Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
It was a bit of a tedious affair in Rupp Arena yesterday, but the Cats took away an important victory that leaves them 6-2 in conference and on the road to potentially making a splash and heading towards the NCAA Tournament. After the game, I was with the Kentucky Sports Radio crew and away from the Internet, but was reminded while out in Downtown Lexington at midnight that I “hadnt posted anything about the game.” So we are here to remedy that with five tidbits from the post-game festivities….
(1) GILLISPIE MAKING TEAM TENSE: I admit to being fascinated with Coach Clyde’s personality and the various emotions that he brings out during the season. At the beginning of the season, he was often cantankerous with the media and many of the media types wondering aloud if he was the most difficult person to work with in UK history. But then all of a sudden he began to open up and at times, seems almost reflective about himself. Case in point today where the Coach, without prodding, began to question the pregame approach he took with his team.” “I was too hard on them….I made them too tentative. I made too much of the magnitude of the game.” Coach said he thought this game was huge due to the athletes on the team and that it may have been one of the more important games of the season and it caused him to “present to tense a guy” to the rest of the team. The players for their part thought Gillispie did nothing differently and Patrick Patterson noted that, “Coach takes blame for a lot.” Nevertheless at least to me, this seemed like a different type of thing. You could almost see Coach beating himself up over his pre-game tactics and taking responsibility for the way he attempted to prepare the team. Somewhat fascinating to watch….
(2) RETURN OF BRADLEY: After being out for the Auburn game, most of the talk after today’s game was about Smooth’s return to the lineup. Gillispie for his part jokingly said that in the first five minutes of the game it looked as if Ramel had “post-concussion syndrome” with the way he played, but he felt that he then played like a leader for the rest of the contest. Patterson noted that with Ramel on the court, “things are calmer” and the Cats “have a leader to look to down the stretch.” Ramel noted he was glad to be back but also talked about the positive of watching the game against Auburn. “It was cool to be on the sidelines and cheer and root for the guys….I never get to do it and its a lot of fun.” That last sentence says a lot about the kind of guy Ramel has become over his four years here in Lexington.
(3) RAMEL’s BIG SHOT: Much was made after the game about the possession where Patterson took a jump hook late in the shot clock, was blocked, and then the ball kicked out to Bradley, who hit a key 3 pointer to put the Cats up 6…a lead they never relinquished. Gillispie called such a play one that has “a deflating effect” on the defense and Coach Gottfried also noted the momentum changing effect of the shot. For his part, Bradley was classic Smooth, noting that when he got the ball he simply wanted to put up the shot fast and then come down “to make sure I posed for the photographers.” He said that he knew the cameras were on and so while he wasnt “150% Brooklyn” as he said he normally is, he still was “120%” and trying to make a big shot to help the team win.
(4) NCAA TOURNAMENT TIME: To a man, every player on the team said they are not looking ahead to what it takes to make a tournament bid.. I asked all four players brought to the postgame this question (Stevenson, Crawford, Bradley and Patterson) and all said the same thing. All four used the phrase “one game at a time”, as if it were coached into them on how to look at the season. Joe Crawford noted that “if we take it game by game, it will be fine….we can win all the regular season games, go to the conference tournament and win and then everything will be fine.” Ramel Bradley noted that he hadnt even looked at the schedule except he knew that the Cats were headed to Vandy where “I dont like to play.” When asked why, he said it was nothing personal to Nashville but “I wish we could play every game right here at home.”
(5) JERRY TIPTON AND JAY Z: In an interaction bizarre enough that it deserves its own post (which it will get tomorrow), Jerry Tipton and Ramel Bradley had an extremely odd dialogue on Jay Z, which may have been the highlight of the game. Towards the end of the Bradley session, Tipton looked at Bradley and said (in a voice that can only be described as “very, very, VERY white”), “how come you dont do the Jay Z anymore?” At first Ramel looked confused, until someone said that Jerry was referring to his Diamond sign that he gives to the crowd. Ramel mentioned that he didnt do it anymore because he decided that the team needed to not “focus on ourselves” as much as before. He said that the team chemistry was strong and that they break every huddle by saying “Family”, which means less individual and more team. While the answer was great, the interaction on Jay Z between Bradley and Tipton was worthy of its own show (and post) and deserves much more attention tomorrow.
