John Clay's Sidelines

Kentucky defensive tackle Donte Rumph talks to media at the Monday’s weekly press luncheon.

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Trevor Lacey will visit Kansas, reports the Lawrence Journal World.
• Doron Lamb says he will return for sophomore season, reports Jerry Tipton of the H-L.
• Bob Knight apologizes for making comments about UK personal, reports Tipton.
• Knight’s apology is not good enough, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• Which UK football and basketball figures would be statue-worthy? asks my column.
• Western Kentucky rallies to beat UK baseball, says H-L staff report.
• Seth Davis of SI.com thinks Knight or Jones, or both, could return for next season.
• Knight’s apology doesn’t admit inaccuracy, writes Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal.
• Disgruntled Knight stuck in another era, writes Marc Pendleton of the Dayton Daily News.
• Anthony Davis tops MaxPrep’s rankings, reports Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Lacey to visit Kansas; Knight’s pseudo apology’

(H-L photo/Ron Garrison)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Mike Hartline is now confident to throw the deep ball, reports Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Hartline looking more like a gunslinger, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• John Calipari’s past looms larger at Kentucky, writes Pete Thamel of the New York Times.
• The drama of college athletics is getting to be exhausting, says me.
• Jared Carter’s father is sentenced over ticket scam, reports Shawntaye Hopkins of the H-L.
• Alabama probe of Eric Bledsoe’s academic record is important for UK, reports Jerry Tipton of the H-L.
• How will the Bledsoe report affect UK? asks Dana O’Neil of espn.com.
• Kentucky’s fate may be decided in Birmingham, writes John Gasaway of Basketball Prospectus.
• Kentucky is not too worried about Akron, writes Brian Rickerd of the Frankfort State Journal.
• But Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun writes that winless Akron does worry the Cats.
• Donte Rumph is making memories, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Morgan Newton is still frustrated with his role, reports Mary Jo Perino of WLEX-TV.
• UK’s former defenders are showing pro-level success, writes B.W. Jones of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Randall Cobb, Heisman Trophy candidate, writes Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches.

(H-L photo/Pablo Alcala)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Kentucky could shake things up in unusually unsettled SEC East, writes Brad Ziamenek of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Mike Freeman of CBS Sports names John Calipari among the top 50 jerks in sports. (Hat tip to Steve Moss of WKYT.)
• Joker Phillips and Lee Todd were among those meeting UK freshmen on Friday, writes Jim Warren of the Herald-Leader.
• Timing of ACL injury tough for UK women’s point guard Amber Smith, writes Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader.
• Danny Trevathan taking charge at linebacker for Kentucky, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Elliott Porter and Donte Rumph look to bolster Kentucky’s defensive line, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Randall Burden is ready for a starring role, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Chris Low of espn.com answers a mailbag question about the UK quarterback situation.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Writer thinks UK could make noise in SEC East’

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Small lineup leads Kentucky to fast-breaking win in Canada, writes Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Kentucky says trip across border best $35,000 it has ever spent, reports Tipton.
• Herald-Leader photo gallery from Kentucky’s second win over Windsor Lancers.
• Calipari says Canada trip was perfect for his Cats, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Kentucky provided a jump start for the hoop Lancers, writes Mary Caton of the Windsor Star.
• Summertime and the winning is easy for the UK basketball team, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Kentucky football looking for huge season from Chris Matthews, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• A Sea of Blue thinks Brandon Knight will be a better college basketball player than John Wall.
• Ryan Clark of the Kentucky Enquirer thinks Darius Miller is set for a breakout year.
• Ramel Bradley tells Asian sensation Susan Shan about Billy Gillespie’s tough practices. (Hat tip to Walter’s Wildcat World.)

Continue reading ‘BBL: Will Brandon Knight be better than John Wall?’

