Running up to tonight’s exhibition game with Pikeville College, I’ve been focused more on the players and less about our coach. Partly because I’ve been concerned with how our players will be utilized. Some folks are wondering if Joe Crawford is pouting about not being a starter. I’m wondering if Joe Crawford’s knee will be back to 100% to allow him to start. I’m wondering if Derrick Jasper may be medical redshirted, and who will be our primary ball-handler. I’m wondering who will be our inside scorer if Patrick Patterson picks up quick fouls. I wonder if we’ll have a crunch-time unit or if it will be a mish-mash of whoever’s hot that night.
With all the focus on the players, I’ve really avoided any discussion about the coach. Today I got caught back up with my BillyClydeRSS and got caught back up with our new amazing coach. Did you know that Billy personally drove Patrick Patterson back home, so that Patterson could attend his friends’ funeral? From the article:
UK Coach Billy Gillispie drove Patterson to Huntington for the funerals. Given the fatal accident, Gillispie felt it was his “duty” to do everything to ensure Patterson’s safety on the trips home.
“We’re entrusted to take care of their children,” the UK coach said. “Even though they’re big, strong athletic guys, they’re still somebody’s baby.”
He’s gonna be somebody’s only light; gonna shine tonight!
Seriously, that’s pretty awesome of the coach to do. Reason #45 of why I’m glad we got Gillispie. Reason #46 is because you know that Billy and Patterson talked about how to stop O. J. Mayo — Patterson’s former teammate — for about 45 minutes.
Reason #47 is Coach Gillispie insisting on practicing at full-speed before games. From the article:
“I really believe that basketball’s a game of habits,” Gillispie said
yesterday. “And I think if you teach people to go half speed, they get really good at going half speed. We want them to go full speed. I think it’s a mind-set deal. Every time we take the floor, we’re going to try to go full speed.”
Remember, you can’t run like crazy without bench help — if I remember correctly, Bruce Pearl’s 2005 team was talented but not very deep, and ran out of steam late in the season. Let’s hope that our bench is as talented and athletic to keep up this potential pace.
With so much reading and thinking, it will be nice to see Billy and the Boys out on the floor tonight. Without taking tonights game too seriously — first exhibition game means there will be sloppy play — I hope we all enjoy seeing this new season start off right.
The Meeks shall inherit the earth!
Lets not get overly excited fellas, it was only pikeville college…With the exception of the bomb that meeks hit with the shot clock running down, all of his threes were pretty much unguarded…Meeks is a very good player but he is one dimensional, with that dimension being his shooting ability…The kid can flat out shoot, and is definately not scared to shoot the rock, he is a gun slinger…Against better competition however meeks shouldn’t be too hard to contain as he can’t handle the rock, and he isn’t a slasher, put a hand in his face and make someone else shoot the ball and i think it wouldn’t be too hard to stop Kentucky…Meeks is going to be keyed on and if this team wants any success then Crawford and Bradley will have to knock down there open shots…I love UK more than anybody, but I just don’t think this team has what it takes to get to the Big Dance…NIT is as far as this team will reach…
Lest I remember incorrectly, Meeks could put the ball on the floor last year. He was modestly successful on drives, but he wasn’t terrible. Also, he became one of our better defenders during the season. So I wouldn’t call Meeks one-dimensional.
I agree that its just one game against an NAIA team, and I’m interested to see how Jodie can respond to more dedicated and talented defending. But I disagree that Meeks has only his shooting as a talent and that he is easily contained.
You’ve gotta give me a break Shooter. That is absurd. No way in Hell that Billy G lets this team underachieve to that extent. I agree that we shouldn’t put too much emphasis on the exhibition game, but there is no way that a true blue fan can expect to not make the big dance. GO CATS!
Shooter….if you actually think that we won’t make the NCAA tourny this year…you sir, are a moron. There would have to be a whole lot of things go wrong for that to happen and let me tell you…that ain’t happening.
Yes, it is exhibition, so far, but this is one of the more athletic teams we’ve seen in a long time. They are making smart decisions, they are hitting shots, they are IN SHAPE and hustling the whole game without tiring out at the end, and Patrick Patterson, my friend, IS THE HYPE! Ramel Bradley is actually passing up shots to look for an open man….and the most important thing of all…they are playing TOGETHER as a team and have all bought into what Billy G is preaching, 0!
I truly believe that we will be a final four “threat” by the end of this year. Come March, we will be one of those teams (6-7-8 seed) that has the momentum to knock off a couple of higher seeds and sneak far into the Big Dance!
NIT….you are full of S-H-IT if you think that’s where we are headed!
Guess Shooter doesn’t look like too much of a moron after last night.
BTW, is reason #50 why we love Billy because he can’t beat a cupcake mid-major at home? Or even play within two touchdwons of them? Hopefully that will wake them up and let them know they can’t just show up and win, even the coach, who needs to get some leadership in that starting lineup.
Looks like you might want to remove the “?” and the “nahhh” from FireBilly. Which is worse . . . losing at home to the Gardner or losing your wife to the gardener . . . I’d call it a toss-up.
Congraduations! MamaHost, you’ve won the “First Major Overreaction on FireBilly.com” award! I was hoping that last night’s loss would bring out the first overreaction! Thank you for fulfilling my dreams, and be sure to send your friends back here for more!
I would say it’s only an overreaction in that unlike college football, the team still has time to rebound and make a run. But this loss will put them probably lower than the top 40. Billy will do a good job at UK and the youngsters will come along and hopefully we can forget this after it quits running on espn every 30 minutes, but I don’t care who the coach or the players are, there is NO WAY a Kentucky team should lose at RUPP to a team that was picked 8th in a mid-major at best conference. We did not show up to play last night. True, Gardener played over their head and hit everything but we looked flat and uninspired, maybe less running would do us some good. Also, until Bradley and Crawford decide to play like the seniors they are, expect to see a lot more of this.
But let’s not forget these are still tubby’s players and this year should be overlooked unless we go 0-30 from here out.
Yes, last night’s loss sucked! Give all the credit to G-Webb, they just plain and simple out hustled and out played us and just wanted it more! BUT, it’s really no big deal on the grand scheme of things. I honestly think, that it is exactly what our players, and Billy Clyde, needed!
You can bet that Billy will have their FULL attention and heart at practice from here on out. Any preseason attitudes (Ramel & Joe) are out the window now. Those two played “Tubby Ball” last night and look what happened. So, yes last night was very disappointing. But, I expect these boys to respond in practice, immediately and when we take the floor on Nov. 21, they will respond in A BIG WAY!
One thing I walked away from last night happy about, was Alex Legion HAS ARRIVED! Those 3 straight 3’s he hit are just the beginning for him, here at UK! GO BIG BLUE!
P.S. All you “untrue” fans that booed our Home Team last night…KISS MY BIG BLUE ASS! You should never boo your team at home, NO MATTER WHAT! You people make me sick! Go be Lousiville fans if you wanna act like that, cuz you don’t deserve to be a CATS fan!
Daniel, I disagree that we should “overlook” this year. I don’t believe in holding any sort of Tubby Taint on the current players, as though we shouldn’t expect good things from the team. Last night’s display was shameful, but the season is over 30 games long, and despite what some of the same ole folks tell you, these kids are talented and will play.
I just don’t think you can hold them too accountable until Billy’s had a full year to work with everyone.