It's really impossible to overstate the significance of Tyler Ulis today. He was the only Kentucky player that really looked comfortable handling Louisville's pressure defense, among the perimeter players, and beyond rising to the occasion with big shots he absolutely shredded the Louisville press. I was surprised the couple of times he didn't touch it early in the shot clock and I'd like to see some debate regarding the inbound role, because it put one added step between Ulis and the ball when Louisville was pressing in the backcourt. I think the press certainly allows Pitino to force a certain tempo and kind of game, but I didn't think they particularly had a good game plan when Ulis had the ball, nor did they make the kind of in-game adjustments on him that you would expect from a Hall of Fame coach. Thought there was some real stubbornness there.
I know everyone's thrilled about De'Aaron Fox coming in next year, and rightfully so, but everyone is being completely spoiled by Ulis. When he doesn't shoot well he's still a major asset in so many other ways, some that show up on the stat sheet and some that don't.
I believe Kentucky's identity is clear and it's obvious that the only way this team wins a national championship is if Tyler Ulis powers it. There's been talk of the need to play him fewer minutes. I've gone along with that. But now I think you play him fewer minutes when Kentucky's ahead or when the game's decided. Save him in those moments; be prudent with him then. But he's got to slice and dice defenses for 40 minutes, dominating the basketball with Jamal Murray playing more off it for Kentucky to be as good as it can be.
I've got no problem with Murray taking 15-20 shots even when he's not shooting particularly well. There's something to be said for hitting big shots, and it's not like you can just take away shots from Murray and expect points to magically appear elsewhere; the reason others have been more efficient is due, in part, to the fact that he draws so much attention.
But he needs to be playing more off the ball.
As for Rick Pitino, I'm firmly of the opinion that he was indeed flipping the bird. The "to my recollection line," where it happened on the court, the circumstances/context of the action, etc., make it entirely probable that he did what he says he didn't do. If he did it, I'm not saying he was making a general statement to the UK fan base. He probably did direct it at some people that he heard. But it was still completely out of bounds. I'm a bit out on a limb in saying that I think Kentucky ought to reevaluate his place in the rafters (for a variety of reasons; I realize some Kentucky fans believe that's ridiculous and offensive because of what he did to resurrect the program, but I also believe the program is bigger than the coach, and bigger than this one action was his free choice to coach at the one place that Kentucky fans can't stomach losing to, thus making his success and Kentucky's -- at least on one level -- a zero-sum, mutually exclusive enterprise, and it's impossible that hatred wouldn't exist on both sides). If the video were "crystal clear" as some Louisville fans have "demanded" then for me it would be a no brainer to take it down for the simple fact of the sheer disrespect and lack of any decorum involved. There are some things you just don't do. Players take flak for doing that; a Hall of Fame coach who coached at the place he's making the gesture at/against? It's not unforgivable but it's rather symbolic of the irreparable wedge that has forever been placed between Kentucky basketball and Rick Pitino. If Pitino hadn't resurrected Kentucky, somebody else would have. Because like Alabama football, Kentucky fans will only tolerate mediocrity for so long. Great memories, but the rafters should be reserved for people who at the very least maintain a cordial (at worst) to excellent relationship with the program and the UK fan base through the time of their public life.
Any niceties between Pitino and Kentucky today are superficial (i.e. forced, not credible, fake) on one level, and entirely a product of something in the past, which to me is not the only consideration in the question. Honors are privileges, and privileges are not rights. I'm not even saying the disconnect and wedge is all his fault. He is the primary cause, however, and he can't escape that. It's sad and it's even sadder for him that he's allowed this personal vendetta with Calipari to compound the predictable and unavoidable tension with Kentucky. But, for me, at this point it's a bit hollow to make a distinction between, "Yeah, but what he did for UK," and everything that's happened since. What he did at UK is in the record books, in fond memories of games and players, and in the program's lore. It does not have to canonized in the figure and face of a person who has allowed himself to be so alienated from Kentucky's past (after he left), present and future that he's not only no longer someone UK fans can cheer for, but that he's someone almost every UK fan cheers against.
