Barnhart's Back Burner

[SamKat]

Anthony Grant's VCU team knocked the Dukies out, but the guy has other great credentials! Just go to Google and put Anthony Grant Basketball coach into your search.

He assisted Billy at FL and Marshall in the 90's and early 2000's, was a great recruiter and played at Dayton back in 1983-1984. He had outstanding results in coaching Florida high school teams. He also exudes class.

I would like to see CurlyCats comments on Coach Anthony Grant.

In response to an earlier WCN thread, I am interested in following VCU when, and if, our Cats get knocked out of the tournament.

[Stretch]

Strange post on the morning after a big NCAA tournamnet victory.

[SamKat]

Not strange if you have been paying attention, Stretch!

I wish I could copy the link out of Wilkepedia on Coach Anthony Grant. You're a pretty sharp guy, Stretch. Can you do that for me?

[UKcat]

Nothing strange about it to me. The guy has great potential and a great assistant!! Could be a possibility if the need were to occur;)

[Mark Blueblood]

Stretch wrote: Strange post on the morning after a big NCAA tournamnet victory.


Now Stretch - You know "it" never ends.

[FatCatDaddy]

Stretch wrote: Strange post on the morning after a big NCAA tournamnet victory.

Since when is a win in the first round a BIG NCAA win for Kentucky?

[justford]

FatCatDaddy wrote: Stretch wrote: Strange post on the morning after a big NCAA tournamnet victory.

Since when is a win in the first round a BIG NCAA win for Kentucky?
That is right as it is just "icing on the cake":lol:

[KapitalCat]

SamKat wrote: Anthony Grant's VCU team knocked the Dukies out, but the guy has other great credentials! Just go to Google and put Anthony Grant Basketball coach into your search.

He assisted Billy at FL and Marshall in the 90's and early 2000's, was a great recruiter and played at Dayton back in 1983-1984. He had outstanding results in coaching Florida high school teams. He also exudes class.

I would like to see CurlyCats comments on Coach Anthony Grant.

In response to an earlier WCN thread, I am interested in following VCU when, and if, our Cats get knocked out of the tournament.


For me this guy came out of no where but I took your advice and researched him..he's going to be a star. Love his style too.

[KY Blue in Carolina]

Here's your link, Sam... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Grant_%28basketball%29)

[TrueblueCATfan]

FatCatDaddy wrote: Stretch wrote: Strange post on the morning after a big NCAA tournamnet victory.

Since when is a win in the first round a BIG NCAA win for Kentucky?
well 17 in a row is a pretty deal.....big enough for ESPN to be discussing it last night

[Scratch]

This is what I have been saying. No one listens to me :lol:!

[UKSam]

Why would a head coach that just beat Duke in the dance want to come be an assistant?

[Scratch]

I dont want him to be an assistant! I am talking Head man.

[I. Melvin]

Good thought, Scratch.

It would be a Mumme-esque hire, but there are many of us who think the hiring of Mumme was inspired. It was the lack of oversight by his superiors (who were apparently building condos in the tropics at the time) and his own lack of discipline that ruined a great opportunity for him and us.

I know this much - I'd travel far and pay a lot to see my Wildcats play as hard and as aggressively as the Rams did on Thursday night.

[ukwebfan]

My sentiments exactly.

Stretch wrote: Strange post on the morning after a big NCAA tournamnet victory.

[BigblueDrew]

FatCatDaddy wrote: Stretch wrote: Strange post on the morning after a big NCAA tournamnet victory.

Since when is a win in the first round a BIG NCAA win for Kentucky?
Since Tubby Smith got here.

[CurlyCat]

Coach Grant may indeed be a diamond in the rough. He did a brilliant job knocking off Duke Thursday night for sure.

But VCU remains to me, a mid-major. This is his first head coaching gig. However, it is a great strength for anyone on your staff to successfully navigate basketball players in the state of Florida, that is for certain.

There is no knock on Coach Anthony Grant.

Yet, he still doesn't posess anything in his resume that tells me he could restore a lagging Kentucky program to their former glory.

I adore Travis Ford and John Pelphery and wish them all the success in the world. But they too haven't coaching long enough to prove they would be good enough for the University of Kentucky. Travis is getting very close though. I'll be interested in watching him develop over the next couple of years.

