My word, WKU may be the greatest team of all time. Personally, I've always been a fan of Western Kansas.

 

Hate on WKU all you want but at the end of the day we still beat you the last time we played and at your place. So until you man up and schedule us again what can you say. By the way WKU might still be the 3rd best team in the state but they are a lot closer to you then you want to give them credit for. I have no aspirations of thinking that year in and year out WKU is better then UK or UofL but you have to admit that the last few years its been pretty even facts are facts. We dont have the luxury of playing in a BCS conference where we have a chance of getting an at large, the Sun Belt got two bids last year and will only get one this year. I know we could play and compete in CUSA and would love to see us in there. As far as tradition goes do a little research we have a lot better tradition then you would think, but I know we dont have the most wins and 7 national titles but we arent a doormat either. By the way interesting fact, WKU and UofL have played 72 times with WKU leading the series 39-33. WKU and UK have played 5 times with UK leading the series 3-2, at least UofL will play us. But keep your Lieutenant Dan looking coach and enjoy your season best of luck to you in the postseason.

Or you want a higher SOS going into conference play so your RPI is higher. I heard the segment of the call-in show last night and when he said that quote, my initial reaction was that it had to be tougher. They only played 3 tournament teams (and lost them all) and 2 bubble teams (and won them) in their NC schedule. It doesn't seem that he is thinking that the NC schedule beat them up or hurt them.

Or think of it as, the NC schedule is weak so you can't afford to slip up in conference because you don't have any quality wins or a quality SOS (which they didn't). So, if you ARE going to have slip ups in the conference, do you want a high SOS and RPI going into it or a low one? Considering they have the latter, I think he sees it as a problem.

I don't think you need to go and get 3-4 top notch opponents to replace 3-4 weak ones but get some mid-major conference teams to replace 3-4 weak ones.

 

Let me be clear that I am not in favor of playing a weaker non conference. However the way he said it, it was talking about having a weaker non conference schedule. I mean he even talked about that last season as well, so its not that hard to believe that he still wants an even easier non conference, because his past statements show that and these statements here show that too.

I don't think he is meaning a weaker nonconference, but eliminating the very bottom (FAU) and instead getting winnable games that will end up being better wins than the 200+ RPI. So, if they don't do nearly as well in-conference, they have that to fall back on.

Kentucky has no business playing a weaker OOC schedule. I listened to Gillispie on his radio show and I took him to mean he was going to soften the schedule. I certainly hope that I was mistaken.

 

I'm of the opinion that Kentucky should be taking on anyone, anywhere, anytime. We should be trying to set up big games with big named teams, so that we make our program as visible as possible. Play in all areas of the country, West Coast, North East, down South, different countries, the Moon, where ever the recruits are let's play there. And put the games on national television for all to see. We should be doing everything we can to get back that Kentucky prestige and name recognition that we have lost over the past 4 years or so. And I just don't see how we would be accomplishing that by being afraid to play away from Rupp and by being afraid to take on teams that aren't cupcakes!

 

Certainly you have to keep the traditional rivalries with Indiana and Louisville going. I would also love to see the North Carolina series go on, and maybe setup games with teams we have played in the past like Kansas and Michigan State. Then there are plenty of regionally close teams Kentucky could get interesting games setup with like Cincinnati, Ohio State, West Virginia, Memphis and Illinois. Of course there are tons of Kentucky fans who would like to see the Cats play Duke. But it seems like teams always go into Cameron and play the Blue Devils and then the return game is always in some place like the Meadowlands or Madison Square Garden. Getting Coach Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils in Rupp would be fun.:popcorn:

My interpretation of this is that he wants more of a balance.

They started just over 3 weeks after the first practice. They played UNC at a very ridiculous early time, then there were stretches of games on back to back days, not including the tournaments...etc.

I think it has more to do with when they play games.

UK already has UNC, IU, UL and a trip to MSG for the SEC/BE game to be played. I think they may also be going to Puerto Rico as well...

