SB Nation - Mark Krebs

Blue/White Game -- After Action Report

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:35:08 -0000

Darius Miller shows off his extra 2 inches in height by bringing the thunder!

Well, as you might expect from a public scrimmage, there was a lot of fun had tonight in the Big Blue Nation. The Blue/White Scrimmage is now a historical fact.

Some questions were answered. Others remain. But overall, there was a lot positive from this intra-squad tussle. Here are the main things I noticed:

Wall and Bledsoe together are scary as heck in this offense. Nobody could stop them.
John Wall is as advertised, but he really needs to work on his perimeter game, it is a significant weakness.
Eric Bledsoe's perimeter game is better than it was. Early progress is a good thing.
Patrick Patterson is showing signs of having small forward skills. That's really great to see.
DeMarcus Cousins is a big, big boy. And he plays like one. But he is quite a bit more athletic than he looks.
Darius Miller was invisible in the first half, and awesome in the second. I don't know what that means.

Darnell Dodson can shoot, but he's no Jodie Meeks.
The athleticism on this team is absolutely remarkable. Perhaps the most athletic college team, top to bottom, ever assembled.
Jon Hood really looks like a contributor this year. He was fearless.
Perry Stevenson was completely invisible the whole game. Ramon Harris was not.
I think we can pretty well figure out who the stars are going to be.
Josh Harrellson can still shoot, and he makes good decisions more often than not. But he has to go to the basket a lot more strongly against the likes of this team.
Speed, speed, speed. This team is going to wear folks down in a hurry.
This team has the ability to be great defensively. Will they?
Did I mention Patrick Patterson was the man?
Mark Krebs can shoot a little.
DeAndre Liggins has a chance to be pretty good in this system.

Overall, I thought the practice was sloppy but fun, and I expect this team to get a lot better. Our athleticism and talent will carry us until we run up against the big boys, but hopefully by then, these guys will have some kind of clue. Even though they tried to execute Calipari's system, most of the time they didn't do a great job. We saw flashes of what makes the DDM so great, but it wasn't a consistent theme.

I do like the way that the team played with respect to effort and pace. I thought overall the team really played hard, and did good work. I expect Cal to get them to the point of competence, if not a well-oiled machine, pretty quickly. This was all good fun, and way more interesting than Big Blue Madness from a basketball standpoint.

I can't wait to see us play our first real game. Go Cats!

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Monday Catch Up

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:52:47 -0000

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

Randall Cobb, football player -- doing what he does.

Browse more photos »

I was out of pocket yesterday, so I thought we would play catch-up this morning in the Big Blue Daily Mail.

Of course, the big topic will be reviews of the UK victory over Auburn, 21-14, at Jordan-Hare Stadium. UK managed to pull off a big upset there of a 4 5-1 football team [oops, stole a win from Auburn there. -- ed.] that has the rest of the SEC talking. We'll have more about what they are saying in the news.

Also, in case you have been living in a cave in Afghanistan somewhere for the last few days, Big Blue Madness came and went with much fanfare on Friday, and we will of course catch up with the basketball team.

Now, for the news.

UK Basketball News

Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Kyrie Irving, Tobias Harris talking about attending UK together?
Kentucky/Duke virtually even for Irving : This as a story that is gaining momentum more and more. Remember, Irving was widely expected to have committed on 9/27 and not to take any more visits after his Duke visit. That commit never happened and each day that Irving does not commit is better for all the other schools.

Interesting.
As If There Wasn
JOHN WALL. JOHN WALL. JOHN WALL. I'm kind of elated to see the marriage of John Wall and John Calipari begin in Lexington. Who isn't excited about this? (Well, who isn't outside of the SEC, I should say.)
John Calipari officially started his reign as Kentucky basketball coach - ESPN
Like saviors dropped from heaven -- and let's face it, that's what they are here -- the players, including the ballyhooed freshman class, were introduced on curtain-covered lifts suspended a good 25 feet above the stage. Eric Bledsoe came first, earning a decent ovation; John Wall garnered a crazed reaction; and Patrick Patterson was last, greeted with riotous excitement.

Almost a great piece by Dana O'Neil ... almost. A couple of stumbles turned a really excellent article into just a good one, but it is definitely worth a read.
Calipari: Make UK the gold standard in college athletics | KentuckySports.com
One hopes the possible secondary NCAA rules violations committed by the crowd when it chanted prospects' names were a misstep to be written off to runaway zeal. That happened four times, each an apparent violation of NCAA rule 13.11.4 which forbids the chanting of prospects' names at an event open to the public.

Oh, my God. If that's a violation, report it with a smile. The very idea that the NCAA can control a crowd's chant of a prospect's name is a laughably absurd concept.

