BlueGrassRoots

Monday Sky Walker Thread

Because I can.

(this pic is actually labeled as "in the garden of love" on his website. I can't make this stuff up.)

Billy Reed?

I've spent my entire life detesting the writing of sportswriter Billy Reed, a shameless Rick Pitino jock sniffer. Which makes my discovery of his political blog a little confusing for me. He appears to be one of those crazy liberals, who knew?

Anyway, he righteously slams nutjob Stan Lee in one of his recent posts, though I'm a little baffled by some of his tangents on facial hair. But hey, that goes with the territory sometimes in blogtopia.

Sky Walker Monday Thread

By overwhelming popular demand, Sky Walker is back!

PLEASE, you guys can stop emailing me now, you win!

Show'em the guns Kenny!

Monday Sky Walker Thread

Another Glamour Shot from UK's greatest Power Forward ever.

So fly, it should be against the law, Sky.

UPDATE: for my friend Rich. Don't playa hate. We all aspire to Sky's greatness, but let's not drag him down to get there.

Monday Sky Walker Post

So busy today I haven't put up the Kenny Walker post.

Strike the pose, Sky Walker!

Sky Walker Monday

Who's that peeking from behind the roses? Ah, the one and only Kenny "Sky" Walker. The sensitive power forward wishes you a happy Monday.

85 Days till Midnight Madness

Yes, the Billy Clyde era is quickly approaching. I wouldn't know, however, because it is still Cubs season and we are still in the hunt, thanks to Carlos "Hannibal" Zambrano's resurgence in the post-kick-Michael-Barrett's-ass period of the season. Soriano and Ramirez are scorching the ball, and Carlos "nice Marmot(l)" is the most pleasant surprise of the season, as he is most definitely throwing rocks. You have to love any player that allows you to make a gratuitous Lebowski reference

Speaking of Lebowski, the annual Louisvlle Lebowski Fest is this weekend. For those who are quite justifiably obsessed with this film (the greatest ever, mind you), you absolutely must check it out. You might even get to see Liam throw a strike and shake his belly, as I did last year.

Happy Monday from Sky Walker!

Here's the sensitive man that can brighten any dreary Monday morning, Kenny "Sky" Walker.

Be a witness

I think I speak for all of us with a conscience when I say "Go Pistons".

Friday Cat Blogging

The Kentucky Wildcats land Patrick Patterson, our first big power forward recruit in ages.

March Madness, Day 1

The Bad News: the Dick Vitale Hooters commercial is one of the creepiest things I've ever seen.

The Good News: the guy who used to do the Melbourne Mills Jr. commercials has finally found work again

Also: watching the VCU-Duke game, I had flashbacks of Turner blowing by Wojo at will in the 2nd half. Poor little Paulus.

State Holiday

Today begins the greatest 4 days in all of sports.

Btw, this is the best Kentucky basketball site there is.

Catlanta

Blogging will be light, I'm here in Atlanta with the real Cat fans, not the ones currently KILLING our recruitment of Patterson.

Remember, Woo's game is "silent but deadly".

Update: Ugh. At least its almost Cubs season.

UK Basketball: Interstate Transportation of Guns

Noooooooooooo!

Basketball: Great Radio

Lights.. Camera.. Jackson! has a link up to Tom Leach's play-by-play during Patrick Sparks' desperation 3 at the end of regulation against Michigan State.  Despite the ultimate heartbreak, this moment is, as we call it in the industry, great radio.

Politics/Basketball: Governor Fletcher and Ashley Judd Hoop It Up

God, free trips on the state's dime to watch UK basketball with Ashley Judd?  Ohmygod, it could be me in just 4 short years!

But wait, this calls for a BlueGrassRoots Pop Quiz:

Question 1:

The Governor's state-funded trips around the country to watch UK/Louisville basketball are:
a) waste
b) fraud
c) abuse
d) all of the above, suckers!

Question 2:

Faced with Governor Fletcher's basketball-inspired, state-funded romps, I feel
a) jealous ('cause of his great seats)
b) jealous ('cause of his proximity to Ashley Judd)
c) validated (you KNEW that waste, fraud, and abuse was just a catch-phrase; god, why are people such idiots?!?)
d) validated (a Republican in the Governor's mansion?  I don't care what he does!)
e) sad (our state is backwards and our governor is watching basketball.  wait, that's backwards, too!)

