How bout them Cats?

[Triton]

What else is there to say.

 

[SEK-Hunter]

Pitiful....
Don't think that they have it together as a team....
Too many "I's" if you ask me.

Best cussin' that I've seen Calipari do though (end of game towards Jones)!!!!!!! Whoa!

 

[Triton]

Can't come to play one half.

 

[SEK-Hunter]

Nope. Seemed as in the first half they had the same attitude I had.
'This is gonna be no contest'.

Well for the first few minutes anyway.....
We always get everyone else's 'A' game though.

 

[killinmammals]

I always love the excuses people give when UK loses

 

[mrdux]

Freshmen being freshmen. We will always have this issue if Cal targets mostly one-and-dones. I think Jones spends too much time reading KSR and the press and not enough being a team player.

We will also win very few games with Liggins scoring 4 points and having one rebound in 31 minutes. Harrelson wasn't much better.

 

[raktrakr]

There is no excuse for tonites performance...or lack of

 

[wademup]

There is no excuse for tonites performance...or lack of

I agree,they played weak and got their butt handed to em,no excuses from me.

 

[rascaldog]

Todays players have no heart for UK. Its just a springboard to the NBA. I refuse to watch or listen to them anymore. Haven't in over 10 years. I personally think that any college that is state supported should be required that at least 50% of its players be from Kentucky. But like everything else its about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ .

 

[Buck_Nasty]

What else is there to say.

Get a coach instead of a recruiter for starters.

Best cussin' that I've seen Calipari do though (end of game towards Jones)!!!!!!! Whoa!

That is one of the problems right there. I never do see Calipari tell a player what he has done wrong. He only knows how to scream and cuss at players. If a young player does something wrong, he probably did it because he don't know what to do. But instead of being a coach, and telling the player what he did wrong and how to correct it, Calipari just wants to scream and cuss at a player. Just like when Vargas got driven around early in the game. Instead of telling him (Vargas) to take away the players left side, because that is where he likes to go, Calipari just screams at Vargas and says OUT!!!! and motions with his thumb to the bench. Why not inform Vargas to take away the dribblers left hand because Vargas may be back in the game again at some point and can make the same mistake because no one told him what to do.

And when Calipari isn't yelling and screaming at players, he is raising his hands and shrugging his shoulders over every call that doesn't go his way. I've said it once and I'll say it again. Calipari = Excellent recruiter & mediocre coach.

 

[hunt-4-life21]

Get a coach instead of a recruiter for starters.

That is one of the problems right there. I never do see Calipari tell a player what he has done wrong. He only knows how to scream and cuss at players. If a young player does something wrong, he probably did it because he don't know what to do. But instead of being a coach, and telling the player what he did wrong and how to correct it, Calipari just wants to scream and cuss at a player. Just like when Vargas got driven around early in the game. Instead of telling him (Vargas) to take away the players left side, because that is where he likes to go, Calipari just screams at Vargas and says OUT!!!! and motions with his thumb to the bench. Why not inform Vargas to take away the dribblers left hand because Vargas may be back in the game again at some point and can make the same mistake because no one told him what to do.

And when Calipari isn't yelling and screaming at players, he is raising his hands and shrugging his shoulders over every call that doesn't go his way. I've said it once and I'll say it again. Calipari = Excellent recruiter & mediocre coach.

You have never played organized basketball have you? For one, Vargas is freakin horrible. He doesn't think when he plays the game. With it being an SEC basketball game Bama was well scouted and I'd say that it was in the scouting report to make players go which way. Also when you are setting on the bench you are suppose to be into the game, look for the player(s) you are going to be guarding and see what there doing that game. I still do it while watching UK play. Vargas doesn't play with any intensity or passion hes just there. Coach Cal has yelled and yelled at him but he does nothing so how can you teach someone that doesn't want to play. Also most of the time when I was playing basketball when I messed up the coach didn't have to yell at me because I knew what I had done. Same way with Jones and Knight. They know what to do, they have played too many basketball games not to know. As far as the yelling and cussing it can go to either side of the fence. I have played for both cussing coaches and laid back coaches. Its alot easier to relax and lay back with coaches that aren't yelling and cussing all the time. I know the cussing coach I had won more games than the other coach too. And I always played better when I got my butt chewed out. Coach Cal is having a hard time with this group because they just don't have a go to player right now. Last year when Patterson was there and they needed a score you know where the ball was going.

 

[buckfever]

Freshmen being freshmen. We will always have this issue if Cal targets mostly one-and-dones. I think Jones spends too much time reading KSR and the press and not enough being a team player.

We will also win very few games with Liggins scoring 4 points and having one rebound in 31 minutes. Harrelson wasn't much better.

