From: jb118@prism.gatech.EDU (Jeffrey N. Burch)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college
Subject: Re: Kentucky MASH'ed Louisville
Date: 14 Dec 92 16:56:48 GMT
Organization: Georgia Tech Research Institute -- EOL

In article <1992Dec13.114157.20221@ms.uky.edu> matt@ms.uky.edu (Matt Mccoy) writes:
>as232@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Lerner) writes:
>
>I wouldn't consider Freedom Hall a hostile environment.  It is in the
>Commonwealth, and there were a considerable number of UK fans there
>considering.

I would.  But that doesn't mean that Kentucky doesn't play well there,
hostility notwithstanding.

UK only gets a couple of hundred tickets allotted for this game, although
some Big Blue fans manage to find "other ways" of getting tickets.  But
the crowd is heavily anti-UK.  It just doesn't seem to bother the Cats,
fortunately.

>>A few UK fans seem to have underestimated Kentucky yet again (You know who
>>you are!)  Is it time to start talking "Unbeaten Championship" yet? ;)
>
>As much as I bleed Blue, I seriously doubt this.  We will probably
>lose 4-5 games, due to inexperience and lack of motivation...ie EKU,
>and the first 7 minutes of the UofL game.  Not to worry, we will wrap
>up the SEC East, and the Tournament title.  Surprisingly, at this point,
>I see Vandy as our #1 concern.  

Agree, on both counts.  UK always lets someone sneak up on them unexpectedly,
and with the level of SEC play, even in a relatively down year for the 
conference, UK almost certainly will lose 2 or 3 and maybe even 4 or 5
games due to lack of inspiration or carelessness.  

Vandy doesn't surprise me - they are a good team, well coached, have quite
tolerable recruiting, and are tough at home.

>I have always maintained that UofL is at best and mediocre team, that
>occasionally plays above themselves.  UK is just giving UofL what

They also take longer to get on track than UK.  UofL almost always
plays much better in March than they do in December.

>they asked for, and judging from Denny 'I can't take another loss' Crum's
>reaction at the post-game handshake, I would think that UofL may look
>to end the series.  It would be for their own good, recruiting wise.

I'd be *really* surprised at this, particular since UofL fought so hard
and for so long to get the series.  And I'm not sure Louisville is hurting
so badly in head-to-head recruiting battles with Kentucky - from Pitino's
statements in his book, it looks to be quite the other way around.

The players from Louisville high schools seem quite contented to go to UofL 
despite knowing they are going to absorb a loss to Kentucky in most years.
Crum simply attracts a different style of player.  And it seems that even
winning only one out of every 3 games is enough for the Cards (and that
is exactly what has happened, by the way.  Including the NCAA "Dream Game"
back in 1983, UofL has won 4 times against Kentucky to 8 times for the
Cats in "modern" times).

>...
>National Championship in '80.  A shame, cause I agree that UofL
>has gotten alot of talent, but they are losing the recruiting battle
>because Crum cannot for the life of him coach discipline.  That is
>a sad, but true fact.

In watching the game on ESPN, I thought this was the single most obvious
difference between the two teams.

>>I feel very depressed for the Cardinals, I had hoped they could at least put
>>up a good fight on their home floor, but it is obvious they have a long way
>>to go.  On the other hand, I feel very happy for UK, who IMHO should be ranked
>>#1 in the nation right now. ;)
>
>Right now I see no reason why UK shouldn't get at least a few #1 votes,
>though I doubt they will move above Kansas or Duke.  Perhaps after the
>IU game, people will begin to see that this team is for real.

Let's hope so!

>>What force on earth can stop Jamal Mashburn? ;)
>
>Mediocre ball clubs  (Wright State, EKU, Morehead) tend to give
>the Mash trouble because he cannot seem to get motivated for them.
>Perhaps this is just a mental blockage, or maybe he really does have
>an achillies heel.  

Pitino will have his hands full, trying to get Jamal up for every game.
But even if UK were to lose a couple of games to schools they should
beat, as long as they continue to play well in the big games, and do 
well at SEC tournament and NCAA time, they'll do all right.

>While it is good for UK to be playing Intra-state rivals, I believe 
>there comes a point when the losing does more harm than good.  EKU
>lost an unexpected nail biter, but gained ground in the reputation
>category.         

Agree entirely.  While it is OK for Kentucky to play regularly 
against Louisville, and maybe one other in-state opponent, sooner
or later they'll start getting sloppy if they play Eastern Ky,
Western Ky, Morehead State, and Murray every year.  I understand 
completely the desire by these other Commonwealth teams to play
the Wildcats, but having Kentucky rotate through the bunch at a
rate of one each year would be fine, and would free up some slots
for games against stronger teams.

Regrettably, Pitino seems to be going in the opposite direction - 
deliberately weakening the schedule.  A shame.

>The continued poor play of Louisville against UK is doing nothing
>but hurting them on the national recruiting scene, and quite 

Don't know about this, though - how many recruits has UofL lost to
Kentucky recently?  I can't think of many, but any Wildcat fan has
bitter memories of the recruiting battles with Rozier, Morton, and
Osborne.  Louisville almost always has good players.  They just
don't play as cohesively as other teams.

Again, certain kinds of players are more likely to be comfortable 
with Crum and his laid-back style than with Kentucky and its set
offenses.  The Cardinals will probably continue getting their kind
of player just as UK gets its kind.  

>frankly the UCLA high post offense is about as exciting as picking
>the corns off of your feet.  The Cards need to move into the 90's, 
>before they are over, and get with the trends.  If they don't do so,
>and continue in their 'backwards' ways, then they will most assuredly
>be destined to become a basketball program that remains stagnant, quiet,
>and lost.

No arguments here, although against Vandy, the Cards seemed to be doing
a little better from 3 point range than previously.  

On the other hand, Crum can't last forever.

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^  Dr. J(effrey Neil Burch)                 jb118@prism.gatech.edu    ^
^  Georgia Tech Research Institute                                    ^ 
^  Electro-Optics and Physical Sciences Laboratory                    ^ 
^  Atlanta, Ga.                                                       ^
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