John Clay's Sidelines

(AP photo/Wade Payne)

On Twitter, someone asked when Calipari last experience a two-game losing streak.

The answer: 2004-05. His 22-16 Memphis team, which failed to make the NCAA Tournament, experienced a two-game losing streak early in the year, then lost four straight — at Charlotte; home to Louisville; at Saint Louis; and home to Cincinnati — late in the year.

Since that season, Calipari has experienced all of 21 losses over six seasons. His 2005-06 team went 33-4, losing to UCLA in the Elite Eight. His 2006-07 team went 33-4, losing to Ohio State in the Elite Eight. His 2007-8 team went 38-2, losing to Kansas in the national finals. His 2008-09 team went 33-4, losing to Missouri in the Sweet 16. And his first Kentucky team went 35-3, losing to West Virginia in the Elite 8.

So one more loss this year and Cal will have experienced the most losses he’s taken in a season since ’04-05.

A chart of Calipari losses since 2004-05:

Before Friday’s practice, John Calipari met with the media and asked for South Carolina questions. Any other questions, like the controversy over his in-game comments to Terrence Jones on Tuesday, got a stiff-arm.

Meanwhile, Josh Harrellson talks about this week’s controversy.

A couple of clips here from UK’s basketball media opp today with John Calipari talking about his team as it heads to South Carolina for Saturday’s 6 p.m. game with the Gamecocks.

Continue reading ‘Video: Calipari talks team heading to South Carolina’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Jerry Tipton: John Calipari forsees more close games in the SEC.
• AP: Kentucky women rally from 10 points down to win at Florida.
• Ray FitzGerald: Florida women fall on missed buzzer-beater.
• Larry Vaught: Cal’s young Cats have to understand intensity.
• Eric Lindsey: Rick Minter has interesting perspective on AFC title game.
• Steve Jones: Former EKU quarterback will walk on at Kentucky.
• Jason King: Kentucky’s young players have not displayed mental toughness.
• Jeff Fedotin: Perry Ellis may be the best player ever out of Kansas.
• A Sea of Blue: The secrets of synchronicity.
• Ron Morris: South Carolina should change atmosphere to draw more fans.

(AP photo)

SEC links for Friday:

Florida 45, Auburn 40. A defensive struggle at Auburn, where the Tigers couldn’t pull off the upset, writes Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser. An ugly win is pretty sometimes, writes Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun. David Jones of Florida Today reports that ”The Gators (14-4, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) hit just 28 percent from the floor but scored the final eight points to avoid an embarrassing loss. It was the fewest points Florida had scored under Donovan, who’s in his 15th year and was coaching his 488th game with the team.”

Figuring out SEC basketball. John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes it has been hard to figure out SEC basketball thus far. Says Adams, “Who’s the best team in the SEC? Answer: Whoever is playing at home – with a couple of exceptions.”

SEC women’s hoops. Tennessee wins at South Carolina 71-56, reports Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel. LSU beat Ole Miss 78-43. Vandy beat Arkansas 65-54. Auburn won at Mississippi State 45-41. Georgia won at Alabama 60-51. Kentucky won at Florida 59-58.

Football coaching hires. The merry-go-round continues in college football. Ex-Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe is now offensive coordinator at LSU, reports Randy Rosetta of The Advocate. Ole Miss has hired ex-Southern Cal and ex-Arkansas defensive coordinator Keith Burns as secondary coach, reports the NE Mississippi Daily Journal. Georgia has lost offensive line coach Stacy Searles to Texas, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.

Cecil Newton. Still a lot of controversy over whether Cameron Newton’s father was or was not at the BCS title game. Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News reports that Auburn AD Jay Jacobs does not believe that Cecil Newton violated any agreement. ”My understanding is he actually came in after the game was over for the celebration,” Jacobs said. “Now, I haven’t spoken to Mr. Newton. But based on what his attorney said, that’s my understanding. As far as I’m concerned, he didn’t go against anything we mutually agreed upon.”

I’m pinch-hitting for Larry Glover on WVLK-590 tonight and Friday.

It’s from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Help me out by tuning in and giving us a call.

Tom Crean (AP photo)

Not a great tube schedule tonight for college hoops, but a couple of interesting game.

From the provincial SEC point of view, Florida travels to Auburn for a 7 p.m. game on ESPN. A Gator win would tie Billy Donovan’s club with South Carolina atop the East Division. Auburn is awful, and looking for its first conference win.

At 9 p.m., you might want to check in on Indiana coach Tom Crean. His Hoosiers travel to Wisconsin in hopes of improving their 1-4 record in the Big 10. IU did whip Michigan 80-61, and if the Crimson-and-Cream doesn’t put a winning streak together soon Crean may spontaneously combust.

Good late game on the Left Coast where Arizona meets Washington in Seattle. Washington is 5-1 in the Pac 10, Arizona is 4-1.  A win helps either team’s tournament resume.

• Florida at Auburn (7:00, ESPN)
• South Florida at Rutgers (7:00, ESPN2)
• Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay (7:00, ESPNU)
• Tennessee women at South Carolina (7:00, FS South)
• Gonzaga at Santa Clara (9:00, ESPNU)
• Virginia Tech at Maryland (9:00, ESPN2)
• Indiana at Wisconsin (9:00, ESPN)
• Arizona at Washington (10:30, FSN)

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• With Kentucky up next, South Carolina beats Arkansas to jump to top of SEC East, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Terrence Jones can take it, his aunt tells Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Calipari says he’s sorry for harsh words, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Is Cal being too abusive with his players? asks Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• No cause to cuss, Cats just acting their age, says my Thursday 20 questions column.
• Cats content, not committed, writes Matt May of the Cats Pause.
• Mathies move to point guard puts UK women back on track, reports Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader.
• Since high-profile NCAA rulings, including Enes Kanter decision, NCAA has increased security around president Mark Emmert, reports Steve Wieberg of USA Today.
• Cal’s cursing makes it to Around the Horn, reports Nation of Blue.

Continue reading ‘Carolina’s win; Cal’s blue language and more Blue links’

(AP photo/Mark Humphrey)

SEC links for Thursday:

• Vanderbilt keeps Ole Miss winless in SEC, 84-74, reports Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Commodores pull away from the Rebels in the second half, writes Parrish Alford of the NE Mississippi Daily Journal.
• Vandy seals the deal this time around, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Now you can own a clod of sod Auburn trod to win title, reports the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Alabama basketball fans still remember what it feels like to contend, writes Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Scotty Hopson now on the attack for Tennessee, writes Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Florida basketball grasps the importance of foul shots, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• Auburn basketball is moving on without Frankie Sullivan, reports Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Offensive coordinator a key decision for Les Miles, writes Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.
• Chris Low of espn.com tracks the ESPNU 150 football commitments.