Kentucky Ink

Nothing says fickle like the recent polls do.  Kansas and Kentucky have lost 2 games this season, both on the road.  Two of those losses came against the same opponent.  UT beat the top 2 teams at different ends of the schedule. 

Syracuse has lost 2 games at home.  One in the last 4 games against a Louisville team that is seriously underachieving this year.  So, what warrants the number one ranking, I mean, besides being an east coast team and therefore a media favorite?  Since Villanova has folded recently, I think east coast bias has got to be the only plausible reason.

Is this simply a what have you done for us lately mentality?  Of course it is, regardless of the underlying reason for the number 1 ranking.  As such, it is the most short-sighted perspective in some time.

Sure, Kentucky lost in a somewhat embarrassing and very lackluster fashion, but Kansas' loss was less so.  What is more embarrassing than losing two at home, though?  Syracuse, at best, has only lost sightly less recently.

Not enough to earn those votes in my opinion.

Really makes you wonder what planet people are from when they do the right things anymore.  Here's just a few things that I hope make it better-

Burn-   Bobby Knight may have left the Big Ten, but his obliviousness still lingers.   They're looking to expand their numbers by adding a team and it's rumored to be THE University of Texas.  I say rumor, though every outlet on the planet is putting it out there now, because I have a hard time believing any 1 of the 11 teams in the Big Ten would be that intoxicated or anyone at Texas would consider it, though Wisconsin seems the most likely to be so impaired. 

How does this relate to Knight?  Well, despite the past 10 years of press that mention how boring Big Ten football is, the PTB (powers that be) in that conference think they need more exposure.  It's like Bobby thinking that "Kentucky cheating" (his words) was what kept his chair flinging and people choking style from landing the best college talent.

If you want more exposure without the embarrassment the Horns will bring upon the league, go after Nebraska. 

Even better, play the game better.  Exposing the current form of Big Televen football to more people is only going to hurt tourism in the Midwest. 

Dodge-    Having Texas movee into that conference is only going to make more of the windburned talent head south...  Kentucky fans say "good luck and how can we help this get done."    

Burn-   I really love this time of year in Kentucky.  Keeneland is just around the corner.  Spring Football can't get here fast enough.  And almost everyone in the national media is counting out the Cats for one reason or another.

It is a year round thing, but it gets to be fun as March inches closer.  In 1996 everyone was hyping Camby and maybe Duncan, if I recall.  In 1998 it was whoever was playing the Cats next, Duke, Stanford, or Utah.  Points for anyone that can remember or find the reasons why the Cats "couldn't win it all" back then.  (Why is it that March never comes in like a lion here, it always seems to be hiding behind a tree and takes forever to come out?  Never like this in Illinois.)  

This year they started out the season too young to win right away and struggling to find a way to get a cohesiveness and chemistry or desperately trying to spread minutes around to all those talented people.  The national love fest was with UNC, UCon, and Texas back then.  

Nothing brings a team together and focuses them like bulletin board material.

Dodge-   I love ESPN's commercials.  Sonic's aren't bad either.  The next one I would like to see would be combination of the two.  Each of the ESPN analysts and commentators' clips where they dog the Cats right before a game or at the half, even on Sportscenter.  They play the blurb and then have the (insert punch sound)  frame freeze on the distorted faces of the very same guys as the highlights start to roll where UK proves them wrong. 

It has to end with the following sequence.  Jay Williams getting smacked over and over and over again, highlights in between, because he's been the most consistently wrong on the most occasions of the entire nation of broadcasters........ and then fade to a single date on a black screen Feb 13, 2010, Bobby Knight sitting silent in a mostly dark hotel room or on a bus with an angry look and the light of a TV on his face, then (Sonic sound and it repeats for each caption) a warped still of him with that DOH! look he gets before he goes ballistic makes him look like he's been punched (flips horizontally each time).  Captions read- NCAA violations by later Memphis player occurred prior to  enrollment at Memphis, NCAA Clearing House cleared the same, NCAA rulings cleared John Calipari of any wrongdoing, Coach Calipari did not leave two schools on probation to take other jobs..... Kentucky's John Wall is the best player in college basketball, DeMarcus Cousins could very well be 2nd best.

Dodge and Burn-   Got to at once be impressed and feel sorry for Coach Charlie Strong.  He handles being announced as Kentucky's coach, gets slighted again by being told the announcer was thinking of Joker, and then Joker gets more applause.  He didn't look pleased, but he was very gracious in spite of it all. 

