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Kentucky Frosh aren't world beaters in college basketball durinig this highly competitive season- Sam Kat from Kentuckysportsradio.com 2-28-2014

BTI’s Rants and Ramblings: Have you lost all hope for March? I say have 22.4% hope

By Bryan the Intern on ©9:00 am

Last night was a huge step back for the team, and once again this team showed it has a bunch of weaknesses that can be exposed.  Normally, I would be the guy who would highlight these weaknesses, how they have been there all year, and how hope this team can make a run would be foolish to have.  But I am going to go in the opposite direction, and give you some hope.  Despite what appears to be a team with holes all over, this UK team is in fact in a group of 10 teams that are top 40 in both offensive and defensive efficeincy, according to kenpom.com.
But what does this mean for any hopes for a Final Four run?  Below are each of the teams who have gone to the Final Four since 2010 and where they finished in adjusted offense and defense going into the NCAA Tournament.
Adjusted Offense (National Ranking)
2013 Michigan (1st)
2010 Duke (1st)
2012 Kentucky (2nd)
2013 Louisville (4th)
2012 Ohio State (5th)
2011 Kentucky (10th)
2010 W.Virginia (11th)
2011 UCONN (18th)
2011 VCU (25th)
2012 Kansas (28th)
2013 Syracuse (29th)
2013 Wichita St (30th)
2010 Michigan St (36th)
2011 Butler (48th)
2010 Butler (57th)
2012 Louisville (116th)
2014 KENTUCKY (18TH)
Adjusted Defense
2012 Louisville (1st)
2010 Butler (2nd)
2013 Louisville (3rd)
2012 Kansas (3rd)
2012 Ohio State (7th)
2013 Syracuse (8th)
2012 Kentucky (8th)
2010 Duke (8th)
2011 UCONN (13th)
2011 Kentucky (15th)
2010 W.Virginia (23rd)
2013 Wichita St (25th)
2010 Michigan St (27th)
2011 Butler (44th)
2013 Michigan (48th)
2011 VCU (84th)
2014 KENTUCKY (31ST)
There is no doubt you find a couple outliers in that grouping.  Louisville 2 years ago was outside the top 100 in offense, the only Final Four team of this decade to be outside the Top 100 in either category.  But they balanced that out by being the top ranked defense that season.  What you really find is Final Four teams excel in one thing or another.  Only Butler in 2011 finished outside the Top 40 in both offense and defense in the KenPom rankings.
Kentucky currently ranks inside the Top 40 in both categories.  In the last 4 years, a total of 49 teams have entered the NCAA Tournament inside the Top 40 in both offense and defense.  Of those 49 teams, 11 of them made the Final Four.  That is a 22.4% success rate for those teams.
If I told you that Kentucky had a 22.4% chance to make it to the Final Four, would you consider that a good thing or a bad thing?  
By the way, the teams currently ranked inside the Top 40 in both offense and defense are: Arizona, Louisville, Florida, Wichita State, Kansas, Villanova, Syracuse, UCLA, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, and Iowa State.  And Kentucky.

[comment 3] [Link]

Seven notes from a disappointing night in Rupp Arena

By Mrs. Tyler Thompson on ©11:10 pm

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
No way to spin it–that one hurt. With confidence riding high after an overtime win against LSU, the Cats retraced their footsteps tonight and gave Arkansas a much-needed win, losing 71-67. Let’s go over it and then get over it.
Disappointing doesn’t cover it
After the game, John Calipari was clearly disappointed in his team’s performance. If you couldn’t tell that by his slumped shoulders and flat tone, you could tell by the number of times he used the word “disappointing” (a lot). Cal said that he really didn’t expect his team to come out as flat as they did, and that it was “two steps back” for a group that seemed to have turned the corner after the LSU game. Over and over, Cal said that this was supposed to be “the fun game” for Kentucky, telling Tom Leach that because of Arkansas’ up-and-down style of play, “this should be the game you have fun in. You should look at it, and say, ‘Let’s score 90.’”
Free throws, free throws, free throws
The most telling stat of the game? Kentucky was 12-22 from the free throw line, whereas Arkansas was a perfect 16-16. After shooting above 75% from the line in the past two games, UK’s free throw shooting percentage fell to a paltry 55% tonight. Arkansas’ Coty Clarke said he thinks fatigue played a factor: “They got tired, and you could tell. They were going up there and missing.”
Whatever the problem was, John Calipari wasn’t willing to use poor free throw shooting as an excuse for the loss. After the game, Cal said that UK’s bad mark behind the arc was just one of many problems: ”We should have been up 18 at halftime. We had a couple of no-shows today.”

