SB Nation User Blog: Truzenzuzex

SEC Power Poll Ballot: Week 10

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:43:05 -0000

At this point in the season, there is a lot of jockeying for position down in the lower reaches of the league, but with the division champions settled and only two or three games left, the four and five win teams are striving to earn bowl eligibility, and the better teams are trying to polish their credentials and avoid the late-season upset.

As for Kentucky, well, they are really two SEC wins away from finding themselves firmly in the middle of the pack. Right now, despite some factors that make them look better on paper than some others, it's hard to put a team with only one SEC win, even a pretty good one, too high.

With all that said, my ballot follows the jump.

Team	cWL	W-L	bWL	SoS	MoV	PF-PA	FBR	Next opponent	Polls	Comments
Florida	7-0	9-0	7-0	47.41	24.9	315-91	2	Florida International	1,[1!]	Only 27 points vs. the 'Dores? What can that mean?
Alabama	6-0	9-0	7-0	52.62	19.1	278-106	3	Tennessee-Chattanooga	3,[2!]	Too strong for the Tigers this year.
LSU	4-2	7-2	5-2	50.74	11.7	226-121	15	at Mississippi	11,8	Alabama was clearly the better team, but the loss of Scott to a broken collarbone really hurts an already anemic LSU offense.
Auburn	3-3	7-3	4-3	46.42	8.4	350-266	27	Nov 28, Alabama	25,27	Can Aubie rise up and smite the Bulldogs?
Arkansas	2-4	5-4	3-4	49.7	9.4	320-235	34	Mississippi State		On a roll at the end of the season.
South Carolina	3-4	6-4	4-4	44.86	0.9	213-204	38	Nov 28, Clemson	42	Another late-season swoon for the Gamecocks? Sure looks that way.
Georgia	3-3	5-4	4-4	48.67	1	244-235	41	Kentucky		Mauled the Golden Eagles, but Richt really needs an SEC scalp.
Mississippi	2-3	6-3	2-3	38.54	14.1	269-142	54	LSU	39,38	Ole Miss once again shows a less than stout defense against an FCS foe.
Tennessee	2-3	5-4	2-4	46.08	13.2	289-170	42	Vanderbilt	37,35	Has Crompton actually learned to throw the football? This could be trouble for Tennessee's foes.
Kentucky	1-4	5-4	2-4	48.83	4.4	244-204	36	at Georgia		Easy game could not have come at a better time for the traveling M.A.S.H. Unit that is the Kentucky Wildcats.
Mississippi State	2-3	4-5	2-4	55.59	2.3	242-221	60	at Arkansas		Open date
Vanderbilt	0-6	2-8	0-7	40.47	-5.8	167-225	108	at Tennessee		At least with Spikes on the bench, the 'Dores didn't have to wear eye guards. But it didn't help their offense.

Your comments, as always, are welcome and encouraged.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Season Kickoff Edition

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:58:14 -0000

by Gerry Broome - AP

Don't know 'bout those unis, Tar Heels ...

View full size photo »

Well, what do you know, the basketball season has officially begun, but with a whimper rather than a bang. North Carolina opened up last night against the Fighting Isaiah Thomases, and lo and behold, the Tar Heels were not even a shell of last year's team. But of course, like UK, they are very young but very talented, and they will certainly improve.

The SB Nation UNC blog Carolina March has more, as does this News and Observer piece, about how the Heels did in their first outing versus an opponent that counts. Of course, UK doesn't get a shot at a counter until later this week, but it will get here, folks. Be patient.

Ohio State had a convincing 100-60 win over Alcorn State in a very efficient outing. The Buckeys look to be a very interesting team, and unlike UNC and Kentucky, is loaded with less talent but much more experience. Teams like Ohio State often make a lot of noise in March, and this team will bear close watching throughout the year.

#25 Syracuse was easily handling tiny Albany as I was going to bed, and Murray State was getting set to take on Cal, but that tip is past my bedtime.

After the jump, all the news that's fit for Wildcats.

In Patterson's dream game, he keeps firing from downtown and he can't miss | KentuckySports.com
In Patrick Patterson's fantasy, he dribbles the ball downcourt and swishes three-point shot after three-point shot.

"I'm going to play Jodie Meeks," he said. "Just like Tennessee."

That just seems so...right. Patterson has a nice stroke and a nice release. He may not be Jodie Meeks this year, but I do think he will surprise us all from the arc.
Dunlap, Snowden star in UK women's scrimmage | KentuckySports.com
Basketball Prospectus | Articles | The List: Season-Opening Edition
Another ranking, once again UK is fairly high.
Improving Cobb part of ‘extensive’ injury list at UK | Vaught's Views
One day, we will have a season where we are not so banged up. One day.
Western Kentucky fires coach David Elson in seventh season amid 0-9 season - ESPN
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have fired coach David Elson amid the Hilltoppers' first fully eligible season for FBS play.
SEC power rankings - SEC - ESPN
11. Kentucky: One of the most time consuming things Kentucky coach Rich Brooks does every Sunday is read off the injury report. The Wildcats (5-4, 1-4) are really banged up. Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb didn’t play last week in the 37-12 win over Eastern Kentucky, but both are expected back this week against Vanderbilt. The Wildcats would like to get all the drama out of the way and become bowl eligible this week. Otherwise, they’ll have to beat Georgia or Tennessee to do so.
Five Bold College Basketball Predictions - Andy Hutchins - The Sporting Blog - Sporting News
The best team in the SEC will be Mississippi State. Forget about the John Wall Show at Kentucky: The only team in the SEC coming off an NCAA Tournament berth and returning all five starters plays in Starkville. Add Renardo Sidney, currently caught in eligibility limbo, and the Bulldogs may have the most imposing frontline in college hoops in Sidney and one-man block party Jarvis Varnado. Maintaining the quietly above-average guard play of last season could be their key.

