(H-L photo/Matt Goins)
Big Blue Links for Tuesday:
- On Dan Patrick’s Radio Show, John Calipari says John Wall wants to stay.
- Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader on UK’s freshmen vs. Michigan’s Fab Five freshmen.
- Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader on the UK women opening NCAA play in Louisville.
- Tipton on Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury saying the officials missed a key call late in SEC title game.
- Writing for the Boston Globe, Charles Pierce thinks some Cats have tuned out John Calipari.
- Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant takes a shot at Calipari. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
- Rick Bozich of the C-J on Kentucky finding a way to win.
- Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal on UK driving its way to the Big Dance.
- Brett Dawson of the C-J on Kentucky being the kiddie Cats.
- Drew Bruno of the Evansville Courier on UK’s young and restless.
- Stewart Mandel of SI.com thinks Kentucky will make it through to Indianapolis.
- Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports writes that the East won’t be easy, but UK will make the Final Four.
- Gary Parrish of CBS Sports picks Kentucky to take the whole thing.
- Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that LSU coach Trent Johnson likes DeMarcus Cousins’ “nasty” attitude.
- Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel on the UK women getting good news on Monday.
- Deke Bellavia of WWL sports says Kentucky is still the king of the SEC.
- Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports on Kentucky’s place in a wide-open tournament.
- Etan Kaplar of Bleacher Report doesn’t think John Wall can take UK to the title.
I think its obvious that there is alot of love on this team. They are more than people who just happen to be playing a sport together. They are brothers & friends. It\’s something special.
Not sure why people keep linking to Bleacher Reports. Those are not anything more than glorified comments.
I hope Cal’s right about John Wall wanting to come back (big difference, though, b/w “wants to” and “will”), but one thing I’m pretty sure he’s not right about:
“[Cal] pointed out not one player on the team has ever been in the Tournament.”
Any thoughts on that statement, John? (You don’t need it, but here’s a hint: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=284000023)
John,
No way Wall stays, right?
No way John Wall comes back. Cal has to make room for Brandon Knight, lol. Honestly I’d love to have Wall back again but it’s probably best for him to go now. I bet he mostly don’t want to be a Net.
John Wall wants to come back? But why would he, and forgo millions of dollars in the NBA? Yea, I know money isn’t all, but still … .
With a likely lockout after next season, I would advise Wall to go pro this year. Otherwise, he might not have an NBA to jump to for 2 more seasons. Better to make a few millions next year and save your money for the year off than to come out of college with no salary to live on for the next year and have to make it on endorsements as an unsigned “rookie” or whatever they do with the draftees b/c of the lockout.
I think the whole team as an extreme desire to win a championship, and the only mulling of Patterson and/or Wall returning will be if they fall short of that goal. Odds are they won’t win, but next year who could stop them, really? SO that’s the thought. If everyone goes pro, the problems UK will have is not with the guards but with the big men. Orton and Harrelson will be it, since Cal (in one of his few mistakes, let Matt Pilgrim go). Orton has a tendency to foul, and Harrelson is not the NBA’r we’re used to at that position. Wall can take out insurance policies against injury, but John Wall will not hurt if he misses one or two years in the NBA. With his lottery salary and endorsements he’ll be one of the richest Wildcats of all time. He’s having fun, so why not talk about changing a thing? You people who write about missing a year because of the money are ridiculous. Soon you’ll be complaining that they should be allowed to drop out of high school to go pro because they’ll miss a year! Getting some of his studies out of the way before entering the NBA is actually the smartest thing to do, as an eventual return to college for a diploma is what anyone who retires a mutli millionaire at 30 years old must do
Sorry guys ESPN did a update on that story and it was a hoax. Coach Cal was just “teasing” and “not serious” about John Wall staying. Guess Coach Call hasn’t realized how seriously some UK fans takes every word he says yet.
link — http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/7159/calipari-just-teasing-on-wall-staying
Wish I had better news.
John Wall will always be loved by every true wildcat fan forever, no matter what he does. I love ya JWALL your like my big brother! You gave me a reason to smile and you made mme smile everyday. I would just think of you and Demarcus bein silly or you with that big cute grin on your face. Thanks so much for what you did to impact THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY and my life !!!!! I will always love you John!