The need for toughness

bluecrip — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:02:20 -0000

Shortly after the Gardner Webb debacle I posted that the Kentucky team needed to get tougher. I was mostly reiterating what Coach Gillispie was trying to point out and from what I thought they looked like last year. This team has lacked a killer instinct for years.

Well I must say that it is nice to see that this team is beginning to wake up and that Coach Gillispie is calling out the players on toughness. Patrick Patterson put it this way.."Stop with the finesse stuff," he said. "Coach wants me to be tough, mean, be an animal out there."

Now when I talk about toughness I don't just mean physical play. I am also referring to mental toughness. The ability to exert your influence on a game one play at a time.
"Pat's going to be something else," Gillispie said. "When he decides he's going to dominate on every play, he's going to have a chance to do that against a lot of players. Not everybody. But a lot of them."

This team has a tendency to let others bully them around. They don't scare too many others. "... One thing that we lack that all my teams have had: they have a presence. We're coming at you. Right now, we don't have enough guys with presence offensively or defensively."

To me that means that we don't have enough guys willing to sacrifice themselves to bully other teams instead of vice versa. I put it that way because I am not suggesting that we need a team of thugs and henchmen. One can be a well-mannered and nice individual off the court but on the court be a beast of a player!

One thing for sure it's nice to see that Coach Gillispie is on the scene and he means business..."Gillispie did not single out Patterson as the only player who needed to be meaner. The UK coach lamented too many rebound battles lost, too many shots around the basket weakly missed.

When asked whether a mean streak can be coached into a player, Gillispie said, "I don't know if you can. But if it's possible, they have a good teacher. I promise you that."

I can promise that with that kind of coaching mentality we shall soon have a team that values playing the game and plays with a tenacity unmatched by others.

GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

Sanchez to Arkansas

bluecrip — Wed, 02 May 2007 00:38:28 -0000

My buddy tells me the other day that Michael Sanchez is committing to Arkansas. The prep school route is still being looked at but word from the Hill is that Sanchez is staying in Arkansas.
I like the upgrade in talent for next year's squad and will be happy when the siging period is over. The first reason is that the 16th is my b-day and secondly I can begin the process of summer planning. Looking at who will play and what damage they can do. What wonders will the next season bring? Hurry up with the schedule already! I am ready to chart the season game by game (victory by victory? glory be!) Rosters of opponents must be obtained which means I must catch up on their spring news and chart their summer and fall progress.
All summer I will wonder what our new coach and the team will be up to. Are they ready for the transition? What are Coach Gillispie's plans for the returning players? Sure wish the NCAA would let the coach and his assistants have more time over the summer with the players. Are they as excited about a new season as I am (i.e. have they bonded, gelled, become blood brothers?) One would speculate that since it is they that are on national tv and not myself (nor about 90% of UK fans),their excitement for the upcoming season would swallow mine like Jonas was by the whale.
With that first exhibition game ever so far away and midnight madness seems but a dream, I know I can do my boys proud by keeping busy this summer scouting and strategizing while they practice, play pickup games, hit the books and practice some more. The folks on these message boards will keep their eyes peeled and flag items that need perusal for hidden and sometimes blatant information. Will the days pass with indeterminable length or will midnight madness come blazing forth like the front of a screaming steam locomotive out of control?
All I know is that my b-day will signal the beginning of my summer. Here's to hoping it is a glorious b-day and a damned quick summer!! GO BIG BLUE!!!!

SB Nation User Blog: bluecrip

The need for toughness

Sanchez to Arkansas