Knight Integrity

When Bobby Knight speaks, people listen.  They listen in the same light as they rubber neck when passing a wreck.  They don’t want to, but damn it, they have to because there’s just something about a wreck that makes you want to look.  With Knight, you know there’s going to be a wreck.  Let’s face it, everything he’s ever done, said or been a part of has turned into a wreck.  Sure, he got IU where it mattered, but the cost was overwhelmingly not worth it in the big picture. 

 

His rant this time: integrity and the moral fabric of NCAA basketball.  He rightfully admits that he was a part of it, he knew it and he did it anyway.  But he qualifies himself by saying that he was alone in actually making the student part of,  “student athlete” actually relevant.  Here’s what we know.  Bobby knight has been delusional since the day he exited the womb or was hatched.  Bobby Knight is a hot head.  Mix those two together and its as lethal a combination as ammonia and bleach. We can’t really fault his integrity for that.  You can be a delusional hot head, pull most of the stunts he pulled, and actually still have integrity.   All you have to do is say, “my bad” and go on with life.  But when you consider how he bullied, lied, cheated, pulled strings and bullied his way out of taking responsibility for those actions, we have a real case of pot meets kettle.  Time and time again he did whatever it took to get out from underneath his messes.  Most of the time it worked, sometimes it didn’t.  All the while, the adoring fans of IU thought he could do no wrong.  He could do no wrong until he didn’t win the games he used to win or take IU to the places he had in the past.  At that point, Knight could do no right and had to go.  THIS was the audience for THIS integrity speech.  It’s more like Pot makes speech in front of kettle when you think about it.

 

The main aim of this latest rant was toward Calipari.  A modern day coach using the system Knight helped create.  Calipari isn’t the saint many UK fans think today.  He wasn’t the integrity-less demon that most of those same UK fans thought he was when he was at Memphis, and this includes me.  UK and its fans have their own integrity issues, but at least we aren’t making delusional speeches condemning it.  The issue at hand is how someone from within the coaching ranks who should know much more than fans could be so delusionally wrong on a topic?  What he doesn’t know Calipari has shown as much or more interest in making sure the Student is the key part of Student athlete as he ever was.  Cal has never hit or shot anyone that I’ve heard of.  Cal has never bullied his way out of trouble that I know of.  From what I’ve read, Cal did the right thing with the Camby situation and the NCAA did what many consider to be the wrong thing with eh Memphis situation.  At first I couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out why he would take shots at Calipari.   Why would knight do this?  Then it hit me!  There is timing here, my friends.  Take a look at what will happen very soon at UK.  UK will hit a milestone no other program has reached and Calipari will be the coach that does it even though he only plays a minuscule part in it.  I am certain that in Bobbie Knight’s delusional mind, HE has had a larger hand in it based on his losses to UK so he deserves more credit than Calipari. 

 

This is how this man thinks! It’s ok to choke players and get away with it.  It’s ok to shoot people and property with no recourse.  It’s OK to verbally abuse people for not calling you Sr or Mr. Knight.  All of this is OK if your name is Bobby Knight. 

 

At this point Knight will take his little integrity rant, put it in his back pocket as being yet another OKism, and go back to making more money from the very thing he spoke out against. Now that is Knight Integrity at its finest.

The Other Side Of The Wall

Everyone that has a keyboard who follows sports is writing about one thing: Wall. Being the UK fan that I am, I felt it was time to do the same (Again for I don’t know how many times). After all, us UK fans were writing and talking about Wall before it was the thing to do.

We all know what Wall brings to the table. He brings everything but rebounding. I’ve got no problems with the lack of rebounding because rebounding goes against his job. But there is another thing, besides everything, that he is bringing that no one is talking about. UK fans can never get enough of UK basketball. But the coverage on UK has become so far beyond insane that even I can’t keep up with it. Wall and UK are everywhere. Little old lady’s who don’t even watch sports are standing in line at the grocery doing the Wall dance.

In the middle of all this exposure; great exposure; lies another little tid bit. Even the non-Walls on the team are getting 10 times the exposure they would have had last year. UK plays in MSG and the whole world stops to watch. NBA teams rush through first halves so they can catch some of the game at half time. (I made that up, its called embellishing to make a point). Everyone knew of Patterson before, but now they also here, “He’s really expanded his game” (I did not make that up). People see Bledsoe, they see Harris, they see Big Cuz.