Basketball: Chuck Hayes, Champion

Chuck Hayes may be one of my favorite UK basketball players ever.  All heart, all the time.  Thanks for four great years, Chuck.

March Madness: Elite Eight Predictions

Here's Eric Wright, BlueGrassRoots' March Madness Arithmancer:

Eight is great, but four is more…
By Eric Wright, Lexington, KY

So who’s gonna go to St. Louis?  Well, I have a hunch and am going to share it with you.  I just hope nobody lost their house based on my last picks, but 5 out of 8 isn’t too bad I guess.  Here we go.

Louisville v. West Virginia
I really like how the Cards are playing right now, and truth be told they look like the best team in the tournament so far.  But darn it, there is just something about the Mountaineers that keeps them winning when nobody thinks that they should.  They play a very tough 1-3-1 zone that, while not really a tough defense to break down when you have had time to prepare for it, can be a real pain with such short time for full preparation.  Think Rick Majerus running the triangle and 2 against Arizona in 1998 to pull off the upset.  But I still think Louisville is just too good overall and will find a way to end the WVU dream.  UofL 76 – WVU 67

Illinois v. Arizona
Illinois has been the best team all year and they will have a huge home court advantage over the Cats.  All signs point to the Illini going to St. Louis, but I’m not buying it.  I’ve been on the Salim Stoudamire bandwagon for a while now and I’m not getting off.  Add to him an emerging Channing Frye and the overlooked advantage of the vast experience of Lute Olson and you have the makings of a big upset.  In a game that could come down to the last possession, I like Stoudamire’s playmaking ability over anyone Illinois has.  UA 78 – UI 76

North Carolina v. Wisconsin
If Carolina was gonna lose before the Final Four then they would have done it last night.  I didn’t think Villanova had a shot, but they gave the Tar Heels that one tough game final four teams always get that they didn’t expect.  Now that UNC got it’s wake-up-call though, I see them rolling over the Badgers.  It’s been a nice run for Wisconsin, but we can all be thrilled that they’re not making the final four.  The are one boring team!  UNC 80 – UW 67

Kentucky v. Michigan State
Kentucky survived 1000 fouls for breathing on the greatest player of all-time last night.  Michigan State vanquished the mighty team that everyone should hate.  Both teams are very similar and have tough coaches that know each other very well.  One thing Michigan State did that worries me was constantly beating Duke off the dribble and getting to the hole.  Patrick Sparks could really hurt UK if the Spartans do the same thing and he can’t step up.  But if he can stop his man just enough and add on a good game for himself, I think Kentucky should be able to dominate the paint against MSU.  I think this one could be tight, but I’ve got a feeling Kentucky will work with a fairly comfortable margin for most of the game like they did against the Utes.  UK 70 – MSU 63

UK Basketball: UK Mascot Makes Special Appearance for Game Against Utah

Here's Blue, the unofficial UK mascot. 

He told me he wanted to appear twice because UK's going to redouble its recent efforts tonight against Bogut and Utah.

March Madness: Yeah, Well, You Know That's Just Like Your Opinion, Man

Andrew Bogut says he will "punish" any UK player not ready to play tonight. 

What does Shagari Alleyne say to that?  Basically, in the spirit of The Dude, he says that Bogut is "entitled to his opinion." 

I love this retort.  It seems on the surface to be lame, but really Alleyne's comments shake the very foundation of Bogut's worldview. 

Keep the talk coming, Bogut.  UK seems to feed off other players' cocksureness. 

Anyone have some thoughts going into the game tonight?  That's what the comment box is for...

March Madness: Sweet Sixteen Preview

How sweet it will be…

By Eric Wright, Lexington, KY

So it’s time for the Sweet 16 and almost everyone has his or her predictions.  Well, don’t listen to them.  Since you all are loyal readers of Ben’s website and I think very highly of Ben, I’m giving you people the teams that will win so that you can look smart in front of all of your friends crowded around those televisions these next four nights.

