Bledsoe, Cats need some chill pills

When do the pushing, shoving, elbowing and technical fouls end?

First we thought it was DeMarcus Cousins who would cost UK a game. Now, it’s Eric Bledsoe.The forearm/elbow shove that everyone saw front and center from Bledsoe was beyond unneccesary. It doesn’t matter what was said, who pulled who, etc.

That type of stuff gets you noticed and makes you a target to be called for technical fouls in the future. Not only that, it’s not the first time Bledsoe has been in someone’s face or gotten into a rough altercation (just ask Louisville’s Reginald Delk).

Honestly, it’s a surprise Bledsoe didn’t get called for a flagrant foul or ejected from the game. Watch the replay again — it was an obvious strong push.

That being said, both UK and Vanderbilt should have taken a chill pill and cut down on the pushing and more. Sure, in a game like that, emotions run high. But the more instances the Cats get in like the one on Saturday, the more likely that teams are going to keep pushing the envelope until someone gets hurt.

Every team is going to push the Cats around and try to provoke strong reactions. They’ve been doing so since the Louisville game. It’s part of a gameplan (albeit, a dirty one) that has been effective at times against UK.

Tennessee pushed the Cats around and it worked to the extent that Cousins was a non-factor. Today, Bledsoe almost cost the Cats by losing his temper. It not only caused a double technical foul, but Bledsoe’s play was obviously affected. He took bad shots, made bad decisions and couldn’t hit a free throw.

So consider this a loud and clear message to UK’s stars: you will get pushed, elbowed and provoked into doing things you shouldn’t. It’s what many teams with inferior talent do to level the playing field. It’s what smart teams do to get into immature teams heads. The refs will not call it most of the time, unless you are the one pushing. Then you’ll get called every time.

So hands to yourself, boys. Beat teams with your talent, not your hands.