(Just Past) Mideseason Grade Report

The Cats are sitting pretty at 20-1. Although according to Coach Cal they are probably 12-9 right now. Big Blue Nation doesn't really care though because the record shows true at 20-1 and we all know there are always games you "should have" lost on the schedule. The reality is we won those and now are looking like a #1 seed is coming our way in 6 weeks. As we move closer to Selection Sunday, I think it is time to review our starting lineup and first few off the bench and get one man's take on their performance to this point in the season:

• John Wall: PG. The season started on a high. Game winning shot in his college debut, absolutely owning the big name out-of-conference opponents. I don't care what records are to this point, big wins over over rivals Indiana and Louisville account for more than the RPI will show. Also wins over UCONN and UNC where Wall was the story account for a lot. The past 2 weeks have been interesting though. It was plain to see before Alan Cutler ask the question the other day that Wall has hit, well, a wall so to speak. I will take up for him here and say it is no big deal. Everyone goes through dry spells and John Wall is no exception to this rule. College courses on top on not being able to take a dump without every media outlet in the country wanting to report on it has to take its toll on a person. The good thing is, he has been in a slump so to speak and we are still 20-1. I look for Wall to get his swagger back very soon and return to Superman status. I think it might actually be good if he gets his second wind heading into March. Grade: A
• Eric Bledsoe: SG. A pleasant surprise. I think we all knew Bledsoe was good, but in many ways he has outperformed even Big Blue Nation expectations and provided big games in time of need. Solid performances on top of playing beside Wall and Cousins has garnered attention not only from KY fans, but NBA scouts as well. I don't think any of us really believed we would be talking about Bledsoe possibly leaving after his freshmen campaign as well. Bledsoe has looked like a lottery pick at times, but like a sloppy freshman at times as well. We need a solid 10-12 points from him every game along with consistently hitting the three when we need one. Grade: B+
• Darius Miller: SF. We want big things for Miller. For one, his is a homegrown talent and it is always good to homeboys do well. Secondly, we need this position to be consistent to bring home the banner in April. Miller has been hot from 3 point land many times and cold as ice others. His overall game has improved from last year, but I still see some timid play in games where we absolutely cannot have it. The good news is he is a sophomore and will be a solid 4 year player. Experience is great and it will pay dividends for him in the long run. For now though, we just need him to be better. Grade: B-
• Patrick Patterson: PF. What can be said about Black Kool-Aid that hasn't been said. He has stuck with Big Blue through the hard times and it looks like his loyalty will pay off this year with a deep run in March. Regardless of what media says, Patterson is the leader of this team. Behind the scene his leadership has helped these freshmen turn into what they are. Like Wall, Patterson started strong. Everything we expected was being given to us. Owning the boards, shutting down opponents, getting garbage points that no one else wanted. You name, he was doing it while getting no cred for it on the news source. As a junior and chosen team leader it has had to be difficult for him to hear nothing but news about the freshmen. The good thing is you would never know it from seeing him play or hearing him talk. The ability to take all this hype and be humble, alongside taking 18 hours of college classes to graduate in three years while leading UK to a 20-1 record accounts for a lot. With PPatt goes this team. How far we go in march will lie on the shoulders of the big man from Huntington. If we expect to see a Final 4 appearance, we need this man to take it on himself to propel us there. Grade A+
• DeMarcus Cousins: C. Boogie is straight getting it done. His ratio of points per minutes played is sick. If this guy could put in 35 minutes a game I am not sure he would not average 30 points/20 rebounds a game. Like Bledsoe, I think Cousins has been better than expected. We knew he was good, but he has progressed into a machine that cannot be stopped by another big man in the country. I like the way he has taken offense over. When we need that basket inside, Boogie will get it or get to the line 99% of the time. The one issue to work on is, wait for it, attitude. I understand the game gets in your head. His desire to win is exactly where it needs to be. However, the way he responds at times is still a work in progress. The word is out on getting into his head before and during games and it is only going to get worse as the season goes on. Boogie needs to find a way to filter that anger into more production. I want to see a broken backboard on a monster dunk before this year over. If Cousins ever figures out how to put it all together, the Nets might reconsider that #1 draft pick in June. Grade: A-
• Darnell Dodson: SF/SG. As good as expected. When he is on, lights out for the other team. He can make it rain if it is falling for him that day. Defense is suspect at times and there are lapses of time where he appears to be in Community College still. However, solid point production for most of the year that we need to continue. Grade: B-
• Daniel Orton: C. If there is a better backup freshman center in America I would like to see him. Orton is going to be huge for the Cats. note the words "going to be" in the last sentence. With Patterson/Cousins there just is not a lot of minutes available yet. I see Orton being a 3 year player for sure and possibly that rare 4 year guy. If he stays 4 years, I look for Big Blue nation to have a love for Orton like that of Chuck Hayes. The sky is the limit for Orton, but he loves to foul like I love to see Tiger Woods lose a major. One more prediction for Orton is that is he plays 4 years I think the shot All-Time SEC shot blocking record will move from Starkville, MS to Lexington, KY. Grade: B
• DeAndre Liggins: PG/SG/SF. Liggins does it all, the problem is how long will he do it. The doghouse was decorated for him for the first half of the season and I don't think we will ever know for sure why. Once he was back playing, his effort has been a surprise. I really looked for him to transfer with the trouble he seemed to be in but he has taken Coach Cal's advice and really worked hard and it is paying off for him now. He might have more upside potential than anyone on the team but he needs to keep listening to the coaching staff and work on improving his overall game. His ability to knock down the three this year has been a pleasant surprise. Grade: C+ (due to the trouble he has been in)

So, there it is. I will say I am surprised that we are sitting at 20-1. With the inexperience I really thought there would be a few more losses on the schedule to this point. I look for a good run in March from this team. If they ever figure out how to put together a full 40 minute game, I really don't think there is a team out there that can beat the Cats this year. I see potential roadblocks to an NCAA Championship being Syracuse, Kansas, Michigan State, and maybe Texas. Darkhorse problem teams include Kansas State, West Virginia, Georgetown. If these guys continue to grown and improve over the next 4 weeks, I do see a trip to Indianapolis in the near future. Go Cats!

