The State of UK Basketball for 2011..

[elnutsmalljaws]

You know it would be a different story if Kanter was playing. Don't you think?? They would have prolly won most of those close games that Harrelson couldn't handle or played in foul trouble.

UK is an easy team to have a game plan against because they have almost no game if the outside shot ain't dropping. If the other players make the outside shot and keep the floor spread properly then Harr. can play better. Miller can drive and do that little jump shot or Jones can drive and dunk on folks. Harr. doesn't have the skills to be the man in the middle....poor dude. He tries but it's just not there day in and day out.

I would say UK will be fine. The hardcore fans are too dang smart for their own good. If the season doesn't go well and folks start talking about getting Cal out of here I'll be very disappointed. Uk can quickly become the job that NOBODY will want if they chase Cal off.

The dude was brought here to fix a program that was broke! (He didn't break it. Thank the AD for that!) He is doing that but it takes time. Sure kids will use him and UK as a vehicle to get to the NBA but there will be those guys who will stay for their own reasons. So UK fans should enjoy the turn around, be patient, support Cal and not be so quick to stick a fork in the program....JMO.

First of all, the NCAA and it's rules committee is about as inconsistent as J Lo's hairstyles on American Idol. Cam Newton's Dad wanted almost $200K for his son's signature on a letter of intent to Mississippi. NCAA rules Cam ineligible one day but then suddenly found enough reasons to rule him eligible the next. Seems to me that all the investigation that it took to find him ineligible was a big bunch of non-sense if it took less than 24 hours to clear him. "Well we talked to Cam and he said he knew nothing about it, (wink wink) so we thought he should be cleared". Are you telling me that Cam knew nothing of his fathers action. Come on fellas. Ohio State Football has 5 stud players sell jerseys, rings, autographs and who knows what else for tattoos, money and who knows what else but the NCAA lets them pay the money back (the amount that they said they sold the stuff for) and then let them play in the Bowl Game. Big Enes takes money a couple of years ago that he did not think was going to jeopardize his college status, his "DAD" turns down a contract for MILLIONS not a couple of hundred K but MILLIONS to keep his college status ok but the NC "Double Azzholes" rules him PERMANENTLY ineligible, are you kidding me.

If Kanter was playing the Big Blue is undefeated or at least very few losses. This team would be totally different if it had an inside presence. If Cousins had stayed this team would be undefeated. Last years team could not throw it in the ocean outside 10 feet and this years team can't throw it in the ocean from inside 10 feet.

[Tim_T]

First of all, the NCAA and it's rules committee is about as inconsistent as J Lo's hairstyles on American Idol. Cam Newton's Dad wanted almost $200K for his son's signature on a letter of intent to Mississippi. NCAA rules Cam ineligible one day but then suddenly found enough reasons to rule him eligible the next. Seems to me that all the investigation that it took to find him ineligible was a big bunch of non-sense if it took less than 24 hours to clear him. "Well we talked to Cam and he said he knew nothing about it, (wink wink) so we thought he should be cleared". Are you telling me that Cam knew nothing of his fathers action. Come on fellas. Ohio State Football has 5 stud players sell jerseys, rings, autographs and who knows what else for tattoos, money and who knows what else but the NCAA lets them pay the money back (the amount that they said they sold the stuff for) and then let them play in the Bowl Game. Big Enes takes money a couple of years ago that he did not think was going to jeopardize his college status, his "DAD" turns down a contract for MILLIONS not a couple of hundred K but MILLIONS to keep his college status ok but the NC "Double Azzholes" rules him PERMANENTLY ineligible, are you kidding me.

If Kanter was playing the Big Blue is undefeated or at least very few losses. This team would be totally different if it had an inside presence. If Cousins had stayed this team would be undefeated. Last years team could not throw it in the ocean outside 10 feet and this years team can't throw it in the ocean from inside 10 feet.

There is no comparison to be made between Cam newton's dad and Kanter.

#1 The NCAA didn't suspend him, Auburn did and the NCAA ruled that he was okay to play so Auburn reinstated him. Kanter was ruled inelgible on two different occasions and after the first ruling was "Permanently inelligible."

#2 There is zero proof that the Newton family recieved any money from anyone, only proff that his dad was shopping him around. That is why the dad was punished but not the son or the team. If they find out later that he indeed took money (the investigation is ongoing from what I understand) then Aubusrn will forfiet the title and all their wins in which he played and will get a nice healthy probabation.


Kanter did take money, they didn't deny it, they didn't even deny that he took $30,000 more than was allowed. The whole case was "He didn't mean to break the rules."

Calipari caused this mess when he kept recruiting him when everybody else stopped.

[elnutsmalljaws]

Kanter did take money, they didn't deny it, they didn't even deny that he took $30,000 more than was allowed. The whole case was "He didn't mean to break the rules."



So the Ohio State Buckeye 5 football players that did take the money, whatever that amount was (which we will NEVER know how much it really was), who also "didn't mean to break the rules" even though they sold championship rings, jerseys and awards plus received improper benefits from up to 2 years ago were allowed to pay back "X" amount of money and were suspended NEXT YEAR is showing consistency???

As far as Cam goes, if he and his father are as close to each other as Cam says they are I have a hard time knowing that Cam knew nothing of the shopping of his services. Besides, whether Cam knew or not, I have a neighbor across the street that is an assistant coach for the Kentucky State Football team and he said that whether Cam knew or not that the NCAA could still hold him accountable for having his services "shopped" by a family member.