And, I think we have a couple of years before we can actually start looking. Having said that, GO TUBBY! PROVE ME WRONG AND RUN DEEP IN THIS TOURNAMENT! ;)

[audacious1]

BigblueDrew wrote: FatCatDaddy wrote: Stretch wrote: Strange post on the morning after a big NCAA tournamnet victory.

Since when is a win in the first round a BIG NCAA win for Kentucky?
Since Tubby Smith got here.
Every win in the NCAA is important, at least to me. I guess the definition of "big" depends on your perspective.

Go Cats!

[Caveman Catfan]

What did UF do while he was there? Billy's success has come since he hired a "defense coordinator." Beating this year's Duke team in the first round cannot create the pedigree that a UK coach should have. I cannot believe that someone would suggest such an unproven coach.

If Tubby leaves, I sure hope Mitch is not taking suggestions from this thread.

[BGCATFAN]

Is it so bad now that UK fans even have to bitch and moan AFTER a win? For anyone that really wants to enjoy Kentucky basketball, is sure takes a smile off your face from a win when you come to a site to celebrate with "other" UK fans and all you get is the same negativity that was on here after losses.... I honestly think if tubby were to leave, we land patterson and lucas...there would still be constant complaints... Tough life being a UK fan, player, or coach.

[Scratch]

I understand the lack of head coaching experience argument. But I do not get the "what did florida do with him" argument. Florida won a national title last year with players Anthony Grant recruited. So we know Grant can recruit. Grant's first year at VCU and he has a team in the second round of the tourny that didnt even make the tourny last year.

Also, I was fairly young at the time but wasn't Pitino considered a risk hire by many? That turned out pretty good!

[Scratch]

BGCATFAN wrote: Is it so bad now that UK fans even have to bitch and moan AFTER a win? For anyone that really wants to enjoy Kentucky basketball, is sure takes a smile off your face from a win when you come to a site to celebrate with "other" UK fans and all you get is the same negativity that was on here after losses.... I honestly think if tubby were to leave, we land patterson and lucas...there would still be constant complaints... Tough life being a UK fan, player, or coach.
I dont see anyone doing what you described in this thread. I see people discussing a great young head coach.

[Scratch]

Caveman Catfan wrote: What did UF do while he was there? Billy's success has come since he hired a "defense coordinator." Beating this year's Duke team in the first round cannot create the pedigree that a UK coach should have. I cannot believe that someone would suggest such an unproven coach.

If Tubby leaves, I sure hope Mitch is not taking suggestions from this thread.



Here is what Florida accomplished while Anthony Grant was an assistant.

Anthony Grant (born April 15, 1966) is a basketball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball) coach who became the ninth head coach in the history of Virginia Commonwealth University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Commonwealth_University) on April 18, 2006. A native of Miami, Florida (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami%2C_Florida), Grant came to Virginia Commonwealth University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Commonwealth_University) after serving for ten years as an assistant to Billy Donovan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Donovan) at the University of Florida (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Florida). The 1999 and 2000 teams made the first back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in school history and the 2000 squad made UF's first appearance in the National Championship game. In the spring of 2002, Grant was elevated to the title of Associate Head Coach after serving as an assistant for his first six seasons. Grant played a key role in helping the Gators to the 2006 NCAA title, the 2005 and 2006 Southeastern Conference Tournament titles, three SEC Eastern Division titles and back-to-back SEC Championships in 2000 and 2001. The Gators have reached eight straight NCAA Tournaments, capped by the national title in 2006 in which Florida became the first team since the 1968 UCLA Bruins to win both the national semifinal and the final by 15+ points. The Gators were 226-98 (.698) during Grant's 10-year stint in Gainesville. Prior to the University of Florida (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Florida), Grant served as an assistant to Donovan for two years at Marshall University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_University) helping them to a 35-20 record. Grant also served as an assistant coach during the 1993-94 season at Stetson.

Grant led VCU to a 79-77 upset of 6th seeded Duke to reach the 2nd round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_NCAA_Men%27s_Division_I_Basketball_Tournament ).


Edit-Sorry I forgot to say this is from Wikipedia.

[Caveman Catfan]

Scratch wrote: I understand the lack of head coaching experience argument. But I do not get the "what did florida do with him" argument. Florida won a national title last year with players Anthony Grant recruited. So we know Grant can recruit. Grant's first year at VCU and he has a team in the second round of the tourny that didnt even make the tourny last year.

