John Clay's Sidelines

SEC links for Thursday:

• Randy Rosetta of the Baton Rouge Advocate reports on LSU’s win over Texas to take the College World Series.
• Gary Laney of The Advocate writes that the Tigers kept the pressure on the Longhorns.
• Jim Kleinpeter of the New Orleans Times-Picayune writes on the Tigers’ championship.
• Bob Padecky of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat writes about his encounter with Kenny Stabler, 30 years later.
• Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free-Press writes that Tennessee’s Tyler Smith is happy to be out of the draft.
• Rick Fires of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette writes that Arkansas baseball’s late run is a boost for 2010.
• Peter Kerasotis of Florida Today writes that Ron Zook should not be blamed for Florida football player problems.
• The State reports that South Carolina football opens the season with two prime time TV games.
• The Tuscaloosa News reports that Alabama basketball will play Kansas State in Mobile.
• Athens Banner-Herald reports that Arkansas-Georgia football will have a night kickoff.

Seth Davis’ television duties done for another year, the handsome (blue) devil picks up the laptop and taps out an SI.com screed slicing and dicing new Florida International coach Isiah Thomas and new UK coach John Calipari over the practice of yanking the scholarships of holdover players.

Writes Davis, “Calipari took the art of running off players to new heights this spring.”

To be fair, the piece is pretty fair, and pretty good. And Davis does talk to A.J. Stewart, the now ex-Cat who failed to make the cut in Calipari’s tryout camp. Stewart says he doesn’t blame Calipari for handing him the short end of the business stick. And Davis does add the significant factoid that A.J.’s lack of class attendance earned him a 10-game suspension heading into next season.

Still, Davis makes the long first-base stretch to ask Stewart what would have happened were the Jacksonville native a 20-point per game scorer.

Answers Stewart, “I think I’d still be wearing blue.”

He thinks correctly.

In my more idealistic youth, I saw such practices as failing to renew a player’s scholarship as outlandish behavior. I’ve softened my hard-lance stance over the years, and while Calipari’s spring cleaning makes me a bit uncomfortable, I’m far from outraged.

Continue reading ‘Seth Davis chides Calipari for scholarship game’

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald talks to Danny Ainge about those Rajon Rondo trade rumors.
• Marc Spears of the Boston Globe reports that several scouts say the Celtics have been shopping Rondo.
• USA Today picks up on the Rajon Rondo rumors.
• The Sporting News blog says the trade reports make little sense.
• At Boston.com, Chad Finn wants to know if it’s deal or no deal.
• Frank Delll’Apa of the Boston Globe writes that Ainge is dealing in reality.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger talks to Larry Conley, who doesn’t see UK as a top 10 team without Jodie Meeks.
• The Desert News reports that Meeks worked out for the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.
• Cat Scratches reports that ESPN’s Doug Gottlieb is speculating that Meeks could go in the first round to the Lakers.
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal writes on former UK commitment Dominique Ferguson.
• Bluegrass State Basketball wonders if there might be a Chinese shooting guard who could replace Meeks.

Bert Bank, Billy Martin, George Steinbrenner and Bear Bryant before a 1978 exhibition game between the Yankees and Alabama. (Photo/UA media relations)

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Randy Rosetta of the Baton Rouge Advocate writes that the CWS between LSU and Texas is now a one-game series.
• Jim Kleinpeter of the Times-Picayune writes on tonight’s deciding game of the CWS.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun offers a summer football forecast.
• David Jones of Florida Today writes that Urban Meyer’s contract could be a costly problem.
• In the Birmingham News, Ian Rapoport writes on the passing of Alabama legend Bert Bank.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC writes that there’s more talk about Georgia-Florida and Jacksonville.
• Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald writes that there may be an extension in the works for Georgia-Florida.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: CWS finale and summer grid forecast’

Great stuff from Hall of Famer Hal McCoy’s Dayton Daily News blog on Joey Votto’s press conference today in Toronto.

The Reds first baseman was activated from the Disabled List and will be in the lineup, batting third, when Cincinnati takes on the Blue Jays tonight. Votto is from Toronto.

But Votto held a 4 p.m. press conference to discuss the details of his absence, and it all goes back to dealing with the unexpected death of his 52-year-old father last August.

An excerpt:

“The days I was taken off the field were miniature versions of what I was dealing with by myself. Ever since late May I have been struggling with this in my private life. I’d go on the field and try to play well, but I couldn’t do it any more because I was overwhelmed physically with the stuff I was dealing with off the field finally seeped its way onto the field and I finally just had to put an end to it. I really couldn’t go out there. I physically couldn’t do my job.”