In other news, Ramon Harris is ok and could have played at the end of the game according to the Coach. The 1978 team was there and was honored, which was another real highlight for me. The team who won the championship on the year of my birth was all in attendance and the ovations for Givens, Robey, Lee, Phillips, Macy, etc was tremendous. No place does college basketball history like Kentucky.
More tomorrow on all topics from Jerry Tipton rapping to OH Napier making music videos….it is a great day….
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February 10th, 2008 at 3:08 am
AJ Stewart got alot of playing time today!!! How frustrating it must be for him,Smooth looked great,glad he was back fo sho!!!
February 10th, 2008 at 4:08 am
I agree with Bradley about playing at Vandy..it’s a great place to watch a game but very difficult to get a win there..I am going to the game Tuesday night, and I hear that Vandy is trying to put a squeeze on the number of tickets that UK fans can get it’s hands on..it’s normally a large group of UK fans for that game..maybe Vandy got pissed about the football game this year and the 85% blue shirts in attendance at the game..that was awesome being at that game, it felt like a home game…if UK can pull out a win on Tuesday, the NCAA tourney will become a real possibility.
February 10th, 2008 at 7:54 am
jerry tipton is “white”… please tell us, how does a “white” person speak with a “black” voice?
mr. aclu
February 10th, 2008 at 7:58 am
3.
What does the ACLU have to do with any of this besides the fact that they would defend his right to say what he wants to say? You are implying that you have no idea what the ACLU does.
On a related note, many people thought that Elvis sang like he had a ‘black’ voice. Kind of like Sheray Thomas jumped like he had midget legs.
February 10th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Is Ramon Harris injured? I’ve heard conflicting reports.
February 10th, 2008 at 8:13 am
I’m sure if that morning radio guy (you know, the one that got fired for his speech) appeared in black-face,
the aclu would defend his right to look “black”… again, how does one speak like a “black”?
tipton was not singing,was he.
February 10th, 2008 at 8:34 am
We can do w/o the OH.
Another solid win for the Cats!
The ACLU is no longer the defender of civil liberties but an extremely biased agenda, as is evidenced by their defense of certain religions over others. They started off good though.
February 10th, 2008 at 8:39 am
it happens quiet often that folks inject race as a side remark (i.e. very, very, VERY white”). if it’s a liberal, nothing is really meant by it, it’s harmless, etc.
“ebonics and hip-hop” right, that’s the voice that “blacks” should have, and tipton didn’t. stereotyping at it’s best…
I can’t keep up with their caseload, did the aclu lose the fight to make Ebonics a recognized language…
February 10th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Its good to see that Ramel has abandoned the Diamond sign or whatever that thing he did with his hands after making a three. I always thought that was a stupid gesture and totally unnecessary. It was similar to guys dancing in the end-zone. There’s enough Chad Johnson’s around today; we can do without that junk in college sports.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:02 am
RPI up to 89 this morning. I dont think anyone in the country has seen an RPI improvement over the past 6 weeks like UK has. It shows you, like my friend Dennis Green says, “they were who we thought they were”.
Oh yea, and Jerry Tipton is a pompous a**hole.
OH Napier for Governor in 2012 (maybe we should just start with Breathitt Constable 2010).
February 10th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Speech shouldn’t be censored just because it is stereotypical. I think the ACLU would stand up for that - they have, after all, defended the likes of Fred Phelps and the Aryan Nation in the past (conservatives) as well as the rights of anarchists, communists, and pacifists.
The wish to apply the principles of liberty wherever possible is the true foundation of individual liberalism, not the whole love-affair with the welfare state that Republicans seem to like to hang on American liberals.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
It is supposed to be a funny post….some of you REALLY need to lighten up
February 10th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
don’t pay attention to them, matt
anyone done a calculation as to what the RPI would look like if we win on tuesday?
February 10th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Blah, Blah, Blah, in my best white voice.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
13 - well being that the RPI is based 25% on our record, 50% our opponents record, and 25% on our opponents’ opponents record, you would have to know the results of all other games up to and including Tuesday’s games in order to find that info… but I will say this, if we win, we’ll be in the low 70’s, possibly even break the 60’s (since it is the #11 RPI team on the road…) a win would be HUGE for our RPI standings
February 10th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Anybody know Meeks’ availability on Tuesday. Would be nice to have another quality player on the floor.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
years ago, many thought “N” word and Jew jokes were supposed to be funny…
true enough,it is free speech and I’m glad folks have that right…
February 10th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
12.
