After the whole Enes Kanter ordeal, it is kind of ironic to see Mark Emmert being on the side of expenses for student athletes? According to this article, Emmert will look into the possibility of more financial support brought up by his predecessor Myles Brand. Emmert also states that he will bring the topic up at the NCAA's board meeting in April.
Personally, I think this is long overdue. I fully respect and want the NCAA to keep it's label of amateur sports. However, I also feel that as much money as these athletes make for the Universities and it's governing body, they should receive a little extra benefit. There will always be people raise the argument of "What more do they need? They get free education, food, and so forth." This again is true but let me bring the following point up to you.
College athletes make huge sacrifices. Scholarships do help them a great deal but the stuff that happens off the message boards, newspapers, and television shows go unnoticed. These kids virtually have no social life due to so much time being at practice, on the road, in the training room, or in practice. They also take summer classes, stay on campus or at bowls, tournaments, etc during Holiday Breaks. This is a full time job for 18-22 year old kids/young adults. Whether we want to admit it, that takes a large toll on a person.
I say that these student athletes who make all of these sacrifices for the fans and Universities should get a little extra. What's so wrong with giving them money to live life a little and to travel home. The travel home part is what really gets me behind this. I stated above about how much of their time is taken up because of everything. If a kid gets a weekend, I would be all for the NCAA allowing the school to send them home to visit their parents and loved ones. Let's face it, not all, but a great deal of our college athletes come from humble upbringings. A $600.00 round trip plane ticket across country is not something they can just up and foot the bill for. Let's help them be able to go home every so often. It's the least that can be done considering the millions and millions of dollars that their talent generates.
A new site dedicated to any and all things Kentucky with a little bit of randomness mixed in!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Why has Jorts turned it around?
I Love It When You Call Me Dom Papa
The season kicked off this past August in the Great White North. I can only imagine "The Power of Papa" has inspired our Wildcats to be on a mission for #8. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Dom Papa! Get this man to Houston! You see that finger Jim Calhoun? That's what "Big Papa" thinks of you.
Monday, March 28, 2011
We're going home! Cat's are Final 4 Bound!
It's been since 1998 but we've finally gotten back to our rightful home! No I don't mean we are going back to Wildcat Lodge or "going home" like 64 other teams are doing. We're going home to the Final 4. After yesterday's big win over North Carolina, The Cats are going back to the Final 4. It's been much too long but fear not, we're back! Let me thank you John Calipari, Josh Harrellson, Deandre Liggins, and Darius Miller. Let me thank you Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb, Terrence Jones. Let me thank you Jon Hood, Stacey Poole, Jarrod Polson, and Eloy Vargas. Let me thank you Enes Kanter!
I would have been on this blog long before tonight but I have been too busy celebrating. Forgive me but I'm sure my fellow BBN brothers and sisters understand. How awesome is this feeling? Not only did we make it back to the Final 4, we made it against every odd stacked in front of us. Let's take a look at the odds we overcame.
1. Daniel Orton and Eric Bledsoe: First of all, I am more than happy for them. They are living a dream but nobody figured we would have lost them to the NBA. Those were two building blocks for our future.
2. The NCAA and their unjust ruling that made Enes Kanter ineligible.
3. Depth: This is pretty much a repeat of the first two. Our 6 man rotation said screw it and got us there anyway.
4. Road Games: It seemed that we couldn't win on the road. Nevermind that.
5. 4 seed: Sure we struggled but we finished strong. A 4 seed, let alone the worst 4 seed in which was paired up with the overall #1? Oh well, UK took care of that.
6. East Region: How hard was our road to the Final 4? Princeton gave us a nailbiter, West Virginia was tough, Ohio State was the best team in America, and North Carolina was one of the hottest second semester teams in America. I guess it takes being The King of College basketball to overcome that.
All of that was worth every bit of the complaining that we rightfully did leading up until the clock hit zeroes yesterday. Myself and a friend made the trip to Lexington last night to greet the team as they arrived at Bluegrass Field. Let me tell you, it was surreal. I was there in 1998 after UK knocked off Duke and I think this knocked that experience out of the park. Just seeing the awe on the faces of our Cats was enough to send chill bumps up your spine.
