UK basketball recruiting has not really picked up like I expected it to under Billy Gillispie. Yes, UK has signed Andre Liggins and Darius Miller, but I expected UK recruiting to be getting a lot more interest from some of the top McDonald's all-Americans by this time.
I noticed UK basketball recruiting has involved a lot of junior college players recently. Nothing against these players, but there is just not enough data to show these recruits pay off very often. I guess beggars can't be choosers sometimes. I have no doubt Billy Gillispie is trying to take UK basketball recruiting to the next level.
Nobody has really mentioned that UK basketball recruiting has been effected by replacing a black head coach with a white head coach. Now, this doesn't cause any concern to me. I know that Tubby Smith was treated like royalty at UK and he got the respect he deserved, but I have to believe there are many African American players that may not like the fact UK chose to hire a white coach after Tubby Smith left. I hope this doesn't effect Kentucky recruiting because it shouldn't.
Coach Smith definitely had an advantage with some recruits at UK because he was African American so we will see if Billy Gillispie and UK basketball recruiting can quickly regain some of the top recruits' attention at UK. I know he has already garnered the attention of a few top profile recruits, but this coaching change and its effect on the Kentucky Wildcats basketball hasn't been fully absorbed yet.
I believe Billy Gillispie will start to lock up all the top in-state talent because he works harder than Pitino as a recruiter and his down-home Texas style will be very appealing to many Kentucky high school players and their families. In addition, after watching the improvement of Crawford and Bradley under Coach Gillispie, players are going to soon discover they can elevate their games tremendously under Coach Gillispie who develops talent as good as any coach in America. This will also boost UK basketball recruiting.
Billy Gillispie could form some truly amazing teams at UK once he gets top talent at the University of Kentucky. This could be the best UK basketball recruiting we've ever seen.
Original Article:
http://ezinearticles.com/?UK-Basketball-Recruiting&id=1245577
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Kentucky Basketball Recruits
Kentucky basketball recruits are looking good so far in 2008. Andre Liggins and Miller are the stars of the class. In addition, it looks like UK may sign a player from Hampton, who has NBA potential. Kentucky basketball recruits will be treated just like all of Gillispie's other players. They will be expected to grow up in a hurry.
I expect to see many Kentucky basketball recruits transfer from UK in the future only because of Billy Gillispie's demanding style. He demands that players play with an unselfish attitude and he expects them to give total effort every practice.
That's a lot of expect from some of the pampered players coming into college from programs where they were a star and the focus of so much adulation.
Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of adulation in Lexington for Kentucky basketball recruits, but that adulation ends when they enter the practice floor for Billy Gillispie where they will run run run%u2026and run some more until they are sick.
Just ask Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley, who thought they were Seniors with a privileged status at UK. These Kentucky basketball recruits were quickly sitting on the bench during games where they were needed.
Billy Gillispie would rather lose playing the right way, than win playing the wrong way. That was his early message to his players. I actually like that's good to see SOME people in this world still have character and do things the right way.
Kentucky basketball recruits can expect to improve beyond their wildest dreams if they can stick to Billy Gillispie's plan. He put formerly underachieving players from Texas A&M into the NBA.
He made Joe Crawford into a star that wasn't even recognizable compared to the past few years. It may be painful, but Kentucky basketball recruits have a lot to look forward to at UK.
See Original Article Here
I expect to see many Kentucky basketball recruits transfer from UK in the future only because of Billy Gillispie's demanding style. He demands that players play with an unselfish attitude and he expects them to give total effort every practice.
That's a lot of expect from some of the pampered players coming into college from programs where they were a star and the focus of so much adulation.
Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of adulation in Lexington for Kentucky basketball recruits, but that adulation ends when they enter the practice floor for Billy Gillispie where they will run run run%u2026and run some more until they are sick.
Just ask Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley, who thought they were Seniors with a privileged status at UK. These Kentucky basketball recruits were quickly sitting on the bench during games where they were needed.
Billy Gillispie would rather lose playing the right way, than win playing the wrong way. That was his early message to his players. I actually like that's good to see SOME people in this world still have character and do things the right way.
Kentucky basketball recruits can expect to improve beyond their wildest dreams if they can stick to Billy Gillispie's plan. He put formerly underachieving players from Texas A&M into the NBA.
