My thoughts on Kentucky & the rest of the SEC

I was at the Kentucky @ Vandy game.  

After the game I stood outside waiting for the team to come out so I could see the players & potentially get some autographs. The team just walked right past all the fans.  Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, Patterson…didn’t even sign ONE autograph. None of them even spoke to fans. They all just went straight to the bus.  I thought this was a poor move.  

You all will get a kick out of this.  There was a fan standing right beside me.  When Cousins was passing by us this fan reached out & grabbed Cousins hand.  The fan was just trying to give him a hi-five, the fan hung on to Cousins hand for a couple seconds.  Cousins reaction was brutal. He turned to the fan & said "Quit touching me man."  Seconds later a security officer came over to the fan & said "why did you touch Cousins?"  The fan said "I was just trying to give him a hi-five." The security officer then said "well Cousins thought it was an issue."  Overall this was ridiculous.  Cousins has a serious attitude problem. You can see it in every game & I have now seen it in person.   

This was in Nashville TN & there were still literally at least 100 Kentucky fans outside by the Kentucky bus after the game waiting for autographs & just to see the players.

This team seems to have gotten too Cocky. Plus I see a lot of immaturity.  I mean the year after Florida won the title for the first time (Noah, Horford, etc..) they still signed autographs & spoke to fans after games even when they lost! That Florida team had a reason to feel like they were too good for everybody but they stayed humbled & ended up winning another title.  This Kentucky team doesn’t have a reason to carry themselves this way.  Could this cocky team filled with bad attitudes get upset in March?

Anyways I noticed when John Wall passed by me he was small looking.  I’m not saying he isn’t 6’4 195 but he didn’t look like it.  He looked shorter & skinnier in person.  Bledsoe on the other hand looked a legit 6’1 & he was huge. Very physical looking.  Darius Miller was also a lot bigger in person than he looks on TV…tall & well built.  Cousins & Orton looked as though you would expect them to look ha…big. 

As for how Kentucky performed during this game:  Wall & Bledose weren’t really impressive.  Partly because it was a slow game played in the half court.  Not many fast breaks.  I have noticed in the last couple of game that Bledsoe at times plays pathetic defense & his attitude isn’t the greatest.  Bledsoe lets his man blow past him A LOT.  I was actually the most impressed with Miller, Patterson, Liggins, & Orton this game though the stats might not show the impact they had on the game.  Cousins was OK but he didn’t look as quick in person as he does on TV.  Vandy double teamed him a lot which hurt his effectiveness some.  I know this is just one game but overall I came away with the feeling that Wall shouldn’t be a lock for the #1 pick & Cousins shouldn’t be a lock for a top 5 pick.  They are obviously great players but they are by no means perfect prospects.   

I’ve seen all of these teams play in person at least once this season…. Here are my top 5  SEC teams in order from best to worst:

1. Kentucky

2. Vanderbilt

3. Florida

4. Tennessee

5. Mississippi St. 

Oh Yeah in other news…. Jeffery Taylor is a beast. I’ve been saying it all year.  His name has finally appeared high in the 2011 mock draft.

Aran- You might as well move Taylor even higher.  Jeffery is better than Alec Burks, Greg Smith, Travis Leslie, JaMychal Green, & Eric Bledsoe.  I have a hard time seeing a team passing on Taylor & picking one of those other 5 players…except possibly Bledsoe if a team really needs a PG.

Better move Scotty Hopson up some too haha….Did you see him last night @ Florida?  He was Balling…