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GYERO

'97 would have made it 3 in a row, which is iconic in the sports world.

'15 would have gave us 40-0. Also iconic, not just another championship.

Add those to our resume and it would nearly be untouchable.

'92 I'm aware we probably don't beat Indiana and/Michigan afterwards. Pitino said it himself. Losing that and the way we did probably made it more iconic for college basketball as a whole but still stings a lot. Had we won but then got blown out in the final four could have dampened our memory on that game.

Theoretically
 
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'97 would have made it 3 in a row, which is iconic in the sports world.

'15 would have gave us 40-0. Also iconic, not just another championship.

Add those to our resume and it would nearly be untouchable.

'92 I'm aware we probably don't beat Indiana and/Michigan afterwards. Pitino said it himself. Losing that and the way we did probably made it more iconic for college basketball as a whole but still stings a lot. Had we won but then got blown out in the final four could have dampened our memory on that game.

Theoretically

So we're just assuming that if we won in 97 we would have still won in 98?
 
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So we're just assuming that if we won in 97 we would have still won in 98?
Well we are assuming if we beat Duke then we probably lose in the final four. So yeah.

You are making it too complicated. I used to assume we would win every game.

I'm just saying, IF IT PLAYED OUT THAT WAY, that's how it would be perceived. Thus the "theoritcally" at the end mister wayne
 
Your sense of logic is f**ked, thabigbluenation.

Anyone bitching about 97 needs the pear of anguish. Greatest decade we’ll probably ever experience. Won the year before, won the year after, lost in between in the champ in OT. If you’re going to bitch about that >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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>then you can S my D.
 
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- Edit: I’m excited that 4Roses single barrel off the shelf is good again. The ten years or so in between when I was able to buy every iteration of their recipe in barrel strength at TPS, and now, was pretty bad. By their standards, at least, which are far better than most. Always been my favorite distillery and whiskey.

- like many of you, I love these new Toyota platforms, on paper at least. Between the cost and the natural issues, happy to wait a few years. 2010 4Runner Trail Edition and 2015 Sequoia Platinum going as strong as ever. Over 150K on each. Never had the first issue, other than normal wear and tear. Solid as brick shithouses. These vehicles will live on for many decades by those who appreciate true bulletproofness.

- 4th and 6th graders both have their first junior football games kickoff tomorrow. Can’t wait. I bring a flask to the stands every game. My boys are absolute monsters. Both played on both lines, offense, defense and ST, every snap last year of every game. Except for one series each. The younger one was once puking when it was really hot, the older one had gotten kicked out for shoving a quarterback’s face into the dirt and then holding it there with his knee.

- Today I think a plurality of my office decided to fire all the old guys, pay them out, and then get along with our business. The problem is we were all very drunk at a bar and I’m not sure a corporate secretary was appointed to duly record the actions of this convening.

- Florida State - Georgia Tech at noon tomorrow. That works. Going to be a great Saturday.

- Really, really excited for Southern Miss to be a night game - what an unexpected gift. With my boys playing football every Saturday, our attendance is limited anymore to Labor Day Weekend and whatever home games we have in November. So happy they will get to experience a game in pleasant weather without the sun scorching the skin off of their faces, as happened last Labor Day Saturday. Or sleet as we lose to Vanderbilt couple years ago. Thanks, Mark! Prick.

- In reference to this one 40-something slut who is divorced and wears absurd clothing around the office…my fat gay colleague from Northeastern Kentucky mentioned today, “hell, she just sold the farm!” I’m not sure what that even means, but it was in reference to her crescent moon in a sheer thong, so I get the drift. Going to use that line in reference to every slut I see now.

- And there's some nights I just wanna die

Then comes morning and the light from that blue sky

- But I can't see the sunshine through the thunder in my eyes
 
You might want to go back and watch the game. Miles Simon made as many FTs as we shot and there were a lot of touchy calls.

Turner had 2 in the first half and sat, then got his 3rd right away in the 2nd half and sat some more.

That said Arizonas strategy on him was very successful and Dickerson really played fantastic defense on Mercer.

We coulda woulda shoulda but we lost it. I rewatched it today and now I’m watching the whole 98 run with the kids.

I am flat out Huber giddy over Pope and this coming season and they wanted to know why. A stroll down memory lane is in order.
 
Your sense of logic is f**ked, thabigbluenation.

Anyone bitching about 97 needs the pear of anguish. Greatest decade we’ll probably ever experience. Won the year before, won the year after, lost in between in the champ in OT. If you’re going to bitch about that >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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>then you can S my D.
Harsh! Misunderstand the context of the content you have. Forgiven you are
 
- Edit: I’m excited that 4Roses single barrel off the shelf is good again. The ten years or so in between when I was able to buy every iteration of their recipe in barrel strength at TPS, and now, was pretty bad. By their standards, at least, which are far better than most.
Poo-poo’ing Rutledge’s juice? Insane.

One of the best bottles I’ve had was a Party Source gold neck OBSO pick of theirs from the late aughts.
 
