It’s NOT Business, It’s PERSONAL!

Happy “SUPER TUESDAY” CatLand! Ya’ll ready to put that #1 ranking on the line @ 9 & defend it like NoCats Business?!
I’m so past ready! We deserve this ranking more than any other team in the country right now & I’m hoping that the Cats conduct a ROAD STYLE CLINIC to emphasize the point! It’s not just because we know they deserve it. NO, for me, this has become PERSONAL. 

As a Cat by birthright, I’m used to all the negativity & hatred for the Wildcats & Big Blue Nation. Like many of you, my skin is riddled w/wrinkles & cracks but tougher than leather.
I professed my love for this team last week & like w/any & all things I love, I defend w/a fiery passion. Yes, I’m reveling in the hatred & envy we are once again receiving, but there comes a point in time when Kudos & Props are due! In our case, it’s quickly becoming Long Past Due & I’m going to start tallying the fines of the naysayers, haters & wannabe’s.

I think the thing that irks me the most is this WEAK argument of Kentucky hasn’t played anyone—- Okay, it’s all well & fine to have that opinion, but quit tryin to pass it off as a legitimate fact! The numbers don’t work in this arguments favor & the key witness is the SOS of the other Top 5 teams. I won’t even go into the Kansas schedule, it doesn’t take a basketball expert to see that their schedule is the laughin stock of the NCAA world this season. Yet, here the ACC chumps over on that Nazi Network aka espn is taunting them as the rightful #1. Question? Since when does the ACC  fall in love with the Big 12????? I think I’ve solved that mystery….. and the answer falls within an old cliche—-> The Enemy of My Enemy is my Friend. Don’t look now but the BLINDING HATRED by the powers that be is becoming more & more brazen, obvious & forthright. The characteristics that we, as Cat Fans, have known existed for years are beginning to solidy themselves from Paranoia to FACT. When the upper ranks of the college bb world begin to make off handed comments & suttle observations, you then finally know that YES, YOU ARE NOT CRAZY! (Well most of us, Mark—it’s okay hon, we love ya & would never disown ya. Every Family has Weird Ducks & you’re one of the more livelier ones!) Coach Cal~ is aware of this too…you can catch it all the time in his jabs when playing Meet The Press. Who all has he gotten at now??? I’ve lost count. But to date, my fav. was the WWII remark directed at that Creepy Old Notre Dame Coach, Digger. <— who by the way, will never let it go that we were always better than him & his Irish. ( 4-12 is the record btw) Digger is just one of a gazillion examples. Now the problem is this….. for those younger whipper snappers (not just w/in the BBN) The motivation is totally lost in translation simply because they don’t know their History & tend to look at the more popular analysts as the Be All End All truth in the wide world of sports with the result being what we’ve known for years, PREJUDICED, BIASED, SENSATIONAL JOURNALISM not only passed off but ACCEPTED AS PURE FACT. It disgusts me to NO END! Of course, I’m smart enough to know that this is a never ending battle that the BBN will NEVER win, but at the same time I refuse to sit idly by & allow these Haters to rage on w/o giving them my .2 worth.

You know, before Cal~ came here, YES! I was one of the Nations biggest finger pointers in regards to his record. And the 1st to shout out the words CAMBY & CHEATER! Ain’t it funny when the NIKE is on the other foot, you begin to look around for the facts of the matter? And then POOF! You discover that you were indeed wrong! That’s part of being a typical fan. However, it has taught me to look & look again when hearing & reading the supposed NEWS in college basketball. And when it comes right down to it, overall, we are generally GUIDED to misinformation & sensitized to the point that it becomes ACCEPTED information!

Now ya’ll know I LUVTHOSECATS but have the mindset that a loss or two is always, always good for TOURNAMENT DANCING. For once in my FELINE 9 LIVES, I HUNGER for an UNDEFEATED SEASON! Not just for that Banner #8 but out of sheer damned SPITE & We’ll show you attitude! I hope that same attitude resonates w/our Cats & Continues to make its presence known w/command & authority. I happen to love Boogie’s opinion—- “Us Against The World.” That’s right CUZ! In the end, banner or not, that’s the way it’s always going to be.

So, I say take everything we can & give nothing back!
1 world is going to become 1 BIG BLUE NATION! LIKE IT OR NOT!!! LOVE US OR HATE US you can’t deny one thing…..
WE’RE BACK, WE’RE BAD, WE’RE THE TEAM YOU WISH YOU HAD!
GO CATS
GO CATS
GO BIG BLUE!

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

It’s official. I’m T totally 100% in love w/this team. I’ve always loved the Wildcats, it’s my family, friends & life all rolled into one. But every so often a team comes along, sneaks in, grabs your heart & runs w/it. Unlike the 96 Cats that delivered the Love @ 1st sight along w/my 1st love syndrome, the 09-10 team flirted, toyed & snuck in like a theif in the night w/a Big Thuggie Bear sealing the deal w/his 4 mos. old Peyton antics.