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

About those no-shows…
Cal didn’t hold back, calling out a few of his players for particularly bad play: “The thing that disappointed me today is even with the lead, we had two guys that gave up on the game. You know it because you watched and you saw. They gave up on the game.” Dakari Johnson may have been one of those players. Dakari had three points and three rebounds in eight minutes tonight, and missed three gimmes at the rim, which did not go unnoticed by Cal: “Dakari missed a bunch of one-footers.”
James was another offender. Aside from his clutch three in overtime, James was almost a liability, going 4-12 from the floor and turning it over four times. James, Aaron, and Andrew combined for a whopping 11 turnovers tonight, prompting Cal to call their play “horrendous.” In fact, Cal said some players played so poorly, he should have kept them on the bench instead of starting them in the second half. “You know what, at halftime I needed to take more guys out,” Cal said, “A couple guys shouldn’t have been in the game. They should have been backups and we should have played other people. I knew that.”
It’s okay to sub yourself, Julius
It’s a common pattern for this group: when things get bad, they revert to old habits. For Julius Randle, that’s trying to win the game all by himself. On Saturday, that worked, but tonight, Julius was just too tired. Cal said that Julius was gassed late, played too many minutes, and by now, should know to sub himself: “I’m trying to get guys to sub themselves. They just don’t get it. The longer you’re in there, you’re not going to play better, you’re going to play worse. If you’re in there for numbers, you end up missing free throws, missing shots, not getting the key rebounds. You don’t look good. You don’t only hurt yourself, you hurt your team. ”
For other players, they reverted to panic mode, and tried to make plays without thinking them through. “We had a lot of poor performances today, and a lot of it came back to ‘my emotion is tied to my performance.’”

(AP Photo/James Crisp)

Without Willie, it would have been even uglier
Amidst all the poor performances, Willie had one of his best games of the season, putting up 16 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist and 1 steal. Willie cleaned up and dunked around the rim, playing so well that even Bobby Knight was impressed. ”Willie tried,” Cal said. “He had a presence. This may have been a 15-18 point game if Willie wasn’t in there.” In the ten minute gap between his postgame presser and radio show comments, Cal upped that to 20 points. Well done, Willie.
We’ve gotta wash this game right out of our hair
This loss sucks, but it isn’t season-ending. It will hurt with seeding. Arkansas was a bubble team at best heading into this game, and after sweeping the Cats, they’ve got the quality wins they need to make it if they don’t fall flat. Kentucky will definitely slip, and can’t afford to make any more mistakes this season. A win over Florida would make up for tonight, but after watching this team lose in Rupp Arena tonight…well, it would be a nice surprise.
With a trip to Columbia right around the corner, Kentucky just has to get over it and move on. Right, Willie?

“Just forget it and move on. There’s not much you can do about it. There’s no reason to soak in it, just remember the feeling. It’s getting too close to crunch time. You can’t dwell on it and then do the same thing the next game because you’re thinking about the last one. Next thing you know, you’re way too far behind and there’s no return from that.”

If you haven’t yet, go check out Matt’s interview with Cal on Fox Sports
The guys are off on their roadtrip, and Matt’s interview with John Calipari was posted Thursday afternoon. It’s a bit difficult to read all of the optimism right now, but there’s some great stuff in there, including Cal talking about his future at Kentucky. Click and feel better.
The most frustrating part of tonight? After thinking that the Cats had made “the turn,” it turns out they’re just going in circles.

[comment 180] [Link]

Cal: “We took a big step back”

By Mrs. Tyler Thompson on ©10:02 pm

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

John Calipari was clearly frustrated with his team after their performance tonight, calling the loss “a big step back.” What happened? “We had a couple of no-shows,” Cal said, refusing to blame the game on free throw shooting. “Our guard play was horrendous today.”
He wasn’t done there. Cal said he really didn’t expect to lose tonight, and the thing that disappointed him the most was “we had two guys who gave up on the game.” 
No time to pout. South Carolina in less than two days.

[comment 161] [Link]

Watch the postgame press conference LIVE

By Drew Franklin on ©9:50 pm

[comment 24] [Link]

Kentucky lost at home to Arkansas. I repeat: Kentucky lost at home to Arkansas.

By Drew Franklin on ©9:37 pm

Mark Zerof, US Presswire

Kentucky went to overtime for a second consecutive home game as a double-digit favorite, but this time the result didn’t go in the Cats’ favor. Arkansas escaped Rupp Arena tonight with a 71-61 victory and the regular season sweep of UK. It’s Arkansas’ fourth win in the last five games in the series.
Free throws tell the story in this one. The Razorbacks were a perfect 16-for-16 from the line, while Kentucky hit 12 of its 22 attempts for 54.5 percent as a team. Make more of those and its a completely different story.
We’ll have more throughout the night. Discuss until we return.
Ugh.

[comment 257] [Link]

Your referees for tonight are…

By Mrs. Tyler Thompson on ©6:00 pm

…Anthony Jordan, Pat Adams, and Les Jones (not to be confused with KSR BFF Les Johns). The Cats are 33-10 in games officiated by Jordan; 30-11 in games by Adams; and 15-3 in games by Jones.
Interestingly, Jordan and Adams have both called technicals on Willie Cauley-Stein, Jordan twice for pushing a Lipscomb player back in 2012 and slapping a backboard during last year’s Vandy game; and Adams once for arguing with Mississippi State’s Roquez Johnson as part of a double technical.
Watch yourself, Willie.

