After debating my boss at work about U of L and UK, I have come to the conclusion that U of L fans known nothing about facts.
U of L basketball is not Elite anymore. In reality, they were only the 1980s. You take away that decade, and what do you have? A team with two Final Fours, no championships and barely 1,000 school wins.
U of L was unheard during the 1990's. They have had minor success during the past 8 years. However, they have one Final Four and no Championships. How can they call themselves elite and compare their program to that of UK, UNC, KU, UCLA or even Duke's?
All of those teams have been great for decades. UK for instance won a Helms National Championship during the 1920s. They also won one the first year Rupp coached in 1931. UK owned the 1940s and 1950s. Even though UK didn't win a championship during the 1960s, UK still had major success. During the 1970s UK made a few Final Fours and won a Championship (1978). UK made a Final Four during the 1980s and won the mass majority of their games. UK along with Duke, dominated the 1990s.
UK has been down the past few years, much like UNC was when Dean Smith left. UNC however, hired the right fit and have won two National Championships under Roy Williams. U of L with a new Coach has none. Again, U of L cannot call themselves elite. Even since Ricky-boy took over U of L, UK has dominated them in head to head matchups. U of L fans seem to forget facts - nothing new.
UK will rebuild much like UNC did. UK has always been better and more elite than U of L and that is how things will always be. U of L, like Duke, will always be second best in the state. U of L fans, learn to live with it. Duke has.
Showing posts with label U of L Cards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U of L Cards. Show all posts
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Is U of L even Elite?
Sure, Kentucky basketball has been down. I blame this mainly on Mitch Barnhardt for being too lazy to hire a real coach. However, how dare U of L claim to be "Elite". How dare they compare their second rate program to that of UNC, Kansas and UCLA.
Fact 1 - U of L has not been to the NCAA finals since 1986 (nor won a championship since then). That is a 23 year dry spell to say the least.
Fact 2 - U of L has only been to one Final Four in since 1987. Wow, that is now where close to that of UCLA, UNC, Kansas, Duke or Kentucky!
How can you call a team with only one Final Four appearance in the past 22 years, Elite?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
U of L beats the Fighting Irish and Pitt - who's next?
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090120/SPORTS02/901200485/1028
Teammate Edgar Sosa labeled University of Louisville guards Andre McGee and Preston Knowles the "Microwave Twins" for their special brand of defensive pressure.
"They come out there and just heat the ball up," Sosa said. "I wish I could play defense like those guys. They can guard you 94 feet and just be on you."
McGee and Knowles no longer are starters, but they have latched on to their defensive roles during the Cardinals' five-game winning streak. They played a big part in disrupting the offensive flow in victories over nationally ranked Villanova, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, which was No. 1 going into Saturday's game.
"That's what we try to hang our hats on, especially in crucial situations," said Knowles, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound sophomore. "We try to be reliable when Coach brings us in to stop their best player. If we can do that every single night, we're going to be a wonderful team."
The No. 9 Cards (13-3, 4-0 Big East) travel to Rutgers tomorrow night before heading to No. 8 Syracuse on Sunday. The Orange will present another challenge with a top-notch backcourt led by Johnny Flynn.
McGee and Knowles will be ready. McGee said the two feed off each other on defense, and some of their effectiveness comes from their preparation.
"We all have to really focus on how they are going to attack us and know what position we have to be in to make certain rotations," said McGee, a 5-foot-10 senior co-captain.
U of L coach Rick Pitino said the two do a great job of moving their feet and applying pressure without having to use their hands. It keeps both out of foul trouble.
Pitino singled out the Notre Dame game, when McGee helped fluster point guard Tory Jackson into seven turnovers.
"That's as fine a defensive performance as I've seen… just totally taking the point guard out of running the other team's offense," Pitino said. "He just did a wonderful job of that, and down the stretch it helped our other players get over screens. He buys time for players to get over screens. That's what both players do."
Pitino began the season alternating Sosa and McGee as starting point guard. Following the Minnesota loss, Pitino started Knowles and Smith in the backcourt for two games. When Sosa's performance against Kentucky solidified his starting role, Pitino felt most comfortable bringing McGee and Knowles off the bench for their defense.
It's been working since. Opposing guards have struggled thanks in part to McGee and Knowles.
