John Clay’s Sidelines

Sidelines has now passed the century mark for people following this blog and receiving live game updates on Twitter.

Thanks to everyone who has signed up.

If you have suggestions, questions, problems, be sure and pass them along.

Thanks, again.

I would be interested to hear the thoughts of those of you who used Twitter to follow the live updates from the Kentucky-Louisville game on Sunday.

Complaints?

Suggestions?

Good or bad, or both, let me know.

Either post a comment here, or you can e-mail me at jclay@herald-leader.com.

Wrote a column today about my unexpected case of Olympic Fever.

Apparently I'm not the only one in Lexington.

Out today I spotted this in front of Tates Creek Presbyterian Church, home of Trinity Christian Academy, proud product of U.S. Olympic swimmer Elaine Breeden:

Let’s just say I’m trying to climb back into the swing of things. Had a great time on vacation. Spent the week in Hilton Head with family and extended family, etc. We go there most every year because it is beautiful, and warm, with a beach, and by now the kids know the area well enough that we can let them all run wild.

Tip: If you desire to be thought of as a good uncle, take the little nephews and nieces “mini-golfing” with a post-match treat of McFlurries.

Anyway, having arrived back home, last night I went to see my former colleague, former Herald-Leader columnist Bill Bishop at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. Bill is one of the smartest people I have ever had the pleasure of being around. Also, he is one of the nicest. His wife, Julie, has roots in Paris, where her father, Phil Ardery, himself and author, grew up. I was born in Paris. There are connections.

Now a Texan, as in an Austin, Texan, Bill has written the acclaimed book “The Big Sort,” about how the country has sort of sorted itself into like-minded neighborhoods. I take that back. Bill has written a book that has been endorsed by Bill Clinton, apparently on more than one occasion.

As I was standing in line to have Bill write something pithy in my copy, the man in front of me struck up a conversation. He was complimentary. But he said he had one complaint about the Herald-Leader. Or one complaint about the Herald-Leader sports section. He said he didn’t like that we covered the summer basketball camps. I replied that there was surely interest in the camps in that a lot of the players on Kentucky’s recruiting lists were at the camps. He said he understood, that he once lived in Chapel Hill so he knew about hoops interest, but he still objected to a newspaper covering a summer spectacle that involved teens, and in some cases pre-teens.

“You’re writing about players who are the same age, or aren’t much older than my daughter here,” he said, pointing to his offspring who had accompanied him to the bookstore. “And she’s 14.”

I could see his point. And I told him so. But it’s much like the subject matter in “The Big Sort.” It is what it is. We are a newspaper, like most newspapers these days, fighting for survival. To some extent, we have to give the people what they want. We also are a newspaper, like most newspapers these days, making the transition to the internet. And when it comes to college sports, the biggest draw, by far, is recruiting news. The “Most Read Stories” list on Kentucky.com offers near-daily proof of that.

I told the man that I could see his point, that covering summer basketball camps was a “little unseemly” when you think about it.

But these days, it’s also required.

I’m on vacation this week, but will be checking the blog from time to time.

One positive about life on the road is HBO. It’s not part of my cable package at home. Too costly. We’ve taken it from time to time, and enjoyed it, but it doesn’t fit in the family budget at present time. It’s one of my life’s ironies that my son, a college student, has HBO and I don’t. He and his buddies love “Entourage.” They hold "Entourage" watching parties.

Anyway, back during basketball season, think it was at South Carolina, came back to the hotel room, couldn’t sleep, switched on the TV, flipped through the channels and stopped on HBO.

It was George Carlin.

Had not seen Carlin in awhile, but it didn’t take long to get hooked. I needed to switch the TV off and get some sleep before an early fight, but I couldn’t do it. One pointed and hilarious observation let right into another and the next thing you know I had watched the entire show, and re-telling it to others the next day.

Favorite (and I’m paraphrasing here): “One lie they tell you is that kids are special. Oh, my kid is special. Your kid is special. All kids are special. (Pause with look of total disgust, then a profanity.) No they’re not. All kids are not special. There are a few winners and a whole lot of losers – just like everything else in nature.”