I'll tell you a kids' spectator sport that is freaking awesome: cross country.
  • Show up an hour before the race.
  • Sit under a tent in a lawn chair and enjoy being outdoors (and some scenery)
  • Watch your kid run for somewhere between 10 and 25 minutes depending on the length of the race
  • Go home
Absolutely fantastic.

The other part I like about it is the speed of of some of the kids. My son is in the 3rd and 2nd grade division. The dude who won his race (1 mile) finished in 6:03. That's freaking moving for a 3rd grader.
 
Nah, I can of a million things more exciting than watching a bunch of snotty nose kids running thru the woods, watching grass grow would be very close. And I have a 6 year old grandson. CC, if he was to take it up, just tell me how it went when you get home. I am NOT wasting a fall day sitting under a GD tent doing nothing. Maybe sitting in a lawn chair fishing and drinking a beer, but watch kids run ? Nope. So show up an hour early to watch 15 minutes of running ? WTF do you do for a hour waiting ? Can you bet on the runners ? Maybe look the runners over like horses in the Paddock, that might be fun betting on Little Johnnie to win.
 
Poo-poo’ing Rutledge’s juice? Insane.

One of the best bottles I’ve had was a Party Source gold neck OBSO pick of theirs from the late aughts.

I know you are a big 4Roses guy, but he left in 2015 and “their” juice is the same if not better.

What is you give him credit for besides his change in marketing plan for the brand when they shifted to American sales vs overseas?

Did he role out the 8 different grain single barrel strategy?
 
Nah, I can of a million things more exciting than watching a bunch of snotty nose kids running thru the woods, watching grass grow would be very close. And I have a 6 year old grandson. CC, if he was to take it up, just tell me how it went when you get home. I am NOT wasting a fall day sitting under a GD tent doing nothing. Maybe sitting in a lawn chair fishing and drinking a beer, but watch kids run ? Nope. So show up an hour early to watch 15 minutes of running ? WTF do you do for a hour waiting ? Can you bet on the runners ? Maybe look the runners over like horses in the Paddock, that might be fun betting on Little Johnnie to win.
And sometimes you have to drive an hour to watch them run for 15 minutes 🤦🏻‍♂️
 
You're an old, loathsome fart, so I'm not even sure why I'm responding to you. But I just described that I was there for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes.
That wasn't a very nice thing to say to your elder. Having said that, you spent about 1 hour and 14 minutes too long there. A person can do a LOT more exciting things on a Saturday with 1 hour and 15 minutes. Say, maybe a game of one on one with neighbors ?
 
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Getting Jasper is thoroughly impressive when you consider he grew up a UNC fan and Bama had been on him for years.

A lot are saying we lead for Mullins now too. Also, we are getting Tounde’s last visit at Madness so could have the entire class locked up before the season starts.

One big question for Pope was could he recruit with the big dogs and he’ll have two five stars already signed before many have one. And he’s done that with only being here since April and he hasn’t had a team hit the floor here yet either.

One other interesting note about next year is that the scholarship limit goes to 15 next year so it will be interesting to see how Pope handles those spots with developmental pieces.
 
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- I was pretty unconcerned about Pope’s HS recruiting for a few reasons:

a) Unless you are completely lazy or inept, Kentucky recruits itself. Look at our history- only Tubby struggled recruiting. Billy Clyde could have recruited well if he wasn’t insane.

b) It’s pretty clear HS recruiting is diminished when it comes to building an elite program at this point. It’s important but less so than managing the portal.

c) Pope’s a hustler and a talker whose forte is offense.

- There are a ton of stressors when it comes to young children but nothing worse than the puking and the noise. Experienced both on my drive home when my oldest puked the entire trip and youngest screamed. Oh and special thanks to Louisville 71 for adding an extra 90 minutes to our commute with lane closures. I have cleaned up way too much puke in my day. Way too much.

- That said, my 6-month old got her first two teeth in this week and is also now saying “Dad da.” Parenting is an emotional rollercoaster.

- Still have a Roy Rogers out in eastern Cincinnati. My dad still loves it.

- Speaking of Dad, if there was a riot regarding David Bell, he’d be the dude out there setting shit on fire. Haven’t had a conversation with him in 3 years when he didn’t at some point bitch about him.

- 97 team may be the most underrated UK squad of all time. Lost the midseason NPOY and didn’t miss a beat. If someone was to say to me, “Sir, make your case for Rick Pitino as an all-timer.” It would start with the 1997 team.

-Pearl Jam in Wrigley next Saturday. 👀 Honestly I’ve been on the road way too much lately and I hate being on the road but thinking this has the high probability of being a pseudo religious experience.
 
- 97 team may be the most underrated UK squad of all time. Lost the midseason NPOY and didn’t miss a beat. If someone was to say to me, “Sir, make your case for Rick Pitino as an all-timer.” It would start with the 1997 team.

I watched the 97 NCAA Tournament and 98 with my oldest boys last night and today. Every single game.

They even mentioned “the games from yesterday the players were just always in the right spots”.

I’m not knocking 98 at all, but they at times seemed to be confused, lost and or stagnant for 3-6 minutes a game. Spacing off, back turned at the wrong time etc.

