Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
With a lot going on over this Thanksgiving holiday, both in the world and around UK sports, it may have been overlooked that a lesser known Kentuckian passed away. Tom Gish, of Whitesburg Kentucky, the founder of “The Mountain Eagle” passed away early last week. Gish was a journalistic icon and one of the more interesting citizens of the Commonwealth. In 1957, he began a newspaper, “The Mountain Eagle” in Whitesburg, the purpose of which was to shed light on the corruption and scandal in Eastern Kentucky. Over the next 50 years, Gish and his wife ran the weekly newspaper and became key players in exposing problems ranging from coal company abuses to politicians’ violation of the law. “The Mountain Eagle” gave itself the phrase “It Screams” to showcase its take-no-prisoners brand of journalism that set out to stand up for the citizenry and root out corrupt practices by shining the public light on the actions. In 1974, some of the newspapers’ enemies attempted to bring it down by blowing up its printing press in the middle of the night. But Gish would not be deterred and still produced a weekly edition, with the motto changed to “It STILL Screams.” I was a fan of the newspaper for some of its more creative parts, including “Speak Your Peace”, in which readers could call a telephone answering machine, leave a message about any subject, and it would be printed in the newspaper…..producing the best newspaper content you can imagine. Gish won national journalism awards and news of his death has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and NPR. Few knew that in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, such a true journalism giant existed, but Gish was able to set the standard of the best of the field for nearly 50 years. If you get a chance, find a copy of the paper or visit its website TheMountainEagle.com and remember the legacy Gish created.
Big news weekend, so lets get to it…..
(1): Basketball is the topic of the day in most parts, thanks to the Cats’ big win in Las Vegas. Billy Gillispie was pleased with his teams’ heart and determination after the game and it looks as if the Cats got an important bounce going into the week. There are three games on tap this week, including Lamar, Miami (Fl) and Mississippi Valley State, all in Rupp Arena. Gillispie says that he hopes to be able to make a more consistent rotation by the end of this three-game stretch so I think it will be very important to watch who plays this week, how many minutes and what the lineup groupings are by the end. This could be the theme for the season.
(2): Expect to hear the final list for Jai Lucas this week. I expect Kentucky to likely be on it, along with four other schools.
(3): Even though some may question whether they deserve it, the Cats are going bowling this year. And the question now becomes, will it be the Liberty or Music City Bowl? I have been told that both bowls are likely to offer UK and that Mitch Barnhart will work with the SEC office and the Vandy AD to try and figure out what scenario would be the best for all schools. Ticket sales are very important, but also important are hotel and tourism sales and the potential for good television matchups. If Kentucky were to play in the Music City Bowl, they would likely see North Carolina (although that is not set in stone) and if they were to play in the Liberty Bowl, they would get the East Carolina-Tulsa winner. I am going to either, but I must say that a preference for another trip to Nashville on New Year’s Eve would be my choice.
(4): Rich Brooks (who by the way has to deal with the most inane calls for resignation that I have EVER heard) has suggested that Mike Hartline might return as quarterback for the Bowl game. After the game on Saturday, he said that the best bet for offensive success may be to have Randall Cobb at WR and have Hartline back under center. Again, this move has always been the preference for the coaching staff, who hope to have Cobb as the best threat in the SEC at WR over the next two years and Hartline in a battle with Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski next year for the starting job. Such a move for the bowl game is likely with that scenario in mind more than anything else.
(5): Finally, the women’s volleyball team made the NCAA Tournament and will host the first and second round in Memorial Coliseum. The Cats will play Michigan in the first round on Thursday and then if they win, likely play #13 overall seed St Louis in the second round on Friday at 7 pm. That game could be quite the scene, with the Cats a bit of an underdog, but a potentially rowdy crowd on hand. We will be there if that game takes place and it should be something to watch. Congrats to the Lady Cats on what should be a huge week.
More throughout a huge day…..we name the two finalists in the blog contest, look back at all things Josh Harrellson and begin another week of UK goodness.
Oh yeah and the Cards and Vols lost….that was nice.
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November 30th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Didnt the women’s bball team win their tourney? Why hasnt that been mentioned on here?
December 1st, 2008 at 12:03 am
Glad you have to take solace in the fact that another team lost, Matthew. Vols looked better (at times) in the loss than UK did in either win this weekend.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:06 am
2) which time was that?
December 1st, 2008 at 12:07 am
Looked better?? You mean as in moral victory??
December 1st, 2008 at 12:08 am
2) You have so much talent on that team and it will continue under Pearl. He is one hell of a recruiter. He reminds me a lot of Huggins at WVU. Both can recruit the top players but suck at coaching that talent.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:08 am
Wrong website. Correct one is themountaineagle.com.
