Sobriety Needed

[jeffto]

Okay folks, is this gonna be another year where when something good happens the coach, the team and the cheerleaders walk on water; but when something bad happens, the coach can't carry a former coach's jock, Toyloy really is Adam H, and we're going back to that meaningless tourney?

We have a lot of reason to be optimistic, but are we ready to anoint Ralph as the prognosticator par excellence?

I predict that we will lose a game this year and we will look horrible doing it.

[Nerf]

No doubt about it.

Two seasons ago the team opened the season by blowing out Howard in a similar fashion, and lost to Wofford three games later.

These guys are young, and they'll make mistakes, but they're FAR more athletic than that team of two years ago.

[JasonS]

The difference between two years ago and now though, is experience. It is Vaughn and Mike Williams' jobs to make sure that kind of let down doesn't happen. Two years ago there was no one on the roster that had been in the program for 3 years. Vaughn and Williams are leaders that can keep the young guys focused and not let them get a big head if they play well or too down if they play poorly.

While I agree that UC will lose some games this year, I don't know if they will lose any too badly. I think there is enough depth and athleticism on this team to keep us in tough ball games and win the games the Cats are supposed to win.

On a side note, when's the last time we have had more than 1 good shooter on the Bearcats? With Vaughn, Dixon, Davis, and even possibly Mitchell, this may be one of the best shooting teams we have had in quite some time. I remember the Bearcat teams of old having one guy that was a zone buster and the rest were basically slashers. This team will go through some growing pains but the future is definitely bright!

[bubbachunk]

Every team does, whats your point? (Sans a few excellent teams) There is nothing wrong with having tempered excitement that we are vastly improved over the product we have seen the last 2 years under Cronin.

[Globe Trotting Cat Fan]

The one thing I can personally see coming back to bite us later is Cash being on the sidelines not in the game. At times, Deonta looked a little bit caught early on between whether to shoot or whether to pass. I think he will improve all year at the spot, but not having Cash could be our achilles heel.

Now, how can we prevent that? By doing what we did on Sunday. Use our numbers to our advantage. Press often, switch between defenses often to throw teams off balance, use our inside presence to open up our shooters (and yes, we have a few viable ones this year) to force teams to play us man to man.

This team will lose some games. In fact, they could lose many games. However, I still see what we have talent wise and see an 18 to 20 win team that gets one or two W's in the BEast tourney and gets some REAL post season play.

As long as Deonta and Mike push people on the court, Mick makes the best calls he can on the sidelines, this team will finish in the top half of the conference and get either an NIT or NCAA bid.

Go Cats!

[Irishbearcat]

I like the way our team looks. The 4 leading scorers at halftime didn't even suit up last year. We finally have some quality depth, and watching the games are going to get a little easier.

[Mick's Da Man]

Okay folks, is this gonna be another year where when something good happens the coach, the team and the cheerleaders walk on water; but when something bad happens, the coach can't carry a former coach's jock, Toyloy really is Adam H, and we're going back to that meaningless tourney?

We have a lot of reason to be optimistic, but are we ready to anoint Ralph as the prognosticator par excellence?

I predict that we will lose a game this year and we will look horrible doing it.


Kinda like UK losing to VMI this year and Gardner-Webb last year. Some name teams will have some bad losses. It happens every year. While I enjoyed seeing UK lose, I kinda shrugged my shoulders and knew it was early. It most definitely could be UC with a bad loss. It happens.

[Scheids21]

Were young. Were going to lose an OOC game that we all know we had the talent to win. We played awful the first few mins of yesterdays game. If we play like that but this time we dont pick up the slack, we will lose. But why worry about it? Growing pains happen

[Matt1982]

I know this means absolutely nothing because the season hasn't even begun for a lot of teams yet... but ESPN seriously has "Virginia Military" ahead of UC... WHO!?

[ralph1950]

Okay folks, is this gonna be another year where when something good happens the coach, the team and the cheerleaders walk on water; but when something bad happens, the coach can't carry a former coach's jock, Toyloy really is Adam H, and we're going back to that meaningless tourney?

We have a lot of reason to be optimistic, but are we ready to anoint Ralph as the prognosticator par excellence?

I predict that we will lose a game this year and we will look horrible doing it.


I never stated this UC team will not lose a game this season. I have consistantly stated that UC "with John Reik" will be National Title contenders. If Reik is not able to play this season they should still be able to make the NCAA tourney with the impact freshman of the year, Yancy Gates.

[juckerrules]

The team is soooo much better than last year. As previous posters have already said, the depth, experience, ability to score etc. is miles ahead.

my only note of caution is that the team they beat is a TERRIBLE team - even a Northern Ky team would beat the crap out that team so, let's wait and see how the Cats do against competition

[Nerf]

I know this means absolutely nothing because the season hasn't even begun for a lot of teams yet... but ESPN seriously has "Virginia Military" ahead of UC... WHO!?

VMI, the team that beat UK on Friday.

You're right, it means absolutely nothing.

[Thegreatone]

I never stated this UC team will not lose a game this season. I have consistantly stated that UC "with John Reik" will be National Title contenders. If Reik is not able to play this season they should still be able to make the NCAA tourney with the impact freshman of the year, Yancy Gates.

Yes, you have been consistent. I believe in ralph1950!

[Irishbearcat]

It is nice having not only one post presence, but several. Especially ones that can make wide-open layups.


Kapow.

[bearcatbret]

Do not expect any love from the pollsters. Keep in mind that we stunk the last two years and do not have any proven players (Except Vaughn). Also, remember that the pollsters were burnt several years under Huggs when we were rated really high and went down after the first round. Give this team time to grow and accept the growing pains. Yes, without Cash, we are weak at the point. Look at the good side, Cash will learn the system this year and will then still have 4 years left.

[hammerbearcat1]

The so called experts also had our football finishing 5th in the Big East so now we know that they don't know what they haven't seen.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

1 down, 19 to go.

Just W again.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

Do not expect any love from the pollsters. Keep in mind that we stunk the last two years and do not have any proven players (Except Vaughn). Also, remember that the pollsters were burnt several years under Huggs when we were rated really high and went down after the first round. Give this team time to grow and accept the growing pains. Yes, without Cash, we are weak at the point. Look at the good side, Cash will learn the system this year and will then still have 4 years left.

Perhaps you remember the 70's and 80's? Not rated at all.

Or going down in flames back in 1975-76-77. Or 1966.

[jeffto]

Perhaps you remember the 70's and 80's? Not rated at all.

Or going down in flames back in 1975-76-77. Or 1966.Why would anyone need to remember the 70's or 80's? Or, for that matter, the 50's, 60's or 90's? We have you to cram them down our throats in every post. Mr. Irrelevant!

[GoCats1994]

Sadly, ratings do matter.

Being ranked means highlights are shown on ESPN.

Recruits (with little or no knowledge of the past) watch ESPN.

Being on ESPN = "Big time program" in the minds of the recruits.

It is difficult to get some recruits if the program is not "big time".



Is this the only factor in recruiting? Absolutely not. But it is a factor. This is about the only reason I care about the rankings.

Success breeds success.