Louisville v. Washington
C-A-R-D-S, Cards, Cards, Cards!  Yep, little brother is moving on in the dance.  Washington is a very explosive and talented team, and who doesn’t like little guys like Nate Robinson flying around through the air, but they won’t have enough to get past Rick Pitino’s squad.  If anyone saw Louisville absolutely dismantle Georgia Tech, then you had to have seen what I saw.  His team is looking like those mid 90s teams at Kentucky that just thrashed the likes of Tim Duncan and Keith Van Horn on the way to the final four, and I don’t see why this team won’t at least win this game.  UofL 87-UW 81

Texas Tech v. West Virginia
While I was shocked and thrilled to see the Mountaineers beat Wake Forest, I think the run is going to be over.  Bob Knight has had nearly a week to break the WVU offense down, and if Jay Bilas still thinks that Knight is the best coach in a one game situation in basketball then that’s good enough for me.  I think Tech will score just enough and get by a scrappy West Virginia team.  Expect more defense than what many experts think. TT 72-WVU 67

Illinois v. UW-Milwaukee
Blowout folks.  Trust me.  Everyone is trying to give reasons that the underdogs can hang in there, but it won’t happen.  Illinois is probably better at every position and has a deeper and more talented bench.  The Panthers have had a nice run, but it will end tonight.  UI 81-UW-M 62

Arizona v. Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State has to expect more from their star Joey Graham, and I think they will get it.  They’ll also get stellar play from Lucas and Curry at the guard spots, and the usual steady play of Ivan McFarland.  But they have you-know-who as coach and that matters.  Trust me, they will lose.  He has too much bad Karma to keep having good things happen to him.  Oh, and Salim Stoudamire just may be the best player in the country.  Keep that in mind when he drops about 30 on OSU and leads Arizona to a hard-fought win.  UA 78- OSU 75

UNC v. Villanova
See Illinois v. UW-Milwaukee and just swap UNC in for Illinois and Villanova in for UW-Milwaukee.  UNC 94- Villanova 76

Wisconsin v. NC State
Julius Hodge has been on a role and looks like he’s on a mission from God.  I don’t know how he does it, but somehow he continually weaves his tiny frame into the lane and either creates a shot for himself or sets up teammates to knock down the open three.  I expect more of the same here.  Wisconsin has a very tough and rugged team, but I just don’t think they will be able to score enough points to defeat the Wolfpack.  I think Mike Wilkinson could have a very big game, but it won’t be enough as Hodge and the Pack will grab an early lead and never really be threatened.  State 68-Wisconsin 59

Duke v. Michigan State
The Spartans are a deeper and more athletic team.  They are also probably tougher.  But Duke has much more skill and will have the two best players on the court in Redick and Shelden Williams, a.k.a. Chewbacca.  I think this is a very even game, but I have a funny feeling that Duke will win the battle at the foul line by just enough to get that winning margin.  Yeah, if you can’t tell I think the refs will favor Duke, so sue me.  They do and it matters.  Duke 77-Michigan State 73

Utah v. Kentucky
Utah has the best player in the country (or so we have been told) in Andrew Bogut.  They have the motivation of revenge for five straight NCAA losses to Kentucky.  They have no pressure on them since they are the underdog.  And yet, they don’t have a shot in this game.  Kentucky discovered their running game last Saturday night against UC and I don’t think they will look back.  Bogut will probably have a big game (I’m think 20 points and 14 boards), but he won’t be enough alone to beat a hungry and peaking bunch of Wildcats.  Morris and Hayes will do just enough rebounding, and Rondo and Kelenna will provide just enough juice for the Cats to take down the Utes for the 6th straight time.  UK 74-Utah 59

March Madness: The Edge

I just discovered a deliciously visual aid for those of us who have a tough time understanding exactly what to look for in a basketball game: CBS's The Edge.  Check out the matchups in the Sweet 16.  The Edge seems to think UK will have a somewhat easy time with Utah (I have my doubts) and, interestingly, gives the advantage to Louisville in their game tonight against Washington.

Does anyone have some thoughts going into the round of 16?  Predictions?  Apologies?

March Madness: Caption Contest

How about a little late night caption contest action?