Be sure and read Hal’s entire post. It’s illuminating proof that no matter how big and strong an athlete may be, he can be subjected to the same emotions and struggles as everyone else.

John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer also has details on his blog.

Just a heads-up that in our continuing effort to contract Carpel Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, we will be conducting a livechat in association with the NBA Draft on Thursday night.

The proceedings get under way at 7 p.m.

ESPN provides the tube coverage.

We’ll chat it through to the bitter end, or at least until Jodie Meeks is drafted.

I’ll post the Cover it Live window, complete with e-mail reminder, tomorrow.

Matt Pilgrim

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• H-L report on minor NCAA violation involving Darius Miller.
• In the Courier-Journal, Jody Demling writes on Joe Jackson and UK.
• Demling reports that California forward DeAndre Daniels visited UK on Sunday.
• Big Blue Uncensored writes on the curious case of Matt Pilgrim.
• Inner Circle wants UK basketball to give the open scholarship to Pilgrim.
• Kentucky State Basketball also has Matt Pilgrim on its mind.
• Andrew Gribble of the Opelika-Auburn News previews the UK-Auburn football game. (Hat tip to A Sea of Blue.)
• USA Today’s Jim Halley writes on the NBA player camp, focusing on Harrison Barnes and Brandon Knight.
• Zagsblog talks to Rod Strickland, who says Eric Bledsoe and John Wall can play together.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Blue blogs want Matt Pilgrim back’

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Joe Person of The State reports that returnees Devan Downey and Dominique Archie are thinking big things for South Carolina basketball.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate reports on LSU’s extra-inning win over Texas in first game of CWS finals.
• Jim Kleinpeter of the Times-Picayune writes on the clutch hits that drove LSU to victory.
• ESPN’s SEC blogger Chris Low writes on the good and bad of covering recruiting.
• At the Mobile Press-Register, Paul Finebaum writes on a shock jock who ridicules Alabama fans.
• Also in the Press-Register, Tommy Hicks writes that Florida is the near unanimous pick to win a second straight BCS title.
• Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News writes that spread offense quarterbacks find it difficult to adjust.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: South Carolina basketball is thinking big’

Kay and Matthew McConaughey

Lunch break:

• Interesting leftover from Bear’s Boys reunion this weekend. Jim McConaughey, the late father of actor Matthew McConaughey, apparently played a year for Bryant at Kentucky. He didn’t letter, but went on to play for the Green Bay Packers. In fact, Matthew’s mother, Kay, was an English major at UK, and regularly attends the reunion. Previous engagements kept her at home in Texas this year, however.

• Sorry, I’m just not that crazy about Ricky Barnes hat at the U.S. Open. My son says he looks like a train conductor.

• I’m rooting for Phil Mickelson.

• Contrary to the headline in the print edition of the H-L, the Reds were not swept this weekend. Instead, they lost two of three to the Chicago White Sox. Saturday’s 10-8 loss was the lowlight. Light-hitting team stroked 14 hits. Led 5-0. Had Johnny Cueto on the mound. But still got beat in the Civil Rights Game. Maybe Cueto had difficulty concentrating with big crowd and all hoopla surrounding the game. There sure were a lot of booth interviews with George Grande and Chris Welsh. Best was the classy Hank Aaron, who told funny story of getting then teammate Dusty Baker out of jail after a disturbance at a pool hall in spring training. Interesting note from Baker: He said Aaron would wake him up every morning and make him eat breakfast, when two played for the Braves.

• Jodie Meeks is working out for the Portland Trailblazers today. I don’t buy reports that he’s received pre-draft guarantees of early second round. Any draft is a fluid animal. A team doesn’t know who will be available at its pick until it is time for its pick. We’ll see what happens Thursday.

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Big Blue Uncensored attended John Calipari’s father and son camp, and has plenty of pictures to prove it.
• My Sunday column about the reunion of Bear Bryant’s former players at Kentucky.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes that right now UK football has no end in sight.
• H-L report that UK has been given more time to respond to Billy Gillispie’s lawsuit.
• C-J reports that camp pamphlet could pose eligibility problem for Darius Miller.
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal reports that Doron Lamb is one of UK’s top hoop targets.
• Demling also reports that another top recruit, Mychal Parker, will be on UK’s campus this week.
• Mark Mathis of the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer writes that Jon Hood could be the one to fill Jodie Meeks’ shoes.
• In the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Larry Vaught’s readers support Meeks’ decision to stay in the draft.
• David Aldrige of nba.com ranks Meeks as the seventh-best shooting guard in the draft.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Report from Calipari father-and-son camp’