John Clay’s Sidelines

(H-L photo/Joseph Rey Au)

Big Blue Links for Monday:

Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader reports on a record-setting Senior Day for UK Hoops: “He was even more pleased with the show his No. 16 Kentucky team put on for the season-record 7,742 that showed up on Sunday for Senior Day. What the fans saw was a 71-50 drilling of South Carolina, a team that had beaten UK by eight points in January.”

A Sea of Blue tackles the issue of Patrick Patterson and Senior Day: “I think he should get to do the senior stuff on senior day. Just because he didn’t go to UK for four years doesn’t mean he should be penalized for it. He is getting a degree and deserves to get the recognition. He has meant a lot to the University of Kentucky. Not many athletes of his caliber even get a degree much less do it in three years. I think he should get to do it. Now of course there is still the question of whether he comes back, but honestly … he doesn’t need to.”

ESPN’s Andy Katz says UK has locked up a No. 1 seed: “John Wall’s block on the perimeter against Vandy was another example of the type of defensive play that the Wildcats are making at opportune times. Patrick Patterson’s baseline jumper against Mississippi State was another example of the type of offensive play the Wildcats are making late in games to win.”

My column on how the UK women finished unbeaten at home: “That says something right there. If you’re going to be a program that matters, you have to have the ear of your fan base. You ask them to come out, they come out. Kentucky’s women basketball fans responded. They came out. Their team said right back at ya. They turned crowd pleasers. They drove. They spun. They kept the ball away from South Carolina’s 6-foot-5 freshman Kelly Bone. They took off in transition.”

UK target Terrence Jones attended the Washington-UCLA game, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)

Matt Moore of Pro Basketball Talk on Calipari’s development of NBA players: “Coach John Calipari of Memphis has produced two top-two players out of the last two drafts, and likely the last two Rookie of the Year award winners. He’s likely to have three of his players in the top ten this year (John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson). And if you need any further proof of Calipari’s ability to develop pros, you should take a look at Antonio Anderson.”

Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch on the John Wall-Evan Turner debate: “Justice would be served if Kentucky point guard John Wall was voted college basketball’s player of the year. But there would be no injustice if Wall came in second.”

Andy Hutchins of Sporting News Blog on Wall: “No one has slept on John Wall. College basketball’s flashiest freshman has delivered on his hype, with speed and shooting, defense and leadership. He seems more mature than previous freshman point guards under John Calipari, more reliable than Derrick Rose and more polished than Tyreke Evans. It doesn’t hurt that he’s got NBA talent to dish to, but Wall has been the catalyst for Big Blue, and he’s going to be the reason Kentucky wins or loses the NCAA Tournament.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Wall, Patterson, UK hoops and many more links’

Lisa Benson, online managing editor of the Cincinnati Business Courier, writes about the new Kentucky Blue Box line of box wines. Excerpt:

The UK blue-inspired boxes come in five varietals that sell for about $20: Concord, Vidal Blanc, Tailgate White, Tailgate Red and Sweet Mellow White. Two more, Blue Box Chardonnay and Blue Box Cabernet Sauvignon, sell for about $30.

But it’s really the box that sells it.

By the way, you can click on the official web site, where Joe B. Hall and Denny Crum are the pitch men.

(H-L photo/Ryan Alessi)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader previews today’s UK-Arkansas game: “By beating Arkansas on Saturday, Kentucky will almost assuredly secure its first No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press poll since the final balloting of the 2002-03 season. After prodded by reporters, UK players acknowledged on Friday that they would enjoy scratching that seven-year itch.”

• Tipton leads his notes with Calipari saying players leaving is good news: “Kentucky Coach John Calipari welcomes the thought of a mass exodus of his freshmen to this year’s NBA Draft. The better to show highly regarded recruits that they can punch their tickets to the pros after only a brief stop at UK.”

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  (AP photo)

  Ryan Alessi of the H-L reports that legislators swooned over Calipari: “The state House honored Calipari with a resolution officially welcoming him to Kentucky and praising his work raising money for earthquake relief in Haiti. Calipari praised lawmakers, many dressed in UK sweaters or blue shirts, for challenging UK to become a Top 20 research institution and for funding that effort early on. And he told lawmakers he recognized and appreciated their work in crafting public policy.”

