Please read: Sagarin ratings..

[ukcatfan]

Since we are in need of some positive posts.

Sagarin has us playing the #3 toughestschedule in the nation.

Behind Arizona and #2 Southern Ill.

We need to start getting positive!!!!!!!!!!!!

[audacious1]

I agree.

Some just aren't capable to focusing on the positive, but it's in the best interest of the program.

Go Cats! Beat those Vols!

[kyjones]

I'm positive...Very damn positive that our season is in the dumper and I finally excepted the fact thyat Tubby is not the answer...he is the problem and must go. I have been a Tubby support until now! I can accept losing to GA, but the way in which we lost is directly related to our coach. period.

[Will Lavender]

Staying positive:

Our high SOS, RPI, and Sagarin ranking makes it so that if we can beat a couple of good teams down the stretch (which I think we will), go 11-5 or 10-6 in the league (which I think we will), get the bye and win at least a game in the SEC Tournament (which I'm hopeful we will), then we should position ourselves for a top 5 seed in the NCAAs.

I know it looks hopeless right now, but folks -- the season is FAR from over.

[Morehead Wildcat]

kyjones wrote: I'm positive...Very damn positive that our season is in the dumper and I finally excepted the fact thyat Tubby is not the answer...he is the problem and must go. I have been a Tubby support until now! I can accept losing to GA, but the way in which we lost is directly related to our coach. period.
Why does every positive post have to be bombed with crap like this? There are 25 other threads on here for this stuff but not this one.

[audacious1]

Morehead Wildcat wrote: kyjones wrote: I'm positive...Very damn positive that our season is in the dumper and I finally excepted the fact thyat Tubby is not the answer...he is the problem and must go. I have been a Tubby support until now! I can accept losing to GA, but the way in which we lost is directly related to our coach. period.
Why does every positive post have to be bombed with crap like this? There are 25 other threads on here for this stuff but not this one.
That's what bothers me as well. There are board guidelines that say something like, "Stay on the thread topic" but Moderators give a lot of leeway for people to blast our coach.

[Morehead Wildcat]

Will Lavender wrote: Staying positive:

Our high SOS, RPI, and Sagarin ranking makes it so that if we can beat a couple of good teams down the stretch (which I think we will), go 11-5 or 10-6 in the league (which I think we will), get the bye and win at least a game in the SEC Tournament (which I'm hopeful we will), then we should position ourselves for a top 5 seed in the NCAAs.

I know it looks hopeless right now, but folks -- the season is FAR from over.

Very valid points Will. If we were to knock off bama, LSU, Tenn twice, and florida once we could possibly end up being # 1 in the RPI. AndI believe we are gonna go 12-4 in the league by going 8-2 in these last 10 games. We are gonna get super hot and start kickin some tail.

[BamaCat86]

We have a good team, but not a great team (yet). We have had a legitimate chance to win 3 of the 5 games we lost (UCLA, Vandy & UGA) and probably should have won those.

Our first three losses are to teams still in the top 15. Vandy is on fire and has beaten several top 25 teams with wins at UK and at LSU. They also have a thumping of Alabama which doesn't seem that impressive as the season progresses.

I could see the Georgia game being dangerous after their loss to Bama last Saturday. They were mad and had something to prove. The SEC released a statement today that Referee Tom Lopes would be disciplined for the missed calls during the end of the UGA-Bama game. Dennis Felton sent the SEC a DVD which showed 23 bad calls which went against UGA during the game.

I was afraidthat the SEC may show UGA a little love to make up for the blown calls at Bama. I did not get to see the game (and have not watched the replay), but I am still disappointed that we let the big lead slip away.

If we were getting killed in our losses (like Bama), I would be worried. We are very close to putting things together and I like our chances at the end of the season.

[Houstoncat]

I know all that is great and helps one hope and get through the season, but how many top 5 teams have we beat to date...for that matter how many top 50?

The only real measure of a team is its wins against quality competition and frankly if we do not get a minimum of three of those maybe four we won't make the NCAA. A split with the remaining games of the SEC might not even do it...that's not uptick like the committee's like

The team and staff has problems, problems with concentration, team/coach communication, basketball IQ, recruiting, and public preception, we can hope for improvement...all of us do, we root to win...all of us do, but you need to be realistic about this team and coach and what the rest of this season is going to bring.

[Will Lavender]

Houstoncat wrote: I know all that is great and helps one hope and get through the season, but how many top 5 teams have we beat to date...for that matter how many top 50?

The only real measure of a team is its wins against quality competition and frankly if we do not get a minimum of three of those maybe four we won't make the NCAA. A split with the remaining games of the SEC might not even do it...that's not uptick like the committee's like

The team and staff has problems, problems with concentration, team/coach communication, basketball IQ, recruiting, and public preception, we can hope for improvement...all of us do, we root to win...all of us do, but you need to be realistic about this team and coach and what the rest of this season is going to bring.





I'm realistic.

I see one bad loss: Vandy at home.

I see a team that still, when they put their mind to it, a very talented (yes, I said talented) defensive team.

I see a team that has a very good big man when he comes to play.

And I see a team that has a wing player who's turning into an all-SEC type player.

Finally, I see a team that's 15-5 and still ranked in the top 20 of the best and most accurate rankings in college basketball: Pomeroy's.

I see a good UK team that is way down by UK standards but, given the standards set by every other team in college basketball this season, can beat anyone in the country.

We should all be angry. We are not making any progress to being an "elite" team.

But we should all be pragmatic as well and not give up on the season based on two losses. These guys will win some big games THIS YEAR. Put it in the bank.

[UK7titles]

very good post lavender.