MSU will be very good, but not better than Kentucky. Andy is letting his hopes write a check that reality can't cash.
Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Rich Brooks press conference notes
I'm disturbed that the team is still worrying about MSU. Forget it -- its water under the bridge now. Beating Vandy, Georgia and/or UT would more than make up for it.
NCAA College Basketball Power Rankings - NCAA Basketball - ESPN
I'll take a #4 ranking for now, but I honestly believe we will be better than Texas and Michigan State. Interesting to find Dook all the way down at #9. Cardinals at 21? Nah. That's too high, I don't get it. I also don't buy Minnesota as top 25 yet, but I would have them fairly close.

Butler #10? Not. Maybe 18. Michigan 15? Well, that won't likely last. Georgetown probably deserves to be a bit higher. West Virginia top ten? Well, maybe close.
65 things to watch during the 2009-10 season - CBK News - FOX Sports on MSN
2. How will new Kentucky coach John Calipari mesh the old with the new? Patrick Patterson, Darius Miller and Perry Stevenson must figure out a way to co-exist with the new guys in Lexington — freshmen John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Darnell Dodson and Daniel Orton.
KY reports two more H1N1 deaths
Ugh.
Projecting the Field - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com
Last season's first projections just rimmed out. But a new season is about to tip off and Gary Parrish launches his first tournament field projections, following the talent trail to Kentucky and Kansas.

Florida and Vandy both just miss? One may, but not both. Only 5 bids for the SEC and 6 for the ACC. Hmm, must be a last-season hangover.
WBIR.com | Knoxville, TN | Tennessean: Criticizing SEC officials is easy call for some
In our smoke-and-mirrors world, SEC refs are supposedly doing whatever is necessary to keep Florida and Alabama undefeated and on track for a showdown in the SEC Championship game.

The theory holds that SEC powers-that-be want to keep the records of both teams spotless until Dec. 5, thus assuring that the winner plays for the national championship and the loser remains ranked high enough in the BCS standings to lock down a spot in one of the other major bowls.

Heh. Conspiracy theorists -- gotta love 'em.
Can college hoops' opener ever earn buzz? - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
They don’t because college basketball’s opening day is blasé. There’s no national tie-in or big recognition about the season starting. Maybe it’s because the season’s too long, or maybe it’s because the games will be blowouts.

The NCAA knows it and is – slowly – addressing the problem. Kind of.
College basketball preview: Year of the blueblood - Mike DeCourcy - College Basketball - Sporting News
What separates the bluebloods, though, from the nouveau riche — Michigan State, Arizona, Connecticut, Texas, Florida and the like — is how dramatically their cataclysms can be transformed into triumph. It took Williams two seasons to lead the Tar Heels to a championship after inheriting a young team that had finished in the NIT. Howland and the Bruins began a three-year Final Four streak just two years after UCLA endured back-to-back losing seasons.

DeCourcy gets it absolutely right again.
UK at Georgia set for 7:45 p.m. on Nov. 21 | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Peters: UK’s season is on the line at Vanderbilt | Vaught's Views
Corey Peters has no problem admitting that Kentucky’s season is on the line Saturday at Vanderbilt.

You bet it is. Big time. Wins at Georgia or vs. Tennessee are possible, but very tough.
Memphis making an ultra-clean Calipari break - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
To be fair, no school spends much time lauding the coaches who leave for other jobs, particularly in the media guide. That’s a space reserved for the new regime and the current season’s players. As Mark McGwire might say, why dwell on the past?

Heh. Whatever. I could care less if Cal is ever remembered as Memphis' coach.

Blogpoll Ballot: Week 10

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:17:35 -0000

Well, here we are in week 10. Texas takes the #1 spot on my ballot, although to be honest, it is so close for the top spot that you could make them 1a, 1b, and 1c. The biggest reason for that is their margin of victory over BCS teams and ranked teams compared to Alabama and Florida.

The thing is, though, the three teams are barely a point apart. To quote Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments, "Can a man choose from among the stars of the sky?" All three teams have a lot to recommend them, but Texas is just drilling everybody, having had only two games this year within ten or less points. So this week, they get my nod for #1. More after the jump.

Rank	Team

1	Texas
2	Florida
3	Alabama
4	Cincinnati
5	TCU
6	Boise State
7	Pittsburgh
8	Georgia Tech
9	Houston
10	Iowa
11	Oregon
12	Ohio State
13	Southern Cal
14	Miami (Florida)
15	LSU
16	Oklahoma State
17	Utah
18	Virginia Tech
19	Stanford
20	Penn State
21	Arizona
22	Clemson
23	North Carolina
24	Auburn
25	Wisconsin

With Iowa losing to Northwestern, the BCS championship game could go to Cincinnati, TCU or Boise State if the SEC powers suffer an upset between now and the SEC championship game, which will be between Florida and Alabama on Dec. 12th.
TCU gets a big test vs. Utah next week. Get past that one and they are BCS bound.
Cincinnati looked vulnerable against an average UConn team. They won, but just barely. With West Virginia, Illinois and Pittsburgh left, I smell an upset coming. I have been a Bearcat dobuter all year, but they have earned my respect.
Speaking of Pittsburgh, the Panthers' road just gets tougher vs. an angry Notre Dame team next week, then the 'Eers and the aforementioned Bearcats. If they win out, they have a case for a major bowl.
The Wramblin' Wreck are looking like the ACC champs to me, and they might just run all over Georgia in the regular season-ending rivalry game.
LSU's only losses this year have been to the SEC division champions.
Utah is poised for a big jump if they win out. Both TCU (away) and BYU (away) remain as opportunities for improvement.
Clemson is peaking too late, I fear.
I was sorely tempted to put Navy in the top 25, but a look at their schedule dissuaded me. Plus, they only beat Notre Dame, who is among the most schizophrenic teams in the country.
Speaking of the Irish, they could really impress some people if they win at Pittsburgh, vs. UConn and at Stanford. But I wouldn't bet on better than 1-3 in that strech.
Speaking of opportunities for improvement, West Virgina visits Cincinnati, gets Pittsburgh at home and then goes to Rutgers. 3-0 in that stretch would mightily improve their bowl picture.
UK's victory at Auburn just keeps getting better and better.

