John Clay’s Sidelines

Did a Q&A exchange with Alex from the excellent Indiana basketball blog Inside the Hall in preparation of Saturday’s Cats-Hoosiers tilt at Rupp Arena.

1. How has the IU fan base taken to Tom Crean?

ITH: The fans are thrilled to have Crean and for good reason. In his eight months on the job, he’s embraced the tradition of Indiana basketball and is slowly bringing together a family of former players who wanted nothing to do with the program under the previous two coaching staffs. The fans realize this year is going to be tough, but there’s plenty of excitement for the future in Bloomington.

2. What does the fan base think of this Indiana team?

ITH: The expectations are low based on the unprecendented amount of turnover from last year’s team. But as always at a basketball school like Indiana, the support and excitement is there, even if its a bit diminished due to the rebuilding. My sense is that most fans are happy to see a cast of players on the floor that recognize how special it is to wear an Indiana uniform.

3. Noticed that Assembly Hall hasn’t been full yet. Is that because of the schedule, or a certain fan segment has decided the Hoosiers aren’t worth supporting as yet?

ITH: There has definitely been a dip in attendance from previous seasons. Student ticket sales are down and that’s a big part of it. The home schedule to this point (Northwestern St, IUPUI, Cornell and TCU) may also be a factor. I would expect the attendance figures to rise once the Big Ten rolls around, but sellouts could be few and far between.

4. Are there any Kelvin Sampson supporters left in the state of Indiana?

ITH: Not hardly. It’s hard to support a guy who 1) Got a job at one of the premier programs in the country after cheating at his previous job and 2) Made the same mistake again. At this point, everyone is tired of hearing about Sampson and rightfully so after what he did to the program.

5. What does Indiana have to do to have a chance at Rupp Arena on Saturday?

ITH: I think the Hoosiers have to make the game ugly, something they were able to do effectively in stretches against Wake Forest and Gonzaga. Another key will be cutting down on turnovers. IU has turned the ball over 20 or more times in six of its nine games this season.

Photo by Matt Barton.

When a team shoots 31 percent from the floor, and that’s considered an improvement, well, that’s all you need to know about said team. Poor Matthew Mitchell. His Kentucky women’s basketball Wildcats just can’t shoot straight.

The UK women fell 66-57 at Western Kentucky last night in Bowling Green. That’s UK’s fourth loss in its last five meetings to the rival Lady Toppers. It’s also the Cats’ third loss in seven games this young season.

And after shooting 27.9 percent against Long Island in the finals of a New York tournament over the weekend, and 21 percent in a loss at Xavier on Tuesday, the UK women improved, a relative term, to 31 percent on Thursday.

To be fair, the Cats were without starting guard Carly Ormerod last night, but I think we’ve spotted an ice age:

• Victoria Dunlap has made six of 21 shots in her last three games.

• Brittany Edelen has made four of 14 shots in her last three games. She was 3-of-9 against the Toppers.

• Lydia Watkins has made four of 12 shots in her last three games.

• Amber Smith has made four of 23 shots in her last three games. She was 1-of-10 at Xavier; 1-of-7 at Western. She missed four of her five three-pointers last night. As a team, UK missed 13 of 16, shooting a frigid 18.8 percent behind the line.

• Amani Franklin has made 10 of 37 shots in her last three games. Franklin was 3-of-15 in Bowling Green.

Luckily Eleia Roddy, after missing all 10 of her field goal attempts at Xavier, connect on seven of 13 tries last night or things would have surely been worse.

And surely rubbing salt in the wounds, former UK signee Arnkia Brown contributed 12 points and 16 rebounds to the Western win. This despite the fact that Brown was indicted last month on counterfeiting charges. She plead not guilty.

It’s an action-packed weekend all the way around for UK athletics.

The details:

• This afternoon, Kentucky basketball holds its first Media Day under new head coach Billy Gillispie, who will squeeze a meet-and-greet with media members around entertaining a group of recruits.

• At  7 p.m., Craig Skinner’s volleyball Cats, off to their best start since 1994, battles Ole Miss at Memorial Coliseum.

• At the same time, the UK women’s soccer team takes on visiting Tennessee.

• Big Blue Madness takes place tonight at 9 p.m. at Rupp Arena. Basketballs will be bouncing. Both Billy Clyde and new women’s coach Matt Mitchell will be unveiling their respective squads. Bring throat lozenges, and ear plugs.

• Saturday at 3:30, top-ranked LSU visits Commonwealth. Should the Cats pull the upset, stay off the field. Rushing onto the turf will cost the university $50,000 in fines, which surely will be passed along to you the unruly paying customer.

• Sunday at 1 p.m, the women’s soccer team meets Georgia.