[comment 4] [Link]

The SEC Tournament Seeding Could be a Problem

By Nick Roush on ©4:00 pm

Drew broke down exactly how the SEC tournament would look if it started today, but lucky for us it is probably going to get A LOT more interesting during the final week of the regular season.  You’ve seen us post the cluster(blank) in the middle of the SEC standings for quite some time, but here’s something insane to consider…what if seven SEC teams finished 9-9 in league play? Stranger things have happened in college basketball this season (just ask UNC). Let the SEC explain how they will break a possibly insane tie for the No. 4 seed.

When three or more teams are tied, the following procedure will be used in the following order until the tie is broken.  If two teams remain tied after a tiebreaker provision, the two-team tiebreaker formula will  be used.
1. Best winning percentage of games played among the tied teams (Example: Team A is 3-1, Team B is 2-2 and Team C is 1-3 – - Team A would be seeded highest, Team B second-highest and Team C the lowest of the three).
2. Best winning percentage of the tied teams versus the No. 1 seed (and proceeding through the No. 12 seed if necessary).
3. If two teams remain, coin flip by the Commissioner.
4. If three or more teams remain, draw by the Commissioner.

A “Facts Optional” Translation
I’m no expert, but there aren’t many entities that handle a tiebreaker like this. After combining winning percentages, (just thinking of all the math confuses me) it will come down to who has played UK the best this season (unless LSU beats Florida Saturday).
At the end of the day it could ultimately be decided by Mike Slive, but that’s too damn boring.  Why not have a Royal Rumble between coaches in the SEC?  There’s plenty of better ways to decide seeding, how do you think they should do it?

[comment 6] [Link]

Scouting Report: Arkansas Razorbacks

By BrandonRamsey on ©12:00 pm

General

• Will look to play a very fast-paced game.  High scoring offense and pressure defense.
• Aggressive defensive team; forced 17 turnovers against the ‘Cats.
• Very good shooting team:  44.6% FG, 36.1% 3’s, 70.9% FT.
• Overall talented team with a balanced attack.  Likely will see 9 players play 10+ minutes.

Personnel
PG       #12      Fred Gulley III:  6’2’’ 182      RS SR
A cousin of former Razorback standout Ronnie Brewer, Gulley comes in averaging just 4.4 points per game.  The 5^th year senior point guard is not much of a threat offensively, he is attempting just 4 shots per game, but he is a great floor general who will not turn the ball over.
SG       #00      Rashad Madden:  6’5’’ 180    JR
Madden is a very efficient offensive player; he is shooting 41.2% from 3-point range, 80% from the FT line, and over 45% from the field overall. We need to know where he is on the court at all times, he is very adept at cutting to the open area and operating inside.  Madden scored a team high 18 points at Bud Walton Arena.
SF        #24      Michael Qualls:  6’6’’ 210      SO

Qualls averages nearly 12 ppg; had game-winning tip-dunk in last game.

The talented sophomore wing is currently averaging 11.9 points per game.  Qualls also averages nearly 5 rebounds per game; he will really crash the offensive glass.  Like many of the players on this team, Qualls can shoot it from 3 (37.4% on the year).  Qualls tied Madden for team-high honors with 18 points in the first meeting, including the 2 points all UK fans remember with a tip-dunk to win the game.
PF       #4        Coty Clarke:  6’7’’ 232          SR
Undersized 4-man who averages 9.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.  He will step out and shoot a 3, he is currently taking 1 1/2 per game.  Clarke is also a very good passer; he leads the Razorbacks in assists.  Ended up fouling out of the game in Fayetteville and was never really a factor.
C         #10      Bobby Portis:  6’10’’ 242      FR

Freshman Bobby Portis leads Arkansas w/ 13.1 ppg and 6.6 rpg.

In the first meeting this season Portis went for 11 points and 10 rebounds.  A very highly touted prospect out of high school, Bobby received a number of accolades including Gatorade Arkansas Player of the Year and being named a McDonald’s All-American.  He was ranked #17 in the 247 Composite Rankings.  The freshman has been the team’s MVP so far, averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.  Another efficient offensive player, Portis shoots 73% from the free throw line and 54% from the field.  Very good offensive rebounder.
______________________________________________________________
SF        #2        Alandise Harris:  6’6’’ 237     RS JR
Alandise will come off of the bench, but he makes an impact when he comes in the game.  He is a versatile offensive player that can play the 3 or the 4 depending on what type of lineup Arkansas wants to go with.  Harris averages 8.9 points and 3.2 rebounds.  He is an aggressive offensive player who will come off the bench and get his shots up.  Harris scored 12 points off the bench earlier this year against the ‘Cats.
SG       #5        Anthlon Bell:  6’3’’ 188         SO
3-point shooter!!! 114 of his 165 shots come from beyond the arc, but Anthlon is only hitting them at a 28.1% clip on the season.  The sophomore comes in averaging 6.2 points per game.
C         #33      Moses Kingsley:  6’10’’ 230  FR
Moses, a native of Nigeria, was ranked #44 in the 247 Composite Rankings.  The freshman has been a solid back up to Bobby Portis this season, averaging 4.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in just over 10 minutes.
SG       #20      Kikko Hayder:  5’10’’ 170     SR
3-point shooter!!!  Exclusively a 3-point shooter, Kikko has attempted 54 of his 64 shots from beyond the arc and is hitting 46.3% of them.  He is also a very active defensive player that will work very hard in the minutes that he gets.
Arkansas Offense

