GYERO ARCHIVE

[Dennis Reynolds]

-Pretty infuriating that not only did we play the only 4/5 game, but there was also zero 3/6 matchups. Switch UK with any victorious 3 seed, 4 seed, 5 seed or 6 seed, and we are playing a double digit seed in R2. Instead we are playing IU in B10 country after getting the late game.

-Definitely in wait and see mode on next year's squad. I'm sure we'll suffer some ******** losses early while the cake is baking. Even the OMG! best ever 2013 class was pretty much dogshit until the SECT. I like the pieces.

-UNC will destroy IU. Lock.

-Chad pointed this out, but the ACC's best win is over 7 seed Dayton. Weird. Nice for Duke they have every ACC team save Miami on the other side of the bracket.

 

[B Rax_rivals210137]

Next years team will be awesome. Probably make the final four. Lots of dunks. Look, this is as good as it gets. Enjoy the ride

 

[Mattox]

From Bozo:

Tom Crean = Kentucky’s Kryptonite

Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean will turn 50 Friday when the Hoosiers play North Carolina in the East Regional semifinals in Philadelphia. He’s won 338 games during 17 seasons as a head coach at Marquette and IU.

He’s also knocked Kentucky out of the NCAA Tournament as many times as any coach in history.

More than Dean Smith. More than Tom Izzo. More than Jim Calhoun. More than Gary Williams. Those Hall of Famers (Izzo should be inducted this year) have done it twice.

Crean got his three-peat Saturday in Des Moines, matching the three NCAA Tournament victories over UK that Fred Taylor scored at Ohio State during the Sixties.

I would argue the three biggest and most unforgettable wins of Crean’s career have come against Kentucky.

That would be (in order) the Dwyane Wade/Marquette victory in the 2003 regional in Minneapolis; the Christian Watford Shot victory at Assembly Hall in December 2011 and the 73-67 victory over the Wildcats Saturday in Des Moines.

Add his 2008 victory over the Wildcats in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and Crean has eliminated UK teams coached by Tubby Smith (2003), Billy Gillispie (2008) and John Calipari (2016).

Good. Let them be content with being Pat Garrett. Crean is just a creepy version of Tubby. Three wins over Kentucky in a twenty year career is the stuff of SEC West legend.

 

[MaxPowerrr]

Violence down low. Cake baking all year. Willis sending them in from off the rezzie.

Fine. We'll be fine. Really.

 

[_Chase_]

Oh, usually your facetious posts are funny. My bad.

:fire:

 

[UK_Dallas]

Its really going to suck when Duke repeats and then brings everyone back but Plumlee and Ingram.

Bringing back 60 points per game. Wouldn't surprise me if Allen and Kennard average 40 combined next year. Sadly, the they are going to be the team to beat for the next two years.

 

[_Chase_]

STFU about Duke, Chief. Jesus Tap Dancing Christ every single person here knows they are going to be pretty damn good. We don't need you evangelising for them on here. F*ck you.

 

[cawoodsct]

Maybe Ted Cruz will go pro.

 

[UKRob 73]

So the Lexington basketball group is going to last longer even though everyone is chipping in money each week? Sounds about right.

Ill tell you what sounds about right, is that You're the only human alive Katina can stick more fingers in than twills.

 

[Crankdatmustard_rivals66299]

Would be nice if Willis would pick up a weight this offseason

 

[cricket3]

Great joke Rob. You really got me.

 

[UK_Dallas]

Jamie Dixon to TCU. Didn't see that coming.

Sean Miller to Pitt? Wouldn't be a good move but maybe he feels like it's not going to happen at AZ.

 

[BristolCat_rivals158386]

Tom Crean career record against Kentucky: 4-4.

Avg. Margin of victory for Indiana/Marquette: 7.25
Avg. Margin of victory for Kentucky: 16.5

Oh, and it gets WAY worse if you just use his Indiana tenure. Kentucky is then 4-2 with the average of the six games being Kentucky by just under 10 points.

KRYPTONITE!!!

 

[drxman1]

I don't think you guys realize what you can really fit up an anus.

 

[cawoodsct]

I don't think you guys realize what you can really fit up an anus.

We realize its at least the size of your head based on your posts in here.

 

[UKStoleMyFish]

It's easy to anoint UK or Duke the Greatest Team Ever, but who knows. We had roughly 17 McD's AA in our 2013 class, and we ended up being an 8 seed that was a shot away from losing in the 2nd round. And Coach K is going to have his hands full finding minutes to keep everybody happy if nobody leaves early besides Ingram. Not saying they'll have chemistry issues because I don't know anything about those kids, but it wouldn't shock me. Especially if K guilts Allen into returning when he should go.

Only thing I'm sure of is that KenPom's preseason #1 -- LOUISVILLE -- will not be the Greatest Team Ever.

 

[Strokin_Bandit]

- I don't know if this has been mentioned (I don't have the heart to go back and read the in-game posts), but I found it ironic that IU was doing more dribble penetrating than UK which left our D scrambling all over the floor. Remember how 5 out-stretch offenses scared us/beat us last year? I'd like to see Cal adopt a little more of this system. Which brings me to this point . . .

. . . what is Cal/UK's offensive philosophy now? Recruit the best players you can and adjust to them throughout the season? Now, I've always felt like high school coaches need to coach to their personnel (because we aren't allowed to recruit - legally), but Cal should be able to pick and choose who he wants to fit a system he's comfortable coaching; not having to tweak something in late February, or in this year's case, late January (Willis). In his 7 years here, I feel like he has implemented about 3 different offensive philosophies. Understand, I am not admonishing him. I actually salute his ability to be adaptive. So many coaches are too stubborn for their system. But what I've noticed is that UK and the fabled/parodied DDM has turned into a ball screen offense. And the more we have gravitated to the hi ball screen, the more our spacing has sucked . . . imo.