• Brett Dawson of the C-J says UK isn’t looking out for No. 1: “There have been 106 Associated Press college basketball polls since the last one that ranked the University of Kentucky No.1. A win against Arkansas on Saturday at Rupp Arena probably would snap that streak for No.2 UK (18-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) after top-ranked Texas lost to Kansas State on Monday. And the Wildcats admit it would be nice. But it’s not the No.1 the Cats have in mind.”

• Matt May of the Cats Pause has a scouting report on UK-Arkansas: “Bio Buzz: There is an old saying that everything works out for a reason but certainly things may have been much different for Rotnei Clarke had he cast his lot with Kentucky instead of Arkansas during the recruiting process. Clarke ultimately stayed closer to home and inked with the Razorbacks, probably a solid move considering the coaching change that took place at Kentucky last spring.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Cats-Hogs and Mr. Calipari goes to Frankfort’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Yahoo Sports national columnist Dan Wetzel gives John Calipari some well-deserved props for his Hoops for Haiti.
• Andy Mead of H-L reports that one donor spent over $108,000 on Hoops for Haiti.
• Ken Tysiac of the Charlotte Observer on how John Wall escaped North Carolina.
• Calipari tells Dan Patrick he wants John Wall to go pro if he’s No. 1 pick.
• Jennifer Smith Mark Maloney of the H-L reports that Rich Brooks gave UK women a helping hand in win over Arkansas.
• Mason Linker of the Winston-Salem Journal writes on UK target Quincy Miller. (Hat tip to Spam’s Wildcat Page.)
• Mark Story of the H-L writes on former UK commitment Dakotah Euton.
• Danny Jett’s Inner Circle has a Calipari encounter at a middle school basketball game.
• Jerry Tipton of the H-L writes that Saturday is another emotional hurdle for Arkansas coach John Pelphrey.
• High School Hoops says Ryan Harrow is backtracking on his C.J. Leslie statement. (Hat tip to Bluegrass State Basketball.)

Continue reading ‘BBL: Rex Chapman, Howard Stern, Quincy Miller & more’

(AP photo)

Update: Rich Copley’s excellent blog has Ashley Judd talking about her Cats on Jimmy Fallon.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Dinner with Caliparis and Ashley Judd goes for $98,000.
• Geoff Calkins of Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that Memphis fails to break UK’s record.
• Jerry Tipton of the H-L writes that DeMarcus Cousins, like Tom Petty, won’t back down.
• Seth Davis of CBS and SI says John Calipari is easy choice for coach of the year.
• Metz Camfield of the Kentucky Kernel writes on Eric Bledsoe and possibility of being one-and-done.
• Stewart Mandel of SI.com gives the Joker Phillips hire a B+ grade, and Charlie Strong an A+. (Hat tip to Tom Leach.)
• Brett Dawson of the C-J writes that Patrick Patterson isn’t certain he will leave school after this year.
• Terron Hampton of the Gaithersburg Gazette writes on Darnell Dodson’s long journey. (Hat tip to Wildcat World.)
• My column on UK women wanting to build on national ranking.
• Those women get first chance to defend ranking tonight.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Memphis fails to break UK’s record’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

Mark Pope

Jerry Tipton of the H-L on ex-UK player Mark Pope, who gave up medical school to coach at Georgia: “Then he gave up a career in medicine last summer to become Georgia’s basketball operations coordinator. He’ll be a coach-in-training on the Bulldogs’ bench Saturday in Rupp Arena, where the closest he’ll come to doctoring will be keeping first-year coach Mark Fox supplied with water and cough drops. Pope acknowledges that his career change is a head scratcher.”

Jimmy Heggins

Rick Petri

Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that Joker Phillips has let two assistants go: “One day after signing a contract that will pay him at least $1.7 million annually for five years, Phillips let offensive line coach Jimmy Heggins and defensive line coach Rick Petri know they would not be on his staff.”

H-L report on UK women’s overtime loss at Georgia: “Jasmine James knew she was going to be called on to win the game. Whatever nerves the freshman had evaporated by the time she took the three-pointer with 17 seconds left in overtime that went through and gave No. 8 Georgia a school-record 15-0 start with a 61-60 win over Kentucky on Thursday night.”

Kentucky Sports Network talks to C.J. Leslie, who will be playing at Lexington Catholic this weekend.

Mike Fields has the details on Leslie appearance at Catholic and Quincy Miller’s appearance at LCA.

