Tag Archives: John Calipari

UConn Huskies Mush to Title over Kentucky

b-ballFrom the get go, let’s make a couple of things clear on this Tuesday morning, always the most bittersweet one of the year.

Today’s story is not whether John Calipari shall, as former Wildcat star Rex Chapman says, leave the real and true, forever and always la la land — the Big Blue Nation — and hobble off with a bad hip to LA LA to coach Kobe and whoever those other guys are that wear Lakers unis these days?

The story is not how many of the current Cats shall be one and done, if not “Succeed & Proceed,” and jump into the NBA draft?

The story is not whether today is the last we’ll hear the name of Tyler Austin Black, or how long it will take for him to be just another vaguely remembered anecdote to Wildcat lore like Humsey Yessin?

No, my fellow hoopaholics, this morning’s story is the University of Connecticut Huskies. Continue reading UConn Huskies Mush to Title over Kentucky

Improbable Twosome Survive: Feline vs. Canine for the Title

b-ballAdmission to The Dance is based on the “whole season’s body of work,” proclaims the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, a collection of deciders as haughty as any extant, including the Supreme Court of the United States.

If that be the case, we have more convincing evidence now to underscore that “Past performance is not indicative of future results.”

A strange year in college basketball has come to this.

Kentucky, an 8 seed, vs. Connecticut, a 7 seed, for the national championship.

Even Nostradamus didn’t see this one coming.

* * * * *

How cockamamie is this Wildcat vs. Huskie matchup? Continue reading Improbable Twosome Survive: Feline vs. Canine for the Title

Tyler Austin Black’s Revenge: Kentucky Joins Badgers, Gators &, uh, UConn in F4

tattooOkay, I have edited the title and the content here. Turns out, I got the name wrong of the fellow who got the tattoo. My apologies to him and to any offended by my mistake. It’s what happens when a U of L fan tries to give props to UK.

We all scoffed.

Admit it now. You, like me, and like every basketball pundit in the cybergalaxy, thought something like, “Oh yeah, another Big Blue redneck getting a stupid tattoo celebrating a national championship that ain’t ever gonna happen this season.

“What a fool!”

Well, look who’s laughing now?

Tyler Austin Black, that’s who. The guy with the most famous tattoo in college hoops. At least since The Rick had a Cardinal inked on his shoulder after last year’s title. Which tatt is, well, so last season.

If you come here often, you know my favorite team happens to be Kentucky’s arch rival, the school UK bested Friday night. There’s no love lost here for the Wildcats.

That said, credit where it’s due. Continue reading Tyler Austin Black’s Revenge: Kentucky Joins Badgers, Gators &, uh, UConn in F4

The Tourney’s First Weekend: One Last Look Back (& Quick Look Ahead)

b-ballBefore I get to that incredible ballgame yesterday, which set up another Feathers vs. Fur tussle this Friday, a few assorted observations about the tourney in general.

Seems like everybody obsessed with the college hoops game — that includes moi — is talking Ken Pomeroy this and kenpom.com that. His computerized assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the various schools is as highly regarded, perhaps more so, than any of the other “gurus.”

So I checked out his standings this Monday morning day of rest to see whether his categorizations are holding up?

Very well, thank you very much.

Of the the sixteen teams left, fourteen can be found in his top 21. The outliers are #34 Stanford and #43 Dayton. One of which, for those not keeping track at home, will play over the weekend for a trip to the Final Four.

Yes, Pomeroy has been on Tennessee for awhile. He has them ranked #6.

Which means, the Vols are joined by #3 Louisville, #10 Michigan and #11 Kentucky in the loaded Midwest Regional. #1 Florida, #2 Arizona and #4 Virginia join U of L as his regional favorites. Continue reading The Tourney’s First Weekend: One Last Look Back (& Quick Look Ahead)

Thirteen Thoughts for Thursday (Rockin’ Video Included)

animated_sports1. Boys Will Be Boys. So The Rick, as he is wont to do from time to time, pontificated about his feelings on the social media phenomenon.

Essentially, he called all of us who might, from time to time, tweet or post on Facebook or any other of our ilk, uh, “crazy.”

Which is, frankly, a really stupid thing to say, but of little consequence in the realm of human events.

Except to Coach Cal, he of the you-say-potato-I-say-tomato mentality, when it comes to his rival down I-64.

And so it goes.

Boys, go to your rooms, each of you, and don’t come out until called for dinner. Continue reading Thirteen Thoughts for Thursday (Rockin’ Video Included)

Thursday’s BasketBALLS: Old Man, Familiar Smack, Fresh Blather

shoutingI know Bobby Knight is one of my go to whipping boys. And that you know that.

He’s such an easy target, given his propensity for bombast and ingrown duplicity. I’ve dissed him when he’s bellowing along the sideline, dissed him when he took down students at IU, and dissed him when he’s been fumbling for something salient to say in front of the microphone.

His performance last night during Stanford’s upset at UConn was, well, dumbfounding.

I just saw the last few minutes of the game, but, honest to heavens, it was like Knight was tranqued out. Or suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Really. At first it was absurd, somewhat comical. Then, it was no, I wonder what’s really wrong with him? Continue reading Thursday’s BasketBALLS: Old Man, Familiar Smack, Fresh Blather

It’s All Over Now — Baby Blue

ukwildcatThe prevailing scheme of thought in the wake of Kentucky’s third loss of the season — this time to North Carolina’s schizophrenic Tar Heels, 77-82 — is that the übertalented Wildcat freshmen are selfish, immature and don’t play as a team.

All of which is true.

But, there are other factors. Not the least of which is the hubris undermining John Calipari’s belief that he can simply reload every season with Golden Arches All-Americans, and a ticket to the game on the final Monday of the season will be overnighted forthwith.

Yesterday in the DeanDome, there was more, one guy’s opinion. Continue reading It’s All Over Now — Baby Blue

Monday’s BasketBALLS: Cal’s Cats & B-Ball’s Bad Boy

bball

Before I get to UK, these short observations.

I only saw the highlights of the Ole Miss/ Oregon game. I meant to surf about to see if it was showing somewhere — TV or internet — but got snowed watching the Lions, Eagles and other NFLers frolicking in the white.

Anyway, whipping boy Marshall Henderson bulls eyed 10 treys in 23 attempts off the bench for the Johnny Rebs. He was 1/4 inside the arc. Jarvis Summers was his only other teammate with double digit FG attempts.

So, on offense, he continues to roam the periphery. Yesterday with sniper-like accuracy.

The visiting Quack weren’t so bad themselves, draining 11/18 long balls. And, most important, they won the game in OT, 115-105.

I mention the tilt for two reasons: Continue reading Monday’s BasketBALLS: Cal’s Cats & B-Ball’s Bad Boy