Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
photo by Ed Reinke
I have to admit…that was fun. In a game that was closer than most UK fans would have preferred, the Cats pulled out a 72-70 win that begins the legend of John Wall in Lexington. The Cats had a lot going against them throughout the contest. Miami was super hot, making 15 out of 26 threes. Kentucky had some of its better players have an off night, with Eric Bledsoe in particular struggling. Miami played with unbelievable poise and emotion, coming back when the game looked to be firmly in UK’s favor. But even with those difficulties, Kentucky found a way to win, when John Wall took the ball after a game-tying three pointer by Miami and raced down the court, hitting a mid-range jumper with just .5 seconds left to ensure the win.
Many fans will grumble about the play during the game and there was a sense of frustration from some about the closeness of the final score. But for me, those questions fade in importance. Kentucky got an exciting win that they would have lost in the past two seasons, and in so doing, protected home court, while learning valuable lessons. This Kentucky team can be very good…but it is far from perfect now. Games like this will come throughout the year, and for the Cats to get down 18 early, fight back and win at the end…that can do nothing but help this team. So I disagree with those that look at tonight as a negative. I watched a young team grow up before our very eyes and a fanbase experience the joy of winning again…all the while beginning the legend of one of the best to wear the jersey. Thats not too bad to me.
Some notes:
— John Calipari was certainly relieved after the game, walking into the press room and saying, “I cant believe we won the game.” While he praised the Miami effort and pointed out the mistakes of his team, his overall theme was a positive one. He said he was “esctatic” when the team went down 18, so he could see what his team was made of (hard for me to believe that). But he also said that he felt like this game showed him why he liked his team so much. From Patterson’s two big free throws, to Cousins’ big shots to Wall’s jumper, he said this was a game that will pay long-term dividends for the team.
— The star of the show off the court tonight was Miami Coach Charlie Coles, who gave the best press conference performance I have ever seen in Rupp. I admit that I have loved Coles for a long time, but tonight he was in rare form. In his mock turtleneck and dressed dapper, Coles set down and proceeded to have the media eating out of his hand. He talked of his reverence for the Big Blue and how great it is to “have a player so hot, the Big Blue go ‘oh noooo’ when he shoots.” But the highlight was when Dick Gabriel asked him “how did the game get away from you.” Coles then shook his head and said, “I cant believe you asked that. Why dont you ask John why it was so close.” He laughed and said, “They are the Big Blue…where have you been?” And he continued to shake his head at the question, saying “Oh my lord…where are you from?” It was all in good spirit, but it was hilarious nonetheless and my hope is that a video of the exchange shows up online some time soon.
UPDATE: Here is the audio of the Coles presser from the Herald Leader’s site. It is brilliant….THIS IS A MUST LISTEN….TRUST ME, YOU WANT TO LISTEN.
— Coles also took a minute to say that he really liked the UK kids. He mentioned how polite John Wall is, even with his hype. He noted that Cousins came over before the game to introduce himself and he spoke of how great it was to see talent without the trash talk. He was clearly a fan of the entire UK team.
— Speaking of the team, a few player notes:
John Wall — finished with 19 points and the game winner. He was 10-14 from the free throw line, but Calipari said in the future, he simply cant miss them at the end.
Patrick Patterson — Pat had 17 points and 10 rebounds, another double-double and solid overall performance. Calipari said afterwards he needed for Pat to not make “silly mistakes” but praised him for his play at the end saying, “thats just what Pat does.”
Demarcus Cousins — The man they call “Boogie” was great in the second half. He had 10 points and 10 boards, but more importantly, dominated in the last five minutes. Calipari said he wanted Cousins to smile more…something KSR noted long ago, which led to this funny interview:
Boogie talking after the game from Clay’s blog (and yes that is me asking the question about Cal saying he didnt smile and Jerry Tipton saying, “why dont you smile” in a Tipton-like way):
Eric Bledsoe — Not a great game for Bledsoe, who found himself often playing out of control. We did find out after the game that Calipari wants him taking free throws at the end of contests and that the last inbounds when Wall was fouled was designed to get the ball to Eric.