Calipari 1.21 - Cats Rebound v. Commies, Take Control of SEC, Big East

Arguably the Cats greatest four-year player ever.

Kentucky got back on track against a recent nemesis with an impressive beating (85-72) of one of the hottest teams in the country. Vandy was leading the SEC with an unblemished mark, had won 10 straight, and had crept into the national polls. None of this mattered to the Boys in Blue as they focused on not losing their second game in a row.

The big story on the day was Lebron wearing a Kentucky-blue Harry Potter/Waldo cardigan during the Kentucky cheer in the second half. Very cool scene to have the greatest player in the World be a part of our own Path to World Domination. It's an unstoppable duo. The game as a whole, though, had to be one of worst ever to have the superstar witness. There was no flow in the game, it lasted eight hours, and the crowd was its usual sleepy self. With the exception of the run at the beginning (essentially putting the game away), the Rupp crowd showed LeBron they can nap with the best of 'em.

It was also apparent Freak Show knew LeBron was courtside, as he was seen talking to LeBron & Co. while he was on the bench. Seeing Wall get giddy on the bench and mouth, "Let's do it," to LBJ, leads me to a few points:

• I know LBJ isn't going to be at many games, but do the talking before or after the game. As rabid as our fan base is, if something goes wrong, we'll look for things as to why they did. And if we don't, Jerry Tipton will.
• Wall saying, "Let's do it," to LBJ, can only mean two things. Either LBJ said, "me & you next year, " which we all would love to see, or he said, "let's go to Camelot West on my way back to the airport." Not for sure what was said, but it was most definitely one of the two.
• With the Cutler report out that you're not having fun and you're not listening to coach, it doesn't help to be doing your own thing on the bench. It's hard to tell the exact context of Wall's statements to the Cut Man, just be careful. We haven't been relevant in a while.

The second story of the day for me was the start of Darnell Dodson over Eric Bledsoe. I'm not gonna lie, I kind of like it. Getting Dodson involved early on was key to the first half run that ultimately won the game. Easily his best game as a Cat (16 points - 7 rebounds) at a very crucial time. The defense is suspect, but who cares at this point. If the person gets by you, they have to face Pat, Big Cuz, or Orton. I'll take my chances.

Now we get to Big Cuz. The dude is a freak of nature and seriously has a chance to be an all-timer, but the attitude is costing him millions. Every game it's something...........every......game. Coach Cal needs to tell him before they take the floor each game that. "I know DeMarcus, it's not your fault." Then again, it's hard to convince the kid he's doing something wrong when he sees his stat line after each game. All it's gonna take is for a ref to be having a bad day before one of our games to cost the team for a week. Come on Big Fella, we love ya.

A few other notes:

• Pat got back on track via points (12 points - 4 rebounds), but something just doesn't seem right. Even when Big Cuz was on the bench, Pat was never in post-up mode. It seems like an eternity since Pat was taking people to school on the block. Is it a confidence thing? He does have to go up against DC every day in practice. That has to chip away at your confidence, right? Maybe I won't old Pat back, and have yet to come to grips that it's not going to happen. What say you?
• Eric Bledsoe (13 points - 7 rebounds - 3 assists - 3 steals - 1 TO) had a solid game off the bench. He still got his minutes (33) and we got someone else involved in the offense (DD). It will be interesting to see if Cal keeps this lineup Tuesday.
• We destroyed those poor Commies on the boards. We had 39 rebounds (18 offensive) to Vandy's 21 rebounds overall. Looks like we got the message.
• Liggins had another solid game (9 points - 4 rebounds - 2 steals - 25 minutes), while Darius is becoming an afterthought. Even Ramon got more minutes (9 vs. 8).
• I love Daniel Orton as much as he loves to foul.

Nice win and a good way to get back on track. There are a ton of underground stories with this team, and I am very interested to see how we come out against #18/#20 Ole Miss Tuesday night.

Go Cats.

January 31st: On this date...

The Big Dipper posts up the Round Mound of Rebound Ass.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

... in 1983, Melvin Turpin had a game for the ages, but no one else helped out as the #10 Cats dropped a tough road game in Knoxville. Turpin scored 42 points on 18-22 shooting from the field in what was a Top 10 scoring performance in program history. The Big Dipper added 12 rebounds and four blocks to boot. Future NBA All-Star Dale Ellis led the way for the Volunteers with 22 points - 6 rebounds - 3 assists - 3 steals. No other player on Kentucky’s roster scored over five points in the game (Derrick Hord). The loss was the fifth on the season to go with 13 wins, a record Joe B. Hall wasn’t too thrilled to have. The Cats were missing All-American center Sam Bowie, someone Hall knew could put Lexington atop the basketball world again. The 1983 Cats would ultimately end the season in the Elite Eight against a team they hadn’t played in 24 years. The Dream Game loss to Louisville in overtime would usher in a new hatred for the rabid Kentucky fan base. Some things are just meant to be.

January 30th: On the date...

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

... in 1993, your University of Kentucky Wildcats beat the Florida Gators, 71-48, to win their 14th straight contest at Rupp Arena. Jamal Mashburn led the way for Big Blue with 22 points and 7 rebounds, including 4-5 shooting behind the 3-point line. Rodrick Rhodes (10 points - 5 rebounds), Rodney Dent (5 points - 11 rebounds), and Travis Ford (10 points - 5 assists) helped control the game as Kentucky had built a nine point lead by halftime. The Gators were led by Stacey Poole’s 16 points and 10 rebounds. A name you should get familiar with, as his son, Stacey Poole Jr., will be enrolling at UK this coming fall as a part of coach John Calipari’s second recruiting class. The Florida Stacey Poole still stands as the fourth leading scorer in Gator basketball history. The Kentucky Stacey Poole is ranked as the fourth best small forward in the class of 2010 by Rivals and the 11th best by Scout. Poole fits the Coach Cal mode as he is another 6'5 swingman/slasher who is a lockdown defender.

