John Clay's Sidelines

Were we surprised when Rich Brooks said in the post-game press conference that he had told his team he was 80 percent sure he would not return as Kentucky’s head coach for the 2010 season?

Yes, and no.

Yes, because we didn’t think that the announcement would come after the game. Although, a few of us in the press box wondered aloud that if Brooks was going to tell his team, when would it be? The team returns home after the game, and won’t be back on campus, in full, until classes start in two weeks.

No, because the feeling (at least by me) had been growing that this is where we were headed. I still think that in his heart, Rich would like to continue coaching. But I think his head tells him it’s time to step aside for a variety of reasons. He has a successor in place in Joker Phillips. He has the program on solid footing. This is a much, much better football program than the one he inherited seven years ago. There is continuity now, and a sense of purpose and direction.

Continue reading ‘Video: Rich Brooks “80-percent” lean toward retirement’

Vote: Will Rich Brooks coach UK in 2010?

NASHVILLE — The big question went unasked at Saturday’s final press conference before tonight’s Music City Bowl. Not that it would have done much good to pose the inquiry. After all, the last time the subject was broached Rich Brooks grew a little hot under the collar.

So will he stay or will he go?

Are we preparing to witness Brooks’ final game as Kentucky football coach.

No one seems to know for sure if this is it.

Some think not even Brooks has made up his mind, that he will take some time off after the Cats play Clemson at 8:30 tonight to decide whether he wants to return to Lexington for his eighth season, or whether he’s ready to turn the reigns over to his designated successor, Joker Phillips.

Personally, I think Brooks wants to return. While he has done a tremendous job putting the program on a solid foundation, earning four consecutive bowl trips, clinching a fourth consecutive winning season, he talks like a coach disappointed he hasn’t done more.

“I don’t feel like we’ve accomplished as much as I would like to, as far as winning more football games,” said Brooks on Saturday as he shared a podium at LP Field with Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.

Brooks wants his program to be more of a factor in the SEC divisional race. He wants a winning conference season. He wants to be the Kentucky coach who finally snaps that losing streak to Tennessee. He wants to be the coach who pushes the program to higher ground.

Continue reading ‘Will Rich Brooks stay, or will he go?’

Here are Kentucky basketball game-by-game stats through the Long Beach State game:

• Here is an Excel file of UK individual game-by-game stats, using Google Docs.

• Here is an Excel file of UK team game-by-game stats, using Google Docs.

Update: If you missed it, here’s our special UK2K section.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes that Kentucky wore down Long Beach State: “After drilling Drexel 88-44 on Monday, Kentucky needed time to warm to the task against Long Beach State. For only the fourth time this season (and the first time since the Connecticut game), Kentucky did not lead at halftime. Two Long Beach State free throws with 0:00 showing on the clock made the score 37-37.”

The Big Lead reports that Jemele Hill could be off ESPN after UK comment: “Jemele Hill, a ESPN.com columnist who occasionally appears on First Take to spar with Skip Bayless, may not be appearing on ESPN anymore in the wake of her comment last week about Kentucky coach John Calipari, a source tells The Big Lead. Her job as a columnist on ESPN.com is not at all in jeopardy, the source says.”

ESPN’s Andy Katz on UK’s freshmen: “As exceptional as Patrick Patterson has been this season, he can’t lead the Wildcats to the Final Four without the play of these fresh faces.”

H-L slideshow from Kentucky-Long Beach State.

Chip Cosby of the H-L looks ahead to UK’s quarterback competition: “UK head coach for offense Joker Phillips said on Wednesday that it will be an open competition in spring practice among Newton, Hartline and redshirt freshman Ryan Mossakowski regardless of what happens in the Music City Bowl.”

My column says you can count on Cousins to keep it interesting: “It should be no surprise that our favorite, fun-loving 6-foot-11 dancing bear of a Kentucky basketball freshman is a big fan of cartoons. After all, DeMarcus Cousins could star in his own cartoon. ‘The Continuing Adventures of Big Cuz.’”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Kentucky takes winning ways into holiday’

SEC links for Thursday:

• Clarion-Ledger has AP report on Ole Miss’ loss at West Virginia.
• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel has report on Tennessee’s win over North Carolina A&T.
• Carroll Rogers of the AJC has report on Georgia basketball’s win over Florida Atlantic.
• Mason Kelly writes for The Advocate that Trent Johnson was proud of effort in LSU loss at Washington State.
• Mr. SEC says bowl-favored league will have an uphill battle.
• Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes on Tennessee back Mario Hardesty.
• Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News writes that Nick Saban has told his players to stick to what works.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Gentry Estes talks to Texas assistant Major Applewhite, a former Bama assistant.
• Chris Low of espn.com reports on Vanderbilt’s recruiting snafu.
• Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel writes on battle between Florida and USC for a top football recruit.

More from John Calipari after UK’s win over the 49ers:

A scattering of notes and stats from UK’s win over the 49ers:

• Kentucky’s 13-0 start is its best since the 1977-78 season.

• The crowd for an unusual Wednesday afternoon game was 24,288.

• Kentucky averaged 1.158 points per possession, fourth straight game of over 1 per possession. But the Cats averaged identical 1.313s against both Austin Peay and Drexel.

• UK shot just 44.6 percent, breaking a string of three straight 50+ games.

• How’s this for a coincidence: UK’s rebound totals against Drexel and Long Beach were identical — 14 offensive, 31 defensive and 45 overall.

• Kentucky averaged a turnover every 8.25 possessions, best since 8.87 vs UNC-Asheville in Louisville.

• Long Beach State committed just 12 turnovers, or one every 6.22 possessions.

• Long Beach State averaged 0.979 points per possession. That’s the sixth best showing against UK so far this year.

• Eric Bledsoe made just two of six free throws. His teammates made 20 of 24.

• DeMarcus Cousins had 15 points and 10 rebounds in just 13 minutes on the floor.

Continue reading ‘Stats and notes from UK’s 86-73 win over Long Beach’

This is Kentucky coach John Calipari’s opening remarks after his Cats broke a halftime deadlock and toppled Long Beach State 86-79 before 24,288 in a holiday special afternoon game at Rupp. Cal said he expected it to be a difficult game because of (a) the timing, and (b) the opponent. He was right.

This is Long Beach State coach Dan Monson after his team’s 86-73 loss to Kentucky today. The 49ers were tied 37-37 at the half, but ran out of gas the second 20 minutes. They were down on the boards 22-21 at the half, and ended up being outrebounded 45-38. But Monson’s team has lost to the likes of Texas, West Virginia, Clemson and Notre Dame. Now Kentucky.