It is Wednesday evening and I want to watch a little Pacers-Heat, so lets get this show on the road:
--- In news that will certainly make a number of my KSR callers happy,
I expect to see Derek Willis begin to play more starting Saturday versus Belmont. Call it a Matt Jones premonition, but I am hearing that the Bullitt East star has been practicing well and as a way to possibly get some of the other players more rest, Willis will likely get the call on Saturday. For Derrick, the issue will be whether he can make his presence on the offensive side of the ball worth what will likely be lost a bit on the defensive side. While none of the Kentucky players are great defenders, Willis is still behind the group as a whole and in order to offset what will surely be some defensive liabilities, he will need to shoot open threes and spread the floor. I think Derrick is going to be a very good player at Kentucky and he is the type of player that many fans want to see more of (guys who will stay four years). Thus I hope he is ready for the action I think he will see on Saturday and he can join Dominique Hawkins as a guy who can give quality minutes off the bench for the team.
--- Speaking of the "four year guys," I have been somewhat exhausted by the many conversations that have taken place (including on my show) about Calipari and the need to recruit guys who will stay in school longer. Part of the problem for Cal is that no matter what he does, he can't win. Don't recruit the best of the best, and the team isn't getting the guys at the elite level he needs (notice the grumbles when UK didn't get top 5 players in next year's class). Get very good players and develop them quickly and then he is punished when they go to the NBA earlier than expected (Bledsoe, Teague, etc). The reality is that
when the young guys brought in by Calipari are clicking, the team is fine. Wall, Cousins, MKG and Davis all hit their strides early and those teams won lots of games from the outset. Knight, Jones and Lamb took longer, and thus the team took longer to become Final Four quality. And last year, the players weren't quite as elite (besides Noel) and the veterans didn't play to their capabilities, causing a team collapse. Before we can evaluate the "one and done" Calipari philosophy and whether 2012 was an aberration, or the goal for future teams, we must first see how this season plays out. I will remind folks what I have said a number of times in the last few days. With three minutes to go in all three losses, the Cats were tied or within one point. They lost all three. They aren't where they should be, or where I thought they would be, but it isn't a disaster by any means yet...now if they aren't hitting their stride by early SEC play, and drop multiple games in the relatively easy conference starting slate (Miss State, at Vandy, at Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Georgia), then we will talk.
--- I take back my
"stone cold killers" line from the beginning of the season. While I think the Twins are improving and Aaron may be the best player on the team right now, the winning mentality is not totally there yet...we all whiff on some.
--- A picture from last night that shows,
effort is what is most important:
--- Great get by the staff on
AJ Stamps, the Defensive Back that joins the team as a mid-season JUCO addition. To beat Ohio State for a player at a position of need, is a huge pull. I am told by a few folks that it looked dicey at the end and the Buckeyes made a VERY late push that nearly worked. But the Cats held on and helped Stamps realize his dream of playing in the SEC. Off the field, Stoops and company continue to get it done.
--- I hope the folks at Rupp Arena,
look at the changes UNC made to the Dean Dome for the UK game and emulate them. They projected a completely different environment Saturday...a DJ was in attendance, fans stood throughout with energy and the entire building rocked. For years, I thought the Dean Dome was the worst major program environment amongst the elite powers (with the possible exception of UCLA). Now they have stepped their game up and it is time for Rupp to do the same.
--- Come see a
KSR Remote in the next 2 weeks in Louisville, as we have three stops, each of which will be much fun:
FRIDAY: O'LINE SPORTS GRILL
2813 Hurstbourne Parkway....will be giving out UK-Belmont tickets
THURSDAY DECEMBER 26: FAN OUTFITTERS
FRIDAY DECEMBER 27: BEARNO's in JEFFERSONVILLE
Always one of our best stops as we cross the river to Bearnos and give away LOWER ARENA UK vs LOUISVILLE TICKETS.
Make sure and stop by to one if you can make it.
--- If you are looking for something to read tonight, check out this 1989 article
"My Dinner with Ali, that was originally published back in the day by the Courier Journal (I wish the paper still wrote such features). It is a great article that begins when a person drives by Ali's mother's house, stops by and meets the greatest of all time. It is amazing and well worth your time.
--- Finally a big CONGRATS to KSR Pregame Show co-host
Jared Lorenzen, who signed again with the Northern Kentucky River Monsters. As we saw during the tailgate show this year, Jared can still chuck it, and now beginning in February, he will be on the field again. I am going and can't wait to see the Round Mound of Touchdown back in action again.