January 29th: On this date...

Is he saying, "floor at Porcini's?"

Big Blue Booyah op Tom Leach

... in 1992, was the beginning of the longest winning streak (33) in the history of hallowed Rupp Arena, as #14 UK took out Mississippi, 96-78. Big Blue got out to a fast lead and by halftime led by 21 points. Super sophomore Jamal Mashburn led the way for the Good Guys with 24 points and 7 rebounds; John Pelphrey added 16 points and 8 rebounds on 7-9 shooting. Head coach Richard Pitino wanted to do one thing when he took the reigns at Kentucky. He wanted to make Rupp Arena of the most feared places to play in college basketball. Pitino succeeded in doing just that as his overall record was a snappy 107-7 at Rupp as the head coach of Kentucky. The previous game had Nolan Richardson and his “40 Minutes of Hell” come in and pound The Unforgettables 105-88. We wouldn’t lose again until Arkansas came calling over two years later. Richard ultimately lost his last game at Rupp as UK’s coach, snapping a 27-game home win streak in a loss to South Carolina.

FoxSports.com Will Out Your Weekly Golfing Trip

January 28th: On this date...

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

... in 1968, your #9 University of Kentucky Wildcats head basketball coach, Adolph Rupp, became the all-time winningest coach in college basketball history. Actually, we’ll call it, “in the history of the World.” And although the game wasn’t necessarily close, it was exciting for the fans in Baton Rouge. The 121-95 win for the Cats was the first time they had the opportunity to face one “Pistol” Pete Maravich. The Pistol finished his first ever game versus Kentucky with 52 points and 11 rebounds. Big Blue countered with 58% shooting on 90 shots from the field. This included a quartet of solid games: Mike Casey (31 points - 10 rebounds), Dan Issel (17 points - 14 rebounds), Mike Pratt (18 points - 12 rebounds), Thad Jaracz (24 points - 7 rebounds). While the victory was well and good, years later it was discovered that Adolph Rupp actually achieved the feat on February 18,1967, in a 103-74 win over Mississippi State.

January 27th: On this date...

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

... in 1998, the most dominant junior varsity member in the past 30 years hit the shot heard round the Bluegrass, as Nazr Mohammed threw up a running prayer to steal a game in Nashville. With the game tied at 61, Scott Padgett in-bounded the basketball to Jeff Sheppard who threw a 60-foot cross-court diagonal pass to Mohammed, who turned, looked at the clock and let go with 0.01 seconds. It was easily one of the more awkward looking shots in the history of basketball, but it was OUR awkward looking shot, and that’s all that mattered. Almost as good as the shot was the celebration of the staff and players. As soon as the clock expired, everyone in Camp Lexington sprinted off the court (check Tubby out in the 2nd video, he looks like he’s in Pamplona running with the bulls). This left the Vanderbilt players and fans stunned and shocked with their mouths open wondering, “What the hell just happened here?” Sheppard led the #7 Cats with 20 points on the night, Padgett added 12 points and 7 rebounds. Nazr, the Man of the Night, finished an efficient 4-5 from the field for 8 points - 2 rebounds - 2 blocks. The win moved the #7 Cats to 19-2 on what would end up being a decent season.

Tubby's Pamplona Run:



ESPN's version:

Calipari 1.20 - Cocks Go Downey On Cats

Well, hello there Big Blue Nation!

President Barack Obama and NBC Nightly News got the last laugh on the Boys in Blue and jinxed our undefeated season. Mr. President made the fatal error of saying Kentucky should be able to get by USC, as they posed no real threat to our 20th win. One thing is clear after tonight's result...........the season has begun.

Our fearless leaders were exposed tonight in Columbia as Kentucky-killer Devan Downey poured in 30 points (9-29 FG) to help Cocky get a huge win over the #1 Cats. South Carolina outhustled, outworked, and outplayed a top-ranked team that simply looked uninterested the entire night.

To the highlights:

• Big Cuz improved his draft stock tonight with another insane performance (27 points - 12 rebounds - 3 blocks, 9-10 FT). Cousins also played a season-high 34 minutes tonight, smashing his average of just over 20 minutes/game.
• Freak Show gave us some flashes of brilliance again, but they were few and far between. He finished with 19 points and four big turnovers.
• I'm all for Pat playing passive and roaming around the court, but at some point he has to get involved. A player of his stature cannot only take four shots in a game. It's as if he's been invisible during the last month. If that continues, so will the close games/losses.
• Darnell Dodson got eight shots. If he can get eight, you can get eight, Pat. He's definitely not scared to shoot.
  
• How many bunnies did we miss tonight?
• You simply cannot let a team with the size of South Carolina beat you on the boards. They got 20 offensive rebounds. TWENTY! We got a bit friskier at the end, but it too was little too late. The only intensity that we saw during the entire game was when it really started to look dire.
• Here's to hoping the Cocks don't shoot the ball well in Rupp, which is destined to happen. They shot 34% from the field and only 25% from 3-point range. Uh oh.

We all knew it was going to happen. We probably even knew it would be soon. But it always hurts when it does. In other words..................It is what it is.

Cats are 19-1 going to Nashville coming to Lex. Bring your A game fellas. We'll need it.

Go Cats.

January 26th: On this date...

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

... in 2007, your University of Kentucky Wildcats and The Breakfast of Champions, Wheaties, announced a special-edition package coming out to honor the most storied basketball program in all the land. Kentucky became just the ninth school ever to be put on a box of Wheaties. The display side of the box featured the floor of famed Rupp Arena on the front alongside the “UK” logo. The back of box featured the team cutting down the nets during one of our SEVEN National Championships, and Scratch the mascot. Head coach Tubby Smith displayed a giant version of the Wheaties box at a press conference during a mid-week presser. (In the meantime, his agent was working behind the scenes to see if any other University was looking for a basketball coach......OOOOOOOOO...Hisssssssssssss). Other schools to be featured on Wheaties: Georgia, Texas, Texas Western, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Michigan, Northwestern, and Texas A&M.

