John Clay's Sidelines

Tony Woods

Don’t be so quick to make fun of the other team for taking the player with the troubled past.

Soon a player with a troubled past might be playing for your team.

It might even be that very same player with the troubled past.

That’s the lesson in the Tony Woods story.

Last fall, it appeared the former Wake Forest center, who had plead guilty to a charge of misdemeanor assault for striking his girlfriend, was headed to Lousiville, a development that prompted an outcry from some members of Big Blue Nation, eagerly using Woods as an example of just how desperate the Cardinal basketball program had become.

Continue reading ‘In the Tony Woods saga, who’s laughing now?’

(AP photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Big Blue Links for Friday:

Tony Woods has talked to Kentucky about a transfer, reports Jason King of Yahoo.

This could be Alex Meyer’s final home start, writes Mark Maloney of the Herald-Leader.

In his 29th year, UK tennis coach Dennis Emery still succeeding, reads my column.

UK men’s tennis team prepares for regional today, reports Maloney.

Kentucky softball falls to Tennessee in SEC Tournament, says H-L staff report.

Knight, Liggins and Kanter all invited to NBA pre-draft combine, reports H-L.

Don’t make players rush draft decision, writes Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal.

UK and Louisville hoping for dream tennis match-up, writes Brett Dawson of the C-J.

Holdovers carry Kentucky basketball’s title hopes, writes Dawson.

Kentucky’s spring practice wrap-up, according to ESPN’s Chris Low.

Aaron Douglas

SEC links for Friday:

Death of Alabama offensive tackle Aaron Douglas brings no answers, only more sorrow to Alabama, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.

The cause of Dougals’ death remains pending, reports Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.

Mississippi State beats Ole Miss 7-6 to start crucial SEC series, reports Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.

Vandy and Florida collide with SEC title on line, writes Jeff Lockridge of Tennessean.

Mark Richt moving on after Ealey, says Seth Emerson of the Macon Telegraph.

Two more Razorbacks not returning, reports Robbie Neiswanger of Arkansas News.

Will Muschamp addresses Gator faithful, reports Chris Harry for Gainesville Sun.

Rob Bromley

No. 2 on your list of Media Approval Ratings is long-time WKYT-TV sports anchor and reporter Rob Bromley. Rob is a New York native but was surely pulling hard in the NCAA Tournament for his alma mater, Butler. He arrived in Lexington at WKYT in 1977 and has been here since.

What say you on Rob Bromley, approve or disapprove?

Previously: Alan Cutler

And feel free to leave comments after the jump.

Continue reading ‘Media Approval Ratings: Rob Bromley’

Kentucky coach Dennis Emery and star Eric Quigley talk about UK’s upcoming match with Cleveland State in the NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament this weekend.

We’re starting a new feature today which will use a scholarship chart to examine the UK football team position-by-position. We’re starting with the quarterbacks, where Morgan Newton will be a starter next season, with freshman Maxwell Smith as his backup. The chart shows where the current quarterbacks would be class-wise over the next four years. We’ll be graphing the other positions over the next several days.

Continue reading ‘UK football scholarship graph: The quarterbacks’

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Trevor Lacey will choose between Kentucky and Kansas, reports All Ky Hoops.
• Kentucky looking at Tennessee power foward Alex Poythress, reports Chip Cirillo of the Tennessean.
• Wildcat Blue Nation talks to UK target Perry Ellis.
• Kentucky will play Transylvania in basketball next season, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• John Calipari says UK men’s basketball posted GPA of 3.14, reports Tipton.
• Ex-UK basketball coach Tubby Smith has surgery to remove cancer, reports the AP.
• Ex-UK star Anthony Epps pleads guilty to reckless driving, reports WLEX-TV.
• Luke Winn of SI wonders why Calipari is coaching the Dominican national team.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Lacey down to three; UK looking at Poythress’

Dan Werner

SEC links:

• Former Florida Gator basketball player Dan Werner offered a plea deal, reports Rachel George of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Georgia and Georgia Tech are battling over hoops prospect, reports Michael Carvell of the AJC.
• Stephen Garcia has a chance at being back at South Carolina, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Arkansas’ Marshawn Powell undergoes surgery on left foot, reports Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.
• LSU to unveil bronze statue of Shaquille O’Neal, reports Jim Kleinpeter of the Times-Picayune.
• Auburn’s Gene Chizik has a book on the horizon, reports Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News.
• Auburn AD says he’s confident in Cam Newton case, reports John Zenor of the Associated Press.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Werner offered plea; Garcia may be back at USC’

Jeff Goodman

Jeff Goodman, college basketball guru for Fox Sports, has revised (sort of) his pre-season Top 25 now that we know who’s in and who’s out with regards to the NBA draft.

No surprise that Goodman picks North Carolina as his No. 1, while slotting Kentucky at No. 2.

But he calls the Cats co-favorites.

Jeff writes of North Carolina: “With the return of Barnes, Henson and Zeller – and everyone else off an Elite Eight team – and the addition of McAdoo and Hairston, the Tar Heels will hold the No. 1 spot.”

He writes of Kentucky: “The top-ranked incoming class in America, along with the return of a trio of holdovers – including Jones – make the Wildcats the co-favorites along with UNC.”

Alan Cutler

Drumroll please — Media Approval Ratings are back.

We haven’t offered (most of) the local media up for judgement since 2009, and with the dog days of summer just up ahead, we can’t resist the urge to do it all over again. We will do one approval per day.

We’ll start with the TV guys, and with WLEX-TV’s Alan Cutler. The New York native has had a couple of turns at the local NBC affiliate. He’s been at Channel 18 since 1987 in his second stint.

So what do you say on Alan Cutler, approve or disapprove?

Continue reading ‘Media Approval Ratings: Alan Cutler’