Shame to hear about the passing of Mr. Gish. My aunt runs the Courthouse Cafe and used to help out at The Mountain Eagle. Some amazing history there.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:10 am
Grew up in Letcher Co., had no idea Gish had such national ties. “Speak your piece” is one the best reads you’ll ever find.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:12 am
Gish was one good hellraiser outta EKY who stood up for the working man….He’d also blow the lid off inane calls for Rich Brooks’ job, I’d bet.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:30 am
Hey Macon, how did TN get beat? I’m not trying to bait you at all. Serious question, unless I just keep missing it I don’t even see the score on espn. Were they shooting the lights out ? Or did you guys just have a bad day?
December 1st, 2008 at 12:34 am
#2, what bowl will the vols be invited to this year? Also, the BBall team looked average at best and will lose 10 games min. this year. There is no high horse in Rocky Top!!
December 1st, 2008 at 12:35 am
9. Gonzaga hit like 11 threes. It was generally a good game, but the Zags were better prepared. They play again in the second half of the year in Knoxville. I expect UT to take Gonzaga to the shed in that one
December 1st, 2008 at 12:42 am
I would rather the bowl game be the Music City, but I think the Liberty would be better this season..I think we could win that game and I think it would be important to have a winning record this season going into next year. I just wish the team could have been healthy all year. Sucks not having Dicky and Locke playing.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:48 am
I live in Whitesburg, aka, The Burg, and am proud to say I knew Tom, Ben and alot of the others involved with my hometown newspaper. Glad to see you call that one out, we don’t get alot of press here(Outside of The Mountain eagle). Actually i knew the guy that tried to burn the Eagle down as well, but in a small town like this most people know eachother. Speak Your Peace is pretty trashy and mostly is used to call out local politicians and trash or praise them lol. My first post since you guys made people start registering.
December 1st, 2008 at 1:58 am
I gotta throw props
my alma mater, the Tops
shut the cards down like cops
ate their cookies, snatched their crops
Only thing better than our boys takin’ Vegas was my boys droppin’ one on the Cards. Big-ups to Western! Toppers, baby!
December 1st, 2008 at 5:53 am
Sly Croom has a top 20 class coming in, had 8 wins last season and was SEC Coach of the Year last year.
Where is he now Matt? Oh yeah: Unemployed. Brooks has served his purpose and the time for change is at hand.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:18 am
I was under the impression (from seeing it on the News), that Croom resigned, not fired. Brooks isnt done yet and he’s more than welcome to spend his last couple of years with us.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:38 am
Why? Brooks has restored us to where we were pre-probation. He cannot take us to another level and the numbers are there if you want to check them out for yourself.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:39 am
And do you really think Croom said “Mission Accomplished” and just quit? He was paid by Miss State to go away to the tune of 3 or 4 million dollars. I wish my employer would do that.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:41 am
Has anyone seen LouisvilleFanCraig?
What kind of person comes on to a site and runs his mouth all the
time and then when his team losses, he is nowhere to be found?
Maybe he should change his name to LouisvilleFanChristie
December 1st, 2008 at 7:52 am
Brooks has started rebuilding tradition to our football program, something NO ONE else had been able to do since forever ago. How can you people turn your back on someone that has finally made us NOT the laughing stock of the SEC. Yeah, our pre conference schedule was weak, but guess what, we gotta do what we gotta do in a rebuilding year. We are just now reaping the rewards of our bowl wins, give it time.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:04 am
please, #10. Please. You are in no position to talk smack about football after the loss Saturday, and the fact that UT finished HIGHER in the SEC East than did UK…..
UT won’t lose 10 games overall, because the SEC is down. Only games UT might have trouble with are a few of the road SEC games, and I think UT will win a majority of them. They won’t lose at home.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:05 am
Good recap #11.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:29 am
At risk of being “that guy” I am going to say that Gonzaga looks better this year then I have ever seen. I watched that whole game and they played a very athletic physical style. Ira Brown, Micah Downs, Jeremy Pargo, Steve Gray, and Josh Heytvelt all threw down massive dunks. Steve Gray made 6 3’s. The Vols outrebounded them, but a lot of their rebounds were “Sean May” rebounds that you get by throwing off balance hook shots that come right back to you so I wouldn’t read too much into that stat.
Not trying to get into anything with macon_volfan. I just honestly think that last night Tennessee actually lost to a very good team, not just a team that was well-prepared and caught a team off balance. I think Gonzaga might actually be in this thing towards the end.