March Madness: Through(bred) Bracketology

I'm so good.  It took me like five minutes to make my bracket for BlueGrassRoots' Bracket Contest (only 24 hours left to join and make your bracket).  You can check websites, watch ESPN, listen to the pros, and consult your arithromancy charts to make your predictions, but I'm here to say it won't work.  I've got a formula.  It's a battle-proven, fail-safe equation, slightly adjusted from the formula I use at Keeneland to bet horses.  Scoff if you will at the formula, but last year I won $170 on a trifecta using this same method.

Here are the constants in the formula:
1) Strong Kentucky bias (Louisville makes it to the Final Four and Kentucky wins it all)
2) Strong SEC bias (I hear we're having a "down" year, but people who say that can lick the earwax out of my ear, cause I'm not buying it)
3) Duke must lose to UK in a heartbreaker--here, in the Elite Eight--preferably by a shot that will preempt, well, you know...
4) Strong bias toward 5-12 upsets.
5) Stron bias toward creating show-downs with friends' favorite teams.  Thus, Connecticut meets Kentucky in the Final Four in a battle that could end my friendship with Andrew Griswold.

If, after consideration of the "constants," the jury is still out on a match-up, I go to my "divining variables."  The Divining Variables is where the art of picking a bracket comes in.  It's a mystical experience, driven largley by ineffable intuitions and gut feelings.  It's a complex constellations of considerations aimed at determining one question: How do I "feel" about a team?

Given my limited knowledge of the intricacies of the game and my even more limited knowledge of what happens outside SEC basketball, this element often decides things for me.  It's probably best to explain this process by example rather than trying to enumerate the multivalent factors that go into this section of the equation.

In an 8-9 game between Minnesota and Iowa St., how do you decide?  I haven't followed either team, couldn't tell you their colors, coaches, mascots (all valid considerations when I know the facts).  Some may go online to discover rebounding margins, steals, margin of victory, etc., but I'm here to say, no.  No.  For me, I ask, what do I know about either of these places?  Garrison Keillor is from Minnesota--a compelling factor, but I have a good friend living in Iowa right now, so Iowa wins, even though they screwed Dean. 

As another example of how the Divining Variables might come into play: UTEP (11) v. Utah (6).  Both teams begin with "Ut" and have two syllables.  They play five men at a time.  That's the extent of my knowledge of these two teams.  So, how do you decide?  Using the intuitive matrix I've described, you choose  based on your associations about the two teams.  I don't know anything about UTEP.  I don't even know where they're from.  But, I know that Utah is from Utah.  You know who else is from Utah?  Orrin Hatch.  UTEP wins.

So, you can ask the experts who's going to win these games.  You can use your charts and graphs, your calculators and your sextants, but I've got the hunch on my side. 

You cannot win.  Resistance is futile.

March Madness: T-Minus Two Days...

Only one more day until March Madness officially begins!  Which means, of course, only one more day to register for BlueGrassRoots' Bracket Contest.  Sign up now with your Yahoo! ID and this information:

Group ID#: 20917 Password: ononuofk

Once you've signed up, you can use the comment box to trash talk everyone else in our contest.

While I do not condone the use of "gay" as a derogatory term, I did think that this photo was Redick-ulously funny:

Basketball: Rebounding--Maybe Cat FANS Can Do It

Do not freak out.  Florida is a good team.  Matt Walsh is not gay.  He's a ridiculously tough competitor. 

We'll be alright. 

With an hour and a half left before NCAA selection, what are your thoughts going into the NCAA tournament?  What do you think of the brackets?  Of UK's chances? 

Speaking of brackets, we've got a bracket contest going on here at BlueGrassRoots.  To join, you will need a Yahoo ID and these two bits of information:

Group ID#: 20917
Password: ononuofk

Winner gets his or her choice of one piece of BlueGrassRoots merchandise!  Sign up now!

Also, please note, we've added a few March Madness links, including the Big Blue Review (blog) and a Wildcat Basketball blog that is, umm, very thorough.  We've added more, but linking to them here would defeat the purpose of linking to them in the sidebar. 

March Madness: Should I really expect my wife to understand?

March Madness really is what it's all about.  My wife has been very understanding of my Kentucky Wildcat basketball fetish throughout the entire regular season; and in no way do I wish to paint her in a poor light.  That being established, I now have to say that my wife just does not understand my relationship to the month of March. 

