2010 Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball - 5th edition

[TheBigLebowski]

I am thoroughly impressed by UK this season. Most talent in the country - by far.

Only thing that may hold them back in March is the youth.

I will pull for them to win it all - always have. SEC, baby.

BTW, gotta give a little rep to my boy Chandler Parsons - he did it again last night. From The Miracle in Raleigh to The Shot to Knock the Cocks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CE6x1GdfLY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uGennCdrG4

[dabvu2498]

Who are the former UK players who have become head coaches and have taken on UK? I can only come up with 4: C. M. Newton, Pelfrey, Macy, and Sean Woods. My old man says there are 4 more, but he is not giving them up.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

Who are the former UK players who have become head coaches and have taken on UK? I can only come up with 4: C. M. Newton, Pelfrey, Macy, and Sean Woods. My old man says there are 4 more, but he is not giving them up.

Travis Ford is one.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Travis Ford is one.

Yeah. Duh. Dropped that one. I thought Paul MacBrayer would be one, but didn't realize UK and Eastern did not play each other for a 62 year stretch. Trying not to cheat too much. I should know a couple more.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

Yeah. Duh. Dropped that one. I thought Paul MacBrayer would be one, but didn't realize UK and Eastern did not play each other for a 62 year stretch. Trying not to cheat too much. I should know a couple more.

Larry Steele is another. He was coach at Portland and they played UK in the last UKIT in 1989. I was there so I can remember that one.


Just thought of another. Winston Bennett at Kentucky State. UK played them sometime in the early 2000's when Bennett coached there.

BTW,CM Newton is the only former UK player to beat UK too.

Here is a list of notable coaches that have coached against UK. It lists former UK coaches. The one no one can probably get is Guy Strong. He played at UK around 1950 and later coached at Oklahoma State.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Sta...esnotable.html

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by WVRed

VERY impressive win today.

I'm hoping today is a confidence booster for Darius Miller. I've always said he has been the most timid player and a lot of that had to do with Billy the Clyde. He showed today he could be a pretty good deep threat and led UK with 18 points.

I'm really starting to think the whole attitude flap with Cousins isn't working. He got two teeth knocked out and still kept his composure. I know teams are going to take it to him to get him to go off and get kicked out of the game, but I am starting to wonder if and when his whole "attitude" scare is going to disappear.

The killer instinct showed up Satuday too. You had to like them pushing a nearly 30 point lead at the half to about 40 in the first three minutes of the 2nd half. If they continue to have that type of killer instinct then they can be scary good for the rest of the season.
I think the biggest problem with Cousins attitude was his handling of foul calls. In the beginning of the season he seemed to whine more about that than anything else. That seems to have been toned down quite bit here lately. The only problem with another player he has had was with the UL player. Other teams have tried to rough him up inside but he's stayed out of that trap.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

Larry Steele is another. He was coach at Portland and they played UK in the last UKIT in 1989. I was there so I can remember that one. Just thought of another. Winston Bennett at Kentucky State. UK played them sometime in the early 2000's when Bennett coached there. BTW,CM Newton is the only former UK player to beat UK too. Here is a list of notable coaches that have coached against UK. It lists former UK coaches. The one no one can probably get is Guy Strong. He played at UK around 1950 and later coached at Oklahoma State. http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Sta...esnotable.html

Carey Spicer is the last one. Coached at Georgetown back in the 30s. Thanks. I forgot about that site.

[Scrap Irony]

Tomorrow against South Carolina is a tough matchup. it seems as if Kentucky has had problems playing there since Pitino's days strolling the sideline. And Devan Downey might just be as quick as John Wall.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

Tomorrow against South Carolina is a tough matchup. it seems as if Kentucky has had problems playing there since Pitino's days strolling the sideline. And Devan Downey might just be as quick as John Wall.

Except for Downey they really don't have much. They lost Dominque Archie to injury for the season early on and dismissed their big guy,Holmes a few weeks back. Downey is having to do it all. He scored 36 out of 56 points they had against Florida the other day as an example. if they can keep him in check and not run wild they should be fine.

BTW,it's official UK is number 1 in the AP polls.

[cumberlandreds]

Here's the coaches poll. UK is unaminous in both polls. Last years champion,UNC,received one whole vote.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...l/usatpoll.htm

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

Except for Downey they really don't have much. They lost Dominque Archie to injury for the season early on and dismissed their big guy,Holmes a few weeks back. Downey is having to do it all. He scored 36 out of 56 points they had against Florida the other day as an example. if they can keep him in check and not run wild they should be fine. BTW,it's official UK is number 1 in the AP polls.

I sincerely doubt Wall and Downey guard each other anyway.

[Redhook]

I'm watching the Kansas vs. Missouri game right now. Kansas is tough. They're much more impressive than Texas, who I've seen twice so far. Kentucky would have their hands full with them.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

The killer instinct showed up Satuday too. You had to like them pushing a nearly 30 point lead at the half to about 40 in the first three minutes of the 2nd half. If they continue to have that type of killer instinct then they can be scary good for the rest of the season.
I think the biggest problem with Cousins attitude was his handling of foul calls. In the beginning of the season he seemed to whine more about that than anything else. That seems to have been toned down quite bit here lately. The only problem with another player he has had was with the UL player. Other teams have tried to rough him up inside but he's stayed out of that trap.

I don't know so much if that was killer instinct or just tired legs from Arkansas.