Also, I think Bobby Maze was too busy thinking about when his LP drops to be concerned with guarding Matt Bouldin.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:35 am
Maze is good, but overall you are correct. The Zags are GOOD, and it may be their best team.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:35 am
Although don’t be surprised if St. Marys takes a game from the Zags. People will blast them if they lose one WCC game (which is pretty unfair) but St. Marys is pretty good.
They have the best PG in the country in my opinion. And the worst thing is that gym. It seats like 5000 people or something, but the student section is basically on your bench. And its so small it sounds like there are about 50000 in there.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:37 am
Yeah and these calls for Brooks to resign need to friggin stop. If someone had told us at the beginning of the year we would be 6-6 and bowl bound we ALL would have taken it. I think next year we will be good. And I believe that in ‘10 we could be looking at a potential 10 win team.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:39 am
24 Yeah I know, I just felt the need to take a shot at him. He is adjusting very well for a JC player
December 1st, 2008 at 8:48 am
Good to see the football program has caught up with basketball.
Now we can call for FOOTBALL coaches to resign when they don’t win the National Championship EVERY YEAR!
December 1st, 2008 at 8:49 am
10 win team?
Really…we couldn’t muster more than 7 with the best offensive group since the 70’s. We finished last in the East, lost to Vandy, lost to South Carolina, a horrid UT team that couldn’t move the ball on Wyoming (again!), and got Curry’d by Urban Meyer and the Gators.
Yes, Brooks has done a swell job leading us out of probation and taken advantage of weak OOC scheduling, a down UofL program and some success with lightly recruited guys but is that enough at this point? Eventually you have to take the next step if you ever want to be more than a bottom feeder. I’ll repeat this: I’ve seen UofL got to two BCS level bowls, Kansas go to a BCS bowl, a former NAIA school beat Oklahoma in a BCS bowl and I”m going to watch Cincy go to a BCS bowl. Hanging my hat on a 22-16 three year record, no more than 4 conference wins in any of those years, continual long losing streaks to UT, UF and South Carolina and three Music City Bowls just doesn’t cut it anymore.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:55 am
#20 6- 6 and dead last in the SEC East AND tied with dead last in the entire SEC. Yeah, I would say we are the laughing stock of the SEC. Brooks hasn’t accomplished much with this team. He has had a good run and cannot get us to the level we should be. Joker’s play calling is highly suspect. Brooks and Co. should be hitting the road. The fans deserve a championship caliber team, we’ve waited 50+ years for it. Brooks nor Joker will get us to the SEC championship or the NCAA Championship. I’m done watching UK football. They’ve fallen down to the ranks of UK baseball and Women’s basketball. Sure, I’ll root for them, but I won’t watch the games, not until we get a coach and AD that are serious about winning.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:56 am
This season would have been a lot more palatable if we had actually achieved something last season of real merit. It was the perfect storm for a 9 or 10 win season and a major bowl. Instead? We collapsed down the stretch.
That’s the problem with Kentucky football: When the opportunity is there (like it was in Knoxville to end that god awful streak this year) we never capitalize on it.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:10 am
Still on a high from the 2 big basketball wins this weekend. I really liked how Harrelson was effective when Stevenson wasn’t. I love Stevenson, I just think some games Stevenson may be more effective while in others Harrelson may be more effective. Props to Billy going out and getting depth on the front line.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:13 am
Yeah, right……… UK just sucks? COME ON PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you even freakin’ remember that we LOST OF OUR BIGGEST OFFENSIVE THREATS????????????
Locke and Lyons, Jr. would have taken much of the pressure off of Cobb. There’s no arguing that point. I seem to remember that just a few years ago, people would have been extremely happy with going to bowls 3 years in a row. I’m all for getting bigger and better things, but be realistic. ANY time you have to rely on a freshmen as a go to kind of guy, no matter how talented, you’re in trouble. Should we have won against TN, of course. Did UK have somee bonehead/crappy penalties? Of course! Be glad with having another bowl, and support your freakin’ team!!! GEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 1st, 2008 at 9:14 am
TWO of our biggest threats. sorry, in my anger I can’t type. ha ha
December 1st, 2008 at 9:16 am
People that can’t understand the frustration right now some of us have aren’t real Kentucky football fans. They’re people who use Gameday at Commonwealth as an excuse to get loaded with their buddies and try to pretend they’re still in college or use football as a way to pass the time ’till basketball season starts.