• The primary thing to know about the Razorback’s offense is that they will play fast.  They currently average 80.5 points per game.  Also, they share the ball really well (420 assists) while making sure they take care of the ball (only 306 turnovers).
• In terms of what they will do offensively, Arkansas will run a motion offense that will generally lead to some sort of dribble drive (sometimes random and sometimes off a ball screen).  When they drive they will look first to kick out to an open 3-point shooter.  They will shoot a lot of 3’s!!!
• When you see a team like Arkansas that assists on 56% of their made buckets (that is a lot, for context, UK assists on just 45%), it generally means that they get a lot of open shots.  We already touched on their ability to shoot the ball from beyond the arc, but they get open shots in others ways too.  The Razorbacks have a number of long, athletic guys who are great at slashing to an open spot as a dribble drive is going on.  Alandise Harris and Rashad Madden will do this a lot.  Also, if the drive is able to get deep into the paint, then a dump off pass to Bobby Portis is more likely to occur.

Arkansas Defense

• In the first matchup this season the Razorbacks were able to force 17 turnovers on the way to an upset win.  Kentucky was able to shoot 48.2% from the field though, and shot 68.4% in the first half. 
• Arkansas will play a switching man-to-man defense.  Since Kentucky has such big guards I suspect that they will switch 1 through 4 quite a bit, meaning that on any ball screen or dribble handoff involving anyone besides Willie Cauley-Stein, the Arkansas players will simply “switch” who they are defending. 
• Arkansas will also look to trap when given the opportunity.  This may not always come in the form of a full-court press; the traps may happen at half court, when coming off a ball screen, or when the ball gets into the post.

Keys to the Game

• The Razorbacks are going to push the tempo and they are going to score points.  However, the key for Kentucky will be to limit the big runs.  Arkansas is a good enough shooting team that they are going to hit some 3’s, but the Wildcats need to ensure that they aren’t able to string 3 or 4 together in a row.
• Take care of the ball.  Arkansas plays pressure defense and will aggressively go for the ball.  UK turned it over 17 times in Fayetteville, that number will need to be closer to 10 or 12 tonight. 
• Box out.  This is an easy key to point to considering Arkansas won the first meeting thanks to a missed block out.  However, beyond that single play the Razorbacks collected 14 offensive rebounds on the game. 
• Another strong game from Julius Randle.  The Razorbacks don’t really have anyone who can match up defensively with the strength and athleticism of Randle.  He was able to go for 20 and 14 in the first meeting; he needs to dominate down low once again.   

Brandon Ramsey
@BRamsey_KSR

[comment 3] [Link]

Mike Anderson previews the game

By Drew Franklin on ©11:41 am

Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson met with the media in Fayetteville earlier this week to look ahead to his team’s game against the Cats. Hear his pre-Kentucky comments above.

[comment 3] [Link]

BTI’s Rants and Ramblings: Was 1992-95 UK-Arkansas Rivalry best SEC has ever seen?

By Bryan the Intern on ©9:00 am

Let’s be honest, UK and Arkansas have not been relevant rivals for almost 20 years now.  Doesn’t mean they haven’t played big games.  They have played 3 games where both teams were ranked, played in the SEC Tournament 5 times and for the SEC title game once.  But on a yearly basis, this rivalry has been dead for almost 2 decades.  But for UK fans over the age of 30, the 4 year stretch between 1992 and 1995 between UK and Arkansas was some of the best basketball in the country, and I would argue the best rivalry the SEC has ever seen.  A total of 7 games were played in those 4 years, including 3 in the conference tournament.  Just a quick refresher:
January 25th, 1992: #9 Arkansas 105, #8 Kentucky 88 (at Rupp Arena)
-Rick Pitino only lost 1 game at Rupp Arena by more than this 17-point drubbing by Arkansas.  Jamal Mashburn only scored 4 points, the fewest he would ever score from that point on at Kentucky.  While Arkansas had a couple Final Fours already to it’s resume, this was their first season in the SEC and Kentucky was top dog.  This announced to the league that Arkansas would challenge the Cats for that throne.  Six Razorbacks scored in double figures, led by Lee Mayberry’s 23.
February 9th, 1993: #14 Arkansas 101, #2 Kentucky 94 (in Fayetteville)
March 13th, 1993: #4 Kentucky 92, #14 Arkansas 81 (at Rupp Arena, SEC Tournament)
-Kentucky got it’s payback from the Fayetteville loss with this win in Rupp at the SEC Tourney.  This was the final year the tournament was played at a team’s homecourt and UK took advantage.  Travis Ford had 26 points and this time the Cats did a much better job keeping Williamson under control as Big Nasty only scored 8 points.  This would be the first of 4 straight years the Cats and Hogs would meet in the SEC Tournament, in which UK went 4-0.
February 9th, 1994: #3 Arkansas 90, #4 Kentucky 82 (at Rupp Arena)
-Kentucky lost to Arkansas in 1992 at Rupp Arena, won 33 straight games at home, and then lost to Arkansas again in 1994.  From December 1991 to February 5th, 1995, Kentucky went 53-2 in Rupp Arena.  Both losses were to Arkansas.  Of course, this UA team would go on to win the national title, and Richardson has often said they needed this win to prove to themselves they could do it.  The Cats led by 15 in the first half but were controlled from there on out, with Scotty Thurman leading the way with 26 points.
March 12th, 1994: #10 Kentucky 90, #1 Arkansas 78 (in Memphis, SEC Tournament)
-More payback for the Cats over the then top ranked Hogs.  A balanced scoring effort and 16-three pointers led the Cats, as well as a suffocating defense that saw the Razorbacks shoot under 33%.  In fact, Arkansas played 11 guys in that game and NONE shot 50% or above.  Of course, Arkansas would get the final laugh by winning the national title that year while Kentucky would lose in the 2nd round.
January 29th, 1995: #9 Arkansas 94, #5 Kentucky 92 (in Fayatteville)
March 12th, 1995: #3 Kentucky 95, #5 Arkansas 93 (OT, in Atlanta, SEC Championship)
After reading and watching that, would you agree that Kentucky-Arkansas from 1992-95 was the best stretch of rivalry that the SEC has ever seen?

