Thanks a million for these comments from our players at SEC Media Days, Larry. Too, I’m hoping all of your readers read (pun intended) their words carefully and with much thought.

That’s because after experiencing losing (yes, now two consecutive losing seasons although I also well remember a HUGE win to end the 2011 season!), fans can tend to jump on a bandwagon of negativity and believe every negative statement they read or hear from one or another, and the negativity thus escalates — the story’s getting bigger and bigger with every telling, similar to a fish story. Everyone probably knows by now that I tend, instead, to emphasize the positives for I believe extreme negativity, particularly directed directly (pun intended) toward a head coach who is recruiting hard to make the program he loves better, is potentially harmful to our program. Anyway, the point is that I think it’s important to hear what comes, instead, right from “the horse’s mouth” Such has much more credibility with me than what this fan or that (including myself!) says.

So here are repeated words from our players, words about their head coach that speak loudly and positively in contrast to what we frequently read and hear (as, again, losing games results in a lot of gloom and misery and sometimes repetitions of negative inaccuracies), again in my humble opinion:

“He really knows how to get us motivated” (from Ukwu).

“He cares about the program and about us so much” (from Larry Warford).

“We love Coach Phillips, and I want him here forever” (from Matt Smith).

Then Warford’s additional words say best of all what some of us have been saying. There is no one who bleeds bluer than Joker. No one cares more about this program than he does. That’s just good for all of us to remember as we look at the big picture and as we read and hear some comments that don’t match what Warford, Smith, and Ukwu said yesterday. Anyway, here, again, are Warford’s words that reveal an advantage of having Joker at Kentucky (in contrast to some big name’s having some success and leaving for greener pastures) and his being successful here, besides a reason to show Joker more respect than readers at some sites (KSR, as mentioned by Gerry) show him:

“He eats, breathes, and sleeps Kentucky basketball. He cares so much about the program, and he shows it on the field with the intensity that he brings. It’s crazy how much he cares about this program, and we are better for it” (from Larry Warford).

So, again, Larry, thanks a million. Also, I particularly noticed your comment that Joker’s confidence “rubs off on his players.” I’ve said to my husband that while I loved Coach Rich Brooks, too, Joker’s confidence/optimism is, in my opinion, why we finally broke two horrid losing streaks — the one to South Carolina (and Spurrier) and then the 26-year-old one to UT, the latter while playing a quarterback who had never taken a snap and only threw three six passes the entire game. Joker got those guys BELIEVING they could beat UT, and they did it. Yes, that’s an advantage, too, and may that help this young, inexperienced team (with only eleven returning starters) that many experts are predicting not to win a single SEC game far surpass the expectations. Then our program will definitely “be the better for it,” using Warford’s words. May that happen!

Finally, thanks still again, Larry, and please forgive me for these few passionate and very lengthy posts in response to the SEC Media Days, but these words “from the horses’ mouths,” in my humble opinion, need to be remembered by us fans as we come closer and closer to another football season for our beloved program — and especially in the event if we (heaven forbid) begin the season with a loss to that program down the road. So now, while getting so fired up for Kentucky football and the upcoming season, I will try mostly to “shut my mouth” and continue to enjoy your pieces (smiley face)!!!