Tell me if you agree with me on this take.

[Basscat1987]

Does it seem like we have a team full of guys who struggle to stay focused throughout the game? Does anyone else notice how every time we are in a battle and we push the lead out to 4 or 6 or even 8 points it’s immediately back to even in the blink of an eye? Do you feel like this team really gets lackadaisical for large stretches during the game? I say this bc I see all theses posts about this guy was a bust or that guy/ officiating, etc I’m just wondering if anyone else notices that this team just seriously lacks that toughness/ focus to get a team down and keep them down. When we get a little bit of separation with a team instead of stepping on their throat it seems like we are content with lending them a hand and helping them up. Does anyone see it how I see it or do u think our issues are solely related to lack of talent? I think we gotta develop a killer instinct

 

[Himmels]

not sure you can develop a killer instinct, you either have it or you don’t.

 

[WeWant9]

Last night the lead got cut down to 5, and then the team made several boneheaded plays and it was right back to being down by 9. I do agree. This team seems to play in spurts. We saw the 16-0 run vs UF, but we’ve seen them give those runs up just as easily. It is what it is at this point, I think some line up/personnel changes are coming up.

 

[JimBR]

I think the team has hung in and played tough in some games, duke and Gonzaga come to mind.
Last night was awful…. Our guys got bullied and every team going forward is going to be very physical with us. It will be part of the blueprint for winning.
We need to figure it out quickly.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

It's year one.

Enjoy what you get.

 

[TM2013]

Lol we lost a game so Basscat1987 is out and about. We are ranked top 10 and play in an incredibly difficult league. We are gonna lose games and play bad occasionally just like everyone else. Sack up Nancy boy.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Does it seem like we have a team full of guys who struggle to stay focused throughout the game? Does anyone else notice how every time we are in a battle and we push the lead out to 4 or 6 or even 8 points it’s immediately back to even in the blink of an eye? Do you feel like this team really gets lackadaisical for large stretches during the game? I say this bc I see all theses posts about this guy was a bust or that guy/ officiating, etc I’m just wondering if anyone else notices that this team just seriously lacks that toughness/ focus to get a team down and keep them down. When we get a little bit of separation with a team instead of stepping on their throat it seems like we are content with lending them a hand and helping them up. Does anyone see it how I see it or do u think our issues are solely related to lack of talent? I think we gotta develop a killer instinct

I think it's solely talent. This is exactly what separates the really good players from the rest of the bunch.

Everyone can be great is small spurts. We've seen this time to time whenever we play teams of lesser talent. We see those teams open the game and it's still close or they take the lead and everyone wonders what the heck is happening. Eventually cream rises to the top.

We have a bunch of players that play well in stretches. I think that's just the reality of this season. These are multi year players who are still in college basketball for a reason. These players are important. They have roles. But IMO they are being asked to do more than what their skill level might allow for.

Everyone expected Robinson to be one of the key players on the team. He's just not that. He can play a role. He's not the main guy. To be honest, outside of Butler, I wonder about consistency with anyone.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

This is a patchwork team thrown together quickly after Cal totally depleted the roster when he fled town. They don’t have a star go to type player. They struggle to find an identity. This will be an elevator ride until Pope can bring in his class and develop them. I think next year’s freshman combined with Perry,Noah, and Chandler as well as a couple of impact portal players will come closer to defining Pope and our future. He gets a pass this year. I will be happy to just make the tournament.

 

[BigBlue1992]

This will hurt the feelings of many but I wasn’t a fan hearing the news that Carr got engaged on what was supposed to be a business trip to New York City. Talk about a distraction.

These guys are no longer student athletes, they are professionals and should be treated as such. I’m happy for the guy but that needs to be done on his own time.

 

[Basscat1987]

This will hurt the feelings of many but I wasn’t a fan hearing the news that Carr got engaged on what was supposed to be a business trip to New York City. Talk about a distraction.

These guys are no longer student athletes, they are professionals and should be treated as such. I’m happy for the guy but that needs to be done on his own time.

Not gonna hurt my feelings. U don’t do that crap in the middle of the season. You were on a business trip to win a basketball game and nothing else.

 

[The_Answer1313]

This will hurt the feelings of many but I wasn’t a fan hearing the news that Carr got engaged on what was supposed to be a business trip to New York City. Talk about a distraction.

These guys are no longer student athletes, they are professionals and should be treated as such. I’m happy for the guy but that needs to be done on his own time.

I think that's an excuse to be honest.