Thinking back I adored Pitino as a kid as the man was a god and did no wrong IMO. I remember the growth I had at his summer camps just with basketball awareness. But that said to think back to all the wins he had with lessor talent it’s just amazing.

Not counting 96/97 and giving consideration to the talent that Mashburn was coach was crushing with the 92 team, Riddick, Gimel Martinez, Dent, Fors(was he highly regarded by anyone except KY fans?), Dale Brown, Brassow, Chris Harrison, some guy named Junior Braddy(?).

I remember the struggle after Mashburn left and getting beat in 94 by Marquette, then 95 to UNC and those teams while solid nationally just didn’t bring the heat.

Pope has really brought those old day feelings back in this old man, and I truly see the wrath we about to bring and remember the saying in the movie tombstone “it’s not revenge we’re after, it’s the reckoning”.
 
I watched the 97 NCAA Tournament and 98 with my oldest boys last night and today. Every single game.

They even mentioned “the games from yesterday the players were just always in the right spots”.

I’m not knocking 98 at all, but they at times seemed to be confused, lost and or stagnant for 3-6 minutes a game. Spacing off, back turned at the wrong time etc.

Thinking back I adored Pitino as a kid as the man was a god and did no wrong IMO. I remember the growth I had at his summer camps just with basketball awareness. But that said to think back to all the wins he had with lessor talent it’s just amazing.

Not counting 96/97 and giving consideration to the talent that Mashburn was coach was crushing with the 92 team, Riddick, Gimel Martinez, Dent, Fors(was he highly regarded by anyone except KY fans?), Dale Brown, Brassow, Chris Harrison, some guy named Junior Braddy(?).

I remember the struggle after Mashburn left and getting beat in 94 by Marquette, then 95 to UNC and those teams while solid nationally just didn’t bring the heat.

Pope has really brought those old day feelings back in this old man, and I truly see the wrath we about to bring and remember the saying in the movie tombstone “it’s not revenge we’re after, it’s the reckoning”.

92, 93, 95, 96 and 97 were all championship-worthy teams. Even 94 could have made a run if Dent didn’t get hurt.
 
- I was pretty unconcerned about Pope’s HS recruiting for a few reasons:

a) Unless you are completely lazy or inept, Kentucky recruits itself. Look at our history- only Tubby struggled recruiting. Billy Clyde could have recruited well if he wasn’t insane.

b) It’s pretty clear HS recruiting is diminished when it comes to building an elite program at this point. It’s important but less so than managing the portal.

c) Pope’s a hustler and a talker whose forte is offense.

- There are a ton of stressors when it comes to young children but nothing worse than the puking and the noise. Experienced both on my drive home when my oldest puked the entire trip and youngest screamed. Oh and special thanks to Louisville 71 for adding an extra 90 minutes to our commute with lane closures. I have cleaned up way too much puke in my day. Way too much.

- That said, my 6-month old got her first two teeth in this week and is also now saying “Dad da.” Parenting is an emotional rollercoaster.

- Still have a Roy Rogers out in eastern Cincinnati. My dad still loves it.

- Speaking of Dad, if there was a riot regarding David Bell, he’d be the dude out there setting shit on fire. Haven’t had a conversation with him in 3 years when he didn’t at some point bitch about him.

- 97 team may be the most underrated UK squad of all time. Lost the midseason NPOY and didn’t miss a beat. If someone was to say to me, “Sir, make your case for Rick Pitino as an all-timer.” It would start with the 1997 team.

-Pearl Jam in Wrigley next Saturday. 👀 Honestly I’ve been on the road way too much lately and I hate being on the road but thinking this has the high probability of being a pseudo religious experience.
I agree on Pope’s recruiting; I was speaking more towards the tone nationally and with a certain segment of our fanbase.

And once players see his offense here, it will get even better.

Regarding Bell, I don’t think anyone could do much better considering the level of injuries/suspensions this team has dealt with.

I’d rather run it back with Bell for continuity’s sake than start over with someone like Larkin (who’d be terrible imo).
 
92, 93, 95, 96 and 97 were all championship-worthy teams. Even 94 could have made a run if Dent didn’t get hurt.

My point was to his coaching, Besides maybe Mashburn(I don’t remember him as a top tier recruit) who did Pitino have that was top level recruits or transfer?

I’m not putting us down as much as I am trying to make the point of the kind of coach he was.

Edit:

Mashburn wasn’t a high ranked recruit from what I read. Basically known locally in NY due to his efforts at Rucker Park.

Ford seemed to be a solid transfer but wasn’t highly thought of out of high school.

McCarty made Indiana all star team but also was not highly thought of.

Dent I can’t find much in out of High School.

Rhodes was the most highly ranked recruit we had in the early years and then Tony Delk.

After that the flood gates opened with Walker, Mercer, DA, Turner.

To add to the mystique of Pitino I’ll submit Nazr Mohammed. A complete project turned 18 year pro! He came to UK looking like out of shape Oliver Miller and became one of the center pieces of that 1998 run.
 
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