Then you think about it some more and realize he's just going to have to get used to it at UL.  The little brother syndrome finds it way home again.  Not to worry, Coach Strong, you'll have a better job waiting after a couple years of easy schedules in the Big East, even if you don't beat UK during that time.       

With the same determination and focus, albeit with cue cards in hand, Tiger addressed the media about his private life.  Hopefully he did so for the last time, because, frankly, it's his own private business no matter how much everyone wants to make it public.

He has issues.  Wow.  That shouldn't be an eye-opener to anyone above the age of 5.  We all have em.  We all will going forward.

The only thing some people seem to have left to learn is this:   How you feel about Tiger Woods was decided before he gave his speech today.

Just like how you felt about him was decided before you ever heard of him. 

Nothing has changed outside of you that is responsible for how you feel right now about anything.  That result is completely your responsibility.  Your expectations are what influence your feelings the most, not the actions to which you respond.

If you expected Tiger Woods to be perfect, then you deserve to feel disappointed with yourself for feeling that way from the start.  You should know better. 

If you expected anything from his speech, if you expected to be swayed to pity him, if you expected to really believe he was remorseful, if you expected anything at all, then it is your problem, if you came away from it less than satisfied.

Tiger Woods has learned a tough lesson on just how much he is in control of anything of late.  I'm happy for him for that reason, though it sucks for him that he's had to learn it in this way, even though it makes perfect sense considering how his life has been so far.

I don't think any less of Tiger Woods.  God made him, too, after all, and it's not my place to judge him.

He just happened to be blessed with the tools to become a great golfer along with the same handicaps we all are born with.  He'll overcome the latter in time as well, if he puts forth the effort.   Best of fortunes to you and your family, Mr. Woods.

Everyone else needs to get just over themselves.     

It's about time the SEC silenced the MSU cowbell.

Dodge-  You have to give props to one of the two groups for the fact that bottles and drinks didn't actually hit anyone down at The Hump last night.  Either the Cats were great at dodging the missiles or the Bulldog fans were trying to miss 'em.  No self-respecting SEC fanbase could have aim that poor. 

Unfortunately, that's as good as it gets for State fans.  They just plain embarrassed themselves last night.  

Burn-   Who do you hold responsible for the lack of sportsmanship. class, or the general disregard for the safety of their own players?  Obviously the blame is mostly on the shoulders of the heavers of said bottles.  No two ways around that.  Those being so reckless should lose their seats and more.   There is more to this story, though.

Dodge-   Jarvis Varnado managed to dodge well-earned fouls for most of his career at Mississippi State and needs to get some kind of award for it, even if his charms wore off last night.  He is a great shot-blocker, but not as great as the refs would have you believe.

Burn-   That being said, who was the worst sport at the game last night?  The in your face choice would be the MSU fans, but if you watched the tape of Varnado after he fouled out, he was the clear favorite heading into overtime.  In addition to theatrics that should have garnered an instant technical, he whined, cried, pulled his shirt over his head, and otherwise barely noticed there was a game going on, all while the rest of the bench encouraged those still in the game.  Very disappointing to see the it's-all-about-me attitude.

Dodge-   In the lighten up category, UK fans that were up in arms over this being a close game need to get used to it.  There isn't a gimme left on the schedule.  EVERY team is going to slow it down and crank up the physical play.  Margins are going to shrink as a result.  This was going to be a fight long before MSU took a lead in the game.

Burn-   This one is for the SEC officiating office.  As I alluded to earlier, there is more to the story when it comes to Starkville and sportsmanship.  Some of the blame for it lies unquestionably at their feet.

The rule against noisemakers like the famed State cowbells has been in existence since before Mumme left Lexington, but the rule is NEVER enforced by the SEC.  It was only a matter of time before things got worse in Starkville.  They think they can get away with anything because they have gotten away with anything for over a decade. 

It's way past time the SEC started enforcing the cowbell rule and now they need to step in regarding this incident for the safety of everyone involved in the game.  If they don't, it will get worse in a hurry.

This is not intended to rain on anyone's parade.  In fact, just the opposite.  I want people to be even more excited and put everything they can into what's left of this schedule.

Seasons like this just don't happen very often.