Your comments are welcome, and encouraged.

Big Blue Daily Mail -- Kentucky Football Bowl Hopes Edition

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:54:02 -0000

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

Newton wast the man on Saturday. Can he push the injured Wildcats over the hump?

Browse more photos »

I did not get to see or hear a minute of Saturday's game as Mrs. Tru and I were out at Churchill Downs enjoying a beautiful day of racing, and yesterday I was again away from the blog due to other commitments.

As many of you know, the Big Blue Daily Mail has been less and less "daily" lately, something I am not too happy with. So in an effort to streamline it and make it easier for me to publish each morning, I will be including fewer stories in the BBDM and losing the categorization. From now on, the BBDM will be something in the neighborhood of 10-20 news/blog stories.

The big news from last Saturday is a) Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke both sat the EKU game out and b) Morgan Newton and a fairly quiet UK receiving corps had a big day against a team that they should have a big day against. The question now becomes, with Kentucky sitting on the bubble at 5-3, can the 'Cats win one more to get bowl eligible, and even if they do, does it actually mean they will be playing in a bowl?

Right now, there are 6 SEC teams that are bowl-eligible at 6+ wins, and the only team that is out of bowl striking distance is Vanderbilt at 2-7. The way I count it, there are a total of nine bowl tie-ins for the SEC, and it looks as if there could be 10 bowl-eligible teams from the SEC. So at this point, I'm going to suggest that six wins will not get UK into a bowl game this year all by itself. Seven probably will, and eight definitely will, but the Mississippi State loss two games ago could well cost Rich Brooks his much-ballyhooed fourth bowl in a row. An alert reader reminded me that the SEC has 2 likely BCS teams, so that would mean 11 spots rather than 9. So it looks like unless MSU wins out, all UK needs is to win six games to make a low-level bowl.

Here's how the league looks for the rest of the season:

Team	cWL	W-L	bWL	SoS	Polls	Left on schedule
Florida	7-0	9-0	7-0	47.41	1,[1!]	@USC, FIU, FSU, Alabama
Alabama	6-0	9-0	7-0	52.62	3,[2!]	@MSU, UT Chat., @Auburn, @Florida
LSU	4-2	7-2	5-2	50.74	11,8	LaTech, @Ole Miss, Arkansas
South Carolina	3-4	6-4	4-4	44.86	42	Florida, Clemson
Auburn	3-3	7-3	4-3	46.42	25,27	@UGA, Alabama
Tennessee	2-3	5-4	2-4	46.43	37,35	@Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, @UK
Arkansas	2-4	5-4	3-4	49.70		Troy, MSU, @LSU
Georgia	3-3	5-4	4-4	48.67		Auburn, UK, @Ga Tech
Kentucky	1-4	5-4	2-4	48.83		@Vandy, @UGA, UT
Mississippi State	2-3	4-5	2-4	55.59		Alabama, @Arkansas, Ole Miss
Mississippi	2-3	6-3	2-3	38.54	39,38	Tennessee, LSU, @MSU
Vanderbilt	0-6	2-8	0-7	40.47		Kentucky, @UT

Looking at that schedule, you'd have to say that MSU has the toughest row to hoe to get to bow eligibility, having to pull off two major upsets to get there. Arkansas has the easiest path remaining to six wins with Troy coming in next week, then MSU. UK has a fairly manageable path to six wins, but the seventh is going to require an upset, although not a major one.

Obviously, if UK winds up with six wins and 2-6 in conference, bowls are going to be dropping either UK or somebody like Arkansas, assuming they only win one more, or Georgia, assuming they only get six. Georgia has a very tough road to seven wins, and would have to beat Auburn and UK back to back, or upset highly ranked Georgia Tech.

~~In the end, UK could be in a real tough spot if it winds up with only six wins and~~ is competing against the likes of Tennessee or Georgia for the final bowl spot. UK might get picked over Arkansas (and might not), but I think the 'Cats lose out if they are sitting on six wins with Georgia and/or Tennessee as their competitor for the final bowl spot. The 'Cats have only one big win on their entire schedule right now, versus rising Auburn on the Plains.

Now, for the news:

College basketball: Top story lines before tip-off
Regardless of experience, first-year coach John Calipari has enough talent - forward Patrick Patterson and guard John Wall are All-America candidates - to get the Wildcats back where many think they belong.

The Final Four.

I love what I see so far.
Kentucky basketball men's preview | Freshmen are key | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
John Calipari knows exactly how he wants University of Kentucky basketball to feel, because he has felt it himself.

He's been the coach on the visitors' bench in Rupp Arena. He's been the guy on the recruiting trail who figured if UK wanted a player, his staff shouldn't bother.

I love that attitude.
Cal working to restore UK swagger - 2009-10 College Basketball Preview - Kentucky.com
In less than eight months, he secured the nation's No. 1 recruiting class and used his irresistible can-do spirit to restore the belief that Kentucky will be Kentucky again.

"Back to the rightful place atop the mountain," Calipari said in his inspiring Big Blue Madness address.
Three Pointers: Your comprehensive college basketball preview - Mike DeCourcy - College Basketball - Sporting News
1. Is Kentucky back? We're not talking back from the NIT. We mean, is Kentucky fearsome again? The combination of young talent, solid veterans and coach John Calipari's intensity appears ideally suited to returning the Wildcats to prominence.
Catching Up with Clark County's Vinny Zollo
Reserve backs keep Kentucky football in the running | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
UK coach Rich Brooks was forced to call on his reserves, and Allen, Smith and Russell each responded with a touchdown. Allen had 62 yards on a career-high 14 carries. The junior got the game's first TD on a 1-yard run.