[comment 29] [Link]

Someone, anyone… Bring back Bruce

By Ally Tucker on ©9:00 pm

(Via Sportingnews.com)

Let’s be clear before we go any further here… Petitions are the kind of thing middle schoolers get excited about when it comes to bringing a Gatorade machine to the cafeteria. Putting much stock in a petition is not a wise thing, but some Tennessee fans have apparently crafted a “Petition to Promote the Rehiring of Bruce Pearl” (currently has 27,000+ signatures).  I’m not here to justify a petition, but I am here to beg someone in the SEC to please, please, please consider bring back Bruce Pearl. The SEC desperately needs a quick infusion of Bruce. The SEC is not only dangerously on the verge of putting on 2 teams in the NCAA tournament for the first time in decades, but the SEC has kind of become one of the running jokes of college basketball. With nearly half the teams currently sitting in a deadlock at 7-7, the SEC is the definition of mediocrity. Bruce Pearl is exciting. Bruce Pearl is a proven winner in the SEC, something that many of the recent coaching hires have failed to prove. Just ask Frank Martin.
Does it have to be Tennessee who hires Pearl? No, of course not. In fact, I would argue that while Tennessee is obviously a proven and seamless fit for Pearl, Tennessee is the one school that has considerable justification for not hiring him. The whole “fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me” mentality comes into play with Tennessee, and I wouldn’t blame anyone for not necessarily seeing the risk to go back down that road again as a worthwhile one. Although, the argument could also be made that with recent re-hirings such as Bobby Petrino at Louisville, the precedent has been set for that kind of thing to happen– and to potentially work. Sure, the first few weeks were dramatic and caused Louisville plenty of negative attention– but no one seems to be too concerned with it now that the dust has settled. In fairness though, Tennessee’s issues with Pearl involved NCAA infractions.
Take Tennessee out of the equation if you will. To any other school in the SEC drowning in mediocrity right now though– I beg the question: Why not? (Mark Stoops voice). Seriously, why not? Most of the schools in the SEC right now are struggling to fill seats. Winning non-conference games is not even #1 on the list of problems. Not only are the arenas half-empty on many nights, but the passion among the fan bases across the SEC pales in comparison to SEC football, or more importantly– other basketball teams.
When Pearl was at Tennessee, things were exciting. Tennessee basketball fans cared, and Pearl gave them something to be excited about. Pearl may not have taken Tennessee to any Final Fours, but he packed the arena on most nights and ignited a passion among the fan base that hadn’t been seen in a while before him, and hasn’t been existent since his departure.
For the Alabamas, Auburns, Texas A&Ms, South Carolinas, etc… Why not take a chance on Pearl? The SEC is so down right now, that it wouldn’t take much to catapult into the level of teams right below Florida and Kentucky. Heck, Georgia managed to do it this year with average talent. Pearl can recruit. Pearl can put fans in the seats. Pearl can win games in the SEC. The risk seems well worth the potential reward, and you can’t convince me that Pearl wouldn’t be a better option than some of the current coaching hires at these schools.
As great as it is to know that Kentucky won’t be challenged for the #2 spot in the SEC this season, the conference lacks intrigue and excitement. Someone, anyone… Please…. Bring back Bruce. 

[comment 37] [Link]

Julius and Marcus talk about having fun

By Mrs. Tyler Thompson on ©7:00 pm

Full transcript of their comments after the jump.
(more…)

[comment 2] [Link]

DeMarcus Cousins Had a Rough Night

By Corey Nichols on ©6:00 pm

Well, it can’t be good news all the time for the former Cats in the NBA.  On the same day that John Wall had a nasty behind-the-back assist, and Deandre Liggins signed a 10-day contract with the Miami Heat, DeMarcus Cousins got ejected from the Kings’ game against the Rockets after earning his league-leading 15th technical foul.
Watch the footage:
First thing’s first, it looked like a bad call.  There was reason to be upset with the ref for seemingly “protecting” superstar Dwight Howard from almost no contact at all.
However, there’s no way the bad call justified that reaction from Cousins.  There’s just no excuse for it.  We love him, and we don’t just suspect that there’s a lot of goodness in him, we know it.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t recognize poor behavior when we see it.
Thankfully, DeMarcus recognized it as well, issuing an apology on Twitter.