You can be sure there is another group that is watching and that is recruits. Guys who think they are the next Wall are watching. Guys who could be the next Patterson, or Bledsoe or even the next Harris are watching. And you can bet they are taking notes because they understand that much of getting to the next level in anythig is being seen. Some are probably beating themselves in the head for signing with another team for next year. Some haven’t signed and may not have been looking at UK. Some were probably considering UK. I would think there will be a flood of both interest and recruiting movement as the year goes on and UK will probably be able to have its pick. It gets much tougher now that UK has to manage scholarships again. It’s not really known how many will open. Wall loves school so I’m probably of the minority (or maybe even the only one) that thinks there are some scenarios where even Wall returns. Just as it’s a good idea for the cream to wait until Spring to choose a school, UK is now in a position where its best interest also lies in waiting until Spring, unless it’s a no brainer.

Some probably think this is Wall’s 15 minutes of fame. I could seriously see this frenzy lasting all year if Wall is on the floor. Oh, and he and the team? They are actually gonna get better.

Numbed By The Wall

I’m still a little numb.  Sure, it helps that I had to drive in this frigid cold this morning, but I was just as numb when I went to bed and through the night as I am now.  The final horn last night was a sound that made you sit back off the edge of your seat for the first time in two hours and go, “Whoh”.  It was that kind of game.

 

And we should expect that type of game at Kentucky.  We deserve that type of game.  What made it that type of game was a very tough and talented UConn team.  This was a game where you win, but you have to tip your hat to the other guys and say, “Damned well played”.  Kentucky made it that type of game.  OK, let’s be perfectly honest for a second.  John Wall made it that type of game.  He almost single handedly kick started UK to a 12-0 lead and he almost single handedly carried UK down the stretch.  The start was fools gold at its finest.  Getting cheap baskets is great.  Getting cheap baskets is a must.  But you can’t get cheap baskets the entire game and you can’t win by relying on cheap baskets.  Wall had some help making it that kind of game from Harris.  I’m not sure if many understood as it was happening, but without Harris’ defensive team work on Dyson UK loses this game going away.  The guy was killing UK and the combo if Wall and Harris switching to him effectively took him out of the game and he eventually went to the bench for good.  To all of those that said Harris would never be a player, its time for crow because the kid’s got game.  He may not score a bunch of points, but he has been a positive difference maker in every game and I don’t see that changing.  Orton and Stevenson also helped make it this kind of game, although the rebounding for all but a few stints was horrid and I did not see one block out by a Cat.  Note to the Cats:  Giving up three offensive boards on one possession will lead to bad things PLUS a foul; every time. 

Things missing were Miller, which isn’t much new.  His failure to execute plays called for him and failure to rotate on defense were major contributors to UConn’s success.  Patterson got 16 points, but was pretty much missing when you consider Patterson is Patterson.  Stats to note: 4 boards, 0 assists, 0 turnovers, 2 blks (blked twice himself).  Those are pretty mundane numbers for Patterson.  Big Cuz was a difference maker in the second half but the liability on the board fundamentals negated most of what he did positively in the game. 

 

The question MUST be:  Where would UK be without John Wall?  I really don’t even want to think about the answer.  He was huge to start the game and over life sized down the stretch.  The kid looks to get others involved, but lets be honest in that he wasn’t getting much help on the offensive end and the two assists says more about his team mates than it says of his game.  Cal is right, this TEAM is not very good at all.  Wall has his own areas he needs work on.  He doesn’t understand tempo, or maybe better said, he doesn’t know how to play well at different tempos.  But knocking Wall for anything is like knocking a super model who has a small birth mark on the back of her thy.  Last night I said that UK is exactly two points better than anyone they play.  What I should have said was Wall is two points better than anyone UK plays.  I think the staff needs to seriously give Wall a week off and MAKE this team learn how to do it without him.   Hold him out of practice, games, the whole bit.  At this point this season may very well come down to whether Wall is in the game at the end or not, and it isn’t fair to Wall to have to lose because of it.