This team is setting itself apart from its predecessors in that they are forming an identity with characteristics of unity, compassion, involvement, & humanitarianism . I’ve told you in the past that there is no Coach better working w/these types of student athletes. Cal~ is not only bringing out the best in them on the court, he’s growing them emotionally as men leading by example. There is no doubt in my mind that every member on this team is going to contribute to society as a whole & will take pleasure in doing so in some way or another.
Just another ingredient in the kettle of Champions recipe.
Yes, Cal~ organized the Hoops for Haiti, making sure our Cats took on the active role, but you can’t make one enjoy & embrace such a role. It was obvious they did!
Maturity grew 10 fold yesterday & Mark My Words…. you will see it bear fruit on the Court, proving that all baskeball lessons aren’t learned in practices & games.
A heart of a Champion presented itself last night. Nevermind the struggle w/putting teams away early or the sluggish perimeter defense… these things will come w/time as they are growing up right before our very eyes. Ain’t it fun to watch?! (: It’s January & we’ve got a long way to go before Peak time….. why be in a such a hurry to reach it NOW???? I welcome watching them work through adversity. A lot of Cats were sweating that Auburn game & I heard many a time…… Auburn’s comin back on em, Auburn’s comin back on em —- to which I CONFIDENTLY replied “No, they’re not.” I know it makes many of us uncomfortable to watch them squander away the lead & play down to the competition …. you ever stop & think that this may indeed be this teams style & identity. It may very well be. Puts Me in the Mind of Sea Biscuit— always needing the challenge Neck To Neck to bring out his best.  Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral -1938 Match Race Pimlico “  “You know everybody thinks we found this broken down old horse & fixed him. We didn’t, he fixed us.  And I guess in a way, we fixed each other.”
Honestly, I hope they develop the skill of the KO punch, but we may all haft to realize that you don’t necessarily haft to EXCEL at every skill to get the W.
I’ve eluded many times to this being a Championship team. I’m starting to buy stock in it & if the Banner Market goes Belly Up so be it! It just seems we are watching History being made before our eyes. And I’m a firm believer in you get back 10 fold what you give.
I’ll end this w/some Kudo CatKisses to our King. BRILLIANCE Cats, BRILLIANCE PERSONIFIED. He’s smart enough to recognize the power at his hands & uses it for the greater good. That is LEADERSHIP. Do you realize that we just sent 500,000 dollars more to Haiti than the NY YANKEES!
WE’RE WINNERS on & off the court. And will be justly rewarded not just in March but for Life.
Coach Cal~ is showing the world just one of the few reasons we are the Flagship of College Basketball & why we SUCCEED.

On The Way To 8!
LuvThoseCaliCats!
Ms.Cats~

What’s in a Ranking?

HAPPY NEW YEAR CATLAND (:
After a long, delightful, frenetic Holiday I’m finally gettin back to what I do best ….. expressing my opinion.
Question of the day—- What exactly is in a ranking & if it doesn’t matter as much as we profess, then why all the fuss?

I think this one is fairly simple. It’s called for the sake of argument. It provides the media, fanbases & coaches w/the opportunity to convey their biased favoritism through subtle gloating of We are better because the numbers say so! If it works out on paper/computer, well then it’s law. WRONG. Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200. Game after game refutes this equation if not shreds it to pieces. The REAL NUMBERS coming from the stats says it all.
This is common knowledge, I’m not tellin you anything new– so then WHY do these rankings carry so much weight or better yet, WHY do we let them? Again… for the sake of argument & at the very best a reasonable base to establish where a team should fall. Problem w/that base is another B word—-> Bias. I think we can all agree that the presence of bias compromises a true base line. So how should teams be ranked? No, I don’t have the answer to that one…. although it would be nice to see a weekly guide by Las Vegas & the folks that don’t watch at all. (One of the grand mystery’s of the sports world, I might add— how do they do it? LOL We who live, eat & breathe this stuff always seemed to be trumped by the fella next door that says…. OOOH I like this team, they have a cool mascot). <—- That’s a whole other subject & I’m rambling as usual.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have some sort of basketball Geiger counter to measure a team peaking??? That is the trick going into March. FTR: We aren’t even close to peaking & that’s a good thing— We don’t want to see that till the beginning week of March @ the earliest Last week of February.
The funny thing about these rankings is every once in awhile they are pretty close to being right. Like now.
Kansas is exposed & opening up the big 3— Texas moves to #1 (don’t get too comfortable you will be evicted & whisked back in several times throughout this season.) & We come @ #2. I’ve always said 2 is better than 1, so I’ll hang on to this concept w/all claws going into Tuesday night’s swamp land. I also think it is a fair assessment. Okay this is about unbiased as ya can get because those of you that know me well — know I don’t put too much stock in Rick Barnes…. he chokes year after year & his teams peak way way too early. Their conference plays a big part in his failures. The nightmare is—— patterns, streaks break all the time & playing the law of averages you are eventually going to exceed expectations. CatLand, I’m going on record now saying I believe this is the year Texas will do this. In spite of conference, past & coach— this team is for real. They mirror us in every way except they are veterans. <—- This scares the h*ll outta me. They play w/a passion & they play possessed. A wicked nasty combination. I give credit where credit is due — doesn’t mean I suggest we cash it in & hand them the goods. What I am saying is this ….. if things continue we are in for one EPIC Championship entanglement w/that bunch. We just got rid of one Texan— I don’t want to see that vindicated by another! GRRRRR………
If we’re peaking in March like we should be—- even Texas is in for a mighty hurt.
Experience is going to reap solid rewards by that time— so let the rankings say what they want—- they are going to see saw like crazy in the coming weeks. We’ll even have our time at #1 before it’s all over with, trading off with Texas from time to time. Out of the “Big 3″ kansas is the less formidable & will display as such in their win/loss column. Question is—- who slides into this party??? If ya think about it…. there is a handful of teams w/quality W/L records right as I type—– but overall, Parody has taken center stage this season …… after the Big 3 you have a considerable drop off.
All that plays into our favor. We go from NIT to National Title Contender, Our Coach is saying & doing things that force you to rewind, review & think—– This clip will be aired a 1000 times after we win the title—- LIVING HISTORY. More importantly we have a team of all stars that possess a DIE HARD WILL TO WIN & our finding ways to accomplish that desire. Funny thing is— we are so young that we don’t have enough sense to stop & respect our competition & exhibit a lil fear —–that’s what NORMAL freshman do—– WE DON’T. And you won’t find me complaining one bit. This can also be our Achilles heel in that I don’t see another beating us—–
I see us beating ourselves. I do believe it’s going to happen & if it takes 2 or 3 times to get it through our heads, then so be it—- it’s all about the journey, finding out who you are & what you are— the Victorious End is not half the fun the journey is.
Enter Cal~ ….. Cats, in this game—- there isn’t another coach out there that knows how to work w/these types of players better than he does. So pour on the extra ingredient x’s 10.
We’re gonna be there— the final chapter is …. will we just be the mighty Goliath contending or THE RETURN OF A CHAMPION? I don’t know bout ya’ll, but I’m sure gonna have fun finding out.
What A RIDE huh?! I don’t want it to ever end.
So let’s not concentrate so much on the rankings— we’ve always been & always will be #1 in the hearts & minds of the Big Blue Nation. Better yet, We’re #1 on all college basketball’s mind right now!
WE ARE KENTUCKY & WE WILL ROAR!