Darnell Dodson — You shouldnt look past Darnell, who only finished with 9 points, but whose points were crucial in the first half, stopping the Miami rally. His three point shooting was the difference in taking an 18 point lead and cutting it to three at the end.
Jon Hood — Calipari said after the game that he probably should have played Hood a bit, but that after missing the first half, he didnt want to start him in the second. Expect him to see time next game.
Overall, it was a welcome win on a night that Rupp was rocking, especially in the second half. This team is fun, and while it can be frustrating at times, you can see the potential and you know good things lie ahead. After the game, Charlie Coles said that if they had one it would have been the “best of my career” and you could tell he really meant it. Considering this is a coach who has been to the Sweet 16, that says something about the talent on this team. It was a great night to be in Rupp and it was great to get a win. There will be a lot of naysayers about the game and the performance, but dont listen to them. In the end, this game will be a net positive and is one that will be referenced during the year. And oh yeah, it was Wall’s first game-winner…here is guessing it wont be his last.
The Wall game-winning shot:
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November 16th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
It’s one game!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Love the Boogie video….The hardest part of this season so far is picking my favorite freshman
November 16th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Exciting game, but I could go for a couple of blowouts now.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
I was the At Home Fan that changed shirts in the 1st half….i take part of the blame for us playing bad lol
November 16th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I dont know if we have to get copyrights from Bob Marley or even Will Smith but I think I am Legend is a good nickname for Wall because he is only just beginning.
Games in November never worry me, its always how you play in March that matters.
One more thing, for someone stuck at work 800 miles from Kentucky with no video access allowed on his computer you are doing wonderful things with the liveblog games and summaries.
I really appreciate it.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
I love the Miami of Ohio coach…I’m rooting for them the rest of the season.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
I thought Orton was great in this game. He came in when needed and got the job done. He is an amazing player himself!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
I get sick of reading how “this game would have been a loss last year”…. Morehead state was a “game we would have lost last year.” It seems like every game we play “would have been a lost last year.”
Who knows if we would have lost that game last year? I am not certain of it… we won 12 of the first 14 games last year and that includes a heartbreaker at Louisville.
Id rather just focus on this year and (to use a Cal-ism) enjoy the ride! One thing is for sure, this tight game was a lot more fun than the tight games of recent memory.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
My fear coming in to the season was D. Young players take some time to learn how to switch and close out. But one thing you can’t coach is talent, and we have a lot. Rider will be a good test on Saturday.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
and so it begins!!!!!!but lets try to tighten up ship a bit before unc….
November 16th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
This game will be nothing but positive overall for the team. This team has been part of a lot of hype, and it was good to see them realize what it means to have Kentucky across your chest and get every team in the country’s best effort and realize no matter who you play, you need your A game, because UK is the biggest game on everyone’s schedule for the year. I believe you will see a much different team take the floor from the tip on Thursday. GO CATS!!!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
John Wall’s shot was the Big Moment on Fox Sports’ nightly show. Waiting to see if he makes Sportscenter’s Top 10. His first game wasn’t as flashy as Eric’s, but we needed it just as badly.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Dave Buzz Baker immortalizes that moment for me. I could hear the new Cawood in that call.
Kyle Macy ’bout killed it.
Great shot and everyone simultaneously agreed it was the beginning of the Legend of John Wall.
We all did the John Wall dance in the living room post-game.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
gocats is back…nice!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
How blatant was the foul at the end of the game? The TV viewers couldnt see it… Was it Bledsoe?
November 16th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
First shot/graphic of Sportscenter.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
boogie is the man, this team is so young but i truly believe that bledsoe’s statement will be prophetic, they’ll get $hit right
November 16th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Good stuff from Boogie.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
14)I cried a little when i read a few weeks back that you were wondering where I was.