 

While the wall show didn’t get the sort of help he deserves, part of that has to go on UConn and the Refs.  I don’t usually complain about officiating but those guys were horrid on both ends and the more ugly the game the more it favored UConn.  Charges called blocks, blocks called charges, goal tending calls on blocks, blocks called goaltending moving picks on both ends, a UConn player taking four steps with the ball and no call.  I’ve played in games like this and it’s really hard to do anything when there is no consistency in the calls. 

 

Having said all of this, I wouldn’t have traded my numbness for anything in the world.  This is a great numb compared to the bad numb going back to 2003.  I’m ready for more!!

So The Cats Have It

So the Cats have it.

 

I was nervous about this game.  I am sure all the BBN was as well, but this year was a little different than the last few years in that there was another group that was just as nervous and those were in the form of the powder blue fans.  And they were right to be nervous because UK was simply unbeatable for a stretch in the first half.  The game started as I thought it would.  UK’s young guns needed some time to figure out the ins and outs of playing a UNC type game and UNC took full advantage by jumping out to a nine point lead.  There was no panic in the players, staff or fans because we all new it was just a matter of time before the Cats found them selves.  And when they did, it was a thing of beauty!  The Cats ran on UNC and there was absolutely nothing UNC could do about it.  The Cats ripped apart UNC’s man to man defense and there was absolutely nothing UNC could do about it.  The Cats started defending with pressure out front and all UNC could do was turn it over and watch UK run.  When it was all said and done, the run was 28-2.  But it wasn’t all said and done.

 

There was another half to play.  But things started turning with a few minutes left in the first half.  The first rule UK needs to learn is when you have your foot on the throat do not let up until someone fat and female is humming, “My Old Kentucky Home”.  This is especially true when you are playing a fellow elitist.  Loosing John Wall early in the second half didn’t seem to help much at the time.  But in my mind after ie was all said and done (this time for real), it helped much more than beating UNC by 30, which probably wouldn’t have happened anyway.  UK had to figure out where they stood when there was no Wall and, to their credit, they did.  UK had to figure out how to win a close game against a top team down the stretch and they did.  UK had to figure out who they can go to at money time and they did.  UK had to figure out how this team would handle adversity against an equal team and they did.  Many, including (or especially) me, thought this game would come down to experience and they would be right in doing so.  What many, including (or especially) me, failed to consider was the experience that UK relies on for roles on this team.  And at the end of the day, when Wall can’t be a factor, when paint point come out close to even, when back court play comes out close to even, the defining X factor is Harris, Stevenson, Miller and Dodson.  Their defense, rebounding, knowing to get the ball to Patterson for key shots and abundant “do whatever t takes to win” define the difference in this game.  Also throw in a major growing up experience for Bledsoe and this was the perfect game with the perfect outcome and the perfect learning experience these Cats needed.   Who’s Next?

The UK-UNC Breakdown

UK hosts UNC for what is arguably (or not) the biggest scheduled non conference game of the year. UK and UNC are number one and number two in all times wins, respectively, and are both in a foot race to 2000. Both teams have elite type talent and the whole world will be watching to see how Wall plays against the home state team that didn’t want him. I usually do not break games down, but this seems to be a special occasion and we all know special occasions call for special measures.  So my quest today is to break down the individual parts of the game then put it all together for the possible outcome.

Both teams are big and talented underneath. UNC has more long bodies than UK but hasn’t really gone to all of them. UK has Patterson. That alone says enough but UK also has Cousins who can go off for 12 in a very short time, can bring a solid Orton in and also has vets in Stevenson and Harrelson at its disposal. Advantage: UK

Both teams are fast and talented out front. UNC is young. UK is younger. UK has the Wall factor. The Wall factor is magnified when you consider that this is against UNC and he was built for games like this. Is he ready? I’m not sure but I think he will rise to the occasion under the white hot lights. My real question is with Bledsoe, as I seriously doubt that he is ready and UK’s options after Bledsoe are Dodson and Miller. Advantage: Even

But unfortunately the individual parts of a team do not define it as a whole. When you consider that all the players who will get time for UNC played in at least one title game, you have to give them a huge team edge. Most think this game will come down to post play but I think it will come down to the team that can provide the most pressure out front. The absolute best way to negate a post up team with man to man is to pressure the passers out front. Minimizing good passes in to the post means minimizing good post plays opportunities and keeping your big guys out of foul trouble. I feel strongly that UNC is better prepared for this than UK. I also think (hope) the game comes down to the final 8 possession series of the game. But, again, in that situation where talent is almost equal you must give experience the nod.

