By Matt Jones

CoachCal.com Contributor

The closing moments of the game Monday night in Rupp Arena reminded me of some of the great nights we have seen over the years: Close game. . . tension-filled. . .both teams playing hard. . . and a magical ending that sees the Cats win at the end. You could have closed your eyes and imagined it was Louisville in 1987, LSU in 1990 or Florida in 2009, with all the energy present in the storied building throughout the game’s last minutes. 

However it wasn’t against any of those teams, it was against Miami (OH), and thus some fans were a little grumpy on Tuesday.  A couple of fans sent me emails with lines like How are we going to beat anyone if we allow so many open threes?” and This team is overrated, you can write that down!” (I just did, even if I don’t believe it.) While I understand where the frustration expressed by these fans comes from (their unbridled passion), I think it is a bit misplaced. In the end, following Kentucky basketball is supposed to be fun, not an arduous task that leaves us miserable.  This team is good and is going to be VERY good, but to get there, we may see some bumps on the road. . . and yes — GASP! — the occasional loss. While the end result will almost certainly be positive, there could be some valleys during the year, and we must prepare ourselves for that.

With this in mind and my never-ending desire to keep my fellow fans content, I have come up with Matt’s Five Tips to Help You Enjoy this Season,” no matter whether the team is at its peak or in a valley.

1.  Appreciate Patrick Patterson

When I look back at my 30 years of fandom, a couple of players stick out as my personal favorites:  Richie Farmer for his moustache, Derek Anderson for his post-dunk dances and Jamaal Magloire for his attitude. Now, all of these former greats need to scoot over a bit and make room for Patterson to share space. We all know Patrick’s talent on the floor and he has been the rock for this program over the last two years. But as good of a player as he is, he is even a better person. He represents what is great about college basketball and this is your chance to embrace it and appreciate him on a very good team. Don’t waste that chance pouting over missed shots or poor execution. He will be a huge factor for this squad.

2.  Watch for a John Calipari Hair to Find Its Way Out of Place

When a team is struggling, it can be very difficult to watch the actual plays in front of you. If a random player is lighting up Rupp Arena like he was a Crispin Brother — Hello, Nick Winbush! —  we sometimes might need to look for a distraction off of the court. For me, that distraction is to follow the personal appearances of those around the game. While you might not be fortunate enough to sit in a position where you can examine Alan Cutler’s moustache, you will get plenty of chances to see Calipari on the screen. When you do glimpse Cal, chances are his hair will be in perfect condition and will not have moved. But I am betting that at some point, some follicle will find itself having been shuffled away from its normal spot. That will be an exciting moment and if you are the first one to spot it, then you will be a hero in your game-watching group.

3.  Learn the Team Nicknames and Use Them More in Everyday — and Game – Conversation

Did you know that Josh Harrellson likes the name Jorts”, given because of his propensity to wear jean shorts?  How about the fact that DeMarcus Cousins would like to be called Boogie”?  With Perry Stevenson coming off the bench and scoring points, isn’t the term Microwave” good, for the way he heats up upon entry? Nicknames are a part of what makes a great team even greater. I still remember the day I termed the 7 foot duo of Shagari Alleyne and Woo Obrzut, Shaggy and Scooby Woo.” It was a monumental moment brought to me by the wonder of nicknames. I wish you the same happiness.

4.  Figure Out Appropriate Comparisons Between Current and Former Players, Plays or Moments

One of the great things about watching games with my grandfather back in the day was that the way things unfolded was always a reminder for him of something that had happened before. If Jamal Mashburn made a great play, it was just an excuse for my grandfather to say, Well, you should have seen what Louie Dampier once did in a similar situation.” For my grandfather, all players were links to the past and I loved listening to him tell stories about the older guys and how the newer ones invoked plays or players of the past. Now I am older and with that age gain, I have picked up that and other old man” qualities (like thinking every player travels AND carries on most possessions). Thus when I see Cousins, I think Turpin. . .when I see Patterson, I think Hayes. . .when I see Krebs, I wonder if he can be Cameron. You do the same thing, and that connection to the past gives games deeper meaning. Down 18 to Miami? Just remember when we were down 17 at Vandy in 2003 and think, We won that one, we can win this one too.

5.  Appreciate the Moments You Will Remember Forever

You remember where you were when Rex Chapman broke out against Louisville his freshman year?  What about when Walter McCarty hit the shot to take the lead on LSU after the 1995 comeback?  Or when Patrick Sparks got fouled and hit the free throws heard ‘round the Bluegrass? Those are moments that any self-respecting UK fan can not only remember, but feels were an important part of his or her life.  Well guess what? Those moments are happening now and you don’t want your pathetic worrying to cause you to miss them. 

Here is a secret: John Wall has a chance to be one of the best EVER to play the point guard position — that is real talk. You just watched his first ever college game in which he hit the game winning shot and introduced himself officially to the world. That is the stuff LEGENDS are made of. 

Would you rather remember that, or the fact that you were frustrated that the Cats didn’t close out on three point shooters? Come on, People!

One day when the careers of Wall, Patterson, Cousins and the others are remembered — when you are playing the role of my grandfather to some whipper-snapper — it will be these moments that will become memories for a lifetime. Don’t waste them by worrying about the small stuff. 

You don’t remember what happened before Cedric Jenkins’ tip, Tayshaun’s baby hook or Erik Daniels’ Mississippi State follow, and in the long run, you won’t remember these worries either. 

So there you go, a few suggestions to make this season a bit easier on you as a fan. We as the Big Blue Nation are beyond excited. There is a collective enthusiasm that is unlike anything I have experienced in my years of following the team. 

Let us harness that excitement and not waste it with negativity or unreasonable expectations. There will be bad moments, but the good is going to far outweigh the bad. Keep that in perspective, and you will enjoy more fully the year that brings Kentucky basketball back to the top of the mountain yet again.

-CC-

Matt Jones is the founder and genius behind Kentucky Sports Radio. He is a regular contributor to CoachCal.com