South Florida's leading scorer Dominique Jones, who had averaged 17.1 points, was held to 11 on 1-of-10 shooting and four turnovers.
Villanova's Scottie Reynolds, after torching Seton Hall for 40 points, had just 11 against U of L to go with two assists and four turnovers.
Pitt point guard Levance Fields had a stellar 4.7-1 assist-to-turnover ratio until McGee and Knowles helped bait him into a season-high six turnovers. Fields had gone six of his previous seven games with one or zero turnovers.
"There are so many great scorers and great athletes, but there are few Bruce Bowen guys who really just strap down defenders," said McGee of the San Antonio Spurs' defensive stopper. "That's one thing I try to pride myself on."
In late-game situations, Pitino has gone with McGee and Knowles when he needed a defensive stop.
Against Villanova, McGee's tip of an in-bounds pass with four seconds left prevented the Wildcats from scoring the winning basket off the lob.
On Notre Dame's final possession in regulation, McGee hounded Jackson into making an errant pass to an empty space and Knowles deflected it into the backcourt. They helped prevent the Irish from getting a shot up despite having 24 seconds to do so.
Teammate Edgar Sosa labeled University of Louisville guards Andre McGee and Preston Knowles the "Microwave Twins" for their special brand of defensive pressure.
"They come out there and just heat the ball up," Sosa said. "I wish I could play defense like those guys. They can guard you 94 feet and just be on you."
McGee and Knowles no longer are starters, but they have latched on to their defensive roles during the Cardinals' five-game winning streak. They played a big part in disrupting the offensive flow in victories over nationally ranked Villanova, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, which was No. 1 going into Saturday's game.
"That's what we try to hang our hats on, especially in crucial situations," said Knowles, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound sophomore. "We try to be reliable when Coach brings us in to stop their best player. If we can do that every single night, we're going to be a wonderful team."
The No. 9 Cards (13-3, 4-0 Big East) travel to Rutgers tomorrow night before heading to No. 8 Syracuse on Sunday. The Orange will present another challenge with a top-notch backcourt led by Johnny Flynn.
McGee and Knowles will be ready. McGee said the two feed off each other on defense, and some of their effectiveness comes from their preparation.
"We all have to really focus on how they are going to attack us and know what position we have to be in to make certain rotations," said McGee, a 5-foot-10 senior co-captain.
U of L coach Rick Pitino said the two do a great job of moving their feet and applying pressure without having to use their hands. It keeps both out of foul trouble.
Pitino singled out the Notre Dame game, when McGee helped fluster point guard Tory Jackson into seven turnovers.
"That's as fine a defensive performance as I've seen… just totally taking the point guard out of running the other team's offense," Pitino said. "He just did a wonderful job of that, and down the stretch it helped our other players get over screens. He buys time for players to get over screens. That's what both players do."
Pitino began the season alternating Sosa and McGee as starting point guard. Following the Minnesota loss, Pitino started Knowles and Smith in the backcourt for two games. When Sosa's performance against Kentucky solidified his starting role, Pitino felt most comfortable bringing McGee and Knowles off the bench for their defense.
It's been working since. Opposing guards have struggled thanks in part to McGee and Knowles.
South Florida's leading scorer Dominique Jones, who had averaged 17.1 points, was held to 11 on 1-of-10 shooting and four turnovers.
Villanova's Scottie Reynolds, after torching Seton Hall for 40 points, had just 11 against U of L to go with two assists and four turnovers.
Pitt point guard Levance Fields had a stellar 4.7-1 assist-to-turnover ratio until McGee and Knowles helped bait him into a season-high six turnovers. Fields had gone six of his previous seven games with one or zero turnovers.
"There are so many great scorers and great athletes, but there are few Bruce Bowen guys who really just strap down defenders," said McGee of the San Antonio Spurs' defensive stopper. "That's one thing I try to pride myself on."
In late-game situations, Pitino has gone with McGee and Knowles when he needed a defensive stop.
Against Villanova, McGee's tip of an in-bounds pass with four seconds left prevented the Wildcats from scoring the winning basket off the lob.
On Notre Dame's final possession in regulation, McGee hounded Jackson into making an errant pass to an empty space and Knowles deflected it into the backcourt. They helped prevent the Irish from getting a shot up despite having 24 seconds to do so.
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