• Sunday at 1:30 p.m., UK meets the LSU volleyballers.

It’s an action-packed weekend all the way around for UK athletics.

The details:

• This afternoon, Kentucky basketball holds its first Media Day under new head coach Billy Gillispie, who will squeeze a meet-and-greet with media members around entertaining a group of recruits.

• At  7 p.m., Craig Skinner’s volleyball Cats, off to their best start since 1994, battles Ole Miss at Memorial Coliseum.

• At the same time, the UK women’s soccer team takes on visiting Tennessee.

• Big Blue Madness takes place tonight at 9 p.m. at Rupp Arena. Basketballs will be bouncing. Both Billy Clyde and new women’s coach Matt Mitchell will be unveiling their respective squads. Bring throat lozenges, and ear plugs.

• Saturday at 3:30, top-ranked LSU visits Commonwealth. Should the Cats pull the upset, stay off the field. Rushing onto the turf will cost the university $50,000 in fines, which surely will be passed along to you the unruly paying customer.

• Sunday at 1 p.m, the women’s soccer team meets Georgia.

• Sunday at 1:30 p.m., UK meets the LSU volleyballers.

Here is the UK depth chart as released today:

Offense                                                                        Defense

TE    18-Jacob Tamme, Sr.                        DE    20-Dominic Lewis, Sr.
        80-T.C. Drake, So.                                    90-Jamil Paris, So.         
       86-Ross Bogue, So.                                     69-B.J. Wiedemann, Fr-RS

LT    79-Garry Williams, Jr.                        DT    91-Corey Peters, So.
        74-Joe Fischer, Jr.                                     53-Ricky Lumpkin, Fr.-RS
        68-Phillip Hibbard, Fr.                                95-Ventrell Jenkins, Jr.

LG    72-Zipp Duncan, So.                            DT   98-Myron Pryor, Jr.    
        78-Christian Johnson, Jr.                            96-J.D. Craigman, Sr.
        73-Jess Beets, Jr.                                       60-Shane McCord, Fr.

C        59-Eric Scott, Sr.                               DE    99-Jeremy Jarmon, So.   
        61-Jorge Gonzalez, So.                                94-Travis Day, Sr.
        77-Marcus Davis, Fr.-RS                               93-Austin Moss, So.

RG    66-Jason Leger, So.                             SLB    51-Johnny Williams, Jr.
        70-Stuart Hines, Fr.                                      50-Sam Maxwell, So.
        64-Josh Winchell, Jr.                                     48-Terry Clayton, Sr.

RT    76-Justin Jeffries, So.                         MLB      4-Micah Johnson, So.
        75-Brad Durham, Fr.                                      43-Mikhail Mabry, So.
        74-Joe Fischer, Jr.                                        56-Braxton Kelley, Jr.

WR    19-Keenan Burton, Sr.                        WLB     16-Wesley Woodyard, Sr.
        13-Steve Johnson, Sr.                                    21-Michael Schwindel, So.
        81-Kyrus Lanxter, Fr.                                     47-A.J. Nance, So.

WR    12-Dicky Lyons, Jr., Jr.                        CB      34-Paul Warford, So.
        8-DeMoreo Ford, Jr.                                        17-E.J. Adams, So.
        89-Sean Murphy, Sr.                                        36-Robbie McAtee, Jr.

QB      3-Andre Woodson, Sr.                          SS      35-Roger Williams, Sr.
          5-Mike Hartline, Fr-RS                                   27-Ashton Cobb, So.
          1-Will Fidler, Fr-RS                                        11-Greg Wilson, Fr.

FB     38-John Conner, So.                                FS      2-Marcus McClinton-Jr.
        40-Maurcie Grinter, So.                                    33-Calvin Harrison, So.
        30-Moncell Allen, Fr.                                         31-Jordan Nevels, So.

TB     22-Rafael Little, Sr.                                 CB     32-Trevard Lindley, So.
        28-Tony Dixon, Jr.                                              7-David Jones, Jr.
        29-Alfonso Smith, So.                                       25-Ahmad Grigsby, Jr.

KO    44-Tim Masthay, Jr.                                 SNAP   74-Brad Hart, Fr.-RS
                                                                                 65-J.J. Helton, Fr.-RS

HOL    44-Tim Masthay, Jr.                                 FG     36-Lones Seiber, So.
            18-Jacob Tamme, Sr.                                       97-J.J. Housley, Jr.
                                                                                    9-Ryan Tydlacka, Fr.

P         44-Tim Masthay, Jr.                                  KOR    19-Keenan Burton, Jr.
             9-Ryan Tydlacka, Fr.                                         29-Alfonso Smith, So.
                                                                                    28-Tony Dixon, Jr.
                                                                                      7-David Jones, Jr.