Roller Coaster Ride

HAPPY NEW YEAR CATLAND!
09 has been a roller coaster ride to say the least. And I’ll be the first to stand up & point my finger & call you a liar if you could actually say you knew all along what path our beloved program was going to take.

Snicker Snicker — remember back at the beginning of March what we’re all saying, thinking, anticipating—- “Oh God, just bring on Summer already.” I tell ya the opening of the Big Dance tore at my nerves more than Laettner’s last second shot ever could. And Cats, that’s sayin somethin!
When out in the parkin lot there arose a clatter of sordid beeps & pops …. the word was spreading like wildfire & BIG BLUE NATION dared themselves to get caught up in the moment—- MEMPHIS WAS OUT & RUMOR had it CAL~ WAS IN. Those millions of beeps & pops albeit a Memphis NewsCast’s chat room adorning the INFAMOUS DOOR in all its BIG BLUE WONDER teasing us, tempting us, demanding the attention of 1000’s…… with every swing it made the MIGHTY NATION that had fallen held its collective breath ONE MORE TIME.
Less was in Awe, Memphis was in Shock & BIG BLUE NATION was
INSPIRED!
The battle raged for what seemed like an eternity leaving in its wake a terrific twist of irony that no Cat Fan could ever dream. What started w/a “plane” leaving Florida 2 years ago transcended itself into the ENCORE of the Big Dance led by BIG BLUE NATIONS PLANE taking off in Memphis & arriving in KENTUCKY!
THE RETURN OF THE KING.
Ya gotta love it Catland~ we stole the show forcing the BIG DANCE & UofJail to become a mere warm-up act while capturing the minds & imagination of every journalists, analysts, commentator & coach from Sea to Shining Sea. Cats we gave a whole new definition to the word PartyCrasher. The hatred & envy began to swarm from Carolina to Arizona. All with the Signing & Playing of each NEW RECRUIT — We drew in our head each scenario best & bad but it was here, CAL~ was here with ABOUND!           

He dressed all in BLUE, a rather damper Gent I’d say, said all the right things, Gave us new goals to reach & DARED US TO DREAM!
Though some say he’s tarnished w/NCAA scandal, I choose to BELIEVE & Entrust the PRESSURE he can HANDLE!
In the end, it’s really no clue—- HE REALLY GETS IT Just like WE DO!
A marriage no better you’ll be hard pressed to find whilst leaving all the depression behind.

THE KING WILL BE CROWNED January 2nd — what of his arch rival ….. well, that remains to be seen. But all his glory & fame he lusted for ever after has left him only a bitter mean disaster.
Kinda odd how things can change so much in a year. The man many of us chose to Despise, Shun, Belittle & Ignore is no longer a fun target, but rather a pitiful lil soul. Yep, that’s  Kentucky Justice my fine fellow Cats & the evil doer’s are getting theirs AT LAST.

Here we are @ 13-0 with BIG BLUE CAT GRINS & RESOUNDING HO HO HO’s.
Will we go unbeaten? We just can’t say? But dernit we’re havin fun along the way!
SUCCESS is ours & we wear it well, just don’t ever forget the journey took us through Hell.
Appreciate, Have Fun & Enjoy this ride— it’ll be gone in the blink of an eye.
The luxury of being a fan is this— where our Cats can’t look forward, we can with BLISS.
I hope Santa Cat has one last trick & that’s beat down louisville with a BIG BLUE STICK. I don’t want it close, no overtimes, no last second shots although those are all fine…
NO A JAGOFF is what I want to be called as we dine on cardinal leftovers of a 35+ tail stompin.
I LOVE THESE CATS & I LOVE OUR NEW KING!
LET’S STAY BEHIND THEM & HELP GET THAT RING!
GO BIG BLUE!

You Know It’s A Great Year When…..

The Cats are 10-0!

John Wall is the Media Darling & 4 time SEC Freshman of the Week! <—- Eat your heart out Florida!
Dickie V is on the 1 & Done Warpath!
We’re in the Top 5!

Recruits are seriously eyeballing Lexington– Cal Builds, they will come! (:
The Haters are out in full force & Kansas is getting NERVOUS!
Louisville isn’t just stinkin up the place—they flat out SUCK!
Grumblings from discontented Tard Fans are getting louder & JANUARY 2nd is their equivalent to the Mayan Calender Prediction!
Liggins is finally playing & Harris is getting better, stronger, faster <—Bionic Man Style on the D… as if that were possible!
There is LEGITIMATE talk of a #1 Seed although the path to the dance might be less than desired!
Our beloved pets are running for Cover twice week!
Patterson has expanded his game & his bringin the 3 ball!
The 1st of the Border Wars  is nestled neatly under our Tree w/a BIG BLUE W BOW on top!

Yes, I’d say the Grinch does believe in SantaCat & has not only jumped on the Big Blue BandWagon, but has taken over the reigns steering us w/a vengeance into enemy territory to steal their GIFTS & feast on their Roast Beast! (:
HO HO HO Catland– The Dawning of the Cal~ Era never looked so good & I do believe it’s off to a BIGGER start than any of us would have ever allowed ourselves to imagine! TIS GOOD TO BE A CAT YES!