Sometimes, reality simply must intrude.
Krebs family aims to stay strong together | KentuckySports.com
Kentucky basketball means a lot of things to a lot of people. For senior guard Mark Krebs, it is an escape.

It's a respite from thinking about his mother's ongoing battle with cancer.

Our prayers go out to Mark's mother, and their family.
Rupp Arena becomes a Big Blue Mad house | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
It was a night for spectacle, a night when the University of Kentucky men’s basketball program took center stage — quite literally — with a show surely as splashy as any in the history of Big Blue Madness.
Kentucky, Calipari Raise Stakes With Over-the-Top Midnight Madness - Andy Hutchins - The Sporting Blog - Sporting News
It's those other off-court problems that might derail this renaissance. The Big Blue faithful should only hope that Coach Cal makes good on his promises before everything comes crashing down. Again.

Well, here it is. You knew it would be here. You knew that they couldn't get past BBM without suggesting that UK is headed straight into the NCAA crapper under Calipari. Embrace the hate.
UK Notebook: Cal says this is Patterson's last year | KentuckySports.com
Speaking to the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches, Calipari said his first UK team's experience consisted of "three seniors and Patrick Patterson, who will leave this year. Hopefully he'll be a top-10 pick."

That Patterson might leave after his junior season comes as no surprise. But it was interesting that Calipari gave himself no wiggle room.

I think we make too much of this. Later in the season, Calipari will likely say something different, and cause a media stir. Patterson should move to the NBA but nobody, probably not even him at this point, knows if he will for certain.
ZAGSBLOG " Tobias and Kyrie, Together in College?; Vander Blue to Marquette
If so, it would be at UK, at least right now. But there is a long way to go.
Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Torrel Harris Talks With Us About His Son’s Visit to UK’s Big Blue Madness
DR: Anything else that just really stood out to guys during the visit?

Torrel Harris: The fans stood out. I mean, they were just UN-BE-LIEVE-ABLE. And then just the teaching techniques of the staff, of Coach Cal and of just his whole staff. For me, that stood out. That stood out for Tobias too. You can tell the fans are unbelievable. I videotaped the whole thing and you can tell man, they LOVE their UK basketball. 24,000 fans up there for Madness, man that is unbelievable. So, I mean, it was great man, it was great.

Good stuff from Dustin Rumbaugh on Tobias Harris' visit to UK over Big Blue Madness.

UK Football News

Where’s the respect for Brooks’ Cats? | Vaught's Views
Well, to be fair, UK must do more. If we win three more SEC games, it will come, make no mistake. But when you are 1-3 in the SEC, I would submit that is not the best time to demand respect.
courier-journal.com | Eric Crawford | The Courier-Journal
You can say that Auburn wasn't ranked, that it has been slowed by injury, that it is losing steam. You can say, and some are, that the SEC is down (for folks who do, I'll take Florida and Alabama and give you any two teams from one league in the country, and we'll see who winds up on top.)

Indeed, it probably was. Isn't it interesting that we can beat good teams in the West, but cant seem to beat any of the good ones in the East? You can say all that, but it doesn't matter. When UK came from behind to beat Auburn 21-14 Saturday night, it was the second-biggest win in Rich Brooks' tenure.
Brooks happy with both quarterbacks | Vaught's Views
Sanders impresses in marquee matchup - ESPN
DECATUR, Ga. -- Kentucky running back commit Raymond Sanders (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) showed why he could be one of the more underrated recruits heading to the Southeastern Conference next season.

Looks like Brooks & Co. have found another hidden jewel.
UK scores two late TDs to shock Auburn | KentuckySports.com
"I just get more hungry in the fourth quarter, and I want to do whatever I have to do to get us in the lead or keep the lead," Cobb said. "I just love playing the game, and the fourth quarter is when you've got to dig deep."

The legend of Randall Cobb continues to grow, and he is only in his second year as a Wildcat.
What we learned in the SEC: Week 7 - SEC - ESPN
5. Kentucky follows its leader: The Rich Brooks legacy at Kentucky will be closely tied to the Wildcats’ three straight bowl victories the last three seasons and how he’s elevated the program to respectability at a school where basketball is king. But Brooks’ legacy goes even deeper than that. He’s brought a sense of toughness to Kentucky football, a sense of class to Kentucky football and a no-excuses resolve that should serve this program well long after he’s retired and back home fishing in Oregon.

Read the rest. It's short, but worth it.
SEC helmet stickers: Week 7 - SEC - ESPN
Kentucky coach Rich Brooks: Boy, did he deserve this one. His Kentucky team deserved this one. This is a program that would have faded into oblivion in the past after losing three straight games and having so many key players go down with injuries. But Brooks kept his guys focused and kept them believing, and the Wildcats went to the Plains and took out Auburn 21-14 on Saturday. It’s a win that very much keeps alive the Wildcats’ bowl chances, as they evened their record at 3-3.

