LPT Ticket Sales are HOT...

[zipp]

...You don't think Louisville's schedule in 2013 helped them get 12-1?...

Sure it did. But I don't recall people talking about dramatic improvement vs. 2012 as LPT fans like yourself are doing.

At best, you can say you're hopeful what you saw last year was legit improvement. But that because of the difference in the schedules, the actual results at this point are inconclusive. Without that caveat, you're just being blindly optimistic.

LPT Football: So what else is new?...

 

[2330859]

Bill, you are a reasonable UK fan, certainly compared to your counterparts. The recruit rankings for UK would be a critical means of measurement if there was some evidence that Stoops and his staff could demonstrate the ability to "coach them up", but quite honestly I have not seen it. I will agree that year 3 is time to see improvement in both record and performance. Once again, UK's schedule is composed of the "usual no name non-conference schedule", the challenging SEC schedule and then the rival game against UL. Let's agree on one thing, any real advancement that UK makes at the very least is to beat either the Vols or the Gators in addition to Vandy; and then beat UL in Commonwealth.

I will tell you now that despite UF being way down, UK loses to both the Gators and the improving Vols. UK should beat Vandy, but lose at home to the Cards. It is a few months off, but if my scenario plays out, would you then concede that UK football is still where it has been for the vast majority of its existence?

 

[I am stupid]

Zipp, I agree with you in general. However, our 2013 teams wouldn't beat South Carolina last year, nor would they have played Florida to 3 OTs. No facts or way to prove that statement obviously.

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

LPT is a moving target because while you try to improve, you're also lowering the bar. You don't know whether you're actually getting better or your opponents are getting weaker.

This is so true and why the jury is still out on Stoops and last year's 5-win season. Would UK have gotten to 5 wins if Franklin had stuck around another year? Florida and SC both had some of their worst teams in recent memory. It's the same old story with UK. They only ever seem to get better when others get worse. How many bowls does Brooks go to if UofL hadn't gotten much worse under Kragthorpe?

Obviously no answers to these questions but they're the backdrop for UK's program in the big picture.

 

[zipp]

Zipp, I agree with you in general. However, our 2013 teams wouldn't beat South Carolina last year, nor would they have played Florida to 3 OTs. No facts or way to prove that statement obviously.

The 2013 LPT team played Carolina as tough as last year's team did, losing by 7 points at Columbia. In both games, LPT was outgunned statistically, but that's the way the breaks go in football. The 2013 Florida team was coming off an excellent year in 2012 when they were a couple plays away from playing for the national championship. Last year's Florida team was a dumpster fire, relatively speaking, that cost Muschamp his job.

I'm not a critic of optimism per se, but I don't give into its temptations. You'll see me on the basketball board talking DOWN what I consider to be misplaced optimism at this point about Onuaku. You need to show someone objective, irrefutable results before running your mouth. LPT football ain't nearly there yet.

LPT Football: We can't wait that long...

 

[CardFan1130]

UK FOOTBALL: WE'LL GET BETTER IF YOU'LL GET WORSE

 

[Bill Derington]

Sure it did. But I don't recall people talking about dramatic improvement vs. 2012 as LPT fans like yourself are doing.

At best, you can say you're hopeful what you saw last year was legit improvement. But that because of the difference in the schedules, the actual results at this point are inconclusive. Without that caveat, you're just being blindly optimistic.

LPT Football: So what else is new?...

You're putting words in my mouth. I never said dramatic improvement, I said they improved from the previous year, and they did.
I don't know what kind of coach Stoops will be, the jury is still out. But he has shown that he can get more talent than his predecessors. What he does with that remains to be seen.
To move UK to the next level they've got to win some games they aren't supposed to. They've got to take a few chances in games. Calculated chances.
I loved Rich Brooks, but there were a couple of times in 2007 and 2008 he played way to conservative when he should've taken a risk. Could've been a 8 or 9 win season.

 

[mwatson61]

You're putting words in my mouth. I never said dramatic improvement, I said they improved from the previous year, and they did.
I don't know what kind of coach Stoops will be, the jury is still out. But he has shown that he can get more talent than his predecessors. What he does with that remains to be seen.
To move UK to the next level they've got to win some games they aren't supposed to. They've got to take a few chances in games. Calculated chances.
I loved Rich Brooks, but there were a couple of times in 2007 and 2008 he played way to conservative when he should've taken a risk. Could've been a 8 or 9 win season.

