Former UK Star Advises New Team to Ignore 40-0 Talk

Hey, UK fans? Do you remember all the anticipation that was building a year ago for the 2013-2014 Wildcats? Remember all the speculation about the possibility of a 40-0 season?

I never bought into it. And I don't imagine very many of you did, either. It's a silly notion, really. And as I recall, despite 11 losses on the season, 'Cat fans were none too displeased with the 2014 NCAA Tournament, probably one of the most exciting ever...and thanks to those very same Kentucky Wildcats, who matured before our very eyes in a span of 6 games.

I was no fan of the 40-0 chatter. Basketball analysts scoffed. And a fellow who was a Kentucky freshman then and is a brand new Boston Celtic now is warning against taking any of that kind of hype to heart.

James Young says that he and his fellow freshmen let that go to their heads a bit and, as a result, were a little distracted. It showed on the court as well. Of course, they shook it off and gave the nation an exciting post-season.

But Young says that that kind of talk needs to be ignored from the get-go. And a team featuring nine McDonald's All-Americans is likely to hear it as the 2014-15 season begins.

His advice to ignore the media analysis in favor of focus and fun is sound, if obvious. And, so far, he likes what he's seen.

I'll take that as a good sign.