I think your expectations of Jones are a little top heavy. He's Kentucky's best scorer and (arguably b/c Harrellson's average is a little higher) rebounder. Remember, he's just a freshman and probably just starting to learn that that little thing called "defense" is actually pretty important.

Liggins and Miller will be big factors in UK's success this year. Both must come with their best defensive game EVERY night because they are UK's lock-down defenders, and they set the defensive tone for the games. Last night, Bama got WAY too many easy looks in the first half.

I'd also say that both must demonstrate an ability to be a consistent offensive threat. I'm pleased that Miller is starting to be more assertive offensively and forcing opponents to respect him on offense. Liggins is a great defender, but he really struggles at the offensive end.

Harrellson is simply limited, and the center position is UK's weak link. He's a big body and has a good nose for the ball, but
it's easier to pad your rebound stats especially on the offensive end when your only duty is to get in position to get rebounds (knowing that the play isn't going to run through you).

They're still young, but I was pleased to see that they didn't roll over and worked hard to come back in the second half. Although no UK wants to see them lose, I can see this loss helping them in 2 ways: (a) It shows to them the need to prepare for every team and not take anything for granted (although UK was only a 3 pt favorite and Bama was 10-0 at home so this wouldn't appear to have been a set-up game, IMO); and (b) UK learned the value of defense. Lots of teams like Alabama can score when you don't guard them. Talent separation (which UK has talent) becomes evident when teams are forced to make difficult shots for the entire 40 minutes.

 

[Buck_Nasty]

You have never played organized basketball have you?

I have played many a game of organized basketball. Actually played organized basketball for one of the all time top rated basketball coaches in Kentucky, who finished his career with 767/125 record. Did he cuss? You damn right he cussed with the best of them. But what time I played for him, I learned what I did wrong when I did it. Because besides cussing, he coached!

For one, Vargas is freakin horrible. He doesn't think when he plays the game.

Calipari must think he can play because he continues to put him in the game. If he is so horrible, why not let someone else have a shot? What can it hurt since Vargas is "freakin horrible"?

With it being an SEC basketball game Bama was well scouted and I'd say that it was in the scouting report to make players go which way. Also when you are setting on the bench you are suppose to be into the game, look for the player(s) you are going to be guarding and see what there doing that game. I still do it while watching UK play. Vargas doesn't play with any intensity or passion hes just there. Once again, bench him until he starts if that is the problem. Coach Cal has yelled and yelled at him but he does nothing so how can you teach someone that doesn't want to play.

It must be evident cussing Vargas isn't going to get the drive out of him, so you must resort to some other tactic. I've not seen another tactic, have you? If that doesn't work, let him ride the pine and put someone else in his place.

Also most of the time when I was playing basketball when I messed up the coach didn't have to yell at me because I knew what I had done.

Everybody is not that way. That is where the COACH comes in, which Kentucky doesn't have.

Coach Cal is having a hard time with this group because they just don't have a go to player right now.

There is also a flip side to that coin. The players are having a hard time as well because they don't have a go to player off the floor either. When the pressure mounts, as it also did in the UCONN game, they don't have anyone to turn to either. That is where a good coach comes in to play. The coach is not the one who should fold under the pressure. I mean Calipari should be seasoned in pressure situations. He has two final four appearances to his credit. Doh!!!!!! But anyway, when the pressure mounts, players should have a person they can turn to, who will lead them. Kentucky doesn't have that right now. As you said, they don't have it on the floor, and I'm saying they don't have it off the floor.

 

[hunt-4-life21]

Who are you going to put in place of Harrelson when he needs a break or is in foul trouble?? Kanter?? Vargas is the only big man behind Harrelson. Trust me if Kanter was eligable he (Vargas) wouldn't take off his warm up suit, but hes not so theres no use of jumping on that boat. If you plan on going small and having Jones run the 5 spot then yes you are going to be quick and have some mismatches. But theres no rebounding at all. Yea they may have a couple guys 6'5-6'8 but no big inside presence to A. rebound or B. to relieve pressure off of the guards. So in other words you have to play Vargas, no way around it IMO.

And besides the Coach can yell, scream, call plays, jump on the refs, ect. but theres one thing he can't do which is score the ball. Hes a good coach and great person to represent the Big Blue Nation. Is he the best coach ever? No. But is he better than most coaches in the nation? Sure

 

[WildmanWilson]

Vargas shouldn't be playing D1 basketball. He may be the worst big man UK has ever put on the floor but they are in a bind. I may have pulled a Bobby Knight if I was him last night and choked the crap out of him.

As far as Cal not telling them what they do wrong...I'm sure every day he sees them in practice he tells them and works on things. UK has some great players but the team is weak at the 5 spot and it's killing them. Lets not forget however...this team made little brother look stupid.