Would've, could've, should've, UK's rallying cry for decades. Having said that, UK might have made a great hire in Stoops. This year will be the year they either truthfully turn the corner or the natives will no doubt get restless.

 

[zipp]

You're putting words in my mouth. I never said dramatic improvement, I said they improved from the previous year, and they did...

Without regard to how games were played and your competition, you're clearly equating improvement to number of games won. And I don't think you'd deny that. The question is how significant was your improvement on that basis?

Here's a list that puts you among the nation's biggest improving teams.

If you're among the nation's best, I'd call it "dramatic" on that basis. I'd also call it--and have called it--inconclusive.

LPT Football: You need to stop arguing with 'zipp'...

 

[Bill Derington]

Without regard to how games were played and your competition, you're clearly equating improvement to number of games won. And I don't think you'd deny that. The question is how significant was your improvement on that basis?

Here's a list that puts you among the nation's biggest improving teams.

If you're among the nation's best, I'd call it "dramatic" on that basis. I'd also call it--and have called it--inconclusive.

LPT Football: You need to stop arguing with 'zipp'...

I agree with you, I just didn't say it was a dramatic improvement. Incremental improvement is what I'd call it.

We're heading into year 3 with stoops,all I have to look at is what he's done since he got to UK. To this point he's heading in the right direction.

 

[Cardfan1963]

Going back to the original post, had me wondering. Has any school in history ever paid that kind of money to enlarge a stadium, only to shrink it a few years later? Then you still have to sit on bleachers.

 

[zipp]

Someone who knows can comment... I'm curious what the long term trend has been in their season ticket sales, going back as far as 20 years. Now, it's close to 40,000. Remember the old LPT slogan 70,000 strong? Can't believe they weren't well above 40,000 at one time.

That's the best indicator of support for their football program. Can you imagine if U of L football ticket sales were in long term DECLINE?

LPT Football: Basketball starts too early...

 

[SpotHogCard]

I agree with you, I just didn't say it was a dramatic improvement. Incremental improvement is what I'd call it.

We're heading into year 3 with stoops,all I have to look at is what he's done since he got to UK. To this point he's heading in the right direction.

Yep, he sure is.

Aug. 30, 2014 Tennessee Martin W 59-14 1-0
Sept. 6, 2014 Ohio W 20-3 2-0
Sept. 13, 2014 at Florida L 36-30 2-1 (0-1)
Sept. 27, 2014 Vanderbilt W 17-7 3-1 (1-1)
Oct. 4, 2014 South Carolina W 45-38 4-1 (2-1)
Oct. 11, 2014 ULM W 48-14 5-1
Oct. 18, 2014 at LSU L 41-3 5-2 (2-2)
Oct. 25, 2014 Miss. State L 45-31 5-3 (2-3)
Nov. 1, 2014 at Missouri L 20-10 5-4 (2-4)
Nov. 8, 2014 Georgia L 63-31 5-5 (2-5)
Nov. 15, 2014 at Tennessee L 50-16 5-6 (2-6)
Nov. 29, 2014 at Louisville L 44-40 5-7

 

[Bill Derington]

So you don't think UK is any better than when Stoops got there? The program isn't recruiting better, identifying talent better, winning more games?

I understand not rooting for UK, but it's not a quick fix issue. They aren't going to go straight from the bottom to the top.

 

[SpotHogCard]

So you don't think UK is any better than when Stoops got there? The program isn't recruiting better, identifying talent better, winning more games?

I understand not rooting for UK, but it's not a quick fix issue. They aren't going to go straight from the bottom to the top.

6 STRAIGHT losses say no.

 

[Bill Derington]

6 STRAIGHT losses say no.

Ok, so if they hadve had Vandy at the end Of the year or snuck out the Louisville game it would've made things different?
Surely you realize how hard it is to turn football around compared to other sports

 

[CardFan1130]

So you don't think UK is any better than when Stoops got there? The program isn't recruiting better, identifying talent better, winning more games?

I understand not rooting for UK, but it's not a quick fix issue. They aren't going to go straight from the bottom to the top.