That's nice to see.
Newton strong while Kentucky's Hartline sits | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
That old familiar feeling in the SEC | KentuckySports.com
For the second straight year, and the seventh year since division play began in 1992, the Gators and the Crimson Tide will meet in the SEC Championship game.

The more things change, the more the stay the same.

Yeah, that's right. It sure is getting monotonous.
UNC still the 1? - College Basketball - Rivals.com
The hiring of John Calipari at Kentucky was arguably the biggest news of the spring and summer – especially after he signed what could end up being the best recruiting class in the sport’s history. At Kansas, the Jayhawks are the overwhelming favorite to win their second national title in three years thanks to the return of center Cole Aldrich and point guard Sherron Collins, each of whom could’ve turned pro.

As good as those teams will be, though, the Tar Heels won’t be far behind. Or at least they shouldn’t be by the end of the season.
Kentucky football injury list is ‘longest' of season | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
The Cats had at least 15 significant players miss Sunday's practice with various injuries. They included wide receiver Randall Cobb (thumb) and tailback Derrick Locke (knee), both of whom missed Saturday's 37-12 win against Eastern Kentucky University.

Can the 'Cats limp across the goal line to a bowl? It's going to be hard.
Ballin' is a Habit: No. 2: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Kentucky Wildcats
The Physics Of Basketball Free Throws
Just in case we aren't arcane enough around here.
What’s going on with Liggins? | Vaught's Views
Interesting commentary. I have no idea what this means.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Morning Five: Opening Night Edition
Seth Davis writes about one of our biggest pet peeves about the start of the college hoops season: no opening day. Yeah, we have a de facto opening day (i.e., today), but there’s hardly any hype about it and nobody but people who would already visit this site have a clue about it. Hopefully his article will start the momentum for getting something done.

This is not really something that has ever bothered me. How about you? Do you think there should be an "opening day" for college basketball with lots of games?
Improving Cobb part of ‘extensive’ injury list at UK | Vaught's Views
Having your best receiver playing with a splint on his thumb is not a good thing, IMO. But if anyone can make it work, Randall Cobb is that guy.
In college basketball, keep an eye on Kentucky's Calipari, talented Jayhawks - The Denver Post
No. 11 UK Turns Back Bulldogs In Lexington - Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletic Site - mstateathletics.com
" BBL: Tobias Harris liked West Virginia visit John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's Big Blue Links
" SEC links: LSU loses Charles Scott for regular season John Clay’s Sidelines
Bad news for LSU.

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Eastern Kentucky Colonels -- Open Game Thread

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:03:25 -0000

This is the official A Sea of Blue Open Game Thread for the Eastern Kentucky University Colonels at the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Game particulars are as follows, courtesy of UUKAthletics.com:

Date and Location: Saturday, November 7, 2009 Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, Ky.
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: Live on WKYT and WYMT; delayed on BBSN
Radio: BBSN
Online Audio
Live Stats

Eastern Kentucky Information
5-3, 5-2 OVC
Schedule/Results
Roster
Statistics
Head Coach Dean Hood
Football Home
Media Guide

First of all, a quick note: I will be at Churchill Downs today enjoying the Breeder's Cup simulcast. I expect to be able to watch some of the game, and comment from time to time via the iPhone, but the post-game comment may be late (it depends upon whether or not Ken has time to put up post-game commentary).

More after the jump.

Here is a comparison I have cobbled together:

Team Statistics	Kentucky	Opponents	EKU	Opponents
Scoring: Points/Game	25.9	24.0	22.1	18.1
Scoring: Games - Points	8 - 207	8 - 192	8 – 177	8 – 145
First Downs: Total	153	150	146	135
First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty	86 - 59 - 8	77 - 64 - 9	63 – 74 – 9	49 – 74 – 12
Rushing: Yards / Attempt	4.55	4.91	3.3	3
Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD	328 - 1493 - 16	319 - 1567 - 11	315 – 1030 – 16	287 – 854 – 8
Passing: Rating	105.23	112.61	130.4	115.1
Passing: Yards	1176	1392	1801	1612
Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD	208 - 115 - 9 - 7	216 - 110 - 10 - 11	226 – 139 – 6 – 5	241 – 137 – 14 – 10
Total Offense: Yards / Play	5.0	5.5	5.2	4.7
Total Offense: Plays - Yards	536 - 2669	535 - 2959	541 – 2831	258 – 2466
Punt Returns: Yards / Return	15.41	7.00	8.3	2.1
Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	17 - 262 - 1	7 - 49 - 1
Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return	23.71	22.36	22.9	18
Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	35 - 830 - 1	36 - 805 - 0
Punting: Yards / Punt	38.79	37.61
Punting: Punts - Yards	39 - 1513	41 - 1542
Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD	10 - 177 - 2	9 - 64 - 0	14 – 141 – 2
Fumbles: Number - Lost	11 - 6	8 - 3
Penalties: Number - Yards	39 - 353	48 - 384
Time of Possession / Game	29:43.88	30:15.38
3rd Down Conversions: Conversion %	38.79%	40.68%	41.7	35.6
3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	116 - 45	118 - 48
4th Down Conversions: Conversion %	75%	50%
4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	16 - 12	14 - 7
Red Zone: Success %	82.14%	74.19%	71	73.7
Red Zone: Attempts - Scores	28 - 23	31 - 23
Field Goals: Success %	66.7%	66.7%	46
Field Goals: Attempts - Made	9 - 6	9 - 6	6 – 13
PAT Kicking: Success %	96.2%	96%
PAT Kicking: Attempts - Made	26 - 25	25 - 24
2-Point Conversions: Success %	0%	-

The bottom line here is that EKU is a strong defensive team it their division, but not a very good offensive one. For UK, this will be a good test for the offense, but if the defense comes to play, EKU should have great difficulty scoring.

What I hope to see today:

A good game plan on both sides of the ball.
Solid quarterback play.
A good defensive line push on all plays.
Better special teams play.
Attention to detail, especially on special teams

Go, 'Cats!