Disappointed with the way I acted out on the court tonight. I want to apologize and say sorry to my team and the fans for letting them down
— demarcus cousins (@boogiecousins) February 26, 2014

Maybe some folks will point at the Jim Boeheim ejection from over the weekend to rationalize Boogie’s outburst, but this wasn’t exactly an isolated incident, and it certainly wasn’t in a close or important game.
Sorry to see DeMarcus continually showcase his temper.  He’s better than that, and the immediate apology is a step in the right direction.
Hopefully, with effort, he can become to the NBA what he is to us:

The goofball.

[comment 33] [Link]

The three things that made Orlando Antigua happy this week

By Mrs. Tyler Thompson on ©3:00 pm

Orlando Antigua met with the media to discuss tomorrow’s game against Arkansas. Here are the three things that stood out to me:
The staff hung the LSU celebration picture to remind the players “what it’s supposed to be about.”
At this point, the picture of the team celebrating the OT win over LSU might as well be the “mural heard ’round the Bluegrass,” but Coach O said that the staff hung it to remind players ”that’s what it feels like, that’s what it’s supposed to be about.” Antigua said that he was glad to see the players having fun, which is “very important” right now: “You want them to enjoy the reward of their hard work.”

Everyone likes the clapping and slapping of the floor
When asked about the team’s new trend of clapping and slapping the floor in recent games, Coach O said it was a welcome sight for the staff, and another sign the team’s bonding:

“They know they can ignite each other in that way. If they see one does it, it leads to another doing it and clapping, getting engaged, and for a staff, that’s fun. For the fans, it’s fun, because you know they’re out there and competing.”

Julius taking it upon himself to guard O’Bryant was a big step
Near the end of the LSU game, Julius Randle took it upon himself to guard Johnny O’Bryant, and instead of going to the coaches to ask for permission, he just worked it out with his teammates. Antigua said that was a big step towards this team being player-driven rather than coach-driven.

“When they get to the point that they’re empowered that way when they can communicate with one other, that’s what we try to get. When Coach Cal is talking about this being ‘their team,’ those are moments that it becomes their team, and not a coach-driven team.”

Is it tomorrow night yet??

[comment 22] [Link]

If the SEC Tournament started today…

By Mrs. Tyler Thompson on ©12:00 pm

If the SEC started today, the bracket would look like the one above. Here are the standings and pairings, which were sent out by the league this morning:

The winner of LSU/Missouri?  Nooooooooooo…

[comment 43] [Link]

I can't help, except that this guy has lied so often he believes it. Media does too. ... Thx Pidge F!

Help me Out Here?

=============
 Let me  know if you can figure this out?

 Here  are four  simple  questions from a reputable attorney. They really should get your "gray  matter" churning, even if you  are an Obama fan. I wouldn't want my  hero to be made out to be a liar, would  you?





 For all  you "anti-Fox News" folks, none of this information came  from Fox. All  of it can be verified from legitimate sources (Wikipedia, the   Kapiolani hospital website itself, and a good history book, as noted  herein).  It is very easy for you to check out.





               Four Simple Questions

 1. Back in 1961 people of color were  called 'Negroes.' How can Obama's birth certificate state that  he is "African-American" when that term wasn't even used  at the time  ?





 2. The  birth certificate that the White House released lists Obama's date of birth  as August 4th, 1961 and lists Barack Hussein Obama as his  father. It  also states that his father was 25 years old in 1961 and was born in  " Kenya , East Africa ". This wouldn't seem like anything of concern,  except for the fact that Kenya  did not even exist until  1963, two whole years after Obama's birth, and 27  years after his father's birth. How could Obama's father
 have  been  born in a country that did not yet exist? Until 1963, Kenya was  known as the " British East Africa Protectorate".



  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_ <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_>  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya>  )





 3. On the  Birth Certificate released by the White House, the  listed place of  birth is "Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological  Hospital". This  cannot be, because the hospital in question was in 1961 two  seperate  enterprises - "KauiKeolani Children's Hospital" and  "Kapi'olani Maternity Home" respectively. The name did not change  to  Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital until 1978,  when  those two hospitals merged. So, how can that particular name  be  on a birth certificate dated 1961 if it had not been applied to the  hospital until 1978 ?





 (CHECK IT  BELOW)
 http://http/http/www.kapiolani.org/women-and-children/about-us/default.aspx <http://http/http/www.kapiolani.org/women-and-children/about-us/default.aspx>
 (http://www.kapiolani.org/women-and-children/about-us/default.aspx <http://www.kapiolani.org/women-and-children/about-us/default.aspx>  )





 Why  hasn't this been discussed by the major news media?