- I lost a lot of confidence on Selection Sunday. To go through Indiana AND North Carolina? Here, try to beat 2 of the best college programs of all time (and arguably 2 of the top 5-7 teams currently playing) and we'll put you in the regional final game. Pump the NCAA for blatantly screwing this program for at least 2 of the last 3 years. And make no mistake, it's not a conspiracy. It's blatant.

- Meanwhile a program like Syracuse not only gets in to the tournament on some kind of super secret selection criteria, they get a pass into the Sweet 16. Thanks, Sparty! There is no such thing as karma in college basketball.

- I hope ratings plummet and the NCAA's corporate sponsors lose money. I suppose that's the only left to cheer for. And Villanova. They're a fun team to watch.

 

[Mattox]

1. Murray didn't have a single catch and shoot situation the entire first half;

2. It was 37 minutes into the game before we decided it might be a good idea to try and post Murray on Yogi. Murray promptly scored with ease from 10'.

 

[UKStoleMyFish]

What the hell are we paying Robic for

 

[buckethead1978]

This arson/murder/suicide story in J-Town is about the worst thing I've seen locally in some time.

You have no idea. It is really messed up.

 

[drxman1]

Care to elaborate?

 

[Stonewall12]

Michigan State fans have to be absolutely sick. As great as Izzo is, the truth of the matter is that they can't win it all with their style/talent in years when Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and/or UNC have lottery picks all over the court. Like 2015. This year set up perfect for them. They even had a regional in Chicago in the heart of Big Ten country and they completely **** the bed. What a disaster for them.

Izzo will have studs next year. Potential lotto picks, will be interesting to see how he handles them.

 

[Stonewall12]

Chad said he's going to start so I'm not sure what you mean.

Matthews is horrible.

 

[-BBH-]

Michigan State is going to be average next year.

 

[anthonys735]

Jackson is a difference maker in that class. If not Bridges is the only sure stud from day 1. The others are great talent but may take a bit. Still his best haul by far. They'll be stout by March, might struggle a bit early.

 

[UKwizard]

I mean gd it Coach Cowl how hard is it to put together another 2012 team? Wtf are we paying you for?

 

[legalbeagle123]

Next year's team should be a non-stop attacking force that shoots no more than 10 threes a game. Improved rebounding, defense, toughness, and athleticism is what we desperately need. I think Willis will be a good enough shooter to keep teams honest.

Think we'll need more than just Willis as a threat to keep teams honest. If not, we'll see that ******** pack-it-in zone which will neutralize our slashers.

 

[HossCat73_rivals]

What the hell are we paying Robic for

I used to throw back a few with him regularly at C-Pub. Great guy in that regard. Never asked him anything related to our guys, but he was awesome during NBA playoffs. Believe his main responsibility is he's over the eqpt managers, and is in charge of the kids coming in on visits--aka picks them up at the airport, and gets them to the hotel. No surprise he's also very tight with "Joe Joe" P.

Also had a driver to get him from A to B...least he did when I lived on Waller 2.5+ years ago.

 

[Hank Camacho]

Cal stealing Willis' squaw.

 

[PTI Anon1640710541]

I've always assumed Robic was around just because he's a cool old guy, and he and Cal get along really well. Not sure he's much more valuable to the program than that, and I'm completely ok with it. He's awesome in his own way.

 

[Mattox]

opcorn:

 

[drxman1]

It's not me.

 

[PTI Anon1640710541]

:thumbsdown:

 

[fatguy87]

I'm in the camp that I don't trust Monk/Fox shooting. Everything else, yes. Willis is going to HAVE to play next season. Hope he's serious about the off-season as he said.

Even if Monk and Fox both end up 35% or better 3 point shooters, I think we still have to give Willis at least 25 minutes per game next season. The dude was the third best player on the team for the better part of conference play. An iota of improvement ought to demand starter's minutes even if all the incoming players are darn good.

Defensively, even with all of Willis' shortcomings, we should be better by virtue of being bigger. I presume Gabriel will get time at the 3 giving us a front court of three guys over 6'8. Bam also won't be a total dick on the glass. He may not be able to shoot a lick, but he'll be an upgrade over Skal on both ends by just being good at the things bigs should be good at doing.

 

[Mattox]

I don't think anyone disagrees with that assessment, except the guy who actually makes that decision.

 

[wildcat1973_rivals160373]

Kentucky is a "Players First" program...if said player has a chance to get drafted by the NBA.

 

[_Chase_]

If Willis was ranked in the top 25 in high school, and black, right now he'd be a projected first round pick. TS.

6'9, can shoot the lights out, underrated rebounder, can get to the rim on the break, etc...

He'd need to work on his defense, being more than a spot up shooter, garbage man, and fast break dunker, but he'd certainly be in the conversation for a first round pick.

 

[mashburned]

Remember when media asked Willis who was responsible for his confidence/change? They asked if it was something Cal said or did, and Willis said "No", then explained it was his Dad and gf. This cracked me up at the time. Cal probably didn't laugh.

Anyway, I'll be shocked if he plays more than he did this year.

 

[TheShowKiller]

I've always had the impression that Derek's "give a ****" was never high enough for Cal. Otherwise, Cal's reluctance to play him doesn't make sense.

Hopefully that changes over the offseason and Cal grows to trust him...we need him next year. And, quite frankly, with the percentage he shoots and particularly the specialty he has with that corner 3, he could get drafted if he came back and showed just a little more all around game. NBA teams drool over 4's and 3's that can knock shots down in the corner. Pace and space is all the rage.

 

[UnfrozenCatfanLawyer]

Pretty stoked about the prospect of throwing 4 or 5 guys out there who can't shoot. Because that's where basketball is heading these days.