Early week thoughts

With Kentucky winning two easy games against Delaware State and Longwood, then highlighting the Vegas Tournament wins against Kansas State and West Virginia, here are some thoughts involving the Cats going forward.

However, before I start, I'm going to focus on something that I believe may ruffle some feathers. Why the Lexington media dislikes Billy Gillispie. The De'Andre Liggins fiasco has been the hot topic across UK message board this past week, after he pulled a Stephon Marbury by refusing to check in. It is ironic that both happened in the same week, but the difference is, Marbury has since been kicked off the team. Liggins played the following night. Liggins has also shown he can be a difference maker running the point, unlike Michael Porter.

To be honest though, I don't believe we will ever hear the full story. Getting your information from Jerry Tipton is similar to getting it from the horses ass. Even the Cincinnati Bengals beatwriters are more professional in light of Mike Brown. I have never seen journalists so hellbent on trying to smear Gillispie and even resort to throwing a young player under the bus for what could be a stupid mistake.

As I said, we will not likely ever know the full story unless Liggins becomes NBA talent overnight and someone with credibility asks about it.

To those who are drinking the Tipton Kool-aid, let me ask you this. Dusty Mills was kicked off the team last year for laughing with Mike Williams(also gone) while Ramel Bradley was injured against Georgia. Gillispie did make the right decision there and was villified for it by the Lexington press. Now Liggins makes a mistake, is admonished, yet the same people are calling for more action. What is wrong with this picture? Either:

1. Gillispie is a hypocrite for how he handled the Mills situation and is willing to give the All Americans second, third, or fourth chances.


2. The Lexington media is trying to make news rather than report it.

To quote Benedict Rick, "Tubby Smith is not walking through that door"...

Other thoughts not involving the Liggins situation:

• If Kentucky is going to be successful once they reach the gauntlet of SEC play, they are going to need production from somebody other than Jodie Meeks or Patrick Patterson. A third player is going to have to step up on a given night to take the load off, or Kentucky is going to lose some very winnable games. The good news is, Kentucky may have that player already in Darius Miller. I believe the Monster Mash comparisons could hold up if Miller is able to gain the confidence to succeed, and that is growing each and every day.


• Kentucky plays a very easy December schedule, not venturing outside of Rupp Arena until January to play Louisville at Freedom Hall. The marquee game will be Saturday when the Cats entertain Miami. Indiana could be a challenge with Tom Crean coming to town, but Kentucky could easily go 10-2 before taking on Pitino again.

• Speaking of Little Brother U, the Cardinals were upset by Western Kentucky 68-54. I'm going to choose not to rub salt in the wound of our rivals given WKU beat us once upon a time with Patrick Sparks running the point. However, Louisville strikes me as a team that is extremely vulnerable, and the Hilltoppers exposed that. Collapse on Samardo Samuels and force Louisville to live or die by the three. It might work come January.

I will post more thoughts following the Kentucky-Miami game.