He made Joe Crawford into a star that wasn't even recognizable compared to the past few years. It may be painful, but Kentucky basketball recruits have a lot to look forward to at UK.
See Original Article Here
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
University of Kentucky Wildcats Sports
The University of Kentucky Wildcats sports teams are some of the most followed in the whole country. Kentucky fans are notorious for supporting their teams through thick and thin. It helps that Kentucky doesn't have any pro sports teams.
Kentucky fans have followed University of Kentucky Wildcats sports teams ever since Adolph Rupp and Bear Bryan coached basketball and football teams respectively. There was early success in those teams and it seems there has been relative success ever since. Many UK players throughout history are famous too. Many of them return to live in Kentucky or they visit the school often, which helps recruiting in the state.
University of Kentucky Wildcats sports teams have always dominated the majority of college fans in the state compared to the second biggest school, the University of Louisville. Kentucky enrolls many more students from rural areas compared to UL and therefore the school attendance is larger and so is the fan base. My parents are from Eastern Kentucky and they grew up as Kentucky Wildcats fans their whole life.
This fanaticism about University of Kentucky Wildcats sports was passed down to me so the cycle continues! I bleed blue and that's just the way it is...I love looking forward to the upcoming seasons and analyzing University of Kentucky sports teams recruiting classes. Rich Brooks has me really excited about the upcoming football season. The last two years, Kentucky football has won two bowls and the team just seems to be getting better every year.
Read the rest here:
http://ezinearticles.com/?University-of-Kentucky-Wildcats-Sports&id=1436127
Kentucky fans have followed University of Kentucky Wildcats sports teams ever since Adolph Rupp and Bear Bryan coached basketball and football teams respectively. There was early success in those teams and it seems there has been relative success ever since. Many UK players throughout history are famous too. Many of them return to live in Kentucky or they visit the school often, which helps recruiting in the state.
University of Kentucky Wildcats sports teams have always dominated the majority of college fans in the state compared to the second biggest school, the University of Louisville. Kentucky enrolls many more students from rural areas compared to UL and therefore the school attendance is larger and so is the fan base. My parents are from Eastern Kentucky and they grew up as Kentucky Wildcats fans their whole life.
This fanaticism about University of Kentucky Wildcats sports was passed down to me so the cycle continues! I bleed blue and that's just the way it is...I love looking forward to the upcoming seasons and analyzing University of Kentucky sports teams recruiting classes. Rich Brooks has me really excited about the upcoming football season. The last two years, Kentucky football has won two bowls and the team just seems to be getting better every year.
Read the rest here:
http://ezinearticles.com/?University-of-Kentucky-Wildcats-Sports&id=1436127
Friday, August 22, 2008
Interesting snippet below about Gillispie and the thought of getting a new UK basketball arena. Does UK really need new arena? Does Rupp Arena need to be replaced? Not sure...
________________________________________________________________
Gillispie called Rupp Arena “one of the most special places ever.” But, he added, “You’re not going to go backward. You see if you can improve upon the fantastic facilities you already have.”
UK baseball coach Gary Henderson looked favorably on a new baseball stadium.
“It’d be good for Kentucky baseball because a new stadium is commitment,” he said.
UK went public with its consideration of new basketball and baseball venues on Thursday when Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart asked the Lexington Center Corp., which operates Rupp Arena, to endorse a study into the feasibility of building a new arena in downtown Lexington.
“I think we play in the best arena in the world right now,” Gillispie said in reaction to the feasibility study. “Everybody knows that, and I really believe acknowledges that.
“But when you get a chance to look into the possibility of even improving on something of that nature, that’s pretty exciting.”
When asked how Rupp Arena could be improved upon, Gillispie noted that such facilities have a finite shelf life. He also mentioned “trends” in facilities, which would include an athletic department’s current affection for the money-making potential of luxury suites and priority seating plans.
Gillispie said that such bottom-line considerations leave only a “listen and learn” role for coaches.
“I don’t think it’s proper for basketball coaches to do anything but support the leadership of the city and the school and the administration of the school.”
As for baseball, Henderson sounded optimistic that UK would build a new stadium, probably across Alumni Drive from the Arboretum.
“No question, we’re going to have, in the near future, a new facility,” Henderson said.
