For your entertainment, I give you Rupp Rafters...

[gatordad3]

I'm enjoying the ultimate meltdown over there. Its funny how Kensucky fans ragged Billy Donovan for 2 seasons after he won back to back titles by saying he couldn't coach, and he won on talent alone. Well well, what comes around goes around.
http://kentucky.rivals.com/showmsg.asp? ... 88&style=2

[rogdochar]

Their tunnel out will be the declaration that UK is down this year.
Next year Noel will be back, (who else) and UK's great recruit-class
will be the brag. So our beating them next year will show that
Coach D is the best.

And,of course, we'll have super-high achievement for this season.

[Class of '78]

These Kentucky fans are dumb and delusional. They expect Calipari to automatically put them in the Final Four every year based on recruiting.

The odds of going Final Four are already stacked against, no matter the talent level. When you add the extra added element of uncertainty based on Kentucky's roster being underclass heavy, it becomes even more difficult. Screw the talent level. These guys are mainly untested. That alone qualifies as an uphill battle.

I know a lot of you don't like Coach Cal, but few are gonna argue whether the guy can coach college hoops. He can. Now he's got recruiting panache based on what he's done in four short years. I don't care who you are, it's still a tough road to hoe getting down to the final four teams in America.

[ReelGatorDoc]

they went from "one and done's" to "none and done"

tough to recruit a "team"

GATORS strength is in having senior leadership and across the board contributions. It's a wonderful thing

[Okeechobee Joe]

They ought to calm down. Football season will be here soon enough.

[ReelGatorDoc]

football, now you're just rubbing it in

[gatorpe]

I think the best thread is about how low class UT is because their starters are in up by 30. The reason they are in is because UK beat their ass 6 in a row and UT has all walk ons on the bench. I have to admit enjoying UKs fall from grace.

[GatorSky]

Love this quote/post:
"you people are idiots.

I'd like to see you try and coach these softies like Harrow, Wiltjer, Pothress, and Hood. What an effing JOKE.

Coach Cal is NOT THE PROBLEM. Idiots"

Actually Cal IS the problem - he recruited these "softies" and if you watched the game he QUIT coaching... it was pathetic!

[gatordad3]

Another classic: http://kentucky.rivals.com/showmsg.asp? ... 88&style=2

I didn't read every thread, but they truly believe all will be well next season with their incoming class. Little do they know, UF has help on the way as well for next season. If Cheatapari sticks around long enough, we will see it go from bad to worse with pending sanctions(well, as long as history repeats itself). Next thing you know they will believe Billy Donovan will come "home" to Kensucky after BD hosed them twice.

[Wait ’til next year]

Speaking of rafters... the beloved ball-n-chain hails from Cincy, OH... my sis-in-laws hubby worked with a dude and his kid played bbal for the university of cincy bearcats... we got free tickets for the KY-jelly mildcats bball XXX-mas tourney (went both days - cincy to l'ville almost like jax to g'ville)... rupp arena is huge!... we were so high up, the damn rafters were eye level!.

[TN G8tr]

Oh well UK should have know that the One and Done's can give yield great rewards but also give huge issues. Calamari, lives by the sword and now dying by it.

[GatorBart]

they went from "one and done's" to "none and done"

tough to recruit a "team"

GATORS strength is in having senior leadership and across the board contributions. It's a wonderful thing

It will be very interesting to see what some of these so called 'one-and-dones' do at the season's end. Noel was really the only guy that was going to go in the first round (and now he's likely coming back after his injury). Other possible draft choices on the roster included in Goodwin and Poythress; but have they shown enough to even get drafted (there are only 2 rounds). WCS would be a huge NBA project. Wiltjer (a Soph) needs to put some pounds on before he tries the NBA (he's likely a Euro player anyway after his days at KY).
KY signed 5 guys for 2013 that were in the top 20 of player rankings. Will there be room for all of them without kicking someone to the curb?
They only have 2 Seniors.
I'm curious to see how all this is going to play out.

