Saturday, March 27, 2010

UK lost could be UK gain…

Let me say this.  I’m disappointed in the UK lost but couldn’t be any more prouder of the team though.  Apparently it was WVU’s birthday as they seem they couldn’t miss from the 3 point line in the 1st half.  How can a team go 0 for 16 from 2 point range and 8 for 15 from 3 point range and still win the game?  Just pure luck that’s all!  Of course doesn’t help when UK couldn’t hit anything though from 3 point line.  But thank you for the great run this year.  But will say this, I know Calipari said he prefer talent over experience anytime?  I honestly prefer a combination of talent and experience anytime over just talent or experience.  The NCAA tournament is a different beast than the regular season and conference tournaments.  It’s experience that UK needed tonight against WVU that we didn’t get.  It would be experience that would know when to shoot those 3’s or get it into the big fellows.  We never know now!

Now is the hardest part for UK fans.  The wait and see what happens next.  I truly hate the one and done players.  Yes, they have the talent and etc but for basketball it’s not fair to force them to go to college if they want to play for money.  It has changed the game of basketball big times.  But this year could be a different year when a lot of one and done players actually will stay.  Because there is talk that after next year’s NBA season, there will be a lock out of players.  Which they are predicting will take out the whole season of the NBA.  So, why would a player go into the NBA for a year and then there will be a strike after the end of the year?  Why not continue to hone your skills at the college level and enjoy playing till the strike is over at the college level?

Also, this lost by UK in this game could really be a good thing for UK.  It will leave a bad taste in the players mouth knowing that this was their season to win the title but to go out like they did.  So, they might want to come back for another season to prove that and erase that taste from their mouth with a national title?  So, here is my opinion on what will happen over the next few months.  People think that Wall is gone?  I’m not quite sure he is.  I think Wall is really torn between his decision and I think he will come back for one more season.  If Wall comes back for one more season, I think you will see a domino effect happen where Cousins come back for sure.  I honestly think Cousin is definitely coming back.  As for Patterson, he has the hardest decision to make.  He can’t test the waters like the others can because he did that last year.  So, once he declares than he is lost for sure.  I think Patterson should come back for sure and not even worry about the NBA.  The only person I really don’t see coming back is Bledsoe.  I think he is either going to transfer or go to the NBA.  If Wall goes, we will have Brandon Knight in the lineup which it will mean that Bledsoe will be second again.  Therefore, Bledsoe will leave once Knight commits to UK.

Even though this will be the toughest part of the off season in waiting to see what happens to current players and to see who UK’s incoming recruits will be.  It will also be the most exciting.  I think if CJ Leslie commits to UK that we can use him to recruit Wall back to UK.  With the following potential class of Kanter, Poole, Knight, Leslie, & possibly one more recruit, along with the returnees of Cousin, Patterson, Orton, Wall, Miller, Dodson, Liggins, and Miller, UK will be loaded again for another run!

SO, LET’S THE FUN BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TL