Wednesday, November 22, 2006
No Joy in Kentuckiana...
In the past, basketball games between the "Big Three" of Kentucky, Louisville, and Indiana were not just local rivalries, they were games of national importance. These teams often vied for supremacy in the Top 10, and contended for the Championship.
This year, it appears that the only factor these three teams will play, is as a potential "former power" upset of teams like North Carolina, Arizona, Ohio State, Georgetown, etc.
Kentucky was blown out by Memphis and should have been beaten badly by UCLA. But regardless of whatever positives Tubby can salvage from Maui, the fact of the losses will push this team gently out of the Top 25 and on to irrelevancy for the forseeable future.
Louisville is once again plagued by injuries. Consider, four of Louisville's Top 9 players will be missing action or are seriously banged up: Jenkins, Caracter, Padgett, and now Jenkins. Even with everyone healthy and available to play, this was going to be a tough year.
And then there's Indiana. Losers to Butler. I heard they booed Sampson at halftime of their opener.
When these programs play basketball this year, they're all going to be a bunch of unranked non-factors in the big picture.
People will tune in to watch UK-IU and UK-UL, but there's really nothing on the line but bragging rights. Certainly, no one will be talking "If we win we may get a #1 seed!" No one will be talking Final Four.
How did it ever come to this?
This year, it appears that the only factor these three teams will play, is as a potential "former power" upset of teams like North Carolina, Arizona, Ohio State, Georgetown, etc.
Kentucky was blown out by Memphis and should have been beaten badly by UCLA. But regardless of whatever positives Tubby can salvage from Maui, the fact of the losses will push this team gently out of the Top 25 and on to irrelevancy for the forseeable future.
Louisville is once again plagued by injuries. Consider, four of Louisville's Top 9 players will be missing action or are seriously banged up: Jenkins, Caracter, Padgett, and now Jenkins. Even with everyone healthy and available to play, this was going to be a tough year.
And then there's Indiana. Losers to Butler. I heard they booed Sampson at halftime of their opener.
When these programs play basketball this year, they're all going to be a bunch of unranked non-factors in the big picture.
People will tune in to watch UK-IU and UK-UL, but there's really nothing on the line but bragging rights. Certainly, no one will be talking "If we win we may get a #1 seed!" No one will be talking Final Four.
How did it ever come to this?
# posted by Mike @ 11/22/2006 