This has already been linked, but if you didn't read it, you should.
" Video: Rich Brooks after win over Auburn John Clay’s Sidelines
So. Papa Brooks did not tell the whole tale after all. Like Mr. Spock, he didn't lie, he exaggerated. :-)
UK’s football season looks a lot better now | Vaught's Views
At 3-3 going into a relatively easier stretch, UK is well-positioned for more than six wins this season.
Eyes on Auburn: 14-21 Loss to Kentucky (as I vomit in my mouth) Review
-Offensive pass interference is no longer in the rule book (I guess). UK's first scoring drive was kept alive by a third down conversion in which Kentucky's receiver obviously pushed off on Demond Washington creating the separation necessary to make the catch. It was a pitiful no call and would have been flagged 100% of the time if roles were reversed. Maybe I'm sensitive to this as a former defensive back. And while we're on the topic of penalties, how Kentucky played an entire SEC game on the road without a single penalty called against them is comical as well.

I thought there were two or three obvious penalties that UK got away with -- Offsides on the first kickoff, the push of mentioned above, and a hold I saw on one of the pass plays. Plus, we have been flagged for not having enough men on the line of scrimmage all year, and I thought that could have been called at least once.

Other UK Sports News

UK snags commitment
Jennifer O'Neill, a 5-foot-6 point guard from St. Michael Academy in New York, is ranked No. 30 nationally by Hoopgurlz.com and picked UK over Georgia and California.

Congrats to coach Mitchell! Great job.

NCAA Sports News

UK's Brooks: SEC runner-up may belong in BCS title game - al.com
"It's going to be a great SEC championship game," said Kentucky coach Rich Brooks, whose team has played both the Crimson Tide and Gators this season. "I'm assuming - and I think I'll be correct in this, unless somebody gets upset here along the way - that they're probably both going to go undefeated into the SEC Championship game.

"And I'm not so sure the loser of that game shouldn't play in the national championship game, too."

I think I just heard the heads of a million Pac-10 and Big Televen fans explode at the same time.
Pilgrim-age could improve Pokes | NewsOK.com
"Matt brings us something we didn’t necessarily have," Ford said. "He’s the strongest player on our team. He’s the most athletic player on our team.

Matt Pilgrim is making a splash at Oklahoma State.
Kansas eager to leave off-court events behind - CBK News - FOX Sports on MSN
"This group had a hall pass, but they've lost that right," he said. "We've put a lot harsher rules in place.

"I think we've got really good kids. But we made a series of poor decisions, and it's shed a negative light on us."

We'll see. We'll see.

Other News of Interest

AFP: Hurricane Rick weakens as it nears Mexico coast
This is a a really scary hurricane.
UConn Football Player Jasper Howard Stabbed To Death On Campus -- Courant.com
About nine hours after his Huskies walked off Rentschler Field with a victory over Louisville, after a press conference filled with smiles and platitudes, UConn football coach Randy Edsall 's phone rang. When the phone rings at that hour, Edsall said, it's never good.

Our prayers go out to the family. What a horrible thing to happen.
Greg Page Foundation honors a child champion - WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY |
Does anybody besides me remember Greg Page? Glad to see his legacy is doing good work.

The Daily Schadenfreude

Duke Basketball Report - The unofficial home of Duke basketball fans and the Cameron Crazies
If you live inside the borders of the state of Kentucky, odds are you think the sun rises and sets on Kentucky basketball. If you don’t, you likely have a more jaundiced view of the program. Like us, for example.

Aww, isn't that just precious? The Dookies feel like they have to take shots at us again.

That's a cute little program you guys have there, Dookies. Too bad it's about to become rather less prominent. I have a feeling it is Calipari we will be seeing on the TV much more than Coach K in the coming years, and I will enjoy that very much, as well as subjecting the Indigo Diablos to the depredations of some serious schadenfruede.

Maybe somebody should start a website dedicated to exposing the truth about Duke's empire of condescending little Kentucky wanna-bes. Oh, wait ...
Low key, high hopes for Pitino and U of L | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
The Cardinals have been ranked in the top 20 by most preseason publications, and they're being picked in various spots in the upper half of the Big East Conference. Perhaps because of the splash made by John Calipari at the University of Kentucky, perhaps because of the loss of Williams and Clark, this is an under-the-radar group at the moment.

Does anyone else see the unseriousness in claiming a Rick Pitino team is "under the radar?"
A Wise move: Relieving pressure on point guard | "Tell them … tell the team to bear down"
Did anybody else think Kentucky’s introduction of John Calipari was over the top? Spotlight in a darkened arena. Confetti everywhere. We will take Miller’s low-key style in such an event over Calipari’s approach any day, especially considering the young team Miller has toHigh-profile recruit Adreian Payne of Dayton (Ohio) Jefferson attended West Virginia’s Midnight Madness and one report indicated that Payne has narrowed his choices to West Virginia and Kentucky. Payne visited the UA campus last weekend. The report by Bob Hertzel of the Times West Virginian does not cite any sources.