I want to win. I want to win big and I’ve sat through enough crap in my almost 30 years of being a UK fan that I think I deserve more than what I’m getting especially when I look around and see some of the successes that have been had by programs that are, historically, no better than ours. I like Brooks, I supported the hire and I don’t think we should push him out the door. Hell, name the field after him! He saw us through a dark time, has improved recruiting and taken us to three straight bowl games. That’s great and I thank him for it. But we need to take the next step and right now I’m not too confident. Oregon did it with Brooks and turned the reigns over to Bellotti and company and they’ve surged ahead to be a true, national program. It’s time for Kentucky to do the same. No more excuses, no more whining about the “toughness” of the SEC. Just go out and get it done.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:17 am
31 you can’t be serious……Perfect storm for 9-10 wins this year???? UT, Auburn, and LSU were down but we only played one of those. Florida has put together an insane year. Georgia was the preseason no.1, although they have stumbled.
In the meantime, good old UK was picked to finish either 4-8 or 3-9 by most of the so called experts. We lost 6 starters on offense, which includes 3 guys who have gotten MAJOR BURN in the NFL. DLJ hurt, Derrick Locke hurt. No receivers, questionable QB situation. How in the world is that an “opportunity”? If someone told us at the beginning of the year we would lose both those guys and be starting a true freshman at QB, im pretty sure most people would’ve been thinking 1-11 or 2-10.
And 20, you are just exposing ignorance with that last quote. UK Baseball inked the no.1 class in the nation year before last, top ten again this year. We have made the CWS 2 times in 3 years, something that has never been done. And last year I think they won 44 games.
Women’s basketball on the other hand has made 4 straight post seasons, again never been done. In that space they have beaten Tennessee and Georgia. Last year they won 8 SEC games, which is a UK record.
So both those programs are improving. I don’t see your point….UK Football is improving? And thats why we should cut Joker, Mitch, and Rich loose? Help me here….
December 1st, 2008 at 9:21 am
I was talking about last season.
If you were hanging your hat on Dicky Lyons Jr. this season I don’t know what to tell ya.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:24 am
#35
Did you just question my fanhood? ha ha
No one is saying we aren’t frustrated. To say we’re “not real fans” is just down right STUPID!!!~!!@
You just proved how much you don’t know, and how much of a jerk people can be online anonymously.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:25 am
Oh, well last year makes more sense. But still, we were supposed to lose to UL and LSU last year. I remember Lee Corso basically making an ass of himself at College Gameday talking about it being quiant that he was in Lexington and predicted a 40 point Florida win. Then we beat the future national champs. I admit, UT last year was a giveaway, but you can’t blame Rich for Lones Seiber kicking that laser beam into Tennessees line. Miss State last year was an aberration, where we had 7 starters between offense and defense hurt, and the fightin Sly Croom’s were on a roll.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:26 am
I’m not being a jerk but the people who dismiss some of the things people are saying that have merit because “Brooks is awesome!!!!” are the problem.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:26 am
You guys kill me…. you want a coach who has resurrected the laughing stock of SEC football gone, and hold a coach who has done nothing but take a top tier basketball team and lose to lesser competition on a silver platter. You’ll see UK basketball will make the elite 8 in the next two years, the year after that we will be beat out of the tourney in the first round, and everybody will be calling for BCG’s head…. Get a grip people ROME WAS NOT BUILT OVERNIGHT!!!!! Brooks has done more for this program in the last 3 years than anyone else not named Bear Bryant has in their entire tenure. You guys are crazy….
30.) Dont start on Joker, b/c you will have a heavy dose of him for a long time after brooks is gone. These guys are great coaches, and are starting to become a force in the SEC, three straight bowls is huge for a team trying to build a powerhouse from scrap. It could be the other way around, just ask Fulmer, Bowden, Miami Fl., etc…
December 1st, 2008 at 9:27 am
40.) Same thing with BCG…..
December 1st, 2008 at 9:28 am
Brooks didn’t get fired or pushed out at UO. He stepped down to take an NFL job. This is his last job, and we owe it to him to let him do it on his own terms. He isn’t JoePa or Bobby Bowden. He is too much of a pragmatist to hang around if things go south.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:29 am
1-5 after the LSU win..which Arkansas also equalled by beating them. What happened to their coach? What happened to Sly Croom? I’ll trade that LSU win for those other 5 losses and watch Kentucky play in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.
06 was a great year that showed a lot of promise. We rose to the occasion and finished strong. 07 should have been the breakthrough year. It wasn’t and now we finish rather meekly this year.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:29 am
Oh hey 20, i meant 30 on that one a bit back. 30 is ignorant.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:34 am
SEC wins are going 4, 3, and now 2 in the last three seasons. That’s a disturbing downward trend.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:35 am
41 I read your posts and scratch my head. For the same reasons you want to give Brooks some credit you should be giving BCG some slack. He’s having to build almost from scratch. Your statements are contradictory.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:36 am
We don’t deserve a bowl game. We are God-Awful!
