Hey hey my Cat friends

[GermantownDawg]

Another hoops season is upon us. Excited for some round ball.

I can imagine Kentucky fans are excited for a native son to take over the reigns, even if there is some healthy anxiety about how it’ll all turn out. Change can be good.

How are y’all feeling about this year? The roster? The staff? What kind of expectations do you have for this team and Pope’s tenure (you can speculate)?

 

[4Frusciante#]

We're excited. We know we're going to have a good team; it's just a matter of how good. Tons of experience and LOTS of shooters and several really good defenders and 10+ deep and our new coach is really smart with infectious enthusiasm.

 

[NociHTTP]

 

[Louis_Skunt]

I think the overall feeling is theyre going to be great. I'm a little more pessimistic, i think we're in for a lot of losses. The quick offense and energy is entertaining, but the athletes are below par for UK standards. The inside defense and rebounding are going to cost us.

 

[chroix]

I’m excited. We might take some lumps this year but we’ve got a solid veteran squad that can shoot and pass the ball well and seem to defend adequately for the most part.

How about you @GermantownDawg ? What are y’all looking like?

 

[jrpross_rivals]

We’re pretty excited to have a fresh new start. I think the squad that Pope brought in on short notice is pretty incredible. Tons of experienced high IQ players.

I’m expecting the spacing, ball movement, and shooting to be among the best in the nation. The defense should be decent; we’ve got a couple who were all-conference on defense. As was mentioned though, rebounding and interior defense will be weak spots. And I’m not sure if we really have many guys who can really create for themselves or take their man off the dribble. It’ll very much be the TEAM creating offensive opportunities.

I think the initial ranking of #23 is pretty accurate to start. I have hopes that they can get hot and be a 2nd weekend team in the tourney.

 

[SemperFiCat]

I think the pure excitement of a new era is going to overshadow a lot of any losing. I like the team, probably more than some here. My biggest and only real fear is our rebounding.

 

[JPFisher]

We'll take hits early. Defense needs a lot of work on communication and in transition. Rebounding has been a concern so far, which sucks considering we have three 6'10"+ players at our disposal. But, this team can be electric and it has some studs and athletes.

Oweh, Butler, and Robinson are even better than advertised, and Garrison is a solid backup for Williams.

It's pretty clear this team isn't used to playing with each other and needs to gel. We're still discombobulated on offense at times and especially on defense just leaving guys open.

But, when things click, we'll be scary. Time will tell if/when that happens.

 

[Mad Max]

 

[yabbadabbadoo_rivals213851]

Is that Cal?

 

[yoshukai]

Another hoops season is upon us. Excited for some round ball.

I can imagine Kentucky fans are excited for a native son to take over the reigns, even if there is some healthy anxiety about how it’ll all turn out. Change can be good.

How are y’all feeling about this year? The roster? The staff? What kind of expectations do you have for this team and Pope’s tenure (you can speculate)?

What I’m MOST excited about is not having the empty suit, used car salesman that was bastardizing our basketball program on the sideline anymore. Wouldn’t give a damn who the coach is. But I do love Pope .

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Another hoops season is upon us. Excited for some round ball.

I can imagine Kentucky fans are excited for a native son to take over the reigns, even if there is some healthy anxiety about how it’ll all turn out. Change can be good.

How are y’all feeling about this year? The roster? The staff? What kind of expectations do you have for this team and Pope’s tenure (you can speculate)?

I am super pumped. I love the roster construction and I love our offense even more. We actually have an in game coach now and that is exciting.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Another hoops season is upon us. Excited for some round ball.

I can imagine Kentucky fans are excited for a native son to take over the reigns, even if there is some healthy anxiety about how it’ll all turn out. Change can be good.

How are y’all feeling about this year? The roster? The staff? What kind of expectations do you have for this team and Pope’s tenure (you can speculate)?

For me, I'm just glad to be enjoying UK basketball again. I'm sure this year will be difficult but we have some very good players.

My expectations will be higher in a couple years.

 

[Ryan Lemonds Hair]

I think the overall feeling is theyre going to be great. I'm a little more pessimistic, i think we're in for a lot of losses. The quick offense and energy is entertaining, but the athletes are below par for UK standards. The inside defense and rebounding are going to cost us.

No offense, because everyone is entitled to their opinions and yours could very well turn out to be right, but what exactly has having athletes done for us the previous 4-5 seasons? I feel like we have been accustomed to having young/freshman NBA draft picks and athletes on our team for so long we think that is the only way to win but that isn't necessarily the case anymore and that is why Cal was beginning to struggle in my opinion. We were beaten by quite a few older but less athletic teams who played together and to their strengths and I see no reason why this team can't do the same.

We have 4 guys who have scored 1,000-1,500 points in their careers and that doesn't even include Robinson, Oweh or Butler who are arguably our best players. Also, when you can go on the type of runs this team is capable of I'm not sure your ever out of a game. This team could very well be like the Pitino team that came back from the 31 point deficit in the 2nd half against LSU.

