John Clay's Sidelines

8 Responses to “Video: UK-San Diego thoughts”

1. 1 jim nolan December 29, 2007 8:28 pm at 8:28 pm

   a lot looks poor, but the rebounding really stands out. they are terrible; just standing around perhaps waiting for the ball to land in their hands. how can that be? talk about tougheness – get a guy or two to put their freking noses around the ball!

2. 2 Jeeper December 29, 2007 8:47 pm at 8:47 pm

   BCG sounds like Ernie Fletcher.

3. 3 Chris December 30, 2007 8:43 am at 8:43 am

   As frustrating as this is for the fans and media, imagine what it must be like for the players. John, do you get a sense that they know how to handle BCG and what he expects from them?

   When Rick Pitino came to UK, he seemed to be charming to the media and motivating to his players in the midst of a .500 season. Perhaps BCG should take a lesson or two from Rick, or read “How To Win Friends And Influence People.” He might not get second-guessed as much.

4. 4 Mark Liptak December 30, 2007 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm

   For what it may be worth I was talking with some of the Idaho State coaches yesterday (part of my work in Southeast Idaho is as the studio hosts on their radio network for football and basketball games) and we were talking about UK.

   They know I went there and they all personally know Billy. When the staff was at Southeastern Iowa Junior College (where they won three national titles) they got to know him when he recruited some of their players.

   To a man they told me in the strongest possible language that “Billy will get it done.” However as one coach told me fans who expect a turnaround in one year “don’t know basketball.”

   He also made an interesting point. He’s watched a lot of UK games this year and said that “it looked like Crawford and Bradley have given up on the year and can’t wait to leave.” That it looked to him like “they won’t do what Billy wants them to do”, that it looks like “they still think Tubby is coaching there.”

   My feelings are that until Billy gets rid of the old regime’s players it’s impossible to make any type of realistic evaluation.

   And let’s also be honest here O.K.? Nothing personally directed towards them but just the fact that guys like Carter, Porter, Harris, Coury are even on this roster let alone playing (and sometimes getting major minutes) speaks volumes doesn’t it?

   Mark Liptak

5. 5 memphiswildcat December 30, 2007 7:03 pm at 7:03 pm

   Mark – thanks for the comments. personally, i do not think crawford or bradley ever looked like they wanted to be here – cannot imagine coaching a team where that is your senior leadership and you have no underclassmen to play in their place.

   if i go back over the schedule, the best the team should be right now is probably 7-6 (if we had beaten GW, we would have lost two in NYC, so take away that loss gives us net one loss). maybe we would/should have beaten UAB, but not houston. so give us the GW and SD win and we are 7-6, not 5-6.

   hate to use injuries as a crutch but when meeks and jasper are “available” we have show flashes of respectability -

   also, fans were expecting more offense from billy clyde – not sure his stint at a&m or utep were the run and gun people wanted to believe – maybe he pressed more, but was still a slower offense relative to pitino.

   it is painful, but believe we need to give him some time – given him a bench that wants to play for him and is in shape and it could be fun to watch.

6. 6 2 LZBOZ 2 U December 30, 2007 8:03 pm at 8:03 pm

   John – read your article in the Herald Leader today. Loved the fact that you are asking the tough questions! Just thought I’d make myself available for a comment (since Coach won’t). Of course, after I make the comment I won’t be available for another comment because I will have already made my comment “and things like that”… Who in the world understands what is going on in BCG’s head? Lord knows, whatever comes out of his mouth makes no sense. By the way, here’s a thought… Do we really believe that we will have great prospects for recruiting based on the way things are playing out in Big Blue Land? I mean, what kid in his right mind would want to play at UK in this mess? The players look miserable; the coach looks and acts confused; we can’t seem to even beat a cupcake team. If I were a kid trying to make up my mind about where to play, I’d be thinking: 1. Is the team successful? (Gee, doesn’t look good in that area). 2. Will I have NBA prospects? (Hmm, still not looking good). 3. Will I have fun? (Ahh, those guys look dejected and brow-beaten). Nah, I’d be serioiusly looking at another team with a coach whose program fulfills those things for its players… maybe like Memphis with John Calipari or Louisville with what’s his name.

7. 7 Chris Denney December 30, 2007 9:42 pm at 9:42 pm

   Is it really just Bradley and Crawford who seem apathetic? I have watched several games this season and noted something I haven’t before. I have watched players eyes as they come off the floor. Not one player looks like they a)completely understand whats expected of them; b) have any idea what the substitution rotation is (I guess that’s kind of an NBA thing, but) or c) is having any fun at all. I know that college sports, particularly at UK is big business, and the spotlight is brighter no where else. But tell me, does anyone look like they really are having a good time out there? This team unfortunately looks a lot like the IU teams the couple of years before Knight left. There was sheer terror on the faces of players who looked as if they were scared to go to the bench after making a mistake. This ironically makes players press more and subsequently make more mistakes. In 25 years I have never seen a team that makes more mistakes with the basketball.

   Now I recognize that transitions take time, and I truly believe that it was probably time for Tubby to go. But my question is, when the season ends (which painfully will be without a tournament bid most likely) obviously the seniors will be gone, but will Billy have lost much of the rest of the team with them (figuratively if not literally)? Before, I would have said, “No way.” Now I’m not so sure!

8. 8 2 LZBOZ 2 U December 30, 2007 9:57 pm at 9:57 pm

   Hey John- If UK plays a game on Saturday and comes back with a noon tip-off on Monday, does this mean there will be a full bore practice on Monday morning? And, is the media invited to attend a regular practice session? The TV commentators make reference to “seeing” game day practices. Are you allowed to sit in on the practices? We’d LOVE to know what is really going on in those sessions … especiallly in regards to availability of players for WHATEVER reason …