John Clay's Sidelines

Eloy Vargas

Anthony Wireman of All Ky Hoops reports that Eloy Vargas scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds to help the Reach USA team to an 87-82 win over a Lithuanian team this morning in China. Vargas had five rebounds. The senior center had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in Reach USA’s loss yesterday. This is the same trip that Josh Harrellson and Jon Hood went on last year, which paved the way for Harrellson’s surprise senior season. The Cats are no doubt hoping the trip helps Vargas improve, as well.

Continue reading ‘Eloy Vargas scores 12 points as Reach USA wins’

As reported by Card Chronicle, and Brett McMurphy of CBS Sports, Louisville will lose three football scholarships because of sub-standard APR scores. The reason: Coaching turnover. Or so says the Cards.

“Continuity and stability among our coaching staffs lends itself to better performance and unfortunately our football student-athletes endured three football coaches in four years,” UL athletic director Tom Jurich said in a statement. “We want to improve our figures rapidly and I’m impressed with the measures Charlie Strong has implemented in our football program. I’m confident that we are our currently headed in the right direction. We have already addressed the penalties and have put it behind us.”

Of course, the Cards went from Bobby Petrino, who left for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, to Steve Kragthorpe, who was fired after the 2009 season, to Charlie Strong last year.

Continue reading ‘Louisville fails to hit the books, and loses (scholarships)’

Is it ESPN? Is it Sports Illustrated? Is it Sporting News? When it comes to which national sports web site gets the most traffic, the answer may surprise you. Yahoo Sports was the winner in April, pulling down nearly 46 million unique visitors. Yes, even more than this site. ESPN is second. Fox Sports is third, though well behind the first two. With national basketball writer Jeff Goodman switching from Fox Sports to CBS Sports, maybe the latter can rise the up the charts. For April, CBS Sports ranked sixth. Sporting News is way back in the 12th spot. As for the major leagues, NFL group edges out MLB.com, with NHL making the top 15.

The Big Lead has the top 15 list for April.

Which national site is your favorite?

Continue reading ‘Which national sports web site gets the most traffic?’

The matchups for the expanded SEC/Big East Challenge were announced yesterday, with St. John’s scheduled to come to Rupp Arena to play Kentucky on Dec. 1.

So much for Jim Calhoun’s hint that UK and UConn were going to be matched up in Madison Square Garden again. This time, the Big Apple is coming to the Bluegrass.

But that’s not the most attractive game on the 12-game set. In fact, the best game figures to be the next night, Dec. 2, up the road at the Yum Center when Kevin Stallings and Vanderbilt meets Rick Pitino and Louisville.

Click the continue line for my rankings of the SEC/Big East Challenge matchups.

Continue reading ‘Ranking the SEC/Big East Challenge matchups’

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader is among those up in Chicago at the NBA Pre-Draft Combine. He took the Flip camera along and shot video interviews with Brandon Knight and DeAndre Liggins. The Knight vs. Kyrie Irving dynamic is interesting. The guess is Cleveland will take Irving with the second pick, leaving Derrick Williams for Minnesota at No. 2. Then Utah might take Knight at No. 3. But what if Cleveland takes Enes Katner instead? Possible scenario: Minnesota takes Williams, Utah takes Irving, and Knight ends up at No. 4 with Cleveland. Then Kanter and Knight would end up on the same team.

Click the continue line to see the videos.

Continue reading ‘Videos: Knight and Liggins at NBA pre-draft workouts’

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Kentucky tennis moved into the NCAA quarterfinals by beating Florida out in Stanford, while the UK baseball team was losing to Florida in Gainesville.

Chicago was getting the most eyeballs, however. That’s where NBA draft prospects Brandon Knight, DeAndre Liggins and Enes Kanter are participating in the league’s pre-draft combine.

Kanter apparently wowed the scouts with his workout. For some reason, Draft Express sent out a tweet earlier in the week quoting an unnamed GM as comparing Kanter to Joe Klein. Think Enes issued a rebuttal yesterday.

Click on the continue line to get today’s links.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK tennis advances; Kanter does well in Chicago’

SEC links for Friday:

• Tennessee basketball adds 6-foot-8 forward Dwight Miller on final day of signing period. The juco forward averaged 8.2 points and 5.4 rebounds last season. Would not say he’s quite ready to replace Tobias Harris, but new coach Cuonzo Martin needs bodies. And Miller did sign with Pittsburgh out of high school before heading to Junior College. [Knoxville News-Sentinel]
• ESPN’s Mel Kiper has ranked South Carolina wide out Alshon Jeffery as the conference’s best pro prospect. His top five from the SEC: Jeffery, Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama running back Trent Richardson, South Carolina defensive back Stephon Gilmore, Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw. [ESPN]

• Prosecution seeks gag order in the Harvey Updyke case. Updyke is the Alabama fan who poisoned Auburn’s beloved Toomer’s Corner trees. The gag order may be directed at Updyke, who keeps calling the Paul Finebaum show. [Huntsville Times]

Continue reading ‘SEC: Tennessee adds hoops signee; Jeffery tops list’

(Raleigh News Observer photo)

On-the-market Ryan Harrow, the touring former North Carolina State point guard, tells Zagsblog by text message that he has not decided on his landing spot yet. Harrow has visited Kentucky, Louisville and Georgia. He was expected to visit St. John’s, as well, but the Johnnies may be getting another point guard transfer, Momo Jones from Arizona. Harrow spoke to the St. John’s coaches by phone, but may not visit.

I’m in Cincinnati today for the Reds and Pirates. It’s a 12:35 p.m. start. Cincinnati is 5-1 on this home stand after losing to Pittsburgh 5-0 last night. Johnny Cueto is on the hill for the Reds. He’s not given up an earned run in his two starts and 13 2/3 innings since coming off the disabled list. James McDonald is pitching for the Pirates. He is 2-3 with a 6.20 ERA. Cincinnati is 1-4 against the Pirates this year. Scott Rolen is not in the lineup today. Miguel Cairo is playing third base.

Click on the continue line for the Liveblog.

Continue reading ‘Live from Cincinnati and Great American Ball Park’

Steve Lavin

The New York Post is reporting that Kentucky will play St. John’s in this year’s SEC/Big East Challenge. The game will not be in Madison Square Garden, however, but at Rupp Arena. All the matchups for this year’s challenge, which is no longer an invitational, will be announced by ESPN later today. St. John’s reached the NCAA Tournament last year under first-year coach Steve Lavin, who is currently being treated for prostate cancer. The Johnnies lost quite a bit off last year’s team, but St. John’s is ranked as having the No. 3 incoming recruiting class for 2011 by Rivals. Of course, Kentucky is No. 1 on the Rivals list.

Continue reading ‘Report: UK will play St. John’s in SEC/Big East Challenge’