There are only a few games left of this almost miraculous basketball season and Cats fans need to really squeeze every bit they can out of it.  Cheer like every defensive possession is critical, maintain a positive and somehow humble attitude, and don't miss a minute of it.  As quickly as this great season got here, it can vanish even quicker.

Kentucky will graduate 3 players this spring that are and have been instrumental in the success and development of this team.  It may also lose as many as 3 players from its stellar freshman class. 

As of now, there doesn't seem to be another Patrick Patterson, John Wall or DeMarcus Cousins in the 2010 class and who knows how long it will be before UK has more guys like Ramon Harris and Perry Stevenson that will stay 4 years and give it their all to make themselves and their teammates better without complaint as to playing time.

Sure, there will still be plenty of playing time, an offensive system that develops players for the NBA, a coach that really cares and communicates with his players, and a great place for them to shine and be appreciated to lure in some great players.  There is no doubt they will get national exposure from almost every time they suit up to play.

But how many kids are going to be as mature as freshman or come along so fast?  How many are going to be able to commit themselves to fundamentals and conditioning and be as assertive on defense as these players have been so far?  Are there really any players this good ready to step into the shoes emptied by departures?

While almost anything is still possible for this year and next, there's a lot more questions about next year than answers.

So embrace what's left of this year.  Put everything you've got into enjoying what you have right now.  You never know what next season will bring.

'Cause some things you need to make light of, and other things shouldn't have seen the light of day to begin with.

The Dodge and Burn took the week off last week because of all the great signing day action provided by Jim, Jeff, Josh and Chris in no particular order, so here's a special edition.

Individual Broadcaster Dodge of the Year (so far)-  Bobby Knight sidestepped a visit to Lexington after making hypocritical comments the last few weeks decade about Kentucky's coach, John Calipari.  At least he dodged criticism and unwonted attention better than Jim Calhoun and Urban Meyer- without all of the drama.  

Anyone else think he must have done dodge ball drills as a kid with chairs rather than wrenches?  Who knew he could move like that? 

Burn-   This one goes out to Knight's old stomping grounds (literally and figuratively).  Congratulations to the 50 Indianapolis Colts fans that realized the 2 point conversion call was the right one in spite of it going against their team.  Too bad their QB rewarded them by sulking off the field rather than attempting to congratulate a worthy opponent and friend.  For the future, Mr. Manning, even if you made a couple potentially fatal errors in losing the biggest game of the year (no one doubts you'll be back in the Super Bowl), at least take off the helmet, make an effort to wade into the pandemonium, and then throw a visible gesture of sportsmanship the other team's way before heading off the field so your fans aren't spending 32 hours uselessly defending you in the comments section of blogs all over the country.  Thousands of Indiana businesses thank you in advance.   

Team or Program Dodge of the year (still really early)-   This one is ongoing as the University of Southern California football program is still not facing any music for the Reggie Bush mansion-sitting scandal.  Yes it was funny when Axel Foley commandeered an LA mansion for a sweet fee in BHCop2, but this is comedy Eddie Murphy is jealous of. 

Burn or Administrative Dodge of the Past Decade-   If throwing the basketball program under the bus, and I'm not saying the basketball programs in LA aren't historically shady, gets the football program off Foley free, the NCAA is setting a torch to its own feet.  It also gets them the Administrative Dodge of the Year to this point. 

Administrative Dodge of the Year-  I know it's way too early to say for sure, but the front-runner for this is the University of Tennessee.  It'll be confirmed this fall that their athletic dept. dodged a mushroom cloud when Lane Kiffin bolted for the Raiders west coast.  It was only a matter of time before they went from merely criminally negligent to just plain ignorant. 

Burn-   After dodging the unfired gun of the NCAA for these many years, the athletic department at the USC goes out and hires someone that can't read a road sign, or worse, won't read one.  I guess if you're going to wind up on probation and need a fall guy, there's no one better.  Was that our next award winner greasing the curves on I-5 for Kiffin? 

Coaching Dodge of the Year-   Pete Carroll is far and away the recipient of this year's award no matter how much time is left to get in the contest.  Like the most clever of rats from a sinking ship, Carroll left nothing behind but his droppings as he abandoned ship for major cheese in Seattle.  How long you think it will be before he Sabanizes, (ends up back in college as an SEC coach)?  If I'm right, not that long, and you heard it here first.  If I'm wrong, Jared said it.

Way too much red and orange flavoring in this one for my taste, but I hope it doesn't offend your palate.