March is synonymous with many things to many different people.  Some folks celebrate Caesar.  Others are into rabbits and the equinox.  For the masses of loyal UK basketball fans throughout the eastern half of the state of Kentucky the month of March is a chaotic jumble of gut-wrenching moments revolving around an inflated leather globe.  I was watching UK basketball back when He-Man was still cool.  He-Man. 

Back to my wife.  She has been so accomodating to my quest of watching every UK game, but I think her patience for my fetish has run its course.  I try to explain that all things end in the triumphs and disappointments of March; that all my devotion is rewarded by the frequency of quality games come tournament time.  My arguments are apparently flawed, because my wife just don't understand. 

Riddle me this Batman, what is more rewarding than seeing an underdog team hit eight three pointers in a half and defeat a favorite? (so long as it is not UK at the receiving end of the defeat)   Or the fact that the state of Kentucky will have three programs represented in the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament this year?  I love college basketball.  I love my wife more than I love Kentucky basketball.  I love spending time with my wife.  She is my best friend; but she is my best friend that does not like college basketball with a fervor that I would normally deem necessary to a true friendship.  Granted she smells better than my more zealous compadres.  I thank her for that.  I just wish that she bled a bit more blue. 

I think deep down I know it is all my fault.  Four and a half solid months of zealotry would be annoying no matter what form it takes.  Therefore I have developed THE PLAN for next season:

1)  Act like I don't really care about the sport for at least the first half of the season.
2)  Be willing to sacrifice games against such perennial powerhouses as William & Mary, Campbellsville, and Coppin State for any number of made for TV movie.
3)  When referring to upcoming games, ask for permission to watch games that I know I will be watching anyways.
4)  Drink less beer while watching games, therefore eliminating what I refer to as the "guilt by association syndrome"
5)  Everytime that I "sacrifice" a game,  remind her that March is just around the corner.
6)  By all means necessary do not allow her to gain knowlege of THE PLAN

I am thankful for my wife.  She is a help-mate beyond help-mates.  I am also thankful that she does not visit this here blog,(Sorry Ben) because that would be in clear violation of rule # 6.

While we are here, let me define some dream matchups of mine in the Big Dance.

1)  I would love to see the state of North Carolina versus the state of Kentucky in the Final Four.  You know, UofL, UK, UNC, and Duke.
2)  EKU  versus UK first round
3)  A UofL versus UK Final
4)  An all SEC Final Four. I know, not likely.
5)  Illinois' three guard line-up versus Louisville's three guard line-up
6)  I really want to see Tubby physically wrestle another coach.  Maybe Rick or Coach K,  ooh what about Bobby Knight?  Well maybe not Bobby Knight.

Perhaps I am biased.

Pets and Basketball: Friday Cat Blogging AND An Appearance By The UK Mascot!

In honor of the fact that this is the first Friday of Spring Break AND the University of Kentucky Wildcats play their first game in the SEC Tournament tonight, I persuaded my cat, Blue, to make a guest appearance on the blog for the occasion. 

Here he is, Blue Cat, doing his best Wildcat impersonation:

UPDATE: What'd you think of the Cats' win tonight?

Basketball: ACC Roundup

A Look At The "Other" Conference
Special to BlueGrassRoots.org by Travis Newman

While March Madness is sweeping the Big Blue Nation, the Nation’s capital is also playing host to some intriguing college basketball action. 

Bitter feuds, suspended All-Americans, three teams competing for a possible #1 seed, and several teams on the bubble make this a can’t-miss tournament for college basketball fans. 

Top ten teams North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Duke all want to use the tournament to make their case for a #1 seeding.  NC State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, and Miami all hope a strong performance will burst their bubble. 

Wake Forest, in a classy move, suspended star guard Chris Paul for their first game of the tournament after a review of the video from the season-ender at NC State revealed Paul performing a cup-check on NC State standout Julius Hodge. 

In defense of Paul, he has been the object of frequent rough play all season, and he had to deal with an unruly NC State crowd mocking him about the death of his grandfather. Paul’s grandfather is the subject of an oft-repeated anecdote (think: Keith Bogans was DeMatha’s first four year starter since Adrian Dantley) about Paul scoring 61 points in a high school game after his grandfather’s murder, one point for each year of his grandfather’s life.   

