What are you most excited about

[jtclarkUK]

I'm so excited that Billy G is our head coach. I have a feeling that he will be amazing at UK. He will be able to recruit so much better than our last coach. I have a feeling that he may be able to recruit better than our good friend Pitino did while he was here.

So what's the thing that you are most excited about with Coach G now running the show. I'm excited about many things. Such as Tubby's not here, he's a very organized coach, kids love playing for him, etc.

But the one thing I'm most excited about is not having to wait until spring signing period anymore hoping that we land a certain recruit. Give it this year and maybe next and I believe he will roll in his classes early than we are used to. He's alreay verbaled an 09 kid. I just think recruiting is going to take 10 steps up than it's been in the past. I'm proud to have G as our coach. I wish him well.

[UFWildcat]

Most exciting thing for me...

HIS RECRUITING PROWLESS.

Imagine a team full of Kansas-like athletes. I get giddy over it.

[BlueHeart]

I think that, above all else, is just enthusiasm both for and in the program. This will directly lead to the other things that will be mentioned, such as recruiting, beating ranked teams, etc.

[Craig the Blueheart]

It seems like he is going to be very candid about his intentions as well. I like both of the things that you two have mentioned, but not everything has to be so tight lipped.

[atlandy]

Recruiting so far is getting me real excited especially with one verbal already

[hoosierhateruklover]

I'm excited that there is finally someone in the athletic dept and university that I feel like I can relate to with the down to earthness of his personality.

[Josh]

I'm excited about being excited. There is a glow about the UK program that hasn't been here for a while.

[Josh]

hoosierhateruklover wrote: I'm excited that there is finally someone in the athletic dept and university that I feel like I can relate to with the down to earthness of his personality.
I agree with this too. I feel like I could go up to Billy G. and have a fullout conversation with him.

[UKWildFox]

EVERYTHING :)

[poodoo]

HIS ENTHUSIASM AND PASSION. :):):)I think those traits will be productive in recruiting AND on the basketball court. I also LOVE his WORK ETHIC and his HUMILITY.

[jtt97mmt]

I agree with everything stated so far. For me it's his passion. There's an excitement about UK basketball that I haven't felt for awhile. I anticipate a lot of fun and a lot of excitment about recruiting and big games. Lastyear at this time I wasn't even looking forward to the next season and that's the first time I remember feeling that way about UK basketball. Now I am excited again!!!

[CATHEAD]

poodoo wrote: HIS ENTHUSIASM AND PASSION. :):):)I think those traits will be productive in recruiting AND on the basketball court. I also LOVE his WORK ETHIC and his HUMILITY.
I agree. HIS enthusiasm and excitement is what excites me the most, along with recruiting, work ethic, dedication........shall I go on?

[VIIBanners]

I am excited that....

-we are likely to see the best players coming here again
-a hard nosed and well conditioned team
-no holes in the roster
-the good old boy network dissolved completely
-and no more of what aggravated me about the former coach
+(sub patterns, ball line D, no clear offensive strategy,
management/organization of the program).

I am happy with where I think we are headed.

[BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN]

I'm switching to football mode with the upcoming Spring Blue - White game, so I'm the most excited about seeing next years football team.

[ELBellKentucky]

I am most excited about hearing all the post game conferences. We will actually get a technical aspect of how he thought the game was played. Can't WAIT!! GO BIG BLUE!

[blueheretic]

Winning and the names Kentucky WildCatsand Rupp Arenabringing fear to the hearts of our opponents once more.

[ShelbyvilleCathead]

The thing I like most about "Billy Clyde" is his obsession with basketball. His desire to go out and get the best there is to offer. Look at what who he was able to convince to go to TAMU. Now he can show off the Craft Facility, the THE RUPP ARENA and countless other things to prove to recruits why they should come to KENTUCKY. His tenacity and Good 'ol boy attitude will land us big recruits. Put that together with his ability to coach, hewill land us back in the FF and give us chances to hang more NC BANNERS.

GO BILLY GO!!!!!:thumbup

[ShelbyvilleCathead]

The thing I like most about "Billy Clyde" is his obsession with basketball. His desire to go out and get the best there is to offer. Look at what who he was able to convince to go to TAMU. Now he can show off the Craft Facility, the THE RUPP ARENA and countless other things to prove to recruits why they should come to KENTUCKY. His tenacity and Good 'ol boy attitude will land us big recruits. Put that together with his ability to coach, hewill land us back in the FF and give us chances to hang more NC BANNERS.