December 1st, 2008 at 9:36 am
#46
Come on! Show a little support. No real recievers, a proven QB, injuries? Come on. I’m just sayin’…………
December 1st, 2008 at 9:38 am
#48
Nice team support. Besides, bowl commitees are wanting the money they’ll get from the UK FAITHFUL. ha ha
You know it’s true………..
December 1st, 2008 at 9:38 am
Billy Gillispie deserves time. He’s growing and learning in this job. He’s going to make mistakes and he’s going to learn from them but he has potential. That’s what a lot of these hires are about: potential. UT’s not hiring Lane Kiffin on his resume; they’re hiring him on his potential.
Joker Phillips has potential; just like Mike Bellotti did. Bellotti thought he was going to spend the rest of his career in the NAIA ranks in California before Brooks called and hired him at Oregon.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:40 am
#51
Now that I agree with!! Good point
December 1st, 2008 at 9:42 am
Again, I saw this downward trend last season and it’s disturbing. 2 win SEC seasons in a “rebuilding year” would be easier to stomach if we had done what we should have last season. Brooks has done a tremendous job with the program! Yet, with the team and the success on the field he’s still struggling. Kentucky needs to take that next step and I don’t think Brooks is the man who can do it.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:43 am
I understand your point, and while valid, I still have to disagree.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:48 am
And I understand yours. There’s no reason we can’t disagree respectfully on a course of action.
I will admit when it comes to Kentucky Football my emotions get the best of me.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:48 am
And I understand yours. There’s no reason we can’t disagree respectfully on a course of action.
I will admit when it comes to Kentucky Football my emotions get the best of me.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:50 am
54…There is no point in debating with 53…We should just fire Coach Brooks and Coach BCG, and hire
him to coach both sports as he is obviously qualified to coach both sports and I am sure he would have a
better winning % and be the best recruiter that any college has ever seen or will see in sports…
Or maybe even longer…WHAT A TOOL!!!
December 1st, 2008 at 9:50 am
That’s fair. ha ha
Wow, we avoided a nerd fight. ha ha
Awesome………
December 1st, 2008 at 9:52 am
Actually, I am a basketball coach at the youth levels and while I think my understanding of the game is pretty darn good as both a student and teacher of it I couldn’t even begin to fathom coaching at the college level.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:56 am
Rich has done a helluva job considering what he started with and as far as I am concerned, he can stay a few more years if he wants to. I was one who was calling for his departure the first couple of years, but I was wrong. The recruiting looks consistently solid now and when a 6-6 bowl season is a bad year, that’s not too bad. I don’t see this as the start of a slide into contiued mediocrity. Grandpa and Joker will keep us moving forward.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:59 am
60-
We need more fans like you…….
December 1st, 2008 at 10:01 am
60 that is exactly my point…AWESOME!!!!
December 1st, 2008 at 10:01 am
LouisvileFanCraig where are you?
You know Craig, only girls talk smack on another board but then don’t
have the balls to come on here when their team losses to a rebuilding
mid-major WKU team.
LouisvilleFanCraig isn’t a UL fan at all, he only cheers for UL when
they are winning.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:02 am
47.) I would say that everyone in this room would agree that Brooks started with less than Gillespie. Brooks has overachieved Gilispe (while I think he will lead us to banner number
has so far underachieved. All I am saying is that how can you be so hard on a guy who turned chicken poo into chicken salad, and be so gunho on a guy that so far has done nothing…
51.) You’ve lost your mind …. we didnt hire gillispie because we thought he would become a good coach, we hired him because he is a good coach The guy has done a lot of good things before Kentucky, and the process of elimination was simple. We wanted a good established young coach who was able to build a program. The list went Billy Donovan (nope), Mark Few (nope), Jay Wright (nope), Billy G. (Yes). If we wanted a coach that was going to grow with the job we would have offered Pelfrey or Ford….
December 1st, 2008 at 10:03 am
Harrellson will continue to be very effective in halfcourt situations and against physical opponents. That’s where Stevenson has always struggled. Give Perry an opponent who doesn’t like contact and he’ll give you 15 and 10, but against someone who bodies him, he vanishes. On the other hand, I don’t think Harrellson can keep up in a 94-ft game like a VMI plays, either. So we’re in a good spot with those two. They complement one another well. Each’s strength is the other’s weakness. Like yan and yang, man. Cool..
December 1st, 2008 at 10:03 am
supposed to be banner #8^^^
December 1st, 2008 at 10:05 am
So when do we start expecting more? Next season, the year after that? Ten years from now? At some point you have to raise your expectations. I think it’s not too much to ask for us to have a legit, SEC championship contender every 4 years and consistent 7-8 win ball clubs in between.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:06 am
#64-
So you could do better? There comes a time that we should just shut up, and let the man coach without 2nd guessing him all the friggin’ time. I realize this is a site dedicated to talking about it, but where does the line stop?