Regardless of Paul’s absence, a lot of bad blood exists between these two intrastate rivals who could face a rematch in the second round if NC State is able to fend off Florida State.  North Carolina and Duke have both hovered around in the top ten for most of the season and split their two regular season meetings, with both games coming down to the wire.  The ACC Tournament could provide fans with another classic matchup between these two programs. 

Check out www.accboards.com to keep up with the latest trash talking between fans of all the conference’s teams.  Kentucky fans may even be able to find some camaraderie with several of the schools’ fans who hate Krzyzewski’s Evil Empire almost as much as we do.

Basketball: Catlanta? We'll See...

Breaking Down the SEC
Eric Wright: Special to BlueGrassRoots.Org

With another exciting Southeastern Conference basketball season now in the books, the eyes of the fans all around the conference have turned towards Catlant ..sorry, Atlanta, for the annual SEC Tournament. 

This showcase of basketball talent has for years seemed like the old Kentucky Invitational Tournaments (why don’t we have this anymore by the way???) with Kentucky handily putting down the field, but this year promises to be a far greater challenge for the Wildcats.  While many national pundits have all too happily pointed out the overall weakness of the SEC this season, they have failed to acknowledge that the upper echelon of the conference may be deeper and more dangerous than in any time in recent memory with 4 sturdy challengers awaiting the Wildcats. 

As the tournament approaches, I decided to take a look at the 5 teams most likely to leave Atlanta with the automatic NCAA invite.

1.Mississippi State

Besides being fun to spell, Mississippi State is one of those teams that seem more than ready to make a long run in the tourney.  The Bulldogs have had some rough times this season, i.e. the 98-49 beat down at the hands of Alabama, but a lot of that can be attributed to injuries that would have devastated even the strongest of teams.  Don’t forget that before everyone started falling to pieces this team was a consensus top 10 team and was playing like it. 

They’ve only had everyone back and healthy for a couple of games now, and nearly got revenge on the Crimson Tide just last Saturday.  And you can’t ever seriouly overlook a team with Lawrence Roberts on it.  If they can get hot, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bulldogs making a run at the SEC crown and an improved seed for the NCAAs.

2. Florida

Ok, so they just beat Kentucky down in Gainesville.  And not only that, but in a real low scoring dogfight that was decided more on the defensive end than by fluid offensive basketball.  So, it just had to be a fluke, right?  Right?  Well, not really. 

This isn’t the same Florida team that was UK’s personal female dogs for the past 3 seasons and I think by now they have proven it.  Remember, this is the same team that not only beat us last weekend, but that really should have probably beaten us in Lexington earlier this season.  Well, maybe not should have, but COULD have, and I mean that in the strongest sense of the word as the all caps should point out. 

This is still a very capable team on offense with Roberson, Lee and Walsh being potent threats all, but this year’s team doesn’t shy away from a tight struggle.  Heck, they’ve won their past 4 games without scoring 70 points once and for a Florida team that is a miracle.  I would like UK in round 3, but I wouldn’t be willing to wager too much on it.

3. LSU

This team is a BIG threat if you know what I mean.  Glen “Big Baby” Davis is one of the most phenomenal athletes I’ve seen in some time.  And while I’m only 24, that’s still saying something with all of the sports I watch.  The guys over 300 pounds and has the agility of a point guard.  Truly amazing.  And the scary thing is that he’s not even close to being the team’s best player. 

That would be Brandon Bass, who for my money is the league’s Player of the Year by a mile.  This guy is a legitimate NBA power forward who can absolutely knock it down from the college 3 point line.  If anyone saw their game against Florida this year, then you saw the clinic that Bass put on for David Lee and everyone else when he single-handedly won the game for the Tigers.  Throw in the excitement that Tack Minor can bring to the table as well as the rest of a really athletic team, and former Mr. Kentucky basketball Ross Neltner, and you have a team that is on the rise in the SEC. 

While I still don’t think they have quite enough to win the whole shebang, I do see them being a sleeper pick for a finals berth and a trip later on to the Sweet 16.  (And as an aside, I would love to see Davis and Bass match up against UNC’s Jawad Williams and Sean May in a second round game.  Delicious I tell you!!!)

