I Wasn't Really Spittin' Game, I Was Scrimmagin'

So while I'm cooped up in this hospital bed with my nose looking like the after-product of a Freddy vs. Jason victim, I been trying to keep sane in-between morphine refills by thinking about my University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team.

I try so hard to be a reasonable fan, but I can't help but be caught up in the hype right now. The fall semester hasn't even started yet and I'm getting antsy about our 2010 recruits! Nothing like this has ever happened for me with a sports team before. I guess it's kinda like how Knicks fans are mercilessly waiting for the free agent signing period of 2010 as well, but the difference here is that UK is gonna be bomb this season, too.

These videos my first evidence of post-high school John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, and DeMarcus Cousins. Now while I'm not gonna pretend the defense in these scrimmage games is even a fraction of NCAA intensity, I will say the skill sets shown are something that will allow this uber-inexperienced team to shoot out the gate for a special season. Wall is simply the real deal. He can do everything on the basketball court completely by himself if he wanted to, yet will play in a system that allows his teammates to capitalize off his individual exploits. He will rule against opposing backcourts day-in and day-out. That's a mere formality to me, now. And both in a dual guard with Wall or as his PG replacement, Eric Bledsoe gives an entire game-changing dynamic. As one of those rare pure point types, Bledsoe can bully his way through any defense with his head up and a knack for distributing the ball at just the right time. So we have a legitimate scoring point and a legitimate passing point as opposed to last year's roster which consisted of no real point guard.

Cousins, to me, is the wild card that could push the team over the edge. How he works off Patterson is pivotal to this team's success. While the Dribble Drive offense wouldn't normally feature two bigs, the talent between these two monsters will convert any offensive scheme into prominently featuring them. As seen specifically in these videos, DeMarcus gobbles up rebounds. He's an enormous presence in the post at 6' 11" and can't be physically pushed around. Yet there was a possession where he took the ball cross court on his own and pulled up for a three, which he drained with confidence. While I don't at all expect him to be our Jodie Meeks replacement from the 3-point line, that's quite a convenience to have a center with an entire floor game to compliment our guard duo and returning low post beast in P-Pat.

I'll get into the rest of our team and their dynamics towards making us a contender, too, but as of right now in this hospital bed, I'm a very hopeful UK student. All because of one John Calipari. I simply cannot wait.

... but do take my word for it.