WBN Mailbag 2: Electric Bugaloo

“The Florida-Tennesee game was absolutely horrific to watch. So, are we going to beat either one of them? It was like watching a group of toddlers playing soccer”

– Jill, Maysville 

I watched that debacle of a game where the Vols and the Gators tried their combined best to lose the game and had one thought, “If Stoops wants to make some noise, he’s going to have to split the games between these two.”  Beat Florida and he ends a long streak of futility and gives the fan base some hope for the rest of the season and beyond. If Stoops beats Tennessee, that will give the Cats two victories in three years against the Vols and  really makes things uncomfortable for the folks in Knoxville.  Lose both and it’ll be hard to get out of the “same old Cats” mindset. Win both and we’ve found our future Agriculture Commissioner.

“The Cats showed promise against the mighty, might Cardinals.  Were you discouraged or encouraged by the

Sep 14, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Jalen Whitlow (2) throws a pass against the Louisville Cardinals at Commonwealth Stadium. Louisville defeated Kentucky 27-13. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

result or even just the first half?”  

-Hank, Cynthiana

I am completely encouraged. For the first time since perhaps the Hal Mumme days, in a big game.  the coaches coached to win instead of not to lose, or even worse, to mitigate the impending disaster.  Coach Stoops and coordinators, Neil Brown and DJ Eliot came up with a cohesive gameplan that gave the Cats a legitimate chance to win.  The defensive schemes, especially, confused Teddy Bridgewater for the first half.  The defense came to play and the offense simply didn’t make enough plays to keep the pressure on UL into the second half.  If it’s a tied ballgame at the half, a possibility before the last minute fumble, then the Cards have more to think about in the locker room.

At any rate, the coaches put the players in the position to make plays. The plays weren’t always made, but the Cats had some opportunities, something that hasn’t always been the case in big games.

“Have you seen this video?”

– Steve, Lexington

Yes. Yes, I have. And it makes me schoolgirl level giddy about the upcoming hoops season.

“CBS showed the Laettner shot during the UT/UF football game. What the hell is that about? Haven’t the people of Kentucky suffered enough?”

– Brenda, Bowling Green

There are other memorable plays in sports history, but I’m not sure that anything gets as much play as that shot. And I don’t think that the good folks at CBS have it in for Kentucky fans (I didn’t even think UPS did when it used the play in a commercial), but I just think it’s time to move on to other clips. But if you HAVE to show the Laettner shot, show the Sean Woods shot that preceded it. Woods’ shot had a higher degree of difficulty and is my all time favorite “No, no, no… YESS!!!!!” shots in basketball history.

“Worst fan base: Indiana or Louisville?”

-Greg, Atlanta, GA

Indiana and it’s not even close. I’ll be honest, for the better part of 10 years, I, and the rest of the college basketball world, had forgotten Indiana had fans. Besides firing Bob Knight, Kelvin Sampson’s phone issues and that totally forgettable run to the 2002 NCAA Title game (if you know the 2002 National Champ without googling it, consider yourself a hoophead), when was the last time that anyone ever remotely thought about Indiana? So now, after a playing a perfect game at home and hit a last second against Kentucky and now the Indiana fans get chesty about it? Even VMI and Gardner Webb, defeating the Cats at home no less, were as loud and as boisterous as the Hoosier faithful. And now they’ve built up this whole Cal’s scared to play IU thing and it’s gotten to be ridiculous. I can’t wait for IU to fade back into the nether regions of college basketball. For the record, the Maryland Terrapins won the 2002 NCAA Title.

And Louisville? Come on, can you really hate your little brother? Of course not.