[Chunks06]

Will Lavender wrote: Houstoncat wrote: I know all that is great and helps one hope and get through the season, but how many top 5 teams have we beat to date...for that matter how many top 50?

The only real measure of a team is its wins against quality competition and frankly if we do not get a minimum of three of those maybe four we won't make the NCAA. A split with the remaining games of the SEC might not even do it...that's not uptick like the committee's like

The team and staff has problems, problems with concentration, team/coach communication, basketball IQ, recruiting, and public preception, we can hope for improvement...all of us do, we root to win...all of us do, but you need to be realistic about this team and coach and what the rest of this season is going to bring.





I'm realistic.

I see one bad loss: Vandy at home.

I see a team that still, when they put their mind to it, a very talented (yes, I said talented) defensive team.

I see a team that has a very good big man when he comes to play.

And I see a team that has a wing player who's turning into an all-SEC type player.

Finally, I see a team that's 15-5 and still ranked in the top 20 of the best and most accurate rankings in college basketball: Pomeroy's.

I see a good UK team that is way down by UK standards but, given the standards set by every other team in college basketball this season, can beat anyone in the country.

We should all be angry. We are not making any progress to being an "elite" team.

But we should all be pragmatic as well and not give up on the season based on two losses. These guys will win some big games THIS YEAR. Put it in the bank.

Nice. Its too bad some cant realize this. I agree a change may be needed but there are still a lot of games left and we can still cause some damage. Its not like Tubby is gonna leave or be fired midstream anyway so we need to try and cheer this team on.

[UFWildcat]

There is no give up.

How many of you think we can win every game we play in the tournament? I do.

I never felt prouder to be a Wildcat fan more than last year when we gave everything we had against UCONN.

The saddest day of the year is when UK gets knocked out of the tournament. Until that happens I never think Kentucky is going to loose. This year will be no different.

They always fight to the end.

[KapitalCat]

Those ratings are to date and accurate. The SOS will only go up as we play Ark, UT, Alabama and UF. Like will, the only really bad loss has been the home court loss to Vandy. The second half melt down was hopefuly not something we'll see again this season. However, SOS is fine, but we have to beat some good teams. Sooner than later....

[Stoney Fork]

RPI isn't all it's cracked up to be. Just look at some of the teams around the country with high or low RPI's and it'll have you scratching your head. Sagarin ratings, pretty good I think. Anyway, ratings, rankings, I don't really pay much attention to them. Conferenceplay and tournaments usually tell the tale.

All is not lost.....the season still hasa ways to go as someone else pointed. Of course it sure has gone by fast to this point. Besides some of you could be livin' with a bunch of foreigners like I am (Virginia). They don't know it out here, but I'm going to be able to watch every UK game this season..........If the word gets out I'll probably have to kill some of them!

[poodoo]

It's easy for me to focus on the positive, for I so believe in being positive. Negativity breeds negativity and is rarely constructive.

The toughness of our schedule is certainly a positive in regard to our RPI ranking AND our chance to beat some very good teams before the season is over. Most of all, the season IS not over. Yes, although some may not like that in me, I still have the faith. :)GO CATS!

[FatCatDaddy]

Toughest schedule means nothing if you don't beat any of the teams that makes it the toughest.

[Will Lavender]

FatCatDaddy wrote: Toughest schedule means nothing if you don't beat any of the teams that makes it the toughest.
Very true.

While I believe this team does have some "good" wins -- IU, Auburn, maybe even Louisville, UMASS -- there's certainly nothing close to great in the W column.

It's coming, though. Watch.

[KyBlueBilly]

I will always support the Wildcats. Period.
However you can LOSE EVERY GAME played and still have a great SOS. The SOS is based on opponents win/loss percentage, and their opponents win/loss percentage. Has VERY little to do with your own teams peformance.
I DO NOT feel that being critical of the coach and coaching decisions and recruiting is being critical of the team as a whole. I respect everyones opinion and their right to it.
I have hope that we will improve. I havent written off anygame yet. If we play as we played at South Carolina and first half of Georgia game we can play with anybody. That should be the hope of any Kentucky fan regardless of who the coach is.

[poodoo]

KyBlueBilly wrote: I will always support the Wildcats. Period.

I have hope that we will improve. I havent written off anygame yet. If we play as we played at South Carolina and first half of Georgia game we can play with anybody. That should be the hope of any Kentucky fan regardless of who the coach is.


AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. I say DITTO to every word I have pasted here (and, yes, the part about SOS, too, for we must obviously beat some of those tough teams), KyBlueBilly.

Too, besides noticing how we have played at those times, which gives me hope that we can improve and pull off some wins over some of our tougher opponents, I STRONGLY agree that "should be the hope of any Kentucky fan, regardless of who the coach is." In other words, it seems that so many threads are about the COACH, rather than UK basketball. It almost seems an obsession with some, in my opinion.

I have not been pleased with everything about Tubby the past couple of seasons. In particular, I realize that we are suffering both seasons from a lack of a top power forward, and Tubby must be held responsible for our recruiting. HOWEVER, it isNOT ALL ABOUT TUBBY.

It is a love of UK basketball that keeps my HOPE alive. That is the truth, regardless of what anyone else thinks about how I feel. I have seen much more PROMISE in this team than last year's team, and I am not going to let these two losses make mestart thinking about needing to get rid of Tubby instead of focusing on believing in, and supporting, this UK basketball team.

KyBlueBilly, your post has helped me to express my true feelings. Thanks. Well-said, at least in my opinion. I truly wish more fans had that HOPE, "regardless of who the coach is." Like you, I still have it (and I see nothing wrong with having it, by the way).I only wish we would get back to discussing more UK basketball and less Tubby Smith. GO CATS!