GO BILLY GO!!!!!:thumbup

[t-rav4jesus]

jtt97mmt wrote: I agree with everything stated so far. For me it's his passion. There's an excitement about UK basketball that I haven't felt for awhile. I anticipate a lot of fun and a lot of excitment about recruiting and big games. Lastyear at this time I wasn't even looking forward to the next season and that's the first time I remember feeling that way about UK basketball. Now I am excited again!!!
I'm totally with you. Last season it was just another off season and I was playing the waiting game. I feel more excited now then in some parts of the regular season. I'm most excited to have a coach who is as excited as all of us...

[RP_McMurphy]

Hard work and so much better organized than Kentucky had been getting lately.

[ukwebfan]

jtclarkUK wrote: I'm so excited that Billy G is our head coach. I have a feeling that he will be amazing at UK. He will be able to recruit so much better than our last coach. I have a feeling that he may be able to recruit better than our good friend Pitino did while he was here.
FWIW, critics were extremely vocal of Pitino's recruiting as well. Outside of the Delk, Rhodes, McCarty class, I can't think of a single class that wasn't picked apart. Sounds alot like the past couple of years eh?

But to answer your question, I like the recruiting style Billy Gillispie possesses. He's reportedly very aggressive and makes lots of face-to-face contact with guys early-on.

[countrycat]

I'm just excited about basketball again. Its been acouple of years sense I have cared much. But when I saw the pep rally and news conference I felt the old excitment come back.



GO BIG BLUE

[ukwebfan]

I sure hope your right with this statement.

ShelbyvilleCathead wrote: His tenacity and Good 'ol boy attitude will land us big recruits. Put that together with his ability to coach, hewill land us back in the FF and give us chances to hang more NC BANNERS.

[Will Lavender]

ukwebfan wrote: jtclarkUK wrote: I'm so excited that Billy G is our head coach. I have a feeling that he will be amazing at UK. He will be able to recruit so much better than our last coach. I have a feeling that he may be able to recruit better than our good friend Pitino did while he was here.
FWIW, critics were extremely vocal of Pitino's recruiting as well. Outside of the Delk, Rhodes, McCarty class, I can't think of a single class that wasn't picked apart. Sounds alot like the past couple of years eh?

I don't know if that's true. I can't remember anybody discussing recruiting until these massive online databases and message boards popped up. Maybe people were having these discussions and I just wasn't involved in them. I don't know. But I can't imagine there being too much criticism of really anything Pitino was doing.

And to compare how Tubby was recruiting to what Pitino was doing in terms of recruiting is a bit farfetched, isn't it?

[ukwebfan]

Letters to the editor and talk radio were some of the ways fans got vocal back in those days. And the water-cooler never actually went away did it?
;)

[Will Lavender]

ukwebfan wrote: Letters to the editor and talk radio were some of the ways fans got vocal back in those days. And the water-cooler never actually went away did it?
;)

True. Shouldn't have posted "anybody discussing recruiting." That's obviously dumb -- and untrue.

[ukwebfan]

Nothing dumb about you buddy. I wish I could be as articulate. I'm just glad most of us are civil in our conversations.

GO CATS!

[Katfan74]

What I am excited about is his willingness to look within the state of Kentucky for his players. I don't think Tubby did that enough. I'm not say 50% of the roster should be KY boys, but hey bring so home state boys on as well. Look at the Unforgettables, 3 of the 4 were from Kentucky.

[cats 4 life]

Scars wrote: I'm excited about being excited. There is a glow about the UK program that hasn't been here for a while.

Same here. I posted a while back that my kids may never know UK as we did growing up, now I believe we have some hope. The spirit is alive around KY and the nation. GO CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[poodoo]

BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN wrote: I'm switching to football mode with the upcoming Spring Blue - White game, so I'm the most excited about seeing next years football team.

Hey, BOURBON TOWN, your post won't be popular, but I hear you and understand. :)With the all the excitement about the hire AND interest in how basketball recruiting is going, I NEVER FAIL to visit the football forum (althoughnot manyare visiting there right now, to be honest :(). I cannot go to the Blue/White game because of a family obligation, but THAT is where part of my heart will be that day.

In other words,I, too, am MOST EXCITED about seeing next year's football team as that season comes before the basketball season. So, I hear you and will joinyou in being"unpopular" in that regard. :lol:

Now back to Coach Gillispie, and, yes, he is an EXCITING hire.

[VIIBanners]

I am excited about being awesome again.

[sethman0102]

I can't put my finger on just one thing. The work ethic, enthusiasm, respect toward UK's tradition, and obviously the recruiting all add to the excitement. Like most others, and especially those out side KY, I'm eagerly logging on here daily so I don't miss any news. Sometimes I take a step back and try to look at the big picture and wonder...when was the last time there was this kind of excitement? The last few years of mediocrity have slowly eroded it.