Also, I was fairly young at the time but wasn't Pitino considered a risk hire by many? That turned out pretty good!


If being a good recruiter was all that dictated who should be on UK's HC list if Tubby leaves, then the list should be long.

If being the assistant coach that recruited the players that Billy and his staff won the national championship with is sufficient to put someone on the list, then UK basketball is not nearly as big as I think it is. Maybe Michigan should look at this guy, but his CV is no where near what we should expect for a UK head coach.

RP had taken Providence to the final four and was the HC of the New York Knicks. I remember being thrilled that he was coming to UK and was relieved that Newton's presumed first choice fell off the radar. Being a HC at VCU and winning one NCAA game CANNOT create the pedigree for UK (BTW, I also have them beating Pitt).

There are a number of small school coaches that have done well for the small schools. Pephrey being one. That simply is not enough. I cannot believe we are having this conversation.

[CurlyCat]

I'm not in the mood to actually research it Scratch, but as I recall, Pitino took Providence (with Billy Donavan as PG) to the at least, elite 8, maybe final four. I don't recall him seeming to be that big a risk. He ran a fun, hard fought, fast paced game there at Providence.

Our program was in shambles at the lowest point in our history and any decent coach that would walk into that situationwas welcomed. But as I recall, we were all very excited and didn't feel Pitino was some unknown entity. We were excited because we already knew about his style of ball and what he hadbeen able to accomplish at a formerlylow-level competitorin Providence.

[Scratch]

Caveman Catfan wrote: Scratch wrote: I understand the lack of head coaching experience argument. But I do not get the "what did florida do with him" argument. Florida won a national title last year with players Anthony Grant recruited. So we know Grant can recruit. Grant's first year at VCU and he has a team in the second round of the tourny that didnt even make the tourny last year.

Also, I was fairly young at the time but wasn't Pitino considered a risk hire by many? That turned out pretty good!


If being a good recruiter was all that dictated who should be on UK's HC list if Tubby leaves, then the list should be long.

If being the assistant coach that recruited the players that Billy and his staff won the national championship with is sufficient to put someone on the list, then UK basketball is not nearly as big as I think it is. Maybe Michigan should look at this guy, but his CV is no where near what we should expect for a UK head coach.

RP had taken Providence to the final four and was the HC of the New York Knicks. I remember being thrilled that he was coming to UK and was relieved that Newton's presumed first choice fell off the radar. Being a HC at VCU and winning one NCAA game CANNOT create the pedigree for UK (BTW, I also have them beating Pitt).

There are a number of small school coaches that have done well for the small schools. Pephrey being one. That simply is not enough. I cannot believe we are having this conversation.

Is pelphrey in the tourny?

[SamKat]

Thanks Curly! You know your basketball, young lady, and you are probably correct. I am impressed by Grant's pedigree in Wilkepedia, though.

Tubby has made enough money from UK. Hiring an assistant who could take over when we get out from under his contract Mitch dreamed up, would allow him to retire comfortably right there in Lexington or anywhere he would wish.

We apparently have four years to be knuckledraggers, unless some miracle happens.

It will keep the 5 % happy. Rick said that 98 % of the Kentucky fans would still be with him at L'vl. It hasn't happened that way. I truly don't know the percentages pro and con, but the morale of the troops isn't at the top of the game.

I'm with bh and the great majority of KY fans, not the "things are rosy" crowd.

[Scratch]

CurlyCat wrote: I'm not in the mood to actually research it Scratch, but as I recall, Pitino took Providence (with Billy Donavan as PG) to the at least, elite 8, maybe final four. I don't recall him seeming to be that big a risk. He ran a fun, hard fought, fast paced game there at Providence.

Our program was in shambles at the lowest point in our history and any decent coach that would walk into that situationwas welcomed. But as I recall, we were all very excited and didn't feel Pitino was some unknown entity. We were excited because we already knew about his style of ball and what he hadbeen able to accomplish at a formerlylow-level competitorin Providence.


Fair enough. I seem to remember the media portraying Newton as a genious for finding and taking a chance on Pitino but like I said I was young so. Thanks for clearing that up for me.:thumbup



Just for fun here is some more on Anthony Grant from wikipedia.