I have been transferred 3 times in a year and it was hell getting my password reset but I have still been on here every day and you will be getting tired of all my comments very soon!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
4- Don’t blame yourself, I went to get food at 16-14, Came back at 33-20 or so.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
19. There has been another mass influx of people since you had left and the site felt a lot less personal. I always like seeing posters that I know have been here for a long time whether I agree with them or not. Its nothing against newer people, just part of the KSR community that makes the site great
November 16th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
John Wall Highlights on Sports Center now.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
21)Yeah I love how huge the site has gotten and I can recognize everyone that has been around for awhile. I have been around since the Tubby days!
I love this site and have no idea how I ever survived without it!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Anyone else hate the fact that the BBSN will switch camera views after a play and make us miss the next play entirely ? the only time I care to see the view from the sideline cam is during replays.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Funny how the same people last year bashed UK for giving up so many 3’s but this year it happens and it is just a hot shooting team. If Miami keeps attacking, like VMI and Gardner Webb did, they win this game. Luckily and thankfully they were content to keep a slow pace and it allowed UK to come back. Miami is not a good team and just lost to Towson by double digits. If good teams play us zone, and can play it well, UK will struggle some. It was the same as Cals teams at Memphis as those teams could not shoot. Luckily SEC is still down so this group can try to get it right by March. I do hate when people use the Freshman excuse as these kids today play more ball in one year than kids 10-15 years ago played in 4 years. Carmello Anthony, Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley were Freshman as well but they dominated the college game.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:05 am
That Sports Center segment was tight. If someone’s got a link, pass it along for everyone.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:05 am
I was stuck driving in mid-state New York with a dying cell phone and the wrong satellite radio provider so I got absolutely NOTHING of the game. Simple question about the hot shooting Miami team: Was it like the last shot where nothing missed or was it like last year where we couldn’t defend (or maybe a little of both)? Obviously it will take some time to come around defensively so it may have been a perfect storm scenario…. Any insight you can offer would be great.
GO CATS!!!
November 17th, 2009 at 12:09 am
I loved how Demarcus was running in for a thunderous dunk if Wall missed. You could tell he was going to go for it if that didn’t go in. SO good!
November 17th, 2009 at 12:09 am
Wildcats knocking down game winners–JDub and Dirk. GO CATS!
November 17th, 2009 at 12:12 am
We need to get Patterson the ball more. He’s a first team All-American player, and he only had something like 5 shots that didn’t come from putbacks. I know its not a part of the dribble drive, but we need to ride our horse. It was nice to see Miller step up late and get 7 crucial points down the stretch. Maybe a bit of a coming out party for him.
There’s a lot of fine tuning that needs to take place, especially effort-wise on defense, but its sure is a fun group to watch. I can’t wait to see them gel as a team in the coming months…
November 17th, 2009 at 12:12 am
#27–Shooting out of their minds and defenders giving them space.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:12 am
Hey….was it canceled and I didn’t notice? I thought KSR was doing a live blog for the ESPN 24 hours of college basketball??
November 17th, 2009 at 12:15 am
25) This made me wonder how Wall stacks up against some of the great freshman in the past few years in their first games (It is a long season and Wall still has a lot to prove, but my curiosity is making me do this)
Kevin Durant - 20 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl, 2 blks in a game Texas won by 59 pts.
Carmello - 27 pts, 11 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl - Syracuse lost by 7 pts.
Beasley - 32 pts, 24 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 4 blks - Kan. St. won by 31 pts
Wall - 19 pts, 2 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, game winner - UK wins by 2
Does this post mean anything? Not really.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:24 am
31) Thanks!!