December 1st, 2008 at 10:07 am
Billy Gillispie is not on the level of Jay Wright, Mark Few or a Billy Donovan.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:10 am
He’s more along the lines of what Bill Self was when Kansas hired him if anything: An up and comer who had done some good things at smaller schools and rebuilt a program in a BCS conference (Illinois).
December 1st, 2008 at 10:15 am
70 Kansas won the NCAA title last season, or where you to busy trying to get our coaches fired
to watch???
December 1st, 2008 at 10:19 am
What in the hell are you even talking about?
December 1st, 2008 at 10:20 am
And Bill Self had growing pains at Kansas..just like Gillispie.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:21 am
#70-
You just d1escribed Donovan….ha ha
December 1st, 2008 at 10:22 am
Come on. If you can’t see the bright future we will have when Billy gets his own players playing the way he wants them to play, you are near-sighted. He is teaching these guys to go to war. He doesn’t mind losing early games to get the guys to listen and work harder and that is hard to take, but you saw the fruits of that approach last year and in the 2nd half against WVU. His teams will not play soft when it matters. They will have heart, which is what UofL appears to lack. With all of the talent all over the place in the NCAA, this is the intangible that Billy is looking for to give us an edge. I am willing to give him a few years to get us back to the Promised Land.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:24 am
Thank you……
A sane person on here. ha ha
December 1st, 2008 at 10:29 am
Billy Donovan was one of those “potential” hires I was talking about. Compare Gillispie to Donovan when both were hired by Kentucky and Florida respectively? Yeah, that’s true. Comparing Gillispie to Donovan, Few or Wright on the day he was hired? Not really.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:33 am
I have been a UK fan for, well, a long time. I have suffered through a lot. I am not a Pollyanna optimist. I wanted Tubby gone and initially I though Rich was the wrong hire for us. But right now I see good things for the basketball and football Cats in the future.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:37 am
I’m so over Jai Lucas.
Dude needs to grow a pair and make a decision. List this and list that. He had his limelight once and he screwed the pooch. Now it’s time to make a decision and be a man about it.
UK basketball was incomplete when BCG arrived. We had a bunch of walk ons with scholarships. Still have some of them. Porter, Carter, Harris, etc. These guys should be walks ons. At best, they are role players. Not starters.
Brooks has done well. In my opinion. This is UK football. 95% of the time, UK Football is a joke. It sucks. He’s made UK football semi-respectable. Now the fans are becoming a bigger laughing stock. Not many coaches could have done much better. And the ones that could have absolutely no reason to come to UK. UK won’t pony up the true cash for football. So we get the re-tread who does a pretty decent job. There will be no Nick Sabans or Pete Carrolls or Urban Meyers coaching on the sidelines of Commonwealth Stadium. And if we do get one by luck, he’ll be gone for the first true BCS school that comes along.
Sorry boys, that’s just the way it is. We get Grandpa Brooks. He’ll make UK an 8 win team by the time it’s over. I believe. But UK is not going to become a continuing threat to UF or Bama or LSU or UT.
Coming to the SEC East and building a contender from scratch is like climbing Mt Everest with a gorilla tied to your back. Damn near impossible.
It would be easier to do it in the SEC West and it would still be a feat. Ole Miss, ARK and Miss St try and try and can’t unseat LSU or Bama. Even Auburn has spotty success in the West.
Give old Brooks a break.
If UK went to the ACC, they’d have much more success in football. Those teams are good. No ACC teams out there right now that are straight up dominant. FSU and Clemson proved that by losing to UK. UK could win in the ACC in football.
There’d be hell to pay in Basketball, though.
As long as UK is in the SEC, it will never become a great football school. The best you can expect is to get good enough to grab 8 wins a year and occasionally challenge UF, UT and UGa for the East.
Those are simply the facts of life. Unless there is some kind of cataclysmic event that forces those three schools to shut down. lol
Y’all get off of Brooksie now. Leave BCG alone too. Freakin’ posers.
Be fans of your schools for a while and enjoy the ride.
Let G get settle in before you start trying to derail him.
