LIKE IT IS : Pelphrey’s true color now is Razorbacks red
Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008
Sometimes he does it on purpose, just for fun.
Several times this season John Pelphrey has worn a blue shirt to games. Of course, he has on some type of red tie.
“I get teased about the blue shirt,” he said a couple of weeks ago. “That’s why I wear one some of the time, but it is North Carolina blue, not Kentucky blue, and no one will ever confuse me with a fan of the Tar Heels.”
It is doubtful that he will be wearing anything vaguely close to Kentucky blue Saturday despite the fact that he is a bona fide hero in the Wildcats history books.
The former Mr. Basketball of Kentucky was one of the handful of guys who stuck together after their coach, Eddie Sutton, was fired. Instead of pouting or whining, they came together as a unit and put it all on the line for new coach Rick Pitino, who returned the Wildcats to a place of national prominence after NCAA probation.
When the Razorbacks walk into Rupp Arena, that will be their coach’s jersey hanging from the rafters, but no one should think for one second that anything but Razorbacks red blood will be pumping in Pelphrey’s veins and his extra-large competitive heart.
Pelphrey’s lone game against the Razorbacks in Rupp was Jan. 25, 1992. The Wildcats were ranked No. 8 in the nation, the Hogs No. 9.
The mink-and-diamond Wildcats nation was at its best that day, but the Hogs scored 105 to Kentucky’s 88, and that quieted the hometown folks.
Near the end of the game, during a timeout, Nolan Richardson told his players, as soon as it is over clear the floor. If you want to celebrate, do it in the locker room.
A few weeks later, the Razorbacks fans shocked the Wildcats nation even more in Birmingham, Ala., when the Razorbacks strolled into the arena during their first SEC Tournament and the place literally rocked with a resounding hog call.
For several years after that it was a dogfight as to which team would have the most fans at the conference tournament.
The rivalry between Arkansas and Kentucky became so popular that it was played on Super Bowl Sunday.
Both teams have changed coaches twice since those days. Pelphrey and Billy Gillispie are both in their first year in the SEC, and this could be the start of rekindling the rivalry.
The Razorbacks and the Wildcats need a quality victory to help their RPI and get closer to an invite to the NCAA Tournament.
The Razorbacks, 18-7 and 7-4, are a solid 31 in the rankings, but Kentucky is 71 st with a 13-10, 7-3 record.
Granted, it took the blueblood Wildcats players several games to buy into Gillispie’s Texastough approach, and outside of a shocking first half against Vanderbilt when they scored only 11 points, they have been much better since starting conference play.
The cardiac kids of Arkansas have been consistent this season, either playing very good or playing very mediocre. They’ve struggled to put together two good halves, but they did that Wednesday against arguably the worst team in the SEC, LSU.
Still, that should give them a small boost in the confidence department as they go into Lexington, a place where they have not won since 1995. But this is the year they could end that drought and the six-year string of regular-season losses.
Steven Hill must stay out of foul trouble, not take ball-fakes and block enough shots to throw off Kentucky’s power game in the paint.
The Hogs must be aggressive, but not to the point where they have unforced turnovers.
Another thing that would help and could be a huge factor Saturday as well as his prospects in the pros: Sonny Weems needs to stick that midrange jumper.
The Razorbacks can win this game. It won’t be easy, and it will require not just listening to their head coach, but doing what he says, because no one in the place will want a Razorbacks victory Saturday more than John Pelphrey, who won’t be wearing a blue shirt.
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