Kentucky 117, Clarion 52 -- Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:39:35 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Patrick Patterson was a bit more present this game than versus Campbellsville.

Browse more photos »

Thanks to the Clarion Golden Eagles for coming into Rupp Arena and giving a game effort against the Wildcats. John Calipari's alma mater came in and gave a good account of themselves versus a vastly superior team, and did both the school and our coach proud with their relentless effort.

Examine the score.

Kentucky has played many exhibition games over the years. The last time Kentucky scored over 110 points was just last year, versus Missouri-St. Louis, 111-53. Two games later, Kentucky allowed 111 points in a loss to VMI.

I mention this only to focus the mind of the Big Blue Nation. This victory, and the size of it, is as ephemeral and meaningless as the pixels on your screen. Well, maybe the pixels mean a bit more.

No matter what, this was a much more impressive game than versus Campbellsville. The Wildcats played with more skill, more cohesion, and an equivalent level of intensity and determination. When big guys like DeMarcus Cousins start taking charges, that is motivation and determination. Kentucky has quite possibly taken more charges in two exhibition games this year than they did in the first four games last year. Maybe that is a comment on the disparity of the skill level. Maybe it is a comment on the determination of the team.

My observations follow the jump.

John Wall was all that he was supposed to be, particularly defensively.
DeMarcus Cousins gets better with every game. I wonder how long this will continue.
Darius Miller did not seem all that great, except when you look at his line -- 11 points, 7 assists, 1 turnover.
Speaking of turnovers, they were not a problem versus the Golden Eagles.
Patrick Patterson had two beautiful three-point shots. He could have done a bit more, but 14 points and 6 rebounds is not too bad.
Ramon Harris had a strong game, with 11 points and 7 rebounds.
Darnell Dodson did not dominate this game, but he did play pretty well.
UK shot 50% from 3. That is way, way better than they need to shoot to be successful.
Once again, the 'Cats held their opponent under 30% shooting. That will win every time.
All this with Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton on the bench.

This game didn't mean much, overall, but the coaching staff had to love the improved effort and better execution all around. I must admit, the DDM as currently executed does not look all that different from a regular motion offense, but I also realize that the players have not come anywhere near perfecting the system yet. The thought that it will only get better and better as familiarity with it grows is ... encouraging, to say the very least.

Defensively, I thought Kentucky was really good tonight. Yes, they were playing a markedly inferior opponent, but even considering that, the 'Cats did a good job of fearlessly drawing charges and moving their feet. The effort was there defensively in a game where it didn't have to be for the 'Cats to win.

In the end, this game doesn't tell us much, but it does tell us that the 'Cats have improved over their last effort, which is really the best we could hope out of an exhibition. The score doesn't mean much to me, but the improvement means a lot.

Kentucky vs. Clarion -- Analysis and Open Game Thread

Truzenzuzex — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:32:37 -0000

Since SB Nation doesn't provide a special open game thread for exhibition games, it's just more convenient for me to combine all that into one.

Tonight, the Kentucky Wildcats face off against the Clarion Golden Eagles, John Calipari's alma mater. The particulars of tonights game are as follows, courtesy of UKAthletics.com:

Time & Place: Friday, Nov. 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.
Gametracker .
Live audio
Subscribers on Extreme Access (delayed per SEC rules)

Cable TV: FSN-South: 7:00 p.m. ET (Live)
Footprint includes the states of Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Broadcast TV/BBSN

Market	Station	Time (all times local)
Bowling Green	WBKO-CW	9:00 p.m. (delayed)
Evansville	WTVW-TV	10:00 p.m. (delayed)
Hazard	WYMT-TV	11:35 p.m. (delayed)
Huntington, W.Va.	WSAZ-My qZ	11:30 p.m. (delayed)
Hopkinsville	WKAG-TV	10:00 p.m. (delayed)
Lexington	WKYT-TV	11:35 p.m. (delayed)
Louisville	WMYO-TV	11:00 p.m. (delayed)
Paducah, Ky./Cape Girardeau, Mo.	WDKA-TV	9:00 p.m. (delayed)

The Clarion Golden Eagles:

Head Coach: Ron Righter
Overall Record: 365-250 (.593)/24th season
Clarion Record: 341-226 (.601)/22nd season
PSAC-West Titles: 3 (1997, 2000, 2005)
PSAC Titles: 1 (2001)
NCAA D-II Playoff appearances: 1 (2001)
Home arena: Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium (Dedicated in 1968) Capacity: 4,000
NCAA Division II Playoff appearances: 2 (1981, 2001)
NCAA Division II Playoff record: 1-2
NAIA National Playoff appearances: 3 (1952, 1977, 1980)
NAIA National Playoff record: 3-3
PSAC-West Titles: 12 (first; 1971; last 2005)
PSAC Titles: 1 (2001)
Record since 1971: 644-403 (.615)
Picked to finish 7th in 8 team Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division
Should have athletic team in 2009-10 that could be 11 deep
Team wants to run the floor
Team wants to be aggressive on both sides of the court with pressure defense and transition offense.

