John Clay's Sidelines

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• My column saying that, with John Wall now on board, there’s nothing wrong with high expectations.
• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader’s story on the Wall commitment.
• UK reports that Eric Bledsoe is eligible, and that Rod Strickland will be a full-time assistant on Calipari staff.
• Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News writes that this could be an all-time recruiting class.
• Gary Parrish of CBS Sportsline writes that this is why UK hired John Calipari in the first place.
• Michael Eaves says he got a text from an NBA executive saying UK “signed my draft pick.”
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that recruits are lining up to play for Calipari.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News reports that Bledsoe’s coach is concerned now that Wall is on board.
• At Fox Sports, Jeff Goodman moves UK up to his pre-season No. 1.
• USA Today calls it “a remarkable class.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Neverending John Wall links’

Lane Kiffin

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Dave Hooker of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that UT will report Lane Kiffin’s Twitter violation to NCAA.
• Kelly Whiteside of USA Today writes on Kiffin’s controversial start at Tennessee.
• Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News writes that some of the nation’s best baseball players will be at the SEC Baskeball Tournament.
• Alan Boldin of the Myrtle Beach Sun News tracks Steve Spurrier at a speaking engagement.
• Tony Barnhart of the AJC wonders if Spurrier will turn boring to stay out of the headlines.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun writes that Florida’s Urban Meyer is now more cautious with his comments.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: UT will report Lane Kiffin’s Twitter violation’

Here’s what I’ve heard from the local radio call-in shows:

• WLXG-1300: I’m back on with Chris Cross and Mike Cameron in the 6 o’clock hour to talk about John Wall.

• WLAP-630: Dick Gabriel will be talking to Matt May of the Cats’ Pause, along with former Cats Rob Lock and Kyle Macy.

• WVLK-590: Larry Glover has recruiting guru and jack-of-all-trades Rob Gidel as his scheduled guest.

With John Wall . . .

John Wall

Update: Yahoo Sports, through Rivals’ Jerry Meyer, is also reporting that Wall has committed to Kentucky.

Update: Evan Daniels of Scout.com is reporting that Wall sent him a text message confirming his commitment to Kentucky.

Update: Andy Katz reports that Wall told Miami’s Frank Haith this morning that he wanted to play for Calipari.

SLAM magazine posted online at 1:11 a.m. Tuesday that its sources report that super guard John Wall, the indecisive one from Raleigh, N.C., has finally made up his mind and committed to UK over Miami and Duke.

As of this morning, there is no confirmation of that.

But here’s an excerpt:

Sources tell SLAM that John Wall, the nation’s top high school point guard, committed to the University of Kentucky tonight. Wall picked Kentucky over Duke, Miami and Florida, among other schools. The 6-4 senior from Word of God in Raleigh, N.C., is viewed as the missing piece for new Wildcats coach John Calipari.

With forward Patrick Patterson recently deciding to return to school (and high-scoring guard Jodie Meeks rumored to also be considering pulling out of the NBA Draft) and recruits like Alabama big man DeMarcus Cousins, as well as a talented core group of returnees, Kentucky is likely to be one of the favorites to win a national championship in 2010. While Alabama point guard Eric Bledsoe signed up to play in Lexington recently, in Calipari’s dribble-drive motion offense, multiple ballhandlers can play together in the up-tempo style. In addition, the recent SLAM co-cover boy is viewed as a one-and-done prospect.

Here’s what I’m hearing from the local radio talk shows for Monday:

• WLXG-1300: I’ll be on with Mike Cameron and Chris Cross in the 6 o’clock hour.

• WLAP-630: Dick Gabriel will have Courier-Journal columnist Eric Crawford and John Asher, VP of Churchill Downs, as guests.

Rachel Alexandra leaves Baltimore.

Yes, the on-site crowd was down by nealry 35,000 at Pimlico on Saturday, but the overnight TV ratings for the Preakness Stakes were the highest in five years, and second-highest in nearly two decades.

BloodHorse.com reports that Rachel Alexandra’s presence, Mine That Bird’s underdog story and the Calvin Borel switch drove NBC’s ratings up 24 percent over last year when Big Brown won the Preakness.

The overnight rating of 6.3 was second only to 1990′s 7.8, and 2004′s 7.2. Summer Squall beat Unbridled in the 1990 Preakness. Unbridled was coming off a Kentucky Derby remembered for trainer Carl Nafzger telling Mrs. Frances Genter that her horse had just won the roses. The 2004 Preakness was won by Smarty Jones, just after the highly-popular 3-year-old had won the Derby.

Saturday’s race portion of the broadcast was up 27 percent over last year.

Big Blue Links:

• GoCyclones.com reports that Harrison Barnes cuts his list to maybe 12, and Kentucky is one of the maybe 12. (Hat tip to A Sea of Blue.)
• Zagsblog thinks that John Wall could make a decision by the end of the week.
• Inside the Hall writes on Kyrie Irving, a top point guard that likes Indiana, but has a close connection with Rod Strickland.
• Rick Bozich has the backstory on John Calipari auctioning off those UK-U of L tickets at the Dick Vitale gala.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L writes that UK football hopes a couple of signees can fill a need at defensive end.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK continues to be on Harrison Barnes’ list’

Erk Russell

SEC links for Monday:

• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger writes that new football coach Dan Mullen is pumping life into the Mississippi State program.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC writes that there is a debate about the future of the Georgia-Florida football game.
• Tony Barnhart of the AJC thinks that Erk Russell should be in the Hall of Fame.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel tells another tale of Tennessee misery.
• Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News previews this week’s SEC Baseball Tournament in Birmingham.
• The State has a report on a South Carolina baseball player who was arrested after a run-in with police.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Mullen pumps life into MSU football’

Adreian Payne

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Columbus Post-Dispatch reports that top 2010 basketball prospect Adreain Payne, a 6-10 center/forward out of Dayton, will make a visit to Kentucky this weekend.
• The Herald-Leader’s Chip Cosby blogs that UK running back Moncel Allen has made his grades and will be eligible in the fall.
• On his twitter page, John Calipari reports he auctioned off two tickets to UK-U of L for $50,000 at Dick Vitale gala.
• Scout.com makes UK’s basketball recruiting class No. 1.
• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun reports on Kentucky baseball’s win over Florida.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes on the way Calipari is promoting the program.
• George Robinson of the Leaf Chronicle writes that Calipari will have a hard time selling big program on idea of playing Kentucky in Nashville.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Top 2010 prospect on UK campus this weekend’