John Clay's Sidelines

Video from John Calipari’s meeting with the media today before practice, in preparating for Saturday’s game with Arkansas at 4 p.m. Some highlights:

• Calipari said that Rotnei Clarke is going to hit some shots. There’s really no shutting down the Razorback sharpshooter who can hit shots from the half-court line.

• Calipari said that Arkansas is different with point guard Courtney Fortson back from his suspension. He said he thinks the Razorbacks are close to getting it together, and just hopes that doesn’t begin Saturday.

• Asked about going for the No. 1 ranking, Cal said he’s all for it. As long as team realizes that’s not the ultimate goal.

• The players said that Calipari has them practicing like the team is on a two-game losing streak, not an 18-game win streak. This gets Cal talking about improving your play. He mentions what Purdue did after going on a three-game losing streak. The Boilermakers inserted a walk-on against Illinois, a walk-on who wasn’t even in the scorer’s book. That cost the Boilermakers a technical foul, but sparked the team, and broke the streak.

• The 3:44 mark is when Calipari, in talking about John Pelphrey, jokes about Pitino. The priceless part is the look on Cal’s face.

• And Cal also is asked about Eric Bledsoe and John Wall playing so well together.

This is from today’s meeting with John Calipari, in which the coach is asked whether he has ever coached against someone who has jersey hung in your arena. Cal says, yes, he has, against Rick Pitino.

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Yahoo Sports national columnist Dan Wetzel gives John Calipari some well-deserved props for his Hoops for Haiti.
• Andy Mead of H-L reports that one donor spent over $108,000 on Hoops for Haiti.
• Ken Tysiac of the Charlotte Observer on how John Wall escaped North Carolina.
• Calipari tells Dan Patrick he wants John Wall to go pro if he’s No. 1 pick.
• Jennifer Smith Mark Maloney of the H-L reports that Rich Brooks gave UK women a helping hand in win over Arkansas.
• Mason Linker of the Winston-Salem Journal writes on UK target Quincy Miller. (Hat tip to Spam’s Wildcat Page.)
• Mark Story of the H-L writes on former UK commitment Dakotah Euton.
• Danny Jett’s Inner Circle has a Calipari encounter at a middle school basketball game.
• Jerry Tipton of the H-L writes that Saturday is another emotional hurdle for Arkansas coach John Pelphrey.
• High School Hoops says Ryan Harrow is backtracking on his C.J. Leslie statement. (Hat tip to Bluegrass State Basketball.)

Continue reading ‘BBL: Rex Chapman, Howard Stern, Quincy Miller & more’

(AP photo/Tricia Spaulding)

SEC links for Friday:

• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports from Fayetteville on Florida’s victory over the Razorbacks.
• Chris Low of espn.com reports that Mississippi State acknowledges strip club visit.
• Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports from Athens on Lady Vols loss to Georgia.
• Ivan Maisel of espn.com names Urban Meyer the coach of the decade.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Lane Kiffin was a good fit for bad SEC hire.
• Deadspin gets in on the Kiffin sewage plant story.
• Jeff Schultz of the AJC writes that if you don’t believe in Mark Fox, get out of the way.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Tommy Hicks writes that Tim Tebow must prove himself again at the Senior Bowl.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Georgia women take first place in SEC’

Seth Davis

Sticking with the CBS theme, the Media Approval Ratings move on to studio analyst Seth Davis. The son of former White House counsel Lanny Davis, and a Duke grad, Seth also writes for Sports Illustrated and SportsIllustrated.com.

What say you on Seth Davis, thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Previously: Greg Anthony, Clark Kellogg, Bill Raftery, Jimmy Dykes, Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale

Louisville travels to Seton Hall for a 7 p.m. ESPN game, but it’s the follow-up that is of more interest to Kentucky fans. Florida is at Arkansas for a 9 p.m. ESPN tilt. Arkansas comes to Rupp on Saturday, as part of those dreaded Thursday-Saturday deals that the league agreed to take on in exchange for a few sawbucks from the WWL. Of course, it also means more exposure for SEC basketball teams, which could cut both ways.

(AP photo)

Update: Rich Copley’s excellent blog has Ashley Judd talking about her Cats on Jimmy Fallon.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Dinner with Caliparis and Ashley Judd goes for $98,000.
• Geoff Calkins of Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that Memphis fails to break UK’s record.
• Jerry Tipton of the H-L writes that DeMarcus Cousins, like Tom Petty, won’t back down.
• Seth Davis of CBS and SI says John Calipari is easy choice for coach of the year.
• Metz Camfield of the Kentucky Kernel writes on Eric Bledsoe and possibility of being one-and-done.
• Stewart Mandel of SI.com gives the Joker Phillips hire a B+ grade, and Charlie Strong an A+. (Hat tip to Tom Leach.)
• Brett Dawson of the C-J writes that Patrick Patterson isn’t certain he will leave school after this year.
• Terron Hampton of the Gaithersburg Gazette writes on Darnell Dodson’s long journey. (Hat tip to Wildcat World.)
• My column on UK women wanting to build on national ranking.
• Those women get first chance to defend ranking tonight.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Memphis fails to break UK’s record’

(AP photo)

SEC links for Thursday:

• In the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Ron Higgins reports on Ole Miss’ win over South Carolina.
• Lane Kiffin is still poking at Urban Meyer.
• Speaking of Meyer, Jeremy Fowler of Orlando Sentinel says Urban has slipped from view.
• Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Derek Dooley goes with what works.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC writes that Georgia football is facing big changes.
• Jim Kleinpeter of the Times-Picayune on the LSU skid.
• Gary Laney of The Advocate on LSU’s fourth straight loss.
• AP report on Auburn’s win in Baton Rouge.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger on the Rebels win over Devan Downey and Co.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Ole Miss downs Downey; Kiffin pokes at Meyer’

Greg Anthony

Media Approval Ratings today tackles CBS’ Greg Anthony, the former UNLV guard who is the backup to Clark Kellogg on CBS college telecasts. Anthony also does some studio work there.

What say you on Greg Anthony, thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Previously: Clark Kellogg, Bill Raftery, Jimmy Dykes, Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale