Thoughts from the forums.

Lit said “But I never expected them to never play with any heart. That is what is so disappointing.”

That is what galls my ass more than anything else. Somehow, I put the blame for this on Cal…I think back and when he made a major point that this program was all about “whats best for the players”. That was the logic behind a “play nobody” preSEC schedule…the reason behind not playing IU and NC. I disagreed then and still do. Maybe they believed him and thought they could use our program to better their own good…after all Cal said its all about them.

This program belongs to us…the BBN, the fans in the hills and hollers of Eastern Kentucky, the fans in the Western part of the state, the fans that fill up Rupp every game despite the competition, the fans that find someway to listen or watch the game no matter where they are at in the world, the fans that literally cry tears as big as horse turds when they loose, the fans that hate Florida, Tennessee, IU, Duke and jobby knight, the fans that wear their Big Blue gear year round, not just at game time, the fans that are lucky enough to score a ticket to see their CATS once in a lifetime and go home with a smile as big as the arena itself, the fans that will cause a bar fight with the meanest SOB living if he or her says one bad word about the CATS, the old farts like myself that passes on this great tradition to their kids even though we live in another state, the fans that are burried in a UK shirt, the fans that pay extra money to be burried in a blue and white casket, the fans that put UK tee shirts on their newborns before they leave the hospital, the fans that pray for the Cats to have a winning season at their annual Thanksgiving family dinner, the fans that allow their kids to stay up late to watch a 9:00 game on TV, the fans that talk about the upcoming season at their 4th of July get together, the fans that line up days in advance of Big Blue Madness, the fans that care enough to stay on the line for an hour justto speak their mind on a late night call in show, the fans that will stand in line a mile long just to get a former player to sign a piece of paper or a hat or a ball, the fans that stay in Rupp after the game to see the star of the game and Cal up close, the fans that will buy a season ticket in Oxford Mississippi just to see the Cats when they come to town. YEA…and I could go on and on but you get my point.

And we have players that show up and play with no heart? show no emotion, no desire to fight because of the name across their jersey? To them I say… its been nice knowing you just for a short time…now go eat beans.

No! This program is not all about whats best for the players. Cal needs to understand that and get it fixed. They play and he coaches at our pleasure…we are not supposed to feel lucky that they came to play or coach for us….its the other way around.

Sorry I took so long…but this Cat has had it with the excuse making for the product we had forced upon us this year.

How Do You Spell Spurrier?

Don’t you just love the way the mainstream press constantly takes a little dig at coach Calipari. In their minds he will always be remembered because one of his players at U Mass took improper benefits, read bling. Another took a test or did he and coach played him after the NCAA cleared him to play

Now South Carolina has basically admitted that 10 football players took improper benefits, playing played 4 ineligible players in 2009 and other assorted no no’s. Today they self imposed penalties on themselves before they visit the NCAA to discuss there fate. For playing ineligible players alone they should get games forfeited, if the NCAA is honest.
http://www.gogamecocks.com/2011/12/14/183812/ggf-usc-acknowledges-ncaa-violations.html

Just by looking at the numbers, 10 to 1, it seems like the old balls coach is 10 times dirtier than coach Calipari. It also looks like he was no more involved in what happened at South Carolina than coach Calipari was at U Mass and Memphis.

In the future when national media writers talk about Steve Spurrier, will they add a little comment about having had games forfeited, probably. Will they mean any thing by it, probably not. After all you can’t sully a honest mans name, unless its spelled Calipari. Now how do you spell Spurrier?

Enjoy the Carnival

Since sports writer turned super detective Jerry Tipton published his article on the NCAA demanding that Kentucky issue an apology for celebrating Coach Calipari reaching 500 wins there have been many story’s by writers and for the most part they think we screwed up.

Well technically we did screw up by giving Jerry Tipton 14 seconds of fame and by the NCAA’s figures coach doesn’t have 500 wins, so guilty as charged.

What the NCAA is doing by telling UK they need to issue an apology doesn’t bother me at all. What bothers me is their demand that we clear our apology with them before issuing it.

That smells like blackmail no matter how you look at it and if it looks like, smells like and tastes like blackmail, it’s surely not grandmothers chicken noodle soup.

One online legal dictionary defines blackmail as taking by undue exercise of power. By requiring UK to clear their apology before issuing it the NCAA is trying to take away our right to free speech while committing blackmail by that definition.

Comedy icon George Carlin was once arrested for obscenity. Later the judge declared that the language was indecent but Carlin had the freedom to say it as long as he caused no disturbance.

Some people say that the NCAA can’t be sued because the NCAA is a member organization, and a member cannot sue the organization without dropping out of the organization.

As Larry Vaught said here. I am not sure what the source of this view can be in the United States of America, but that view obviously exists on a relatively widespread basis. However, the facts decry this view and there are readily available examples of NCAA Member Institutions suing the NCAA.

The NCAA can be sued by a member institution, has been sued by member institutions, and assertions that the NCAA is somehow above the law is simply not correct. Do many succeed in their efforts to take on the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, NO!!! Of course not. The NCAA has the resources, and access to the best lawyers in the business, and most Universities eventually decide that they cannot spend their precious, limited resources on this type of legal episode, so they simply roll over and take it, regardless of the merits of their case.

So do we simply roll over and take it or do we sue them for trying to violate our first amendment rights. If we sue there will certainly be enough donations to the cause that it won’t cost the university a penny and honestly what can the NCAA really do to us.

In George Carlin’s last HBO special he told his audience to cut through the “bullshit” of the world and “enjoy the carnival.” Come on UK cut thru all the bullshit that’s the NCAA and stand up to them on this one. I for one am ready to watch the carnival of the NCAA backing off on this one.