[Tim_T]

As far as Cam goes, if he and his father are as close to each other as Cam says they are I have a hard time knowing that Cam knew nothing of the shopping of his services. Besides, whether Cam knew or not, I have a neighbor across the street that is an assistant coach for the Kentucky State Football team and he said that whether Cam knew or not that the NCAA could still hold him accountable for having his services "shopped" by a family member.

It doesn't matter if his dad was shopping him around, they have to A.) Prove that Cam knew and B.) prove there was actual money that changed hands. They were unable to prove either, but as I said the investigation is still going from the last I heard.

Kanter was a professional athlete who took money to play basketball, that is the bottom line.

[Fishin is life]

I'm a huge UK fan but even I can't argue with them ruling Kanter inelegible....He received benefits beyond a set amount and at that point you lose your amateur status...agreed....Cam Newton never received a dime that anybody has proven....Even though his father was shopping him around he never got anything...He still has his amateur status....agreed....The OSU players received a helluva lot more than Kanter did....How in the hell do they still hold on to their amateur status...I just don't get it...Josh Selby, the KU freshman, took $5,757.58...Is that not over the "permissable" limit?...He had to sit out nine games...The NCAA is about as consistent as the weather in KY....If you're not gonna take away all of their amateur status's then let them all play....It's a buncha political BS....If Selby played at UK do you honestly think the same decision would have been made?

[Tim_T]

If Selby played at UK do you honestly think the same decision would have been made?

Yes, it would be just like last year with Wall, who had to sit out a few games and pay back some money. The rules on foreign professionals are very clear and they differ somewhat from the high school/AAU rules in the U.S.

[Fishin is life]

Rivals.com has KY's recruiting class at 2,3,6, and 25....No. 9 DeAndre Daniels has it narrowed down to KY and Kansas but leaning towards Kansas....My only question is when is Cal gonna start recruiting some size...Davis goes 6'10 but he's only 220....gonna be hard for him to body up with the big boys....Eloy Vargas is awful....Who is gonna be UK's big body in the future?...Also what happened to Stacey Poole....did he transfer?

[know1]

I think the NCAA is inconsistent as well, but I can't argue with the Kanter ruling either. For me it comes down to - he was paid to be a professional basketball player.

I'll still take Cal over our last 2 coaches, but he definitely doesn't walk on water when it comes to bench coaching and in-game coaching.

[elnutsmalljaws]

I think the NCAA is inconsistent as well, but I can't argue with the Kanter ruling either. For me it comes down to - he was paid to be a professional basketball player.

I'll still take Cal over our last 2 coaches, but he definitely doesn't walk on water when it comes to bench coaching and in-game coaching.

Come on Michael, you can't be serious. Better than Tubby. Tubby Smith 1 NCAA Title - Johnny Calipari ZERO. And before you say it, "But Tubby won his title with Pitino players", Pitino, Calipari or any other Italian Stallion basketball coach could NOT have coached the 1998 team to the title. Kentucky, #2 in region, down to Region Top Seed Duke by 10 at the half and come back to win by 2 in the Elite 8, then down 5 to Stanford at the half to come back and win by 1 in OT to make it to the title game, then down 10 at the half to Utah and come back and win the title. Down a combined 25 points at the half of the Elite 8, Final 4 and Championship Games and came back in all of them. Calipari has John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, Demarcus Cousins and the rest of last years team and he could not win it, could not even get to the Final Four - versus Tubby with Scott Padgett, Allen Edwards, Jeff Sheppard, Cameron Mills, Heshimu Evans, Nazr Mohammad, Jamal Magloire, Wayne Turner and such and he wins it all.

[MsgMills]

I don't know why all the hype is goin on about the status of UK's Bball team.... So they've lost a few games...But come on 3 shots go in and their like 20-2 or even 20-3 on the season...

They've had the bad luck on shots goin in and U of L has had the good luck......

Most of UK's loss's have been by less than 3 points, make the shots at the end and those loss's turn into win's.....

Don't panic UK fan's...your time is coming for you to win some close games......

[Tim_T]

They've had the bad luck on shots goin in and U of L has had the good luck......

Just can't help yourself can you Mills?

I don't think it is the losses that have fans concerned, I think it is more of who those losses have come against. I mean really Alabama? Ole Miss? That is where the problem lies. If they win the games they should have, the Florida loss is not a big deal. When you lose to horrible teams like the two I mentioned (both outside of the top 100 RPI) people have a right to be concerned. When you are 4-4 in a mediocre conference with the talent that UK has there is a right to be concerned.

[Shaggy]

Just can't help yourself can you Mills?

I don't think it is the losses that have fans concerned, I think it is more of who those losses have come against. I mean really Alabama? Ole Miss? That is where the problem lies. If they win the games they should have, the Florida loss is not a big deal. When you lose to horrible teams like the two I mentioned (both outside of the top 100 RPI) people have a right to be concerned. When you are 4-4 in a mediocre conference with the talent that UK has there is a right to be concerned.

http://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2011/rpi

Not sure what RPI rankings you're looking at Tim, but both Mississippi and Alabama are ranked in the top 100. It would seem to me that Louisville also lost to a coupe of mediocre teams in Drexel and Providence. And yes both of those are ranked in the top 100 also, but Providence is at 100. Also Kentucky is ranked 12th in the RPI and Louisville is in the mid 20s.