never still always moving. He’s a kinesthetic doer. Are you starting to see what I’m getting at? They were perfect for each other and the team. It was the perfect fit.
Now, this is not to say that a doer can’t make a good coach (Urban Meyer) or that they WILL make a good coach (Charlie Weiss), but the best programs tend to have AT LEAST doers as head men or coordinators (Saban), or they have a leadership guy (Brooks) in charge that gets everyone to work well together.

BUT when teams inevitably go wrong is when they DON’T have a doer as a coordinator/playcaller. This has been the Achilles heel of UK for years now. Both Phillips and Brown are not critical thinkers. They are not crisis managers. They have milder personalities and are more interpersonal oriented. This leads to conservative decisions and playcalling. It just does.
UK needs to have DOERS as it’s coordinators. On both offense and defense, you have to have guys who think quickly, can adjust on the fly, and will gamble as often as they can, as opposed to as little as they can. Not that you need to onside kick it at the Swamp after you just scored, but things like CORNER BLITZES. 1st down hitch and go’s for the TD. Those type of things.

Joker is a collaborating type guy. He’s a guy who can bring people together and make them like him. Which is a great thing for leadership, but not for playcalling. In playcalling, you need guys who flourish under pressure. Like pit bulls and pain, they just wag their tail faster when the pressure increases. That’s what UK needs.
Sanders will be that guy, I think. (hope) His personality is more suited to the bang bang, and when he’s in the box making the calls, he’ll be better at making adjustments. I almost guarantee it.

Now, after that long walk in some minor psychology, back to the point. I’m behind Joker, and think he will do well. But, I can almost guarantee you that, unless he goes and gets a doer for his defense, he’s never going to get over the big hump. I still think he’ll be successful, maybe get an 8 win season here or there, but he’s never gonna challenge for the SEC, U-N-L-E-S-S…. Brown makes a dramatic change in his personality/philosophy and starts being a doer. To be frank, that’s just not likely.

Joker should be fine, and may be great. But, he’s gonna have to look past his feelings when it comes to Brown, IMNSHO, and realize that Brown is not a compliment for him. He needs a guy like Chuck Smith as Def Coordinator. Chuck is a doer. He’s a run the sidelines, screaming out stuff coach.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it, even if you disagree.

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This whole season was really Clemson’s season to be at their best. They had the experience and depth, particularly at the skill positions on both sides of the ball, and they had their speed. They were supposed to be a 10 win team. They weren’t. And, they weren’t because they just aren’t.

UK, on the other hand, came into this season with many of us debating whether this team was even a six win team. Most of us fell between 6 and 8. Yea, lo verily, we got 7. But, we never anticipated a true freshman QB winning three conference games. Not for a minute. And our receivers are still a group of young guys who, even though we’ve played a season, still haven’t gathered that much experience. We’ve had to run the ball so much (and it was good) that none of these guys, even Cobb, posted number like they could have if we had a more experienced and confident QB.

Well, now we will. I think this pause and practce will be take alot of pressure off Morgan. I think with the time to ONLY have to watch film on one team, and having the luxury to take 5 days a week to throw all the reps he can to all his recievers, learn their timing, get to know their speed, I think UK may well emerge a different team for this bowl game.

I think Clemson will be good, but they have ONLY the lowest level of performance of our team to look back on and reflect. They really, truthful, CAN’T possibly know how to scheme for this team because there has been so little game footage of this team getting to play well as a unit. The only thing they will definitely know is that our O-line is really good, top ten good, but that really only tells you you may have send extra people, to get pressure. They are only gonna know Locke is fast, and Cobb is dynamic. Beyond that, they have no idea as to the capabilities and potential of the rest of our offense.

–I’m starting to like the idea.

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I mean, I know Kansas is good, but… they just aren’t capturing the heart and mind. Even as much as I HATE UNC, you just knew, last year, that they were on a mission and there was almost no one who was going to stop them? Ya know? I get the same feeling here. Not for the same reasons, of course. Not for having a group of seniors stick to it, and pledge to come back. But, kind of a feeling that the basketball universe WANTS to be righted again. UK is rebounding back to it’s place with an immediate gusto that will be repayment for several long years of tedious mediocrity.