Cats #1, Coach Cal Thinks SportsCenter Anchor is a Jagoff

All that was wrong in the World of College Basketball has righted itself with the release of both the AP and ESPN/USA Today rankings. Your University of Kentucky Wildcats have unanimously taken over as the #1 team in all the land with their destruction of Arkansas.

And to celebrate the occasion, ESPN invited Coach Cal to be on SportsCenter today about 12:30 pm. Without a hitch, anchor John Buccigross asked Coach Cal how he thought the new #1 ranking correlated to Kansas making a three in the Championship game Memphis lost a few years ago.

Cal responded with (paraphrasing):

Now why would you go and bring up something like that. Are you from western Pennsylvania? Cause it seems like your a jagoff.

Everything seemed to be in good fun during the interview, at least on Cal's side. Not sure we can convince Mr. Buccigross it was good fun to be called an asshole/jagoff live on national television. Oh well, if they don't like it, I guess ESPN should have had someone beat us.

It's good to be back.

Go Cats.

***UPDATED (via Fanhouse)***

Here's the Transcript:

Buccigross: "You talk about luck and bouncing the ball, and certainly had you had that against Kansas, certainly your Memphis team would have been national champion."

Calipari: "Now why would we bring that up? That was two years ago, John. What are you trying to bring up memories of a three that goes through a rafter? And 'Why didn't you call a timeout?' And 'You should have fouled earlier.' I thought we were going to talk about Kentucky.

Buccigross: "Let's take a 20-second timeout."

Calipari: "You must be from Western PA, John. Where are you from?"

Buccigross: "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania."

Calipari: "OK, so you're a jagoff. Basically, you're a jagoff."

With that, Calipari laughed, Buccigross changed the subject, and the interview went on.

***UPDATE #2***

Coach Cal makes sure everyone knows he and Buccigross go back 10+ years and were ribbing each other before they went on air. (Twitter)

Here's One Way to Stop Being A Bachelor

January 25th: On this date...

The man on the left was an NBA great. The man on the right was the Italian Michael Jordan.

... in 1987, a Rupp Arena scoring record was set when a Naval cadet by the name of David Robinson made his way to Rupp Arena and put on a show for the Wildcat faithful. The unranked Cats held on, though, for the 80-69 upset of #19 Navy. The Admiral was an insane 17-22 from the field and finished the game with a triple-double: 45 points - 14 rebounds - 10 blocks. It still stands today as the Rupp Arena scoring record. Eddie Sutton’s squad used three-point shooting to stay in front, including four treys from freshman Rex Chapman (22 points). Kentucky finished the contest 8-20 from deep, while Navy had a goose egg from long range (0-8). The Admiral was subbed for late when the game was decided and received easily the loudest and longest standing ovation ever for an opposing player. Along with a thrashing of Louisville (85-51), this game was one of the few bright spots during the 1986-87 season, as Big Blue finished the season with an 18-11 record. A one-and-done appearance in both the SEC and NCAA Tournament left the rabid UK fan base squirming. Eddie Sutton was on the clock.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 24th: On this date...

... in 1970, your University of Kentucky Wildcats moved to 14-0 on the season with an exciting 109-96 win at Memorial Coliseum against “Pistol” Pete Maravich and the LSU Tigers. Pistol Pete scored 55 points on 21-44 shooting, but Adolph Rupp’s team was content to play 5-on-1 all night long and give the Pistol every look he wanted. Big Blue had a balanced attack behind superstar Dan Issel (35 points - 10 rebounds), Larry Steele (17 points - 11 rebounds), Mike Pratt (19 points - 4 rebounds), Terry Mills (22 points - 4 rebounds), and Bob McCowan (12 points). It was the fifth time The Pistol had played Kentucky, and the fifth time he had gone home with a loss. His career averages versus UK were an absurd: 20-46 FG, 12-15 FT, 7.33 RPG, 52 PPG.

According to Jon Scott’s site, midway through the second half, The Pistol passed Elvin Hayes to become the NCAA’s second leading scorer ever. The game was stopped and the PA announcer told the crowd about the feat. Adolph Rupp quickly responded, “Why the hell do they have to announce that?” It was Rupp’s World, everyone else was just passing through.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Calipari 1.19 - Big Cuth, Cath, Dominath Arkanthaw...NITHE!!

Ya boy Big Cuth lotht a tooth today as the Cath dethroyed Arkanthaw when the Cath thretched the lead to 30 by halftime, 57-27. Big Cuth finithed the day ath a buth-thaw ath the Cath will take the #1 ranking for the first time in the hithory of the world (sinth 2003) come Monday.

To the highlighth:

• If Dariuth Miller maketh what he did tonighth, therth noth a team in the Univerth that will betht uth.
• Big Cuth killed the 'Bacth with 16 pointh - 14 reboundth - three smacths to the facth.
• Freak Thow ended the game with 16 pointh - 7 athith.
• Eric Bledthoe finithed with 10 pointh - 7 reboundth - 6 athith.

Go Cath.

January 23rd: On this date...

... in 1980, your #5 University of Kentucky Wildcats went on the road to Starkville, Mississippi, and took out the Bulldogs, 89-67, behind the outstanding play of a freshman. Newbie Dirk Minniefield set a then-program record for assists with 13 and added 14 points (on 7-10 shooting) to lead the UK to its 16th win in 19 chances. Big Blue was on fire, assisting on 33 of the 39 made baskets and shooting 62% from the field. Kyle Macy and his socks finished the game with 20 points and 8 assists to round out a ridiculous night from the Kentucky backcourt. The win was the 24th for the Cats out of the last 26 games in the series going back to 1967. Minniefield finished his outstanding career and still stands as the all-time leader in assists for the program. Over his four years, he averaged an impressive 5.25 assists/game. Dirk also ended his career as the all-time steals leader in program history, but currently sits in a tie for 10th, behind a Who’s Who list of players from my generation. Minniefield had the three-striped tube socks and ushered in a high-flying style that excited even the oldest members of Rupp Arena.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 22nd: On this date...

