EZ The Blog

When a washed-up sports radio host has only one outlet left.

Kentucky fans, I know this hurts to relive.  But, it was the best basketball game of all time.

It’s crazy for me.  There’s only a handful of events in my life where I know where I was when that event transpired.

On March 28th, 1992, I was with my grandfather watching the Indiana high school state championship at the old Hoosier Dome (RIP) in Indianapolis.  The game didn’t start until 8pm, but we got back to the arena early to watch the game–Kentucky vs. Duke.

I remember, despite constant grumblings, they wouldn’t show the game on the jumbotron inside the stadium.  So we had to go out to the concourse.

There were more fans crammed in the concourse all the way around the dome watching the classic game than there were in the actual dome itself watching the pregame shootaround for the state’s most important annual basketball game.

It was wild, but you all know that.

Well, we’re about 24 hours removed from the third straight loss by a college basketball team ranked number one in the country–Kentucky’s 68-62 loss to South Carolina.

I, like make UK fans, thought the time to really be nervous about a potential loss for the Cats was last Saturday when they played Arkansas in the game that would’ve basically stamped the number one ranking on them officially.  Cal’s kids wiped right through the Hogs and all was right in Big Blue Nation.

And I also figured there was no need for the Nation to get all uptight about going into South Carolina to play against an inferior team.

But, oh, Ken Pomeroy, the guy I constantly love to link to when it comes to college basketball, knew a loss was coming for Kentucky.  I’m sure most of us did.  But what’s really alarming is that, even before UK’s loss to South Carolina, Pomeroy told the masses that these Wildcats have some obvious flaws (keep in mind, this was BEFORE UK’s Tuesday nignt loss):

This year’s edition of Kentucky has a history of not putting away weaker opponents. Normally that’s a sign of bad things to come, and in this case it’s the direct cause of UK’s lower-than-expected rating. In recent contests against both Georgia and Auburn, the game was tied with eight minutes to go. A week ago the Cats were tied with Florida with five minutes left. Essentially, the Wildcats have been willing to throw away the first 75 to 85 percent of the game. Playing what amounts to a five- to eight-minute game against a less-talented opponent is normally a dangerous thing when done regularly–it gives the more-talented team less time to prove its superiority.

So far, Kentucky hasn’t been burned by this pattern of play. They’ve had some close calls, sure, but they’re still unbeaten. The question is whether UK is headed for a reality check like other teams that have repeated close calls against weak competition, or whether they are truly different.

Pomeroy compares this year’s Kentucky to the ’06 Gonzaga team that had Adam Morrison as the star.  They were so offensively superior than other teams that they didn’t have to play all that tough on defense, put it on cruise control for 35 minutes, then “flip the switch” and win the game.  That is, until they had to play someone with similar offensive talent in the tournament–UCLA–and lost.

It’s just one loss for Kentucky.  Hell, it’s the only loss for the Cats.  But, Pomeroy’s opinion and data have definitely been noted.

This was some pretty funny stuff.  If you ask me, it was done in fun by Coach Calipari.  But, I think John Buccigross (a.k.a. the new Jeanine Edwards) was a little stunned by what he heard.

Vegas has spoken and it’s time to pick a side.  What you got?

Kentucky is a 20.5-point favorite at home against Georgia.  Give me the Bulldogs.  First conference game for the young Cats, and Georgia riding high after the big win over No. 20 Georgia Tech.

The Cardinals are also in the friendly confines (but, that new arena is coming along nicely) as an 11.5-point favorite against St. John’s.  Rick Pitino’s teams at Louisville, as we’ve seen again this year, always have a December full of headscratchers, and then one or two again in January.  That inexplicable loss is coming soon Cards fans (mark it down).  I don’t know when, but I’m gonna say it will not be tomorrow.  I say Louisville covers the 11.5.

The Hoosiers are a seven-point underdog at Assembly Hall (the one in Indiana) against Bruce Weber’s Fighting Illini (I’m cool with Weber, but he is the most unlikable coach in the Big Ten, right?).  I think this number is skewed because of the performance that Tom Crean’s squad made in their last game at home, a New Year’s Eve win over the meddling Michigan Wolverines.  I’ll seem like a Hoosier Hater when I say this, but I think IU caught lightning in a bottle that day. First game of the Big Ten season, at home, playing inspired basketball for their injured star Maurice Creek.  The spread is lower than it should be because of this.  That stuff is over.  I don’t know if they win more than three games the rest of the way, if that.  And I think Illinois is a double-digit victor over the Hoosiers.

Well, we’re a little over 48 hours removed from the “Battle of the Bluegrass” and it certainly was a lot to take in.  A couple thoughts in the little time I have right now.

In the first 45 seconds of the game, there were:
- six total fouls
- three technical fouls
- a coach telling an opposing player that he was going to get his ass kicked by Eric Bledsoe

Find me a more eventful first 45 seconds of a game, and I’ll show you a coach who wears a scarf to a postgame press conference Jesus Christ.

The Wildcats are obviously one of the best teams in the country.  John Wall, although he didn’t play like the best player in the college basketball for 40 minutes on Saturday, is still the best player in college basketball.  He finally decided to take over after Louisville got their (only) lead and was not stopped.

DeMarcus Cousins, while awesome, showed just how “street” he was on Saturday.  Cousins obviously threw an intentional elbow to Jared Swopshire while going for a loose ball.  There’s not a doubt in the world about that. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just a diehard UK fan (and that’s okay).

Louisville did a good job of getting themselves back in the game, and taking the lead.  Kentucky got complacent for the first 10 minutes of that second half, and the Cards easily played the best defense they played all season in that same span.

But athletes are athletes, and Coach Cal’s got a bunch of them.  The better team won.

It was as sloppy a game that I can ever remember being that fascinating.  It was must-watch television for much more than just the locals.

But I’ll still never know why Rick Pitino thought it “cool” to wear a scarf indoors after the game.

Well, you know that John Calipari is pissed off at Bobby Knight, regardless of what he says about him in this next clip.

And I will answer to all the hyporisy that has ensued from this here tomorrow on the blog.

But for now, read Bobby Knight’s quotes from his Thursday dinner at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, and then watch John Calipari’s Friday response below.  Basically, he plays the media the way John Calipari has always played the media.  This time, he directly responds with just one sentence, and moves on.

Another reason why I LOVE college basketball.

Jeff Goodman has drawn a lot of ooooh’s and ahhhh’s from the Louisville basketball faithful this preseason for not putting the Cards in his preseason Top 25.

Well, we just had to ask.

Goodman, senior college basketball writer for FoxSports.com, spoke on our radio show (The EZ and Bo Show, weekdays from 3-6 ET on ESPN 1450 The Ticket in Louisville… shameless plug) about a number of topics as we reach the tipoff of another season.

About Louisville: “Whose gonna lead this team?” Goodman asked.  “Two years ago, it was David Padgett.  Last year it was T-Will.  I just don’t see that guy on this team.”

His surprise of the 2010 season: “Texas will win the title.”

The Gamecocks opened as a 13-point favorite against Kentucky in this Saturday’s showdown in Columbia against the ol’ ball coach (and his ridiculous visor).