Arkansas had played three games in seven days (including an emotional drain against Florida) while UK had six days off to rest and prepare. Not exactly the best scenario.

From everything I read, Pelphrey is in hot water in Fayetteville. Attendance has been down at Bud Walton Arena and the Arkansas media was asking questions to CAL to try to get him to say something about Pelphrey and he wouldn't answer it.

I just wonder if Pelphrey gets the axe after this season if Cal would be consistent with bringing in Kentucky players and possibly offer him an assistants job if we lose somebody like Orlando Antigua.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by WVRed

I don't know so much if that was killer instinct or just tired legs from Arkansas.

Arkansas had played three games in seven days (including an emotional drain against Florida) while UK had six days off to rest and prepare. Not exactly the best scenario.

From everything I read, Pelphrey is in hot water in Fayetteville. Attendance has been down at Bud Walton Arena and the Arkansas media was asking questions to CAL to try to get him to say something about Pelphrey and he wouldn't answer it.

I just wonder if Pelphrey gets the axe after this season if Cal would be consistent with bringing in Kentucky players and possibly offer him an assistants job if we lose somebody like Orlando Antigua.

You could be right. Arkansas did look uninterested for the most part. They did hang in there when they could have lost by 60 though. I hate it for Pelphrey. He's had a lot of problems down there with most of the players. He's suspended a bunch of them. Fortson a couple of times. The natives are restless down there so he may not last. When attendance declines then a coach is in a lot of trouble.
The next big test for UK is how they will handle number 1. We will start finding that out tonight in Columbia,SC.

[WMR]

Believe me, I'm not interested in making this political. No matter what side of the fence you're on, this is a nice story.

'Extremely inspiring' Obama thanks Cats for Hoops for Haiti
By Seth Emerson

COLUMBIA, S.C. — What started as an effort to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief led to the University of Kentucky basketball team being thanked via telephone by President Barack Obama on Tuesday.

And it was clear the nation's No. 1 ranking basketball fan knows the nation's top-ranked team well.

Obama and the Wildcats participated on the phone call Tuesday afternoon in Columbia, where UK is playing South Carolina on Tuesday night. The call was to thank the team for raising more than $1.3 million through its Hoops for Haiti telethon last week.

"I think this is just a great testament to each of you individually, is a great testament to your program, and is a great testament to Kentucky," Obama said. "It shows a lot of character. Some of you are going to be going on to the NBA. Some of you are going to be doing other things in your lives. I hope that spirit of doing for others continues."

The call came a little after 1:30 p.m. to a phone in the media room at the Colonial Life Arena. Coach John Calipari sat at the podium, with junior Patrick Patterson next to him, while the other players stood next to them.

The phone rang. Calipari looked around, then pushed the button.

A cheerful voice on the other end of the line said: "Hi it's Katie Duncan calling for President Obama."

Calipari hesitated a second, then smiled and said, "OK?"

The room laughed.

After about 30 seconds, a familiar voice came on the line.

"Well, men, I am honored to speak to the No. 1 team in the country, a few days after it happened," Obama said.

Calipari thanked Obama for the call, mentioning the importance of the Hoops for Haiti program. Then he told the president he had a few players who wanted to speak to him. First was Patterson.

"Hey, Patrick!" Obama said.

Patterson thanked the president "on behalf of the team for what you're doing for the whole country." He said how much the Hoops for Haiti program meant, and added how much Obama's leadership inspired them. Obama thanked Patterson in return.

At that point, Calipari jumped back in and said freshman John Wall wanted to speak.

"Hey! What's going on All-Star!" Obama said. "I've been watching you."

More laughter from the room, and a sheepish grin from Wall.

Wall then invited Obama to a game in Lexington, and "maybe a game of horse."

Obama was ready:

"I'm not gonna play horse with you. I don't want to lose, and then you'll have bragging rights for a long time. But what we might do is have a little scrimmage. And I'm gonna make sure that you're on my team. If you're on my team, and Patterson ... I'm gonna book it up so I've got a chance."

Finally, freshman DeMarcus Cousins told Obama he hoped to see him at the end of the season.

"You know, the way you guys are going, that may happen," Obama said, referring to a potential championship visit to the White House.

Then the president turned serious.

"Obviously, everybody admires the great team you have," he said. "Everybody admires the dedication on the court, the athleticism on the court. It's just fun to watch you guys. But the main reason I'm calling is for you in the middle of the season to take the time to do something like this for people that you don't know."

Then Obama put U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler on the phone, offering up similar congratulations. But Obama couldn't resist just a little more basketball talk, asking who the Wildcats played next. Calipari answered that they were on the road at South Carolina.

"All right, well I think you should be all right," he said.

Calipari winced, while there was more laughter in the room. The president went on.

"But there is that tendency once you get to be No. 1 to start to let down a little bit. And it is a tough place to play. So you guys stay focused. I expect to see you guys in the championship game at some point. And again, congratulations on the great work you guys did."

Obama said goodbye, and Calipari and the players exhaled.

A few minutes later, the team was still absorbing the moment. As he walked off stage, Calipari said he was more nervous during the call than during a timeout. Wall said he was "still nervous."

"Extremely inspiring," Patterson said. "Not only does he know us on the basketball court but obviously he knows us off the basketball court for what we did for the people of Haiti. It feels extremely good to know that he admires us and also that he respects us."

http://www.kentucky.com/latest_news/story/1111690.html