It's 1:04 AM, and I have finally wiped away my final tear. My eyes are finally starting to see through the sobbing mess that they were. However, this does not mean I am not still weeping.... and a little less than sober.
I am not weeping for a lost season. I am weeping for a kid, who did everything he could, every night, to lead Kentucky to victory.
It was gruesome. It was horrific. If you were watching the game in a public place with the sounds being drowned out by drunken debauchery and what not, count yourself to be in the lucky number of Cats' fans who did not have to endure the agony of Nerlens Noel writhing in pain on that gym floor.
The image was enough to turn stomachs, the sound being heard along with the imagery of those desperate pleas of a young man, for everything to be alright only to know in your heart of hearts would fall on deaf ears, was more than most could bear.
Tonight, Kentucky had seemingly been dealt their death blow for the tumultuous 2013 season. Kentucky, it would seem, has lost Nerlens Noel.
We knew what more than likely would be the outcome of playing these Florida Gators, in this season, at their place was going to be. All we hoped for was a good showing. We hoped to show that we had fight.
The reason Kentucky would go on to lose the game by such a margin as we did, I truly believe, was not because we were so over matched. It was not because we're not worthy of being on the same floor as the opposition. It was because when this young man's knee was manipulated into going in a direction it was not meant to go, our soul was ripped from our Big Blue collective. We knew it. Our kids knew it. Calipari knew it. The notch in the loss column was a mere formality.
It was the very essence of the old analogy of having your life sucked out of you. It was grim, it is bleak looking forward, and a lot of folks have spoken to the Lord because of this instance more than they have in years tonight.
If these Cats had 9 lives, 8 of them were because of that kid with the high top fade, and we are down to our last one.
However, in what may have been the ultimate sign of unity, of coming-togetherness and having somebody's back that these kids in blue have shown all season, they flocked to their brother's side. They carried their fallen friend off the floor. They became without a shadow of doubt Kentucky tonight.
Don't pay attention to the score. Pay no mind the stats and box score. it won't show it there. The after affects of this night were not immediately felt. That Kentucky team that had no identity and had no understanding of who they were went away tonight when they banded together, as brothers, and carried Noel from the floor.
It will take losing Nerlens Noel to make it sink in. But it will. We've reached that point. In the name of Nerlens, we have bought in.The Cats have been forced to buy in. They have been forced to come together.
But now they get it. Now they understand. It took a fallen teammate to make them realize what it was all about. It took losing their soul to become who they are supposed to be.
Like I said, throw tonight's results out the window. They don't matter. The only thing about tonight's game that will have any lasting impression is that image of these kids having one of their own's back.
Folks, Kentucky will not be the same after this. If you can believe it or not, they might actually be better. As crazy as that sounds after losing their best player and the nation's best defensive player to hear someone say, it is going to be the case.
Wait and see. These kids aren't playing for draft positions or future earnings anymore. These kids are playing for Nerlens, they are finally going to play for one another, and they have got nothing else to lose.
Kentucky is now dangerous. Kentucky is now Kentucky. Whether these kids like it or not.
At least I hope this is what this means. I pray that is how we handle this.
With something as monumental as this though, it's very hard to rule out a total collapse and descent into the doldrums of a season which will now spiral out of control.
So, if anybody is in REALLY good with the big guy upstairs, words still can't hurt if you dial him up.
Weep, no more my lady,
Oh weep no more today...
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