 RECORD:                OVERALL      HOME        AWAY       NEUTRAL

 ALL GAMES...........   (11-16)     (8-7)       (2-9)       (1-0)

 CONFERENCE..........   (2-12)      (2-5)       (0-7)       (0-0)

 NON-CONFERENCE......   (9-4)       (6-2)       (2-2)       (1-0)

NO	NAME	POS	HT/WT	YR	Hometown/High School	Status	Remarks
00	Patrick Parker	G	6-2/170	FR	Jamaica, N.Y./Hillcrest	Prim. Reserve
1	Lloyd Harrison	G	6-1/195	JR	Detroit, Mi./Southwestern	Starter	Juco transfer, 26.3 PPG, 6 RPG
2	Mike Nealis	C	6-8/230	SO	Drexel Hill/Episcopal Adademy	Prim. Reserve
3	Brandyn Mungo	G/F	6-6/185	FR	Westland, Mi./Renaissance	Prim. Reserve
5	Jordan Lessane	G	5-9/160	FR	Mount Vernon, N.Y./Mount Vernon	Reserve
10	David Colbert	G/F	6-5/205	FR	Youngstown, Oh./Christian	Reserve
12	Greg Parker	G	6-3/195	SR	Chester/Cardinal O'Hara	Reserve
15	Shameel Carty	G/F	6-3/185	JR	Queens, NY/Holy Cross	Starter	9.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG
22	Jamar Harrison	G	6-3/180	JR	Washington, D.C./Dunbar	Starter	Juco transfer, 17 PPG, 6 RPG
31	Mike Sherry	G	6-1/185	JR	Pittsburgh/Chartiers Valley	Starter	10.6 ppg, 64 assists, 56 3-pointers
32	Paul McQueen	F	6-5/225	SO	Garfield Heights, Oh./Garfield Heights	Starter	4.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG
35	Denzil Dennison	F	6-2/190	FR	Ruther Glen, Va./Caroline	Reserve
44	Julius Berry	F	6-7/215	JR	Wilmington, N.C./Waterloo East	Prim. Reserve

Analysis:

This is a relatively small team, but they have more size and relatively more athleticism than Campbellsville. They will want to try to play "small ball" at a high pace in order to use their speed and quickness, and are likely to substitute liberally. There are a lot of unknowns on Clarion because several of their best players are JUCO transfers, and it's hard to tell how they will compete at this level.

Clarion will be a scrappy, quick team that will force UK's bigger players to focus in order to defend them out on the floor, as Calipari wants them to do. They will have a very difficult time with Kentucky in transition if they don't hit their shots, and since the Golden Eagles like to run on offense, you can expect an up and down game which will favor Kentucky's considerable talent advantage.

Defensively, Clarion is likely to have to go to the zone early and often to minimize the impact of the DDM offense. Even though the 'Cats have not assimilated the DDM yet, John Wall by himself will make it very difficult on the Golden Eagles if they try to play man-to-man. Look for the Wildcats to drive the ball to the rim a lot more in this game as they try do do what Coach Cal is trying to teach them.

I expect a big game tonight from Wall, Patterson and Cousins. I have a feeling they are tired of Darnell Dodson stealing all the headlines, but Dodson is likely to continue to shoot when he gets the chance. I would like to see a much better rebounding effort out of Kentucky tonight, and as fast as the Golden Eagles play, that should happen.

Go, 'Cats.

Is Your Team the Kentucky Wildcats? No? Then You Are Irrelevant

Truzenzuzex — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:31:23 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Who is this man?

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All the media cares about is Kentucky this season. Well, that's the message for the last couple of days, anyway.

According to this piece over at SI.com, Kansas may be #1 in the rankings, but UK is #1 in the minds of college basketball watchers:

Yes, Kansas was the runaway No. 1 choice in the preseason Top 25. And sure, the Jayhawks had two players on the preseason All-America team.

But it's Kentucky that's generating all the buzz. With one of college basketball's storied programs now being run by John Calipari, what else are people going to talk about?

Aside from the obvious schadenfreude toward the Jayhawks that many UK fans will feel (especially since UK has lost its past three meetings with the Jayhawks), the media narrative this season seems to be focused squarely on Lexington.

The interest seems to be multi-dimensional -- yes, the media see UK's fanstastic freshman class which includes at least two and possibly three sure-fire lottery picks (DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall and Eric Bledsoe) in the next year or three, not to mention Patrick Patterson, but they also seem fascinated by the cult of personality that is developing around John Calipari with his near-million Twitter followers and hundreds of thousands of Facebook devotees.

As if that weren't enough, some of the media feel like they are watching a slow-speed train wreck with a coach known for having his teams forfeit wins now coaching at a school formerly known for rule-breaking and general acts of poor NCAA citizenship. Add to that Calipari's remarkable personal and social media strategy, his new book, Bounce Back, and his absolutely ubiquitous nature on sports shows, interviews and public appearances combined with Kentucky's storied history, and it's easy to see why the sports media is drawn to Bluegrass like David Letterman to a pretty production staffer.

As a long-time fan of Kentucky basketball, it is amazing to me watch the current media fascination with a team that was an absolute non-entity for the last four years except as a cautionary tale. First it was all about how Tubby Smith's team was struggling and how unhappy the fans were, then there was the whole Billy Gillispie fiasco that turned out to be all about offering scholarships to middle schoolers, angering the NABC over that and his moving of the date of Big Blue Madness, making rude comments to female reporters during halftime interviews and winning fewer and fewer basketball games.

For a Kentucky fan, the kind of attention UK is getting now, even including all the negative stuff about Calipari's past, is far preferable to the recent near-half-decade of relative anonymity. The contrarian media view of Kentucky and Calipari is that the marriage is like mixing liquid hydrogen and oxygen -- you might get rocket fuel, but you might also get a big, flaming bang. For the record, it seems to be the "bang" that many hope to see.

If that first article provides a bit of delectatio morosa to Kentucky fans, so does this one, which features UK's former favorite Italian-American, Louisville Cardinal's coach Rick Pitino:

When you're the coach at Kentucky, Pitino says, you're with 100 percent of your friends. When you're the coach at Louisville, you're with 52 percent of your friends and 48 percent of your enemies.

Cue the rimshot.

It gets a good laugh more often than not, regardless of the audience for the only coach to lead both schools to a Final Four.

Yet these days, Louisville's advantage in the state's largest city is more tenuous than ever, and the inroads the Cardinals have made in the Bluegrass during Pitino's watch are in danger of being erased.

