Courtside with the Kentucky Wildcats
I received an e-mail today from a fan who basically suggested that I couldn’t handle the truth. He wanted me to blast Kentucky as “terrible.” Of course, this was in regard to the loss to Gardner-Webb.
My response:
“I’m not going to blast Kentucky. There’s no need. Gardner-Webb was quite eloquent on the subject.”
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.
I know it’s early, like real early, but I’ve got questions……
Is the team too worn out to be ready and able to beat a team like Gardner-Webb? I hear about the practices before the games from the UK radio people and how it’s “to the top” every time someone makes a mistake. They have had broken noses, concussions, surgeries, stress fractures and it’s only 3-4 weeks into the season.
Is Ramel Bradley really trust-worthy in crucial situations to lead the team? Turnovers and technical fouls, is this what being a senior leader is all about?
I have no doubt in Coach Gillispie’s knack for recruiting and you can see the fire in his eyes, but the team wasn’t ready to play last night.
This is a very young team, subject to making mistakes and spotty play.
Perhaps you’ve forgotten that Pitino did not fair very well in his first year, i.e. the Kansas fiasco and a 14-14 finish. Ye of short memory take warning. It will take time to straighten this situation up!
It takes time to bring in & develop talent. It takes time to rid the “Tubby Ball” out of the mix. Neither Joe Crawford nor Ramel Bradley will never be leaders nor live up to their billing. They’ve not done it
consistently in three years so why expect anything from them now. Tubby did not recruit properly, tried too many “projects”, and the talent pool is suffering from three or four years of that management. It may take the same amount of time to rebuild the talent pool to a high level. sufficient to sustain UK in the top 6 or so programs nationally. It will take time to determine whether or no Billy G. can
achieve success. This year will be a bumpy ride and you better get used to it!
Well, Billy has much better material than Pitino had in year one, but I agree it may take time to get the new system in place. I also doubt that Crawford and Bradley will cooperate in the transition from their team, as it was under Tubby, to the Meeks-Paterson team, as it should be as of today and so long as they are here.