Can anyone tell me why Sparks set the entire second half?

**imported_torQQue** · 02-09-2006, 02:29 AM

I know Lofton put a couple in his eye. But Lofton also put a couple in Rondos eye too.. Rondo made some bad choices all night long and was never benched.

Why bench the best shooter and passer on your team in such a big game?

This move really upset me.

Does anyone really know why Sparks was benched the entire second half???

**alfus21** · 02-09-2006, 03:07 AM

Got into it with David Hobbs best I can tell, then said something to Tubby and from that point on Tubby just gave him the look and didn't put him back in...I think Tubby wanted to show who the boss of the team was, and that no single player is above the rest of the team...

**15thRegionCrazy** · 02-09-2006, 05:10 AM

What did Sparks have on his right arm? Was it something because of an injury?

sportwhiz · 02-09-2006, 09:03 AM

Sparks was also way too slow to guard either of UT's very quick guards. He also couldn't get open for any looks.

UKGIRL20 · 02-09-2006, 01:29 PM

Sparks hurts the team in most cases more than he helps them. He is flat out having a horrible year all together yeah he has had one or two nice games but all together this year it's pitiful. He seems lost 99% percent of the time, or more like he doesn't have the fire he had in him last year.

youngguns99 · 02-09-2006, 03:20 PM

Its pretty simple. Tubby Smith is not a good coach. The best thing that could happen to UK is for them to keep losing so that they will get rid of Tubby. He is destroying the UK name. For example, Lofton wanted to go to UK but the wonderful Tubby said he was not good enough. Stupid!!!!

**alfus21** · 02-09-2006, 03:33 PM

"youngguns99" Wrote:Its pretty simple. Tubby Smith is not a good coach. The best thing that could happen to UK is for them to keep losing so that they will get rid of Tubby. He is destroying the UK name. For example, Lofton wanted to go to UK but the wonderful Tubby said he was not good enough. Stupid!!!!

That's ridiculous and sad to hope UK keeps losing...If Kentucky can survive the years last few years of Sutton and Pitino's first year, Kentucky can get through one bad season in an era of basketball where anybody can beat anybody on any given night..

As for Lofton..I'm about out of breath saying this but,

Chris Lofton - NR (Not ranked-no star recruit) Not recruited by Kentucky or Louisville...Tennessee got a diamond in the rough there..Nobody could have ever predicted he was going to do that...So get over that...

However Tubby got the following in last years class:

Rajon Rondo: 5 Star PG, 5th Ranked PG of class....
Randolph Morris: 5 Star C, 2nd Ranked C of class...
Joe Crawford: 5 Star SG/F, 2nd Ranked SG of class...
Ramel Bradley: 3 Star SG, 20th Ranked SG of class...
Patrick Sparks: Proven SG out of Western Kentucky that most would have loved to have at the time...

Where exactly would Lofton fit in, with three 5 Star recruits, a highly ranked 3 star, and a high profile transfer? This was a top 10 class for Kentucky and Lofton wasn't even a ranked player...Tubby would have taken him, but had no schollies to offer him...Looks like a top notch recruiting class for Tubby here is it not?

Next year Tubby has three highly profiled 4 Star recruits including the #8 SG in the nation Meeks, #15 ranked PF in the nation, and oh yeah, the #5 PG in the country is coming to UK next year...Not to mention the fact that UK might land 6'10 C/F Phil Jones....

So obviously Tubby Smith wasn't the only person to miss Lofton..Pitino didn't make any room for either, nor did Cinci...I don't recall Smith saying Lofton wasn't good enough to come to UK but there just wasn't any room at the time...

Horse Head · 02-09-2006, 03:34 PM

He wins 20 ever year
But i will say he is not doing his job this year he is in way over his head

**alfus21** · 02-09-2006, 03:37 PM

He actually averages 26 wins per year at UK, this is just an off year and most coaches are having them such as Lute Olsen at Arizona, Boheim at Syracuse, Prosser at Wake Forest, and even the great Pitino at Louisville...Teams go through tough years, and almost always recover...UK will be fine...

Horse Head · 02-09-2006, 04:06 PM

yea i know i was talking to yg99

**imported_torQQue** · 02-09-2006, 05:35 PM

"sportwhiz" Wrote:Sparks was also way too slow to guard either of UT's very quick guards. He also couldn't get open for any looks.