Over the past week, I’ve read several threads, thoughts & opinions regarding Next Season (not just here– everywhere) LOL— typical mindset of a Nation that has acquired the very bad habit of always looking to what next season brings. Time to drop it! (: HAVE FUN & ENJOY THIS SEASON… it’s going by fast enough as it is & is sure to leave us w/plenty to shmooze, oooh & aahh about over the long summer months! We’re on a RIP, ROAR & DESTROY Mission —- I haven’t had this much fun w/KENTUCKY BASKETBALL since the 90’s!! And I know ya’ll haven’t either. That old feelin of hangin on to the edge of your seat is BACK— Win or lose is not the ONLY important thing— THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION is BACK! DO YOU HEAR ME– IT’S BACK!!! And it’s wonderful!! I hate to Lose — Geez, do I ever! Yet still, to run the table in the College BB World now days is almost impossible. BUT, BUT isn’t it nice to once again find yourself wondering WHO CAN beat us? Snicker Snicker!

Besides—– Oh ye of lil faith… Who is our Coach?  The talent will be delivered season end & season out…. not all may be as talented as this bunch…… but it will be there—- and allow yourself to explore the possibility that Cal’s PURRFECT team has yet to emerge—- NOW  THAT’S A SKEERY THOUGHT! <—- never know, and it could be in year 3, year 6, year 8 —— NEVER KNOW! (:  YAY!~
Question?
Who’s got plans for Nashville??? I’m workin on gettin our condo for the SEC Tourney (Crossin Claws it all works out!) & I’m ready to throw down w/the Nation!
A lil years end predictions comin your way—–

1.We’re going to split w/Tennessee. But will have the last laugh in the SEC TOURNAMENT! Me thinks Mississippi St. gets us too <—– Hey Hey Hey, not a bad thing….Can you Say 96? TEE HEE.
2. WE WILL TAKE BACK THE SEC
3. Pitino will be OFFICIALLY dethroned January 2nd & his going out party is GOING TO BE UGLY! VENGEANCE IS OUR’S & SUCCESS IS ALWAYS ALWAYS THE BEST REVENGE!
4. Speaking of lil ricky— he leaves UofJail after this season.
5. The Selection Committee isn’t worried about a UK/memphis match up— they will GO FOR the UK/puke match up as both teams are up to their caliber this season setting us up for an all out WAR! We are on a COLLISION COURSE w/the bluedevils & I don’t know about ya’ll but 98 didn’t vindicate 92 fully…. for that matter, I don’t care how many tail whippins we deliver them (short of an embarrassing blow-out….) that revenge will be HARD EARNED!

Florida Florida Florida— PUHLEAZE….. ya’ll that have been stuck on the I HATE Florida bus, need to get off now—– Go down 2 streets, make a right turn onto 8th Avenue & hop on the KANSAS HAS GOT IT COMIN Bus! Cats, we owe them more whippins than Santa has Elves.
All you Karma in the game believers— let’s play that card for a moment shall we……
Go back & Listen to Cal’s MM Speech— I did & found myself pondering w/a grin— how prophetic!
The winning pieces of the puzzle are FINDING A WAY to fit PURRFECTLY into place. Kansas SOS is far from <— STRENGTH & they also don’t have a skeleton key named JOHN WALL. I credit Self but the Karma pendulum is starting to drastically swing our way. Think of all the beat downs we’ve suffered over the years from them!  EMBARRASSING!!! Every Hawk has it’s day & it’s rapidly approaching.
YOU JUST GOTTA BELIEVE!
We’ve been embarrassed, WHOOPED (yes I said it!), Beat Down, LAUGHED AT & Forgotten.
NOW
Right Hear, Right Now
WE ROAR! WE’RE BACK & Rupp help whoever tries to stop us!
KENTUCKY-kansas is going to happen! The media heads are already doing their exorcist head spin @ the possibility <— The Committee will oblige them. They will snub us & give kansas the Overall 1 <— LET EM!
JUST PUTS MORE FIRE IN THE BELLY!
What a redemption for PAT PAT… Not in ability, not even close (Pat is head & shoulders above him) but his character, his resolve— you know who that brings to my mind?? Reggie Hanson. HE STAYED through the nightmare & made the best of it for not only HIM but the nation. A Final Four <— whadda a reward, huh! (: If so, he deserves it & I will pulling all the way for him to attain it!
Last week I wrote of seeing glimpses of the 96 Cats.
Will the SEC stand up & play its part in building the 2nd Beast? I’m hoping so….. because in order for that Chemistry & Character to be built, we are going to haft to rely on the SEC Curs to bring it, give it & battle us in every aspect of the game. A good SEC will reap the benefits of the freshmen evolving into men, the basketball smarts enhanced & the will to WIN tearing at our chests to be released! This will also add the most critical element to a successful tournament run by not allowing us to peak in January!
MERRY CHRISTMAS CATLAND!
ENJOY THE RIDE!

SNOWMAN POOP in Cryin Roys stockin for the episode w/the fan. You’re a professional — ACT LIKE ONE!
REINDEER DROPPINGS under Self’s tree for actin like Roy & cryin about Xavier’s lack of media attention.

Hmmm…. must be a kansas thing, ya think?

Title 8 is being built at the North Pole ….. will it be ready for a March Delivery?

SantaCat I swear I’ll be good & I’ll never stick gum in the Blue Hairs Seats again…..(crossed claws behind my back!)
LUVTHOSECALICATS!