Look at ESPN. Look at their top headlines. Out of all that’s happened…. “UK moves up to number 3″. That tells me that even THEY are watching and waiting. I get the sense the entire basketball world is watching UK come back to the top, and have only ranked them below the top so that the program will have somewhere to go, to create the story. To create HIstory.

I’m not saying they won’t lose… I’m saying it feels like they may not. And, I can be one of the biggest doubters in the world. But, I don’t think this team will lose big games. I don’t think they will fail to be up for them. The only games I’m worried about are trap games like Vandy, or USC. I would be willing to wager heavily, today, that this team (barring things I won’t mention because they don’t exist in this world) will beat Florida and Miss St. I think they will be longing to punish UT. That’s a personality game, and the players can see, will know, that they are playing for their coach’s hunger there.

I just get a weird feeling. I won’t say I even remotely think it’s probable,…but I do think it’s it’s possible. We may be looking back on an undefeated season.

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Yes, yes. Each of us has our opinion of the staff and some of the calls that we’ve seen. We have questions about what we did or didn’t do to win. But, it hasn’t escaped me, and I hope it hasn’t escaped you, that this program, and we the fans, have quietly, gently, moved away from the “doomed loser” mindset we had for so many, many years, and into the mindset that we are competitors, capable of winning, with reason to invest hope in winning.

We are not, of course, Florida, or Alabama. We know that. But, it’s not as simple as what we are that’s important, it’s what UK is not. UK and it’s fans, are no longer the homecoming queens. We are no longer schedule fluff. And I want to tip my hat to all the coaches, and all the players here, and gone on, who have worked so hard to get us here from there.

If you recall, only a few years ago, UK was looked at in the similar fashion that we regard EKU, ULM, and the teams that UK is better than. A scrimmage you plan to win. We are no longer that team for all our opponents, with only IU and UL not expecting to win against us. We no longer are the team with that level of talent. We are a team that made Alabama work to win on their home field. We are the team that can now beat Auburn, beat Miss. St., beat Ole Miss. We are a team that is winning bowl games against other winning teams. We still have to work to do it, and we can lose to those teams, just as well. But, there can be no question that this UK program has achieved what we hoped to achieve. We are established winners.

UK has won the respect of the media in this process, as well. We no longer are a team that they immediately dismiss as being a possible ranked team. Now, we know that, if we have a good season, they don’t find it unthinkable to put a top 25 number beside our name. They may not do it as quickly as they would FSU, but they are certainly more willing to do it than they ever would have considered 6 years ago.

Win lose or draw on these last two games, this season has finally made it happen. We can believe. We can now look for upcoming players that will guide us into rankings, as opposed to hoping to develop players to achieve respectability. We are a winning team, in the best conference in football, with tons more media exposure than we had ever imagined we’d get.

It’s happened, guys, and hats off to Rich for it. We are winners. It’s not an accident. And, I’m so happy to say I got to live to see it.

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Later, in the locker room, there is a crowd of reporters around the coach, and he again gives a tirade in defense of his team. Reporters ask about the big call, and the coach tells his side of it. The reporters scribble furiously, and the next day the teams local papers describe the robbery in detail. The other teams papers reinforce their teams dominance in victory. And the national media throws in a few cliff notes and pronounces the winner, regardless of the smaller issues in the game.

Ahh.. Those were the good old days. Freedom of speech for everyone. Freedom of press for every journalist. Like looking back at a mural of american past, the sportsworld and all it’s fanfare and the fans, much like the nation. Its government. Its voters. And the political shoptalk that colored the men and women of America in barber shops and boutiques across the land.

Welcome to the new millennium. The enlightened era. The government seeks to censure opposing views. Seeks to blackball journalists who don’t carry the party line. And to eliminate opposition of government philosophy in a manner that speaks more of Mafiosi strong-arm tactics than any belief in the conviction that the righteousness of their position will undoubtedly prevail.