In the end, I think the UK players want to want this game more, but at this point they seriously do not know how to want it more. UNC makes its free throws down the stretch and wins by 8.

Climbing the Wall

I’m impressed.  And it takes a lot for a freshman to impress me.  But to have four of them impress me at one time is impossible.  Or at least it was.  The UK basketball team was on full display last night and the changes were monumental.  This has been the most horrid defensive fundamental team I have ever seen in blue until last night.  Last night they played like one of the best defensive fundamental teams that I have seen.  The stats do not always show what really happens in a game.  UK has won without playing very good defense largely based on the missed wide open shots of the other team.  UK has won big on the nights the other team missed most of the wide open shots and won close on the nights the other team made most of the wide open shots.  The key has been wide open shots.  The reasons for the wide open shots come down to a total lack of fundamentals that cause numerous breakdowns on any given play.  Many times, the guy who has scored wasn’t defended by the guy who started the breakdown with poor play.

All of that changed last night.  Wall and Bledsoe both played back court defense like seasoned veterans.  Off the ball they had one eye on their man and one eye on the ball, players communicated, switches were timely and seamless. 

 But that isn’t what impressed me.  Wall impressed me.  I’ve been fighting it tooth and nail but at some point you have to simply tip your hat to the kid.  He isn’t the best freshman in the land simply because he can run faster and jump higher.  He’s the best because he is always thinking and he is always, and I mean always, looking for ways to improve.  The knock on he and Bledsoe has been outside shooting, but they both seem to have very good form, rhythm and focus on their shots to me.  Both are a legitimate threat to score if you leave them open on the outside which is what this team needs.  It goes beyond basketball.  He is trying (and I assume he is on course) to make all A’s this semester.  That is NOT the sign of a one and done.  That is a sign of a kid who wants to do everything right.  Folks, getting all A’s and also carrying a top division one basketball load is very hard to do.  Let’s face it, the only stat that really showed all the mistakes he was making early on was his turnover stat.  He was not in control much at all.  Some were calling for him to go to the bench but he is much more of a learn on the fly type of player and it’s showing.  It sometimes takes kids three years to learn what they can and can not do when you go from a high school court to a division one court.  He is figuring it out in a hand full of games.

 Bledsoe Impressed me.  He was the absolute worst defender I have ever seen in the first few games.  I used to play with a guy like him.  Fast as lightening but didn’t think they were playing defense unless they were guarding the ball.  This guy frustrated the wholly crap out of me because he would leave his guy wide open under the basket to go guard the ball, which was already being guarded, at the top of the key.  Bledsoe wasn’t that bad but he was very close.  But there he was last night, one eye on his man and one eye on the ball.  Textbook defense and UK had very few breakdowns because of it.  But I think back to when he signed with UK.  I thought it was a load of blue crap when Cal convinced Bledsoe that he and Wall could play together.  Two point guards at one time?  That seemed quite stupid to me at the time.  But here we are and Bledsoe has been the consummate off guard/Combo guard.  It takes a lot of skill to be able to adjust to the change from high school to college, but to also have to adjust to a position change?

  Big Cuz impressed me.  The guy just plain looks mad when he plays.  And I, for one, am ok with that.  His issue has been HAVING a chip on his shoulder versus PLAYING with a chip on his shoulder.  His issue has been understanding what he can control versus what he can not control.  But I thought he went a long way in understanding those things last night.  He is probably the most gifted player in college basketball, when you consider his size, speed, quickness, touch and ball handling.  But he feels that playing basketball is like going to war and I, for one, can understand that mentality.  I also can understand that it’s the edge he has used to hone the skills that he possesses.  Playing sports is our modern day form of war games.  Maybe the world would be a much better place if conflicts were decided on the basketball court versus a battlefield, but that’s another topic for another day.

Orton Impressed me.  The guy has been a rock every time he has stepped on the court.  I get the sense that he goes to war when he steps on the court as well, but he does it in a more quite, subtle way.  He isn’t as quick as Big Cuz and he doesn’t have the refined skills but he is just as deadly around the basket.  I honestly think the team plays better with him in most of the time because he has been much more sound fundamentally from day one.  I haven’t seen a time where he wasn’t playing within himself. 

