Kentucky Wildcats 5 for Thursday: Close but no cigar

It’s as frightening as any horror flick out there, but we are talking about, of course Kentucky’s road record.  Most specifically the six road losses by a total of 13 points.  It’s the difference between 25-2  and a number one seed in the NCAA Tourney and 19-8 and a probably 6th seed … or worse.  It’s the difference between 7-6 in the SEC and 12-1.

Granted, we can look at a couple of things and consider them pluses.  First, there is only one more road game remaining, and as Patrick Patterson tweeted last night, the SEC Tournament is like a home game.  I hate to sound cliched … but this team is not nearly as bad as most people think they are.  This team is going to go into the Tournament as a tremendous darkhorse and that is probably a role that we are unaccustomed to.  The other day, Gary Parrish listed Kentucky as one of the teams that would be much better than their seed and hopefully the Wildcats can fall into that category.

Make no mistake, and this is directed at a portion of Kentucky’s fanbase …. this team is in no way to be compared to the Billy Gillispie teams and John Calipari ….. I can’t believe I actually have to say this …. is no Billy Gillispie.  Yes, I get upset at the losses, but keep in mind we are talking 20 points in 7 games if we include the Georgia game.  This is a hard working, never say die team, that due to the insane and extremely poor Enes Kanter decision by the NCAA, has been too thin and exhausted to close out the games.

Billy G was an egomaniac that physically and mentally abused his players and sunk this program to depth it had not been in twenty years.  John Calipari’s team is undefeated at home and has defended Rupp.   Billy G’s team suffered home lossed to Gardner Webb, VMI, UAB, and San Diego.  This was also an era when the road Cats were blown out at places like Indiana by 19, Houston by 14, Louisville by 14, Vanderbilt by 41, North Carolina by 19, and South Carolina by 18.

Once again people, we are talking about 7 losses by 20 points.  Lay off the hate.

Once again … for some of the fans.  John Caliparii has had four players at Kentucky go the “one and done route”  Three of those players participated in the the NBA All Star Weekend.  So can we please quit jumping to the automatic assumption that every talented player at Kentucky is going to be a “one and done”.  While it appears that Kentucky may lose a player or two, the best way to insure that this happens is to continually trash the players on message boards, web sites, and via Twitter and Facebook.  Even though Trrence Jones has been listed as a lottery pick, I am not really sure that John Calipari is filling his head with the news he is ready for the pros.  If this team was 25-2, we would be accepting the fact that we may lose the core of this team to the NBA.  But for now, no one even knows if there will be a NBA season next year.   Let’s support this team now and worry about the NBA in May and June.

And as for the misguided notion that Calipari should stop recruiting “one and done” players is simply ludicrous.  John Calipari is being paid to recruit the best of the best and yes, some of these players have their eyes on the NBA.  I know that a faction of the fan base thinks Calipari should focus on the three and four year players that will stay around.  Well, Tubby Smith and Billy Gillispie were doing that and look at where it got them.  I know the losses hurt, but once again, the margin of error we are playing with is so thin … 20 points in 7 games ..,. that we have to give Calipari the benefit of the doubt.

Despite the Arkansas loss, Kentucky is still very much in the running to finish second in the SEC East.  As of now, Georgia and Vanderbilt have five SEC losses and Kentucky has six.  If Kentucky can go 3-0 the rest of the way, and if Georgia loses one of their last four games, Kentucky has earned the second seed in the east due to tiebreakers.  Georgia has road games at Florida and Alabama and that appears to be the best chances for them to take the “L”.    Georgia currently has five SEC East losses, Vanderbilt has four, and Kentucky has three.  So while it may not be the prettiest path there, Kentucky can still make the most of the season by finishing second by winning out.

And what about the fifth item today?  Let’s stop at four.  Remember, this is a close but no cigar Thursday, so four is close enough.

Have a good day, BBN and don’t beat yourselves up too much today.

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