Did you know that Lofton done all his damage when Sparks was sitting.

No one on this team could guard him. Rondo can create his on looks. But he make them.

I think he should of set Rondo.

Mr. Norris · 02-09-2006, 08:35 PM

"alfus21" Wrote:He actually averages 26 wins per year at UK, this is just an off year and most coaches are having them such as Lute Olsen at Arizona, Boheim at Syracuse, Prosser at Wake Forest, and even the great Pitino at Louisville...Teams go through tough years, and almost always recover...UK will be fine...

He schedules garbage every year pretty much and then the conference games, up until the past couple years the SEC has been overall a week basketball conference.

BTW, for Kentucky has been down for us since '98. We're supposed to make the Final Four, that joker of a coach we have now can't get us to that point. How about the year we were supposed to win it all and got put out by... UAB. Don't tell me no program can expect to go to the Final Four every year. I understand that's pretty much impossible but we as UK fans, expect what is supposed to be the greatest basketball program in the nation to look good tournament time.

Mr. Norris · 02-09-2006, 08:40 PM

"UKGIRL20" Wrote:Sparks hurts the team in most cases more than he helps them. He is flat out having a horrible year all together yeah he has had one or two nice games but all together this year it's pitiful. He seems lost 99% percent of the time, or more like he doesn't have the fire he had in him last year.

:BigLaugh:
I must ask you something... do you know what color UK's uniforms are? You obviously don't watch their games to say something like that. If you were just making a joke then it was a pretty good one, if you were being serious when you made that, :lmao: .

**alfus21** · 02-09-2006, 08:51 PM

"Mr. Norris" Wrote:He schedules garbage every year pretty much and then the conference games, up until the past couple years the SEC has been overall a week basketball conference.

BTW, for Kentucky has been down for us since '98. We're supposed to make the Final Four, that joker of a coach we have now can't get us to that point. How about the year we were supposed to win it all and got put out by... UAB. Don't tell me no program can expect to go to the Final Four every year. I understand that's pretty much impossible but we as UK fans, expect what is supposed to be the greatest basketball program in the nation to look good tournament time.

Garbage Schedule?? I honestly hope you're joking because ever since Tubby Smith became coach his strength of schedule with the exception of this year is ALWAYS in the top 10....

What's the difference between going to the final four and an elite eight appearance? Because last time I checked they're both the same, because all that matters is a championship..I don't understand this fascination with a final four...

Horse Head · 02-09-2006, 08:58 PM

ygg99 is a duke fan.

Mr. Norris · 02-09-2006, 09:37 PM

"alfus21" Wrote:Garbage Schedule?? I honestly hope you're joking because ever since Tubby Smith became coach his strength of schedule with the exception of this year is ALWAYS in the top 10....

What's the difference between going to the final four and an elite eight appearance? Because last time I checked they're both the same, because all that matters is a championship..I don't understand this fascination with a final four...

Earlier this season we started out with...South Dakota State, Lipscomb, Liberty, High Point, a North Carolina team that lost 98% of its scoring last year, Georgia State, Indiana, Louisville(we thought might be good but...no), Iona, Ohio, UCF, then got killed by Kansas. That's most of this seasons earlier games and if you don't think most of that is some easy scheduling then you might want to remove your head from Tubby's rear and smell the roses.:Thumbs:

cash money · 02-09-2006, 10:20 PM

sparks is really slow there is no way he could have gaurded lofton he is just to quick // but most of the time he helps them on o

**alfus21** · 02-09-2006, 10:37 PM

"Mr. Norris" Wrote:Earlier this season we started out with...South Dakota State, Lipscomb, Liberty, High Point, a North Carolina team that lost 98% of its scoring last year, Georgia State, Indiana, Louisville(we thought might be good but...no), Iona, Ohio, UCF, then got killed by Kansas. That's most of this seasons earlier games and if you don't think most of that is some easy scheduling then you might want to remove your head from Tubby's rear and smell the roses.:Thumbs:

I never said this schedule was tough, I said in the past Tubby's schedule's have been top 10 in the Strength of Schedule category...