PR      22-Rafael Little, Sr.
          19-Keenan Burton, Sr.
            12-Dicky Lyons, Jr., Jr.

Since Big 10 commissioner Jim Delaney spilled the beans that his network, er conference, is in the market for expansion, speculation has Kentucky among the most logical additions.

It’s an interesting idea, one bandied about before. Former Cats’ Pause publisher Oscar Combs pushed the Big 10 move almost annually. Kentucky would remain a power in basketball, and football would be helped, according to the Big O. Kentucky would no longer be the Northern-most school in its conference, eliminating a geographical disadvantage. Indiana is already a rival. Ohio State is similar to Tennessee in proximity, etc.

When it’s all said and done, however, it’s difficult to see UK turning its back on 75 years of conference history. UK was one of the founding members of the old Southern Conference, which became the SEC, after all. Plus, the league is easily the most affluent, a veritable cash cow that generates considerable revenue for each of its 12 members. As Randy Newman says, "It’s money that matters."

Football in the SEC has been a hard road for UK to travel. No doubt about that. But a league of Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and like would be no picnic either. Plus, those schools hold sway in areas where Kentucky would have to find recruits. While the Cats can convince those from the north to come south to play in the nation’s best conference, talking southern players into coming north to play in a lesser league might be a more difficult proposition.

Mike DeCourcy sees  Texas, Tennessee and Missouri as more attractive targets, so it may never reach the point where Kentucky faces any sort of decision about conference change. In the end, however, The guess here is that UK’s answer would be thanks, but no thanks.

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t dislike Mitch Barnhart. I have been critical of the UK athletics director, which goes with the territory. He’s done some good things in his five years in Lexington. He’s done some not so good things, in my opinion.

Here are five of each:

Five up

• 1. Barnhart has focused on building an all-sports program at UK. It’s not just football and men’s basketball anymore. Part of the credit goes to Lee Todd, the UK president who mandated such change when he brought Barnhart on board. But the athletics director has carried out the task. Yes, Kentucky did take a step backwards in the Director’s Cup all-sports rankings this year, falling back to 45th, but it’s not because of lack of effort.

• 2. Hire of Rich Brooks as head football coach. It’s true, I wouldn’t have said that before last season. But the 8-5 record and Music City Bowl title are hard to ignore, even for those of us who believed Brooks was an uninspired choice to succeed Guy Morris. The best thing about Brooks is the slow and steady process he has used to build the program the right way.

• 3. Broadcast and marketing contract with Host. That’s the deal that placed Kentucky back as No. 1 status whenever conflicts arise with U of L on WHAS, the 50,000-watt station in Louisville. It also brought UK a boatload of extra revenue and shifted the advertising and marketing impetus on to the carriers of the contract.

• 4. Building the Craft Center. I remain firmly in the camp that believe the university should have had higher priorities than building a $30 million practice facility/administrative building. Barnhart and Todd disagreed. You have to give them credit for getting the project done. And UK fans are delighted, of course.

• 5. Hire of John Cohen as baseball coach and Mickie DeMoss as basketball coach. Cohen has reached the NCAA Tournament just once in four years, but the 2006 season, which brought an SEC title, has made the hire worthwhile. Next quest is a new baseball stadium to be built where the UK softball field is now located. DeMoss’ recent departure, and re-appearance as an assistant at Texas, has soured some fans on the former UT assistant. Yet in her four years, DeMoss did an excellent job bringing energy and publicity back to the program.

Five down

• 1. Moved the Louisville football game off its traditional spot as the season opener. I know Barnhart was only bowing to his head coach’s wishes, but I still think this was a bad move all the way around. The game had worked well to promote football in the state, which was its purpose from the beginning. And the past five years it had become a Labor Day tradition. Kentucky football should hold on to what little tradition it has.

• 2. Canceled the contract with UMass in basketball. Ex-Cat Travis Ford deserved better than to bring his team to Lexington and lose, then only find out that UK would not be returning the trip. Kentucky did fulfill its end of the contract, paying the $50,000 out fee, but it didn’t fulfill its word.

• 3. Lack of visibility. I have never been around an athletics director so reluctant to put himself out front with the fans. You never see Barnhart on the floor of Rupp Arena or on the field at Commonwealth Stadium for a presentation or a ceremony, etc. As the leader of the program, and at his salary, Barnhart should show his face more often to the people who help pay his salary.

• 4. Lack of diversity. At last count, UK had 16 assistant or associate athletic directors. Only one, Leon Smith, is an African-American.