 4.  Perhaps a clue comes from Obama's book , ghost written by terrorist Bill Ayers, about Obama’s father, wherein he  states how proud he was of his father fighting in WW II. I'm not a  math genius, so I may need some  help from you. Barack Obama's "birth  certificate" says his father was 25 years  old in 1961 when Obama was  born. If my math holds up, that would put his father's year of  birth  as 1936. Consult any non-revised history book - one that hasn't been   altered to satisfy the author's idealogical goals - to verify the fact that


 WW II was  fought between 1939 and 1945. So, just exactly how many 3-year olds took up  arms and fight in WWII? Even in the last year of the war Obama's   father wouldn't have been more than nine years old. Does that mean that Mr.  Obama is a liar, or that he simply chooses to make up 'facts' to satisfy his  political ambitions (which I would postulate are the same  thing)?

 Very  truly yours,
 RICHARD R.  SILVERLIEB, Attorney at Law
 354  Eisenhower Parkway
 Livingston , NJ   07039
 (973) 533-0077
 Fax  (973)  533-1565 4A49-950E-6826039F18FF}mid://00000283/>





 "A pen  in the hand of this president is far more dangerous  than a gun in the  hands of 200 million law-abiding citizens."










       ------ End of Forwarded Message

Sarah Palin's Reality TV show begins in April

Sarah Palin is the best conservative speaker since Ronald Reagan- Sam

Sarah Palin is to have Reality TV show beginning April 3 on the Learning Channel:

Home | Newsfront

Tags: Sarah Palin | Sarah Palin | reality | show | Alaska | Sportsman | Channel

Sarah Palin Returning to Reality TV With 'Amazing' Show

Wednesday, 26 Feb 2014 10:01 PM

By Sandy Fitzgerald

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Sarah Palin is returning to reality television.
The former Alaska governor's new program, "Amazing America With Sarah Palin," is scheduled to premiere at 8 p.m. EDT on April 3 on the Sportsman Channel, Politico reports.

In a promotional video, Palin is seen in silhouette in front of an American flag as quotes about her newsmaking ability, charm and complexity appear on the screen. 

She then appears, saying, "America: Prepare to be amazed."

Urgent: Do You Approve Or Disapprove of President Obama's Job Performance? Vote Now in Urgent Poll

Story continues below video. Palin will take viewers into "red, wild, and blue America," highlighting people and places that exemplify outdoor life and the American spirit, a Sportsman Channel statement said.

"I'm excited to help shine a light on all the great American sportsmen and -women in the country who live the outdoors lifestyle," Palin says. "Sportsman Channel is the leader in their industry, and I am thrilled to be partnering with them on this show."

Gavin Harvey, CEO of the Sportsman Channel, called Palin "one of America's popular leaders, whose powerful love of country and passion for the great outdoors is inspiring to millions and millions of people."

Palin has remained a popular figure since her 2008 campaign as Sen. John McCain's vice presidential running mate, and Republicans rate her higher than every other potential 2016 presidential contender, a recent Public Policy Polling survey found, even though her name was not on the pollster's list of potential candidates.

The poll showed that Palin, a tea party favorite, has a 70 percent favorability rating among Republican primary voters, topping six other potential candidates in the poll.

Palin's previous reality show, "Sarah Palin's Alaska," proved to be a ratings winner for The Learning Channel. It attracted almost 5 million viewers for its premiere, the largest in the channel's history.

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Related Stories:

• Bill Kristol: Palin Would Be 'Formidable' Presidential Candidate
• Sarah Palin Says 'No' to Mark Burnett for TV Talk Show

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Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Draft-Stories/Sarah-Palin-reality-show-Alaska/2014/02/21/id/554007#ixzz2uXF8x5pN
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Benghazi-obama and Clinton stand down - derilection of duty!

This is a true story and a dirty one.

Fortunately in the world of modern communication, the real truth can ultimately brought to light.  Sad…………………..

Regardless of one’s political stand, every American should read this to pay respect to those who perished in the Benghazi killings.

 

You need to read this true account of what happened to our Ambassador Stevens and

the other 3 who died. If this doesn't make you mad..........Shirley

 

 

 

Cynthia Lee Myers wanted to share the truth of what happened over in Libya, you will not

find this in the media yet but it aired on FNC.....please read....

 

"Here is my story. A week out the Embassy in Tripoli began receiving multiple tips about

an Al Queda cell in the area planning an attack on 9/11 in response to the killing of Bin Laden.

For the next several days, the state dept. and WH were asked for a security force and were

denied at least six times. Ambassador Stevens and his team were given the all clear that the

Consulate in Benghazi was safe and there was no need for a security force other than his

three personal guards (One being my cousin) and a few Libyans who were not armed.

 

Then the attack and murders occurred. Immediately the WH claimed it was a protest gone

bad over a you tube video. Obama made a quick speech in the Rose Garden on Sept.12

before catching a plane to Vegas to campaign. He made a generic statement at the end of

his speech after placing the blame on an overheated protest over the video. He said "No act

of terror will shake the resolve of America. Later that day and over the next 2 days, the liberal

media began saying Ambassador Stevens and the other three men died of smoke inhalation.

This was not the case.

 

Out of respect for my cousin, I'm not going to be specific about his murder. However Ambassador

Stevens was brutally murdered. His genitals were cut off, he was sodomized and beaten and cut

and stabbed and burned. He was drug thru the streets and left for dead.