RAGS TO RICHES~

I was fully prepared for the ending scenario when Walker hit that jumper. With complete confidence, I announced this would be a good L to build upon. Boy, am I TICKLED BLUE they made a liar out of me! (:

The Cats are finding the way to WIN & they’re not doing it quietly. Their youth brings  2 dangerous elements to the game in sheer athleticism, which negates many of the DUMB FRESHMEN mistakes that are expected & the absence of the common sense factor— what I mean by that is … they don’t have enough sense to respect & fear players that command said respect such as Dyson. Ya gotta love it! As nerve racking & hair pulling it is… we haven’t had a legitimate reason to be this excited since the mid 90’s. I cried during the Carolina game & I’m not ashamed to admit it— those of us that have been w/UK since birth/life long UNDERSTAND completely what we’ve been craving and missing for oh so long.
Well….
Crave no more & get your seconds at the buffet. The feast is upon us & the company couldn’t be better. For all you newcomers & bandwagon jumpers straighten up & pay attention…… you’re getting ready to witness KENTUCKY BASKETBALL full throttle, no holds barred, no mercy,  total domination of a fever frenzied BIG BLUE NATION tanked up on FRENZY FUEL being pumped out by this team—  just waiting to explode. THIS IS KENTUCKY BASKETBALL & THIS IS WHAT WE LIVE FOR, THRIVE ON & EXPECT!!!
Thank Rupp we finally hit rock bottom (shaken, not stirred). Through our failures we have learned the toughest of all lessons how to triumph when the deck is stacked against ya in every aspect known to the game.
I have been rather reserved in allowing comparison to our revered 1996 Cats, mainly because that was & is the greatest college team ever assembled. The reservations are slowly starting to raise to comparison. Make no mistake…. these Cats aren’t there yet—-far too many lessons to be learned, but the GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS the clinic passing in the 1st half between Bledsoe & Wall w/Wall on the finish— FREEZE! SNAP SHOT THAT FRAME… REWIND—-> THERE IT IS!!! DO YOU SEE IT???
It’s okay— go ahead trust your instincts “COUSIN” seein is believin! Proof was in the finishing points.
I’m officially shmoozing over this bunch. Can’t call it love just yet & it’s gonna take an awful lot more than these past couple of games to end my love affair w/Derek Anderson & Company but BOY do I ever eat up the flirts & come hithers that this team is giving.
Last night, I gave props to UConn & with good reason. We haven’t faced competition from the likes of which they gave till last night. Fellow Felines THAT TEAM HAS GAME & they brought it & SHOULD BE RANKED HIGHER THAN 12!! The important thing is we weathered the storm w/o Wall & that is going to be absolutely critical down the stretch. Producing w/o him on the floor—– When he went out w/2 fouls I figured that Cal~ was gonna let UConn have their run as long as it didn’t reach double digits, saving Wall for the 2nd. It wasn’t pretty, but they indeed weathered the storm & hung in their like warriors. Especially w/the Zebra’s gettin whistle happy—- which, I believe is one area we’re gonna get better in as the season continues. Fouls are just as much a part of the game & learning how to incorporate them comes w/time. Daniel’s foul out — was an example of a GOOD HARD FOUL & it paid off. LMAO—> although I firmly believe he didn’t aim to do commit it! Still, sent em to the line where 1 was the result rather than a HYPER deuce to blow the roof off the Garden. UConn had to work for those shots…. which is exactly what we want. Make em work, ware em down & then move in for the kill!
We get beat in Rebounding & Assists add to that the momentum was clearly swinging UConn way & STILL FIND A WAY TO WIN…. WALL WALL WALL — Oh whadda a difference a premier point guard makes (anyCat still hittin the sales pitch for Porter? LOL) and although he did it down the stretch establishing himself as our GO TO CAT. Let’s not forget what it took to get there— A SOLID TEAM EFFORT that was turned in by HARRIS (damn that kids brings D!), COUSINS, ORTON & last but never ever least PATTERSON!
One of the greatest things about Wall that is going unmentioned is ——-
HE ELEVATES THE WHOLE TEAM & brings the I BELIEVE’S into their HEARTS & MINDS. I wonder— really wonder …. our we seeing the next MJ coming to the NBA in the form of a ALL SMILES, WELL ROUNDED, INTELLIGENT, EXCEPTIONAL Phenom known as the GREAT WALL of KY?
That’s a big a brag to be sure… but then again… I allow myself to believe & dream ….. and WHAT IF—-
AND BETTER YET…. this one didn’t come outta Carolina— but BIG BLUE NATION & I’m proud to call him ours! (:
Ya’ll I urge you to enjoy this season and embrace it w/everything you’ve got. It’s going to be over in a blink of an eye— it’s already flying by & I don’t wanna miss a thing.

I can’t say enough how much we deserve this. But you know what—- OUR WILDCATS deserve it even more… especially our returning players who suffered through Hell & Humiliation— WIN OR LOSE, in the end…. they indeed have the HEART OF A CHAMPION & our capturing ours with every tick of the clock.
WE ARE KENTUCKY HEAR US ROAR!
Ms.Cats~

How the Grinch Stole CatMas!

Ho Ho Ho Catland! (:
Tis the season to be Jolly …….
Well isn’t it????
Apparently not.
What’s the matter Ms.Cats~? The Cats are off to a PURRFECT Start & Pickin up momentum @ the speed of light w/every practice & game. So why are you in such a BAH HUMBUG Mood this season???
I’ll tell ya why w/1 word.
NEGATIVITY.

