John Clay's Sidelines

(H-L photo)

Note: With football opener six weeks from Thursday, time to start grinding out some grid. The goal here is to post a chart a day dealing with UK football. That’s the goal. Here’s No. 1.

Time was Kentucky would not play another in-state institution of higher learning. Adolph Rupp forbid it. He viewed it a lose-lose. If Kentucky beat a state school, no big deal. If Kentucky lost to a state school, huge deal. The aftermath of the 1983 Dream Game changed that as far as basketball was concerned. Kentucky and Louisville began playing yearly. But not until C.M. Newton and Bill Olsen forged an agreement in the mid-1990s, same held true for football.

In 1998, UK expanded the in-state opponents to Eastern Kentucky. Murray State hopped aboard the Kentucky schedule in 2003. The Cats played Western Kentucky for first time in 2008. In fact, when UK and Western Kentucky kickoff the season on Sept. 1, it will be the fifth straight year that Kentucky will have played a second state school, along with Louisville.

Continue reading ‘Kentucky vs. state schools has been a delightful deal’

Nick Petrino

Nick Petrino, former Louisville Trinity quarterback and son of Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino, was arrested early this morning in Indiana on drug and DWI charges.

Excerpt:

The Huntingburg Police Department in southern Indiana said 23-year-old Dominic R. Petrino, of Fayetteville, Ark., was arrested at 12:06 a.m. Monday and charged with driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana, illegal possession of prescription drugs and possession of paraphernalia.An outstanding quarterback on the high school level, Petrino transferred to Arkansas in the spring of 2009.

Nick Petrino had been a back-up quarterback on his father’s team at Fayetteville, but is no longer with the squad. After helping Louisville Trinity to two state titles, he spent a year at Georgetown College, redshirting before transferring to Arkansas Tech. He moved from there to Montana State-Northern in 2008.

Nick Petrino is 23. Here’s an interview he did last year.

The ever-vigilant Anthony Wireman of All Ky Hoops has turned up some info that seems to suggest — ok, more than suggests — that Kentucky will play the first game in the new Barclays Center once the facility opens in Brooklyn, New York.

The excerpt:

It also has 163 events booked for the first year, including 44 Nets games. Mr. Yormark said he aims to have more than 220 events in total.

A major highlight will be the site’s first basketball game, a college matchup of Kentucky versus Maryland, according to sources. Also scheduled are boxing and tennis events, as well as 48 Feld Entertainment productions, including the Ringling Bros. circus and Disney on Ice.

The arena will be the new home of the New Jersey Nets. Or whatever the Nets will be called once they move into their new digs. The arena is scheduled to open Sept. 28, 2012.

(AP photo)

Assorted Reds notes as Cincinnati begins into three-game series tonight at Pittsburgh:

- Reds are 1-5 vs. the surprising Pirates this season. All six games have come at Great American Ball Park. Reds have lost the last four to Pittsburgh. In those six games, Reds have managed just one quality start. Mike Leake went six innings, giving up two earned runs, in an 11-2 Cincinnati victory. The lone Reds win over Pittsburgh. The two teams have not played since May 19 when a win improved Pittsburgh to 20-23. Clint Hurdle’s club is 29-21 since. Reds are 22-29 since.

- Pittsburgh closer Joel Hanrahan blew his first save of the season Sunday at Houston. The Pirates won anyway. Hanrahan has 26 saves on the year. He’s a huge reason why Pittsburgh is a half game out of first place. The Pirates won 57 games last season. They have 49 wins already this year.

- Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch points out that Pittsburgh is 20-7 versus Cincinnati, Chicago and Houston the season. Sounds a lot like the Reds of a year ago. Bernie also points out that of Pittsburgh’s 69 remaining games, 32 are against St. Louis, Milwaukee and Cincinnati.

Continue reading ‘Are amazing Pirates for real? Reds about to find out’

Jabari Parker (Rivals photo via Nike)

Forget your fear for 2012. So John Calipari’s back pocket contains no commitments. He’ll pull something out. He always does. It will be good. Most likely, it will be better than good. Relax.

Turn your attention to 2013. That’s the graduating class for the best individual high school basketball player in America. So the experts say. His name is Jabari Parker. And Seth Davis of SI.com writes on him from the Peach Jam.

A teaser:

In between those displays of piety, Parker reveals something that is truly divine: a game as good as his attitude.

Continue reading ‘Look ahead to 2013, name to know is Jabari Parker’

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Nashville hoops star Alex Poythress talks about offer he received from Kentucky
• Billy Gillispie one of several coaches who invested with man now found dead
• Sea of Blue is trying to choose the best UK small forward since 1977
• Ira Combs offers some sizzling summer storylines for Kentucky
• DeMarcus Cousins will hold a summer camp in Georgetown
• Micah Johnson wants to make Big Blue Nation proud
• Kentucky will be searching for depth at running back come fall
• Former UK player Ramon Harris suffers a knee injury overseas
• Mark Krebs says John Calipari the best coach you could have
• Joker Phillips says the best players don’t always win championships

SEC links for Monday:

• Tennessee’s season-ticket sales for football running behind last year
• World Cup star Abby Wambach made her alma mater, Florida, proud
• Kevin Scarbinsky says NCAA has sent message: Cooperate or else
• Lack of experience makes it tough to rank SEC quarterbacks
• This could be the year of the running back in the SEC
• Mike Strange says Tennessee’s in-house candidate for AD should hang in there
• It has been a busy summer for football scandals
• LSU’s Les Miles would love to make a return trip to New Orleans
• Memphis running back commits to Auburn
• Breaking down Georgia’s recruiting home run from last Friday night

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Chattanooga writer picks Morgan Newton as most irreplaceable player in SEC
• Danny Trevathan listed as the second-best defensive player in the SEC
• UK receiver LaRod King has his mouth running and his thumbs pounding
• Joker Phillips says he had a lot to learn in his first year as head coach
• Did John Calipari illegally comment on a recruit through a reporter?
• Kentucky offers Nashville basketball prospect Alex Poythress
• Bowling Green offensive lineman Joe Manley commits to Louisville
• Rick Minter wants to get back to that mentor relationship with Joker Phillips
• Jodie Meeks needs just 12 more hours to get his degree from UK
• Leslie McDonald’s ACL tear brings up subject of summer injuries

SEC links for Sunday:

• What will be this year’s drama at SEC Football Media Days?
• Alabama fans to invade SEC Media Days looking for their fifth Nick Saban autograph
• In the SEC, pre-season hype doesn’t always translate into success
• Seth Emerson of Macon Telegraph lists the top five storylines in the SEC East
• After a 4-8 season, Houston Nutt will try to prove experts wrong and keep his job
• Dan Mullen says he’s worried about Mississippi State leveling off
• As more information became public, Tennessee received more requests for info
• Ex-Georgia coach Jim Donnan is accused of running a Ponzi scheme
• Georgia running back Carlton Thomas is ready for an expanded role
• Ole Miss quarterback learns a lesson in leadership

Former Lexington Catholic star Ben Revere hit a triple the hard way last night against Kansas City.