If it is true that the Cardinals have been "making inroads" in recent years, then yes, I would say those inroads have largely been replaced with "See Blue" signs and lines of reporters wanting to talk basketball with Caliparia and Karen Sypher with Pitino. It is the kind of monumental reversal of fortune that you literally couldn't make up -- a true case of life being far, far stranger than most people's most fevered imagination.

How long will this continue? Well, UK is guaranteed to lead the basketball and sports headlines all winter long, either by doing what they are expected to do, or falling short of expectations. Either way, the 'Cats will be on SportsCenter a lot this year -- more than Kansas, or Louisville, or just about any other team you can name. And if the Wildcats do make it to Indianapolis, it's hard to fathom the media frenzy that will surround them.

Imagine the story lines: "A coach with two vacated Final Fours reaches the Final Four in his first season at Kentucky. How long will this one last?" Or perhaps, "Can Calipari finally win the championship that eluded him in Memphis and at UMass?" This stuff doesn't really even require an imagination -- the stories literally write themselves, which makes the whole situation attractive to the point of absurdity.

So Kentucky fans, welcome back to the big time. You are about to dominate the news for the next six months, and possibly beyond, after four years of wandering in the desert of inferiority an unworthiness. Now we can sate ourselves on the nectar of attention, for good or ill.

This season may go great, or it may go badly for the Kentucky Wildcats. But one thing UK won't be this season is unnoticed.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- The Gates of Delirium

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:53:54 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Coach looks a bit excited here. Robic, not so much.

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The flu bug has assailed the football Wildcats, and the prospect of watching John Wall finally lead the basketball Wildcats into battle has me delirious with both pleasure and pain. It drives me crazy when so many players are hit with injury and illness all at once, and I suppose I should be thankful that we are not going into the Vanderbilt game this weekend. But at the same time, it drives me nuts that we seem to wind up in this same situation every year at this time. Maybe it's everybody, but it just doesn't seem that way.

Moving on to basketball, UK welcomes John Calipari's alma mater, Clarion University, into Rupp Arena tomorrow night. We'll have much more on that in due course, but I highly recommend this Jerry Tipton article (even to the anti-Tipton crowd), which has lots of great background on Calipari's time at Clarion, and how it helped shape him into what he is today.

I am a big fan of coaches playing their alma maters, particularly when they are small schools like Clarion. It may not continue for Calipari, though, but I have to admit, I do like the practice.

Speaking of practice, how is that Dribble Drive Motion offense working out for the 'Cats? About like Calipari predicted it would early on -- balls flying everywhere but in the basket, turnovers, etc. It will get better, and when it does, this team will be really dangerous.

And now, for the news:

UK Basketball News

Red-hot rivalry ready to burn across the Kentucky bluegrass | Sports News Images and Videos
Up the road in Louisville, some are immune to the Kentucky hype.

"They had the same buzz two years ago," Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich says. "Remember when they were recruiting eighth-graders?"

Oh, Tommy Turtleneck with the jab -- on that's probably going to come back and land squarely on his own jaw.
Vitale: Could Self, Calipari square off for title once again? | Sports News Images and Videos
1. There is the Rick Pitino soap opera down in Louisville. Pitino became the victim of an alleged extortion plot by Karen Syphers, who now faces criminal charges.

Uh, it's Sypher, Dick, not "Syphers."
High expectations follow Wall to UK | The Kentucky Kernel
"John is very good," freshman forward DeMarcus Cousins said. "Everything you hear, everything on paper is true. He is good, he’s not overrated at all. Everything is good."
Lindley Continues to Progress
Three key players returned to practice on Wednesday, offensive guard Christian Johnson, linebacker Micah Johnson and tailback Alfonso Smith, after missing Tuesday’s practice because of illness. However, eight other Wildcats who missed Tuesday because of new injuries or illnesses also did not participate on Wednesday.

I have no idea what we'll see on Saturday.
SEC preview: Cleared to play, Kentucky to fly off with Wall - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com
My affection for John Wall is well-documented, and I'm glad the NCAA cleared him last week if only because I'm eager to watch the freshman point guard play college basketball. Can't wait. But I must tell you I was struck by the insanity of the system as I sat in the press box at Boone Pickens Stadium late Saturday and watched Oklahoma State play football without star receiver Dez Bryant.

I'm not sure what Parrish is exercised about here. Dez Bryant lied, deliberately. That's wrong, and as it turns out, the lie is explicitly a violation of NCAA by-laws. Lying is bad. Parrish shouldn't be excusing it. On the other hand, I think declaring Bryant permanently ineligible is way over the top. Hopefully, the appeal will find a more fitting punishment.

UK Football News

Newton finding his way as UK's starter | KentuckySports.com
Wildcats’ King trying to hold on as WR | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
"He ran the wrong route, but he made a play," said Joker Phillips, UK's offensive head coach and wide receivers coach. "And if you run the wrong route, you'd better make a play."

Ran the wrong route. Seems to be the story of our wide receiver's lives.
Kentucky Sports Radio " The Colonels Are Coming! The Colonels Are Coming!

Other UK Sports News

None today

NCAA Sports News

Three years later, NBA and NCAA Basketball benefit from age limit
In defense of the age limit. We have seen precious little of this.
Before They Were Coaches: Part I (SEC) – LostLettermen.com
This is pretty cool. You should read it.
Don't Bet On It!: Around the SEC - Dawg Sports
Gillispie watches Doc's team practice
I guess Billy is done with Kentucky now.
Louisville basketball starts strong, then handles Bellarmine 88-65 | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Vanderbilt Sports Line: Gary Parrish Thinks We're Going to Do Worse Than Kentucky and Tennessee......and Florida...and South Carolina
Ever the Vanderbilt fan, I'm not going to definitively state where we'll end up due to my fear of jinxing the most anticipated season in my fairly limited Vanderbilt basketball memory. But I will say that I think we'll end up better than 5th. Florida and South Carolina are like the majority of first dates. They looked great upon first sight, but then you actually sit there and look at them and you realize they're incredibly flawed. That's not saying Vanderbilt isn't, we've got a few weaknesses (defense). But I think I'm justified in saying that our weaknesses are less glaring than theirs.