Deputy Director of Athletics Rob Mullens said that the plan would have softball move to the existing baseball facilities at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
“Our facility has been plenty good for us to be successful here,” Henderson said. “But there are a number of new facilities and new changes in the conference. And we have to keep up.
____________________________________________________________
Read Original Article Here
Go Big Blue! Chad
________________________________________________________________
Gillispie called Rupp Arena “one of the most special places ever.” But, he added, “You’re not going to go backward. You see if you can improve upon the fantastic facilities you already have.”
UK baseball coach Gary Henderson looked favorably on a new baseball stadium.
“It’d be good for Kentucky baseball because a new stadium is commitment,” he said.
UK went public with its consideration of new basketball and baseball venues on Thursday when Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart asked the Lexington Center Corp., which operates Rupp Arena, to endorse a study into the feasibility of building a new arena in downtown Lexington.
“I think we play in the best arena in the world right now,” Gillispie said in reaction to the feasibility study. “Everybody knows that, and I really believe acknowledges that.
“But when you get a chance to look into the possibility of even improving on something of that nature, that’s pretty exciting.”
When asked how Rupp Arena could be improved upon, Gillispie noted that such facilities have a finite shelf life. He also mentioned “trends” in facilities, which would include an athletic department’s current affection for the money-making potential of luxury suites and priority seating plans.
Gillispie said that such bottom-line considerations leave only a “listen and learn” role for coaches.
“I don’t think it’s proper for basketball coaches to do anything but support the leadership of the city and the school and the administration of the school.”
As for baseball, Henderson sounded optimistic that UK would build a new stadium, probably across Alumni Drive from the Arboretum.
“No question, we’re going to have, in the near future, a new facility,” Henderson said.
Deputy Director of Athletics Rob Mullens said that the plan would have softball move to the existing baseball facilities at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
“Our facility has been plenty good for us to be successful here,” Henderson said. “But there are a number of new facilities and new changes in the conference. And we have to keep up.
____________________________________________________________
Read Original Article Here
Go Big Blue! Chad
Monday, August 18, 2008
Check out some excerpts from the article below...It just shows the media has something against UK and coach Rupp.
"Don Barksdale was a pioneering athlete in the mid-20th Century. He was a member of the Gold Medal 48 Olympic Basketball Team and the Philips Oilers Championship Team.
In 1948, he was the first African American to play with the U.S. Olympic team. He
joined the team in Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics. He became the first Africa-American basketball player to win a gold medal in the Summer Olympics.
Barksdale, who had been playing with the Amateur Athletic
Union’s Oakland Bittners, was given an at-large berth from the independent.
“This guy fought, fought, and fought,” Barksdale said, “and I think finally the coach of Phillips 66 [Omar Browning] had said, ‘That son of a bitch is the best basketball player in the country outside of Bob Kurland, so I don’t know how we can turn him down.’ So they picked me, but Maggiora said he went through holy hell for it - closed-door meetings and begging.”
The 1948 Olympic team had five Kentucky Wildcats basketball players who had just won the very first Wildcat national championship in the 1948 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. The rest of the Olympic team, consisting of the AAU Champions Phillips Oilers, and the Kentucky team later scrimmaged on Stoll Field in front of 14,000 spectators, the largest crowd to watch basketball in Kentucky at that time. Barksdale became the first African-American to play against Kentucky in Lexington. He could not stay at the hotel with the rest of the team, but instead stayed with a black host family.[3]
“[Rupp] turned out to be my closest friend,” Barksdale said. “We went to London and won all 12 games and got the gold medal.” But he had to brush off indignities just about every step of the way. . . Later, coach Rupp told Barksdale, “Son, I wish things weren’t like that, but there’s nothing you or I can do about it.” Barksdale agreed. He lived by a very simple philosophy. He wasn’t interested in protest; he was interested in playing basketball. He had faced prejudice before, and he knew that he would face it again.
Does that sound like a racist. Why does the American Sports Press get away with deriding Rupp as a racist when to a man his contemporaries both black and white say the exact opposite? Look to Duke in 1966. All White Team as well. But somehow that fact is never mentioned in all of the talk of “walls tumbling down.” When will these media types start to deal in fact. Instead they lie and cheat and defame persons with innuendo, deception, lies and half truths.
