The Drew Franklin Hangover Cure is what Kentucky Basketball Needs

John Calipari is a Hall of Famer. Some might say that Drew Franklin is a Tin Roof Hall of Famer. A staple at Kentucky Sports Radio for more years than I can count, over the years he’s shared wisdom beyond his years. One piece of evergreen advice might actually be exactly what John Calipari’s Kentucky basketball program needs right now.

The first five years of the John Calipari era were unlike anything the BBN has experienced. We were drunk on talent and wins. Once the buzz started wearing off following the 2017 Elite Eight loss, we sipped on mimosas and Bloody Marys, convincing ourselves the Cats could in fact make a run in March. Then Bruce Pearl and St. Peter’s hit the BBN in the face worse than a headache after a sunny Saturday at Keeneland.

The Kentucky basketball program is hungover and there’s only one man who can save us.

Drew’s Hangover Cure, Step 1: AM B.M.

The Kentucky basketball team needs to flush its system. There’s a stink following the program over the last two weeks. The players, coaches, and fans all need to hit the reset button to move on past the lows and remember what this team is capable of every time they hit the hardwood.

Remember when Kentucky beat North Carolina? The same North Carolina team ranked in the top five that is competing to be a No. 1 seed. The Tar Heels didn’t let one slip away. The two Bluebloods went toe-to-toe and Kentucky was the better team in Atlanta.

The Wildcats still have that in them. They just need to flush all of the bad basketball toxins out of their system.

Step 2: A Lemon Lime Gatorade

No amount of water can quench your thirst after experiencing significant levels of dehydration. The Lemon Lime Gatorade serves as a life preserver, temporarily staving off the most physically draining aspects of a hangover.

This team needs the healing powers of Lemon Lime Gatorade in the worst way possible. There has not been a full roster of available players since the team went to Canada over the summer. Just when you thought that was finally going to happen against Florida on Wednesday, DJ Wagner was sidelined by a lingering ankle injury. His unexpected absence reminds fans of the late-season injury absences over the last five years and it’s causing the BBN to spiral. Speaking of…

Step 3: A Positive Attitude

This is THE MOST IMPORTANT aspect of Drew’s secret to overcoming a hangover. You’re never going to feel great after 13 draft beers and a 2 am fried bologna sandwich at Robert’s Western World. After all, life is not about what happens to you, it’s how you react to adversity.

Right now the players, coaches, and fans are all suffering from a lack of confidence. You could feel it in the air every time Tennessee went on a run. The “Here we go again” is similar to the “That’s so Kentucky football” reactions of the past.

Fans are understandably fatigued from dealing with a similar story year after year. A team loaded with talent is struggling down the stretch and is falling behind the rest of the pack in the SEC, forcing us to hope for a run in March to salvage the season.

Here’s the thing, these players aren’t responsible for the actions of their predecessors. Is John Calipari? That’s an argument for another day. If you would like to, you can debate Calipari’s competency until you’re blue in the face. I prefer to cross that bonded bridge (so to speak) when we get there, once the season ends.

You can fan however you want. I will choose to take Drew’s hangover advice and maintain a positive attitude until the season ends. They are clearly not dominating college basketball like the Monstars, something we hoped for in November, but these players are talented enough to knock off the cobwebs and shake off this nasty hangover in March. I’ll be clinging to that faith and maintaining a positive attitude until the Fat Lady sings a shrill, headache-inducing song that marks the end of the 2023-24 season.

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