Brooks is gonna retire this year or next. Then you can all turn on Joker and UK will go back to being a 2-3 win school.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:38 am
77. Few and Wright are not in the same level as Donovan; Plus Few is not in any of these levels, his team
chokes every year in the NCAA because they are not at the same level as UK, Nova, Florida, Kansas,
Duke, Memphis, UCLA and UNC…What are you talking about you brought up Self and I was only pointing out that Kansas
just hung a banner…
December 1st, 2008 at 10:38 am
BCG needs a couple of years to prove himself. Tubby-talent brought down the program. Now, it will take atleast 3 years to gain 1-2 top-notch recruits annually–we’re on track (John Wall, wanna start next year?). I’m not happy about a few of these losses, because I think the VMI loss could have been avoided with btter substitutions and the use of timeouts, but I am willing to give BCG a chance. He needs to play the 5 that played well against WVU.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:39 am
69 - did you honestly just put Jay Wright, Mark Few and Billy Donovan as your coaches. So 08 season…BCG did better than Donovan, BCG tied Few with first round lose, and Wright made it to the sweet 16. The funny thing about this is that BCG had only been here 11 months, and all those coaches have been at their school for 5 + years.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:43 am
Nice point 82…
December 1st, 2008 at 10:46 am
Nice………
December 1st, 2008 at 10:47 am
68.) No I couldnt do better, but I do not get paid millions of dollars a year to do so. Anyways you missed my point, how can you be so hard on Brooks, and so lenient on Gillispie???? If you notice I did say that I think BCG would have banner #8, you guys dont get it.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:48 am
79, I couldn’t agree more.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:51 am
Cobb needs to line up in the slot and in the backfield next to Newton on shot gun snaps next year, ala Percy Harvin. Running an option with Newton and Cobb would be hard to defend, especially in a year or two.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:54 am
80.) Your crazy if you think Few is not in the same breath as those guys. See Gonzaga mid major turned high major…..
December 1st, 2008 at 10:55 am
87-
Good idea. That has everyone’s mouth watering I’m sure. If that happens, I’m sure all the haters will think Grandpa and Joker will be the greatest coaches of all time again. ha ha
Seriously though, that’s an intriguing possibility.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:55 am
Sheesh! I don’t want to be rude but the lack of basic understanding is trying.
At the time of hiring Few, Donovan, Wright were all more accomplished and proven head coaches than Gillispie. Gillispie has the potential to be as good or greater than all of them but he’s not on that level yet and wasn’t when he was hired. He has the potential to be as good or greater than all of them.
Self was second guessed during his time at Kansas and had some “questionable” losses. Now…he’s an NCAA champion.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:00 am
I guess I’m just in an arguing mood, coming off a long weekend and not wanting to be back at work. ha ha
December 1st, 2008 at 11:05 am
I work from home! It’s the greatest setup ever. Sometimes I have to go out in the “field” and get things fixed but most of it I can do from home.
I’ve learned to talk, code, watch T.V., and post on blogs all at the same time! Having three Computers, two screens and a laptop doesn’t hurt either.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:08 am
Are you a high-tech red-neck? ha ha
December 1st, 2008 at 11:09 am
89. I’m a realist about Brooks and Co. The biggest hurdle for UK football (and for every school) is recruiting. Despite UT’s struggles this year, watching the game made it pretty evident that UK is still far behind on the recruting trail. Perception is reality and until UK puts some name talent in the NFL it will continue to be a problem.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:10 am
So lets see, BCG just took a TX AM team to the sweet 16 in 2007 (that had a losing record 2 seasons before), Few lost 1st round to IN, and Nova lost 1st round to UK. FL won it all for the 2nd yr. in a row, so yes Donovan was better, but he follows that up with an NIT berth. Few had a run with when he had Shaggy, but outside of that he has not made it into or past the sweet 16. He was handed a final four team his 1st year at Gonzaga.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:16 am
I am not calling for Brooks head. I just thought this was interesting and UK has to do better. Since 2003 we are 13-31 in the regular season after September. Only once have we been above .500 after Sept., that was 2006. Then I looked at our 13 wins, and only 2 do I consider quality wins against the the top tier of the SEC, the rest were the Vandy’s and MSU’s and weak out of conference teams. So after Sept. we have only two quality wins in the last six seasons. UGA in 2006, and LSU last year.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:24 am
Oh dear sweet Jesus….
Ignoring the fact that the original posters list was foolish to begin with (none of those guys were leaving their jobs for Kentucky) all of them, at that time, were more accomplished as head coaches as Gillispie. Is that so hard to understand?
December 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am
96. Duly noted, however UK has not been to a bowl in 3 consecutive years since the 1950-1952 seasons. Bringing in cash, getting a national TV audience, and an extra month of practice is extremely important for this team.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:31 am
90…I have much more than a basic understanding…SO let’s have an attitude check, anyway…all I am
saying is Grave danger you are in. Impatient you are…You will know (the good from the bad) when you
are calm, at peace. Passive…Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:34 am
I’m not the one in need of an attitude check.
