Its Game Time for the CATS and Other Notes

There are two and only two topics on my mind today: KENTUCKY VS VANDERBILT: The hype in Nashville has never been like it is today for the best Kentucky-Vandy game in Nashville in years. I havent done the research (in part because I am sleepy) but I would guess that the two teams have not been ranked as high combined in recent history in Nashville. Memorial Gym will be rocking tonight and the Cats will have to play as well as they have played all season in order to win. In fact, Kentucky is actually a 1.5 underdog in some places in Vegas, making it take on a role we have not seen in some time. Having said that, I think Kentucky will play one of its best games of the season tonight and will make a statement that it and Kansas are the teams to beat. Unlike in the road game at South Carolina, the Cats need no convincing that this is a big contest. John Calipari and his staff firmly believe that Vanderbilt may be the best team they have played this season and the game in Rupp did showcase that the 'Dores can play. But like in Rupp, Kentucky matches up well with Vandy and has some advantages, especially down low that will be very difficult for the 'Dores to counter. My only concern is that Boogie pay with the same kind of emotion and fervor we saw in Lexington. Then he wanted to show the world that AJ Ogilvy was not on his level as a talent. Now he believes it isnt close. But in order for that to be proven, he needs to showcase it again tonight. I think he will and I think Kentucky wins by 6 in a performance that will carry them into March. ROAD TRIP COMES TO DEPAUL: It is hard to put into words what the last 18 hours have been like for us, and I will save most of it for the CBS site. But suffice to say, as we sit here at the Depaul-Louisville game in Chicago in the same clothes we were wearing last night at the Northern Iowa game in Cedar Rapids, it has been quite a journey. I thought we might perish on our 2 am trip down the backroads of Iowa in a snowstorm last night, and I may have never been happier to get off the road in my life. Our stop meant no Siena-Butler, which meant that we detoured to this game. As of right now, we are sitting next to the Depaul bench and I am getting to enjoy random taunts from Louisville fans for my Kentucky allegiance. While it is great to see the #1 player in America, Peyton Siva, in person (poor John Wall, he wishes he could be Siva), I wont be sad when I am away from this Red. But it does give us a chance to talk Pitino for a national audience, so that is a positive. We will tell Tracey Webster hello for everyone and try and figure out if this could be a destination for Clyde next year. But until then, I am going to try and sit as far away from Drew as possible and hope that no line beard can see me in my hat. Go Cats and lets beat up some "smaht kids" tonight!