Actually Stopps' first 2 years are the same as Joker's last 2. Pretty much just as many utter blowouts where big Blue rolled over and played dead offering little resistance. You're hanging your hats on another moral victory to end the season. We tried to hand you that game and you still wouldn't take it

 

[Bill Derington]

No they aren't the same. I know damn well whether you want to admit it or not that UK had bottomed out at the end of Jokers tenure.
Stoops pieced together a class his first year, and finished exactly the same as Jokers last year. Then last year they won 5 games, which is an improvement.
I'm not saying UK is going to come out as some juggernaut this year, but there's reason for the fans to be excited.
If UK was a stock, I'd probably hold what I've got now. There seems to be movement, but I need to see more. I'd do the exact same with Louisville, but be more tempted to buy simply because I know Petrino is a good coach.

The team I would be all over is Arkansas. Bielema is building a team that can win anywhere there. And he's doing it on the line of scrimmage. That's where games are won and lost. Big uglies and lots of them.

 

[CardFan1130]

So those last 6 games weren't any kind of "bottoming out"? That was as awful as any stretch of games under Joker. Worse even.

 

[CardFan1130]

I been hearing that same "reason to be excited" crap for 40 years.

UK Football: We're Better Than We Were Under Joker!

 

[Bill Derington]

So those last 6 games weren't any kind of "bottoming out"?

no, it sucked and I believe cost UK some good recruits. But looking at the whole picture of the season the team improved from the previous year.

They need depth, depth, depth. The line man must have rest, and you need more than warm bodies to win at the P5 level. I'm hopeful that with the red shirts coming in and true freshmen that gained experience and strength the team will continue to improve.

 

[CardFan1130]

Dare I say it? Bigger, stronger, faster! Why is it that your red shirts and freshmen are always better than the players they're replacing? Always, without fail.

 

[CardFan1130]

But looking at the whole picture of the season the team improved from the previous year.

Where? Not getting blown out by Vandy?

 

[Bill Derington]

Where? Not getting blown out by Vandy?

That's always a plus. They played good the first half of the season, they had some let downs when they got to murderers row. But with a young team in rebuild mode I'll take it. I also was pleased they played Louisville tough, I was honestly expecting it to get ugly. That's meant as a compliment to you guys.

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

UK's record improved but that's not the same as actual improvement of the team.

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

So those last 6 games weren't any kind of "bottoming out"? That was as awful as any stretch of games under Joker. Worse even.

UK fans are so quick to gloss over the horrible losses to hurry up and get to the moral victories.

 

[Pervis_Griffith]

Bill Derrington seems to be a pretty reasonable Cat fan. And more respectful here than many others that have posted (or tried to post) here.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in his belief in his team. Despite it's history, he is entitled to his belief in his team, and his coach.

And who knows. Maybe he'll wind up being right. UK is in the right division of the SEC. Vandy is in rebuilding mode. USC appears to be waning. Mizzou is hit or miss. Tennessee, Georgia and Florida aren't Alabama, LSU or Auburn.


I'd be concerned that my head coach, who came in as a defensive coordinator, hasn't shown any improvement on that side of the ball in the two years he's been here. By comparison, when Charlie Strong took over, our defense showed immediate improvement, and in it's second year was even better. Sure the offense was a struggle bus. But at least we saw a team that played in the image of it's coach. And it gave us all kinds of optimism. And in time, our offense played well enough to do some great things.

My bearish outlook for UK is based on this -- Stoops' inability to show improvement in his D. It makes me wonder if he can develop players he recruits.

But maybe I'm wrong. And in year 3, we'll see signs that UK has improved.

Time will tell.

 

[beantowncard]

Sure it did. But I don't recall people talking about dramatic improvement vs. 2012 as LPT fans like yourself are doing.

At best, you can say you're hopeful what you saw last year was legit improvement. But that because of the difference in the schedules, the actual results at this point are inconclusive. Without that caveat, you're just being blindly optimistic.

LPT Football: So what else is new?...

I agree with you, I just didn't say it was a dramatic improvement. Incremental improvement is what I'd call it.

We're heading into year 3 with stoops,all I have to look at is what he's done since he got to UK. To this point he's heading in the right direction.

Bill, we are not going to ban you. We like the back and forth, really. Catspazz is different. I've been banned for the mildest argument that doesn't fall into the big blue line. You're welcome here.

 

[Bill Derington]

Bill, we are not going to ban you. We like the back and forth, really. Catspazz is different. I've been banned for the mildest argument that doesn't fall into the big blue line. You're welcome here.