Well we better make that a few words to accompany the first. CRITICAL, SERIOUS & SKEPTICAL. By reading some of the comments across CATLAND it appears that many Cats have forgotten or chosen to ignore the real meaning of the SEASON & instead are nestled in their bunkers awaiting the arrival of 2012 (now showing in theaters $10 per ticket)
What gives???
Can we not ENJOY & APPRECIATE this machine in the making that Coach Cal~ is working at?
Never in all my life have I seen such a bunch set on doom & despair.
What? Afraid to dream??? Because that dream may not have the ending that would make for your idea of successful season, which I might add— NoCat completed the assignment & Big Fat 0’s have been handed out.
Where did our backbone & swagger go? Are we supposed to buy into the theory that if we allow ourselves to expect the worst, that the BEST will happen?! I don’t know who started sellin that stock, but I ain’t a buyin it as it’s gonna be dumped quickly.
Look….. we are on track to have one of the better seasons that we have seen in YEARS… IN YEARS CATS!!!
Raise your hands if you were listening when Coach Cal~ told us all that the beginning of the season it was gonna look UGLY & DISORGANIZED for the most part. The man didn’t lie. But yet the team is finding a way to win. Call it escape, call it luck, call it whatever you want but the end result is still the same w/the same approach —–> FINDING A WAY TO WIN!!! An ingredient shared by the 98 team. Admit it, how many times did you count that bunch out? Weren’t you glad to be wrong?!
Now, I’m not sayin this team is gonna win the National Title, but I will guarantee you this —–> WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ONE HELLUVA RUN!
So I’m callin on CATLAND to stop w/the negativity, the doom & gloom, the criticism & ENJOY THE RIDE, LET THEM LEAD US WHERE THEY WANT TO GO! If you don’t, you’re going to miss History being made!!! And won’t have a moment to cherish of it!
CAT FANS BE THANKFUL, EMBRACE THE NEW ERA, BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS TEAM. I CHALLENGE YOU TO SEEK OUT THE POSITIVE & BUILD UPON IT!
Negativity breeds Negativity. Success IS NOT truly success w/o tasting the bitterness of failure, when that failure comes— relish in the dessert awaiting us. If you can’t do this, don’t be a Scrooge & Bah Humbug the rest of the Nation’s CATMAS. We’ve waited a long long time for something like this & don’t deserve to have our DREAMS shattered by a bunch of DOOMSDAYERS!
& keep in mind—-
GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN IF YOU JUST……
BELIEVE!

Now I’ve got MY BIG BLUE SUNGLASSES ON & YES, I DO WEAR THEM AT NIGHT!!! If you lost your’s, please let me know & I’ll make sure you get a pair STRAIGHT AWAY!

ON PATTERSON, ON BLEDSOE, ON ORTON, &  HARRELSON,   ON MILLER,   ON  HARRIS,  ON HOOD  & STEVENSON

TO THE TOP OF THE PORCH

TO THE TOP OF THE WALL

NOW DASH AWAY DASH AWAY ALL!!!
& I heard Cal~ exclaim & he WON out of sight…..

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL & TO ALL A GOOD FIGHT!~

ONWARD UPWARD!
Ms.Cats~

TRUE BLUE THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving Catland:

In honor of our festive holiday…. I’ve put together a lil Top 10 of things that we can all be Grateful for this season… So Raise your cup high & toast the CaliCat Era!

10.   Cheers to Bill, the founder of our feast.  Bill, I know I speak for all of us when I say …. “I can’t thank you enough for caring enough to take the time to set up this community giving us a place to Laugh, Cry, Fight, Argue, Agree & tell tall tales &  share the Spirit of KY BB Family.”   It’s a tireless, thankless job for the most part & many here couldn’t begin to imagine all the time & effort it takes in keeping Catland alive, thriving & growing.   Kudos & Kisses to you CatDaddy, you’re my Hero.  NOW…. please do us all a favor & keep your glass on the table instead of between your legs…. Frostbite on Thanksgivin is definitely a sight I think we can all live w/o.  Course now when New Years rolls around— you may very well find yourself in good company & ifn your lucky an offer of assistance in removal of said glass from… well—-CHEERS!                       

9.  NO MORE WE GOT WHOOPED speeches.  God, isn’t it just top it all to have a REAL COACH again?!  The more I watch our Cats grow & see Cal~ workin his magic the more I fall in love.  We’re gettin our swagger, pride & identity back.  Faster than anyCat could have imagined at that.  Recruits will once again want to take their place at our table.  TIS GOOD TO BE A CAT!  We deserve this & have waited too many years for that bird to finally come outta the oven.

8.  Old Feline Friends & the coming of the New~  Part of the mystique of  KENTUCKY BASKETBALL is the coming together of the young & old, rich & poor, foul & proper, the knowledgable & dumb….around the world making us a breed of our own— 1 BIG BLUE NATION!  Through it all, we have a common bond that is unrivaled by anthing in sports & most cultures in life….. FAMILY, IDENTITY, FRIENDSHIP.  WE RULE! (:

7. Demarcus Cousins—- We’ve waited & waited for his arrival.  Oh sure, we didn’t know his identity but the idea of him has certainly been there!… He’s not just bringin inside presence to the table— he’s bringin it w/a vengeance!  The last several years we’ve had some decent big men but they were lackin that FIRE in the belly/Take No Prisoners attitude electing not to let their size do the talking.

6.  Lit’s You Pick Em’s—- Love em & love the challenges, boasts & brags that accompany them.  Word to Jeffro Nolte— it’s on this year “Sweetheart”!  Get your game face on & Bring it!   Oh & Bama— I’ve seen your picks for week 1…you’re slackin Sunshine—thought you were better than that SNICKER SNICKER.   HO HUM …. who to copy & paste off of??? Well I wonder??! (:

5.  A big CAT applause for Cat8 & his killer video’s.   Whadda way to enhance our board not to mention the ability to visually capture just exactly what is KENTUCKY BASKETBALL.  A treasure to say the least.

