John Clay's Sidelines

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Some random notes for UK-Vanderbilt:

• Before Friday’s pratice, UK’s John Calipari said, “”I probably did Patrick and John (Wall) and a couple others a disservice by saying how good they are,” the UK coach said. “All that does is put more pressure on them to perform.”

• Vanderbilt’s 5-0 SEC mark is its best start since 1965-66.

• During the telecast of Vandy’s win at Tennessee on Wednesday, ex-Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said that Vandy freshman John Jenkins can become one of the all-time greats as far as shooting numbers. Gottfried said that th league has not seen one like him since Chris Lofton. Jenkins has made 52.4 percent of his three-pointers through five SEC games.

• Calipari joked (I think) that the local media wouldn’t do the work necessary to find out how his Memphis teams did after a loss. Jerry Tipton did the math and found that after his last 10 losses at Memphis, the Tigers won the next game by an average of 23.4 points. (The C-J’s Brett Dawson also put his calculator to work.)

• Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes will call the game for ESPN today.

• UK averaged just 0.912 points per possession at South Carolina, its second-lowest average of the year. The Cats averaged just 0.900 points per possession in the win over Connecticut.

• Vanderbilt has won 10 straight games.

• Calipari said that he did not return with the team from South Carolina, as he took a recruiting trip to Charlotte.

• Cal said that Vanderbilt reminds him of his old UMass teams: “Five guys, three guys off the bench – they all know what their jobs are, they’re tough,” Calipari said. “They’re not beating themselves. You either beat them, or they’re beating you.”

• Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean points out that there will be six freshmen in today’s game that were ranked in the top 40 in the nation.

• Vanderbilt is 7-14 all-time against top-ranked teams.

Continue reading ‘Random notes on today’s UK-Vandy game’

(AP photo/Dave Martin)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader reports that Patrick Patterson is working overtime.
• Tipton’s notes say Vandy is deep, versatile and talented.
• My column says next two games will test UK’s resiliency.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L reports that strength coach Rock Oliver is returning to UK.
• Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader writes that UK women are ending years of lowly streaks.
• Brett Dawson of the C-J reports that loose Cats get ready for Vanderbilt.
• Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean writes that freshmen fuel both UK and Vandy.
• Mitch Howard of the London Sentinel-Echo does an autopsy on the UK loss.
• Carl Bialik of the Wall Street Journal on Kentucky leaving the unbeaten ranks.
• Will Graves of the AP says a humbled Kentucky is ready for Vadnerbilt.
• Tom Leach talks with the voice of the Commodores, Joe Fisher.
• Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Inquirer says Villanova could replace UK at No. 1.
• Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches writes that Patterson is ready to move on.

SEC links for Saturday:

• Don Kausler of the Birmingham News wonders if the new TV deal is hurting SEC basketball attendance.
• Chris Dearing of The State writes that South Carolina is getting ready for Georgia.
• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes on the Vols’ emotional J.P. Prince.
• Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Wayne Chism is playing trough pain.
• Gary Laney of The Advocate reports that LSU faces a tough task at Mississippi State.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger writes that State’s shooters are looking for a quick fix.
• Montgomery Advertiser previews Alabama-Auburn matchup.
• The Mobile Press-Register wonders why every Alabama fan wants Tim Tebow’s autograph.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun gives four things Tebow needs to do at the Senior Bowl.
• The AJC says that ex-Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez has been hired at Stanford.

Before today’s practice, UK coach John Calipari talked about Saturday’s game with Vanderbilt.

Before Friday’s practice, Kentucky forward Patrick Patterson talks about the criticism he received from the fans after Tuesday night’s loss at South Carolina.

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• In the Herald-Leader, Randy Rosetta writes on UK women’s win at LSU.
• Jerry Tipton of the H-L writes that Vandy’s Jermaine Beal does what it takes to win.
• Tipton also reports that the supposed/alleged DeMarcus Cousins post-game incident at South Carolina is now being downplayed.
• Mark Wiedmer of the Tennessean argues that Vanderbilt is the best team in the SEC.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Vanderbilt is winning with a low-key approach.
• Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean reports that Vanderbilt now has a physical team.
• Rick Bozich of the Courier-Journal writes that Tuesday’s lesson was that it’s basketball.
• Jody Demling of the C-J reports that Joker Phillips was a presence in Louisville on Thursday.
• Basketball Prospectus on Eric Bledsoe’s NBA chances.
• ESPN’s Dick Vitale says UK will respond the right way.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L reports that ex-UK defensive line coach Rick Petri has found a job.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Is Vanderbilt the best team in the SEC?’

SEC links for Friday:

• Robbie Neiswanger of the Ft. Smith Times-Record reports on Arkansas victory over visiting Mississippi State.
• Brady Holzhauer of Arkansas Sports 360 on Arkansas’ come-from-behind win.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger writes that Courtney Fortson burned Mississippi State in Razorbacks’ win.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Evan Woodbery reports on Ole Miss’ win over Auburn.
• Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News writes on Auburn dropping to 1-5 in the SEC.
• Ray Melick of the News doesn’t believe CBS should pass on the Tim Tebow add.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun writes that Tebow did well in two-minute drills at Senior Bowl.
• David Jones of Florida Today writes that Tebow’s game is being picked apart.
• Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News reports on the progress of the Nick Saban statue.
• Chris Dearing of The State reports that South Carolina women pulled an upset of their own.
• Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on the Lady Vols’ win over Auburn.
• Gary Laney of the Baton Rouge Advocate reports on LSU basketball woes.
• Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that UT must deal with losing streak.
• AP report on Georgia women losing their second straight game.

I have no idea to the veracity of the South Carolina fan who claims he was hit by DeMarcus Cousins when the fans stormed the floor after the Gamecocks’ upset win over No. 1 Kentucky on Tuesday night. I doubt that, if it were true, UK would have brought Cousins to the post-game press conference, as was the case. He was the only Kentucky player made available to the media.

But the story did remind me of the greatest sports episode ever involving a fan running out onto the playing field. It was 1971. The Baltimore Colts vs. the Miami Dolphins. A drunken fan runs onto the field to grab the ball, and he’s popped by Colts’ linebacker Mike “Mad Dog” Curtis. You can see at the 2:25 mark of this video on Curtis’ career. Now this is crowd control.