HillbillyCat
11-23-2006, 03:40 AM
We are a team who is coming off a really rough season (by UK standards) in '05-'06. We are trying to get a new culture, same as the winning years culture, put back into place. I think it's gonna take 10-15 games to start getting somewhat settled into our niche this year. We come out and beat some cupcakes to start the season, then we go to Maui. We win a game over Depaul, then we play 2 of the top 11 teams in the country...Granted, I know we're supposed to beat everybody because we're Kentucky, but it's gonna take a little time to get our culture back to how it was. We're gonna have many ups and downs this year while we grow and learn how to do things. I'm trying to look at the positives in this deal. We were a turnover away from possibly beating one of the best 3 or 4 teams in the country in UCLA. The Memphis game I don't even count because I seen what we're capable of in the previous game...We are suffering from lack of fundamental knowledge on the floor...Luckily, I think Tubby will get this straightened out in a few more games. Not blocking out, not helping somebody in defense when their man is beat, getting 5 second counts, etc., I think all these are fairly curable. I think the thing that gets to me the most is the facets of the gamethat Tubby does have control over and doesn't change. He should put his best lineup on the floor to start the game. I like Ramel, but he isn't our best point man. Maybe it's just becoming evident, but Jasper should be running the show for us without a doubt. Without ANY doubt...
I have always questioned Tubby's method of subing players in and out. A player can't get any kind of rhythm going if he's in 2 minutes, out 3 minutes, in 5 minutes, out 3 minutes, get my drift. I've played a lot of basketball and believe me, that's very frustrating as a player. He should go with his starters, sub in if somebody needs a breather, gets in foul trouble, does something ignorant, etc...If a man hits a couple of shots, he doesn't want to immediately come out because he loses all that momentum he just built. As far as the talent level on this team, I think this team possesses plenty of talent to go as far as anyone else. It all lies in fundamentals, MOVING WITHOUT THE DAMN BALL, blocking out, crashing the boards, etc. If I were Tubby, I would tell the guys on the floor that if they wanted to stand, they wouldn't play anymore that game. If its one thing a defender hates, it's a constantly moving offensive player. You get all players moving, defenders will slack here and there thus creating the open shots. We don't move near enough, there's always somebody, sometimes 2 or 3 people just standing out there. Anyway, I do think some of the fundamental aspects of our problems will be solved rather quickly. Perry will be fine, Thomas will give us more quality play than you might expect. He does a lot of those little things that don't show up in the box score. I personally think he's a very good role player and you have to have a couple of those on every team.
Everybody relax, our team will be fine probably sooner than you think. We weren't supposed to win the last 2 games we played thus the lower ranking, however, I'll take our improvement gap over those 2 teams anyday. We will be fine come years end. We will take a few more bumps, but what those young players learned the past couple of days is PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have always questioned Tubby's method of subing players in and out. A player can't get any kind of rhythm going if he's in 2 minutes, out 3 minutes, in 5 minutes, out 3 minutes, get my drift. I've played a lot of basketball and believe me, that's very frustrating as a player. He should go with his starters, sub in if somebody needs a breather, gets in foul trouble, does something ignorant, etc...If a man hits a couple of shots, he doesn't want to immediately come out because he loses all that momentum he just built. As far as the talent level on this team, I think this team possesses plenty of talent to go as far as anyone else. It all lies in fundamentals, MOVING WITHOUT THE DAMN BALL, blocking out, crashing the boards, etc. If I were Tubby, I would tell the guys on the floor that if they wanted to stand, they wouldn't play anymore that game. If its one thing a defender hates, it's a constantly moving offensive player. You get all players moving, defenders will slack here and there thus creating the open shots. We don't move near enough, there's always somebody, sometimes 2 or 3 people just standing out there. Anyway, I do think some of the fundamental aspects of our problems will be solved rather quickly. Perry will be fine, Thomas will give us more quality play than you might expect. He does a lot of those little things that don't show up in the box score. I personally think he's a very good role player and you have to have a couple of those on every team.
Everybody relax, our team will be fine probably sooner than you think. We weren't supposed to win the last 2 games we played thus the lower ranking, however, I'll take our improvement gap over those 2 teams anyday. We will be fine come years end. We will take a few more bumps, but what those young players learned the past couple of days is PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!