TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: Cat fans get a dose of reality!

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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-03-2009, 07:12 AM:

Like the article points out we are super talented but we have a long ways to go. The talent on this team is scary but it has to be channeled in the right direction but with Calipari as our coach we are in good shape.

Sometimes we all need a good shaking. Nothing too serious. Just a little realization that when our thoughts have slowly drifted a bit too far away from current reality, it may be time to take a step back and re-evaluate. That was what tonight’s 74-38 victory over Campbellsville should be for Kentucky fans: a realization that this is a very talented team, but one with quite a ways to go. You cant blame Calipari for not accepting that reality. He has been telling Kentucky fans three things all summer: he has been from Pikeville to Paducah, he is a Duke of Hazard and this team has a long way to go. We processed the first two, but it may have taken the sight of the first 16 minutes of the second half tonight to process the third one.

There was a lot of good to see on the court. It is clear that Eric Bledsoe is an elite player already for the Cats. He was the most explosive player on the floor and made the (very few) plays that would constitute highlights for the night. It is also great to see that Darnell Dodson is taking the whole “look like/wear number of” Ramel Bradley thing seriously, taking a lot of shots and creating points when needed. And the defense….absent a few lapses in the second half, the defense was very good for most of the night and smothered Campbellsville into a 3-34 start to their shooting night. All great teams play great defense and this team showed that it will be a reality this season.

With the good did come some bad, and we will dive a bit into that below. However this much is clear. The Calipari era will be exciting, full of talent and loaded with potential. You could see potential greatness all over the court and the entire feel of the game is different than in the last two seasons. Yes you can see it in the change of one former starter into a crowd favorite reserve, but you can also see it in the flashes of brilliance from players, even as they make mistakes. Yes Patrick Patterson missed that jumper from the top of the key…but you know he can make it. Yes Demarcus Cousins missed the close-in layup in traffic…but you know soon he will dunk it. Yes Darnell Dodson took some bad shots close to the basket…but you know when John Wall takes them, they will be better and will go in. This team is oozing potential and thus a night like tonight feels more like the opening act of a potential great story than the preview of its ultimate finale.

Link

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-03-2009, 09:22 AM:

I got my dose of reality when we only went 1-1 in the blue-white scrimmage. IMO, we should have won both of those games.

[ 11-03-2009, 09:22 AM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by Banner8Cat (Member # 2824) on 11-03-2009, 10:37 AM:

It was a dose of reality....It was about as sloppy as can be but I guess that is to be expected at this point. We have a lot of improving to do and hopefully the whole team will play much differently with Wall out there. I expect big things once these guys start clicking.

Posted by The game (Member # 2713) on 11-03-2009, 04:09 PM:

It will just take a lot of time to get down. Only 12 practices in, you knew it was going to be sloppy. I love Bledsoe, lined up will wall talk about a ton of speed. I was impressed with Cousins and Orton both. The offense will get better as the season goes on. I thought the defense last night tho was very solid.

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 11-03-2009, 10:16 PM:

Like coach said there was very little DD's to the basket. It didn't look much different than most offenses. Maybe with Wall in there we will do more driving. Most of the time on every drive the player just backed off and passed it out.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-03-2009, 10:18 PM:

What impressed me was our length and the speed and quickness of our big men.