John Clay’s Sidelines

Will be attempting to blog from Applebee’s Park during Roger Clemens’ 60-65 pitches tonight.

Despite being eliminated from the NCAA Baseball Tournament last night, Kentucky has turned itself into a noticeable force in NCAA Baseball. Now comes the next step. Keeping the coach who made that happen.

Even before Kentucky lost 7-4 to the College of Charleston at Cliff Hagan Stadium, reports out of Baton Rouge pegged Cats’ leader John Cohen as a candidate for the now open and prestigious LSU job, one Smoke Laval vacated yesterday via forced resignation.

Alabama head coach Jim Wells, Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco, Cal St-Fullerton coach George Horton and Cohen are all mentioned as candidates. There are even reports that former LSU coach Skip Bertman, now the school’s athletics director, might return to the dugout.

Cohen has to be considered a hot candidate. He doesn’t turn 40 until September. He took a reeling Kentucky program and turned it into an NCAA Regional host and SEC co-champ in just three seasons. He is also a smart, vibrant personality who is dedicated to the position. His recruiting isn’t bad, either.

Mitch Barnhart made a terrific hire. But hiring good people who become successful means other schools want to hire them, as well. Barnhart and Cohen both say the two sides have been talking about a new contract since the final stretch of the regular season, but nothing has been finalized.

• Don’t count out a return by Bertman. [Shreveport Times]
• Bertman could put uniform back on. [Baton Rouge Advocate]
• Ole Miss expects call about Bianco, former LSU assistant. [Jackson Clarion-Ledger]
• Laval couldn’t escape Bertman’s shadow. [Baton Rouge Advocate]

An imperfect 10:

1) UK plays host to NCAA baseball regional

As Monty Python used to say, "And now for something completely different." The host Cats would seem to have the advantage. Their a power-built club playing in a small park. My nephew, a freshman on the Miami of Ohio baseball team, informs me that Ball State is also a club built for power playing in a smallish park. The MAC is no pushover, either. Last year’s MAC champ, Miami, was knocked out by eventual NCAA champ Texas. Could come down to pitching. That is if they play today. The skies are threatening over Lexington this morning, and the forecast predicts a stormy Friday.

2) What becomes a Legend’s Legend most

We live in a news-now time. Wednesday was proof. No sooner had word leaked out on radio, TV and internet about Roger Clemens appearance next Tuesday in a Lexington Legends uniform, than a traffic jam formed on Broadway as patrons rushed to Applebee’s Park in search of tickets. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime shot to catch a glimpse of an icon at work.

3) Brandon Webb’s scoreless streak

He is not yet Roger Clemens, but Brandon Webb is headed in that direction. The Ashland native and former Paul Blazer High School star has stretched his scoreless innings streak to 25 innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s also 8-0, with a 2.01 ERA, best in the majors.

4) Horse racing dissed

Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty, writing in his blog, "Barbaro’s ugly breaks in the Preakness won’t set horse racing back the
way Ruffian’s broken leg did in 1975. That’s only because racing had
lots of fans to lose in 1975. Now, racing’s as relevant as boxing and
track and field."

5) E-mail of the day

One of my more faithful e-mailers shot me this after my column Wednesday criticizing a push by college basketball coaches to expand the NCAA Tournament, "One of only five articles in the past year that I agreed with. One of us is in trouble."

6) Dixie Chicks new CD

They’re not albums anymore, remember? Doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with what Natalie Maines said about the president — "Just so you know, we’re ashamed our president is from Texas," the Chicks’ lead singer told a London audience back in 2002 — or if you backed your Ford F-150 over a stack of the Chicks’ earlier work, you have to admire Maines’ pugnacity. She doesn’t back down. "Not Ready to Make Nice," makes that clear. And loud. Personal fav: "Lubbock or Leave It."

7) Mark Cuban’s Mavericks

Of what little I watch of the NBA playoffs, the site of a courtside Mark Cuban yelling at officials remains a bit jarring. You just don’t expect an owner to act like that. Or dress like that, either, with a t-shirt and jeans, or some other casual attire. Actually, though, it makes me want to root for the Mavs. If I watched. And if I did watch, I’d probably pull for the Suns and their crusade to rightfully return hoops to the run-and-gun.

Reds woeful defense

If Edwin Encarnacion handled this post, it would bounce into left field.

9) Dan Werner gets Florida treatment this weekend

The 6-7 forward from New Jersey continues his informational tour. He visited UK a couple of weeks back, and could still end up at his originally planned destination of North Carolina State. Werner has also visited Notre Dame and Pittsburgh is believed to be in his mix.

10) Ten reasons why you should watch the NCAA Baseball Tournament

SI on Campus  gives its 10.

As you probably guessed, Roger Clemens’ declaration yesterday he is returning to the Houston Astros has shaken the baseball world from Houston to, well, Lexington, where the Rocket makes his first start next Tuesday for the Legends.

The decision particularly reverberates around the NL Central. St. Louis leads the division, but is considered vulnerable. Cincinnati is starting to return to reality. Houston is now in position to make a second-half run after Clemens takes the hill for the Astronomicals, probably June 22.

Some morning-after reaction:

• The Legends aren’t the only thrilled minor league team. The Round Rock Express are also ecstatic about an upcoming Rocket start. [Austin American-Statesman]
• Jayson Stark says there is no precedent, so it will be all new to the Astros. [espn.com]
• "Here we go again," says Roger. [Houston Chronicle]
• His Astro teammates are tickled. [Houston Chronicle]
• Richard Justice just hopes Rocket’s teammates hold up their end of the multi-million dollar bargain. [Houston Chronicle]
• John Donovan says that at 43, Clemens is attempting something few players have ever tried. [cnnsi.com]
• Clemens leaned toward Astros all along, but didn’t mind listening to other offers. [New York Times]
• Rangers, Red Sox and Yankees all losers. [Fox Sports]

Kudos for UK baseball coach John Cohen keep on coming.

His amazing Cats have now skyrocketed to No. 4 in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll after sweeping Mississippi State last weekend. Senior pitcher Matt Robinson was named SEC Pitcher of the Week after giving up just one hit in a 7 1/3-inning emergency relief appearance on Friday. First baseman Ryan Strieby set a school-record for RBI with 74 after his grand slam homer helped beat Belmont 7-2 on Monday.

And down in Gainesville, the Gators lament their lost season while Cohen, a former Florida assistant, keeps on trucking. [Florida.scout.com]

Sorry, but this was too good to pass up. Thanks to The House Rock Built, we now know it’s ok to root for the other team. Or do we?