UK Wildcat Basketball Facts are Solid but Opinions Run Rampant

By: LONNY DEMAREE

In this era of today's new dispensation sometimes fact and opinions get clouded. Today's use of email, text messaging, twitter, instagram, face booking , etc. the public has many ways to receive information on the state of University of Kentucky basketball. Some fact and some fiction. It use be to held over the media's head of 'don't the facts get in the way of a good story.' But now any erroneous information can be perceived as fact. So lets tackle some of these facts and opinions.

Fact: The 2014-15 version University of Kentucky basketball team is presently the best team in college basketball.
Opinion: Every news organization's basketball opinion columnist voted the Wildcats #1 but John Feinstein of the Washington Post.

Fact: John Calipari is once again performing his magic in keeping his team unified in spite of all the outside clutter.
Opinion: There has been outside clutter coming from various quarters that has strong beliefs that the platoon system hurts individual offensive performance.

Fact: The important thing is making sure every player gets his minutes – Cal likes to say “everybody gets to eat.”
Opinion: Some national media types propagate the theory that when he gets closer to tournament time it will be mission accomplished and he will go strictly with substitution as needed. “We are still trying to figure what our rotation will be at the end of the season,” Calipari said.

Fact: The Wildcats are #1 in efficiency rating meaning the they are the best in the number of time of possession the opposition scores.
Opinion: In spite of the 19-0 record a small percentage on the BBN are unhappy in the way they are in the way they are winning.

Fact: Willie Cauley-Stein is a candidate for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, which typifies the best player in the country. Will he be worthy at the end of the season?
Opinion: His stats speak for themselves. He has thirty-five blocks and thirty-two steals. Cauley-Stein is a back line clean up guy and can extend his defense out on the perimeter as well as any seven-footer in college.

Fact: The UK guards are a definitely a strength which is the strength on any championship team on the college level. Over the last several years history has dictated that guards have been the key. Does it make a difference who logs the most minutes on the team?
Opinion: Some fans of the big blue nation favor the freshman combination over the Harrison twins. Obviously those fans have short memories because they are the combo that led the Cats to the final game last season.

Fact: The Wildcat are on their way to an undefeated season. How important is that?
Opinion: “You have to ask them,” Cal said. “We don't ever talk about it.” He said the effect of winning or losing – it all depends. How do you deal with it is all important, so it doesn't matter if it takes the to another level.

So lets play basketball, ignore the clutter, let “big-shot” Aaron Harrison do his thing as he did last season and a couple of times this season. The rest will take care of itself at the end.