  Some might say that you can’t really tell much from the game because it was against UNC-Asheville.  But these are things that matter in any game.  Things get tougher now.  These kids will have to learn what they can and can not do all over again once the competition stiffens.  But to have already come as far as they have fundamentally goes along way in climbing that wall.  I am impressed, and you should be too.

The Hard Fall

The higher you go, the harder you fall.  Its been a long time since UK fans have had to experience the long fall, and never from football.  But here we were yesterday, watching the possibility of all things new.  UK could beat UT and move into the upper levels of the SEC all in one game.  Then it came down to all in one set of overtime series.  All UK had to do was score and they probably only needed three points if the D could hold for three downs, possibly four.  UK did neither and fell right back into the hole they have taken decades to dig.  Maybe the long fall in football will help prepare us for the long falls we may have coming up in basketball?  It’s not much of a silver lining, but at least its something I guess.

There are plenty of reasons UK fell down in the UT game.  The D could not stop the run once again, but they’ve had trouble with big strong backs all year so this wasn’t a big surprise.  UK did find a way to put enough points on the board, but I had that, “doomed” feeling when I felt UK needed to produce on demand in OT.  The reason was at quarterback.  Newton hasn’t performed all year, never seemed to grow at all, and especially not to a level that you would expect from a future savior.  The bottom line with me comes down to what I consider to be the huge mistake at passing over Fidler.  First, UK simply GAVE the kid a job he did not earn, and the players never seemed to play as hard for him.  He never seemed to have their respect and was lost in most games and was totally lost in the entire UT game.  All the while, Fidler read defenses much better, and let’s face it, reading anything at all was light years better than Newton.  Fidler’s passes were more on time and on target, his decisions were that of a fourth year guy, the team played for him and he ran just as well as Newton.  Of course if your end goal was to run Fidler off, I say mission accomplished as he was honored on senior day following his announcement that he wasn’t coming back next year. 

Most people think UK error by not going to the Wildcat more in the UT game, which is completely an error in judgment if you ask me.  The Wildcat is a wrinkle set designed to give the other team something else to prepare for.  What those calling for more Wildcat fail to understand is all UT had to prepare for was the Wildcat and they bottled up every single option once they had a chance to see their guys defending it one time.  There is a reason Cobb had twice as many fumbles in the UT game as all the others combined (and his other fumble was actually a backward pass he dropped).  UT almost forced two other Cobb fumbles but he was able to pull it back in long enough to go down.

I love all the UK players, but when it comes to Newton, I just don’t know if he’s going to be a fit.  He’s the reactional type QB in a pro style offense that requires a thinker as much as a drop back passer.  Trading a number two position in the SEC for getting him some reps was a horrid mistake in my mind, especially considering he’s of the same mold as Pulley.  People might point to this year, where Pulley did finally have passing numbers in a lower division, but let’s also consider it took him five years to finally get numbers in one.  UK simply can’t waste two more years of dismal QB play to get one OK year and blowing this year on Newton was the worst coaching move of the year.