... in 1984, your #3 University of Kentucky Wildcats squared off against one of the most feared teams in college basketball history and took down #4 Houston and Phi Slama Jama, 74-67, in front of nearly 24,000 at Rupp Arena. Big Blue was lead by its own lethal frontcourt of Sam Bowie, Melvin Turpin, and Kenny “Sky” Walker. The trio combined for 47 points - 39 rebounds - 5 blocks against elite Houston center Akeem Olajuwon, led by Walker’s 20 points and Bowie’s 18 rebounds. Kentucky defense forced the Cougar big man into seven turnovers of his own, frustrating him all day long. The referees successfully fouled out four of the five Houston starters, including Olajuwon, with six minutes remaining in the game. From there, the #3 Cats did enough to win the game, including some clutch free throws from freshman Winston Bennett, who finished the day with eleven points. The win moved UK to 14-2 on the season. Joe B. & Company would eventually win the SEC Tournament, before being beaten in the Final Four by Georgetown and Patrick Ewing.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

BREAKING: Calipari will be gone by 2030

John Calipari told Dan Patrick today that his Kentucky job, "isn't a 20-year run." He later added he wanted to kiss Dan on the lips.....through the phone......and would potentially wrestle around with John Wall on the ground. Cal also says Dan needs to stop sweatin' Coach K. Quite an interesting listen!

King Rex was also on Jim Rome today showing his alma mater some love. Said he's walking around with a little more pep in his step nowadays.

Queen Ashley was on the ESPN family of networks also promoting the idea that the Tooth Fairy is fake.

World domination.

Go Cats.

Calipari 1.18 - Cats Outlast.......................................Auburn

January 21st: On this date...

... in 1922, your University of Kentucky Wildcats, led by head coach George C. Buchheit, beat in-state rival Louisville for the program’s 100th win, 29-22. The game took place at Kentucky’s Buell Armory Gymnasium and was the second victory over the Birds in less than five days. The Good Guys won in Louisville 38-14 four days earlier at St. Xavier Gymnasium. According to Jon Scott’s Big Blue History site, the Kentucky defense was so stingy, Louisville never made a basket inside of 35 feet. Think about that for a second. Even more staggering is the fact they made nine shots from the distance. One quote from the Lexington Herald recap says, “Most of the Cardinal's shots came from more than halfway down the court.” William King led the Cats with six field goals and finished with 13 points. Future Kentucky head coach and retired jersey club member Basil Hayden was also on the squad. The 1922 squad return four out of five starters from the 1921 team that ultimately won the Championship of the South.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 20th: On this date...

... in 1996, one game removed from scoring 86 first half points at LSU, senior guard Tony Delk set the nets on fire making a school record nine three-pointers in a 124-80 victory over TCU. Kentucky came out on point once again scoring 63 first half points and led by 30 at halftime. The Brownsville, Tennessee-native was 9-13 from the field, taking only one two-point shot. Eleven Cats saw action and nobody played over 27 minutes (Antoine Walker) as Big Blue shot 57% from the field, 56% from behind the three point line. Delk’s nine three-pointers was the benchmark for outside shooting at Kentucky until 2009, when Jodie Meeks went ballistic, making 10, on Tennessee in Knoxville. Tony also lost the stranglehold on the Rupp Arena record when Sam Houston State came waltzing in this past November. Corey Allmond was unconscious going 11-16 behind the arc, finishing with 37 points. Kentucky held on, though, against a game Sam Houston team 102-92 behind DeMarcus Cousins’ 27 points and 18 rebounds.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 19th: On this date...

... in 2000, your University of Kentucky Wildcats retired the jerseys of three basketball legends before an evening tilt against the Ole Miss Rebels. Bill Spivey, Pat Riley, and Jamal Mashburn would forever be remembered in hallowed Rupp Arena as Kentucky basketball royalty, becoming the 36th, 37th, and 38th players to have their jerseys retired.

Spivey, who wore #77, was a 7-foot tall big man who set numerous records in his two seasons in Blue. He topped the 1,000 point mark, setting scoring marks in 1950 and 1951. He also set rebounding records for the SEC in 1951, including a school record 34 rebounds. Spivey died in 1995.

Pat Riley earned All-SEC and All-American honors in 1966 as a part of UK’s famed Rupp’s Runts. According to Adoplh Rupp, Pat Riley, who wore #42, was one the most complete athletes he ever coached. He currently 17th on Kentucky all-time scoring list. Riley parlayed his success as a player into coaching, as he was named “Coach of the Decade” for the 1980s after leading the Showtime Lakers to four titles. He later earned his fifth title as the head coach of the Miami Heat.

Jamal Mashburn (#24) was the building block for my generation in terms of renewed success and led Big Blue back to prominence during the 1990s. He was Rick Pitino first big time recruit and did not disappoint during his three years in Lexington. The Monster Mash left the University fourth on the all-time scoring list and currently sits at #6. Mash was a consensus All-American in 1993, leading the Cats to their first Final Four in nine seasons.

FYI: Kentucky beat Ole Miss 74-69 behind Jamaal Magloire’s 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 18th: On this date...

... in 1969, your University of Kentucky Wildcats went on the road to Knoxville and became the first college basketball team to reach the 1,000 victory mark. The 69-66 win over the Tennessee Volunteers was completed playing only five players, although the five were Kentucky legends. Dan Issel led the way with 21 points and six rebounds on 8-12 shooting from the field. Current Big Blue Sports Network analyst Mike Pratt added 17 points and five rebounds on 5-7 shooting. Other lines included: Larry Steele (8-14 FG - 18 points - 6 rebounds), Mike Casey (9 points - 5 rebounds), Phil Argento (4 points - 4 rebounds). Head coach Adolph Rupp and the Boys would celebrate the milestone victory a few games later in front of the Big Blue faithful in Memorial Coliseum in a win over Vanderbilt. The celebration included a cake with 1,000 candles on it, nearly setting the entire place on fire. Once the cake was lit, players had to rush over and blow it out before the fire marshall was called. Simpler times.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 17th: On this date...

