John Clay’s Sidelines

Here’s SEC basketball roundup after first weekend:

• Mississippi State, ranked 18th, passed out SEC Tournament title rings in a pre-game ceremony, then went out and lost to Rider 88-74 before 7,421 at Humphrey Coliseum.

• Remember, Rider plays Kentucky next Saturday in Rupp.

• In Kyle Veazey’s game story for Clarion-Ledger, Rider coach Tommy Dempsey said, “I know that most of you don’t know much about us, about Rider, or even the MAAC conference, but we have a good basketball team and we play in a great conference.”

• State coach Rick Stansbury: “Everybody understands now when I said how good Rider is, how good they are. They were just better than us.”

• Rider made 10 of 16 of its 3-point shots and committed all of six turnovers.

• Kodi Augustus, who scored nine points and had five rebounds in 15 minutes after starting, told reporters after the game that he wasn’t pleased with his playing time. “I played all these minutes in the exhibition games and I played 15 minutes? Wow,” Augustus said.

• Alabama lost to Cornell 71-67 in Anthony Grant’s debut. Cornell is the two-time defending Ivy League champion.

• Ex-Kentucky forward Mark Coury had six points and five rebounds for Cornell, which had not beaten a current SEC team since 1972-73.

• JaMychal Green led the Tide with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

• Crowd was listed at 10,135 fans, and attendance was surely hurt by football team playing 90 minutes away Saturday night at Mississippi State.

Continue reading ‘SEC basketball roundup after first weekend’

Some Auburn links the day before UK visits the loveliest village on the plains:

• Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News writes that the Auburn defense wants to step up.
• Evan Woodbery of the Huntsville Times reports on the Auburn receiver rotation.
• Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register writes on UK’s Derrick Locke.
• The Montgomery Advertiser writes on the Auburn offense.
• Jay G. Tate’s blog in the Montgomery Advertiser catches you up on Auburn news.
• Andy Bitter of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer writes that Auburn’s cornerbacks are trying to forget Arkansas.
• Andrew Gribble of the Opelika News writes on the Auburn defense.

From the in-box, a South Carolina fan named Jason doesn’t understand why Kentucky thinks it should beat South Carolina every once in awhile:

John,

Does the Herald-Leader pay you to just write the same article every October? Except inserting 4 for 3, then 5 for 4, then 6 for 5, etc etc? Every year, you boys write that you just can’t BELIEVE that you keep losing to Carolina. (Where’s the guy that wrote that we didn’t “belong” in the SEC a few years back? Unemployed I would hope) Gee, does the fact that finishing behind us 11 of 16 years give you some clue? There is a pecking order in the SEC East–and although we’re traditionally behind UGA, UF and TENN (although not lately), we are firmly entrenched in 4th place (at least) every year–Why? because we beat you on the field, then we beat you in the standings. No fluke there–after 9 years, one would think that you KY boys could pay some respect–maybe the haughty attitude extends to your coach, then your players–and that’s one reason why we continue to own you–did Brooks really say that he doesn’t understand why we keep beating him? maybe because we have the better team?—-nahhh, that could never be the case!–He says that we’ve struggled with teams that he has beaten–really? Who? Is that why we always finish higher? Even our “evil” coach knows to give respect to the other team, even when when he beats them.
Continue reading ‘E-mailbag: Carolina fan doesn’t understand the disbelief’

Videos from UK press luncheon today, starting with Trevard Lindley.

Corey Peters talks about his sprained wrist and the opener.

Randall Cobb talks about the freshmen quarterbacks.

Zipp Duncan talks about the line heading into Miami of Ohio.

UK football coach Rich Brooks said after practice today that sophomore wide receiver Aaron Boyd will redshirt, and that senior middle linebacker Micah Johnson is nursing a strained foot. Brooks said x-rays did not reveal any breaks in Johnson’s foot, but that it is sore and his status is uncertain.

A.J. Stewart

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports that freshman offensive lineman Larry Warford is making a big impression.
• Jerry Tipton of the H-L reports that UK rules SEC Basketball’s Super Tuesday on ESPN.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes that UK has something “black” planned for Mississippi State game.
• Dawson also reports on the battle at center for a one-game start.
• Bluegrass State Basketball reports that A.J. Stewart will play at Texas State.
• Cat Scratches reports that UK pitcher James Paxton has postponed his major league career.
• Chris Low of ESPN writes that Kentucky hoops is the villain to Kentucky football.
• Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Corey Joseph, being recruited by UK, is spending plenty of time at Minnesota.

Continue reading ‘BBL: A.J. Stewart to play at Texas State’

Here are some professional photos from today.

Some photos from UK Football Media Day. See the rest on my Flickr account.

Freshman quarterback Morgan Newton (Photo by John Clay)

Freshman quarterback Ryan Mossakowski (Photo by John Clay)

So whatever happened to Big East football, anyway?

No Bobby Petrino. No Rich Rodriguez. No shot?

The first USA Today Coaches’ college football poll is out, and the coaches’ sports information directors/director of football operations/wives, er coaches completely dissed the Big East, leaving the BCS conference entirely out of the Top 25.

Cincinnati received the most votes, enough to rate 29th.

Of course, defending BCS titlist Florida is No. 1. Kentucky did receive nine points in the poll, for 42nd.

On his livechat today on the UKAA site, UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart let it be know he is no fan of the Satirical Mitch Barnhart twitter page.

Said the Real Mitch:

First off, let me say there is somebody out there posing as me and saying some incorrect and at times, offensive, on a Mitch Barnhart Twitter account. I do not have a Twitter account nor do I think anyone is interested in the day-to-day activities of my life. I will leave that to Cal, Rich, Joker, Matthew and any of our other coaches.

Among the fake Mitch tweets:

Starting early on thinking about my Halloween costume. I’m thinking I’m going to be a Hee Haw charactor!

why can’t I have the same number of followers like Cal? What he got that I don’t..and I HIRED the guy!

Was told that in Billys new book he referred to me at the greatest AD of all time. I’m humbled

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Fox Sports’ Jeff Goodman reports that UK is in the mix for four top point guards.
• Herald-Leader’s Mark Story on 10 things to ponder as football looms.
• H-L’s Chip Cosby blogs that it’s football time.
• H-L report on UK’s Megan Broderick winning at Fifth Third Tennis tournament.
• Steve Moss at WKYT writes on former UK baseball star Michael Bertram, who is living his dream.
• The Courier-Journal’s Brett Dawson on what John Calipari really thinks of Louisville.
• The C-J’s Jody Demling reports that Mychal Parker is interested in UK.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Patrick Patterson will be UK’s leader.
• Kentucky Sports Radio says Josh Selby is the newest “it” name.
• At A Sea of Blue, Ken Howlett writes on Josh Selby.
• And Truzenzuzex at A Sea of Blue writes that John Calipari, the Godfather, made Selby an offer he could not refuse.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK in mix for several point guards’