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Posted by CATTRACKER (Member # 55) on 04-02-2009, 03:43 PM:

we landed Orton, Cousins, and say..Wall, to go along with Patrick Patterson, Meeks and gang?
Surely, we'd be in the TOP 5??????

We already landed the best recruit out there...Big JOHN CALIPARI! [Cool]

[ 04-02-2009, 03:44 PM: Message edited by: CATTRACKER ]

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 04-02-2009, 03:50 PM:

Pre-season #25. By the end of SEC play, I hope to be top 10.

Learning a new coach and new system is challenging. The key question is do our existing personnel match up well to the requirements of the dribble drive offense?

The number of TOs from the last two years argues that the answer may be NO. I am, however, supremely optimistic that Meeks, Hood, Miller, and hopefully Wall can make that system work like they had played it forever by mid-February.

Posted by AshTuckyUKfan (Member # 3065) on 04-02-2009, 03:53 PM:

There are too many uk haters voting for uk to get a ranking like that. I'd say majority of the top 25 will be the acc, big east and big ten. Throw in a handful of the pac-10 and over-rated mid-majors and there is no room for the likes of uk. We will have to win the first 10 or so games to break the top 25.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 04-02-2009, 03:57 PM:

If we get the recruits talked about, or the majority of them, preseason 20. By the end of the year, top ten.

Posted by VABeachCat (Member # 2840) on 04-02-2009, 04:02 PM:

Look I know because we are who we are we have a tendency to exaggerate yesterdays. With this in mind let’s not over-estimate our tomorrows either. Can we settle for being better than we have been the last 2 or 3 years? I know it’s good and fun to look ahead but getting there is what counts. We have that ability in our Coach. It’s going to take some time and more than a couple of months.

If we agree this year to settle for being better than we have then everything else will be candy.

Posted by CATTRACKER (Member # 55) on 04-02-2009, 04:06 PM:

Some good posts....and I guess I'm just a little too fired up about our Cats....something, that has been lacking for a long time with me.

Still, I'd say with that roster, Calipari will make good things happen and I especially liked your post, VABeachCat.

Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 04-02-2009, 04:43 PM:

I have been reading about the DD offense and it will give the players more freedom to make plays on their own - therefore a little easier for the team to understand.

Basically it is similar to the 4-out offense where the guard (a good one) will penetrate and then score or dump off or pass to a 3 point shooter. The difference is the post man (a good one) will be on the weak side on the blocks and the guard or any other player with good hands will do the above. If it doesn't work then start it over again.

There are other wrinkles but that is the general idea - if a zone is played then zone options are available and more play calling.

The main ingredient is GOOD players and with the way Coach recruits we will have them.

Can't wait until this upcoming season....

p.s. heck I might run some of it with my high school team! [Big Grin]

Posted by SCWC (Member # 2464) on 04-02-2009, 05:41 PM:

The thing I have always liked about Calapari's offense is that all five players do a lot of playing facing the basket. He tends to clear out the low post so his guards can penetrate and make plays for the rest of the team. It will be much more wide open that we have had since the Pitino days and will remind some of the Pitino offense with some modifications. It does allow the players to use their god given athleticism.

Posted by catfan1 (Member # 2923) on 04-02-2009, 06:24 PM:

Coach Cals offense hinges on guard play.Something we havent had in quite some time and frankly the guards currently on roster wont be able to execute very well .Maybe we get lucky and land the big guard recruits but until then be careful of wishful thinking and dont expect miracles. I am excited about our new hire and the prospects of UK bball but want to stay grounded in expectations. Hopefully that will change in the weeks to come with additions like Wall,,Cousins,,Henry.

Posted by SCWC (Member # 2464) on 04-02-2009, 06:39 PM:

I think of the returning players, Darius Miller might be closer to a coach Cal type player than any. He had a lot of natural talent and has the ability to take his man off the dribble.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 04-02-2009, 08:50 PM:

From what I have read, the guards usually take the first attempt at penetration, and the rest of the players rotate to the open spots on the perimeter. If the penetration is denied, then (depending on who gets the subsequent pass back out on the perimeter), any of the remaining players can now take their turn at creating penetration. All five players will be expected to be able to do this, depending on how deep into the shot clock the play goes.

The offense is really about a simple set of 'rules' that dictate spacing, rotation, and shot creation. The bigs might play on the weakside block, or maybe even farther off the lane on the baseline. Plenty of opportunities for a dump to a driving Big if the path to the rim is blocked.

It looks to be exciting, but as I said elsewhere, our poor ball handling will be a real liability. My only consolation is the fact that most of our turnovers were committed trying to force passes into double- and triple-teams. The spacing and movement inherent in the dribble-drive should cut down on those a lot!

All of this means that it will realistically take some time for the team to 'get it'. When it does, the results could be amazing. But, to start off the season, I wouldn't expect us to look good enough to earn a very high ranking.

[ 04-02-2009, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 04-02-2009, 09:20 PM:

I would bet we will be ranked around 10-15 to start the season next year and even lower if we get Wall. Like one savy poster pointed out coach C's teams are very dependent on a good point guard. Wall could carry us a long way and our team would definitely will get better as the year goes on as we have good depth and probably some young players that will prosper with expieriance.

Posted by barrenkountykat (Member # 3072) on 04-03-2009, 12:57 PM:

I agree with several posters.We would be in the preseason top 25 and hopefully move into the top 10 late in the season.Maybe sooner depending on the schedule and other schools preseason rankings.Like Louisville,Indiana,North Carolina.We could possibly land in the top 10 before SEC play even starts.Wasn't that the case for Tennessee early in the season?

Posted by SlumcatMillionaire (Member # 3029) on 04-03-2009, 01:08 PM:

Nobody can convince me that an underground UK-hating voter group exists that tries to get us poor rankings in the polls.

I think what many people wrongly read as "hating UK" is simply people who refuse to be UK homers.

Posted by Mississippi Wildcat (Member # 2336) on 04-03-2009, 10:17 PM:

Just curious, has a team that didn't make the NCAA tournament ever achieved a top 25 ranking in the ensuing pre-season poll?

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 04-03-2009, 10:22 PM:

MW, can't give any examples but would bet it has happened before and probably numerous times..

[ 04-03-2009, 10:22 PM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]

Posted by Banner8Cat (Member # 2824) on 04-03-2009, 10:48 PM:

#12

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 04-04-2009, 03:58 AM:

Alot of it has to do with that media hype. IF the talking heads are talking aboutyou then the voters are more apt to notice you.

Posted by WHO?UK (Member # 2286) on 04-04-2009, 12:57 PM:

Orton 6'10 260, Cousins 6'9 250, 2PAT, Pilgrim, Stevenson, Miller, Hood, Meeks, Wall, Liggins. IMO top 5. But I do have to agree there are to many UK haters and we would probably be top 15. With that much talent at all 5 slots to expectations should be high.

Posted by Rich Moon (Member # 160) on 04-04-2009, 02:09 PM:

With those additions plus Cal,

Preseason #18

Could break the top 5 at some point.

Get a #2 seed next year.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 04-04-2009, 03:17 PM:

I'd be happy with a top 20 next season. Anything above that is where we belong. But I don't want to get ahead of myself.

Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 04-04-2009, 04:13 PM:

preseason top 10

season hanging around 7-13. [Smile]

Posted by Brandon (Member # 108) on 04-04-2009, 06:45 PM:

Preseason - unranked. Maybe they squeeze in a 25.

Regular season - maybe they get into the teens.

They have the potential to be a top 10 team. I certainly hope they become one. I think cautious optimism is the key for next season.