 

This is an eyewitness testimony of a local Dr. who found the Ambassador in a ditch and tried

to save his life. He had no idea who he was. The other three men including my cousin, met similar

fates. And deaths due to smoke inhalation is a 100% fabricated LIE.

 

The next week I drove my aunt and Uncle and 2 others to DC to receive his body. We met with

Hillary, Panetta, and Susan Rice. ALL of whom apologized and said it was a protest gone bad over

a video and exited the area. Next Obama entered with the same story and didn't apologize and

wasn't sympathetic. My aunt cried to this man and all he did was hand her flowers and walk away. I

tried to get his attention, but didn't. I got upset and yelled liar to him, he kept walking. Then a secret

service agent grabbed my arm and led me to a room where I was held till the proceedings were over.

 

America, I saw firsthand how cold this man is. What kind of liar he is. Most of you haven't a clue

about this tyrant and yet you support him. And act like every word he says is Gospel. These murders

and the fast and furious cover ups make water-gate look like, a kid who told his bff's secret to the class.

 

THIS PART YOU DON'T KNOW, BUT SHOULD.

 

AMERICAN VALOR, BENGHAZI, LIBYA:

The stunning part of this story is that Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty killed 60 of the attacking force.

Once the compound was overrun,  the attackers were incensed to discover that just two men had inflicted

so much death and destruction.

 

The news has been full of the attacks on our embassies throughout the Muslim world, and in particular,

the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others in Benghazi, Libya. However, there's a little

known story of incredible bravery, heroics, and courage that should be the top story.

 

So what actually happened at the U.S. embassy in Libya? We are learning more about this every day.

Ambassador Stevens and Foreign Service officer Sean Smith, along with administrative staff, were working

out of temporary quarters due to the fact that in the spring of 2011 during the so-called Arab Spring, the

United States cut ties with then president Moammar Gadhafi.

 

Our embassy was looted and ransacked, causing it to be unusable.  It is still in a state of disrepair. Security

for embassies and their personnel is to be provided by the host nation. Since Libya has gone through a civil

war of sorts in the past 18 months, the current government is very unstable, and therefore, unreliable.

 

A well-organized attack by radical Muslims was planned specifically targeting the temporaryU.S. embassy

building. The Libyan security force that was in place to protect our people deserted their post, or joined the

attacking force. Either way, our people were in a real fix. And it should be noted that Ambassador Stevens

had mentioned on more than one occasion to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, that he was quite concerned

for his personal safety and the welfare of his people.  It is thought that Ambassador Stevens was on a "hit list".

 

A short distance from the American compound, two Americans were sleeping. They were inLibya as

independent contractors working an assignment totally unrelated to our embassy. They also happened to be

former Navy Seals.

 

When they heard the noise coming from the attack on our embassy, as you would expect from highly trained

warriors, they ran to the fight. Apparently, they had no weapons, but seeing the Libyan guards dropping their

guns in their haste in fleeing the scene, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty snatched up several of these discarded

weapons and prepared to defend the American compound.

 

Not knowing exactly what was taking place, the two Seals set up a defensive perimeter. Unfortunately Ambassador

Stevens was already gravely injured, and Foreign Service officer, Sean Smith, was dead. However, due to their

quick action and suppressive fire, twenty administrative personnel in the embassy were able to escape to safety.

Eventually, these two courageous men were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers brought against them, an enemy

force numbering between 100 to 200 attackers which came in two waves. But the stunning part of the story is that

Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty killed 60 of the attacking force. Once the compound was overrun, the attackers

were incensed to discover that just two men had inflicted so much death and destruction.

 

As it became apparent to these selfless heroes, they were definitely going to lose their lives unless some reinforcements

showed up in a hurry. As we know now, that was not to be. I'm fairly certain they knew they were going to die in this gun fight,

but not before they took a whole lot of bad guys with them!

 

Consider these tenets of the Navy SEAL Code:

 

1) Loyalty to Country, Team and Teammate,

2) Serve with Honor and Integrity On and Off the Battlefield,

3) Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit,

4) Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your teammates,

5) Excel as Warriors through Discipline and Innovation,

6) Train for War, Fight to Win, Defeat our Nation's Enemies, and...

7) Earn your Trident every day

 

(http://www.navyseals.com/seal-code-warrior-creed).

 

Thank you, Tyrone and Glen. to the very last breath, you both lived up to the SEAL Code. You served all of us well.

You were courageous in the face of certain death. And Tyrone, even though you never got to hold your newborn son,

he will grow up knowing the character and quality of his father, a man among men who sacrificed himself defending others.

 

Dr. Charles R. Roots

Senior Pastor

Former Staff Sergeant,

USMC Captain,

U. S. Navy Chaplain Corps (Ret.)

 

 

 

NO TRUE AMERICAN WOULD OBJECT TO RECEIVING THIS MORE THAN ONCE ... SO PASS IT ON. 

And Let us never forget Hillary Clinton's Comment "What Difference Does It Make?"

 

And she wants to be our next president! Let's make sure it does not happen America!

 

 IN GOD WE TRUST