Arizona Basketball is in a rough time…

In the past two years we have lost Lute the Legend, Kevin O’Neill, Josh Pastner, Jim Rosborough, Miles Simon, Brandon Jennings, Jeff Withey, Emmanuel Negedu, Abdul Gaddy, Mike Moser, Jerry D, and the list goes on.  This graveyard seems neverending and one would have to be crazy to say anything positive about the Arizona Wildcats in 2008-09. Well guess what, we are crazy…

We may have lost a lot, but our record is still 0-0.  Last year we kept the NCAA tournament streak alive with all of the Lute drama surrounding the team,  (Side note, thank God he divorced that horrible crazy person) and this year the Pac-10 is not as strong as it has been in the past.  There are definitely good teams but others have lost as well. The Lopez twins, OJ Mayo, and Kevin Love are not walking through that door, but Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill, and Nic Wise will be.  We take a big hit losing Jerry D, and not bringing in much help from the recruiting trail, but we still have a 1st round draft pick, maybe two, and a guy that will send at least 4 players to the DL this year with broken ankles, Nic Wise.  Yeah we still have depth issues, size issues, Hill fouling anyone he can see issues, and very likely coaching issues, but confidence can sure solve lots of problems.

And for the first time in my life, not much is expected out of Arizona, and I think this underdog approach will be the perfect way to build confidence.  All we need is Chase to finally showcase his talent, Hill to not take himself out of games by fouling, Nic to keep being rad, some quality minutes out of Judkins/Jacobson, some vicious Fendi/Horne dunks, and some 3 point range from Billy Zane Johnson and Lavender.  Sounds like a lot to ask for, it may be, but that’s what preseason is for, outrageous optimism.  And tonight my optimism will probably continue as Arizona annihilates some school named Incarnate Word.  I will leave you all with one final thought, how does this starting lineup not scare the Pac-10!?!?

• PG- Garland Judkins
• SG- Chase Budinger
• SF- Jamelle Horne
• PF- Fendi Onobun
• C- Alex Jacobson

That has to be one of the deepest teams in the land with Wise and Hill coming off the bench… yes, you read that above correctly. That is the starting lineup for tonight’s game, Wise and Hill were one minute late to a shoot-around this morning and have been benched, so we shall see how it plays out. Game is on FSN Arizona at 7 PM Tucson time.

Rau Raur and beat the… do they even have a mascot? …

screw it, Rau Raur and beat the expectations.