(H-L photo/Pablo Alcala)

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader on Rock Oliver’s no-nonsense approach.
• Cosby on UK’s cornerbacks catching the eye of head coach Joker Phillips.
• Cosby also tweets that Ex-LSU signee Elliott Parker attended UK’s Football Fan Day.
• H-L photo gallery from UK Football Fan Day.
• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader on fans not being too happy with K-Fund increase announced last week.
• My column saying that apparently more people are willing to talk to NCAA about violations.
• Brian Rickerd of the Frankfort State Journal writes that hard-luck Mike Hartline still working for respect.
• Kevin Patton of the Henderson Gleaner talk to Tony Delk and Walter McCarty on their coaching careers.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal on a crowd estimated at 6,000 for UK Football Fan Day.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Donte Rumph will not let Joker Phillips down.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Fan Day, Quincy Miller, Anthony Davis and more’

(H-L photo/David Perry)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Anthony Davis’ family plans to sue the Chicago Sun-Times next week, reports Paul Skrbina of the Chicago Tribune.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes that it’s been a long time coming for Donte Rumph and Mychal Bailey.
• Attorney representing Kentucky says Chicago Sun-Times is practicing unethical journalism, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Deadspin wants to know: “What it comes down to now is the paper’s sources words against the university’s. Who do you believe? A multiple-sourced story, or a university and coach, with separate histories of violations, who stand to suffer if the story is true?”
• A Sea of Blue thinks Chicago Sun-Times reporter will soon be saying, “Would you like fries with that?”
• My column on the brotherhood battle among the three UK quarterbacks.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal on the three-headed competition at quarterback for the Wildcats.
• It’s been a crazy week for the blog Nation of Blue.
• Sports Grid says that while the Sun-Times sticks by its story, the media sticks with ripping the Sun-Times.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes on the quarterback competition.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Anthony Davis’ family to sue Chicago Sun-Times’

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Donte Rumph finally qualifies, blogs Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Derrick Locke may be the key for Kentucky, writes David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal on the feel-good football rivalry.
• Andrew Wolfson of the C-J on Rick Pitino’s long testimony on a brief encounter in the Karen Sypher trial.
• Joker Phillips and Charlie Strong are ready for a huge game, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches on the Governor’s Cup luncheon held Wednesday.
• Brandon Ashley denies that UK and Oregon are his top two picks, reports Jody Demling of the C-J.
• Herald-Leader video from the Governor’s Cup luncheon:

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• In the Herald-Leader, Jennifer Smith writes that the UK women have been on the ball all summer.
• H-L report that UK football signee Donte Rumph must attend junior college.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes on the Rumph move.
• Tom Leach has some issues and answers for UK football.
• Kentucky Sports Radio talks to Tobias Harris about his Wednesday visit to UK.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that missed summer time doesn’t worry John Calipari.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Tobias Harris talks about his visit to UK’

UK sent out a release a bit earlier this morning with a football roster update. Anthony Kendrick is in. Donte Rumph is out.

Here’s the release:

August 5, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky football signee Anthony Kendrick will join the team in August while signee Donte Rumph plans to go to junior college, Coach Rich Brooks has announced.

Kendrick is a 6-3, 220-pound tight end/wide receiver from Katy, Texas. He was a two-sport star in football and basketball, receiving Division I offers in both sports. He was the nation’s No. 30 tight-end prospect as listed by Rivals.com. He was a big-play performer for Seven Lakes High School, averaging more than 17 yards per catch as a junior and senior.

Rumph, a defensive lineman from St. Matthews, S.C., originally signed with Kentucky in 2008, then signed again in February after attending Fork Union Military Academy in 2008-09. He was a first-team all-state honoree at Calhoun County High School.

Brooks also announced that wide receiver signee Brian Adams (Gainesville, Ga.) will report to campus for the beginning of school on Aug. 26, but will not participate in the contact portions of practice this season. Adams had rib surgery in July and hopes to return to full action in spring practice.

Earlier, Brooks announced that three other signees, wide receiver Justin Bean (Tupelo, Miss.), defensive end Demetri Merritt (LaGrange, Ga.) and tight end Terrell Mitchell (Hiram, Ga.) will attend prep school or junior college in the fall of 2009.