The truth is while people don't get engaged all the time, things happen in the lives of all players that we have no idea about all the time. Do some of those things have an impact on the basketball game? Well yeah sure. But it happens to all players all the time lol.

Plus the entire team played like crap vs OSU.

Correlation doesn't equal causation.

 

[Cats192]

This will hurt the feelings of many but I wasn’t a fan hearing the news that Carr got engaged on what was supposed to be a business trip to New York City. Talk about a distraction.

These guys are no longer student athletes, they are professionals and should be treated as such. I’m happy for the guy but that needs to be done on his own time.

That's a bit ridiculous.

Was it during practice? No.
Was it during a game? No.

All the players were allowed to have "their own time" in New York. The University and the Fans don't own every second of their time while they're on a game trip.

If you want to treat them as professionals--do you think the Lakers and Celtics go to other cities and ONLY do basketball activities?

We didn't lose that game because someone was out getting engaged during the day. We lost because they out toughed us. We couldn't guard them. We couldn't rebound it good enough. You think if Carr doesn't propose and "stays locked in," he plays tougher and guards better?

That's wild.

 

[BigBlue1992]

I think that's an excuse to be honest.

The truth is while people don't get engaged all the time, things happen in the lives of all players that we have no idea about all the time. Do some of those things have an impact on the basketball game? Well yeah sure. But it happens to all players all the time lol.

What I’m saying is he is on a fully paid business trip by the university. He eats for free, travels for free, and stays for free. And on top of all that, gets paid!

 

[Basscat1987]

That's a bit ridiculous.

Was it during practice? No.
Was it during a game? No.

All the players were allowed to have "their own time" in New York. The University and the Fans don't own every second of their time while they're on a game trip.

If you want to treat them as professionals--do you think the Lakers and Celtics go to other cities and ONLY do basketball activities?

We didn't lose that game because someone was out getting engaged during the day. We lost because they out toughed us. We couldn't guard them. We couldn't rebound it good enough. You think if Carr doesn't propose and "stays locked in," he plays tougher and guards better?

That's wild.

Dude, Carr and Chandler were both preparing to do the biggest thing they have ever done in life up until this point, you really believe they were focused on the game leading up to it? Not a chance

 

[BigBlue1992]

That's a bit ridiculous.

Was it during practice? No.
Was it during a game? No.

All the players were allowed to have "their own time" in New York. The University and the Fans don't own every second of their time while they're on a game trip.

If you want to treat them as professionals--do you think the Lakers and Celtics go to other cities and ONLY do basketball activities?

We didn't lose that game because someone was out getting engaged during the day. We lost because they out toughed us. We couldn't guard them. We couldn't rebound it good enough. You think if Carr doesn't propose and "stays locked in," he plays tougher and guards better?

That's wild.

Read my post below. It’s a business trip that is entirely funded by the university. My bad that I think that he should be preparing for a game that many players are now paid six figures - millions of dollars to play instead of proposing to his girlfriend.

 

[The_Answer1313]

There is not a single time where these schools play in these tournaments and they don't do additional things besides play basketball.

Yeah they are getting paid now. I get that. They are also students.

I mean what about the teams that play in Maui. You see videos during those things ALL THE TIME about players doing other things.

It's a bit ridiculous to expect them to go to these things and focus 100% on basketball.

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

It's year one.

Enjoy what you get.

Almost all these guys picked up and moved for 1 year to a city they almost assuredly wont settle down in to play for an unknown roster and unknown coach. Just shameful that some are knashing teeth.

 

[The_Answer1313]

It reminds me of that one movie about the Boston Red Sox.

Where the Red Sox blow the game and the fan goes out to eat and sees those players eating and laughing it up. And he realizes these guys are human just like everyone else.

A large portion of these guys aren't playing bball at the next level. There's some more important things in life to them.

Plus again, that wasn't the reason they lost. You have no clue whether that had an effect on Carr or not. Heck after proposing, he might have been so happy he played BETTER.

Carr had 13 points that game. He was the second most offensive efficient player on our team that game LOL

And Chandler played a grand total of 6 mins.

To say that was even reason 100 on why they lost that game is a bit silly.

 

[BigBlue1992]

There is not a single time where these schools play in these tournaments and they don't do additional things besides play basketball.

Yeah they are getting paid now. I get that. They are also students.

I mean what about the teams that play in Maui. You see videos during those things ALL THE TIME about players doing other things.

It's a bit ridiculous to expect them to go to these things and focus 100% on basketball.