I do agree with you that we have flaws with rebounding and that some guys aren't very good defensively but we at least have a staff who I feel confident will adapt and try different defensive schemes. Maybe I am just being optimistic or just have a different opinion of what "a lot of losses" are but I just don't see this team losing more than 8-9 games before tournament season.

 

[westerncat]

We have a coach that coach in game and not just yell "go make a play". The real test will come when we play Puke and then we will see what kind of team we have.

 

[PoBilly]

We have a shot at being like Tubby's first team (98 team). If we can play team ball, do what needs to be done within the offense we will be fine. Wins and losses do not know, but we win way more than we lose.

 

[Bowfreak.]

This is the most enjoyment I have had since 2015. Its not even regular season but it is fun again. Regardless of how the season plays out. There is an offensive scheme. There is coaching and there are even out of bounds plays. In a few years, the SEC championship will again go through Rupp and we will be in the discussion for a top 4 NCAA seed every year and sprinkle in a few #1 seeds here and there.

 

[BBNinSC_rivals62411]

No offense, because everyone is entitled to their opinions and yours could very well turn out to be right, but what exactly has having athletes done for us the previous 4-5 seasons? I feel like we have been accustomed to having young/freshman NBA draft picks and athletes on our team for so long we think that is the only way to win but that isn't necessarily the case anymore and that is why Cal was beginning to struggle in my opinion. We were beaten by quite a few older but less athletic teams who played together and to their strengths and I see no reason why this team can't do the same.

We have 4 guys who have scored 1,000-1,500 points in their careers and that doesn't even include Robinson, Oweh or Butler who are arguably our best players. Also, when you can go on the type of runs this team is capable of I'm not sure your ever out of a game. This team could very well be like the Pitino team that came back from the 31 point deficit in the 2nd half against LSU.

I do agree with you that we have flaws with rebounding and that some guys aren't very good defensively but we at least have a staff who I feel confident will adapt and try different defensive schemes. Maybe I am just being optimistic or just have a different opinion of what "a lot of losses" are but I just don't see this team losing more than 8-9 games before tournament season.

Agree completely. You do know that Creed Bratton was in the band “The Grass Roots” in the late 1960’s?

 

[NociHTTP]

We have a shot at being like Tubby's first team (98 team). If we can play team ball, do what needs to be done within the offense we will be fine. Wins and losses do not know, but we win way more than we lose.

I don't see the similarities between th '98 team and this year's team. Tubby was constantly saying that he was going to play uptempo.

 

[Ryan Lemonds Hair]

Agree completely. You do know that Creed Bratton was in the band “The Grass Roots” in the late 1960’s?

 

[CB3UK]

I saw Georgia blew out UCF the other night. Mike White looks to have a pretty solid squad in Athens this season.

 

[jeffky]

I think the pure excitement of a new era is going to overshadow a lot of any losing. I like the team, probably more than some here. My biggest and only real fear is our rebounding.

If we rebound at all be a hell of a upgrade from last year that may have been o e of the worst rebounding teams at Kentucky they were horrible rebound is like defense you have to have the desire to do it . With williams Carr Garrison and Robinson. We should be a decent rebounding team by conference Time

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

I don't see the similarities between th '98 team and this year's team. Tubby was constantly saying that he was going to play uptempo.

Team ball, sum being greater than the parts, etc.

 

[NociHTTP]

Team ball, sum being greater than the parts, etc.

As most any team should be, lol. That's not saying anything, though. The 98 offense was nothing like the 25 offense.

 

[Panthur]

Frankly my best honest expectation of how this season will go is something like our 19–20 squad. In results; definitely not in composition.

I think we'll start off slow and take our knocks. We'll definitely have some early highs, I expect. But because of the low recruiting rankings of everyone on our roster and because of Pope's post-season record so far at much lesser schools, I think it will be pretty easy for talking heads types to write us off, or at minimum to project us with a Sweet-Sixteen-at-the-very-most-if-we-win-the-lottery ceiling.

But then, come mid or late February, suddenly here and there we'll start to hear people on ESPN mention how some of our guys might be playing the best basketball in the country at their position. "At least in terms of February play;" something like that. And then on top of that, by that time I expect Pope's video game offense really will be clicking at it's maximum potential, given how very much more defense and marksmanship and size and experience Pope has here than he's ever had at any other stop.

And then I expect things will Really start to get crazy.

 

[zoid1]

We just learning the coaching is completely different. Pope won't out athlete a few teams on the schedule but he will have about 10 really quality players and out coach some other teams for wins. Make a game plan then adjust in game for the best chance to win. Robinson will likely be our "go too" player outside, Carr inside. The system Pope runs plays very fast and shoots a ton of 3's or point blank (dunks and layups) at the rim. I don't see rebounding as a problem we have three guys 6'10" or better and another 6'7" 245 plus Butler, Oweh, Brea, Robinson and Chandler could play major minutes for any team in the nation and help get some of those long kickback rebounds from all the 3's we shoot.

I think we get hot from 3 in the tournament anything can happen. Should at least win a couple on pure talent and experience then hopefully with a couple hot shooters and a good draw win another game or four.

