UK Fans, Please Temper Expectations Re: Summer

[JokersWild24]

**

 

I'm not trying to be overly pessimistic, just realistic.

 

Fair warning, UK fans are getting too worked up about some games in the summer. This isn't how the season is going to go and it isn't going to be nearly the same kind of grind as playing a schedule filled with landmines where our game is the one circled on everyone's calendar.

 

The Dominican win today was a quality win, but everyone else we've played has looked outmatched athletically.

 

Let's remember the letdown in 2013. Let's remember the talk of 40-0 going into 2014. Let's remember that we were an 8 seed coming into this year's tournament before we made a great run.

 

Dig through the archives coming into the season where we were led by Knight in 2011. We did the Canada tour and people began building on already unrealistic expectations.

 

This is why UK fans are great. They're passionate. They love their team. They think they can do anything. It's also why they're seen as unrealistic, overly demanding, and out of touch with reality at times.

 

 

 

Some things to remember:

 

The freshmen will still be freshmen.

 

We will have growing pains.

 

We might lose a game (or even games) we shouldn't.

 

We might lose a game we should.

 

The team doesn't have a true small forward.

 

We could be susceptible to poor perimeter shooting and missed free throws.

 

There could be chemistry problems. There already aren't enough minutes for everyone and we haven't seen Cauley-Stein and Lyles in uniform.

 

Alex Poythress can be very hit or miss with his play.

 

There were questions about Willie Cauley-Stein's drive and motor last season.

 

The Harrison twins had a great NCAA run, but people were questioning their body language and decision making most of the season.

 

Tyler Ulis is going to be great, but he's still a small freshman.

[JokersWild24]

The 50:1 odds in Vegas on UK going undefeated is a sucker bet. To compare those odds, see Post #54 in this thread:

 

http://bluegrasspreps.com/college-basketball/uk-50-1-a-281527-page3.html

[The Professor]

Understood.

But I think the power of this team will be depth. They'll simply wear down other teams. UK will come at teams in waves with no letup. We haven't seen the likes of this since the '96 team.

[PurplePride92]

If you're expecting people to temper expectations then you are the one being unrealistic. There is no reason at all to temper expectations.

[PurplePride92]

The 50:1 odds in Vegas on UK going undefeated is a sucker bet. To compare those odds, see Post #54 in this thread:

 

http://bluegrasspreps.com/college-basketball/uk-50-1-a-281527-page3.html

 

Please, I bet the odds get lower by the time the season starts. You better place the bet now.

[PurplePride92]

Why would any UK fan temper their expectations of this year's team? A team more talented than last year'a runner-up team? A team that is already gelling IN AUGUST and is showing signs of team chemistry IN AUGUST. If I was UK fan I'd be getting a tattoo that says National Champs UK 2014/15.

 

Let it all out UK fans!!!! All of you are privately giggling like little kids who know a secret. You all know how good you feel. Let it out. Don't hold back!!!!!

[JokersWild24]

If you're expecting people to temper expectations then you are the one being unrealistic. There is no reason at all to temper expectations.

 

Setting the fan base up for failure and in-fighting I see.

 

:banana:

[JokersWild24]

Please, I bet the odds get lower by the time the season starts. You better place the bet now.

 

Nah, I'll save my cash on that one. If UK goes 40-0, I'll be just as happy as I would have been worrying about whether I'd wasted my money on placing that bet, the nerves in every game, and how dumb I'd feel the second that the realization that we were going to lose set in.

[PurplePride92]

Setting the fan base up for failure and in-fighting I see.

 

:banana:

 

Like they need help from me. If I was UK fan I'd be super obnoxious right now. Just like I was when Duke landed KI after the 2010 title. Then KI got hurt and I cried the rest of the season. This UK team can lose a PG and 2 Centers and still be in great shape to win it all. You better gloat now while you have the chance.

[PurplePride92]

Nah, I'll save my cash on that one. If UK goes 40-0, I'll be just as happy as I would have been worrying about whether I'd wasted my money on placing that bet, the nerves in every game, and how dumb I'd feel the second that the realization that we were going to lose set in.

 

This non-UK fan is making that bet. I think it's stupid not to. 20 bucks gets you 1000 dollars. We all throw away 20 bucks at least once a month.