It is Wednesday evening and I want to watch a little Pacers-Heat, so lets get this show on the road:
--- In news that will certainly make a number of my KSR callers happy, I expect to see Derek Willis begin to play more starting Saturday versus Belmont. Call it a Matt Jones premonition, but I am hearing that the Bullitt East star has been practicing well and as a way to possibly get some of the other players more rest, Willis will likely get the call on Saturday. For Derrick, the issue will be whether he can make his presence on the offensive side of the ball worth what will likely be lost a bit on the defensive side. While none of the Kentucky players are great defenders, Willis is still behind the group as a whole and in order to offset what will surely be some defensive liabilities, he will need to shoot open threes and spread the floor. I think Derrick is going to be a very good player at Kentucky and he is the type of player that many fans want to see more of (guys who will stay four years). Thus I hope he is ready for the action I think he will see on Saturday and he can join Dominique Hawkins as a guy who can give quality minutes off the bench for the team.
--- Speaking of the "four year guys," I have been somewhat exhausted by the many conversations that have taken place (including on my show) about Calipari and the need to recruit guys who will stay in school longer. Part of the problem for Cal is that no matter what he does, he can't win. Don't recruit the best of the best, and the team isn't getting the guys at the elite level he needs (notice the grumbles when UK didn't get top 5 players in next year's class). Get very good players and develop them quickly and then he is punished when they go to the NBA earlier than expected (Bledsoe, Teague, etc). The reality is that when the young guys brought in by Calipari are clicking, the team is fine. Wall, Cousins, MKG and Davis all hit their strides early and those teams won lots of games from the outset. Knight, Jones and Lamb took longer, and thus the team took longer to become Final Four quality. And last year, the players weren't quite as elite (besides Noel) and the veterans didn't play to their capabilities, causing a team collapse. Before we can evaluate the "one and done" Calipari philosophy and whether 2012 was an aberration, or the goal for future teams, we must first see how this season plays out. I will remind folks what I have said a number of times in the last few days. With three minutes to go in all three losses, the Cats were tied or within one point. They lost all three. They aren't where they should be, or where I thought they would be, but it isn't a disaster by any means yet...now if they aren't hitting their stride by early SEC play, and drop multiple games in the relatively easy conference starting slate (Miss State, at Vandy, at Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Georgia), then we will talk.
--- I take back my "stone cold killers" line from the beginning of the season. While I think the Twins are improving and Aaron may be the best player on the team right now, the winning mentality is not totally there yet...we all whiff on some.
--- A picture from last night that shows, effort is what is most important:
--- Great get by the staff on AJ Stamps, the Defensive Back that joins the team as a mid-season JUCO addition. To beat Ohio State for a player at a position of need, is a huge pull. I am told by a few folks that it looked dicey at the end and the Buckeyes made a VERY late push that nearly worked. But the Cats held on and helped Stamps realize his dream of playing in the SEC. Off the field, Stoops and company continue to get it done.
--- I hope the folks at Rupp Arena, look at the changes UNC made to the Dean Dome for the UK game and emulate them. They projected a completely different environment Saturday...a DJ was in attendance, fans stood throughout with energy and the entire building rocked. For years, I thought the Dean Dome was the worst major program environment amongst the elite powers (with the possible exception of UCLA). Now they have stepped their game up and it is time for Rupp to do the same.
--- Come see a KSR Remote in the next 2 weeks in Louisville, as we have three stops, each of which will be much fun:
FRIDAY: O'LINE SPORTS GRILL
2813 Hurstbourne Parkway....will be giving out UK-Belmont tickets
THURSDAY DECEMBER 26: FAN OUTFITTERS
FRIDAY DECEMBER 27: BEARNO's in JEFFERSONVILLE
Always one of our best stops as we cross the river to Bearnos and give away LOWER ARENA UK vs LOUISVILLE TICKETS.
Make sure and stop by to one if you can make it.
--- If you are looking for something to read tonight, check out this 1989 article "My Dinner with Ali, that was originally published back in the day by the Courier Journal (I wish the paper still wrote such features). It is a great article that begins when a person drives by Ali's mother's house, stops by and meets the greatest of all time. It is amazing and well worth your time.
--- Finally a big CONGRATS to KSR Pregame Show co-host Jared Lorenzen, who signed again with the Northern Kentucky River Monsters. As we saw during the tailgate show this year, Jared can still chuck it, and now beginning in February, he will be on the field again. I am going and can't wait to see the Round Mound of Touchdown back in action again.
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