What could tear Judd from Cats?

TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA WILL KEEP HER AWAY FOR 1ST, 2ND ROUNDS Actress Ashley Judd, UK's most famous basketball fan, will write periodic columns on the Cats for the Herald-Leader during the NCAA Tournament.

This might be tricky writing columns about our team when, in fact, I might not be able to actually watch the games this weekend. I'll be traveling to South Africa to be with Nelson Mandela, but the paper says it will work, so we'll give it a try.

Does it shock you more that I am missing tournament games, or that I am co-hosting a dinner with Madiba (that is the great Nelson Mandela's Xhosa tribal name)? You know, in 1998, in spite of shooting a movie in remote parts of Quebec, I made every single game as the Cats came back and came back some more. (And everyone thought I didn't have on underpants at the Oscars after we beat Duke in St. Pete -- shame on you, of course I did.)

Actually, let's talk about Matt Walsh, and how annoying that cocked elbow of his is. Why does he never get called for clearing the space in front of him, to the delight of plastic surgeons who would get the job of resetting Pat's or Ravi's face?

I didn't play much ball past the playground, but I know it is a violation to use your bent arm as a swinging device to get a sticky defender out of the way. Next time one of those refs gives me a flirtatious smile at a game, I am going to point that out.

It's nasty, it's not right, and when Ravi reacted Sunday and Coach Smith pulled him, our emotional ballast broke, and I think that's what lost us the game.

Mind you, that is not a criticism of Coach because he always makes his decisions based on a kind of integrity and fairness that is unusual and admirable, and he manages to have a bigger picture in mind even when he is apoplectic and spastic and about to hurt himself over there on the sidelines.

But after the elation of Saturday's win, what we were missing Sunday was passion, and I wish we had been able to harness Ravi's passion rather than bench him.

Of course, I also wish, along with all of you, that we had been able to act more like real basketball players and rebound more than three times (OK, 12) in the first half. Sheez, Louise. That is totally sorry ...

I am an optimist, however, and I always believe. These are the keys that will take us out of the first round and on to the round of 16. By then, I will be back from praying a blessing on Mandela's noble head to watch my Cats:

(P.S., these are all things we have done brilliantly at times throughout the season and are more than capable of doing throughout the tournament.)

• Defense on every player, every possession. Hard-core, intense, relentless, soul- and morale-destroying defense;

• Spacing on offense, spreading the floor well;

• Moving well without the ball;

• Shot selection;

• Inside-out and high-low play;

• Making our free throws;

• Rebounding hustle, determination, and grit (and correct position boxing out);

• Desire.

The last item, of course, has more to do with it than anything. Exhibit A is Chuck's last three plays against LSU.

Exhibit B is Nelson Mandela surviving 27 years in an apartheid jail while being fed mostly corn pap and being constantly degraded and humiliated and denied the most basic human rights.

Desire in life, when it comes from a place of integrity and character, can lead to seemingly impossible miracles. Miracles like Mandela not only surviving institutionalized racism, but also overthrowing it and emerging from its hellholes with reconciliation in his heart.

SOURCE: Kentucky.com - 03/14/2005

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