Kentucky Basketball: Can Cal Work a Minor Miracle, or are UK's Flaws Fatal?
- Thread starter preacher_tom
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As Al McQuire used to say you have to have a aircraft carrier and Skal is not a aircraft carrier, he really has not had the experience to compete here. As we all know the one and done style requires that the incoming freshman have to learn quickly and live up to their hype and when we have one who can't do it you just do the best you can and thats where we are.
Good article, he lays it out just as it is, IMO. Our # 1 weakness is our frontline; give our guards a decent frontline, and this becomes a very good team.
Unfortunately, I just don't see any way our front court players suddenly become the offensive types we need them to be. It happens, Cal didn't get some of the guys he wanted, and yes, Skal is, at least right now, a bust. So much depended upon him coming in and giving us a good post presence, and for POY to play like he did at Alabama.
I'll continue to support my team, all the while recognizing the faults we have.
Unfortunately, I just don't see any way our front court players suddenly become the offensive types we need them to be. It happens, Cal didn't get some of the guys he wanted, and yes, Skal is, at least right now, a bust. So much depended upon him coming in and giving us a good post presence, and for POY to play like he did at Alabama.
I'll continue to support my team, all the while recognizing the faults we have.
He can do his best to coach them, but he can't play the games for them. I don't think this team has any miracles in it. They can play better and hopefully will, but just too many flaws for any kind of deep run in March starting with our shooting. Again, it comes back to the "bigs", and how Ulis has been shooting more than he'd probably like to. He's a great player, the heart and soul of this team, but even his shooting has not been good. Except at the FT line! Let's not even talk about Briscoe's shooting. Heck Willis is the best 3 shooter on the team percentage wise though Murray has brought his up to a very respectable 38%. I think the notion that because the '11 and '14 teams got hot, and made a great run this one will could be, likely is wishful thinking. A sweet 16 is the ceiling of my hopes. Provided we don't regress and not even get in.
I'm trying to remember the last championship team without a center...or three point snipers. Or guards that can knock down a ft... I know, we have ulis and Murray, and I love em, but they need help opening the floor. And I just don't see it happening. We are what we are, a bad shooting team with no interior
One question, why not give the young big boys a chance ? Is it because then Cal would feel he has failed Skal if he doesn't give him a lot of minutes ? I have witnessed a lot of players that play a lot better than they practice. The whole season can go by and Skal, Lee and Poy may not play a bit better. To me its a waste to not try these young guys and see what they bring to the table. I just can't believe they are any less talented than what we have down low now....jmo
Time for the tweak, he said changes are coming, we'll see next game, can't have a 38 - 1 season every year
Yes that's my blue tinted glasses
Yes that's my blue tinted glasses
Don't know about a miracle but if we get to the second weekend of the NCAAT then Cal has done a pretty good job of coaching this year. We have too many issues and not enough answers this season.
Skal couldn't do what we needed done in the middle,Matthews hasn't adjusted to college ball yet,Mulder couldn't give us enough total game to get to the Floor on a regular basis. Lee,Willis and Poythress have done close to what we expected but without a contribution from Skal it hasn't been enough
Ulis and Murray have done their share and a little more,Briscoe might elevate his game to that level(if he doesn't it won't be because of lack of effort)
Humphries,Dom and Wynyard we just haven't seen enough of them to know if they make a difference but if you trust the coaching staff at all then the answer is no and to be fair we didn't expect that. Some wanted to see Humphries and Wynyard because they were grasping at straws to save the season and some just to make the games more interesting to watch.
I think it is a fair question to wonder if the team grows anymore or are we what we are. I am not comparing teams but last year I thought the team would have another gear in the tourney but it never happened,does this team have one more level? There is a little time to find out,but I just don't see it right now.
Skal couldn't do what we needed done in the middle,Matthews hasn't adjusted to college ball yet,Mulder couldn't give us enough total game to get to the Floor on a regular basis. Lee,Willis and Poythress have done close to what we expected but without a contribution from Skal it hasn't been enough
Ulis and Murray have done their share and a little more,Briscoe might elevate his game to that level(if he doesn't it won't be because of lack of effort)
Humphries,Dom and Wynyard we just haven't seen enough of them to know if they make a difference but if you trust the coaching staff at all then the answer is no and to be fair we didn't expect that. Some wanted to see Humphries and Wynyard because they were grasping at straws to save the season and some just to make the games more interesting to watch.
I think it is a fair question to wonder if the team grows anymore or are we what we are. I am not comparing teams but last year I thought the team would have another gear in the tourney but it never happened,does this team have one more level? There is a little time to find out,but I just don't see it right now.
Just start throwing ish at the wall and see if it sticks. No sense pumping a crazy-tone of minutes at guys like Skal and Poy.
We need to be playing Salt-n-Pepa ball, "push it good, push it real good". Our strengths are quickness and athleticism, our weaknesses are lack of an inside presence either offensively or defensively, and we're an average at best shooting team. Both of those mean that we should be pushing it more, to take advantage of the strengths, and try to negate our weaknesses. Skal, Lee, Poythress, Willis, all those guys are generally going to beat their opponents up and down the floor in a more wide open game, but get them in a half court game and they just get pushed around. I'll put our guards up against anyone in an up-and-down game.
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That was an articulate and well-written article. As fans, we may not have liked its perspective. However, the author provided substance and detailed examples with providing his point of view. I don't consider the article, nor the author, to be a "negative nellie" nor a "chicken little". Rather, it's a realistic assumption of where we are and the presumable ceiling of post-season expectations. Nothing new was divulged... Instead, the obvious was pointed out.
'Still love my Cats and go Big Blue. Maybe, just maybe, the team can improve with the mentioned flaws. However, as implied, this team and its personnel (besides Cal) are not the '11 nor '14 teams. Thus, we shouldn't expect the same results come March.
'Still love my Cats and go Big Blue. Maybe, just maybe, the team can improve with the mentioned flaws. However, as implied, this team and its personnel (besides Cal) are not the '11 nor '14 teams. Thus, we shouldn't expect the same results come March.