Thanks, I try to be respectful because I honestly enjoy talking college sports. i want UK to win as badly as you guys want Louisville to win, but in the end it's just entertainment. I didn't always feel like that, but life has a way of left g you see what's really important.

 

[Bill Derington]

The schedule is one reason why I think UK could make another step up this year.
They've got 8 home games, must take advantage of that, time will tell.

 

[CardFan1130]

Bill Derrington seems to be a pretty reasonable Cat fan. And more respectful here than many others that have posted (or tried to post) here.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in his belief in his team. Despite it's history, he is entitled to his belief in his team, and his coach.

And who knows. Maybe he'll wind up being right. UK is in the right division of the SEC. Vandy is in rebuilding mode. USC appears to be waning. Mizzou is hit or miss. Tennessee, Georgia and Florida aren't Alabama, LSU or Auburn.


I'd be concerned that my head coach, who came in as a defensive coordinator, hasn't shown any improvement on that side of the ball in the two years he's been here. By comparison, when Charlie Strong took over, our defense showed immediate improvement, and in it's second year was even better. Sure the offense was a struggle bus. But at least we saw a team that played in the image of it's coach. And it gave us all kinds of optimism. And in time, our offense played well enough to do some great things.

My bearish outlook for UK is based on this -- Stoops' inability to show improvement in his D. It makes me wonder if he can develop players he recruits.

But maybe I'm wrong. And in year 3, we'll see signs that UK has improved.

Time will tell.

Missouri is "hit or miss"? They've won the league 2 of 3 yrs and destroyed the Cats in all 3. Yet the still count them as a sure win

 

[CardFan1130]

The schedule is one reason why I think UK could make another step up this year.
They've got 8 home games, must take advantage of that, time will tell.

When has CWS ever been a real home field advantage?

 

[zipp]

...I also was pleased they played Louisville tough, I was honestly expecting it to get ugly. That's meant as a compliment to you guys.

Bill's fine. BUT he appears to be afflicted by the typical LPT fan myopia. Case in point...

The 2005 LPT team "played Louisville tough" in losing 31-24, a game that U of L was somewhat fortunate to win. However, the very next year, U of L drilled LPT by 31 points. Both of those games were coached by Pappaw Brooks, one of their icons, so that wasn't the issue.

The issue is a close, moral victory means next to nothing. Lord knows LPT has had many of those in series dominated by the likes of Florida and Tennessee. Programs vastly superior to you occasionally play you closer than they should.

Stupes has shown nothing in the most important aspect of the game, in-game coaching. At least nothing better than what has been at LPT for many years. Until that changes, the losses will continue.

LPT Football: Can we talk about recruiting?...

 

[Bill Derington]

Of course I'm hopeful UK will improve, and I'm sure I see things differently than a Louisville fan does.
Aren't you guys hopeful this season will be better for Louisville? I could say the same things that you are.
Louisville had 10 nfl players yet finished 9-4. We're thoroughly beat down by Florida st, struggled against UK, and dismantled by Georgia.
Really you looked no better against Georgia than we did, yet we only lost 2 players to the nfl.
What makes you think Louisville will even get close to the same record?
You start off with Auburn who is one of the best teams I. The nation supposedly this year. Why do you expect anything other than a beat down?
I'm hopeful just like you are that the coaches in place are the right hire, and I believe they are. I don't think UK is going to challenge for the East this year, but I believe they have momentum and are building on it.

 

[mwatson61]

Of course I'm hopeful UK will improve, and I'm sure I see things differently than a Louisville fan does.
Aren't you guys hopeful this season will be better for Louisville? I could say the same things that you are.
Louisville had 10 nfl players yet finished 9-4. We're thoroughly beat down by Florida st, struggled against UK, and dismantled by Georgia.
Really you looked no better against Georgia than we did, yet we only lost 2 players to the nfl.
What makes you think Louisville will even get close to the same record?
You start off with Auburn who is one of the best teams I. The nation supposedly this year. Why do you expect anything other than a beat down?
I'm hopeful just like you are that the coaches in place are the right hire, and I believe they are. I don't think UK is going to challenge for the East this year, but I believe they have momentum and are building on it.

We do not expect a beat down because our coaches and players don't expect a beat down. Unlike UK, it's not in our DNA.