• 5. That statement of non-support for Tubby Smith. After late-season loss to Vanderbilt, Barnhart released a statement about his basketball coach that seemed focused more on appeasing upset fans than backing his coach. Given the way Smith had represented the program, still believe, in this instance, Tubby deserved better.

Some reaction to Friday column on ex-UK women’s hoops coach Mickie DeMoss taking an assistant coaching job at Texas.

Pete wrote, "I think the verdict may still be out on Coach DeMoss. What happens if she takes a head coaching position after one year as a Texas assistant?"

Response: The way the contract is worded (read Jen Smith’s story  in today’s paper), DeMoss would probably not being violating the buyout portion. The word "intend" appears to be the key word. And DeMoss did not leave UK intending to be a head coach elsewhere. She said at her farewell press conference that she was not ruling out coaching again.

Mike wrote, "Coaches’ no-competition clauses should just say, ‘If youl eave to take such & such position with X years, you owe us Y dollars.’ I don’t even practice contract law, but this contract provision is just plain stupid, as the current situation makes plain.

Response: It may be that DeMoss requested the word "intend" be used, or she wouldn’t sign the contract. At the time, with Mickie coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance and win over Tennessee, she was in the better bargaining position.

Easy writes, "John, please tell us you’re not that naive. Why don’t you earn your money and tell us why she really went to Texas. It’s not like it’s a BIG secret."

Response: I think Easy is a conspiracy theorist looking for a grassy knoll.

Bruce writes, "Perhaps it’s a convenient way to stay in the minds of recruits until Pat Summitt retires. It would be very difficult to leave a SEC school (KY) to go to Tennessee, but to leave Texas (as an assistant) would raise fewer eyebrows. Just a thought."

Response: You are not the only one to present that possibility. Aaron sent me a similar e-mail. If Mickie didn’t like being a head coach at Kentucky, however, I can’t imagine her wanting the pressure of being Summitt’s successor.

Rocking wrote, "I agree with your assessment of DeMoss’ intent. In looking at the history of her career you see a long span of assistant coaching, a short stint at head coaching and the trip back to assistantship. . . . It seems DeMoss is being persecuted for pushing aside the public life of a coach and wanting to get back to the basics of coaching the players. Perhaps that is her true addiction with basketball. She merely appears to be drastically reducing stress by setting aside fame and fortune, which, in our society, is the greatest and most questionable crime."

Response: Thanks for agreeing with my assessment. I agree with your’s.

Former UK coach Mickie DeMoss has been named as an assistant coach at the University of Texas, the school announced tonight.

In the release, DeMoss says, "Months ago, I left the coaching profession — to retire, really — and take my first break from the game of basketball. It was not an easy decision, but I truly needed to make.

"My time off was substantial. It was unprecedented in my personal history. These months allowed me to reassess what I wanted to do. I learned what my personal comfort zone and preferences would be in any work environment."

In other words, DeMoss did not like being a head coach. Her personal "comfort zone" is to be an assistant, as she was for 17 years under Pat Summitt at Tennessee.

No word yet on whether DeMoss came to any agreement with Kentucky about the buyout in her contract, which was needed to be satisfied for her to coach again.

Here is the link: [University of Texas]

Updated with new stats. (See bottom of post.)

Remember when Mitch Barnhart, on the day of his hiring as Kentucky’s athletics director, promised that UK would "own the state."

Didn’t happen in 2006-07.

The U.S. Sports Academy Director’s Cup ranks universities by their success in all sports. The rankings for 2006-07 are out and Louisville placed 28th, while Kentucky was 45th.

Here is the top 20:

• 1. Stanford
• 2. UCLA
• 3. North Carolina
• 4. Michigan
• 5. Southern California
• 6. Florida
• 7. Tennessee
• 8. Texas
• 9. California
• 10. Arizona State
• 11. Duke
• 12. Georgia
• 13. Virginia
• 14. Ohio State
• 15. Florida State
• 16. Wisconsin
• 17. LSU
• 18. Texas A&M
• 19. Auburn
• 20. Minnesota

Others of note

• 22. Notre Dame
• 28. Louisville
• 31. Arkansas
• 32. South Carolina
• 33. Vanderbilt
• 43. Alabama
• 45. Kentucky
• 49. Ole Miss
• 50. Indiana

Postscript: Alert reader Chris checks in with rankings over the past few years that paints UK’s effort vs. Louisville in the Director’s Cup in a little better light. Here they are:

UK

2001 - 37

2002 - 36

2003 - 50

2004 - 45

2005 - 35

2006 - 33

2007 - 45

Average - 40

UofL

1997 - 100

1998 - 142

1999 - 131

2000 - 174

2001 - 151

2002 - 157

2003 - 150

2004 - 106

2005 - 50

2006 - 54

2007 - 28

Average - 113