In 1987, Grant became an assistant coach and math teacher at Miami Senior High School under Marcos "Shaky" Rodriguez and in 1992, he was promoted to head coach. At the high school level, Grant's teams captured three state titles, five straight national rankings in USA Today and an overall record of 172-11.

After graduating from Miami Senior High School, the former All-City first-team selection and Player-of-the-Year played at the University of Dayton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Dayton) from 1983 to 1987 guiding them to a 70-49 (.588) overall mark. As a freshman in 1983-84, Grant was part of a Dayton squad that advanced all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before bowing out to eventual national champion Georgetown. As a sophmore, Grant averaged 10.7 points a game and 6.5 rebounds a game and the Flyers again made it to the NCAA Tournament. As a junior, the 6-5 Grant moved from big forward to small forward and averaged 7.1 points a game and 4.8 rebounds a contest while the team advanced to the National Invitation Tournament. As a senior, Grant was named a team captain, named team MVP, and awarded the Sharpenter Memorial Rebounding Award after leading the squad in scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.0 and 6.0 respectively. In his 105 appearances, Grant registered 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds each time out. In 1987, Grant spent a year playing for the Miami Tropics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Tropics) of the United States Basketball League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Basketball_League).

Grant is currently married to the former Christina Harrell of Miami, Florida (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami%2C_Florida). They have four children: Anthony, Preston, Jayda Danielle, and Makai.

[Caveman Catfan]

Scratch wrote: Caveman Catfan wrote: Scratch wrote: I understand the lack of head coaching experience argument. But I do not get the "what did florida do with him" argument. Florida won a national title last year with players Anthony Grant recruited. So we know Grant can recruit. Grant's first year at VCU and he has a team in the second round of the tourny that didnt even make the tourny last year.

Also, I was fairly young at the time but wasn't Pitino considered a risk hire by many? That turned out pretty good!


If being a good recruiter was all that dictated who should be on UK's HC list if Tubby leaves, then the list should be long.

If being the assistant coach that recruited the players that Billy and his staff won the national championship with is sufficient to put someone on the list, then UK basketball is not nearly as big as I think it is. Maybe Michigan should look at this guy, but his CV is no where near what we should expect for a UK head coach.

RP had taken Providence to the final four and was the HC of the New York Knicks. I remember being thrilled that he was coming to UK and was relieved that Newton's presumed first choice fell off the radar. Being a HC at VCU and winning one NCAA game CANNOT create the pedigree for UK (BTW, I also have them beating Pitt).

There are a number of small school coaches that have done well for the small schools. Pephrey being one. That simply is not enough. I cannot believe we are having this conversation.

Is pelphrey in the tourny?
He was last year and evidently it only takes once.

[Classof93]

Stan Heath folks! He coached one year at Kent state and had a great year. Arkansas snatches him up and they've been has beens ever since. Grant may be really special some day but in my mind he needs to make another move up before he comes to a national powerhouse. Just like Pelphrey, you don't go from USA to UK. There needs to be another step up first. We can get any coach in the nation with the exception of the Duke's UCLAs UNC type teams. You don't hire the head coach of VCU if you are UK, that's absurd.

[CatsSaintsFan]

CurlyCat wrote: Coach Grant may indeed be a diamond in the rough. He did a brilliant job knocking off Duke Thursday night for sure.

But VCU remains to me, a mid-major. This is his first head coaching gig. However, it is a great strength for anyone on your staff to successfully navigate basketball players in the state of Florida, that is for certain.

There is no knock on Coach Anthony Grant.

Yet, he still doesn't posess anything in his resume that tells me he could restore a lagging Kentucky program to their former glory.

I adore Travis Ford and John Pelphery and wish them all the success in the world. But they too haven't coaching long enough to prove they would be good enough for the University of Kentucky. Travis is getting very close though. I'll be interested in watching him develop over the next couple of years.

And, I think we have a couple of years before we can actually start looking. Having said that, GO TUBBY! PROVE ME WRONG AND RUN DEEP IN THIS TOURNAMENT! ;)

Well, Florida hired some guy who's only coaching job was at Mid-Major Marshall and that worked out for them. ;)

[Classof93]

CatsSaintsFan wrote: CurlyCat wrote: Coach Grant may indeed be a diamond in the rough. He did a brilliant job knocking off Duke Thursday night for sure.