November 17th, 2009 at 12:26 am
30. i agree completely. i kept waiting to see a set look to get it to Patt down low occassionally. not complaining but with the way we looked out of synch at times on offense kinda thought CAL might try to get it down low to our bigs a little more. in any case listening to CAl’s press conf he makes a good point that after these guys were down 18 to a team that most thought we would dominate they could’ve packed it up and instead they showed alot of heart to fight back and get the win.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:27 am
32) I was wondering the same thing. The 24 Hours of B-Ball (and the corresponding liveblog) is probably the only reason I would ever watch UCLA-Cal State Fullerton at midnight.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:29 am
36) Glad i’m not the only one who remembers that. I was starting to think I had dreamed it all up.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:37 am
25 - Yes, and who is to say this team won’t? It’s one game. Teams throw up clunkers, even great ones, and seeing how the bulk of our regulars, not just one or two, are freshmen this is going to take time. It isn’t just new players. It’s a new offense, pretty much new everything. I wish people would have patience like Cal asked for. I realize with parts of this fan base, like people predicting 45 point wins in the first game for these guys, that’s an impossible request, but come on people. They may beat Rider by 26, then turn around and toss up a total dud against Virginia, followed by a dramatic win over North Carolina. Until we’re well in to the season and everyone has had time to gel, these games are going to pop up here and there. Just a fact.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Yeah, Jones. Live Blog.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:02 am
digger phelps=douchebag
November 17th, 2009 at 1:05 am
I don’t know how anyone else feels, but I always think that at the end of the game, if you’re up by 3 that you should foul the other team and only let them be able to score 2 points. Thats why memphis lost the title, and its why we needed wall to hit a game winner.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:16 am
wow…. what a game! Miami was unconcious, neither team would give in, and the ending was as exciting as any you’ll ever see. What was really encouraging was to see the Cats come from so far down so quickly, and hang tough at the end when Miami kept making shots. Dodson is Mr. Instant Offense! Orton was a warrior. Cousins was amazing (AFTER the pep talk.) Patrick was the glue, and Wall was… well, what can you say… This team still has a lot of growing up to do, but they’re going to be fun to watch.
I do have to say though… Cal is hard to listen to sometimes. His sugary positiveness (”ecstatic being down 18″) is complete bullshit. Sometimes you can be too smooth.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:24 am
The post game with Charlie Coles … everything about it sounded vintage. Anyway, I knew we were gonna win down 18.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:36 am
to the lady who sat n front of me…nice cell phone pics,
to the man who sat a couple seats down from her…ur singing wasnt helping me cope with the tight game,
to the people who sat behind me, you know nothing about basketball, quote of the day “the dribble drive is here, dribble drive it in there bledose”,
to the lady down the row from me…when we’re down 18, or in a relle tight game, yelling at perry stevenson for not taking a 3 point shot isnt very good common sense, and to kentucky…good win, DONT DO THAT AGAIN! lol
November 17th, 2009 at 1:36 am
bledsoe*
November 17th, 2009 at 1:40 am
I say this Miami team will win their conference and be in the tourney…which will only bode well for UK in the end. But I agree with Matt about this being a positive experience. These young guys see that they have to work hard and they have to get the high school out of them. They see that they have to play hard at all times because this college. Things that need to be worked on: Wall and Bledsoe need to get themselves under control and learn when to pass…Wall was lucky that some of those blocking fouls werent charges. Free throws…UK shot almost 80% last year…it has to be better bc when we play better talent free throws win and lose games. Waaaayy too many open 3s. If man isnt workin, they need some box and chaser on a player like that when he gets hot…1-3-1, something. But this team is young and I still have no doubt in my mind that they will be a force to reckon with in the future.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:21 am
Why do all Cal teams shoot under 60& from the free throw line? Does he not have his teams practice free throws?
November 17th, 2009 at 2:21 am
%
November 17th, 2009 at 2:46 am
Was there. Rupp was awesome tonight. John Wall is truly special. Really. Like a black-stripper-with-blue-eyes, special.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:53 am
UCLA loses in double OT hell yes!! How empty was their pathetic arena, anyone else see that absolutely pathetic fan base support tonight?
November 17th, 2009 at 3:04 am
A win is a win in my books, Miami played a great game & UK made enough plays to pull out a W.
I didn’t expect a 2 point game but we showed our youth and inexperience tonight. The good news
is we didn’t fold …… helluva a game and a very good learning experience for our team early on.