4. Alabama

Again, honesty time.  Unless Patrick Sparks goes out of his mind a couple of weeks ago then we lose this game and aren’t even being mentioned as the tourney favorite/#1 seed in the “Big Dance”.  Not saying that they are definitely better than us, but you know I’m right about this one. 

This team is solid from the frontcourt to the backcourt, and has what I consider to be one hell of a coach.  (Full disclosure: I grew up near Murray and am a big Racers fan and have followed Gottfried every since he coached there.)  If Bass somehow isn’t the SEC POY, then Kennedy Winston has got to be next in line.  The guy is like a less talented but still lethal Dwayne Wade.  He can kill you from the outside and he can drive to the whole.  He’s long, athletic and smart.  Not a good combination if you’re talking about an opponent, great if he’s on your side. 

When you include Ernest Shelton and Chuck Davis to the mix, well, you’ve got yourself a handful.  Sure, they’ve fallen off a tiny bit the past few weeks, but don’t read too much into it.  They had sewn up a berth and good seed, but couldn’t win the SEC regular season title, so they went into a little funk. 

They’ll be ready this weekend.   I fully expect to see this team do some damage in the NCAAs, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them come up victorious in Atlanta.  To me they’re a co-favorite with the Cats.

5. Kentucky

Why?  The better question is why not.  This team has owned the SEC and just won another regular season conference title.  With all of their flaws (and there are plenty to be found) this is still the team to beat in the SEC.  It’s called Catlanta for a reason folks, and that reason is because we routinely bring home the SEC tourney title when it is played down at the Georgia Dome, or anywhere else for that matter. 

And, look at how this team has done against its main competition.  Destroyed Mississippi State.  Demolished LSU.  Beat the tough Crimson Tide down in Tuscaloosa.  And split with the Gators.  As bad as they played on the road at Florida’s Senior Day, the case is easy to make that without a bit of a choke job then Kentucky still wins that game.  As good as Alabama is, and as I said I’m a believer, to come back from 14 down to win that game was incredible.  This team seems to always rise to the occasion when everyone thinks that they may be on the ropes, and you just can’t discount that kind of history. 

Chuck Hayes is an absolute monster and one of the truly great leaders in college basketball.  Kelenna Azubuike is one of the most gifted players in the conference.  Rajon Rondo, Randolph Morris and Ramel Bradley are three of the most exciting and talented freshman in the nation.  Plus, Kentucky has a great coach in Tubby Smith and a ridiculously long bench that he knows how to use.

You know, my dad has always taught me 3 truisms that everyone should be aware of.  First, there is a God.  Second, always be honest and loving towards others.  And third, don’t ever bet against Kentucky in the SEC tournament. 

Who am I to argue with that?  To put it more clearly and in a sports analogy.  We’re the Yankees and the rest of the SEC is the Red Sox.  Got it!?!

On second thought ...

Basketball: March Madness!

With Kentucky's loss to Florida and Illinois' loss to Ohio-friggin-State, it's official: March Madness is in the hizouse!

As we head toward the SEC Tournament (both literally, as my girlfriend is driving down on Thursday, and temporally) look for BlueGrassRoots to lose its razor-sharp focus on politics and slide toward the collective mania that grips the Bluegrass State each March. 

To facilitate your mania, we have added a list of online March Madness resources at the top of our page.  Be careful of the Cats Pause Forum--my girlfriend spent last spring break arguing and conversing with fellow adherents. 

We're going to try and track down some top-notch contributors, some real experts, to give you their take on UK's NCAA chances and other team's prospects, as well.  If you've got a guest blog idea or a link to suggest, you can email us at bluegrassroots (at) hotmail (dot) com.  Or, you can always leave your comments in the comment box. 

Who are you expecting to stand out in the SEC tournament?  What do the University of Kentucky Wildcats need to do to win?  What SEC team is going to be the biggest threat in Cat-lanta?

Join our BlueGrassRoots Bracket Contest and win your choice of BlueGrassRoots Gear!  To join, you'll need a Yahoo! ID and these two pieces of information: Group ID#: 20917; Password: ononuofk

Stay tuned to BlueGrassRoots for all your local UK Basketball coverage, trash talk, and predictions from across the nation.

On, on U of K!  (ringtone)