But VCU remains to me, a mid-major. This is his first head coaching gig. However, it is a great strength for anyone on your staff to successfully navigate basketball players in the state of Florida, that is for certain.

There is no knock on Coach Anthony Grant.

Yet, he still doesn't posess anything in his resume that tells me he could restore a lagging Kentucky program to their former glory.

I adore Travis Ford and John Pelphery and wish them all the success in the world. But they too haven't coaching long enough to prove they would be good enough for the University of Kentucky. Travis is getting very close though. I'll be interested in watching him develop over the next couple of years.

And, I think we have a couple of years before we can actually start looking. Having said that, GO TUBBY! PROVE ME WRONG AND RUN DEEP IN THIS TOURNAMENT! ;)

Well, Florida hired some guy who's only coaching job was at Mid-Major Marshall and that worked out for them. ;)It can work, hiring a mid-major guy but to be fair, Fla. was no KY when they hired Donovan. They pretty much had to go the mid-major route or an assistant at a major.

[Mackcat]

Scratch wrote: I understand the lack of head coaching experience argument. But I do not get the "what did florida do with him" argument. Florida won a national title last year with players Anthony Grant recruited. So we know Grant can recruit. Grant's first year at VCU and he has a team in the second round of the tourny that didnt even make the tourny last year.

Also, I was fairly young at the time but wasn't Pitino considered a risk hire by many? That turned out pretty good!

Pitino came here from the New York Knicks. Not too obscure.

[cnice11]

I thought it was a huge win. Villanova had a very good team and WE BEAT THEM. I havent been a big Tubby fan myself, but let us see how this plays out. Until thefinal secondof the season cheer for the cats and Tubby. Whoa C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS.

[SamKat]

Thanks to all who commented, even you CC. Thanks Tom for the link and to Scratch. I, nor any of us on this forum, have the responsibility for hiring the next UK coach. Your ideas are solid, Curly, even if you are a beautiful woman. You know your Kentucky basketball. That, in itself has normally been a lot of fun.

If the radical islamistswipe out an American city soon, it will be far less important to any of us.

I want the person who does the hiring to do ALL of his homework very well. It will probably not be done for another four years anyway. Maybe then it will be a different person who does the hiring. I want that person to be very familiar with the passion of the Kentucky fans. Please, nobody try to deny the passion that is exemplified on WCN.

[audacious1]

SamKat wrote: It will keep the 5 % happy. Rick said that 98 % of the Kentucky fans would still be with him at L'vl. It hasn't happened that way. I truly don't know the percentages pro and con, but the morale of the troops isn't at the top of the game.

LOL. "5%" That's the funniest thing I've read on here in quite some time. I'm certainly glad you don't work for the IRS or anything. :lol:

[Stretch]

And 95% of the discussion on this forum can be summarized as follows:

"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

[Catligula]

SamKat wrote: Your ideas are solid, Curly, even if you are a beautiful woman. You know your Kentucky basketball. That, in itself has normally been a lot of fun.

If the radical islamistswipe out an American city soon, it will be far less important to any of us.
Wow. The name "Chicken Little" has NEVER applied more fittingly, and on two different fronts.

[Scratch]

Classof93 wrote: CatsSaintsFan wrote: CurlyCat wrote: Coach Grant may indeed be a diamond in the rough. He did a brilliant job knocking off Duke Thursday night for sure.

But VCU remains to me, a mid-major. This is his first head coaching gig. However, it is a great strength for anyone on your staff to successfully navigate basketball players in the state of Florida, that is for certain.

There is no knock on Coach Anthony Grant.

Yet, he still doesn't posess anything in his resume that tells me he could restore a lagging Kentucky program to their former glory.

I adore Travis Ford and John Pelphery and wish them all the success in the world. But they too haven't coaching long enough to prove they would be good enough for the University of Kentucky. Travis is getting very close though. I'll be interested in watching him develop over the next couple of years.

And, I think we have a couple of years before we can actually start looking. Having said that, GO TUBBY! PROVE ME WRONG AND RUN DEEP IN THIS TOURNAMENT! ;)

Well, Florida hired some guy who's only coaching job was at Mid-Major Marshall and that worked out for them. ;)It can work, hiring a mid-major guy but to be fair, Fla. was no KY when they hired Donovan. They pretty much had to go the mid-major route or an assistant at a major.

To be fair, Ky is not KY anymore.