This team will get more & more fun to watch…… GO CATS
November 17th, 2009 at 4:46 am
Everything that could be said has been said, but here is what I know:
1) Dodson needs more minutes. It may be fine to bring him off of the bench, but do it sooner.
2) We have to defend the 3 better. Miami was out of their minds shooting, but they had waaaayy too many open looks.
3) It’s 4:30am and I am watching a live basketball game on ESPN. What a great country.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:03 am
#52 - Yes they could have defended a little bit better, but Miami could not hit 15-26 in a shoot around. They were shooting out their ### for most of this game. The guy that lit us up was something like 2-9 against Towson.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:04 am
#50: I didn’t see the UCLA game, but your comment about an empty arena is interesting. Tonight, I watched some of the UConn-Colgate game and UConn’s arena was empty. Last week, Syracuse, Ohio St, Wisconsin–all played in pretty empty arenas. Only 7000 fans showed up to Arkansas’ home opener. North Carolina couldn’t sell out the first game of the season when they are the defending champions! Yet, we have sold out BOTH games this season. Can we finally settle the debate as to who has the best fans in college basketball and who has the best program? I’m tired of hearing Dickie V and the other blowhards talk about this program’s fans or that program’s fans and how passionate they are and how they love their program yet they only sell out the big games. John Wall is the truth!
November 17th, 2009 at 7:56 am
ugh. “the legend of wall begins.” im already sick of matt writing crap like that. what legend? i reserve the right to change my mind but right now all i see is a “point guard” who is out of control, forces shots, is a bad passer and, even worse, doesn’t like to pass. again, i reserve the right to change my mind about him (and probably will) but last night was exactly what you should NOT see from a point guard.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:05 am
miami just hit another three…..
November 17th, 2009 at 8:18 am
So #55, I take it you wish Michael Porter or Konner Tucker were our point guards, huh?
November 17th, 2009 at 8:45 am
The Hawaii-Northern Colorado game this morning turned out to be pretty entertaining. Saint Mary’s might actually have life after Patty Mills also. The Monmouth-St. Peter’s showdown wasn’t very competitve, but I do commend all those people for attending a 6 AM game. I can’t really get excited against Niagra-Drexel, but I hope it’ll be a good game.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Great game! A win is a win. Rather a close ‘gut check’ than a blow out which teaches us nothing. I would take 32 buzzer beaters to 31 blow-outs and then a loss in the tourney.
This team is no where near their potential. That’s the difference between this year and last. We peaked early and the rest of the NCAA caught up and passed us. This year we will peak late.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Cal should dust off the film of the 2003 team and show these guys what a real basketball TEAM looks like. If they can even approach that level of execution, with their talent they’ll achieve everything we hope they will.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Miami (OH) was +27 pts from 3-pt range. That plus the missed UK FT’s made this game much closer than it should’ve been. But a win is a win!! On to Sam Houston State!! Go Cats!!
November 17th, 2009 at 9:06 am
#50–I, too, watched UCLA’s game before a (I’m thinking) less-than-half-full arena. And while I thought Cal State Fullerton was awful, UCLA was even worse. UNC couldn’t sell out, UConn couldn’t sell out, Syracause couldn’t sell out, and UK is sold out for a SCRIMMAGE. There is NO OTHER FAN BASE like UK’s. There are plenty of pretenders, but there’s only ONE UK!
November 17th, 2009 at 9:14 am
57 lol…konner tucker in 3 games for wake forest: 8 minutes per gm, 1 fg per game
November 17th, 2009 at 9:14 am
I bet he’s a “gym rat” though so its all good in the end.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:17 am
no #57, but i would prefer a nice floor general like sherron collins or kalin lucas, or even a cliff hawkins or wayne turner.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Miami game being replayed today at noon EST on FSS. Channel 929 on insight (HD even. when did they start carrying FSSHD? awesome).
