Five beautiful things to look forward to

I don't know about you, but I'm sick of wallowing in the misery of the past week. Forget April, February was the cruelest month for cat fans. First we lose Nerlens Noel for the season, two days before Valentine's Day, and then we get absolutely embarrassed by one of our rivals on Saturday. No, not Florida…Tennessee. Weak Tennessee, which was ranked No. 10 in the SEC standings before Saturday's game. Even more disheartening than the 30-point lead was the lack of effort from nearly every player on the roster, with the exception of Julius Mays and Jarrod Polson. (The fact that those two were the “heroes” of the game speaks volumes about the surreal state of this season.) Without Nerlens, the Cats were floundering, adrift in a sea of ​​uncertainty on their way to postseason irrelevance. It was so infuriating that John Calipari let his emotions get the better of him during the press conference, calling some of his players “not really coachable,” a statement he had to walk back on Sunday. So much for “not wallowing,” right? It's like a hangover you can't sleep off. Let's try again. After one of the worst weeks for Kentucky fans, we take a look at Five things to look forward to next month.

1st College Game Day
We just discussed this below, but ESPN College GameDay is coming to town on Saturday and once again the eyes of college basketball will be on us. And if you thought they were watching while we were up, they are definitely now that we're down, we'll watch. Nothing makes college basketball fans happier than seeing one of their giants fight. After three years of crushing the competition with Calipari at the helm, the Cats have reclaimed their villain status. Now that things aren't quite so rosy, only 13,000 tickets were issued for the GameDay taping, which drew 22,000 in 2010. Don't think Digger Phelps won't take advantage. Speaking of which, if you need a reason to come to the event, what could be better than this? This is fans' chance to respond to Digger's scolding at Vanderbilt's GameDay taping last season.
LISTEN TO ME **clap clap clap clap clap** LISTEN TO ME **clap clap clap clap clap** LISTEN TO ME **clap clap clap clap clap**

2. British basketball clubs
If you haven't already, it's time to check out the women's team. After a few setbacks, the women are back on track, winning three games in a row, starting with a thrilling overtime game against Arkansas. They are ranked in the top ten and look ready to build on their Elite Eight berth from last season. Ultimately, by the looks of things, we may be watching them longer than the men. Enjoy watching their fun and exciting brand of basketball, starting tonight against Texas A&M at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

3rd SEC Tournament
Even if all the predictions in the world predict that the Cats will not participate in the tournaments, there is still one last opportunity for them to qualify: the SEC Tournament. The five-day party The event kicks off on March 13th on Lower Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee. Could this be the year they have to win it all to get in? No? Well, what better place to drown your sorrows (aka Nashville's premier industry)? Don't let a bad season stop you from celebrating with your Cats fans.

Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics
4. Spring Football / Spring Game
In a month, the Football Cats will put on the pads for the first time in the Mark Stoops era. After an exciting National Signing Day, Stoops and his staff will finally be able to work with the team's current players, as well as Za'Darius Smith, Steven Borden and QB Reese Phillips, who have signed up early for spring training. Stoops has said it's an open battle for the starting QB spot, though some say Maxwell Smith already has an early lead. With more enthusiasm from fans than ever and the final spring game taking place under the lights, there's always comfort to be found in football. #ThingsINeverThoughtBefore

5. Next year
If all else fails, set your sights on next season. Five McDonald's All-Americans have already signed for next year's freshman class, so Cal still has a chance to sign a few more with three more targets on the list. Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, and Aaron Gordon will make their decisions in the next few months, and even if we fail on all three, we'll be the ones beating teams by thirty points, not the other way around. Are you a little burned out on the Calipari Method this season? Last year we learned how valuable a few “veterans” can be, and this team will bring back more than one. Plus, two of next year's celebrated freshmen have played together their entire lives. How about that as a benefit for team chemistry? And besides, there's always Keeneland?