[poodoo]

cnice11 wrote: I thought it was a huge win. Villanova had a very good team and WE BEAT THEM. I havent been a big Tubby fan myself, but let us see how this plays out. Until thefinal secondof the season cheer for the cats and Tubby. Whoa C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS.
Amen to that, cnice11. Too, personally, that's all I can think of right now, my Cats' WINNING. GO CATS! BEAT THEJAYHAWKS! :)

[poodoo]

And, I think we have a couple of years before we can actually start looking. Having said that, GO TUBBY! PROVE ME WRONG AND RUN DEEP IN THIS TOURNAMENT! ;)QUOTE by CurlyCat

__________

:thumbupfor that one. Absolutely, GO TUBBY, for Tubby is coaching our Cats today! :)GO CATS! BEAT THE JAYHAWKS! :)

[poodoo]

SamKat wrote:

I'm with bh and the great majority of KY fans, not the "things are rosy" crowd.


With all due respect, SamKat, who thinks that "things are rosy" right now (although that label is most preferable, admittedly, to a lot of the other ones :lol:)? Personally, I cannot imagine's ANYUK fan's thinking that things are "rosy" right now.

They are NOT currently rosy, most obviously. Well, that is things are not rosy, overall (beyond our nice win over Villanova and the potential we have shown at times during the season AND our still being in the Big Dance with an opportunity to win it all (unlike Duke and Coach K--I had to get that one in! :lol:).

I see only disappointed UK fans (although thereCOULD be some UK fans who are perfectly happy with our currently not being ranked and having exited the SEC Tourney on Friday and having double-digit losses, but I cannot imagine that), and wecertainly SHOULDbe disappointed with the results of the past 1+ seasons, as WildcatRick has accurately called it.

HOWEVER, it is most obvious that this season is NOT over (even though UK has, admittedly, coaches AND players, dugthemselves into a hole that they must dig themselves out of against odds stacked against them :(). Some of us DO think that the future of the program CAN still be rosy, though, perhaps beginning today OR with the signing of two top recruits and the addition of a talented assistant or two (and, as many are saying, Coach Grant in THAT regard sounds fine to me).

Speaking of those two top recruits, I just heard theWLAP hostsdiscussing on WLAP this morning that we see a DIFFERENT team next season (in answer to a caller who has given up on Coach Smith, surprisingly NOT occurring that often on the shows I have listened to, in contrast to reading the supposed "majority" speaking on this site, by the way) IF Patterson and Lucas are added to the roster. Kyle Macy also said that fans are forgetting what Jared Carter may be, even if Morris is not here.

Anyway, goodness no, I don't currently see things as "rosy" (although I do refuse to wallow in misery and accept doom andgloom forecasts for the future, including joining any Fire Tubby efforts). Instead, I am most concerned. I have not seen the same Tubby Smith for most of this past 1+ seasons.

However, I strongly think the recruiting misses, for which HE bears responsibility, are hurting this program right now. As Kyle and the other host were saying, though, a coach's PLAYERS often determines how we perceive the coach. Kyle seemed to think we have a BRIGHT future IF we get some of those players to come to UK. I agree. Many others here agree. Far more folks across the state AND across the national landscape agree, FWIW, that RECRUITING has been the problem. Yes, I think again about the possibility of IMPROVING that recruitingand our following this very good freshmen class with a strong class this April and May. I've seen us lose SEVEN very close games this season while being without a top power forward and a true point guard. So in my eyes it is an obvious assumption that things COULD be rosy here, right now, IF we had been successful in those areas (and, yes, the lack of success in those areas DOES rest on Tubby Smith's shoulders).

So the point is that many of us UK fans feelthat the future CAN be rosy (or "bright," asI have called it in several posts), even under Tubby Smith, and that is actually the only realistic hope to have, as Tubby Smith is the coach today and will be the coach next season unless he chooses differently. May that possibility become reality, starting TODAY. Surely ALL UK fans can AGREE about that! :)

I LOVE almost all things. I HATE the division I see among UK fans. :(I so want us to be united, just SUPPORTING OUR UK basketball program and forgetting who is sitting on the bench, something over which we have no control. That's just how I honestly see it. We ALL are true fans. Let's just ALL HOPE that ourFUTURE is indeed ROSY, whatever it takes. :)GO CATS!!!