Do you think every truck driver that goes to Arizona gets the okay from management to swing by and look at the Grand Canyon on company time?

 

[The_Answer1313]

Do you think every truck driver that goes to Arizona gets the okay from management to swing by and look at the Grand Canyon on company time?

This is where NIL is clouding things I guess.

This isn't their "job" tho.

And what if the truck driver did get the okay from management to see the Grand Canyon? You don't think they would jump at that chance?

Pope didn't seem to have an issue with it. I don't hear anyone from UK saying "you know maybe you should have waited on that until you got back from NY".

In fact, most of the fanbase doesn't have an issue with it. You prefaced your post by saying "this was probably going to hurt feelings". So you know at least you are in the minority here.


Also not sure how it's company time. If I have to go to a conference for work and I have to spend a few days there, I'm free to do whatever I please before and after said conference. The players obviously had time to explore. They were allowed that time.

 

[BigBlue1992]

This is where NIL is clouding things I guess.

This isn't their "job" tho.

And what if the truck driver did get the okay from management to see the Grand Canyon? You don't think they would jump at that chance?

Pope didn't seem to have an issue with it. I don't hear anyone from UK saying "you know maybe you should have waited on that until you got back from NY".

In fact, most of the fanbase doesn't have an issue with it.

Well and that’s the other thing. This is the United states of America and is a free country. Pope can certainly advise him not to but it is Carr’s American right to follow through if he chooses. But I just think it’s a bad look and wasn’t a good idea. Especially after the way we played.

Were you never upset when Cal would entertain the players by inviting them to go on stage and hang out with Drake, Lil Wayne, etc the night before a game? Look at the results the next day. Almost always a guaranteed loss.

I knew this would ruffle feathers but I don’t care, it’s how I feel. The world is filled with entitled people who think they deserve everything.

 

[JFCats22]

 

[Cats192]

Dude, Carr and Chandler were both preparing to do the biggest thing they have ever done in life up until this point, you really believe they were focused on the game leading up to it? Not a chance

I just can't connect the dots.

"He spent time with his girlfriend" so we lost. He would have rebounded better if he hadn't proposed. He would have played better pick and roll defense if he didn't propose. Really? You think that?

I just don't believe his focus is so fragile that proposing made some huge difference. Carr didn't propose going into the Georgia game. Did his focus seem way better? No? Then maybe the proposal had nothing to do with it.

 

[Basscat1987]

I just can't connect the dots.

"He spent time with his girlfriend" so we lost. He would have rebounded better if he hadn't proposed. He would have played better pick and roll defense if he didn't propose. Really? You think that?

I just don't believe his focus is so fragile that proposing made some huge difference. Carr didn't propose going into the Georgia game. Did his focus seem way better? No? Then maybe the proposal had nothing to do with it.

Ok maybe he’s just a bad player and I need to lower my expectations. Ending of the Duke game was a fluke. I’ll roll with that

 

[The_Answer1313]

Well and that’s the other thing. This is the United states of America and is a free country. Pope can certainly advise him not to but it is Carr’s American right to follow through if he chooses. But I just think it’s a bad look and wasn’t a good idea. Especially after the way we played.

Were you never upset when Cal would entertain the players by inviting them to go on stage and hang out with Drake, Lil Wayne, etc the night before a game? Look at the results the next day. Almost always a guaranteed loss.

I knew this would ruffle feathers but I don’t care, it’s how I feel. The world is filled with entitled people who think they deserve everything.

I feel like at times there tends to be this need to attach storylines to everything.

It's never well Ohio St just played better than us on that day or Clemson just played better than us that day or Georgia played better than us on that day.

People always look for a reason. I feel like your argument would stand more ground if the person that was supposedly distracted had a bad game, but he didn't. He wasn't the reason we lost that game. Neither was Chandler.

In ways, that game was no different than every single other game we've played this season against good teams. We've been down early in nearly all of these things. We just couldn't muster a comeback in this one compared to the others. That's all.

There was really no indication anyone was distracted at all. I feel like it's just now that news broke of the engagements, people are using that as an excuse for the loss.

Who got engaged last night? What happened there?

We are just an inconsistent team. We have flaws and got exposed.

 

[YardCat]

not sure you can develop a killer instinct, you either have it or you don’t.

This is correct, we have all team players. No real dogs that can take over the game and put teams away. We might by knocking down a bunch of 3’s but we have a lot of good guys. No Natural Born Killers!