Look today at the SEC. A body grown rich and powerful by it’s monopolistic enterprises. A body once a partner of the institutions that shared in glory and shame, now turned tyrannical ruler of it’s participants in a way not seen since corrupt monarchies that once marked most all the world’s nations.

Today, the SEC has issued a decree. And Let’s be frank about what the decree is. It is a statement. “We own you.” That’s the beginning and end. Not “We are partners with you.” Not, “We are joint entities.” No, the message was clear. “We have examined the breadth and depth of the state of this conference and have determined we have the might-bestowed right to injure you for your speech, TRUTH NOT WITHSTANDING.” “It matters not if we murder in the streets. It matters not that we steal, lie, or cheat. We are the government of these institutions and we have decided that no grievance we legitimately visit upon you, trumps our right to dictate your freedoms.”

Weep. Weep for more of the fall of America.

Imagine, if you can, the effect this decree would have had on Bear Bryant, Adolph Rupp, and the many, many others of legendary coaches who have walked gridiron or hardwood. Think of the fiery personalities that made them the legendary leaders. The will they exuded. The many quotes and statements they made that were scribbled or taped into infamy. Peers of the game, they were. Think of the statement that Adolph Rupp made when he rebuked the, then not so powerful, sports governments will, and flatly refused to allow his team to participate in their invitational tournament, due to punitive actions they intended to impose that he found unworthy. A statement of strength. A statement of individuality. A Declaration of Independence, if you will.

Where would you find such a will, today? Institutions have sold their rights for profit. And those profits now make them slaves incapable of asserting the rights they willfully squandered, and are now irrevocably beyond recall.

So, where does this last step leave a coach? Where does this leave a program? Where does this leave a fan base? We have no voice. The program surrendered it’s voice. And the coach has had his voice stolen at career knifepoint. Where does this leave us? What’s next for this family run by the controlling Don? He has silenced the critique of players with threats to their career, education, and lives. He has silenced the coaches in a single fell blow with the same. He has created Judas like disciples of the thirteen member institutions with the promise of empty silver.

What will he do next? It seems impossible that he could exclude journalists from media conferences, after they perhaps wrote an unfavorable piece on official conduct, game outcomes, or league maneuvering, doesn’t it? It seems impossible to think that he would reach through his puppeteer institutions and ensure that no contradictory opinion or conclusions can be uttered, doesn’t it?

Where does that leave us? The last bastion of hope. The last layer of desperation. A courtroom. Imagine it. You cannot achieve justice with written or spoken language. Perhaps the last thing we have is the presence of “evidence”. Why not? Each game is taped. Every game shown to thousands and thousands of witnesses. Are we now left to where, at the end of a season, a team like Arkansas, looks back to the bowl slot they were guaranteed barring the obvious misconduct or negligence. Might they then sue the SEC for the loss of revenues due to those issues? There will be ample video evidence. And little reason to think that justice will be achieved in the minds and hearts of men who, once upon a time, could be made to feel shame.

Then again, if you own billions of dollars of institutions, censure public figures, dictate arbitrary punishments to programs, coaches and player, you can probably buy your way into a courtroom as well.

Weep.

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Then again… USC does make the PAC 10 a lot of money… and they ARE sort of the premier West Coast program. But, that has nothing to do with it. The PAC 10 and the NCAA have thoroughly investigated the matters and I have it at the highest confidence that several people will be receive probationary imaginary hand slaps that will clear this all up so that NCAA can get it’s attention back to the really important violators, like UK and the infamous JOHN WALL!!!

There’s dirt here. We might find that he’s being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by an agent while attending USC.. err UK and that can’t be tolerated!! This is serious. He may have taken trips, had some clothing bought for him…!! The list goes on. The next thing you know he might be out shoplifting while he’s attending FSU….errr UK! And that can’t be allowed!! He might be out driving drunk and literally putting people LIVES at risk while he’s here at Michig….er UK. And that CAN’T happen!! Hell, this kind of criminal might be hanging out robbing people while he’s here at USC…errr Texas A&… I mean UK, and damn if that can stand!