Finally, Louisville is a really good basketball team. They're better than I thought they would be this year. They can definitely make some noise in the ACC and in the NCAA Tournament. I'm not saying they'll make the Final Four but they absolutely could make it based on the other teams that I've watched this year. Kentucky was fortunate to get the win. However, you've got to balance UK shooting above and beyond what they normally do with the fact that they were missing Isaiah Briscoe and the fact that Louisville really did dominate some of the categories you expected them to; so it's not as though the performance was a fluke in many respects.
I know everyone's thrilled about De'Aaron Fox coming in next year, and rightfully so, but everyone is being completely spoiled by Ulis. When he doesn't shoot well he's still a major asset in so many other ways, some that show up on the stat sheet and some that don't.
I believe Kentucky's identity is clear and it's obvious that the only way this team wins a national championship is if Tyler Ulis powers it. There's been talk of the need to play him fewer minutes. I've gone along with that. But now I think you play him fewer minutes when Kentucky's ahead or when the game's decided. Save him in those moments; be prudent with him then. But he's got to slice and dice defenses for 40 minutes, dominating the basketball with Jamal Murray playing more off it for Kentucky to be as good as it can be.
I've got no problem with Murray taking 15-20 shots even when he's not shooting particularly well. There's something to be said for hitting big shots, and it's not like you can just take away shots from Murray and expect points to magically appear elsewhere; the reason others have been more efficient is due, in part, to the fact that he draws so much attention.
But he needs to be playing more off the ball.
As for Rick Pitino, I'm firmly of the opinion that he was indeed flipping the bird. The "to my recollection line," where it happened on the court, the circumstances/context of the action, etc., make it entirely probable that he did what he says he didn't do. If he did it, I'm not saying he was making a general statement to the UK fan base. He probably did direct it at some people that he heard. But it was still completely out of bounds. I'm a bit out on a limb in saying that I think Kentucky ought to reevaluate his place in the rafters (for a variety of reasons; I realize some Kentucky fans believe that's ridiculous and offensive because of what he did to resurrect the program, but I also believe the program is bigger than the coach, and bigger than this one action was his free choice to coach at the one place that Kentucky fans can't stomach losing to, thus making his success and Kentucky's -- at least on one level -- a zero-sum, mutually exclusive enterprise, and it's impossible that hatred wouldn't exist on both sides). If the video were "crystal clear" as some Louisville fans have "demanded" then for me it would be a no brainer to take it down for the simple fact of the sheer disrespect and lack of any decorum involved. There are some things you just don't do. Players take flak for doing that; a Hall of Fame coach who coached at the place he's making the gesture at/against? It's not unforgivable but it's rather symbolic of the irreparable wedge that has forever been placed between Kentucky basketball and Rick Pitino. If Pitino hadn't resurrected Kentucky, somebody else would have. Because like Alabama football, Kentucky fans will only tolerate mediocrity for so long. Great memories, but the rafters should be reserved for people who at the very least maintain a cordial (at worst) to excellent relationship with the program and the UK fan base through the time of their public life.
Any niceties between Pitino and Kentucky today are superficial (i.e. forced, not credible, fake) on one level, and entirely a product of something in the past, which to me is not the only consideration in the question. Honors are privileges, and privileges are not rights. I'm not even saying the disconnect and wedge is all his fault. He is the primary cause, however, and he can't escape that. It's sad and it's even sadder for him that he's allowed this personal vendetta with Calipari to compound the predictable and unavoidable tension with Kentucky. But, for me, at this point it's a bit hollow to make a distinction between, "Yeah, but what he did for UK," and everything that's happened since. What he did at UK is in the record books, in fond memories of games and players, and in the program's lore. It does not have to canonized in the figure and face of a person who has allowed himself to be so alienated from Kentucky's past (after he left), present and future that he's not only no longer someone UK fans can cheer for, but that he's someone almost every UK fan cheers against.
Finally, Louisville is a really good basketball team. They're better than I thought they would be this year. They can definitely make some noise in the ACC and in the NCAA Tournament. I'm not saying they'll make the Final Four but they absolutely could make it based on the other teams that I've watched this year. Kentucky was fortunate to get the win. However, you've got to balance UK shooting above and beyond what they normally do with the fact that they were missing Isaiah Briscoe and the fact that Louisville really did dominate some of the categories you expected them to; so it's not as though the performance was a fluke in many respects.
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