The best part of last night was the thousands of fans who joined us at the airport. Nevermind the fact it was cold as a December day. Fans were out there for hours just waiting. We had people in trees, people on top of cars, people on shoulders all to get a glimpse of The Wildcats. What other team would have fans show up like that? I can only think of one and that is the BIG BLUE NATION.
We've had our time to celebrate but the mission is by no means complete. There are two games left before the ultimate goal is reached. Connecticut is a heck of a team led by one of the best, if not the best player in the nation in Kemba Walker. We saw them in Maui and got our tails handed to us. However, this is a different Wildcat team. Josh Harrellson had yet to come into his own. Our Freshmen were a week into their careers, and we were likely still feeling sorry for ourselves because we had a feeling on what would be the eventual fate with the Kanter ruling. The mountain is still a tall one to climb but I cannot help but think this team has a destiny. Coach Cal's "Refuse To Lose" slogan cannot ring more true that it is right now.
This week is going to be a week of nerves, confidence, doubt, confusion, joy, and worry but come Saturday night around 12 am, we could be punching our ticket to face Butler or VCU for our 8th National Title. Step back for a moment and think about that...(Did it sink in?) IF we knock of UConn, you have to love our chances despite the amazing runs made in March by the Rams and Bulldogs.
Let me just leave you with this. March Madness is full of upsets, the unthinkable, and great stories. That's March though! The Final 4 is in April. Throw the Madness out the door. There is one team that will be in Houston that has been to the Final 4 more than all 3 teams combined. This is our ground! This is our territory! There is going to be an invasion and "The Big Blue Nation" will be taking over. If the team thought last night at the Airport was crazy and were taken back by all of the love, they will not have a clue as to what will take place if "The Payback Cats" land with #8 in hand. GET READY!
I would have been on this blog long before tonight but I have been too busy celebrating. Forgive me but I'm sure my fellow BBN brothers and sisters understand. How awesome is this feeling? Not only did we make it back to the Final 4, we made it against every odd stacked in front of us. Let's take a look at the odds we overcame.
1. Daniel Orton and Eric Bledsoe: First of all, I am more than happy for them. They are living a dream but nobody figured we would have lost them to the NBA. Those were two building blocks for our future.
2. The NCAA and their unjust ruling that made Enes Kanter ineligible.
3. Depth: This is pretty much a repeat of the first two. Our 6 man rotation said screw it and got us there anyway.
4. Road Games: It seemed that we couldn't win on the road. Nevermind that.
5. 4 seed: Sure we struggled but we finished strong. A 4 seed, let alone the worst 4 seed in which was paired up with the overall #1? Oh well, UK took care of that.
6. East Region: How hard was our road to the Final 4? Princeton gave us a nailbiter, West Virginia was tough, Ohio State was the best team in America, and North Carolina was one of the hottest second semester teams in America. I guess it takes being The King of College basketball to overcome that.
All of that was worth every bit of the complaining that we rightfully did leading up until the clock hit zeroes yesterday. Myself and a friend made the trip to Lexington last night to greet the team as they arrived at Bluegrass Field. Let me tell you, it was surreal. I was there in 1998 after UK knocked off Duke and I think this knocked that experience out of the park. Just seeing the awe on the faces of our Cats was enough to send chill bumps up your spine.
The best part of last night was the thousands of fans who joined us at the airport. Nevermind the fact it was cold as a December day. Fans were out there for hours just waiting. We had people in trees, people on top of cars, people on shoulders all to get a glimpse of The Wildcats. What other team would have fans show up like that? I can only think of one and that is the BIG BLUE NATION.
We've had our time to celebrate but the mission is by no means complete. There are two games left before the ultimate goal is reached. Connecticut is a heck of a team led by one of the best, if not the best player in the nation in Kemba Walker. We saw them in Maui and got our tails handed to us. However, this is a different Wildcat team. Josh Harrellson had yet to come into his own. Our Freshmen were a week into their careers, and we were likely still feeling sorry for ourselves because we had a feeling on what would be the eventual fate with the Kanter ruling. The mountain is still a tall one to climb but I cannot help but think this team has a destiny. Coach Cal's "Refuse To Lose" slogan cannot ring more true that it is right now.
