Kentucky. Louisville. National Semi-Final.

[Tim_T]

I think this is true for UK, but not for UL.

This game features four, maybe five NBA first-rounders vs. none. It's Rocky vs. Drago, Centre vs. Harvard, Douglas vs. Tyson, the 1969 Mets vs. the Orioles, USA Hockey vs. the USSR in 1980.

It's all about expectations. UL has already far surpassed theirs, a feat which is impossible for UK--the Cats can only *meet* their expectations with a national title.

If you are talking about thsi years draft then I agree, but I expect Behannan and Deing to be first round picks next season and if Blackshear ever gets healthy he is a definite first round pick. I think a lot of fans don't realize how good Blackshear was before he got hurt. He was a McDonald's All-American last season and the Chicago Player of the year over Anthony Davis.

[MrSplitshot]

While there may be more pressure on UK than on Louisville to win, it's not like there is no pressure on Louisville. There's a lot at stake for both sides. I think Mark Story's article sums it up nicely:

http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/26/2...re-pitino.html

As for the "My Team" thing...he recruited the players, he coaches the players, he's the boss...it's his team. Cal has never been accused of not possessing an arrogant and sometimes snide demeanor.

Can't coach? Really? I aint saying that he's the second coming of John Wooden or anything, but he can coach. You don't bring in this many talented 18 year old kids that have been told all their lives how great they are and just throw them on the floor and let natural ability rule the day. You coach your ass off. You coach your ass off more so than if you had a squad of Veterans. At Kentucky, you also do it in a pressure cooker. I don't buy into the "Cal Can't Coach" thing.

The last 3 years....3-0 versus Louisville....UK has brought in more 5-Star Rivals recruits than I can count on both hands, to Louisville's 1....an Elite Eight, a Final Four, and a Final Four....with a National Title 2 games away if Louisville doesn't beat us Saturday.

If they do, all the spoils go to the victor.

If they don't, change the team colors to green...with envy...

[jcb]

...if Louisville doesn't beat us Saturday.

If they do, all the spoils go to the victor.

If they don't, change the team colors to green...with envy...

Nah...this is one of the biggest myths out there, that most UL fans are jealous of UK.

Howard Fineman got it right in his Huffington Post piece -

"Since 1971, the two schools have exhibited something close to parity -- not in the minds of most Kentuckians outside of Louisville, but in the minds of fair-minded basketball fans and in the stat sheets....

From 1971 until now, Louisville has won two National Championships and been in eight Final Fours, and Kentucky has won three National Championships and been in nine Final Fours.

UK fans hate these numbers, and hate the U of L with a schizophrenic mix of dismissive casualness and furious loathing. U of L fans, by far a minority in the state outside of Louisville (and even in Louisville UK allegiance is strong), are generally glad just to be on the same stage and now on a par nationally."

As someone who's both a UK and UL fan, I think that's spot on.

[jcb]

And Calipari is a dang good coach. Not as good a coach as he is an image builder/recruiter, but a good coach.

[jcb]

If you are talking about thsi years draft then I agree, but I expect Behannan and Deing to be first round picks next season and if Blackshear ever gets healthy he is a definite first round pick. I think a lot of fans don't realize how good Blackshear was before he got hurt. He was a McDonald's All-American last season and the Chicago Player of the year over Anthony Davis.

Yes I was talking about this year.

Blackshear's injury (along with Siva, Marra, Buckles's injuries) is one of the things that makes me think this is Pitino's best coaching job ever.

[Fishin is life]

If you are talking about thsi years draft then I agree, but I expect Behannan and Deing to be first round picks next season and if Blackshear ever gets healthy he is a definite first round pick. I think a lot of fans don't realize how good Blackshear was before he got hurt. He was a McDonald's All-American last season and the Chicago Player of the year over Anthony Davis.

What few times he was on the hardwood I thought Blackshear showed glimpses of what he's capable of, and if he stays healthy he'll probably be a stud...Unless Dieng improves drastically, anybody that takes him in the first round is drafting on potential alone....If he goes first round it'd be towards the end to a good team who he sees him as a possible second string 4...Behannen really needs to develop some simblance of an outside shot...He's not big enough to play the 4 in the league and will have to be able to shoot it to play...I'd say 2 of the 3 wind up being first rounders at some point

[redneckshadrap]

What few times he was on the hardwood I thought Blackshear showed glimpses of what he's capable of, and if he stays healthy he'll probably be a stud...Unless Dieng improves drastically, anybody that takes him in the first round is drafting on potential alone....If he goes first round it'd be towards the end to a good team who he sees him as a possible second string 4...Behannen really needs to develop some simblance of an outside shot...He's not big enough to play the 4 in the league and will have to be able to shoot it to play...I'd say 2 of the 3 wind up being first rounders at some point

I agree about Dieng.if I were Dieng I'd stay one more yr with Pitino...a healthy Blackshear on the other hand...well, he my have been the one to bring out more in Behannen than the coach. Good players respond better to other good players. I look for Siva to be even better if he stays. If this team holds together and no one leaves it could be a long season next yr for anyone who plays them...

KY,on the other hand, don't know until the last game is played and the newbies come in. Yeah 4-5 guys go to the NBA....4-5 come in to replace them. I doubt there will be another team like this for a while. Look at the first class of thugs. This team is not like that. And that as a fan of UK is what I want.And that as a basketball fan is what I want for the state of Ky...Players that love the game.

We, both schools, have these players right now, Siva and Darius Miller especially. That is why I think this game will be so special.

One question....how many players on these teams are actually from KY...Tim???