 

[crxohio]

Watching Pope coach through good times and bad! Is what I'm excited about. If he succeeds. This is gonna work out nicely. If he doesn't. Call it a honeymoon and get back to work. Go cats

 

[Louis_Skunt]

No offense, because everyone is entitled to their opinions and yours could very well turn out to be right, but what exactly has having athletes done for us the previous 4-5 seasons? I feel like we have been accustomed to having young/freshman NBA draft picks and athletes on our team for so long we think that is the only way to win but that isn't necessarily the case anymore and that is why Cal was beginning to struggle in my opinion. We were beaten by quite a few older but less athletic teams who played together and to their strengths and I see no reason why this team can't do the same.

We have 4 guys who have scored 1,000-1,500 points in their careers and that doesn't even include Robinson, Oweh or Butler who are arguably our best players. Also, when you can go on the type of runs this team is capable of I'm not sure your ever out of a game. This team could very well be like the Pitino team that came back from the 31 point deficit in the 2nd half against LSU.

I do agree with you that we have flaws with rebounding and that some guys aren't very good defensively but we at least have a staff who I feel confident will adapt and try different defensive schemes. Maybe I am just being optimistic or just have a different opinion of what "a lot of losses" are but I just don't see this team losing more than 8-9 games before tournament season.

Those athletes that lost to Oakland, still beat Auburn at Auburn, beat UT on senior night in Knoxville, and destroyed Bama...and they did pretty well. Will this team beat those 3 teams, two of them being away? Im skeptical of that. I dont think they can.

Will they get through the first round in March? I would think so, but chit happens. Kids get lucky and bank 3's in while falling off balance.

I pray im wrong, but i just dont see this group making a good run. If im wrong, ill gladly own it.

 

[Ryan Lemonds Hair]

Those athletes that lost to Oakland, still beat Auburn at Auburn, beat UT on senior night in Knoxville, and destroyed Bama...and they did pretty well. Will this team beat those 3 teams, two of them being away? Im skeptical of that. I dont think they can.

Will they get through the first round in March? I would think so, but chit happens. Kids get lucky and bank 3's in while falling off balance.

I pray im wrong, but i just dont see this group making a good run. If im wrong, ill gladly own it.

Maybe they won't but it seems it will at least be entertaining when we lose not like sitting in a dentist chair getting a root canal type of entertainment we've been accustomed to the past few seasons.

 

[PoBilly]

I don't see the similarities between th '98 team and this year's team. Tubby was constantly saying that he was going to play uptempo.

Not style of play at all you are right. I am talking about player personnel. 98 really did not have any major first round picks but had a great group of players (college players). Had a PG with experience (cannot get more experience than Turner and Butler). Had shooting and such. 98 better bigs but not tons better like most are saying here. We will be fine most games. Just like every year, when you get to tourney it is a matchup luck of the draw. Difference in sweet 16 and final 4 has some luck of the draw of team you play.

 

[Greatestalltime]

I don’t see how we don’t get to the sweet 16 easily. These vets won’t let lesser teams win in that situation. Once there anything can happen and we have the shooters to win it all.

We need a clutch guy or two that can get a big basket in crunch time and we will find out who that is.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

Maybe they won't but it seems it will at least be entertaining when we lose not like sitting in a dentist chair getting a root canal type of entertainment we've been accustomed to the past few seasons.

No doubt. The root of us all watching is for entertainment, and theyre definitely that.

 

[GermantownDawg]

What I’m MOST excited about is not having the empty suit, used car salesman that was bastardizing our basketball program on the sideline anymore. Wouldn’t give a damn who the coach is. But I do love Pope .

That’s the feeling I get from my UK buddy. Just glad to have a guy that cares for the program, not just how his guys do in the pros. Maybe that’s not fair to Cal, but that’s seemingly the rep he got when things weren’t going the way he wanted.

 

[GermantownDawg]

I’m excited. We might take some lumps this year but we’ve got a solid veteran squad that can shoot and pass the ball well and seem to defend adequately for the most part.

How about you @GermantownDawg ? What are y’all looking like?

I think y’all will be solid. Even if the talent isn’t what you’re used to, you’ll still have quite a bit and they’ll likely play more cohesively. It’ll be fun to watch.

I’m pretty excited about this group, to be honest. For the first time in a while, we’ll probably out rebound most, block a bunch of shots, and Silas and Blue seem like they’re going to take their game to the next level. Should be a deep squad. I’m hoping for something like 20-10, 9-9 and a tourney birth. I don’t think we’ve ever had anything like Asa and Somto down low.

 

[yoshukai]

That’s the feeling I get from my UK buddy. Just glad to have a guy that cares for the program, not just how his guys do in the pros. Maybe that’s not fair to Cal, but that’s seemingly the rep he got when things weren’t going the way he wanted.

Oh it’s fair to Cal . He earned it .

 

[CatWalk]

I for one am excited about this team. While not super athletic, they are not slow either. They have good size (heights & weight) & strength. In their exhibition games (I know, not high level D1 teams) they dominated. Stats that really stood out include 60 assists to 13 TO's & 27 steals, while emptying the bench in both games. There was also at least one key player who missed most or all of at least one of the games. We'll know better after a few real games.