More love from jealous rivals.

Kentucky Wildcats -- I Got a Basketball Jones

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:14:35 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Are we having fun yet?

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I have a serious Jones for basketball, I can hardly wait the remaining 11 days, 1 hour, 45 minutes and 2 seconds remaining (as of when I started writing this article) before Big Blue Madness. I notice that a lot of Kentucky fans are as anxious as I am for basketball to begin.

But I'm not the only one with a serious Jones for Wildcat Basketball. Check out Rush The Court's reporting of the recent tent city that surrounded Rupp Arena while waiting for the Big Blue Madness tickets to go on sale. It may seem remarkable to some, but quite honestly, it's pretty old news around here. The intensity is up due to Calipari's coming, but we pretty much do this every year. This seems like pretty uneventful stuff to me, but I suppose other schools may find it fascinating, much like when Alabama stuffs their football stadium for practice every year.

Now, let me say right now that this has nothing to do whatsoever with football. Even though the Gridiron Felines have dropped their last two at home, absolutely nobody with a brain had either one of those games as a win coming into this season when they considered the likely victories that the 'Cats are going to amass this year.

So don't think that I am ready to abandon the football team just because they've had a tough stretch. It's just that Wildcat Country is basketball country, and it's getting close to time for John Calipari's charges to hit the hardwood in search for a serious fix of hoops glory. I know that I am undergoing some major hoops glory withdrawal right about now, and I can finally see the end of my suffering just ahead. Can you blame me for saying, "Faster, please?"

As we inch ever so slowly closer to Big Blue Madness (now officially October 16th for everyone, thanks to Billy Gillispie and a few other coaches forcing the NCAA's hand), the time has come to consider what we are likely to see this year. Man, I have been waiting a long time for this consideration, too.

So here Kentucky sits, with the #1 recruiting class in the nation. Add to that the return of Patrick Patterson and the highly under-considered Darius Miller, plus solid four-year players Perry Stevenson and Ramon Harris, and it gets one to thinking about the possibilities. The only thing UK appears to lack at the moment is a two guard. Kentucky has lots and lots of wings, including Darnell Dodson, Jon Hood, the aforementioned Ramon Harris and Darrius Miller, but the only real two guard on the entire roster is walk-on Mark Krebs.

Of course, many have speculated that Calipari will likely consider playing a lot of John Wall and Eric Bledsoe together, and while that might be true, we do have to consider that the first thing most teams will attempt to do to Kentucky is throw a zone or a junk defense at them. The Dribble-Drive Motion is going to force UK's opponents to consider a zone or a deeply sagging man-to-man (sometimes called a "pack line" defense) early, because if you let Wall and Bledsoe spread you out and take you to the rack, it will either be a parade of layups, put-back dunks or foul shots, none of which is good if you are UK's opponents.

So given that, we can expect a lot of zone and "pack line" defense. What can we do about that? Well, obviously we'll hope that guys like Miller and Dodson can knock down the open three, but with only one or two real threats, what's the answer if they're not? Interestingly, it might come from the Kansas vs. UCLA in their 2008 Final Four matchup. Memphis began to utilize the size of Rose and Douglas-Roberts to post up the smaller UCLA guards, instead of trying to blow by them on the face-up dribble. With enough weapons, UK could resort to a similar tactic, even posting up DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson, not all at once but as a part of the motion offense by having Patterson start on the perimeter, but dive into a post-up position if the drive is unavailable.

Because of the ridiculous size UK has on the roster and the uncanny quality depth we can deploy in the front line, there are any number of ways to deploy the front line and create major mismatches for opponents. Not many opponents, for example, would be able to deploy three super-athletic players who can post up and face, all over 6'8", at the same time. Imagine a front line of Cousins, Orton (or Harrelson) and Patterson. All of them can post, all of them can face up (just not that much from the 3-point line) and all are big, strong bodies. The possibilities boggle the mind.

So while we anxiously await the the tipoff to the college basketball season, let's ponder some of the questions. Could UK wind up in Indianapolis for the Final Four? Can we win the SEC outright, in spite of the great returning talent? Can Patrick Patterson learn to play around the arc? Will Darius Miller step up into a starting spot? How good will Darnell Dodson be? What is it that Calipari loves about Josh Harrellson?

I can't wait to find out the answers.

The Buzz vs. Reality: How Good Will Kentucky Basketball Be?

Truzenzuzex — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:10:53 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Yeah, we're gonna win a few games here at Kentucky. Trust us.

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With football looming so close, why, you ask, am I talking basketball? Because I must.

