Are we drinking the Koolaid?

[davekersey]

Why are so many ranking us so low?
Why do the dudes on Field of 68 so adamantly say "No way man" at the proposal that UK could win it all?
Why do those same guys project us to be anywhere between a six to an eleven seed?

Are we missing something here? Are we just too young? Is our bevy of five star players just not that good?

And, if they are right, is this the final curtain for Calipari?

They make me nervous, these naysayers.

 

[YardCat]

I think they think Cal will continue to run the same offense and might be ranking the team from the last 4/5 years results. I prefer being underrated.

 

[kyrx]

Our recent history has a lot to do with it, IMO.

But no one picked UCONN to win it all last year, so they can prognosticate all they want.

We have a very good team. As long as we progress and peak by March, we'll be fine.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I'm with all the national analysts.

In that Missouri show me state state of mind.

 

[BlueBlackNWhite]

Yes, too young and inexperienced, and there isn't an Anthony Davis or Carmelo Anthony in this freshman class.

 

[Ukgold]

what gets more clicks in August pro uk or anti

If they're wrong people bring the heat all year giving more clicks They don't give a crap being right or wrong

 

[Glenn's take]

I love threads that mock mass suicide. It makes me feel better about the world.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

I think they think Cal will continue to run the same offense and might be ranking the team from the last 4/5 years results. I prefer being underrated.

There's no question Cal will run whatever offense needs to be run by the personnel. And no reason to not. As for the last 4/5 years, why would that make it negative? '19 was a very good team, 2 seed I think?, lost in the e* game in overtime. '20 turned into a great team. Won the SEC by 3 games Probably would have been a 2 seed. '21 was just awful. '22 turned into a really good team. Blew out UNC, Kansas and UT. Earned a 2 seed. Had a terrible loss in the tourney. '23 was a decent team even with no chemistry. Injuries to key players. Really over achieved with the available talent.

1 terrible bad season in the "last 4/5 years".

What's let UK down in the last 3 seasons has been defense. We have not been a good defensive team since the "20 season. This season changes that. Cal went back to his roots of getting the best players instead of taking other's leftovers. He's going to teach young players to play defense vs having to retain the leftovers.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

Not concerned. I've heard awful takes across multiple sports when it comes to predictions. At the end of the day, the games have to be played, let's see how we do in reality.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Lmao at 6-11 seed. I have a feeling this team is gonna be damn good. Very good guards and some legit big men that can play, all of which bring different aspects to our roster. I know nobody really knows how good or bad we will be. I just think we have a good group this season.

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

They don’t know.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

They don’t know.

Yep and they hate us cause they anus…..

 

[HerrosHeroes]

There are three possible answers before the Cats play real competition in November with minor embellishments that reflect the personalities and prejudices of the poster:

1. The critics are right
2. The critics are wrong
3. No one knows

The correct answer is 3.

The talent level and depth alone makes the correct answer #2.
#1 recruiting class
Transfer Mitchell
Returnees Thiero and Reeves and Ugonna
Big Z

This team will threaten platooning again.
But this time we finish the battle!

 

[WallMashKyBall]

I saw a team in Canda that looked like it knew how to play. I'm going with Critics have it wrong.

 

[UKAlum88]

I don’t listen to analyst, they all have agendas to push. I’m confident I know enough about basketball that I can make a correct analysis without someone telling me how to think or feel about it.

 

[DreadLox]

Last night I listened to a Youtuber talking about "Gell-Mann Amnesia". It's a two-pronged phenomenon. We trust media when it talks about stuff we've no experience with, but if it talks about stuff we do know about, we see how horribly wrong they can be. Why do we trust them with other stuff when we know how wrong they are with stuff we know about? Amnesia.

The Youtuber is a scientist and was complaining about how horribly media reports science-stuff. We're complaining here about UK stuff.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

I don’t listen to analyst, they all have agendas to push. I’m confident I know enough about basketball that I can make a correct analysis without someone telling me how to think or feel about it.

Thats why anything less than a top 5 preseason AP ranking is BS.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Last night I listened to a Youtuber talking about "Gell-Mann Amnesia". It's a two-pronged phenomenon. We trust media when it talks about stuff we've no experience with, but if it talks about stuff we do know about, we see how horribly wrong they can be. Why do we trust them with other stuff when we know how wrong they are with stuff we know about? Amnesia.