I don’t even know where to begin. I’m one of the consistent defenders on this site of Coach Gillispie from some of the rubbish and I’m getting into a heated arguments about his coaching resume or his potential on the day he was hired.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:34 am
99-
hahahahaha
Awesome
December 1st, 2008 at 11:36 am
Rich Brooks is taking us to our 3rd straight bowl with back to back wins so far! He has made Kentucky Football, relevant in the SEC! This man took a job that few wanted and has built us into a solid SEC football team.
Anyone who is calling for his job is an idiot! Rich Brooks has done one hell of job here at Kentucky!
The only problem with the coaching staff, is Joker’s playcalling. I am optimistic that he will be a much better Head Coach than Offensive Coordinator, when Brooks retires.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:41 am
I don’t have a problem with Joker’s play calling. If you consider the offensive production the Cats enjoyed with Andre and talented recievers, its clear that Joker can read defenses, make adjustments and call plays. With a true freshman QB who was recruited to play WR at the helm its not suprising the offense is struggling. Anyone know if there are any incoming JUCO offensive players at the skill positions?
December 1st, 2008 at 11:42 am
UK is a perennial doormat.
Any win against another “BCS” school is a quality win.
In what fantasy world do you dwell? This is UK.
When UK has a few 10 to 12 wins seasons and a couple of BCS Bowl wins, then UGa and LSU are considered the only quality wins. Until such time, any SEC win is a quality win. FSU was a quality win for a program of UKs stature. Clemson was a quality win for a program of UKs stature.
Some of you people act like UK has been winning BCS Championships for the past two decades and suddenly is going through a slump.
This is a program that hasn’t won against UF or UT in two decades.
Give me a break.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:45 am
104-
Nice positive outlook. kudos, man, kudos to you……….
December 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am
102)All I am doing is looking at the numbers. If you like dead last, hey more power to you. We need to do better, or we need to get out of the SEC, because we can’t win.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:51 am
106-
Get out of the SEC? Yeah, that’ll happen. That’s just crazy talk. ha ha
December 1st, 2008 at 11:54 am
In reality both 102 and 104 are absolutely right. UK has been to 12 bowl games in the history of the program. The fact that Brooks has been able to take UK to 3 in a row is a solid accomplishment. UK is at least competitive in the SEC. For the first time in a long time last season there was a reason to actaully look at the SEC east standings. There is a long way to go but at least we are half way there.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Brooks is doing a good job–KY lacks football talent. Hell, even without that we will be going to our 3rd straight bowl! Look at ND, UT and other traditional powers with talent and are staying home. I think we can get to the point where we win 8 games and move up a tier in bowl games-that should be the goal for now. It takes consistent winning for a decade to create a strong football program that attracts talent–we are going in the right direction. Stay the course people…
December 1st, 2008 at 12:04 pm
ahhh complacency. the doormat is a comfortable place. and not beating UF or UT in 20 years is a problem.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
So I guess you’d rather be back in the days with Mumme and Morris? Get real, man.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
The turn around for the FB program is NOT going to happen overnight! I’m so sick and tired of the what have you done for me lately mentality. It’s totally lacking of class, and intelligence. Just an opinion/observation.
All I’m sayin’ is a little loyalty would be nice…………
December 1st, 2008 at 12:30 pm
i am just stating the numbers. i never said anything about brooks, i like the old fart. i am just saying we have to do better. every year we have a let down in the last two thirds of the season. if you are happy with losing the last three games of the season when they all three should or could have been won, yippee skippee. and lack of intelligence is not seeing a problem and not trying to fix it. lack of class is not being able to hold a conversation about football without getting pissy. and loyalty, we don’t want to go there…
December 1st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I think we do want to go there, at least I do.
Nobody’s getting pissy, I’m just stating my opinion like you are yours. Am I happy about losing games we should win? Of course not. Nobody’s that stupid. And while I agree we need to do better, I think our disagreement lies in the path to get there. No disrespect intended.
Look at the previous comments posted on here. While they are getting some support, the is an overlying negativity on there. Why do you tinkk most high profile bball coaches turned us down? I like BCG and I think he’s an awesome coach, but you have to look at the bigger picture.
December 1st, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I think Joker needs to call more plays that get the ball to Patterson……..
December 1st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
nice one….haha
December 1st, 2008 at 1:19 pm
113) Take the time to look at the “numbers”. How mmany games have we lost in the last 6 years by a margin of 6 or less? How many of those games were decided in the finall minutes or seconds for that matter? I don’t have the exact figures, and I’m not gonna look em up but I know that there were quite a few losses that occurred in those “numbers”. So U.K. is headed in the right direction and we have a good class incoming. With Locke and DLJ healthy this year we would have easily been a 7+ win team.
Also how nice it is having GORBE back on with his diatribes!