And finally can we all now hope that Jerry Tipton will now retire after that big story he has chased for years to hurt UK has gone national.

Triumphs n Tribulations

Being a Kentucky fan this year has been like playing with TnT. Some times we were up and sometimes we were down, and sometimes we were blown away by the triumphs our teams gave us.

Football started the season off with many of us having high expectations for our Cats to continue their climb to the top. After starting the season with wins over Louisville and a couple of cupcakes we came face to face with reality that’s the SEC. Granted we beat the old balls coach and took national champion Auburn to the wire before losing but we couldn’t get over the hump with the east teams. The Vanderbilt win can be ranked up there with the cupcake wins over Western Ky and Akron so the only reason to mention it is that its a win. Tennessee was the loss that hammered the team and fans the worst. They were down according to our thoughts and ripe for the picking. Unfortunately instead of picking the Orange they squeezed us like overripe grapes. The final game of the season was a embarrassing lose to Pittsburgh after losing QB Mike Hartline due to stupidity.

What should we expect in Jokers second year? A better defense and special teams for a starter. On the other side of the ball with the loss of so many key players we should expect a grind it out less scoring offense with more use of the TE position and fewer long completions.
Triumphant players: Randall Cobb, Derrick Locke , Danny Trevathan, Winston Guy and Mike Hartline.
Tribulation player: Mike Hartline who ruined his best season.
Season Ranking: Tribulation

Basketball started out with some eye popping games by the freshmen before running into UConn and a tsunami named Walker in Maui. We finished the non conference part of the season strong with wins over big east powers Louisville, Notre Dame and a blow out at Indiana. A 2 point loss to North Carolina could have as easily been a win and the rest of the games fell into the football cupcake category.

We started play in the SEC where home games were like canned food for the Cats and away games were dried food. Losing those road games made the Cats realize that they preferred canned food and they finished the season roaring by beating Florida and Vandy at home and then showing they were over those road woes by pulping the Vols.
Then the Cats continued to show they had crossed over the hump by sliding through the SEC tournament like a veteran mature team while showing the fans that they were the team that the fans and coaches thought they could be.

After an insulting #4 seed while Florida received a #2 the Cats traveled to Tampa where it took a last second shot by Knight to win pull out a tough win over Princeton. After a revenge game win over West Virginia they faced #1 overall seed Ohio St. Once again they proved they were able to win a close game as Knight finished the nutz off with a jumper with 5 seconds left. That brought them to the regional finals where unlike last year the Cats had a easy time knocking off North Carolina in a sweet revenge win.

Then it was off to the final four in Houston to face UConn in the semifinals. The Cats came out cold and were down by 10 at the half. At the start of the second half shots started falling and they took the lead only to go cold and ended up losing by 1 point.

Everyone knows what I just wrote and if they don’t agree blame it on my magic fingers.

What can we expect with next years team? That’s going to depend on who returns. Josh is gone but if Knight and Jones decide to return like Lamb has said he is and you throw in the #1 recruiting class this team will be hard if not impossible to beat. Hopefully coach Cal will finally realize that free throws are a necessity not an after thought.

Was this Coach Calipari’s best coaching job? You bet it was but that’s to be expected when you coach at the best basketball school in the country.

Finally thank you guys for giving us what we have longed for for 13 years. Hanging a final four banner in Rupp ranks you right up there with the best to ever play for Kentucky in our hearts.

Finally part deux. In my opinion the player of the year for the wildcats is Josh “Jorts” Harrellson.

Triumphant players: The whole team especially Josh Harrellson who took his game to a level where he has been invite to Portsmouth..
Season Ranking: Triumph

Crow, medium rare, with a side of ranch

Well, I made the accusation that Cal wasn’t doing much to coach UK to beat a zone. So now, I’ll munch on those fine words, and savor them with salt.

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.

Calonite

As Jimi might have sung. Have you been exposed well I have.

We all know the story of superman. How he was from Krypton and was sent away before the planet was destroyed and the only thing that could destroy him was pieces of the planet called Kryptonite.

There is another story out there that has been feeding off a more powerful element called Calonite. That story is the Kentucky Wildcats.

These super Cat’s have been exposed to Olroyonite, Calhounonite, Stallonite and Gaudionite this year with no ill effects. Even Foxonite and a light dose of Pearlonite did little but give the Cats a temporary headache.

Selfonite has been proven to be weak so there doesn’t seem to be to many onites left. Boeheimonite just doesn’t roll off the tongue right and Konite brings to many tears to the eyes to be strong.

Could there be a stronger onite out there? Sure there could but its going to take a good forty minute exposure to overcome the Calonite exposure these Cats have experienced.

Is there a player who has been exposed to Calonite more than Demarcus Cousins and responded as well to the exposure. The answer is one word “Nope”.

If I was a young man looking to play in the NBA I would look no further than Kentucky and what the exposure to Calonite has done to not just the freshmen but to every player on the team.

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~

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!

Gunfight at the Calipari Corral

Mat Jones had a very good post on KSR where he calls out Pat Forde. Pat was quicker on the draw but dumber than the rattle snake he acts like. ESPN has once again allowed themselves to be embarrassed by Pat Forde and his inability to keep an objective view of what hes writing about when it comes to both Kentucky and his writing partner and heifer wrestler Rick Pitinio. He totally ignores the fact that while at U Mass. John Calipari informed the NCAA that Camby had signed with an agent in his eagerness to take the pressure off of cowboy Rick.

http://kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=26303

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