... in 1998, Tubby Smith and your #6 University of Kentucky Wildcats outlasted Nolan Richardson and the #22 Arkansas Razorbacks 80-77 in overtime at Rupp Arena. The win moved Big Blue to 16-2 on the season and 6-1 against Top 25 teams under their new head coach. The story of the day was three-point shooting, as the Cats were a paltry 2-19 from behind the arc. Add in the fact Arkansas was 9-30, and we found our beloved team in a tight spot. But Uber sixth man Heshimu Evans was an efficient 8-12 from the field and finished with 20 points and seven rebounds including multiple key baskets in overtime to help us escape. Scott Padgett (11 points - 12 rebounds) and Nazr Mohammed (14 points - 13 rebounds) both had double-doubles and helped the good guys destroy Arkansas on the boards 57-31. Richardson’s 40 Minutes of Hell caused a season high 22 turnovers (including Wayne Turner with six and Allen Edwards with five) to help offset the absurd rebounding margin. The Comeback Cats could not be denied as the win was their fifth straight against Arkansas.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 16th: On this date...

LSU stands and watches for the first 20.

... in 1996, is one of my personal favorites as your University of Kentucky Wildcats scored 86 first half points on the way to a complete destruction of the LSU Tigers, 129-97 in Baton Rouge. In the most complete half of basketball I’ve ever seen as a member of Big Blue Nation, the Tigers seemed to only get the inbounds pass in about 50% of the time. Antoine Walker and Walter McCarty made it look like they were playing against athletes half their size, as they continually stole the pass under the goal for dunks and layups. It was the first time Rick Pitino had been back to Baton Rouge since the Mardi Gras Miracle two years earlier. No doubt Rick told the Boys to get out early, as another comeback would be fresh in the mind of LSU. The ‘96 team took the meaning of “getting out early” to a whole new level. Walker finished the game a ludicrous 16-20 FG - 32 points - 8 rebounds, most of which came in the first half. Only two Cats played over 20 minutes (Walker - 24, Epps 21) and a toal of ten Cats played at least 14 minutes. Even Oliver Simmons and Cameron Mills got in on the action. Some ridiculous totals from the game include: 159 FG attempted - 81 FG made - 71 FT attempted - 89 rebounds - 46 fouls - 54 Turnovers (31 by LSU). Most definitely a Game for the ages by a Team for the ages.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 15th: On this date...

... in 2005, two scary names from Kentucky’s past reunited as point guard Patrick Sparks met his old Western Kentucky coach Dennis Felton down in Athens, Georgia. Kentucky had fourteen players log minutes, controlled the contest throughout and won the game 74-55. Patrick Sparks led the way for the Cats on the outside (15 points - 5 assists) and Chuck Hayes dominated things down low (13 points - 11 rebounds). The game was also a coming out party for freshman Ramel Bradley, who impressed with his play off the bench. Bradley finished the contest with an efficient 5-7 shooting and 14 points. The victory moved #8 Kentucky to 13-2 on the season, the only losses coming to North Carolina and Kansas. They would only lose two games in SEC play in 2005 and go into the NCAA Tournament boasting a 25-5 record after falling in the SEC Championship game to Florida. The run ended in Austin, Texas, in the Elite Eight to Michigan State.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 14th: On this date...

... in 2003, your #16 University of Kentucky Wildcats apparently got a halftime speech of a lifetime from head coach Tubby Smith as they came out and destroyed Vandy in the second half to win going away, 74-52. Vandy came out on fire hitting five consecutive three-pointers in route to a 25-11 lead at the midpoint of half one. By halftime, the Commodore lead had been cut to eight. The second half of basketball was possibly the greatest of basketball played under Tubby while at Kentucky. The Cats outscored their opponent 46-16 in the final frame to cut the halftime deficit into a 22-point victory. Whatever it was Tubby said in the locker room had a profound effect on the rest of the season. Kentucky won every game they played in the SEC, finishing 16-0 for the regular season. They also won the SEC Tournament in 2003, making them the first and only team to sweep regular and post season honors in SEC history. Tubby’s defensive specialists went on to win 26 straight games and went into the NCAA Tournament as the #1 team in the country. A 27th straight win would have resulted in a Final Four berth. I can sum up the ending of the season with two words: Dwyane Wade.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Calipari 1.17 - Bledsoe, Cats Take Down Predator, Gators

Freak Show and his armpit were enough in Gainesville.

Eric Bledsoe confirmed to Big Blue Nation once again that he loves life on the road as he continually got to the basket to lead the Good Guys to their first win in Gainesville since 2004. Florida made a game of it late midway through the second half, but the Cats used a 14-1 down the stretch to make the worst hair in college sports sad and the semi-loud Kentucky faithful happy.

To the highlights:

• Eric Bledsoe was the star of the game for the second straight official road game finishing the game 10-13 FG for a cool 23 points. He tied for the team lead in rebounds with seven and added five assists and three steals. Nice to have one of the best point guards in the country, eh?
• Just when you think we can't anything going, Darnell Dodson shows up again with two huge three's. This team is starting to show the World how dangerous we can be. If we hit from deep, we're Unbeatable.
• Pat (7-11 FG - 15 points - 7 rebounds) came up with a big bucket late when Florida had cut the lead to nil. The offense through Pat seems to be an afterthought, or at least until we need it. The Man-Child earns his points. Mr. Dependable.
• Big Cuz (13 points - 5 rebounds) showed some aggression in the second half once more. After a slow start, the Cats pounded it down low and did whatever they wanted in the second 20.
• Freak Show (19 points - 6 assists - 4 rebounds) continues to amaze. How did he get those points. Very quiet indeed. Nice to have one of the best point guards in the country, eh?
  
• Loved seeing Darius (9 points - 4 rebounds - 2 assists) man up and take a few shots in crunch time. To see him at the top of the key with ball as the shot wound down, then pull up confidently for an 18-footer was a very pleasant sight.
• Daniel Orton (2 points - 9 rebounds - 4 blocks) made the Gators look silly in the paint.
  

An overall terrific night in a place that seemed Kentucky heavy in the crowd. Or it could've just been the the Gator basketball fans realizing they were seeing the best team in America. You make the call.

