Go Vols I have thought Kentucky was the best team in the nation all along, and now they have rightfully earned that spot. Lets see how long they can hold onto it going into conference play.
We have the #1 seed now assuming a win over Arkansas at home, which really doesn't mean anything. We will end up, realistically imo, 14-2 or 13-3 in conference, and a Number 1 seed for the tourney, which is what really matters in the end. I'd LOVE to see us run the table and go undefeated regular season, and its a possibility with the SEC being down this year, but Home-Away series with Tennessee, Ole Miss, @Miss St, and @ Vandy will all be tough wins. Every team is making UK their game of the year from here on out so no win will come easy. IF we can learn to bury a team when we build the typical 15-20 point leads, trim down on the turnovers, and continue to feed the best PF/C combo in the nation down low, then we may have a chance to finish out the season strong. Who was it back in the summer that told me I was jumping the gun by saying UK is back. Looking back, knowing what I know now, I have to say those comments do seem kind of foolish. I mean, 18-0 after a NIT season the prior year isn't quite the turn around a program is looking for to be back in the mix of things.
Me too! I can't wait to see it, but I'm afraid the Vols will have a tough time against Bama tonight. Oh wait did we just highjack a Texas thread to talk about the SEC :D
Bama is definately going to be a tough one. We're "due" a loss. Hopefully Goins and Tatum are going to be back in playing shape soon. We need all the bodies we can get.
It's hard to say a team is back until you see how they've finished the season. Everyone claimed Miami (Fl.) was back 5 weeks into this football season then they folded down the stretch and lost to an outmanned Wisconsin team. Kentucky could win the conference outright and the tournament as well but if they get upset in the second round fail to make the Sweet 16, its hard to say they are back. Give them until the end of the season.
No, lmao, no it's not really. A team lost in the second round of the NIT last year.....change coaches, snag a few amazing freshman, retune their stud PF, and all of the sudden they are sitting on 18-0, the only undefeated team left in the country. To say the number one team in the nation (assuming an Arkansas win at home) isn't "back" from a near decade of a downhill slide is nothing short of ridiculous. I agree 100% they could fizzle out in the sweet 16, as could any team in the nation, but that doesn't negate that they are finally back in the runnings of the college scene. The only bad part is, we have 3 potential lottery picks for the 2010 draft, so I'm just enjoying it while it lasts. lmao
I just think there is too much left to prove. I'm a results oriented person. You either win or lose, it's black or white. There's just too much gray right now. This is Kentucky we are talking about. Arguably the top program in the history of college basketball. You're a UK fan so I can't speak for you, but would the majority of Kentucky fans be satisfied with one stellar recruiting class and a hot start to one season? I wouldn't think so. They want championships and a lot of them. Will they be back? Certainly. Even if they lose Wall, Cousins and Patterson, Calipari recruits well enough and is a proven coach to get them on top. I just think you need conistency to a gauge a program. You might be misunderstanding my posts, cause I do think Kentucky will be back and the argument is very strong that they are back now. They will contend for the national title this year and depending on who they lose (Wall would be a fool to stay in school, Cousins could use another year to grow up and mature.. Bledsoe should come back) they will next year. But they haven't done anything yet. That's my argument.
I guess we were looking at it from different angles then. I was simply looking at the short term of being undefeated over halfway through and the top team in the nation as being back, but you were looking at it as accomplishing the goals they actually set out to achieve. Neither are wrong, goal wise, they haven't accomplished squat yet. SEC Championship, and an elite 8+ appearance is what they really need from this season. I agree they will continue to improve on their roster, its just hard to bounce back the immediate year following losing 3 possible lottery picks. Two are dang near locks for the lottery, Cousins being capable of being top 5 as well if he'd just iron out his attitude and maturity (I agree he needs another year, but doubt he returns still). That is a HUGE chunk to lose to the NBA to recover the following year, just look at Louisville this year for proof. They were the #1 overall seed last year, lost two lottery picks to the NBA, and are struggling pretty bad this year...and we are looking at loosing even more than that possibly.
Kinda off topic....but why did UNC give Wall the cold shoulder? Was there something they knew that no one else did?
LOL. In all seriousness, It was Wall's AAU Coach. Clifton was like a Father to Wall and had a HUGE role in helping choose a college, and Clifton and Roy have a long long history of hate towards each other. That kind of severed the tie before one was even made in a way. Roy never pursued Wall because of his "handler". I'm just glad UK and Wall were punished for his terrible wrong doings, I'd hate for it to get swept under a rug like the examples at the clean programs.
Trev.... It's kinda like the guy with a sparkling clean arrest record who gets caught with a nickel bag of weed v. the guy who gets caught with the same weight bag............whose rap sheet is longer than his leg. Cal's rap sheet draws this sort of (the latter) response. KY went in with eyes wide open. Ditto Memphis.