 

[Fancatstik]

It's year one.

Enjoy what you get.

With NIL the way it is, every year will be year 1.

 

[chroix]

I think it's solely talent. This is exactly what separates the really good players from the rest of the bunch.

Everyone can be great is small spurts. We've seen this time to time whenever we play teams of lesser talent. We see those teams open the game and it's still close or they take the lead and everyone wonders what the heck is happening. Eventually cream rises to the top.

We have a bunch of players that play well in stretches. I think that's just the reality of this season. These are multi year players who are still in college basketball for a reason. These players are important. They have roles. But IMO they are being asked to do more than what their skill level might allow for.

Everyone expected Robinson to be one of the key players on the team. He's just not that. He can play a role. He's not the main guy. To be honest, outside of Butler, I wonder about consistency with anyone.

Hard to argue any of that. I agree.

 

[BBNinSC]

I just can't connect the dots.

"He spent time with his girlfriend" so we lost. He would have rebounded better if he hadn't proposed. He would have played better pick and roll defense if he didn't propose. Really? You think that?

I just don't believe his focus is so fragile that proposing made some huge difference. Carr didn't propose going into the Georgia game. Did his focus seem way better? No? Then maybe the proposal had nothing to do with it.

I heard that Carr and his fiancé were up late picking out flowers and the guest list.

 

[ManitouDan]

Does it seem like we have a team full of guys who struggle to stay focused throughout the game? Does anyone else notice how every time we are in a battle and we push the lead out to 4 or 6 or even 8 points it’s immediately back to even in the blink of an eye? Do you feel like this team really gets lackadaisical for large stretches during the game? I say this bc I see all theses posts about this guy was a bust or that guy/ officiating, etc I’m just wondering if anyone else notices that this team just seriously lacks that toughness/ focus to get a team down and keep them down. When we get a little bit of separation with a team instead of stepping on their throat it seems like we are content with lending them a hand and helping them up. Does anyone see it how I see it or do u think our issues are solely related to lack of talent? I think we gotta develop a killer instinct

it is lack of focus at times . That stretch where we lost any chance at a win . From the 9-10 min mark to the 7-8 min mark . Lead goes from 7 to 11 or 13 because of terrible D on a pick n roll . Lack of will power in holding your position in the paint -- thats focus . We do play great when on a run , but we dont have an abundance of physical players , nearly none . Butler certainly is , and ? Oweh too. But Carr , JR and KB are all finesse . Carr takes a bunch of flak from fans but hes not the type to a physical presence , if Williams and Oweh dont hold down the paint we are at a severe disadvantage .

 

[yoshukai]

Does it seem like we have a team full of guys who struggle to stay focused throughout the game? Does anyone else notice how every time we are in a battle and we push the lead out to 4 or 6 or even 8 points it’s immediately back to even in the blink of an eye? Do you feel like this team really gets lackadaisical for large stretches during the game? I say this bc I see all theses posts about this guy was a bust or that guy/ officiating, etc I’m just wondering if anyone else notices that this team just seriously lacks that toughness/ focus to get a team down and keep them down. When we get a little bit of separation with a team instead of stepping on their throat it seems like we are content with lending them a hand and helping them up. Does anyone see it how I see it or do u think our issues are solely related to lack of talent? I think we gotta develop a killer instinct

I do know that CMP is consistently talking about our team being distracted and not focused.

 

[bnewt]

I think it's solely talent. This is exactly what separates the really good players from the rest of the bunch.

Everyone can be great is small spurts. We've seen this time to time whenever we play teams of lesser talent. We see those teams open the game and it's still close or they take the lead and everyone wonders what the heck is happening. Eventually cream rises to the top.

We have a bunch of players that play well in stretches. I think that's just the reality of this season. These are multi year players who are still in college basketball for a reason. These players are important. They have roles. But IMO they are being asked to do more than what their skill level might allow for.

Everyone expected Robinson to be one of the key players on the team. He's just not that. He can play a role. He's not the main guy. To be honest, outside of Butler, I wonder about consistency with anyone.

yes consistency is a major problem
the shooters are either on or off, no middle ground
Both Robinson & Williams are not what they were advertised to be
Robinson should drive & get some free throws instead of settling for 3 point shots
Williams should be a defensive & rebounding force. He was also supposed to supply shot blocking
Most of the time he just stands and watches.
Guys that have god given ability and don't use it, just make me sick.
I would have loved to have had either of those guys ability and the chance to play for UK