Pete Koutoulas

It’s been a long time between posts. I guess it’s time for an update since a lot has happened with the UK basketball program in the past year!

The Tubby Smith era is now officially over at UK and the Billy Gillispie era begins. Count me among those who are very excited by the prospect of seeing new excitement generated in Rupp Arena. I really like our new coach. I think it was a great hire by Mitch Barnhart — as others have said, if he was looking for someone who is as nuts about basketball as UK fans are, he found his man.

Yet, I can’t help but feel sad at the departure of Tubby Smith and his lovely wife Donna. I don’t believe you will find a finer family anywhere. They are just good folks. And despite what some people think, Tubby’s record proves that his name belongs among the elite of college basketball coaches.

Yet it is obvious to anyone who has been watching closely that Tubby had slowed down in last few years. For whatever reason, the fire in his eyes was no longer there most of the time. And it showed up on the basketball court.

Maybe in the end the truth is that in this era of mega-buck college athletics where even so-called “mid major” programs are increasingly feeling the pressure to compete, 10 years is more than long enough to coach in the pressure cooker that is Kentucky basketball. Maybe everyone, including the Smiths, just needed a change of scenery.

At any rate, I will always be a fan of Orlando Tubby Smith. Here’s to you, coach. We sure do miss you in these parts.

Nice to see Tubby getting some recognition for his contributions to the game of college basketball. At least the folks in Tulsa know a great coach when they see one. Too bad so many UK fans are so spoiled that they can’t see what a positive influence Coach Smith has on the kids he coaches and on the entire community. And his coaching record isn’t too shabby, either.

UK’s Smith honored in Tulsa with Legacy Award

Just when you thought your state legislature had hit rock bottom.

One of our esteemed state representatives has proposed what she calls the “Chris Lofton resolution.” The resolution encourages Kentucky’s public universities to “recruit and offer scholarships to athletically and academically gifted students from Kentucky.”

Lofton, of course, is the star guard from Mason County who was named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball in 2004. He was not recruited by Kentucky, despite reports that he would have gladly accepted a scholarship to play for UK. Instead, Lofton wound up at Tennessee where he proved more than capable of competing in the SEC — to say the least.

But Lofton is the rare exception. (more…)

People who think that UK has slipped from national prominence in recent years should take a look at John Clay’s blog: Sidelines: Elite Eights. Clay points out that Kentucky is one of only four programs to have made it to the Elite Eight five times in the past ten years. (None of those is named Duke, by the way.)

And speaking of Duke, Clay also has a thing or two to say about the media darlings from Durham.

Funny how a little perspective tends to put things in… well, perspective.

As the dust settles on what was by UK standards a disappointing 2005-06 campaign, the attention now turns to the recruiting class that represents the Freshmen of 2006-07. Here’s a quick take.

Perry Stevenson: One-man Swat team!

I am excited about UK signee Perry Stevenson, a 6-9 power forward from Louisiana. Perry is a floor-running, shot-blocking crazy man! I can see him starting next year for the Cats. Perry is ranked 16 in the nation among power forwards in his class by scout.com.

One of the things missing from this year’s team was a true power forward. (more…)

For the first time since 1996, the SEC will comprise half of the Final Four. That is not only good for the Southeastern Conference, it is good for the University of Kentucky basketball program.

Obviously, it would have been much better for UK if one of those SEC teams was actually named “Wildcats.” But despite the urge to root against Florida with their chest-thumping, Tarzan-yelling star Freshman Joakim Noah, in the end I was happy the Gators won yesterday.

It was easier to pull for LSU. Despite a storied past when for at least a few years the Tigers rivaled UK for SEC supremacy, I find it much easier to pull for John Brady’s bunch.

The bottom line is, what is good for the SEC is generally good for UK. (more…)

I’m a bit annoyed that we as Christians seem to be more concerned with making statements than in practicing our faith as Jesus taught us to do. For instance, He clearly taught that prayer is essentially a private matter between an individual believer and God. He even warned against hypocrites who pray publicly in order to draw the attention of people.

So why do we expend so much energy fighting for the “right” to pray in public assemblies? (more…)

Today I will cash a $20 check from Chase Bank that will enroll me in their credit card protection program. I don’t want or need this service but since they were kind enough to send me 20 bucks just for giving it a 30-day ride, I figure I’ll take them up on it.

I guess I’m playing with snakes. By Dave Ramsey’s standards, I’m playing with snakes by just carrying a credit card. But I have many reasons for doing this and only a few of them have to do with personal finance.

I have been a credit abuser, an impulsive spender and basically a lousy steward of the resources I have been blessed with. (more…)

God’s soverignty or my free will? Am I a Calvinist or an Armenian? The truth is, I don’t know.

I know this topic stirs heated debate and I know we are not going to settle it here. But I need some scriptural handles to deal with this. For some reason at this season in my life I am really struggling with it.

I have two dear friends, both believers, who are diametrically opposed on this issue. One is all about “doing God’s business” acting as though if he lets up for one second the Kingdom will collapse. And he expects every other Christian to behave the same way. (more…)

I’m not real deep into theology, and I start getting lost when they break down God’s will into different types. (Perfect will, permissive will, etc.) All I can say is I believe we are totally free and yet God is completely in control.

I can’t tell you how that works. It makes no sense to our Western logical minds and yet the Bible says it is true.

The closest I have ever come to grasping it is to think of our lives in terms of quantum mechanics. Even a casual study of this branch of physics reveals many weird effects and oddities that defy common sense and logic. (more…)