[gatorfool]

Surely, you people must know that in the history of BB, kentucky has never, ever lost a game, now the refs have cheated them out of a few after 30 point losses, but nah, they never LOST a game.If you doubt this check out Rupp Rafters.

[lagator]

I'll take our returning players plus Hill, Walker, and hopefully Julius Randle over what UK will field next year. If Randle picks UF, we'll be golden, but even if he doesn't, we will still be very good and compete for championships.

By the way, I don't know why everyone is assuming the injury to Noel makes him more likely to return. It could have the opposite effect since he won't want to risk a second injury before signing his first big contract. He will still be a lottery pick and most likely isn't coming back IMHO.

[rogdochar]

I'll take our returning players plus Hill, Walker, and hopefully Julius Randle over what UK will field next year. IMHO.

.... and we'll take our returning Coach.

[GatorBart]

I'll take our returning players plus Hill, Walker, and hopefully Julius Randle over what UK will field next year. If Randle picks UF, we'll be golden, but even if he doesn't, we will still be very good and compete for championships.

By the way, I don't know why everyone is assuming the injury to Noel makes him more likely to return. It could have the opposite effect since he won't want to risk a second injury before signing his first big contract. He will still be a lottery pick and most likely isn't coming back IMHO.

With due respect LA, It's only my opinion as well, but I seriously doubt any NBA team uses a lottery pick to select an underweight 19 year old kid who is just coming off ACL surgery and has no established offensive game (other than slamming home alley-oops). He's got great shot blocking skills, but he will get pushed around the paint in the NBA until he puts on another 20-30 pounds.
It would serve Noel well to remain in school, get that knee healthy, increase his BB IQ and offense prowess, and put on some weight (add strength). He may just make it back into the lottery pick talk after his Sophomore year, which would prove a much better investment than coming our this year and getting selected later in the 1st round or somewhere in the 2nd.

[lagator]

I'll take our returning players plus Hill, Walker, and hopefully Julius Randle over what UK will field next year. If Randle picks UF, we'll be golden, but even if he doesn't, we will still be very good and compete for championships.

By the way, I don't know why everyone is assuming the injury to Noel makes him more likely to return. It could have the opposite effect since he won't want to risk a second injury before signing his first big contract. He will still be a lottery pick and most likely isn't coming back IMHO.

With due respect LA, It's only my opinion as well, but I seriously doubt any NBA team uses a lottery pick to select an underweight 19 year old kid who is just coming off ACL surgery and has no established offensive game (other than slamming home alley-oops). He's got great shot blocking skills, but he will get pushed around the paint in the NBA until he puts on another 20-30 pounds.
It would serve Noel well to remain in school, get that knee healthy, increase his BB IQ and offense prowess, and put on some weight (add strength). He may just make it back into the lottery pick talk after his Sophomore year, which would prove a much better investment than coming our this year and getting selected later in the 1st round or somewhere in the 2nd.

It might be a smart decision for him to come back, and it might not be, but who's to say he would even be ready for next college season? He can rehab, train, gain weight and get ready to play for the NBA as well as he can for UK. Unless something goes way wrong during his rehab he'll still be a top 3 pick in June and likely will never play at Rupp again.

[gatordad3]

they went from "one and done's" to "none and done"

tough to recruit a "team"

GATORS strength is in having senior leadership and across the board contributions. It's a wonderful thing

It will be very interesting to see what some of these so called 'one-and-dones' do at the season's end. Noel was really the only guy that was going to go in the first round (and now he's likely coming back after his injury). Other possible draft choices on the roster included in Goodwin and Poythress; but have they shown enough to even get drafted (there are only 2 rounds). WCS would be a huge NBA project. Wiltjer (a Soph) needs to put some pounds on before he tries the NBA (he's likely a Euro player anyway after his days at KY).
KY signed 5 guys for 2013 that were in the top 20 of player rankings. Will there be room for all of them without kicking someone to the curb?
They only have 2 Seniors.
I'm curious to see how all this is going to play out.