The other day, we had a FanPost that descended somewhat into the expectations game. How good can a team, a team for which at least three and likely four of its starters and and a total of five new players who have never played one minute of college basketball, but will be logging major minutes next year, possibly be? Fortunately, fairly recent history provides us with some suggestions.

The last time there was a recruiting class in college basketball of the magnitude of Kentucky's 2009 class, it was known as the "Fab Five," and they played for Steve Fisher at Michigan. Michigan successfully recruited Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson in 1991. The rankings of this team were as follows: Chris Webber #1, Juwan Howard #3, Jalen Rose #6, Jimmy King #9, and Ray Jackson #84. This is obviously slightly higher than Kentucky's recruiting class, which goes like this: John Wall #1, DeMarcus Cousins #2, Daniel Orton #22, Eric Bledsoe #23, Jon Hood #40, but it is still roughly comparable.

So just how good were the Fab Five back in 1991-92. Well, they reached the Final Four, and played in the national final against Duke, who wound up winning 71-51. Michigan did not get there by an easy path, either -- they were a six seed, and they beat the #11, 14, 2 and 1 seed in the southeast region to get there.

The Fab Five did not set the the Big 10 on fire in 1991-92. Their record stood at 21-14, with nine conference victories against nine losses. But as you might expect, that Wolverines team got better and better as the year went along, and they peaked at the right time.

The difference between the 1991-92 Michigan team and the 2009-10 Wildcats is quality depth. Michigan had very little to go with the Fab Five. Kentucky is sporting a roster of high school stars that breaks down like this:

Rivals.com 5- star players -- 5 -- John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins Eric Bledsoe, Daniel Orton, Patrick Patterson
Rivals.com 4- star players -- 5 -- Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins, Perry Stevenson, Darnell Dodson, Jon Hood
Rivals.com 3- star players -- 2 -- Ramon Harris, Josh Harrellson
Unranked -- 1 -- Mark Krebs

Michigan's team had nothing like this kind of talent available to them, and yet they still managed to earn a Final Four in both 1992 and 1993.

Of course, the Fab Five wound up embroiled in a huge scandal that saw several of them testify before a federal grand jury of one Ed Martin on charges of money laundering, gambling, and other sins. You can read all about that here.

But this article is not about comparing the two squads, but trying to get a read on the likely performance of Kentucky from a roughly similar situation some years back, and figuring out what reasonable expectations for the 2009-10 program look like.

I think it is reasonable to expect this team, barring injury, to win between 28-30 ball games. There are 33 regular season and one guaranteed SEC tournament game on the schedule. You can figure that out of UConn, North Carolina and Louisville, there is likely at least one loss in there.

Looking further down the schedule, we could reasonably expect up to five losses in the conference schedule -- at Tennessee, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State, at Florida, and at least one other, possibly at Vandy or LSU, or a home loss to somebody.

If all this comes to pass, UK should be 27-6 going into the tournament. Assuming UK wins at least one of those games, that will place them at 28-7 going into the NCAA. Barring a first round upset, UK should be no worse than 29-8, and should wind up much better than that, assuming they win more than just one game in the NCAA and SEC tournament. My expectations are for no less than 33+ wins and single-digit losses. Barring major injury, I will be disappointed, at least somewhat, if that does not wind up the case. The level of disappointment will obviously depend on the level of adversity that the team faces.

So if someone tells you that they will be satisfied with 25 wins this season, they are kidding themselves -- they won't and shouldn't. This team should win at least 25 regular season games. How far they go from there will depend on the chemistry and teamwork they are able to create over that season.

Poll

How many REGULAR SEASON games will the basketball Wildcats win this year?

All of them

35 votes

30+

220 votes

28-30

276 votes

25-27

194 votes

20-25

64 votes

Less than 20

6 votes

795 votes | Poll has closed

What Losing Jodie Meeks to the NBA Means

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:01:57 -0000

Uh oh. 3-point shooting could FAIL next year ...

View full size photo »

Jodie Meeks' decision to stay in the NBA draft is probably the best thing for him, but it is definitely not the best thing for the Kentucky Wildcats next year. This puts UK in a real pickle when it comes to outside shooting. Let's take a look at the leading 3-point shooters from last year:

Name	3pt Field Goals
Name	3pt Field Goals Made	3pt Field Goals Attempted	3pt Field Goal Percentage	% of 3 point shots made	Remaining
Jodie Meeks	117	288	40.60%	57.92%
Michael Porter	32	97	33.00%	15.84%
Darius Miller	18	55	32.70%	8.91%	8.91%
DeAndre Liggins	12	51	23.50%	5.94%	5.94%
Ramon Harris	6	25	24.00%	2.97%	2.97%
Josh Harrellson	5	15	33.30%	2.48%	2.48%
Landon Slone	4	15	26.70%	1.98%
Perry Stevenson	3	10	30.00%	1.49%	1.49%
A.J. Stewart	2	5	40.00%	0.99%
Mark Halsell	1	1	100.00%	0.50%
Mark Krebs	1	4	25.00%	0.50%	0.50%
Dwight Perry	1	2	50.00%	0.50%	0.50%
Jared Carter	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Kevin Galloway	0	4	0.00%	0.00%
Patrick Patterson	0	1	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
*Totals*	*202*			*100.00%*	*22.77%*

Now, just let that chart roll around in your mind for a few minutes.