Hate on WKU all you want but at the end of the day we still beat you the last time we played and at your place. So until you man up and schedule us again what can you say. By the way WKU might still be the 3rd best team in the state but they are a lot closer to you then you want to give them credit for. I have no aspirations of thinking that year in and year out WKU is better then UK or UofL but you have to admit that the last few years its been pretty even facts are facts. We dont have the luxury of playing in a BCS conference where we have a chance of getting an at large, the Sun Belt got two bids last year and will only get one this year. I know we could play and compete in CUSA and would love to see us in there. As far as tradition goes do a little research we have a lot better tradition then you would think, but I know we dont have the most wins and 7 national titles but we arent a doormat either. By the way interesting fact, WKU and UofL have played 72 times with WKU leading the series 39-33. WKU and UK have played 5 times with UK leading the series 3-2, at least UofL will play us. But keep your Lieutenant Dan looking coach and enjoy your season best of luck to you in the postseason.

 

:laugh: WKU: The greatest tradition in Basketball History.

Let me be clear that I am not in favor of playing a weaker non conference. However the way he said it, it was talking about having a weaker non conference schedule. I mean he even talked about that last season as well, so its not that hard to believe that he still wants an even easier non conference, because his past statements show that and these statements here show that too.

 

I think you read the Tipton article and came to his conclusion. I think he's wrong. I could easily see both sides of it. I'm hoping he's smart enough to understand how to get in the tourney...ie...Tennessee.

The SEC being down this year is certainly hurting UK this year. When IU gets back to where they normally are and keeping UNC and UL do other top teams play 3 tough non conference games? Throw in WVU and Miami this year I don't know what else should be done other than win some of those games.

John Clay thinks he meant a weaker OOC schedule too...

 

Per John Clay:

 

Ken Pomeroy's rankings rated UK's non-conference schedule as 243rd in the nation this season. If it gets any softer, it'll be liquid.

 

 

LINK

Let me be clear that I am not in favor of playing a weaker non conference. However the way he said it, it was talking about having a weaker non conference schedule. I mean he even talked about that last season as well, so its not that hard to believe that he still wants an even easier non conference, because his past statements show that and these statements here show that too.

 

It really was hard to understand exactly what he meant because he didn't elaborate but if he wants an easier NC schedule then you won't have any quality wins (or losses for that matter) to fall back on when you hit the "tough stretch" in conference.

I think you read the Tipton article and came to his conclusion. I think he's wrong. I could easily see both sides of it. I'm hoping he's smart enough to understand how to get in the tourney...ie...Tennessee.

 

Just by going by the exact quotes that Billy G said then he definitely is talking about having an easier schedule. I mean don't let your opinion of thinking that we need a better non conference schedule, make you try to twist his words around. Because I mean I agree with you that I definitely dont think we need to make it weaker, if anything it needs to be a little better. But by going by the going exact quotes from Billy G, he definitely is talking about it having weaker. If people don't let their own opinion about the scheduling come into play, then it is very easy to see.

Just by going by the exact quotes that Billy G said then he definitely is talking about having an easier schedule. I mean don't let your opinion of thinking that we need a better non conference schedule, make you try to twist his words around. Because I mean I agree with you that I definitely dont think we need to make it weaker, if anything it needs to be a little better. But by going by the going exact quotes from Billy G, he definitely is talking about it having weaker. If people don't let their own opinion about the scheduling come into play, then it is very easy to see.

 

 

Except that people who heard the interview said they think he was saying that the schedule is hurting their chances of getting in the tourney and he doesn't want that to happen. I think he knows they need to beef up the bottom of the schedule, but he doesn't want to add top 15 teams.

That is the last thing on my mind.

 

Well if I were a Cat fan I believe that would be on my mind.

Sam Houston State will arrive at Rupp Arena on Nov. 19 before Rider gallops into Lexington two days later on Nov. 21. The Cats will then fly to Cancun to face Cleveland State on Nov. 24 and either Virginia or Stanford on Nov. 25. The other teams in the field include Oral Roberts and Florida A&M.

Also on the schedule is a Nov. 13 regular season opener against Morehead State in Rupp Arena, a Dec. 9 showdown with Connecticut in New York City as part of the SEC/Big East Challenge and a Dec. 19 home game against Austin Peay. The Cats will also host traditional rivals North Carolina and Louisville, as well as travel to Indiana. Those dates have yet to be released.