This week is going to be a week of nerves, confidence, doubt, confusion, joy, and worry but come Saturday night around 12 am, we could be punching our ticket to face Butler or VCU for our 8th National Title. Step back for a moment and think about that...(Did it sink in?) IF we knock of UConn, you have to love our chances despite the amazing runs made in March by the Rams and Bulldogs.
Let me just leave you with this. March Madness is full of upsets, the unthinkable, and great stories. That's March though! The Final 4 is in April. Throw the Madness out the door. There is one team that will be in Houston that has been to the Final 4 more than all 3 teams combined. This is our ground! This is our territory! There is going to be an invasion and "The Big Blue Nation" will be taking over. If the team thought last night at the Airport was crazy and were taken back by all of the love, they will not have a clue as to what will take place if "The Payback Cats" land with #8 in hand. GET READY!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Cats knock off the Buckeys to advance to the Elite 8!
Wow! What a game that was? The big blue came to play and knocked off the mighty Buckeyes. I'm True Blue and will never call a Wildcat win an upset because I expect to win them all. However, according to most, this was a great upset for the Cats. I'll stick to saying a great win. In fact, I've not felt this much excitement since the Cats beat Duke in 1998. 62-60 is a score that I'll love for a really really long time.
Most said they couldn't do it but I told ya that I had a good feeling about last nights contest. We got some solid play from our Freshmen. No, it wasn't their best games and no it wasn't what most of us thought we needed from them but they were huge. Jones helped the cause with 8 and 8, Lamb hit some nice threes, and although he had a battle from Craft, Knight came up huge down the stretch as we have gotten used to seeing.
What can you say about our veterans? I could not be more proud of those three guys. Josh Harrellson came out and matched everybody's All-American tit for tat. Jorts was dynamic and showed that he may not only be one of the most improved players in America but may be one of the best big men. He isn't overly talented but he has the heart of a lion and never quits. Tonight, the big country boy from Missouri made him some big bucks. Darius Miller didn't wow but he was a quiet spectacular. He steps up when needed but he's always solid. That was him tonight. Finally Deandre Liggins. He had a hell of a game. He stuck to his forte and locked down the Buckeyes on D. On top of that, he came through with 15 big points and some clutch baskets down the stretch. Hats off to them.
I must commend the Buckeyes though. Thad Matta and his team had a great season and are a classy bunch. It's a shame the seeding committee made two of the better teams play so early. That was truly an injustice. Sullinger and Diebler came to play but thanks to the big blue D, we were able to contain Lighty, Buford, and Craft. I must tip my hat to Aaron Craft. That kid played a great defensive game on Knight. He is truly one of the most underrated players in America. He's going to have a great career.
All in all, this was a great win. Enjoy it today but we have a very tough opponent coming up. In fact it's an opponent that beat us earlier in the year. North Carolina only won by two but that was a completely different team. Harrison Barnes is starting to live up to the hype, Kendall Marshall has taken over the point, and Tyler Zeller is getting even better. Zeller and Henson were a huge difference earlier in the year and will be just as good on Sunday. That's not to say that we haven't improved too. It's going to be yet another tough tough game for the Cats. They'll go in as the underdog yet again. They should be proud of their accomplishments but there is no time to celebrate. This is do or die and if the Cats want to make their first final 4, they are going to have to play a great game. BRING ON THE HEELS!
Most said they couldn't do it but I told ya that I had a good feeling about last nights contest. We got some solid play from our Freshmen. No, it wasn't their best games and no it wasn't what most of us thought we needed from them but they were huge. Jones helped the cause with 8 and 8, Lamb hit some nice threes, and although he had a battle from Craft, Knight came up huge down the stretch as we have gotten used to seeing.
What can you say about our veterans? I could not be more proud of those three guys. Josh Harrellson came out and matched everybody's All-American tit for tat. Jorts was dynamic and showed that he may not only be one of the most improved players in America but may be one of the best big men. He isn't overly talented but he has the heart of a lion and never quits. Tonight, the big country boy from Missouri made him some big bucks. Darius Miller didn't wow but he was a quiet spectacular. He steps up when needed but he's always solid. That was him tonight. Finally Deandre Liggins. He had a hell of a game. He stuck to his forte and locked down the Buckeyes on D. On top of that, he came through with 15 big points and some clutch baskets down the stretch. Hats off to them.