November 17th, 2009 at 9:21 am
FYI
Patrick Patterson had his 23rd Career Double Double…moving him to 12th on the all-time List.
Here’s the entire list:
Dan Issel 63 (83 Career Games)
Cotton Nash 45 (78 Career Games)
Jim Andrews 43 (80 Career Games)
Tom Parker 31 (80 Career Games)
Kenny Walker 31 (132 Career Games)
Mike Pratt 29 (81 Career Games)
Rick Robey 29 (105 Career Games)
Sam Bowie 28 (96 Career Games)
Jamal Mashburn 26 (98 Career Games)
Pat Riley 24 (80 Career Games)
Mike Phillips 23 (120 Career Games)
Patrick Patterson 23 (61 Career Games)
Chuck Hayes 22 (134 Career Games)
November 17th, 2009 at 9:31 am
65 - You reserve the right to change your mind? That’s nice. If we could all completely bash someone and say later, “It’s all good, I change my mind”. I think I will trust the judgement of every college coach in the country that was drooling over Wall. I think I will trust NBA draft experts that have him ahead of your boy Collins. I may be way off in my criticism of your opinion, so I reserve the right to change my mind later, so don’t be offended.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:35 am
#56 That gave me a good laugh! I love close, exciting games. To me there is nothing more fun to watch. I would just prefer the close ones be against the upper tier teams. My hat off to the young men from Miami for the unbelievable effort, but also to my Cats for never giving up!
November 17th, 2009 at 9:39 am
PPat should finish between 2nd-4th….
I know it won’t happen, but it would be great to see him come back 1 more year & re-write UK record books. He should end up his Junior year in the Top 15 for Career scoring,freethrow,rebounds,FG % & Blocked shots(he is already there in some of those).
November 17th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Early criticism of John Wall is ridiculous. Its his first game! People who worship Epps or Turner or Hawkins or Travis Ford or any other great point guard in UK history need to realize that none of them did anything like this in their first game. Epps and Turner are to of everyones favorites and they barely played their freshman years.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:51 am
What happened to the video of demarcus, says it has been removed. I hope its put bakc on here i havent’ seen it yet.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Hey, sue me, I’d like to see a little more passing and a lot less forcing bad shots against two or three defenders. I’m sure he will improve and show a higher basketball IQ on the court. Bledsoe too. Just saying: let’s not slovenly and moronically call the kid a legend when what you should take away from that game is that that is not a good example of how to play the point guard position. I’d also much rather him make the game-icing free throw rather than be “legendary” with a last-second jumper.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:53 am
#63, any chance you attend Butler U or is the BU for Baylor, Boston? I’m a Butler alum, myself.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:54 am
72 - You can find Boogie and other interviews of the guys here
http://johnclay.bloginky.com/category/uk-basketball/
November 17th, 2009 at 9:54 am
51 I agree with you, we didn’t fold when we were down by 18 and fought back to win this game. While I think Wall will be the catalyst of the team he will keep learning as the year goes on. Boogie was a mainstay in the second half and Patrick was…well the Patrick we all know and adore. 65 if memory serves me correct the first game Hawkins was in he blew two lay ups and one was a break away, and for Turner he was on the bench for almost a whole year before he got his turn to shine. I’m not going to start a anrgument about what Wall did or didn’t do, but for my money I’ll take him every time the games on the line. Be it 2 points or 32 points a win is a win, and I thought this game was a GREAT learning experience for this young team the way they fought back and didn’t give in. but man was #20 unconscious or what? I think he could have left on the bus and hit a three pointer. GREAT WIN!!!!! GO CATS
November 17th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Patterson is currently 51st on the scoring list (1057pts)….79th in FT’s (221)….42nd in Rebounds (530)…4th in FG% (59.7)….and 15th in Blocked Shots (61)…..TRULY ONE OF THE GREATEST TO WEAR THE UNIFORM!!!!!