Tubby didn't know UNC was going to lose 98% of their scoring when they signed a contract like 3 years ago so that couldn't be helped...Indiana is a top 15 team, Louisville was ranked 4th when we played them, Kansas is a traditional powerhouse and was when the contract to play them was signed..Iowa is a great team, West Virginia is a top 10 team...Doesn't seem too bad to me when I look at it now...

ZMG · 02-09-2006, 10:42 PM

I would like to add that Kyle Macy also passed on Lofton.

Mr. Norris · 02-09-2006, 11:13 PM

"alfus21" Wrote:I never said this schedule was tough, I said in the past Tubby's schedule's have been top 10 in the Strength of Schedule category...

Tubby didn't know UNC was going to lose 98% of their scoring when they signed a contract like 3 years ago so that couldn't be helped...Indiana is a top 15 team, Louisville was ranked 4th when we played them, Kansas is a traditional powerhouse and was when the contract to play them was signed..Iowa is a great team, West Virginia is a top 10 team...Doesn't seem too bad to me when I look at it now...

You made a point to say that Tubby averages 26 wins a year so I made a point that he schedules some junk teams.

Just because he didn't know NC would lose 98% of its scoring doesn't change the fact that they did and they're bad this year. Louisville ever being ranked was a fluke... they hadn't played any competition. Iowa is a pretty good team and WV is a good team, still can't believe we won that, Kansas isn't that great this year, and yes Indiana is a pretty good team but that still leaves like 10 teams that were pretty much gimme's.

Super_de · 02-10-2006, 12:52 AM

"Mr. Norris" Wrote:You made a point to say that Tubby averages 26 wins a year so I made a point that he schedules some junk teams.

Just because he didn't know NC would lose 98% of its scoring doesn't change the fact that they did and they're bad this year. Louisville ever being ranked was a fluke... they hadn't played any competition. Iowa is a pretty good team and WV is a good team, still can't believe we won that, Kansas isn't that great this year, and yes Indiana is a pretty good team but that still leaves like 10 teams that were pretty much gimme's.

Kansas is havin a good year with there players there having? nc is ranked in the top 25 or was before the duke loss. And Iowa tied for lead in the big 10. Wv Leading the big east . A Team that uk beat and Wv is a leading team of the 16 team power confrence. And plus the smaller schools tubby was obviously trying to get some cofidence for his team.

Mr. Norris · 02-10-2006, 01:11 AM

"Super_de" Wrote:Kansas is havin a good year with there players there having? nc is ranked in the top 25 or was before the duke loss. And Iowa tied for lead in the big 10. Wv Leading the big east . A Team that uk beat and Wv is a leading team of the 16 team power confrence. And plus the smaller schools tubby was obviously trying to get some cofidence for his team.

You just made the same arguement that Alfus did. Yea, those are a few good teams but I stated a fact to show that UK's win total was in large part to some of the team they played. Kansas and Indiana are pretty good and they killed us, as did Vandy and they're not that good. NC handed us a whoopin' and they're no longer ranked, I don't reckon atleast. The only impressive game this season IMO was us beating WV.

sub0cool · 02-10-2006, 01:16 AM

"Mr. Norris" Wrote:You just made the same arguement that Alfus did. Yea, those are a few good teams but I stated a fact to show that UK's win total was in large part to some of the team they played. Kansas and Indiana are pretty good and they killed us, as did Vandy and they're not that good. NC handed us a whoopin' and they're no longer ranked, I don't reckon atleast. The only impressive game this season IMO was us beating WV.

YEAH!!!

**alfus21** · 02-10-2006, 02:48 AM

"Mr. Norris" Wrote:You just made the same arguement that Alfus did. Yea, those are a few good teams but I stated a fact to show that UK's win total was in large part to some of the team they played. Kansas and Indiana are pretty good and they killed us, as did Vandy and they're not that good. NC handed us a whoopin' and they're no longer ranked, I don't reckon atleast. The only impressive game this season IMO was us beating WV.

All teams have cupcakes on their schedule even Duke, UCONN, Florida, etc...They all play crap teams quite a few times during the season...UK is consistantly in the top 10 in Strength of Schedule, so I don't know why you dont understand that...It's not hard to understand...The year they went 32-4 a couple seasons ago they had the #1 strength of schedule and the #1 RPI...