Wednesday, February 11, 2015

The hour draweth nearer

So I'm in my favorite hangout last night, and on the TVs No. 1 Kentucky and LSU are warming up, and conversation turns again to the rash promise I made back in November, when I wrote that if Kentucky went undefeated, I would print out that particular blog post and eat it.

I told a friend, who's a huge UK fan, that I was starting to worry.

"I don't know. I'm kinda nervous about this one," said the friend, whose name is Doug. Which is what he always says.

"Listen, the only way LSU beats them is if they bring Pete Maravich back from the dead," I replied.

Well, the Tigers tried. But in the end, Pistol Pete stayed dead, and Kentucky survived by two. And now they're 24-0, their two stiffest road tests are behind them, and the only games that look worrisome (No. 24 Arkansas and Florida) are both at home in that blue hell called Rupp Arena.

And now I'm getting nervous.

Because, listen, if the Wildcats were going to lose, it was last night, but they showed grit and poise down the stretch and didn't. And so now I've gotta deal with a team that has grit and poise on top of talent and depth and structure and unselfishness. And discipline. Don't forget discipline.

This isn't looking good.

If UK runs the regular season table, then I've gotta hope they get knocked off in the SEC tournament, which frankly is probably my best hope. They won't be desperate; a lot of other teams who are trying to get into the Madness will be. Once the Madness begins, I think Kentucky will be pumped, because then they'll be chasing a national title.

Of course ... if the Wildcats run the regular season table, they'll enter the SEC tourney chasing history. So they'll have motivation there, too.

Let's face it. I'm screwed here.

As for Doug ...

He's warming up the marinara sauce.   

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