Go Cats.

January 13th: On this date...

... in 2009, a 6'4 junior guard from Norcross, Georgia, put on a show in enemy territory, as Jodie Meeks went ballistic scoring 54 points in a win over Tennessee, 90-72. The 54 points stand as the single greatest scoring performance in Kentucky basketball history, breaking Dan Issel’s 39 year old mark of 53 points against Mississippi in the 1969-70 season. Meeks could do no wrong on the night as most of his teammates simply got out of the way and watched. On the other hand, Tennessee did about the same, as Jodie was left open time after time. No other Wildcat finished in double-figures (Pat was the closest at 9 points - 12 rebounds). The finishing line on Meeks’ night: 39 minutes played - 15-22 FG - 10-15 3PM - 14-14 FT - 54 points - 8 rebounds - 4 assists. Enough words. Need picture movie.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Kentucky - Florida Preview

Conan Slams NBC

This could get interesting in the next few weeks.

January 12th: On this date...

... in 1994, your 8th-ranked University of Kentucky Wildcats dismantled the Ole Miss Rebels in Freedom Hall, 98-64. The trio of Jared Prickett (8-10 FG - 18 points - 4 rebounds), Walter McCarty (8-10 FG - 4-5 3PM - 24 points - 3 rebounds - 3 assists), and Rodrick Rhodes (18 points - 8 rebounds - 12-14 FT) did anything they wanted for most of the day as the outcome was never in doubt. Of Kentucky’s 32 made baskets, 25 were assisted, led by Travis Ford’s nine. By halftime the lead had ballooned to 60-27, behind 7-13 shooting from behind the 3-point line. The Cats also forced the Rebels into 21 first half turnovers, leading to uncontested fast break points. Big Blue would ultimately finish the 27-7, but not before being regular season SEC Co-Champions with Florida, winning the SEC Tournament, and being given a #3 seed for the NCAA Tournament. The year would come to an end in the second round, though, after Marquette put the clamps down on Rodrick Rhodes (0-9 FG - 0 points) and the Cats. It was probably one of the more disappointing endings to a season during the Pitino Era.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Calipari 1.16 - UGA Lets Us Off the Hook, Cats Move to 16-0

Coach Cal's first ever SEC game started off well enough, but the unranked Bulldogs proved to be a pesky foe in game #16. An even when Cal noted this was a great win in the post-game, he moved the Cats record to 9-7. And although UK didn't necessarily dominate the game early, we still got off to a quick 11 point lead. The Dawgs fought back, took the lead, and freaked out everyone in Big Blue Nation. That is.......until a naked Big Cuz took the game over down the stretch.

To the highlights:

• The Big Naked had seven straight points in a crucial time in the second half, including the game clinching layup with under a minute left. He finished the game with: 16 points - 7 rebounds - 3 steals - 2 blocks - 0 headbands.
  
• Pat was in the right place all day long as he finished an efficient 8-13 FG - 17 points - 6 rebounds - 2 assists. It's clear Pat will only be fed when Big Cuz is out of the game. Not saying that's bad, but it's true.
  
• Freak Show's line was: 17 points - 5 assists - 4 rebounds. He put the hammer down one more time.
  
• DeAndre Liggins was the key to the game. When Big Blue was in a lull, he came in to give the Cats a spark at a much needed time. His six points and three steals were the most important line of the day. If he continues to slash, Darius and Ramon will be losing out.
  
• Kentucky forced 26 turnovers and when still only won in the last minutes. Not the best effort, but a W is a W, and everybody is coming after us for sure.

Go Cats.

January 11th: On this date...

... in 1997, your third ranked University of Kentucky Wildcats were upset in Oxford, Mississippi, by the most famous basketball player in Ole Miss history..........Ansu Sesay. The 73-69 loss snapped a 14-game winning streak for UK, moving the Cats to 14-2 on the season. It was the first loss in nearly two months for the defending National Champions; the first coming to #20 Clemson in the opening game of the 1996-97 campaign. The shooters: Allen Edwards, Derek Anderson, and Ron Mercer, were off the mark, going a combined 8-31 from the field. The team went a paltry 3-13 behind the arc. To this day, I’ll always blame it on the lighting in that hole they called a gym. Homecourt advantage is homecourt advantage, that is until you refuse to put lighting over the baskets. One of the weirder phenomenons in college basketball. As you can tell, I took loss #2 very well The MVP of the All-Name team, Ansu Sesay, finished the game with 16 points - 8 rebounds - 2 assists - 2 steals - 2 blocks. Big Blue would eventually finish out the year 35-5, falling one win short of bacl-to-back National Championships.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 10th: On this date...

... in 2003, your University of Kentucky new head football coach Rich Brooks started his tenure by naming several coaches to his staff. Among those hired by Brooks was former Wildcat player Joker Phillips. The former wide receiver (1981-84) would head the University’s recruiting efforts as well as coach the wide receivers. Phillips was a standout for Franklin-Simpson, leading them to two Class AAA state championships as a quarterback. He left UK as the fifth leading receiver in Wildcat history and was a part of the last team to beat Tennessee in 1984. Joker was named offensive coordinator in 2004 and successfully led the Kentucky offense to improved marks in each of his first three seasons. Under the previous offensive coordinator, UK averaged 15.7 points and 275.5 yards per game. In the next three seasons under Phillips, Big Blue’s totals went to: 2005 (21.7 ppg - 297.5 ypg), 2006 (26.7 ppg - 375.3 ypg), 2007 (36.5 ppg - 443.4 ypg). In 2008, Phillips was named head coach in waiting, presumably to keep continuity in the program. And with recent developments, the 2010 football season looks to be Joker Phillips’ first as the University of Kentucky head coach.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 9th: On this date...