If that doesn't cause you a moment of panic, I don't know what will. UK is losing 78% of the team's three-point scoring from last year, and bringing in only one player, Darnell Dodson, who is somewhat known for his shooting. Jon Hood is also a decent 3-point shooter, but he is much more like Michael Porter in that respect than Jodie Meeks. What does that say to every coach in college basketball? That's right, boys and girls -- we are going to get a lot of practice playing against zone defenses next year, or seriously sagging man-to-man from teams that eschew the zone. Why would you not force a team with a profile like next year's Wildcats to put up the three ball rather than pass it in to huge post studs or allow a lightning-quick Wall or Bledsoe to get to the rack by playing man-to-man?

So Calipari is now faced with an interesting challenge, and probably one that he does not relish. The Dribble Drive Motion Offense depends on good three-point shooting to function well. Without it, man-to-man defenses will be sagging into the middle like crazy, and zones will be as passive as they want to be. Heck, the perimeter players might even be touching fingertips with each other daring UK to shoot.

This really changes things, folks. Anyone who understands basketball knows that, too. With Meeks on the perimeter, other teams had real problems -- he could spread the floor by acting as a decoy, opening up driving lanes and making it hard on everybody, even if he never put up a shot that wasn't unopposed. Now, every 3-point shot is going to be largely unopposed, because that's what opponents will want UK to take, not slash to the rim for a layup or a dish to Patterson, Orton or Cousins.

The old Chinese curse comes back to the fore. We are living in interesting times, unless Dodson is better than I think he is, or Hood suddenly develops into Rex Chapman.

UK Basketball: John Calipari Speaks -- My Take

Ken Howlett — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:07:40 -0000

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

John Calipari: A man unafraid.

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UK basketball coach John Calipari certainly isn't averse to public speaking. On the contrary, I think he rather enjoys the microphones on the table, and the cameras in the back of the room. And his seemingly candid style is a ... change.

Which is a good thing. On that we can all agree.

Calipari's Wednesday press conference gave us yet another glimpse into the mind of UK's basketball coach. And I for one appreciate Calipari's eagerness to share this thoughts ...

But, when a fan base is blessed with a coach who is apt to be fiercely verbose, well, that gives guys like me an opportunity to examine, critique, and opine ourselves, on what the coach has to say.

It all begins with:

Calipari on expectations:

"We will calm them down, don't worry, it is not that time yet, but we will calm them down. You are going to have people that will say that we are going to be the national champion and they are No. 1 or No. 2 ..."

He continues to beat down expectations, but does he?:

"Half of the team is going to be new players that have never played college basketball, and the other half has never played this style. What you are going to be finding out is that in September and November balls are going to be playing everywhere, and they (the fans) will be questioning how we are playing. All of a sudden it will hit January and we will have a couple of breakout games and they will say, 'Oh my goodness.' Then it hits February and we aren't turning the ball over as much and we are shooting better, and still running people into the ground and that is how you are playing. Then by March you are playing your best basketball."

I don't care which coach it is, or how long he's been at UK, but if someone brings in the type of talent that Calipari has, coupled with the return of Patterson (and the probable return of Meeks), my fourth grade sociology book tells me that equals UK fans expecting ... a lot of "W's." Great players equates to great expectations. No amount of spin will ever change that fact.

Calipari knows that.

He's purposely speaking the typical UK fans language with his comments about his expectations for the teams performance in January through March. He knows what the UK faithful want to hear, and he's confident enough to say it.

I don't know that his statement would qualify as tempering enthusiasm (laughing as he types), rather the opposite seems true, but I like it. I think he knows this team should be good. He knows it in his bones.

Calipari on Patrick Patterson coming back to UK:

"I told his mother and father that I wanted them to understand that he and I had two conversations with him and Jodie together, and not once did I tell him that he needed to come back. I told him that he needed to explore and do what he needed to do and that I would be here for him. I did not coach him to come back, because if he came back I wanted him to know that he is coming back for himself, and to help the university."

We get it coach. You didn't talk Patrick into coming back.

Calipari on who performed well in practice:

"Darius (Miller) has played well, and Josh (Harrellson) has played well. Perry (Stevenson) has done some things that we had to stop practice and the whole team clapped for him, because he did some things that they haven't seen him do."

