John Clay's Sidelines

Draft Express has posted Jodie Meeks’ interview at the NBA Draft Combine. (Hat tip to Kentucky Sports Radio.)

As I noted in last post, a caller on Larry Glover’s show this morning mentioned that Lute Olson, Jim Calhoun, Norm Stewart and Gene Keady all had NCAA Tournament appearances now listed as vacated.

That sent me to my NCAA Tournament Recordbook.

And I came up with this chart:

For an Excel file of this chart, click here.

I’ve received a couple of responses to this morning’s column about the Derrick Rose/John Calipari situation saying that I still managed to put a negative spin on the UK coach by writing, “There may come a day when John Calipari’s detractors will finally catch the coach red-handed at something other than guilt by association.”

(That was an attempt at sarcasm, by the way.)

And, “And yes, I’m cynical enough to think there may well be an instance when the national media can crow its I-told-you-so’s about Calipari.”

(I do possess a cynical streak.)

Anyway, here’s why I wrote those two lines:

Continue reading ‘A note about this morning’s column, and the vacated club’

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• My Sunday column arguing that the NCAA allegations are against Derrick Rose, not John Calipari.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes on Derrick Locke’s rehab from knee surgery.
• Chip’s football notebook leads with an update on Ryan Mossakowski.
• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader leads his notebook with John Calipari making the Kiwanis Club day.
• Tipton also blogs that Landon Slone is close to committing to Morehead State.
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal reports that UK is on Harrison Barnes’ steady list of a dozen schools.
• Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times (and formerly of the Herald-Leader) writes that the one-and-done era has been a failure. (Hat tip to Spam’s Wildcat Page.)
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free-Press writes that college coaches should be responsible for their programs, good or bad.
• The “We Luv Erin Calipari” Facebook page now has over 1,100 members.
• Mike Hutton of the Post-Tribune says there is plenty of blame to go around in the Rose case.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Even more John Calipari/Derrick Rose links’

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Ryan Alessi and Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader report on letter from NCAA telling John Calipari he is not at risk for NCAA violations.
• Tipton talks to Memphis columnist Geoff Calkins, who says Calipari’s program is filled with scoundrels.
• Brett Dawson of the C-J reports on the NCAA letters.
• As Deadspin reports, Erin Calipari is zealously defending her dad.
• Which led her father to tweet: “I love my children dearly as u all know. But my daughter Erin has gotten a little over-zealous in defending her daddy’s honor.”
• Joe Biddle of the Tennessean writes that Kentucky basketball is making news for all the wrong reasons.
• Gary Parrish of CBS Sportsline writes that the Memphis mess falls on R.C. Johnson’s shoulders.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger has Scott Padgett giving Jodie Meeks advice on NBA draft.
• Vaught also writes that UK is taking some big-time hits.
• Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News writes that the NCAA initial eligibility process is deeply flawed.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Erin Calipari zealously defends her dad’

If you’ve read Ryan Alessi and Jerry Tipton’s story about the NCAA letter to John Calipari telling him he’s not at risk, you can download the letter by clicking the link below:

• Correspondence between NCAA and John Calipari.

This isn’t the Outside the Lines piece from Friday, but it does have a little of the same interview John Calipari did with Jimmy Dykes during the SEC Spring Meetings in Florida on Wednesday:

What I’ve heard from the local radio call-in shows:

• WLXG-1300: I’m filling in for Mike Cameron as co-host with Chris Cross, who tells me he’s efforting to get my fellow H-L sports columnist Mark Story on as a guest. (Spoiler alert: We may have two different views on the Calipari case.)

• WLAP-630: Dick Gabriel welcomes in UK network basketball analyst Mike Pratt, who is by the way one of the nicer gentleman you’d ever want to meet.

Henry Abbott

Henry Abbott’s TrueHoop blog has an interesting take on Derrick Rose’s brother, Reggie, who is reported to be the person that the NCAA is alleging received free arrangements on some Memphis basketball road trips.

An excerpt:

In basketball circles, while Derrick was at Memphis, Reggie was a mystery. He split time between Memphis and Chicago. He jetted around. But he didn’t have any obvious means of support.

Dan Wolken of the Memphis Commercial Appeal asked Reggie Rose about it at the time. This is how he responded:

“I’ve got an AAU foundation out of Chicago through Nike, and I’m a director, and I work with inner-city youth in Chicago,” he said. “I’m employed by Nike through AAU basketball. Then I’ve got a nonprofit organization that helps out kids from the Englewood community.”

Wait, did Reggie Rose misunderstand that question? He was asked how he makes money, not how he gives it away. Aren’t non-profits for giving goods and services away?

I know some people who work in the non-profit world. Money is tight all around! It’s something people tend to do as a sinkhole of money — not as a source. Reggie Rose tells us he’s integral to not one, but two, non-profits.

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Ryan Alessi of the Herald-Leader writes that UK has asked a Kentucky court to rule on Billy Gillispie’s contract.
• Alessi and Jerry Tipton of the H-L report that UK president Lee Todd says he knew of the John Calipari issue.
• Mark Story of the H-L writes that Todd is carrying Calipari’s baggage.
• Tipton reports that Orestes Meeks says son Jodie is looking to be picked in the first round of NBA draft.
• Tipton also reports that ex-Cats say Memphis investigation may dog UK.
• Andy Katz of ESPN talks to Meeks at the pre-draft camp in Chicago.
• Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean reports that Nashville is courting UK for a non-conference basketball game.
• Pat Forde of ESPN writes that it’s see no evil, hear no evil in Kentucky.
• Jason Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that SAT fraud easily falls through testing cracks.
• Pete Thamel of the New York Times writes that coaches don’t go by the book with the NCAA.
• Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun-Times writes on Derrick Rose and the ripple effect.
• Mike Decourcy of Sporting News writes that spirit of the law follows John Calipari, but not Memphis golf.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Not so Rosey links to the Memphis mess’