 

[Bill Derington]

Thats what you're banking on? Good luck with that

 

[Senore2006]

Thats what you're banking on? Good luck with that

UofL lost 6 players to the NFL - including 3 first round draft picks originally all recruited as QB's the year before we lost our 10 to the NFL last season. One of the players drafted last season was Sample - a one year transfer who replaced a first round draft pick, Pryor. So that's 16 players lost to the NFL over the past 2 years. By your criterion, we should't have a chance. Not a chance in Hell.

Are you saying UofL won't produce more draft picks this season? Because we expect that as well, owing to the dictates of history and our experience in seeing players upgraded to the surprise of star ratings moguls. In fact, Petrino has been a past master at this during his times here......the 59th ranked recruiting class of 2003 was retroactively graded as the #9 class in America.

Petrino's last QB at Western Kentucky led the nation in passing last season following a really odd year in his first experience as a starter, including a 7 interception game, lol.

This season will be our collective QB's second year as players, all 3 of them. The knowledge of the system required have been integrated and an entire off season spent in study and commitment. Meanwhile, UK is transitioning in a new a OC - a fact which UK fans apparently have no idea the relevance of.

The schedule is a bear this season for Louisville - hugely front-loaded with national power teams. The challenge for us is definitely not UK - but the early occasions will demand some serious gut checking. My expectations for the UK game are to present a very seasoned team - barring insane numbers of injuries - with the experience of having faced a meat grinder schedule and, probably, losing 2-3 of them. I have to believe UK is in some serious trouble in that ball game.

 

[batlou]

Of course I'm hopeful UK will improve, and I'm sure I see things differently than a Louisville fan does.
Aren't you guys hopeful this season will be better for Louisville? I could say the same things that you are.
Louisville had 10 nfl players yet finished 9-4. We're thoroughly beat down by Florida st, struggled against UK, and dismantled by Georgia.
Really you looked no better against Georgia than we did, yet we only lost 2 players to the nfl.
What makes you think Louisville will even get close to the same record?
You start off with Auburn who is one of the best teams I. The nation supposedly this year. Why do you expect anything other than a beat down?
I'm hopeful just like you are that the coaches in place are the right hire, and I believe they are. I don't think UK is going to challenge for the East this year, but I believe they have momentum and are building on it.

I would agree that Georgia handled us pretty well. Suggesting that we were "thoroughly beat down" by FSU when we had the lead with 5 minutes left is silly. Statistically, there was not a ton of difference in that game. No question UL made mistakes against UK and looking at the Stats would suggest it should not have been nearly that close. 17 of UK's points were scored as a direct result of turnovers (Pick 6, Fumble for 6 and a FG after another Interception).

 

[zipp]

Of course I'm hopeful UK will improve, and I'm sure I see things differently than a Louisville fan does...

Louisville had 10 nfl players yet finished 9-4. We're thoroughly beat down by Florida st, struggled against UK, and dismantled by Georgia.

Really you looked no better against Georgia than we did, yet we only lost 2 players to the nfl...

It's not an issue of hope. You have to look at things more analytically. As batlou commented, the FSU game wasn't a "beatdown". And the UGA games played by U of L and LPT were not the same. The yardage in the LPT game was 559-353 (difference of 206). Georgia never punted. It was a 32-point game at the end of three quarters.

The yardage in the U of L game with UGA was 492-376 (diff. of 116). It was a 13-point game at the end of three quarters.

You can gloss over facts and simply hope. I do neither. U of L will probably finish 8-4 or 9-3 this year, but I'll be rooting like hell to do better. And obviously, there will be a win over LPT because Petrino ain't losing that game.

LPT Football: Yeah, we're aware of that...

 

[Bill Derington]

Lol Zipp, UGA manhandled Louisville.
That vaunted run defense was exposed for what it was.
The second half of the FSU game, when they decided to show up, Louisville got blitzed. That is a fact.

Games are played for 4 quarters not 3, and I believe Chubb ran for a freshman record against Louisville, eclipsing Herschel Walker.

The point is that you're refusing to acknowledge is that UK and Louisville are very close. You lost 10 nfl players, 10! Yet the great Petrino could only squeak out a win against UK on your home field no less.
Forgive me I'm a little more hopeful this year.
You had a good team last year no doubt, but when you played decent teams you struggled, it's ok. You just better get used to it as there aren't many cupcakes in the ACC.