Mark Story of the H-L gives out his Orange Globes: “Kanye West has shown up, ripped the microphone from the hands of Joan and Melissa Rivers, and demanded that every one of my mid-season Kentucky college basketball awards go to John Wall. OK, he might have a point.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Joker Phillips reportedly lets two assistants go’

Update: If we get a number of people nominating coaches, I can always change it to Sportsperson of the Decade. This is just for fun, remember.

Since we are a little over a week away from the end of 2009, next week this blog will conduct a poll on the UK Athlete of the Decade.

But first, I want your nominations.

It’s open to any student-athlete who played at Kentucky in any sport during the years 2000 through 20009.

I’ll narrow down the list to no more than 10, and we’ll start the poll on Monday.

Thanks in advance for your submissions.

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

Insight Cable will show the UK-Austin Peay game to its customers: “The game is being carried on the Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast channel - one Insight doesn’t usually carry - but the company made an agreement to broadcast the game on basic cable on channel 17 in Lexington, 2 in Louisville, 6 in Northern Kentucky, 5 in Bowling Green and 2 in the Evansville/Henderson area. Channels might be different for customers with digital packages. Contact Insight at (859) 514-1400 for more information.”

Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski on John Calipari: “What’s more, James’ cozy relationship with Calipari has long inspired discussion within the league that the star could make a power play for him to become his coach. Calipari has deftly created the illusion that James is his player, a powerful association in the recruiting battles. In fact, a source says LeBron was on the Rupp Arena pass list - along with his two Cavs teammates, UNC alums Jawad Williams(notes) and Danny Green(notes) - for Kentucky’s victory over North Carolina on Dec. 5. They were supposed to fly down in a private jet for the Saturday afternoon game, but a snag in Cleveland cancelled the trip.”

Tom Leach talks to Greg Anthony about John Wall.

Zagsblog on Brandon Knight: “The 6-foot-3 Knight, the top prospect in the Class of 2010, has narrowed his list to four schools - Kentucky, Kansas, UConn and Florida - and will sign in the spring. Considering Kentucky freshman John Wall will likely be the top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, does it make sense that Knight will end up following in Wall’s foosteps?”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Could John Calipari become LeBron’s coach?’

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Update: UK will have media opp with players and Calipari starting at 12:45 today. Check the blog this afternoon for video, etc.

Big Blue Links for Friday:

Basketball Prospectus nominates John Wall for President: “He certainly looked heroic, calm, and in total and absolute control at the Garden against perhaps the single most stylistically consistent elite team in the nation. The program that Jim Calhoun has built always blocks shots. It never shoots threes. It has been this way forever. And what Calhoun’s team really wants is for some hotshot point guard to drive into the paint on them. Connecticut eats those little guys for lunch, always has.” (Hat tip to Bluegrass State Basketball.)

Jerry Tipton of the H-L writes that Cats are fine with John Wall’s star power: “As Calipari spoke about the great Wall of Kentucky (surely its wonderment can be seen from space like that other wall in China), the UK players shot glances at each other and smiled. Wall buried his face in his hands and giggled. Continue reading ‘BBL: John Wall for President?’

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

John Temple blogs for the New York Times that this is a heavyweight matchup: “The physical game inside should be ferocious; Connecticut is among the country’s leaders in rebounding and blocked shots season after season, and Patterson (he’s DeJuan Blair with knee ligaments) is a rebounding force for the Wildcats (8-0).”

John Gasaway of Basketball Prospectus tackles just how good is John Wall: “Watching Wall grab that defensive board and take it the length of the floor for a flying slam–against North Carolina, mind you–gives us the kind of handy evaluative epiphany that changes the discussion instantly and permanently. Our views on Wall can now be divided into Before- and After-Dunk, a little like discussion of Randy Moss changed for good after he single-handedly destroyed the defending NFC champion Packers in Green Bay his rookie year.” (John also has a great stat about DeMarcus Cousins’ shots.)

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes that stopping John Wall is UConn’s priority: ” Through the first month of the season, there’s a growing consensus about Kentucky’s basketball team: As John Wall goes, so goes Kentucky. It’s a premise adopted by Connecticut, which plays UK in Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.”

My column on the rivalry between John Calipari and Jim Calhoun: ‘John came here from Moon Township in Pennsylvania and said that UMass was the king of New England,’ said Calhoun during a teleconference Tuesday. ‘He didn’t know what ‘chowda’ was, with an A. You got to know what ‘chowda’ is before you start saying (you’re the king). Especially for a guy from South Boston, it’s pretty tough to (hear) that.’”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Kentucky-Connecticut a heavyweight matchup’