There are big issues facing the sporting world of college athletics. Crime. Embezzelment. Dirty dealings. And there is no better place to look for those things than at UK! Yesssirree! I sure do look forward to the day we have a program that is run as cleanly and with the kind of clear cut classical American patriots that these other programs recruit, endorse, and employ.

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When this season started, we each and all looked down the roster and made predictions, sight unseen with no idea what Georgia was going to have or no idea if Alabama would recover an offense.

Let me emphasize the point. You went into this season and already had pre created excuses for losing to teams. Most of them based on information you could only assume.

I came into this season believing something that i was happy about. I was crowing it. i was happy to say we could win 8 games. why? Because i knew that the tired old excuses shouldn’t apply. i knew we had the talent. to beat every team? no. Yo beat any team? Yes.

We’re five games into this season, and I stand here to tell you that we’re not some vastly inferior team to Alabama. We have a better team, with better talent than South Carolina. We have a team that was not intimidated in the slightest by playing at USC. Did you notice that?

Our offensive line has handled these great national powerhouse defenses and given up…5 sacks. Despite the immensity you preemptively prescribed to our opponent’s defense…5 sacks in….5…games. But, you knew that when you looked at that schedule back in august and inked in losses didn’t you?

We ran for over 200 yards versus South Carolina. But, you knew that back in august didn’t you?

You’ve watched the same games i have. You’ve seen the teams. You’ve seen Alabama and South Carolina win games, Not because they shredded our defense, not because they blew up all our plays in the backfield, not because they could out run us, not because their players were stronger, not because their line dominated our line, not because their qb could beat our corners none of that. They won because we let them win. A few covered assignment ons kickoffs and we win one, and make the other a 1 score game.

This may be too subtle for some to grasp. We are better than South Carolina…. did you hear that? We are better than South Carolina . Try it out. We are better than South Carolina. Try it again, we are better than South Carolina. Again we are better than South Carolina. Again, we are better than South Carolina,. AGAIN We are better than South Carolina. AGAIN WE ARE BETTER THAN SOUTH CAROLINA. IN EVERY WAY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL WE ARE BETTER THAN SOUTH CAROLINA.

We were better coming into the game. We were better during the game. we were better after the game. We are better RIGHT NOW IN PRACTICE!! Say it again, because it’s true. WE ARE BETTER THAN SOUTH CAROLINA. We are better than the team everyone picked to finish behind Florida. We are better!

Don’t waste time wailing about our two corners. That’s a lie. You can sit here and come up with that and then say that if Hartline isn’t hurt, we win. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE IF THOSE CORNERS WERE SO CRITICAL? BECAUSE WE ARE BETTER THAN THEM!!

Yet I almost guarantee that when you looked at this game, you just knew we were gonna lose because they were better than us.

And that’s what disappoints me the most. Not that we lost. But that you lost this game in your heart without ever being willing to realize that we really, actually, have the better team. You had excuses before the season began about why we would lose this game, and damn near none of them could have been true. Then we lose our corners before hand and our starting QB during the game, and that just conveniently fit your need for an excuse for the loss, without you ever bothering to realize that we are the better team. Our lines are better. Our QB was better. Our linebackers were better and it TOOK those corners being out and that QB getting injured for their healthy, at home team to miracle away a win by two points against us. We out sacked them. We out blocked them. We out ran them. WE ARE BETTER THAN THEM.

That’s the disappointment. UK fans just and coaches.. accepted these losses before hand with excuses that you were practicing before the game started, and you never took the time to realize you had no right or reason to do so. We ARE the better team.

Now put away your excuses for this Auburn game. Don’t be ashamed to recognize that you have a good team and you can expect to win this game. I’ve seen Aubuurn play and I’ve seen who they played. They are not better than we are. i know it. i believe it. YOU need to know it. YOU need to know. More importantly, you really need to believe it. UK over Auburn. 31 -24.

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