The Youtuber is a scientist and was complaining about how horribly media reports science-stuff. We're complaining here about UK stuff.

Yeah which is top priority.

 

[UKMKG]

They’ve probably been watching Cal coach/coast for the last few years.

 

[UKAlum88]

Thats why anything less than a top 5 preseason AP ranking is BS.

Yep I agree, although preseason rankings change zero for our team. All we have to do is win and the rest takes care of itself.

 

[DraftCat]

I recon the analysts finally wised up after being duped for a decade now.

That said like others mentioned early rankings meen about zilch esp now with so many players changing teams.

 

[blackcat714]

This team is loaded and should be a favorite to win it all Cal’s master plain is to make people think this team has no chance that way he wil look good when they win it all.

 

[KFuqua]

I think the answer is simple...no one has any confidence in Calipari. He hasn't coached the Cats to anything acceptable for very long time.

 

[JoeBeeHall]

I stayed at a motel 6 last night and had a cup of tea, the leaves didn't know either.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

College basketball is getting older and older and freshman led teams don’t win anymore unless you have the best of the best like duke did in 2021 with banchero and that bunch(and even then they still still didn’t win it all). This past year UConn, SDSU, Miami, & FAU all had multiple year guys with a lot of experience in college basketball who had played multiple years together. It’s harder to get a bunch of freshman and go through growing pains until late January then flip the switch and contend. CALs best teams are ones that have freshman elite talent. I don’t know if this years bunch are elite or just good. If they are elite I can anywhere from the lowest 1 seed to a 3 seed, if they are just good(which is fine not every player can be elite) then I see anywhere from a 4-9 seed anywhere, in that range wouldn’t surprise me at all. Most likely I see a team similar to the 2011 or 2016 team. Has extremely talented pieces but is missing something and finished the regular season with 7 or8 losses and is a 4 seed In the tournament but is extremely dangerous

 

[LineSkiCat14]

We've seen this well before our recent slump under Cal. This goes back to the days where we were beating almost every one. There's always been this "sell" mentality when it comes to the medias thoughts on Kentucky. I saw Andy Katz, who is VERY good compared to others... has Jeremy Roach ranked as a higher SG than Reeves. What? lol. Jeremy Roach is a PG who seemingly had to move to SG because he lost his job. WHo in their right mind thinks Jeremy Roach is a better 2 than Reeves?

Now that Big Z is cleared (I think?) and Morris is gone from Kansas.. I really don't see why Kentucky shouldn't be in the mix for #1 and getting some #1 votes. The talent on this team surpasses everyone else, and while that's never a gaurantee of results, it SHOULD make the media pause and think "if they come together and are as good as billed..."

 

[Aike]

I think the biggest concern is one we’ve seen with several of Cal’s young, talented teams. That is that early losses impact seeding, and make it tougher to navigate the tourney when the time comes.

I think we have the kind of players who can win in the tournament. I hope they don’t enter as a 4/5 seed or worse and make things more challenging.

 

[Kycatspaws]

 

[Blueisbest]

The ultimate question everybody needs to ask themselves is, "Is there any other team out there this season that you would rather have wear the Kentucky Blue?"
Yes, there are some really fine teams to choose from. Duke will be good. Kansas will be good. Purdue will be good. UConn will be good. These are the teams all the so called "experts" are shilling to win the championship. But are they that much better than Kentucky? I think not.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Yes and Ive been drinking it for decades.
Thank goodness Jim Jones wasnt the distributor or Id be a goner a million times over by now.

 

[BlueBlackNWhite]

We've seen this well before our recent slump under Cal. This goes back to the days where we were beating almost every one. There's always been this "sell" mentality when it comes to the medias thoughts on Kentucky. I saw Andy Katz, who is VERY good compared to others... has Jeremy Roach ranked as a higher SG than Reeves. What? lol. Jeremy Roach is a PG who seemingly had to move to SG because he lost his job. WHo in their right mind thinks Jeremy Roach is a better 2 than Reeves?

Now that Big Z is cleared (I think?) and Morris is gone from Kansas.. I really don't see why Kentucky shouldn't be in the mix for #1 and getting some #1 votes. The talent on this team surpasses everyone else, and while that's never a gaurantee of results, it SHOULD make the media pause and think "if they come together and are as good as billed..."

Last year, Roach averaged 13.6 PPG & 3.1 assists on 43% shooting.
Last year, Reeves averaged 14.4 PPG & 1.1 assists on 41% shooting.

