Pope Update

Here's what will happen.  Over the next few months, we will start to see stories about how Kentucky has done "surprisingly well" in the transfer portal, and how the team looks "much better," and that the Cats can definitely "make a run" if everyone "stays healthy."  Next November, UK will start off somewhere around Number 15 in the AP poll, and all the usual suspects will write articles trying to bait UK fans into complaining about Pope, or the Administration, or the team.

None of it will work.  No matter what everyone tries, there will be no buzz around next year's UK team.  No buzz (outside of the type of folks who go to Keeneland) around the UK / U of L game in Lexington.  No buzz about whoever we play in that Champions' Classic where we get embarrassed every year.  No buzz about the Gonzaga game.  No buzz about that December Classic where we played St. John's this season.  No buzz about the SEC regular season, or the games with Tennessee.  Certainly no buzz in the run-up to the annual blowouts by Alabama and Florida.  No buzz at the SEC Tournament.  And no buzz when they miss the NCAA's / lose in the first round / lose in the second round.

After the blowout against Michigan State, I had no interest in any game UK played the rest of the year.  I knew those injured players wouldn't make a difference, and I never even bothered to learn their names.  I knew they weren't reaching the SEC semi-finals.  I knew they weren't reaching the NCAA Regionals.  My only interest was in whether they would lose to Santa Clara, because I thought that would put more pressure on the Administration.  But of course, they pulled that one out -- only to be drilled by 19 against Iowa State (and T.J. Otzelberger!) on Sunday.  After the game, one of the Iowa State players basically said that they expected UK to give up in the second half -- and that's exactly what happened.

The proles are done.  They aren't reading any more articles.  They aren't following any more tweets.  They aren't scanning any more transfer lists.  Most Kentuckians learn early in life that it's a mistake to waste your life on foolish hopes.  They know it's not getting any better under this coach, and as far as they can tell, most people in Lexington couldn't care less.  After all, if they cared, they would have at least interviewed T.J. Otzelberger.

So next year, Lexington will get to have the Cats all to itself.  The Jeeves and Wooster types in the Bluegrass were always embarrassed by the UK fan base, and now they get to see what it's like when we stay home.  My guess is that they will find it less entertaining -- and certainly less profitable -- than it used to be.  And maybe that will change their mind.

I've Been in Japan

Updates will soon return.

Four Teams Left

Quite a day in the KHSAA quarterfinals.  Here's what happened:

(4) Lou. St. Xavier 46, (16) N. Laurel 44

Heartache for North Laurel, as they took the heavy favorites all the way down to the wire.  Surprisingly, St. X is the first team from the Seventh Region to reach the semi-finals since 2021.

Grayson Co. 58, Great Crossing 50

I was very surprised by this result.  No team from the Third Region had won a game at the State Tournament since Owensboro went all the way in 2015, while the Eleventh Region regularly goes deep into the tournament.  In fact, Great Crossing were the defending champs.  Huge day for everyone in Leitchfield.

(5) N. Oldham 62, (19) Lou. Butler 56

Amazingly, the Sixth Region hasn't won this tournament since 1994.

(6) Geo. Rogers Clark 63, Marshall Co. 59

GRC won it all in 2022, lost in the final in 2023, and are looking strong again.  Very strong performance by Marshall County, but they come up just short in their effort to be the first team from the First Region to reach the semis since Graves County in 2006.

8 Teams Left

Here were the first round results on Thursday at the KHSAA Boys' Basketball Tournament:

(19) Lou. Butler 54, Hazard 39

Tough draw for Hazard.  The 14th Region hasn't won a game in the Tournament since 2017.

(5) N. Oldham 74, Lyon Co. 61

Really tough draw for Lyon Co.

(6) Geo. Rogers Clark 75, Johnson Cent. 60

Rough year for the teams in the provinces.

Marshall Co. 67, (10) Boyd Co. 63

Huge win for the Marshals.  First win for the First Region at the Tournament since 2022.  First win for the Marshals at the Tournament since 2011.

12 Teams Left

Because I am writing this post in Japan, I was unable to see today's matchups in the KHSAA Boys' State Basketball Tournament.  But thanks to the Internet, I have the scores, and here they are:

(4) Lou. St. Xavier 75, (1) Cov. Catholic 61

On paper, these were two of the best teams in the tournament.  But Cov Cath could not hang with St. X, which played a dominant game today. 

(16) N. Laurel 52, (3) Warren Cent. 38

Warren Central is almost always a tough out in this tournament, and I definitely thought they would win this game.  But North Laurel not only won, they made it look easy.

Grayson Co. 73, Taylor Co. 64

Probably not significant in the long run, but a nice win for the Third Region.

Great Crossing 57, Danville Christian 37

The defending champs are on a roll.