This is twice now that Calipari has mentioned Josh Harrellson's name when asked who's playing well. Although I don't see Harrellson taking too many defenders off the dribble, he is a capable outside shooter. Which could make him dangerous in this type of offense. Plus, his size would dictate the opponent pulling another defensive big man away from the basket to cover Harrellson.

I'm sure Cal can figure out a way to use a good shooting big man. I'm rootin' for you Josh.

As far as Perry Stevenson -- I have run the gamut of emotions with him: I've praised him, I've bemoaned him, I've been content with him, and most recently, I've buried him as thoroughly as Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito buried Billy Batts.

In my view, Perry's improvement needs to be spectacular in order for him to see much floor time this year. He does bring the element of experience, but I'm afraid his talent deficiencies will, in the end, be exposed.

Coach Cal talks about who might not be coming back:

"I don't know. There are some guys that we will sit down with and talk to, but I haven't really sat down with any of the players that way."

Well, the time is getting near, coach.

My thought is that as soon as Wall makes his announcement, Calipari will start downsizing. Based on Wall's decision, he will have to take away either one, or two scholarships from current players.

Regardless of how it's spun, Calipari is left with no choice but to convey to at least one kid that he's not good enough to merit a scholarship. I don't like it. But, unfortunately it's a part of college athletics.

The player[s] will be left with options, though: A grant-in-aid is always a possibility, but the players family would have to qualify; a player paying his own way, is another. In order to qualify for an academic schollie the player must be carrying a 3.3 GPA. To my knowledge, although good students, none of the the current players can boast a GPA that lofty.

I'm not going to get into which player I think will be "let go." I'll only say that I hate to see it happen, if that is indeed the scenario that plays out.

Calipari feels our pain when talking about DeAndre Liggins and Kevin Galloway:

"Kevin and DeAndre are completely out of control. Your feet have to move really fast in this offense, like really fast. Like a duck where your feet are moving really fast under water, but above the water, it is really smooth. But, when their feet move really fast, their minds move fast as well. That is all about being coached and drilled."

Is it a coincidence that the only two UK players that Calipari has said anything negative about (that I recall) are the two point guards?

Liggins and Galloway played fast last year. Sometimes it was good, sometimes not so good. But, I can imagine how anxious they are to please their new coach, especially with one, maybe two stud points on the way. That can only add fuel to their already frenetic style of play.

And they know that as the point guard, especially in the DDMO, their decision-making sets the tone for the possession. And unless they are delusional, they realize that turning the ball over at the same rate as last season is not an option.

So, they're pressing. They're probably trying too hard.

But, I think Cal is right. It's all about repetition, it's all about being coached in his style. But, will that be enough to secure a spot in the rotation for the two returning guards? We'll know sooner, rather than later.

And as a bit of friendly motivation for you guys (Liggins and Galloway), take a look below at Cal's quotes about incoming freshman Eric Bledsoe.

Calipari's thoughts on the high number of walk-ons:

"We had a football team when I first got here. My focus is going to be on the 10, 11, or 12 that are really going to play. We will have walk-ons, but I am not going to keep seven walk-ons, I will tell you that. ... there are guys out there that have always dreamed of playing for Kentucky and hopefully you can help a couple of kids accomplish those dreams, just not seven."

Okay, it appears as if he's keeping two. The smart money is on Landon Slone and Mark Krebs. They're both from Kentucky, and they can both shoot the ball.

Actually, I can see Slone becoming a "Cameron Mills"-type player, if he stays all four years. Although he's a good shooter, he made a living at Paintsville taking his man to the rim, which could make him viable and valuable.

His intense passion for playing for Kentucky was clearly on display last year. And I think he has the right blend of talent (plus his incredible desire to wear the Blue and White), which may enable him to make the leap from human victory cigar to game-time contributor.

Calipari on Daniel Orton and DeMarcus Cousins:

"Daniel Orton is going to be terrific, because he has great size, really long arms and he's skilled. You can play him inside or outside and he's a terrific passer. He also has the skills that if you want to play two big guys you can. There is DeMarcus that you can play with him and together. You have the opportunity to play two guys that are big, because they are really fast, aggressive, and skilled."

Uh, coach, is that still you tamping down expectations?

He continues with Eric Bledsoe:

"He reminds me of the point guard I had at Memphis, Antonio Burks. He is fast and very physically strong and tough. He has great vision on the court, and in this offense you have to be able to react. Everything that we do in the drills and teach is trying to get them to react better, and to keep their heads up and recognize what is happening to them. Some guys never get it ... but he is one that gets it. He just gets it."

Obviously, all three of these freshman are going to have a huge impact on the success or failure of next seasons team. Their collective importance cannot be underestimated, but ...