November 17th, 2009 at 10:03 am
76. well said. nobody is claiming Wall is already a legend, just that his era has begun and, although he made freshman mistakes, i think last night was a pretty damn good start. is there any reason to call people morons b/c they are excited about a new chapter in KY basketball. I wish he would have made all of his shots and not turned the ball over and we won by 60, but lets be REALISTIC here.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:18 am
John Wall is a legend and will continue to be as he gets into the pros, come on, his first game out, he struggles YET STILL comes back and NAILS the game winner…thats great. NO ONE plays great every game, but how about the guy who doesnt play great but still shines and still SEALS THE DEAL. that what great players do, they still find a way to win even on their off nights.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Some thoughts about last night’s game. (Granted, few if any are original…but what the hell, here goes anyway.)
• We won so everybody needs to relax. As Seth Davis tweeted last night “BBN…inhale…exhale…repeat.”
• The young guys will learn a hell of a lot more from this then from a 30 point blowout, which is really the point at this time of the season.
• I hear the Rupp crowd was crazy…it needs to stay that way.
• I moved to a different room to watch the game when we were down by 18…you’re welcome.
• For the first time in years, when we were down big I didn’t get pissed and go rearrange my sock drawer. I KNEW we were going to come back and win the thing and wanted to watch it happen. I like that feeling!!
• The majority of the PG turnovers have come from trying to drive when there’s no place to go. Welcome to D1 college basketball. “I don’t think we’re in the AAU anymore Toto.” Even “the shot” by Bledsoe came from what was ultimately a poor decision. It’s ok…they’re still learning.
• Boogie, Big Cuz, Carl, The Dancing Bear, Yogi (I hope he doesn’t see read this) is truly a Beast when he chooses to be. It’s ok…he’s still learning, too.
• After listening to John Wall’s post-game interview I’ve decided I would be proud to have this kid wear the Kentucky uniform even if he never scored another point.
• I really should be getting some work done right about now.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:25 am
80) ditto on your last point.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Anybody else notice Tipton asked both “What’s wrong with your energy level?” and “Why don’t you smile?” lol. He has a way with words.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:32 am
This is outside of the UK game, but I received this email this morning about Coach K’s reaction to Barnes picking UNC over Duke. I thought you guys might enjoy:
“My wife works at dook and there was a story circulating last evening about the Rat losing his mind when Barnes announced for UNC.
Barnes contacted the 5 coaches who were recruiting him on Thursday night and thanked them for recruiting him, etc - and told them that he was setting up a skype call to the coach/school he picked.
All of the coaches were, of course, near a computer when the presser was going on - waiting to see if Barnes contacted them. The Rat was so convinced that dook had him that he had the entire team in the bball lounge WITH several of the dook cheerleaders to add to the celebration. When Barnes was having technical difficulties, he started yelling at someone in the office to fix the computer, was getting all pissed off.
After Barnes said “Hello Coach Roy Williams” he apparently went nuts — stormed out of the lounge, slammed the door (knocking a picture off the wall) and went in the coaches office and knocked over a table of DVD’s and threw a book across the room. She said Chrissy Collins followed him down the hall and was yelling “How could he turn on us like this” with a few other choice words.
This was all witnessed (and told) by a Sports Therapist who works part time with the womens bball team and was hanging around like everyone else — her twin sister works in the department with my wife and she was telling everyone how crazy it was.
Love it”
November 17th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Point no one is looking at… After the whole Mario Chalmers shot in the National Title game you would think Calipari would foul everytime up 3 and the clock winding down???
November 17th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Yea you’re right #65-Who needs a freakish athlete who can streak down the floor and hit a game winning shot in just under 5 seconds. All that flash is much over rated. By the way, what time do they get you guys up at the Nursing home, cause with your philosophy you have to be at least 109 years old.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Just listening to the podcast…loving Cutler saying “No way Miami scores 70…EVER.”
November 17th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Wall was limping after the game. Is he hurt?
November 17th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Ed Reinke is an Owen County feller.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
83 somebody ought to tell coach K to watch hisself so he won’t “throw” his back out again and blame it all on his not being on the bench….again