[RV]

My joy and enthusiam for UK basketball have been restored. I've never been in prison nor do I expect to be but for the last few years I've felt like I was doin' time. One day to the next, one week to the next, one year to the next - just biding time. NowI feel as though I'vebeen released.

Free at last, free at last, thank God in Heaven I'm free at last! :thumbup

[katfever]

I am most excited about how I feel- I have not felt this way about UK basketball in years. Hope has been restored and butt kickin's are soon to follow.;)

[DBCAT]

Excited to win again. Excited to about going to a game at Rupp next year and the place going nuts when the head coach is announced. Excited that there will be a chance that there might actually be some excitement in Rupp next year. Excited that we might in the very near future make some other teams want to "leave at halftime".

[SamKat]

This thread has all good points for UK fans to be enthusiastic about again!

I particularly like ElBellKentucky's comments about post-game analysis. I can't wait for the 2007-2008 season. God, please grant me patience- right now!

[UKHAS7NCAA]

Recruiting, With out a doubt.:thumbup

[Gunsmoke]

The lackluster affect of the past few years is gone. The grind it out at all costs mentality and style of play is gone. The excitement and enthusiasm and hope is back in full force and at full throttle. The lifeblood of the program, recruiting, is a top priority again and is in overdrive with our new coach at the helm. I couldn't be happier at this time. I could not ask for any more at this moment in time. I am really not a greedy man. My standards are not that lofty. It was a chore to watch us play. I was obviously hopeful to a fault with my feelings about last years team. Those days will be gone soon as those desires will become reality again. It has been what seems like an eternity to me since I have been truly excited with real hope for the future.

[COWBOYBLUE]

I'm excited that basketball is going to be FUN again...I just cant wait to see the team on the floor with smiles and chest thumping and ENERGY..I have watched the past two seasons as other teams(uf,tenn.etc)have shown that they are really having fun,while UK teams seemed like they were just going through the motions that were set forth for them. I am a firm believer that if you REALLY enjoy what you are doing , you strive to be the best,and in most cases you will be. I have thouht for a long time that for a coach to be a great coach(in this day and time)he must really relate to the players and give them some free rein,I mean afterall, in this one and done era of basketball,(at least for the most part if you are a hot commodity)for a coach to be able to recruit the top players, he has got to let them"showcase"their talent as much as possible.

I dont think the game is nearly as much X's and O's as it used to be.Let's face it, if you are a star recruit your dreaming of the NBA before you even get to college.I would think that star recruit would want to go somewhere were that can "show off" a bit ranther than go somewhere that it will take you at least 2 to 3 years to really be seen.Wow did I ever get to rambling on...lol sorry. FUN FUN FUN,that's my choice.

[phoenix]

Change is always exciting, for better or for worse. People that think the so called "style" is going to change are probablyin for a disappointment. I doubt they will notice though if BG gets a good forward or two. Our coaching and playing style was fine before, but without length and hops it was situationally limited at times. I think a new coach will be interesting to watch as he deals with game situations and yes if he brings in a little better talent that will help. Tubby liked to have stopping power inside the lane. It will be interesting to see what BG puts inside the lane. I was real interested what Tubby was going to do if he was unable to find a solid forward, or if either center failed to pan out this season. I am going to be real interested to see what BG does if faced with the same scenario. Musical coaches has potentially freed up some great talent. Might some ofit land in Lex?

Ought to be a spellbinder of a summer watching for a key recruit or two. Everyone will be hanging on every newsitemcome fall, the early season player development and exposure of new players will have everybody sitting on the edge of their seat. The first big game ought to be interesting to the nth degree, and then their will be the SEC and the new season there with all the changes thatwillcome before next year.

KY basketballought to just be a spellbinder from now until the next season is over!!!

.............oh wait, it always was............:P

[benny17]

Alot of people are going crazy of the new guys he might bring in. For me I think we are going to have a whole new team anyway. I am excited too see if he can make bradly and Joe be all they can be. And make meeks into the all-american he is.

[Wildcatcrazy11]

Hands down most excited to see who he can bring into this program in the next 2-3 years. The game is about 75% recruiting, moreso than ever before, and i think Billy Clyde's aggressive attitute shows thatheunderstands this.

In terms of the near future, I am really excited to see the style of ball he wants to play with next years team and how he will utilize certain players (D. Jasper, andP. Stevensoncome to mind) on both ends of the floor. Will we see a 4 out 1 in type of run and gun style? who knows but I can bet we won't be looking at anything that resembles the team we've seen in the last 2 seasons.

[emily8]

Just a few of the things I'm excited about....The new players, the old players actually playing with heart, hearing the name Kentucky mentioned as a great basketball school again. Hearing the eruption zone erupt again!