I think that Vanderbilt is likely to finish better than fifth. In fact, I think they are more likely to finish third than fifth.

Other News of Interest

Well, that’s, interesting … " The HoopScribe's Blog
ESPN.com is reporting that women’s basketball pioneer Nancy Lieberman will be the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks’ D-League affiliate team in Frisco, Texas.

As my dad says, "How's about them apples?"
ESPN wants to bid for March Madness? - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
ESPN says it’d be open in bidding for the rights to March Madness if the NCAA opts out of its 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS this July.

I think Mike is right -- economically, it makes no sense.
John Clay: Europe suddenly an appealing path - John Clay - Kentucky.com
Brandon Jennings' early NBA start — averaging 22 points and 5.3 rebounds through Milwaukee's first three games — will prompt more prep superstars to spend a year overseas, rather than in college, before becoming eligible for the NBA.

Maybe. The question is, will it be enough to matter?
Bluegrass State Basketball has some interesting stuff today.

The Daily Schadenfreude

Duke guard Smith slapped with two-game suspension - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com
Duke guard Nolan Smith will sit out two games because he played in an unsanctioned summer league.

A Duke player? Running afoul of the rules? Oh, my, I'm shocked... Shocked! -- but only at the fact it was even reported.

Overlooking Eastern -- Can UK Win Two More SEC Games?

Truzenzuzex — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:16:31 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Rich Brooks thinks all this negativity is bulls***.

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I'm going to do something here, for the sake of discussion, that the team cannot afford to do -- assume a win versus Eastern Kentucky. If that assumption is wrong, the rest of this discussion is still relevant, and would become urgent. So let's do the uncharacteristic, just for the sake of conversation.

The quick answer to my lede is, "No." No because UK has to play perennial powerhouse Georgia on the road. No because Tennessee looks like it is rising, having played Alabama and Florida tough, beaten Georgia and South Carolina. No because Vanderbilt may be finding answers to season-long questions. No because, well, UK fans are all down in the mouth about the lousy, confusing performance against Mississippi State that took away any momentum that may have been building up in the program to that point. No, because UK is...well, UK.

But I refuse to accept that. This team has, as is usual this time of year, been riddled with damaging injuries including its only All-American candidate, Trevard Lindley, who has been out for a month. The starting QB, Mike Hartline is down and most likely out for the year, being replaced by true freshman Morgan Newton. Derrick Locke is likely out this week, and Micah Johnson is far from 100% and may also sit. Offensive lineman Jake Lanefsky is lost for the season. Kentucky is banged up big time.

In spite of all that, this team has shown a lot of potential this season, and the biggest problem has been continuity from game to game. Part of that has to do with the quarterback situation, but Lindley's absence has also been a big factor, especially when it comes to confidence in the defensive secondary. But despite all that, the Wildcats have not been out of any games this year except Florida, and have proven that they can play very clean and efficient football. That portends well for the rest of the season.

Kentucky must go down to Nashville to face Vanderbilt, and whether they go at 5-4 or 4-5, Vanderbilt looks to be a must-win. Vanderbilt has been vulnerable this year, and this weekend they have to go down to the Swamp to face Florida. Like Kentucky, Vanderbilt is getting banged up, as they have not had a bye week since the very first week of the season, and won't get one until the season is over. That's even uglier than UK's situation, which had the bye after its very first game.

Georgia is vulnerable. T. Kyle King of Dawg Sports explains, in numerous posts (all of which you should read, because he is one of the most knowledgeable football fans in the SEC) why the Dawgs have struggled so this season. In my opinion, Georiga and Auburn are virtually two sides of a coin with no tails on it -- they are the same (forgive me, Kyle, I am aware of your Auburn loathing). If UK can defeat Auburn on the Plains, they most certainly can do the same to Georgia between the hedges. It will be difficult, and require Phillips, Brown and Brooks to call a proper game (unlike the recent abortion vs. MSU), but Georgia is a game that we can, and arguably should, find a way to win.

Finally, Tennessee. Tennessee has had some good defensive games and is near the top of the league in defense, but they are only middle of the pack in offense. Now, if UK is going to let Montario Hardesty run amok on us like Antonio Dixon did, then we have no reason for optimism. But if Lindley and Johnson are back at or near 100% for that game, and we are other wise reasonably healthy, we have a shot at the Vols. Tennessee is very inconsistent this year, and is fully capable of throwing in a clunker. UK is also capable (although we have yet to see it at home) of playing really good football. I don't think this game is any less winnable than at Georgia.

So could UK win out? Well, yeah, I guess so, but I think beating UGA and UT back-to-back, even if Kentucky somehow manages to remain healthy, seems like a long shot. But I don't think beating Vanderbilt and one other SEC foe left on our schedule is all that improbable.

So I suggest we stop nay-saying, and get behind this football team. They deserve it, and they desperately want to earn the trust and respect of UK fans. A big part of that requires the fans to let go of the past and embracing a new way of thinking -- we demand the team have a winning attitude, yet too many UK fans refuse to have one as though it makes some kind of sense to demand an attitude of the team they are unwilling to embrace themselves. We ask these young men to put themselves out there on the line every weekend. Shouldn't we at least be willing to risk disappointment by staying positive?

Think of it this way -- unlike the players, at least you don't have to worry about getting your eye gouged out, and that should be worth something.

SB Nation User Blog: Truzenzuzex

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Kentucky vs. Clarion -- Analysis and Open Game Thread

Broadcast TV/BBSN

The Clarion Golden Eagles:

Analysis:

Is Your Team the Kentucky Wildcats? No? Then You Are Irrelevant

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- The Gates of Delirium

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UK Basketball News

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Other UK Sports News

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Other News of Interest

The Daily Schadenfreude

Overlooking Eastern -- Can UK Win Two More SEC Games?