Roach had more talent around him so he wasn't asked to score as much, but those numbers could have been 15-16 PPG. Roach moved to SG because a future lottery pick was playing PG, Proctor was a better distributor and the team took off when Proctor got over his freshman woes. Roach has played in a Final 4, Roach has scored 21 points in a Sweet 16 game. Roach is a former 5-star. It's definitely close, but Roach is the better college basketball player.

Reeves shoots better from 3, but that is it. However, Reeves does fit this years UK team better than Roach would, UK needs shooting from 3, not another dribble-drive playmaker like Roach is.

 

[WeWant9]

The last three seasons are probably getting factored into it. Been ranked high pre season, only to crash and burn at the end. UK will have to earn it, but luckily preseason rankings mean jack squat.

 

[ORCAT]

Thats why anything less than a top 5 preseason AP ranking is BS.

Honestly, I prefer to be lower ranked at this point and be a sleeper. We truly don't know what our team will really be like so why add the pressure of a top 5 ranking? Pre-season rankings are meaningless anyway. Look at our top 5 teams the past 2 years and what they ended up like. So, I'm good being overlooked early on and I do feel we might just have a pretty good team this year. Just maybe not at the start of the season.

 

[uk78]

Last year so many wanted Cal fired including many here who may have short-term memory loss. Now, because there was a good showing in the summer tournament, top rated recruits or transfers, most are back on the band wagon. The first game we get our assess handed to us will bring back the memory for some here. Plus, if Cal doesn't utilize his advantages of the deep bench, ball pressure, offensive structure other than only scoring on fast breaks and lousy spacing and outside shooting, then it's reasonable for experts to project us poorly. Cal has to change and that's the question.

 

[davekersey]

Last year so many wanted Cal fired including many here who may have short-term memory loss. Now, because there was a good showing in the summer tournament, top rated recruits or transfers, most are back on the band wagon. The first game we get our assess handed to us will bring back the memory for some here. Plus, if Cal doesn't utilize his advantages of the deep bench, ball pressure, offensive structure other than only scoring on fast breaks and lousy spacing and outside shooting, then it's reasonable for experts to project us poorly. Cal has to change and that's the question.

If we only beat New Mexico state by seven points then a lot of UK fans will jump off the bandwagon and it'll be gnashing of teeth for many. By the way the field of 68 broadcast I was referencing was before z-man was a real possibility

 

[know1]

The ultimate question everybody needs to ask themselves is, "Is there any other team out there this season that you would rather have wear the Kentucky Blue?"
Yes, there are some really fine teams to choose from. Duke will be good. Kansas will be good. Purdue will be good. UConn will be good. These are the teams all the so called "experts" are shilling to win the championship. But are they that much better than Kentucky? I think not.

As usual. I'm pretty much OK with the team. It's the coach I don't want or trust.

 

[docholiday51]

Lmao at 6-11 seed. I have a feeling this team is gonna be damn good. Very good guards and some legit big men that can play, all of which bring different aspects to our roster. I know nobody really knows how good or bad we will be. I just think we have a good group this season.

I think we have a good group ,recent history tempers my expectations. Cal has work to do to redeem himself in the eyes of most fans and college basketball in general. This team seems to have potential but it must avoid all the clutter that has plagued recent teams.

 

[Untouchables22]

Cal has been ultra-resistant to change arrogantly thinking his offense and his process was the best way. It took a historic upset and the literal worst season in the school’s history to force him to change. The national guys haven’t caught up yet that Cal is FINALLY reluctantly modernizing the offense. He added a legit basketball strategic mind to the staff in Welch and apparently trusts him to help him with the area’s of coaching where he struggles (in-game adjustments). So the outside prognosticators are assuming Cal won’t change but there are encouraging signs he finally reluctantly is.

 

[CUJO_1970]

Yeah, Ain't gonna lie - I'm a major homer.

So - I've both cursed the ground Calipari 🚽 walks on due to what he did to our program over the last few years - while simultaneously being "40-0" dude. 🤸‍♂️

It is what it is.

 

[davekersey]

The 20/21 team that finished 9 and 16 set the stage for mediocrity for a bit. Devin askew was never intended to be the starting point guard. Cade Cunningham was to be that person I mean after all he did verbal to UK only to be shot down. To me the only bright spot on that team was Isaiah Jackson.