I didn't know they had any Seniors.

[lagator]

I'll take our returning players plus Hill, Walker, and hopefully Julius Randle over what UK will field next year. If Randle picks UF, we'll be golden, but even if he doesn't, we will still be very good and compete for championships.

By the way, I don't know why everyone is assuming the injury to Noel makes him more likely to return. It could have the opposite effect since he won't want to risk a second injury before signing his first big contract. He will still be a lottery pick and most likely isn't coming back IMHO.

With due respect LA, It's only my opinion as well, but I seriously doubt any NBA team uses a lottery pick to select an underweight 19 year old kid who is just coming off ACL surgery and has no established offensive game (other than slamming home alley-oops). He's got great shot blocking skills, but he will get pushed around the paint in the NBA until he puts on another 20-30 pounds.
It would serve Noel well to remain in school, get that knee healthy, increase his BB IQ and offense prowess, and put on some weight (add strength). He may just make it back into the lottery pick talk after his Sophomore year, which would prove a much better investment than coming our this year and getting selected later in the 1st round or somewhere in the 2nd.

Just a quick "I told you so" for bart

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kentucky-f ... ncaab.html
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Kentucky forward Nerlens Noel will enter the NBA draft as he continues recovering from a torn ACL.
The 6-foot-10 freshman is projected to be a lottery pick despite sustaining his season-ending knee injury on Feb. 12.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the ... ncaab.html
Noel is the likely No. 1 overall pick despite having suffered a torn left ACL Feb. 12 at Florida, ending his season after just 24 games. If Noel is selected No. 1 overall in the June 27 draft, it will be the first time in nearly 60 years players from the same school have been selected with the top pick in consecutive drafts. Former Wildcat Anthony Davis was the top pick in 2012 after leading Kentucky to the national championship.

[GatorBart]

I'll take our returning players plus Hill, Walker, and hopefully Julius Randle over what UK will field next year. If Randle picks UF, we'll be golden, but even if he doesn't, we will still be very good and compete for championships.

By the way, I don't know why everyone is assuming the injury to Noel makes him more likely to return. It could have the opposite effect since he won't want to risk a second injury before signing his first big contract. He will still be a lottery pick and most likely isn't coming back IMHO.

With due respect LA, It's only my opinion as well, but I seriously doubt any NBA team uses a lottery pick to select an underweight 19 year old kid who is just coming off ACL surgery and has no established offensive game (other than slamming home alley-oops). He's got great shot blocking skills, but he will get pushed around the paint in the NBA until he puts on another 20-30 pounds.
It would serve Noel well to remain in school, get that knee healthy, increase his BB IQ and offense prowess, and put on some weight (add strength). He may just make it back into the lottery pick talk after his Sophomore year, which would prove a much better investment than coming our this year and getting selected later in the 1st round or somewhere in the 2nd.

Just a quick "I told you so" for bart

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kentucky-f ... ncaab.html
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Kentucky forward Nerlens Noel will enter the NBA draft as he continues recovering from a torn ACL.
The 6-foot-10 freshman is projected to be a lottery pick despite sustaining his season-ending knee injury on Feb. 12.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the ... ncaab.html
Noel is the likely No. 1 overall pick despite having suffered a torn left ACL Feb. 12 at Florida, ending his season after just 24 games. If Noel is selected No. 1 overall in the June 27 draft, it will be the first time in nearly 60 years players from the same school have been selected with the top pick in consecutive drafts. Former Wildcat Anthony Davis was the top pick in 2012 after leading Kentucky to the national championship.

Good memory LA - Once I saw the post title and your name next to it, I figured I might be getting an 'I told you so'.
If I had a nickel for all the times I heard 'I told you so'......................
my wife would owe me big time!
I'll say it again, I'm wrong a lot; but I'm okay with that.
I'm actually happy he's going pro - seems like a decent kid and I wish him the best. And I'm really glad we won't have to deal with him next year.