There are hundreds of stories that attest to the lie that is perpetuated by ESPN and their crew of amatuers. Yet, they refuse to back down from their slander. All the while, they canonize a guy like John Wooden whose greatest booster openly paid his players. Paid for their clothes, cars and abortions. I’m not saying that Wooden doesn’t deserve his accolades. He won and won big. But his achievements are tainted with drug money. Neither ESPN nor the NCAA will go near those stories. Wooden lived in denial as Papa Sam paid for his rosters. Either that or he was complicit in the violations. Yet, Wooden will never be investigated. What is the difference between Papa Sam and his relationship with Bill Walton and the Reggie Bush situation or the recent O.J. Mayo “scandal.”
Speak to me of hypocrisy. These supposed professionals cowardly destroy the reputation of one man after his death based on fallacies and lies. "
See Original Article Here
This is a disgrace. UK should actively tell the media to get this story corrected.
Chad
"Don Barksdale was a pioneering athlete in the mid-20th Century. He was a member of the Gold Medal 48 Olympic Basketball Team and the Philips Oilers Championship Team.
In 1948, he was the first African American to play with the U.S. Olympic team. He
joined the team in Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics. He became the first Africa-American basketball player to win a gold medal in the Summer Olympics.
Barksdale, who had been playing with the Amateur Athletic
Union’s Oakland Bittners, was given an at-large berth from the independent.
“This guy fought, fought, and fought,” Barksdale said, “and I think finally the coach of Phillips 66 [Omar Browning] had said, ‘That son of a bitch is the best basketball player in the country outside of Bob Kurland, so I don’t know how we can turn him down.’ So they picked me, but Maggiora said he went through holy hell for it - closed-door meetings and begging.”
The 1948 Olympic team had five Kentucky Wildcats basketball players who had just won the very first Wildcat national championship in the 1948 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. The rest of the Olympic team, consisting of the AAU Champions Phillips Oilers, and the Kentucky team later scrimmaged on Stoll Field in front of 14,000 spectators, the largest crowd to watch basketball in Kentucky at that time. Barksdale became the first African-American to play against Kentucky in Lexington. He could not stay at the hotel with the rest of the team, but instead stayed with a black host family.[3]
“[Rupp] turned out to be my closest friend,” Barksdale said. “We went to London and won all 12 games and got the gold medal.” But he had to brush off indignities just about every step of the way. . . Later, coach Rupp told Barksdale, “Son, I wish things weren’t like that, but there’s nothing you or I can do about it.” Barksdale agreed. He lived by a very simple philosophy. He wasn’t interested in protest; he was interested in playing basketball. He had faced prejudice before, and he knew that he would face it again.
Does that sound like a racist. Why does the American Sports Press get away with deriding Rupp as a racist when to a man his contemporaries both black and white say the exact opposite? Look to Duke in 1966. All White Team as well. But somehow that fact is never mentioned in all of the talk of “walls tumbling down.” When will these media types start to deal in fact. Instead they lie and cheat and defame persons with innuendo, deception, lies and half truths.
There are hundreds of stories that attest to the lie that is perpetuated by ESPN and their crew of amatuers. Yet, they refuse to back down from their slander. All the while, they canonize a guy like John Wooden whose greatest booster openly paid his players. Paid for their clothes, cars and abortions. I’m not saying that Wooden doesn’t deserve his accolades. He won and won big. But his achievements are tainted with drug money. Neither ESPN nor the NCAA will go near those stories. Wooden lived in denial as Papa Sam paid for his rosters. Either that or he was complicit in the violations. Yet, Wooden will never be investigated. What is the difference between Papa Sam and his relationship with Bill Walton and the Reggie Bush situation or the recent O.J. Mayo “scandal.”
Speak to me of hypocrisy. These supposed professionals cowardly destroy the reputation of one man after his death based on fallacies and lies. "
See Original Article Here
This is a disgrace. UK should actively tell the media to get this story corrected.
Chad
Friday, August 15, 2008
Man, the Cats have their work cut out for them against UNC in basketball this year. Check out the quote below....
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/47611-kentucky-to-open-the-ncaa-bb-season-with-top-dog
"The Wildcats will open with preseason favorite North Carolina in Chapel Hill November 18 in both team's first scheduled game of the season.
The game time is a result of a growing football presence in the game's usual December spot due to conference championship games. To add interest, ESPN will pick up the coverage in part with an all-day college basketball extravaganza.
