John Clay's Sidelines

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• John Calipari checked out DaJuan Coleman on Monday, reports CNY Central. (Hat tip All Ky Hoops)
• Bob Knight claims UK starters didn’t go to class, reports Jerry Tipton of the H-L.
• ESPN’s integrity on line with Knight comments, writes Dick Weiss of Daily News.
• Barnhart takes issue with The General, reports Brett Dawson of the C-J.
• Eric Crawford of C-J: Standing up to Knight’s bully pulpit.
• Bob Knight should check his facts, writes Larry Vaught of Advocate-Messenger.
• All eyes on Knight and Jones, writes Rick Bozich of the Courier-Journal.
• Allen Edwards joins staff at Wyoming, reports KGWN-TV.

Continue reading ‘BBL: While Bob brays, Calipari checks out Coleman’

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• My column on the UK success and NBA failures of Melvin Turpin.

• Family is baffled by Turpin suicide, reports Shawntaye Hopkins and Josh Kegley of the Herald-Leader.

• The bigs are buying into John Calipari’s pitch, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.

• Players at LeBron’s camp say it’s crazy to criticize King James, reports Tipton.

• Eric Bledsoe has signed with the Clippers, reports AP.

• Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated says no NBA team was willing to hire Calipari in hopes of getting LeBron.

• Rapper J. Cole disses Calipari, reports Nation of Blue.

• DeMarcus Cousins is showing the Kings his leadership skills, reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

• Prospect Amir Williams talks to Jerry Tipton at LeBron camp:

• Chicago prospect Anthony Davis also talks to Jerry:

Continue reading ‘BBL: Turpin memories, recruiting, rappers and video’

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Mark Maloney of the Herald-Leader reports that losses to UK stick with U of L’s Kragthorpe.
• Jerry Tipton of H-L reports that UK is to release report on basketball violation.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports that UK’s Ricky Lumpkin has seen both sides of the rivalry.
• H-L’s Mark Story offers a Governor’s Cup quiz.
• C.L. Brown of Courier-Journal reports Kragthorpe offers an offensive tease.
• Video of Kragthorpe’s Monday press conference.
• Brett Dawson of the C-J reports that Lumpkin feels Louisville’s pain.
• John Calipari’s comments to Dan Patrick.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Kentucky-Louisville football links (plus hoops)’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports that UK loses four-star safety recruit to Michigan State.
• WKYT reports that basketball walk-ons Dwight Perry, Adam Delph and Matt Scherbenski will not be back next season.
• Kentucky Sports Network talks to UK basketball target Adreian Payne.
• Tom Leach reports on Rich Brooks’ talk to the Lexington Rotary Club.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that Cris Collinsworth’s son has an interest in UK.
• A Sea of Blue has learned to stop worrying and love the hate.
• Inner Circle keeps counting down its list of UK immortals.
• Bluegrass State Basketball reports that ex-Wildcat Allen Edwards has been hired as an assistant at Towson State.
• Wildcat Blue Blog looks at UK football’s recent recruiting losses.
• Straitpinkie has some concern about the UK football recruiting class.

AP Photo/Ed Reinke

Big Blue Links for Saturday starts with Herald-Leader coverage of Friday’s events:

• Jerry Tipton and Ryan Alessi report on the firing of Billy Gillispie.
• My column saying that this was the right move at the right time.
• Mark Story’s column on how Mitch Barnhart’s task at hand.
• Chip Cosby writes on the national reaction.
• Mike Fields reports that recruits will wait-and-see.
• Jennifer Smith and Jerry Tipton write that players just want some rest.
• Jim Warren gets the UK fan reaction to the Gillispie ouster.
• Ryan Alessi and Valarie Honeycutt Spears report that UK intends to settle for less than the $6 million buyout.
• Alessi and Tipton report that Mike Pratt will be part of search team.
• Gillispie timeline.
• Press conference video.
• Billy Gillispie in pictures.

Elsewhere:

• Jodie Meeks tells Metz Camfield of the Kentucky Kernel he thinks firing “was a good decision.”
• Andrea Cohen of the Oklahoman reports that UK has not asked for permission to speak with Travis Ford.
• Bill Haisten of the Tulsa World writes on Ford rumors with Kentucky.
• Brandon Chatmon of the Oklahoman quotes Daniel Orton’s father as saying they have not decided yet about coming to Kentucky.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that it was demeanor that got Gillispie in the end.
• Vaught talks to Orestes Meeks, who doesn’t seem a Gillispie fan.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports that Billy Donovan says he’s not interested in UK job.
• Rick Bozich of the Courier-Journal writes that this is Barnhart’s pivotal decision.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Gillispie dismissal links’