Kentucky Basketball: Coach Your Team

Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Here we are. Two games remain in the 2014-15 regular season. Two games to give this group of Kentucky Wildcats an undefeated regular season. Two more games to get everything ready for a run to the school’s ninth title. As I’ve said previously, the spotlight is about to get brighter.

As a Wildcat fan and as a proud member of the Big Blue Nation, it’s time that we heed head coach John Calipari’s mantra of “Coach Your Team” and root for our own team. We’re witnessing history. We’re witnessing a special team doing special things right before our collective eyes. So, let’s enjoy it. Let’s focus on all the great things Coach Cal and the guys are doing. Let’s not go looking for trouble.

As the lead up to the SEC and the NCAA tournaments begins, the talking heads are going to have specific talking points they’re going to want to cover. For the experts on ESPN and in the print media to go on about how good and potentially great this Wildcats team is. Obviously, Kentucky is going into the NCAA tournament as the odds on favorite to win the whole thing. They have a chance to make history. But just because someone states that another team could beat UK or that another coach is good doesn’t take anything away from what is going on in Lexington.

Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Realistically, there are a few teams that have the talent and coaching to beat the Cats: Duke, Virginia, Wisconsin. It’s not completely out of the realm of possibility for any of those teams, and a few others, to pull off a shocker and upset Kentucky. I don’t think that’s likely, but for a personality at the Worldwide Leader to suggest it isn’t exactly heresy. Maybe it’s time that we, myself included, stop being a little to sensitive to what others outside of the BBN say about the Cats.

It’s time to cheer our own team. It’s time to focus on the Cats. It’s time to get ready to witness what could be the greatest run in the Kentucky program’s storied history. Put the blinders on and focus on the guys working and playing in Blue in White. Coach your team. Cheer your team. That’s the best way to avoid March Madness.