The Heels will bring back all five starters from a Final Four team a year ago along with bringing in three McDonald's All-Americans.
Kentucky will be looking to continue to improve from the 07-08 season where the Wildcats struggled early, but had a solid end to last season.
Kentucky will have to replace guards Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley along with having the possibility of Patrick Patterson not being up to speed after last year's season ending injury."
_________________________________________________________________
I'd rather we play a tough schedule though....This will benefit the Gillispie squad later in the year. Best to get the rough spots out early....
Chad
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/47611-kentucky-to-open-the-ncaa-bb-season-with-top-dog
"The Wildcats will open with preseason favorite North Carolina in Chapel Hill November 18 in both team's first scheduled game of the season.
The game time is a result of a growing football presence in the game's usual December spot due to conference championship games. To add interest, ESPN will pick up the coverage in part with an all-day college basketball extravaganza.
The Heels will bring back all five starters from a Final Four team a year ago along with bringing in three McDonald's All-Americans.
Kentucky will be looking to continue to improve from the 07-08 season where the Wildcats struggled early, but had a solid end to last season.
Kentucky will have to replace guards Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley along with having the possibility of Patrick Patterson not being up to speed after last year's season ending injury."
_________________________________________________________________
I'd rather we play a tough schedule though....This will benefit the Gillispie squad later in the year. Best to get the rough spots out early....
Chad
Monday, August 11, 2008
This is what Travis Ford recently said about getting in shape at OSU...
"Ford, OSU's new head basketball coach, is a former point guard at Missouri and Kentucky. When Ford transferred to Kentucky, coach Rick Pitino advised Ford to lose weight, or else. "I came in at 160 and he wanted me at 150," Ford said during a Friday interview at his basketball camp in Jenks. "I didn't think I could play at 150. I didn't think it was possible. I was like, man, this is the SEC and I'm not big to begin with. But once I got down to 150, I realized what a difference it made for me.
It allowed me to play longer. I didn't get as tired as quick, so there was a difference and that's what I'm trying to convince guys like Byron of." Eaton and his teammates will have to be lean because Ford, who uses an up-tempo style, is picking up the pace of play in Stillwater. "That doesn't mean you don't need to be in shape to play other systems," Ford said. "But I know in this one you cannot survive unless you are in the best shape of your
CM8ShowAd("336x280");
life."
Ford said his players, Eaton included, have done a great job of getting in shape this summer. Eaton, who has struggled to stay svelte in three seasons as a starter, weighed 243 pounds in early June. "Which is absurd," Ford said. "Whether you are playing basketball or not, that's too much for a 19- or 20-year-old kid to be weighing in at 5-9, 243. And here he is trying to make the NBA."
Read Original Article Here
________________________________________________________________
I gotta agree...If you're going to play Division I, every pound of fat that you can shed is going to make a difference in your ability to press through fatigue. I think Travis will be a great coach at OSU.
Chad
"Ford, OSU's new head basketball coach, is a former point guard at Missouri and Kentucky. When Ford transferred to Kentucky, coach Rick Pitino advised Ford to lose weight, or else. "I came in at 160 and he wanted me at 150," Ford said during a Friday interview at his basketball camp in Jenks. "I didn't think I could play at 150. I didn't think it was possible. I was like, man, this is the SEC and I'm not big to begin with. But once I got down to 150, I realized what a difference it made for me.
It allowed me to play longer. I didn't get as tired as quick, so there was a difference and that's what I'm trying to convince guys like Byron of." Eaton and his teammates will have to be lean because Ford, who uses an up-tempo style, is picking up the pace of play in Stillwater. "That doesn't mean you don't need to be in shape to play other systems," Ford said. "But I know in this one you cannot survive unless you are in the best shape of your
CM8ShowAd("336x280");
life."
Ford said his players, Eaton included, have done a great job of getting in shape this summer. Eaton, who has struggled to stay svelte in three seasons as a starter, weighed 243 pounds in early June. "Which is absurd," Ford said. "Whether you are playing basketball or not, that's too much for a 19- or 20-year-old kid to be weighing in at 5-9, 243. And here he is trying to make the NBA."
Read Original Article Here
________________________________________________________________
I gotta agree...If you're going to play Division I, every pound of fat that you can shed is going to make a difference in your ability to press through fatigue. I think Travis will be a great coach at OSU.
Chad
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