Just What These Cats Needed

What a wild ride! Most may not see the value in this game and hardly any average fans thought this type of game was possible. The very first thing you have to do is tip your hat to Miami. UK wasn’t ready for a perimeter game, and hasn’t been in any game so far, and Miami took advantage. They did a whole lot more right than just hit some shots. They laid the blue print on how to guard Wall and Bledsoe. Get back, try to keep them in front, funnel to the middle where help comes out in front of the basket or funnel to the sides. They boxed out well and limited the passes into the post, which is what UK wanted to do from the start. It seemed like the Cats all had their own things going on and no one was working together. That was especially true on D. I know I’ve been on Bledsoe about his defense but it was on full display last night. He just doesn’t want to play weak side defense and that is just as important, if not more important than on the ball D. The ball reverses, Bledsoe gets sucked into the lane, and in one case all the way across the lane, his man is free to roam to an open spot, the ball reverses to his guy, he’s no where to be found and a forward is stuck with two guys, his guy being the hot hand. This team wasn’t killing UK in the lane and the post simply didn’t need his help. This has to stop and now. BUT, there was a lot of good in this game. UK was seriously on the ropes. Dodson came in and provided good shooting and decent defense and UK began to cut into the lead. The guys started playing more together and started limiting the open looks. I had hoped to cut the lead to eight by the half and they did even better than that. But UK continued to do one good thing, then one bad thing the rest of the game. I again have to give Miami credit for not going away. They fought and took advantage of almost every UK mistake. I seriously question coach’s choice down the stretch and think he needs to do a much better job of understanding the personnel on the floor versus what he has on the bench. This has always been the knock on Cal and it was on full display last night. UK has the ball and a two point lead. Miami is going to foul, UK will get two shots and UK needs both of them. Wall is an all but automatic 1 for 2 at this point. Krebs is in his pocket and coach doesn’t pull him out. Krebs is a much better percentage at getting both free throws and if he gets one for 2, you put Wall back in. Krebs hits both shots and the game is over, and lets face it, UK was darned lucky to hit the shot and even more lucky they didn’t call a foul on Wall, which three free throws wins the game for Miami. I don’t think we will see the same team Thursday. I think we see a more timid team. We will see a team willing to jab and spar some instead of going for the knockout with one punch right out of the gate. Wall and Bledsoe swung wildly at nothing for a good part of the game. Much of that is our fault for thinking, and making them believe, they could over talent anyone. They also have to learn what they can and can not do at this level, and even higher than last night. I’ve been uneasy from the get go with having so much inexperience on the floor at one time. We’ll simply have to live with a lot of up and down play, and this team will probably lose to some lesser teams, and that’s OK. Wall seems to learn fast and the first thing he will learn is he will need help to be able to do the things he’s used to doing. He’ll learn that teams are going to try to take away his path to the rim and he’ll need to counter to make them pay. THEN the rim will be there. And as for Big Cuz, he gets my MVP award because he seemed to grow up right before our eyes last night. He was stellar, aside from his one late bone head, which turned out not to cost UK and may have helped use enough clock to shorten the game enough to get UK the last shot.

All in all, I think this was just what these Cats needed.  Oh, and they got the win..

Changing of the Guard

I, like many of you, remember a time when we only had three channels to watch and the TVs were black and white.  And each night that we turned that huge box on, we were throughly entertained.  Seriously, does it get any better than Andy Griffith or the Honeymooners?  Today, we have 900 channels of HD crap and can usually expect to not find anything on worth watching unless, of course, Andy Griffith or the Honeymooners happen to be on.  Yes, I am exaggerating a little here but you know exactly what I’m talking about.

 

The same goes for the media today.  I remember a time when news outlets had to tell the truth and provide sources to back up those facts.  Certainly, the media has always shaded things, but at least you knew there was some sort of goal toward providing the bad so we could make educated changes for the good.  Our news sources were limited and those sources knew they had a captive audience.  Fast forward to today, and its just like TV.  We have 900 outlets of HD crap.  When I hear the term, “un-named source” why don’t they simply say, “Rumor”?  But the issue here is intent. 

 

Jerry Tipton:  It’s my opinion that he is the most vile “writer” ever.  His obvious disdain for UK wreaks in every word he writes.  Now, we find out, that he is resorting to lies.  Just in the past two weeks he tried to paint Patrick Patterson, who may well be the best thing that has happened to UK since Rupp, as a cheater by insinuating, without knowing, that Patterson was driving a “new” truck.  I’ll be honest in saying I did not read the article and my facts here are second hand, but I think all of you know this to be accurate.  He has also quoted fictitious NCAA rules in saying UK should report fans for chanting names of players.  The rule doesn’t exist and he even made up the code number.  The fact is, UK can not advertise recruiting visits or stage anything that would be outside of a normal student athletes day on campus.  They are not charged with isolating recruits from fan adoration.  Fans bring signs of players to games and UK can not police fans from bringing signs of recruits to games when they visit.  Why does he do this?  To me, it is obviously to degrade UK any way he can.   I don’t know why UK still issues him a media pass, but they do. 