I hope coach Cal realizes fans are going to remember these words ... for a long time. Previously questionable memories are suddenly strengthened to the point of extreme durability, when optimistic words such as these flow from the lips of a UK head coach.

Calipari on the schedule:

"I have some stuff going on that will be unbelievable if we can get it done. We are trying to move one game in Louisville and play at another neutral site. Texas has called and wants to play a neutral site game in Houston. We are thinking about Cincinnati, but you really want to protect your home fans in Lexington, and make sure they have games. You may have to shove a game into Nashville at some point. It may not be bad as a neutral site."

"I like neutral site games for all of you to understand, because what I like to do is split tickets. You get half the tickets, and we get half the tickets. The reason is, that is an NCAA venue, which is what the NCAA is. You are not playing a road game in the NCAA tournament. It will be half and half."

"I would love to get a team that would agree to play us in Louisville every year, and split the tickets."

In my perfect world UK would rotate playing Indiana in Louisville, and in Indianapolis. And in the years that UK is playing in Indy, Kansas would be UK's Freedom Hall opponent. I know I would be giving up a home game for a neutral site game, but check UK's record in Freedom Hall. They win at nearly same rate as they do in Rupp -- Rupp Arena record - 427-60 (87.7%), Freedom Hall record (in neutral site games) - 50-12 (80.6%).

I've been to three UK versus IU games: One in Louisville, one in Indy, and one in Rupp. For my money, the best atmosphere is when the arena is half blue, and half red. There truly is an NCAA tournament aura within the arena.

How about a neutral site game between UK and Memphis, held in Nashville? Somebody get Pastner on the phone!

I think Calipari makes a good point when he talks of the need to "protect the home fans." I know for years fans have been complaining about the level of competition being brought into Rupp Arena. Although North Carolina and Louisville make bi-yearly visits (and Kansas recently ended a home/home with UK), that still leaves eight or nine other OOC home games that have been mostly filled with low-Division I teams.

I don't think its unreasonable to expect UK to play five or six top-30 teams in Rupp Arena on a yearly basis (out of 10 or 11 OOC home games). I don't know, maybe I'm being an overly optimistic schedule-maker, otherwise known as a "coach killer."

But, Calipari's tenor has leaned toward toughening, not deflating, the strength of UK's schedule. I agree with that, as do most UK fans.

Man, he gets another thing right.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Ouachita Baptist @ Kentucky (Exhibition): Post Mortem

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:48:44 -0000

Never let it be said that the Tigers of Ouachita Baptist came into Rupp Arena with stars in their eyes and fear in their heart. The Division II Tigers came in with a very similar style to Kentucky's -- hard-nosed defense and deadly three-point shooting. Coach Charlie Schaef's charges came into the Wildcat's lair and gave a good effort in a very physical game. Ultimately, the Wildcats prevailed, 94-72.

I must say that the officials made a mess of this contest, calling touch fouls and all sorts of ticky-tack junk that completely disrupted the flow of the game. It got so bad that coach Gillispie finally lost his cool and managed to draw a technical foul in an exhibition game. That, folks, is something you don't see every day, but I can honestly say that these officials well and truly deserved whatever abuse both coaches gave them.

As for the Wildcats, they displayed none of the professional, workmanlike attitude evident in their fist exhibition game on Monday. It was replaced by erratic, almost frenetic offense and the kind of defense they played early last season. Despite the fact that Perry Stevenson almost recorded a triple-double and had 20 rebounds, this game was anything but a thing of beauty.

Patrick Patterson still looks a step slow and an inch low on his vertical to me. He just isn't as explosive as he was last year, and that is clearly due to the long period of time he had rehabbing that ankle. Josh Harrellson was ineffective today, and rarely saw the floor due to some early defensive breakdowns which, as we all know, is the key to spending lots of time as a spectator with a great seat on a Billy Gillispie-coached team. DeAndre Liggins was somewhat erratic at first, but he got it going with some nice defense and some decent offense later on. Jodie Meeks was pretty much the same as usual, and actually played some pretty solid defense in this game.

I thought Mark Krebs and Landon Slone did some good work out there, and Jared Carter, too, until he foolishly fouled a three-point shooter, which drew an immediate hook from the coach. But ultimately, what will rankle most Wildcat fans about this game is the ridiculous number of turnovers by Kentucky. It got better in the second half, but the first half was a comedy of errors and reminded me very much of our outing against Gardener-Webb, albeit only for a short time. It got better in the end, but not nearly good enough to make this a celebration of a better-than-expected team.

All in all, this was a pedestrian effort at its best and an ugly mess at its worst. It is the kind of game you expect from a young team playing against a much older one, even taking into account the difference in skill and athleticism. There will be many opportunities for improvement to be found reviewing this tape, and I am confident coach Gillispie will avail himself of every single one of them.

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Ouachita Baptist @ Kentucky (Exhibition): Post Mortem