John Clay's Sidelines

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• “I can always say I shot it well against Kentucky,” Windsor’s attorney-to-be Monty Hardware tells Mary Caton of the Windsor Star. (Hat tip to Tom Leach.)
• Kentucky says Winston Guy is more than ready to live up to his packed potential, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Notre Dame at home and Duke in Cameron Indoor highlights the UK women’s basketball schedule, writes Jennifer Smith of the H-L.
• Highly-ranked freshman left off UK women’s roster, and unfortunately it’s not a typo, writes Smith.
• Larry Conley tells Mark Maynard of the Ashland Daily Independent that the NCAA may cease to exist in 5-8 years. (Hat tip to Walter’s Wildcat World.)
• Brandon Knight shines, shines, shines, writes Fabian Lyon of the Miami Herald.
• My column on how grayshirting has worked for Kentucky football both ways.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger does a Q&A with UK’s first-year but strong-legged kicker Joe Mansour.
• Kyle Wiltjer has a scholarship offer from Kentucky, says Percy Allen of the Seattle Times.

Continue reading ‘BBL: “I can always say I shot it well against Kentucky.”’

Photo by Mark Cornelison.

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that Rich Brooks wants Randall Cobb to be creative.
• Mike Szostak of the Providence Journal talks to Bernadette Locke Mattox about her time as an assistant under Rick Pitino at UK. (Hat tip to Inner Circle.)
• Dick Vitale places Patrick Patterson on his All-Rolls Royce second team.
• Vitale also has Darius Miller as a one to watch in 2009.
• Craig Thomas of the Herald-Leader reports on UK’s Bruno Agostinelli winning his pro tennis debut.
• At Yahoo Sports, Eamonn Brennan doesn’t think John Calipari should be taking his son to Vegas.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Brooks wants Cobb to be creative’

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald talks to Danny Ainge about those Rajon Rondo trade rumors.
• Marc Spears of the Boston Globe reports that several scouts say the Celtics have been shopping Rondo.
• USA Today picks up on the Rajon Rondo rumors.
• The Sporting News blog says the trade reports make little sense.
• At Boston.com, Chad Finn wants to know if it’s deal or no deal.
• Frank Delll’Apa of the Boston Globe writes that Ainge is dealing in reality.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger talks to Larry Conley, who doesn’t see UK as a top 10 team without Jodie Meeks.
• The Desert News reports that Meeks worked out for the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.
• Cat Scratches reports that ESPN’s Doug Gottlieb is speculating that Meeks could go in the first round to the Lakers.
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal writes on former UK commitment Dominique Ferguson.
• Bluegrass State Basketball wonders if there might be a Chinese shooting guard who could replace Meeks.

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader talks to Matt Pilgrim’s father, who says that both Matt and Kevin Galloway did not have their scholarships renewed.
• H-L reports that field has been set for Cancun Tournament.
• Mark Maloney of the H-L reports on UK baseball players taken in the MLB draft.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L blogs on next week’s Bear’s Boys Reunion.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger also talks to Matt Pilgrim’s father.
• On his C-J blog, Rick Bozich writes on former UK commitment Dominique Ferguson.
• At A Sea of Blue, Dicky Lyons posts another entry to his NFL tryout journals.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK basketball moves and news’

Adreian Payne

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Columbus Post-Dispatch reports that top 2010 basketball prospect Adreain Payne, a 6-10 center/forward out of Dayton, will make a visit to Kentucky this weekend.
• The Herald-Leader’s Chip Cosby blogs that UK running back Moncel Allen has made his grades and will be eligible in the fall.
• On his twitter page, John Calipari reports he auctioned off two tickets to UK-U of L for $50,000 at Dick Vitale gala.
• Scout.com makes UK’s basketball recruiting class No. 1.
• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun reports on Kentucky baseball’s win over Florida.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes on the way Calipari is promoting the program.
• George Robinson of the Leaf Chronicle writes that Calipari will have a hard time selling big program on idea of playing Kentucky in Nashville.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Top 2010 prospect on UK campus this weekend’

Ex-UK commitment Dominique Ferguson, one of the top forwards in the class of 2010, has narrowed his list to seven schools, and the Cats are among the seven.

Inside the Hall, via IndySportsNation.com, reports that the Indianapolis forward says he is considering Indiana, Kentucky, Arizona, Texas, UCLA, Wake Forest and Florida.

Ferguson committed to Billy Gillispie and Kentucky but re-opened his recruiting when Gillispie was fired. New UK coach John Calipari has been in Indiana re-recruiting Ferguson.

Rivals.com ranks Ferguson as the sixth best player in the 2010 class.

Scout.com ranks Ferguson the ninth best player.

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader has a blog entry on John Calipari defending his salary, deferring roster decisions.
• My column saying players should have unrestricted movement after coaching changes.
• Mark Story writes that coaches can soar or plummet in a season or less.
• Tipton’s notebook leads off with high expectations, high salary.
• The H-L’s Chip Cosby writes on running back Alfonso Smith.
• Cosby’s notebook reports on UK putting on the pads.
• William Rhoden of the New York Times writes on the Calipari contract.
• In the Boston Globe, Derrick Z. Jackson writes on the college basketball charade.
• Tim Stevens of the Raleigh News and Observer reports on John Wall’s recruitment. (Hat tip to Spam’s Wildcat Page.)
• Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun reports that Clark County girls’ coach Scott True is a Calipari disciple.
• ESPN’s Andy Katz writes that Calipari is ready for the Kentucky stage.
• In the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Ron Higgins writes that Calipari’s move was just business.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that Vinny Zollo is waiting to talk to Calipari.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Calipari debate; spring football revs up’