 

Local media in general:  They still, for some reason, operate as if they have a monopoly when they obviously do not.  It seems that both the Courier and the Lexington Herald Leader feel that their online content is worth paying for directly beyond the numerous pop up ads.  Their sites are both turtle slow and their news is now well past prime when it finally comes out.  Both are having deep financial trouble as I understand it, and its easy to see why.  The consumer based market has always operated on the principle that customers will buy your product if it is what they want.  No one wants what these two papers are putting out as far as sporting news and they can’t seem to grasp that.  I will do a back flip the day that Tipton writes his final piece. 

 

Blogs:  So what do we resort to if the local papers can’t provide us what we want? Blogs!!  Fan-run sites that get the news and give it to us each and every second.  The two I will focus on are sites run by Mark Maggard and Matt Jones.  The goal of these type sites is to provide information from a fan’s prospective and both do that.  These two have also had a major war over fan support.  Most of you reading this probably visit one or the other but not both since this war has taken place.  Why the war?  On one side, it was suppose to be about money.  Mark runs a site with premium content.  Matt’s site has operated on the premise that news is free and shouldn’t be charged for and has used that for his attack on Mark.  And the fans?  They rushed like little soldiers ants to defend their generals which I thought was hilarious.   The problem today is, Matt is now stepping up to do premium content for Coachcal.com.  Granted, I have no problem with anyone who pays at a site or who provides, “premium content” for a site.  But in Matt’s case, he has bolstered his own following on the premise that he was totally against pay sites.   He drew the line, not us.  So it seems that his main goal is to step up in the “media world” and he doesn’t mind stepping on his little soldier ants to do it.  Two faced? Yes, in my book. As further proof keep in mind that he also operates by having his little soldiers find any and all news links that he then takes for his own on his site.  He does that, again, under the premise that information is free.  But just last week he was upset because a National outlet borrowed from him.  Never mind the fact that it was content he had borrowed from someone else! But he is a lawyer so no one should be surprised.  What he risks, however, is his ability to provide recruiting in-site as he does today.  Reading back to the NCAA rules, fans can talk about and post information on recruiters which is borderline when it comes to Matt’s and Mark’s site.  Anyone affiliated with the university, which would be the case if Matt provides content at Coachcal.com, cannot. 

 

So what is the solution?  How about a whole lot more of Larry Vaught.  You can find his blog at: http://vaughtsviews.com.  Larry is both a certified journalist AND a fan.  He is the absolute best of both worlds.  Yes, we want to know the bad stuff, only so we can demand it be fixed.  But we also want the good and there is a ton of good every day when kids go to school, play sports, and become better adults for it.  The Courier and LHL need to pay real close attention to Vaught.  They could certainly take back their share if they provided content on a moments notice in the form similar to Vaught.

The Cats should be fine

It is a roller coaster ride for many.  One day UK is ready to win out, the next UK is doomed.  I will say that I had the Miss St game penciled in as a probable win before the season.  I also didn’t feel very good about it due to the injuries last week.  Every team has injuries.  But the Cats always seem to get them with their key guys.  I think that maybe UK relies on those guys too much, probably because UK still doesn’t have a team full of play makers, and that contributes to WHO is getting hurt.  I fear for Cobb on every one of his plays.

But that’s another topic for another time.  Looking forward, I think UK is just fine.  UK will get the win against EKU.  The key moving forward is getting people healthy and that is what the EKU game should be about.  If Johnson and Lindley are both healthy I think UK could still get the seven wins I thought they would.  If they can also get Hartline back, the mental attitude of the team would have to go sky high.  I have Vandy as a must win and had them as a likely before the season.  If UK takes care of business, the Georgia game now needs to flip from a possible loss to a possible win and I think it is doable.  I am hopeful that the mentality in the camp is this is a must win and I think that can play a big role in getting it.  UT is a game I’ve always wanted the most.  Even in years where UT was way up and UK was way down, even in years where they played at UT, UK has played them tough only to lose another heart breaker.  They have a new A. H. heading them up and I am hopeful the Cats go into that one with a mental attitude that the hex is broken.  Even with the Miss St loss, the Cats can still do a lot of good things and even exceed what I thought they could do.  ALL of their remaining games are winnable; win them all and an eight or nine win season would be a major upgrade from last year, even given the much tougher schedule. It isn’t time to throw in the towel, its the time to buckle down, support the team.  Its also time for the team to buckle down and take care of business.

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