When has this blog ever been funny?
.
.
.
.
(I’m kidding, I’m kidding, don’t take it personally)
February 10th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
13 - so I am bored at work, and decided to play around with the numbers. Assuming our SOS remains the same (which it can’t by definitition, so take this with a grain of salt)… If we win, our RPI goes from .5501 to .5593, which would put us in 68th place, if no one else changes (once again, not possible, but you get the idea)
February 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Actually, depending on the outcome of the Indiana and UNC games today, we have the potential to jump or drop a few spots without doing anything… isn’t math fun…
February 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Leach: “Azubuike fall-away three for the tie…no good. Long rebound to the top of the key, Sparks for three and it’s…..GOOD!! OH MY GOD!! O…MY…..GOOD-NESS!!!!! PATRICK SPARKS GOT IT AND HE GOES OVER AND GIVES BILLY PACKER A HIGH FIVE!!”
Analyst: “How about the guts from the kid from Central City!”
February 10th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Politically correct people can kiss my ass….Thank god Matt keeps me updated with relevant info.
You know…..some people who post are truly f#$%^&g ridiculous.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
22. thank goodness the ACLU would defend your right to use innuendo f-bombs on sunday…
God Bless America (even Hillary).
February 10th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
11 - American liberal politicians have the label of having a love-affair with the welfare state because of their own actions and policies. Ex. Hillary Clinton’s proposal of a government-run health care system, government re-distribution of wealth, extension of unemployment benefits, and on and on and on. Clinton’s social policies more closely resemble Communism than those of a free-market economy. I am all for civil liberties and helping those that cannot help themselves, but not encouraging those who can work to sit on their butt and draw a check. There are more people who are able to work abusing disability benefits than there are legitimate cases. If liberal policies are to work, they have to figure out a way to stop people from cheating the system. By the way, my share of the economic stimulus package, for which I am not eligible, will be going to those who are too lazy to work (no offense to those with legitimate disabilities).
I apologize for continuing this, but I feel like it had to be said. I vow to no longer enter political discussions on this site. I, for one, would enjoy this blog alot more if the (serious) political discussions were left out.
To the purpose of the blog, I admire the never quit attitude of this team. Another W is what really counts. Go Cats!
February 10th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
WE’RE ON BUBBLE WATCH ON ESPN.COM!!!!!!!!
February 10th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Great news - 25.
February 10th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
RIGHT ON –24!
February 10th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
adthom1 is right again. Indiana’s win at Ohio St. took them to 29 in the RPI from 35, pulling UK up a spot from 88 to 87 (one spot behind Minnesota). Hopefully our strength of schedule will allow this trend to continue (i.e. - our opponents continue to win, thus helping our RPI).
February 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Pivotal game at Vandy as far as RPI. If we win, we should move up quite a bit. If we lose, we will have to claw our way back, game by agem.
February 10th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
24. With all due respect, I understand your perspective because it is what you have been conditioned to believe.
However, the Democrat policies more closely resemble socialism because they 1) redistribute wealth to the more needy and 2) provide social policies (defense, police, education, healthcare) for the advancement of society
The GOP policies resemble communism much more closely - not in ideology but in endpoint. The GOP focus on concentration of wealth and power to a chosen few (like a central committee) can be seen in their decisionmaking process: greater media consolidation, no-bid contracts to a select-few corporations, and blocking fair capitalistic competition for the favored few entrepeneurs (who just-so-happen to be campaign donors). That kind of oligarchy and cronyism is a lot like conditions towards the end of the Soviet Union.
I do totally agree with you about this team. It is like they are refusing to lose.
February 10th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
30 - The Dems are Socialists and Communists. They play the same games with special interest groups as the other party - be it on a national or state level. Pretty much every elected official leaves office a lot more wealthy than when they went in (regardless of party). Why is that — it’s not the tremendous salaries they receive.
February 10th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
30 - because our major political parties are actually fronts for corporate interests. We need a President elected from a labor union.