[bplgocards]

Gorgui has already stated multiple times he came to Louisville to get a degree.

[Tim_T]

[QUOTE=redneckshadrap;485634]I agree about Dieng.if I were Dieng I'd stay one more yr with Pitino...a healthy Blackshear on the other hand...well, he my have been the one to bring out more in Behannen than the coach. Good players respond better to other good players. I look for Siva to be even better if he stays. If this team holds together and no one leaves it could be a long season next yr for anyone who plays them...

KY,on the other hand, don't know until the last game is played and the newbies come in. Yeah 4-5 guys go to the NBA....4-5 come in to replace them. I doubt there will be another team like this for a while. Look at the first class of thugs. This team is not like that. And that as a fan of UK is what I want.And that as a basketball fan is what I want for the state of Ky...Players that love the game.

We, both schools, have these players right now, Siva and Darius Miller especially. That is why I think this game will be so special.

One question....how many players on these teams are actually from KY...Tim???[/QUOTE]

For Kentucky the only player that gets time is Darius Miller. For Louisville the only one that gets much time is Justice, and he only plays a few minutes a game. The players really have no stake in the rivalry, they do not come to the schools for the name on the Jersey. College basketball has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. Now they go to the school for the coach. This is not the glory days like most of us grew up with.

[mhall]

Wow Brian thanks for recapping what the score is the last several years, we had all forgot........................Yawn....

Calipari is a GREAT recruiter and MANAGER of a team. He strokes ego's better than anybody in the business. Give him 5 guys named Harry and lets see how he does??
He couldn't actually coach his self out of a dark room when it comes to X's and O's. Just my opinion, but I hate the guy with the burning passion of ten thousand suns so I might be tainted a bit....

Bob Hugguns took him to coaching class last year and Jim Calhoun did it the year before that. Both years Calipari had WAY superior talent...
Or was it UConn last year and WV the year before I can't remember now. All I know is ONE five foot something guard sent them packing and then a MUCH less talented WV team did the same. In my opinion it stemmed from coaching. The man has a NBA farm development team every year and he still can't get a trophy...

[MrSplitshot]

Wow Brian thanks for recapping what the score is the last several years, we had all forgot........................Yawn....

Calipari is a GREAT recruiter and MANAGER of a team. He strokes ego's better than anybody in the business. Give him 5 guys named Harry and lets see how he does??
He couldn't actually coach his self out of a dark room when it comes to X's and O's. Just my opinion, but I hate the guy with the burning passion of ten thousand suns so I might be tainted a bit....

Bob Hugguns took him to coaching class last year and Jim Calhoun did it the year before that. Both years Calipari had WAY superior talent...
Or was it UConn last year and WV the year before I can't remember now. All I know is ONE five foot something guard sent them packing and then a MUCH less talented WV team did the same. In my opinion it stemmed from coaching. The man has a NBA farm development team every year and he still can't get a trophy...

I try to recap the score whenever possible, as long as its for a time period that is favorable to UK. LOL


And you know I love you Mark...


I don't disagree with you that Cal got out coached against WV two years ago...and there wasn't anybody stopping Kemba Walker last year...but Cal can coach. That doesn't mean that he doesn't get out coached now and then.


Hell, Pitino got chicken kicked by Morehead State...but that doesn't mean he can't coach. We all know he can coach against the best of them and win.


I just hope Saturday's game lives up to the hype! (And that KY wins, of course. )

[Netboy Extraordinaire]

Wow Brian thanks for recapping what the score is the last several years, we had all forgot........................Yawn....

Calipari is a GREAT recruiter and MANAGER of a team. He strokes ego's better than anybody in the business. Give him 5 guys named Harry and lets see how he does??
He couldn't actually coach his self out of a dark room when it comes to X's and O's. Just my opinion, but I hate the guy with the burning passion of ten thousand suns so I might be tainted a bit....

Bob Hugguns took him to coaching class last year and Jim Calhoun did it the year before that. Both years Calipari had WAY superior talent...
Or was it UConn last year and WV the year before I can't remember now. All I know is ONE five foot something guard sent them packing and then a MUCH less talented WV team did the same. In my opinion it stemmed from coaching. The man has a NBA farm development team every year and he still can't get a trophy...

As far as Coaching Skills go, both having talent and having no talent, creates problems and challenges for coaches to win. Kentucky's top 7 players were THE MAN at their respective high schools. When it was needed they were looked to deliver the goods. Take as many shots as they want and not worry about getting benched. Take those same 7 and put them on the floor together with all the ego's and blend them into the unit that Kentucky has takes a talented coach. Getting those 7 to buy into defense to where they lead the nation in field goal defense percentage and just set the team record for blocked shots in the History of the NCAA, takes a talented coach. On the other hand, take Louisville and their players, not as highly recruited out of high school but certainly had to show enough talent to get Pitino to offer them a scholarship, takes a talented coach to get them to the Final Four. The game is not necessarily David versus Goliath but certainly David versus several steps above Goliath. Louisville did win the Big East Tourney, winning argueably the best conference in america's tourney. Louisville is ranked in the top 20 in the country, so it is not like they have a team of Bo Lanter, Chris Gettlefinger, Todd Svoboda and Steve Massiello, they do have some talent. Make no mistake, Calipari and Pitino can coach. The same that says Calipari can't win with his talent could be said that Pitino was outcoached in 1997 and should have had 2 titles. Give Pitino the players that Cal has gotten the last 3 seasons and who says he does any more with them than Cal. Getting High School stud athletes, the best of the best, to give up shots, give up playing time, play defense and with the exception of Cousins (who is still a thug), do it with class and respect takes coaching talent.