Anyway, here’s the thing: This wasn’t some early Carlin standup special. This was this year. George Carlin was 71 years old. And still getting it done.

Carlin died Sunday night. He had just played Las Vegas, but experienced chest pains when returning to California, checked into a hospital and passed away last night.

Few comedians, few entertainers for that matter, have been as relevant as long as Carlin, or as influential. We’re talking 60s, 70s, 80s, right through to the present day. Consider that his book “When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops” was a bestseller just a couple of years ago. Why was Carlin relevant? Easy. He told the truth. He said things that needed to be said even if some people didn’t like hearing them. His point of view was to point out the absurdities of life, most of which would be immensely sad if they were not so funny.

Of course, there was Carlin’s “Baseball is played on a diamond, football is played in a stadium,” routine, and his “Here are the baseball scores: 4-2, 5-3, 6-1, 7-0.”

Of course, there was his “Seven words you can’t say on television.” He said them anyway, of course.

And as self-described atheist, Carlin in his routine would say, how could God be all-powerful when everything he makes dies.”

But Carlin’s influence will live on. When you see “The Daily Show” skewer current events, or hear Lewis Black’s rants, or even watch Seinfeld’s “observations,” think of George. And thank him.

RIP.

Journalism lost maybe the greatest reporter who ever lived yesterday when Pulitzer Prize-winner David Halberstam was killed in an auto accident in California. Halberstam was 73. The New York native and Harvard graduate earned his legendary reputation thanks to his reporting on such issues as civil rights and the Vietnam War, but he also authored some of the best sports books ever written, including "The Breaks of the Game," about the 1979 Portland Trail Blazers. Halberstam’s writing style wasn’t flashy, but his reporting was always amazing in its depth and scope. Sadly, Halberstam died while working on a book about professional football, an excerpt of which ran in Sports Illustrated earlier this year. He was an inspiration to other journalists, and will be missed. [New York Times] [Newsweek] [Pop Matters]

Jim Squires: "I think he was the best journalist of our times." [Tennessean]

I almost forgot.  Today is a big day. It was one year ago, on Nov. 9, 2005, that this blog made its debut with a post about the UK-Georgetown College exhibition basketball game. This is the 695th post since then.

We’ve live-blogged from UK basketball games, UK football games, Bengals games, the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders’ Cup, from our couch watching the World Cup and the NBA draft. We’ve tried to provide stats, charts, observations, TV tips, links, interesting e-mails and correspondence, even some music commentary. Recently, we’ve added audio clips.

As always, your suggestions are welcomed, your contributions appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

Programming note: I will not be blogging from the UK-South Carolina State basketball game tonight at Rupp Arena because I will not be at the game. I’ll check it out on TV. (Oops, better add it to "What to Watch" sidebar.)

I’m spending the night at home, little rest and family time before the storm of activity over the next couple of weeks. The weekend is full with a UK football game Saturday (vs. Vanderbilt), and a Bengals game (vs. San Diego) on Sunday. There are a pair of UK basketball games next week (Nov. 15th vs. Miami and Nov. 17 vs. Mississippi Valley) followed by the Cats’ football game with Louisiana-Monroe on the 18th. Early the next morning, it’s off to the Pacific for the Maui Classic.

Plus, there are recordings — my new TiVo — that need watching. Being at the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday, and other commitments on Sunday, I’ve yet to take a look at UK-Georgia or the Bengals-Ravens. Truth is, I haven’t had time to pop up Louisville-West Virginia for a full look at that. That’s not to mention some SEC games I need to examine, given my poor 3-4 showing in predictions last Saturday.

While I’m thinking of it, a plug here for the new Who album, "Endless Wire," a 21-song CD of new material accompanied by a CD and DVD of songs (not all the same) from a July concert in Lydon. The new stuff is pretty good, and welcome after 24 years. The DVD is especially enjoyable, right from the moment Pete hits the chords for "Can’t Explain." It’s an inspiration to see that at 61, the man is still putting his neck on the line. Check out his blog, too. There is great stuff in the diaries.