I must commend the Buckeyes though. Thad Matta and his team had a great season and are a classy bunch. It's a shame the seeding committee made two of the better teams play so early. That was truly an injustice. Sullinger and Diebler came to play but thanks to the big blue D, we were able to contain Lighty, Buford, and Craft. I must tip my hat to Aaron Craft. That kid played a great defensive game on Knight. He is truly one of the most underrated players in America. He's going to have a great career.
All in all, this was a great win. Enjoy it today but we have a very tough opponent coming up. In fact it's an opponent that beat us earlier in the year. North Carolina only won by two but that was a completely different team. Harrison Barnes is starting to live up to the hype, Kendall Marshall has taken over the point, and Tyler Zeller is getting even better. Zeller and Henson were a huge difference earlier in the year and will be just as good on Sunday. That's not to say that we haven't improved too. It's going to be yet another tough tough game for the Cats. They'll go in as the underdog yet again. They should be proud of their accomplishments but there is no time to celebrate. This is do or die and if the Cats want to make their first final 4, they are going to have to play a great game. BRING ON THE HEELS!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Game Day is here!
Next week is finally today folks. We've spent the past week worrying, dissecting, speculating, predicting, and analyzing this game. Will the Cats be able to shock the world and pull the upset? (Doesn't it sound weird to say that?) I'll admit to you that I've been up and down with my thoughts on this one.
All season long, I have said that I'd love to play Ohio State. After we beat West Virginia, I was on a huge high. I kept saying "Bring em on!" Then came the George Mason game. Needless to say, my tune changed real quick. Ohio State looked downright scary. I'll go as far to say that Ohio Stated looked as dominant as any team I have seen since our Wildcats ran roughshod on everyone back in 1996. They were killing the paint, they were hitting everything they through up. 16 or 17 threes? Wow! I was scared, I'll not deny that for a bit. I went from "Bring em on!" to "Oh sh**".
As the week went on, I started coming back down to Earth. I won't say we are a better team. We probably aren't for that matter. They play in a better conference, have a better record and the well deserved hype. I will say this, they aren't that much better. Let me also add that we may very well be more talented at 5 of the first 7 players in both teams rotation. In fact, I think we are. Jorts has been fantastic but he would even tell you that Jared Sullinger is a better player. That's not to say he won't/can't hold his own against the Fantastic Freshman. The Buckeye's other 6 are excellent and probably play better as a team but honestly, the only trade I would make is Eloy Vargas for Dallas Lauderdale.
Will talent or (talented) experience win? 9 times out of 10 I would go with the talented experience. Tonight, I have a feeling that a certain Coach named John will have our boys ready to rock. Will it happen? I'm not too good at picking games...my bracket shows but what the hell. Cats win 72-68!
All season long, I have said that I'd love to play Ohio State. After we beat West Virginia, I was on a huge high. I kept saying "Bring em on!" Then came the George Mason game. Needless to say, my tune changed real quick. Ohio State looked downright scary. I'll go as far to say that Ohio Stated looked as dominant as any team I have seen since our Wildcats ran roughshod on everyone back in 1996. They were killing the paint, they were hitting everything they through up. 16 or 17 threes? Wow! I was scared, I'll not deny that for a bit. I went from "Bring em on!" to "Oh sh**".
As the week went on, I started coming back down to Earth. I won't say we are a better team. We probably aren't for that matter. They play in a better conference, have a better record and the well deserved hype. I will say this, they aren't that much better. Let me also add that we may very well be more talented at 5 of the first 7 players in both teams rotation. In fact, I think we are. Jorts has been fantastic but he would even tell you that Jared Sullinger is a better player. That's not to say he won't/can't hold his own against the Fantastic Freshman. The Buckeye's other 6 are excellent and probably play better as a team but honestly, the only trade I would make is Eloy Vargas for Dallas Lauderdale.
Will talent or (talented) experience win? 9 times out of 10 I would go with the talented experience. Tonight, I have a feeling that a certain Coach named John will have our boys ready to rock. Will it happen? I'm not too good at picking games...my bracket shows but what the hell. Cats win 72-68!
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