4.  JAGOFF! That’s right— you read right!  Fellow Felines, Coach Cal~ has just kicked the Border War w/those tennessee turds up 10 knotches!   I love all his lil suttle jabs…. More Boast & Swagger added to the SEC pot w/a dash of Witness 54 delivered to their door.   WE’RE BACK! TIME TO STRUT LIKE A CAT & MORE IMPORTANTLY ROAR LIKE A CAT! ALL THAT’S LEFT IS THE POUNCE & KILL! (:

3.  THE GREAT WALL OF KENTUCKY THAT PLAYS W/ALL THE PRIDE & HEART IN THE WORLD.  Love him while we can— By March, he’s gonna be one of our greatest Floor Generals!  Perhaps in his retirement, he’ll come back to his Old Kentucky Home. (:

2.  RUPP ARENA IS ROCKIN AGAIN & we shall soon witness RUPP in her finest hour.  Cats, that’s just not expectations, hopes & dreams —- NO, it’s better than that—- IT’S A UNITED NATION W/1 BIG BLUE VOICE!  Oh how sweet the sound!   Sigh~  relish & a reminder to never take for granted what we hold so near & dear to our hearts.  RUPP IS ALIVE AND COME JANUARY TEAMS WILL COME IN FILLED W/LOATHING, DESPERATION & FEAR—-  Have ya’ll forgotten what the sweet stench of fear smells like??? GET READY we’re gonna get plenty of big whiffs! YAY!

Which brings me to #1—-

HOW FITTING IS IT THAT ON JANUARY 2ND— A GRAND CORONATION WILL BE HELD IN OUR BELOVED RUPP & AS THE BAND PLAYS ON ON UOFK  THE TRAITOROUS KING OF OLD WILL HUMBLY BE FORCED TO WALK IN THE SHADOWS OF THE BIG BLUE NATION & THEIR NEW KING!

NOW THAT’S KENTUCKY JUSTICE MY FELINE FAMILY & MAKES FOR ONE DAMN FINE MEAL!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you w/much love & affection.  You Cats rock 1 & all.

CHEERS TO US & THE LONG JOURNEY WE’VE TAKEN TOGETHER.  MAY OUR NEW ADVENTURES BE PROSPEROUS & MAY 8 BE JUST AROUND THE BEND.

LUVTHOSECATS & LUVUGUYS!

Ms.Cats~

LUVINTHOSECALICATS!

Good to see all aboard this mornin—- means no Cat died from stroke last night.
Cal~ has NOT been false advertising & tellin it like it is……. WE NEED WORK & most of the time it’s gonna look like “CHAOS” out there.
I’m not gonna type all that —– we all witnessed it & the same thing has been typed 9 million times over. KEEP IN MIND: “this is not the team you will see in March!”.
That game last night was Catastic as well as absolutely essential. Like Tone says— it’s not gonna be the last we see like that— but I ask you……..
WHAT KIND OF A TEAM IS THAT GONNA MAKE oh let’s say around Late February-March?!
1 WORD….
TESTED!
That 1st hill was a doozy was it not—- okay, show of hands—- who was brave enough to throw their hands in the air & enjoy the ride?
Think about tournament time—– what is the thing that comes to mind???
Who do you always see goin into the tournament a monster????
THE TEAM THAT BEGINS TO PEAK right around Late February that’s who…..
Would ya’ll rather see somethin like this now or a primed, oiled, tickin machine in November—- <---- Those teams usually burn my feline friends.......
This is going to be a wild wild ride for sure.

Eric tried to do way too much last night drivin & all HEY! HE'S A FRESHMAN! I don't haft to tell the majority of Cats on this board that he's gonna have a stellar OOHH AHHH performance one night & come out & just DUH the next...... WE KNOW THIS CATS!!!! REMEMBER THAT!

Defense is gonna haft to get goin----- a lotta those 3's shoulda been contested---- lost on defense..... but as I've typed before the pieces are there....it's just gonna take some time figgerin out where they go.

It's my opinion that we didn't play as poorly as the masses seem to suggest--- TO's were down ... what, 15?
The 1st half was a killer---- but our big men weren't----- they are going to haft to get down mean, nasty & play w/some fire in their belly.
Cousins---- awesome after the powwow w/Cal~ But I'm seein Magloire in this kid..... I think he played soft for worry of fouls in that 1st half. Is it just me or is there a bit of attitude there? Love to see that turned around & transformed on the court. We've got to get on the glass more----- Sure we out rebounded.... but I'd like to see a lot more. Those bigs --- need to play their size. That too will come w/time.

Ball handling needs to be comin along--- we are a way better passing team then what we seen last night.
But again.... it comes down to toughness.... And Folks they had it----
COME ON.... 18 down --- 2nd outing on the court w/youngins..... and we pull the W against a team that came into Rupp playin like a Power Big East team w/the finesse of ACC 3 point shooting. Give those kids some credit-----
I'm gonna tell ya right now--- I don't know how many top 10 woulda pulled off a W against that bunch last night........ they played phenominal. And ECC~ is right.... don't get too caught up w/Rider....... we aren't gonna see another team shoot that damn well again ....sure, they may get hot--- but that was just scary ridiculous shooting.
When the defense gets goin.... that will minimize a lot of that as well.

This was also a GET W/THE PROGRAM game--- stop believin you're unbeatable....... any team can beat any team on any given night.....I seriously hope that lesson was driven home last night.

This teams Talented, Tough & 1 Test under the belly--- WE PASSED!
ENJOY THIS RIDE..... and watch the improvements come....unlike the nightmare of 2 seasons..... I promise you WE WILL ACTUALLY SEE those improvements!

POG--- Gotta give it to Wall --- big time players make big time plays in clutch situation (and all this w/the loss of his Uncle friday night) Kid had a lot goin on last night mentally, emotionally...... and PLAYS W/HEART! -----> along side his talent— he plays w/heart and enthusiasm that we haven’t seen in YEARS! That’s awesome and will spread like wild fire…. Hell, even the Blue Hairs were wild last night…….. that fire, energy & emotion will take off w/the rest of the team….. This kid is gonna be a SENSATIONAL, FEARLESS, YOUNG FLOOR GENERAL! WOW JUST WOW.
Remember he’s human, young & will make mistakes— let’s be brave enough & confident enough to let him.