[AverageJoesGym]

Understood.

But I think the power of this team will be depth. They'll simply wear down other teams. UK will come at teams in waves with no letup. We haven't seen the likes of this since the '96 team.

 

Are we sure that Cal will play that way? He seems to like staying at a 7-8 man rotation.

[JokersWild24]

Why would any UK fan temper their expectations of this year's team? A team more talented than last year'a runner-up team? A team that is already gelling IN AUGUST and is showing signs of team chemistry IN AUGUST. If I was UK fan I'd be getting a tattoo that says National Champs UK 2014/15.

 

Let it all out UK fans!!!! All of you are privately giggling like little kids who know a secret. You all know how good you feel. Let it out. Don't hold back!!!!!

 

 

Championships aren't played on paper.

 

Let's be real.

 

This team is good. They went to the Finals last year after people left them dead in the water. They also lost 2 studs to the NBA Draft in lottery picks Julius Randle and James Young.

 

Plenty of teams have had darling tournament runs one year and flamed out the next. There will be a pack of hungry teams waiting to knock UK off, including a Florida team who was upset in the Final Four.

 

The Bahamas trip is also just as much about the fans, money in the school's pockets, money in Team Cal's pockets, and all of that as it is about the team bonding and getting better.

 

Championships aren't won on the sandy shores of tropical paradise. Championships are won when you are the guy who doesn't want to be the one who left anything on the floor in the Craft Center in a mid-December practice even though going home for Christmas Break is on everyone's mind.

 

Championships are won when you're waking up before practice to lift weights with MKG.

 

Championships are won when you stay late to put up shots to get out of a slump, making free throws so the pressure doesn't get to you, or paying attention to detail in every film session.

 

It's easier to bond snorkeling with your boys and having the world at your fingertips when you are in sunny paradise beating up on overmatched teams in the middle of the summer. It's a closer bond when guys are up late into the night/early morning walking back from Tolly Ho talking about things like how they'll have each other's backs off the court, where they'll be in 10 years and how they'll talk then thinking back to how good they had it in college even if they didn't realize it because things were simpler then.

 

Plenty of teams don't get to go on trips to the Bahamas and play in front of tons of fans, but that doesn't mean it's not going to be worth a point every time they've been in the weight room lifting while UK has been there this summer. They're hearing the same things as UK fans, about how good UK is, how unbeatable they are. You'd be a fool to think that isn't going to motivate them.

[JokersWild24]

Understood.

But I think the power of this team will be depth. They'll simply wear down other teams. UK will come at teams in waves with no letup. We haven't seen the likes of this since the '96 team.

 

Right now, from a talent standpoint, you are probably right. But the best team doesn't always win and this team is still beatable.

 

Regardless of how much talent there is 1-11, we still only put 5 guys on the floor at once.

 

Beating UK might take a great effort from a good team, it might take help from UK, but they are beatable, no doubt about that.

 

Right now, I'd obviously take this year's talent over any of Cal's UK teams sans 2010 and 2012, but there are still holes.

 

In addition to the things I mentioned above, who is the star amongst stars ala Wall/Cousins or Davis? I see a ton of talent across the board, but not that one guy who NBA scouts are drooling over as the #1 overall pick and a can't miss top 5 guy.

 

Towns dominating someone Jack Michael-Martinez of the Dominican National Team is one thing, but Towns dominating Jahlil Okafor of Duke is completely different.

[JokersWild24]

Are we sure that Cal will play that way? He seems to like staying at a 7-8 man rotation.

 

I think Cal goes deeper in the rotation this year, but expecting 5-for-5 subs, etc. is probably going too far (again just if I were guessing).

[OlDog75]

Why would any UK fan temper their expectations of this year's team? A team more talented than last year'a runner-up team? A team that is already gelling IN AUGUST and is showing signs of team chemistry IN AUGUST. If I was UK fan I'd be getting a tattoo that says National Champs UK 2014/15.

 

Let it all out UK fans!!!! All of you are privately giggling like little kids who know a secret. You all know how good you feel. Let it out. Don't hold back!!!!!

 

Oooohhh, PP92 is stirring the koolaid! :sneaky: