(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)
Replaced, old blah headline.
Some daily randoms for a Wednesday:
Let’s not get too carried away on Brandon Knight just yet. Yes, the freshman was outstanding in Canada. (See individual game-by-game stats.) The competition wasn’t exactly top-shelf, however. Kyle Macy said on the air he thought the Canadian teams would compare to top-level NAIA teams. I’m not sure that Windsor could beat Georgetown College, however. So put me among those not quite ready to say that the speedy Knight will pass the speedy John Wall on the college career tract. It does appear that Knight is more of a scorer than Wall. He looks for his shot.
As happens, my blog post on the Bobby Petrino/Gator hat controversy was picked up by an Arkansas message board. As happens, comments have been posted on this blog, most taking the know-nothing me to task. I like what my friend Clay Travis wrote, “It’s been my experience that fan outrage and correct spelling are mutually exclusive.”
Best read of the day goes to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Paul Daugherty who flat-out nails Colin Cowherd, after Cowherd called the Reds frauds. Excerpt:
Cowherd deals in big names, big cities, big teams. He sees himself as a big-time guy. Here in Fraudville, we deal in who’s winning and who’s in first place.
The problem isnt that Cowherd is dissing the Reds. Really, so what? Put Cowherd in a lineup with a gorilla and three donkeys, you’d need 3 guesses to pick him out. The issue is the arrogance that screams that if you’re not NY/Bsn/LA, you’re nobody. You are condescended to, by a guy who sits in a glass booth, throwing stones. And of course by the network that pays him.
That might not bug you. It shouldnt bug me. Only it does.
Look, I am not emotionally or financially invested in how the Reds do. Is it good when they win? Of course. Easier access, better stories, more people paying attention. Beyond that, I couldnt care less. I root for the Reds as much as they root for me. I havent seen any players in my driveway lately, waving pompons.
And I’ve worked in big markets: Dallas. New York. I turned down the LA Times twice. I write a weekly column for SI.com. I like being a “local hack” as Cowherd put it. If my ego and insecurity required a big market presence, I’d never have left NY. Or I’d be in LA now. Some people don’t tie their identities to what they do. I don’t have to live here; I choose to. It’s a great place to live, far better than metro NY or suburban Dallas, far less complicated than Los Angeles.
I say this not to justify my existence, but to point out what a shallow, uninformed guy Colin Cowherd really is.
Remember, though, Colin says, “I am research!”
BTW, big win for the Reds last night. Arizona is awful, yes. But the Redlegs absorbed a bad break in the fifth inning when Drew Stubbs was called out on appeal for missing third base after he had already scored. The Reds trailed 2-0 at the time. They rallied to win 6-2. In such an important West Coast road trip, where the Reds have traditionally face-planted themselves, it helps to get off to a good start. Consider it done.
I also hereby endorse the move of Mike Leake to the bullpen. Need to limit his innings, plus he’s been knocked around lately as a starter. See the Walt Jocketty influence on this move.
Kudos to incoming NCAA president Mark Emmert, quoted in USA Today’s print version as saying, “I much prefer the baseball model, for example, that allows a young person, if they want to go to play professional baseball, they can do it right out of high school, but once they start college, they’ve got to play three years or until they’re 21.”
Speaking of USA Today, Danny Sheridan lists Kentucky as a 3-point favorite over Louisville on Sept. 4.
In case you were wondering, the fact that LSU freshman quarterback Zach Lee gave up his scholarship to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers did not mean that the Tigers could have given the scholarship to Elliott Porter, now a Kentucky defensive tackle. After the reporting date, scholarships can only be issued to walk-ons.
Maybe it’s this whole Candian influence thing this week, but have been listening to Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs almost non-stop since seeing the Canadian kids on the Daily Show last week. (I had already purchased CD, but had not made it a priority listen.) Very impressed, and not just saying that because my man Bruce brought Win Butler and Régine Chassagne on stage with him and the E-Street Band when in Ontario in 2007.
Should have known then that the Fire was worth checking out. Need to seek out Funeral and Neon Bible, because right now, anyway, can’t get “Ready to Start” out of my head.
On a similar note, still waiting for the next release from another Canadian, Kathleen Edwards, who offers up a new song here:
Have to admit I chuckled at this from the cool kids over at the NSFW Kentucky Sports Radio, when told that its Tuesday morning liveblog was drawing considerably more viewers than my Tuesday morning UK basketball liveblog:
John Clay is doing the best he can…but most newspaper readers dont have computers or cell phones
That’s a good one.
What they do have are jobs.
Have to admit I chuckled at this from the cool kids over at the NSFW Kentucky Sports Radio, when told that its Tuesday morning liveblog was drawing considerably more viewers than my Tuesday morning UK basketball liveblog:
John Clay is doing the best he can…but most newspaper readers dont have computers or cell phones
That’s a good one.
What they do have are jobs.
….
And know how to write. And know how to break news (not copy and paste it). And know what professionalism is. Keep up the good work, John.
Funeral is by far the Arcade Fire’s best. Do yourself a favor and get that immediately. It’s an amazing album..
Love the back and forth with you and KSR. Read you both every day, and for obviously different reasons. Thanks for the Kathleen Edwards get – you turned me on to her last year, and LOVE her stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ArcadeFireVEVO#p/u/0/h0DpBOYzXcQ
check this out!
Thanks for the Arcade Fire clip.
Mark Emmert has little power to institute the change he wants. It is an NBA rule that forces guys to go play NCAA for a year. Stearn did that to get his scouts and GMs out of high school gyms, and to save his owners from drafting risky 17 & 18 year olds on potential and how they overwealmed inferior competition. By all accounts the NBA is thrilled with how this rule as worked; a year in college made Kevin Durant a bigger name, and Derrick Rose, and our own Wall & Cousins. If anything the only change will be to force guys to spend 2 years in college instead of just 1.
“What they do have are jobs”
That line is just awesome.
I thought newspaper readers had jobs and now they are retired.
The back and forth is funny. I for one am glad we have both newspapers spending the money to track down the news and bloggers to provide fresh (and non-”professional journalism” opinions) and keep the so-called professionals honest (see Dan Rather, as just one of many examples).
Great stuff today, John. Thanks for the notes. I agree with everything you said here. And I also get a kick out of the back and forth with you and KSR. Keep up the good work, you’re the best guy that covers UK. Take care!
It is kinda sad when people without jobs have more readers and actually demonstrate something that resembles a personality. Perhaps with all that money you make from your archaic job, you could buy a sense of humor.
Either those are two different Jacks, or he has a split personality.
You only have a job because of there are people that still pay for the same information or your opinion. But who would pay to read someones opinion?
I am the first Jack. The second Jack obviously doesn’t know “me.”
From now on, I’ll go by JackB.
And apparently there is another Gary, but I agree with him….keep up the good work!
The “cool” kids at KSR couldn’t write their way out of a paper sack. You the man, John Clay.
John, you are fighting a losing battle with the “cool kids”. There is a reason they are cool, you know. They are good, give the people what they want, and have done so very responsibly (i.e. not reporting rumors and honoring the wishes of sources, etc..
However, this blog is also decent for a few extra nuggets of info, and the video interviews and press conferences you post.
Jeremy, as for “(i.e. not reporting rumors and honoring the wishes of sources, etc.),” you’re kidding, right?
So I am one of those who has a job and looks at both your site John and KSR. I like many that do the same, look at both for different reasons. I want to know just the facts I look your site or the paper. I want to be humored while getting the pretty much same info I look at KSR. It’s a fan’s page that is doing very well but certainly is a different animal than the paper and shouldn’t be considered such(apples vs. oranges).
Yet here is the potential problem that I see….the majority of those who view and love KSR (and sites similar) may not have jobs due to college but someday will as they grow up. So that begs the question, will they turn to the paper’s blogs for their info or will they keep with what they have always been used to? With KSR starting a TV program as well as going back to doing some radio work one would have to guess their popularity would only increase thus making those “cool kids” cooler other wise why would someone take the risk of putting them on the air?
I like that you have a blog of your own and do some cool stuff like your video recaps etc etc but aren’t newspapers just jumping into the game a little too late in some respects….using what has been working for others with just minor tweaks? Will that sway those from the KSR’s of the world and get them involved in the actual paper? Not sure it will. It is going to be interesting to see what is of KSR and the Herald in the next 10 years. For now I will just enjoy what each of you do in anticipation of what will come.
It is really sad to watch John Clay turn into a clown.
I very seriously doubt the validity of the “had the CD but hadn’t made it a priority listen” part of your Arcade Fire contrivance. An attempt to appear hip to the crowd you are trying to garner now? Many people laughed at the blatant reach there.
No Way, if you’d stop laughing long enough to check my twitter feed I had asked followers right after Suburbs release if it was worth purchasing. After many positive responses, I tweeted that I would buy it. I did. Had not had much chance to listen to it until I happened to catch them on Daily Show.
That was very accurate tweet from you, John Clay, about LeBron James calling Marquis Teague the night before Teague commited to UK. Thats one of the reasons you are never taken seriously and considered to be an endangered species when this paper goes under. Good Luck with your “job”.
Blackhawk, I think even John Clay knows the answer to your “10 year” question. With that being said, I also enjoy both sides of the info (KSR, newspaper).
I think it is funny the jealousy put forth by yourself and others over KSR. Leave it be and move onto something else. KSR is the number one Kentucky blog and will remain that way do to humor and info rapped into one. The fact that you have to be a p—- to them for no reason is uncalled for. Why care what a bunch of “cool kids” are doing. You run a blog that gets linked on their site all the time and if not for that your hits would not be where they are. Grow up John and though you may have a job now, be ready for when the print industry goes down and you unemployed. KSR on the other hand now has three types of media going on and are growing in numbers daily. And they don’t report rumors show me on instance where they have. That’s what I thought.
What John….No comment about that “LeBron called Marquis Teague last night” tweet that took away any credibility you might have once had? …. All I hear is Crickets from John Clay. haha
I have to say the pettiness exhibited by KSR and yourself as well John is old and tired. You both do good work. I have no interest in reading each of you take jabs at the other. Give it a rest and just do what you do well.
I think stating that blog readers are at the college level is misplaced. Ten years ago that might have been true, but it isn’t anymore. Sorry guys. We have graduate degrees and have been working our way through the ranks for over five years now. Sorry for ya.
KSR=NSFW?!? really? I read it at work all the time…they block my fantasy football sites lol