SHOW ROCKSTAR SOME LOVE THIS MORNIN—- he’s gonna come along just fine…. KUDOS DARIUS…OUTSTANDING EFFORT.

Work to be done for sure— but it’s FUN AGAIN.
I repeat ……
IT’S FUN AGAIN!
“Let them lead us where ever they want to go”

LUVINTHOSECALICATS!
Ms.Cats~

Assignment: Define Success.

SUCCESS:
1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.
2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
3. a successful performance or achievement: The play was an instant success.
4. a person or thing that is successful

Not to be confused w/Expectations.
Expectations:
1. the act or the state of expecting: to wait in expectation.
2. the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.
3. an expectant mental attitude: a high pitch of expectation.
4. something expected; a thing looked forward to.
5. Often, expectations. a prospect of future good or profit: to have great expectations.
6. the degree of probability that something will occur: There is little expectation that he will come.

Clearly, expectations can be weaved right into the oh so tempting but deadly web of Hope.

We all know what the Media thinks– we define Success only in  terms of a National Championship. WRONG! Most of those analysts, guru’s & know it all’s must have been sleepin through English Class & have chosen to take the easy route by labeling & writing w/o all the facts.
Myth:
KY FANS DEFINE SUCCESS as winning a National Title every single season.
Fact: We measure our SUCCESS  on how we compete every season. Here in lay’s the expectation….. for, our definition of compete is a lot of different than — oh let’s say Towson’s. You know what I mean & if I haft to explain well… Go Copy off Hubert Davis when you take your quiz.

So exactly what would a Successful Season entail for the Mega-Talented Cats. A smart Cat knows there are no WRONG ANSWERS to that question but at the same time it delivers a lot of debate & when it’s at its best is HEATED– which is one of the things that makes us HATED BY MANY, REVERED BY THE KNOWLEDGEABLE & ADMIRED BY MOST.
So….. Here is what I’m grading on for a SUCCESSFUL SEASON.
1st off: We’re on our way, the effort is showing great promise of doing exactly what a TOP 10 team is supposed to do—- OBLITERATE CUPCAKES! These games are nothin but glorified practices and as we learn, we are also forcing our opponents to STAND UP & RECOGNIZE. I HEAR THUNDER!!! — now We’ll Wait for Late January to bring the Lightning that will announce the coming Storm that will REIGN down through March! Success always has a beginning….
2. Carolina goes down & we beat them to 2000….. No fret Cats— this will be a WAR, but I’m tellin you right here, right now, tackling them early on & in RUPP— this is the YEAR & WE WILL PREVAIL!
3. Which brings me to UofJail.  This almost by itself has the power to make or break a SUCCESSFUL SEASON. As bad as I hate to admit that, it’s true.
W/that said— YES LOSERVILLE MUST BE BEAT!! BADLY—is most preferred. (:
4. You know,  it does NO justice for the SEC  Conference (as a whole) when KY is down. Like it or not, our conference relies on us to be BIGGER THAN LIFE & WIN, WIN BIG. Let’s face it when the Media looks to the SEC, all eyes are on Lexington.
It’s time to TAKE BACK OUR KINGDOM!!
SEC outright CHAMPIONSHIP & A solid SEC TOURNAMENT RUN is a MUST.
5. Sweet 16 in the Dance. (Remember this is SUCCESS, not EXPECTATIONS)
I really don’t think that’s asking a whole lot but at the same time I challenge them to meet and/or exceed these goals. Rupp forbid, if it doesn’t happen…. Well, I STILL LOVE MY CATS & ALWAYS WILL.
One thing you can rest assure— WE WILL COMPETE & IT WILL BE FUN! Really, you can’t ask for much more– but this isn’t Towson now is it?! (: (Sorry Towson, you’re my whippin boy this week— deal!)

Let’s tap “DANCE” right into that tempting web of Hope & Expectations for a spell.
I EXPECT TO RULE THE SEC
I EXPECT TO GET NO LESS THAN A 3 SEED IN THE DANCE
I EXPECT A FINAL FOUR APPEARANCE.
I HOPE & PRAY FOR A SHOT AT THE NATIONAL TITLE.
Hey, the Yankees just broke in their NEW HOME under a NEW KING—- WHY CAN’T WE TAKE BACK OUR HOME & TITLE W/THE NEW KING OF THE BLUEGRASS.

There’s a big difference between those 2 isn’t there. Funny thing is… the Media discredits us by using our hopes against us which blinds college bb to the greatest gift KY FANS offer— KNOWLEDGE of the game.

Things to watch for this season:
Cal weaving his magic in getting our Freshman to gel w/our veterans. This is not going to be an easy spell to cast. THERE IS NO I in TEAM & making KIDS not only comprehend that BUT BELIEVE IN IT is a CHALLENGE. If this doesn’t happen, we’ll never see what this team is truly capable of… Oh sure, it would probably be a successful season but just THINK OF THE POTENTIAL of this team as 1—– LOL Skeery HUH! (:
Patterson learning his new position & getting more touches on the ball. This will come w/time, I’m sure.
Wall & Bledsoe rippin defenses to shreds! YIKES! Dare I say we possibly have the BEST backcourt in the nation…. I’m a watchin for it, how bout you?!
Witnessing this team of Boys become MEN on the Court!

Agree or not: these are my standards & I’m stickin to em…. course I’ve been known to grade on the “Billy Curve.”
Now it’s your turn!
Assignment Define Success. No copying! I’m watching you! You have 1 week so get on it!
LUVTHOSECALICATS!
Ms.Cats~

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