... in 1991, your #11 University of Kentucky Wildcats took out unranked Mississippi State, 89-70, in front of 23,990 fans at Rupp Arena. This game is significant because Big Blue stole the ball from the Bulldogs a program record 23 times in route to the comfortable victory. It was at this point, Kentucky fans really got a taste of what their team would look like for the near future. A frenetic, up-and-down pace that would make the opposing team do things they either weren’t accustomed to, or make them think much more than they needed. And all of this was being done without the necessary horses, while on probation. The Cats were led by Jamal Mashburn (24 points - 8 rebounds), Reggie Hanson (19 points - 9 rebounds), and Sean Woods (10 points - 7 assists). Rick Pitino finished his second season as UK’s head coach ranked ninth in the AP poll with a 22-6 record. The 14-4 Conference mark was good enough for best record in the SEC, but was not recognized due to probation. I’m guessing this put the other SEC schools on notice, as a team on probation just won/dominated your Conference.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 8th: On this date...

... in 1955, your University of Kentucky Wildcats lost on their home court for the first time since January 2, 1943. The Georgia Tech Engineers came into Memorial Coliseum and stunned the top-ranked Wildcats, 59-58. The Wildcats’ home winning streak was officially over at 129, an NCAA record that still stands today. The sellout crowd was in shock, mirroring the Rupp Arena crowds from the past two seasons. Georgia Tech was not a highly rated team and had won just two of its last six games. The student body gathered outside Memorial that night and greeted the players with encouragement and the school fight song in an attempt to pick up the team’s spirit. Big Blue ended the season ranked second by both the AP and UPI (23-3 record), but eventually lost in the NCAA Tournament to our apparent arch nemesis, the Marquette Whole Milks.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 7th: On this date...

... in 1963, in what had to be one of the longest games to date in SEC history, your University of Kentucky Wildcats outlasted Vanderbilt and the referees to win 106-82 at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville. A total of 86 free throws were shot in Nashville that day, and the Cats were 46-53 from the stripe (87%). The 46 made free throws still stands today as the program record for made free throws in a game. Eventual Lexington mayor Scotty Baesler paced the Cats, going 16-17 on his own. Cotton Nash was 9-11 and Charles Ishmael finished a perfect 8-8. Kentucky dominated Vandy on the boards as well, led by Don Rolfes’ 19 points and 17 rebounds. Nash finished the game with 27 points and 6 rebounds, and Baesler added 22 points and 6 rebounds. A total of 57 fouls were called in the game and six players fouled out. Big Blue ended the season with 16 wins against 9 losses and did not make the NCAA Tournament.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

January 6th: On this date...

... in 1998, Wayne Turner had one of his most efficient days as a Wildcat to lead the Wildcats to a 90-79 victory in Athens, Georgia. It was a familiar place for new Kentucky head coach, as it was Tubby Smith’s first appearance back at Georgia since taking the job in Lexington. Not only was it Tubby Smith’s first game back at Georgia as UK’s head coach, it was also the first time in NCAA history that a coach coached with one son on his team and another son on the opposing team. Freshman Saul Smith logged 10 minutes as a backup point guard and G.G. Smith played 36 minutes as Georgia starting point guard. Kentucky’s Wayne Turner, though, was the story as he finished the game 5-8 from the field and 10-13 from the free throw line to finish with 20 points - 5 rebounds - 5 assists. Allen Edwards added 19 points and 6 rebounds; Heshimu Evans and Nazr Mohammed both finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds. The win moved the #6 Wildcats to 13-2 on the season, in what would turn out to be a very memorable season for the new head coach.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

World Domination: Phase 83

Coach Cal sent this out today as Freak Show has been jinxed? given the honor of the upcoming Sports Illustrated cover. This must be how it feels to be on top of the world. Carry on.

Go Cats.

January 5th: On this date...

... in 1993, Rick Pitino and his team had a bit of a scare when on their way to Athens to play Georgia. On the way down the runway to takeoff, the pilot noticed a mechanical issue. The plane’s engine was smoking. This forced the athletic department to call on their boosters to try and get a private plane for the trip. The boosters responded in the short amount of time with four planes in which to choose. Once the team survived the trip down to Athens, the rest was all business. Kentucky led by 14 at halftime, on their way to a 74-59 victory. The win gave the eventual Final Four team its tenth straight win to give the #2 Cats a 10-0 mark on the young season. Jamal Mashburn led all scorers with 26 points on 9-20 shooting and scored at will against the overmatched Georgia defense. Mash also added five assists and three rebounds. Travis Ford finished an efficient 4-5 from the field, 3-4 from 3-point range, and 4-4 from the charity stripe, to finish with 15 points - 4 assists - 2 rebounds. It was estimated that 40-45% of the 9,824 in attendance were wearing Blue.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

Boise State Band Member Absolutely Killin It On the Cowbell

Calipari 1.15 - How's My Elbow Taste

Big Blue has matched its best start in 40 years (15-0, or as Cal says 9-6) with Saturday's 71-62 victory over the Restaurant Syphers.

• DeMarcus Cousins had a big day (18 points - 18 rebounds - 1 elbow to Card face). It got to the point in the second half that I was almost getting mad at Big Cuz for not getting the rebound. He absolutely dominated the glass.
• Freak Show once again put us on his back during the run to seal the game. Fine by me.
• Pat had a dunk fest. Good and bad.
• DeAndre Liggins had a huge heads-up play when he smacked a loose ball to Pat. Baby steps.
• Eric Bledsoe nearly "Got shit right" on Reginald Delk's face.
• Daniel Orton loves him some fouls, eh?

Go Cats.

January 4th: On this date...

... in 1943, your University of Kentucky Wildcats beat Fort Knox, 64-30, to move to 3-2 on the young season. Why is this significant? This was the first win in what turned out to be an NCAA-record 129 straight on their home court. The streak went on for twelve years, and was stretched between Alumni Gymnasium and Memorial Coliseum. The Cats were led by that day by a Jenkins, KY-native, 6'3 forward/center Milt Ticco, who finished the game with 17 points. During the 1942-43 season, the Kentucky basketball team only played nine home games the entire season. A streak that size, nowadays, would take about half the time due to the vast amount of home games in today’s game. The 2009-10 version of Big Blue had completed nine home games by mid-December. Kentucky ended the season with a record of 17 wins against 6 losses.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach