John Clay's Sidelines

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Friday:

My report from Indianapolis on John Calipari and John Wall receiving awards, talking future:

Kentucky Coach John Calipari said Thursday he doesn’t yet know how many players will be leaving his program, but that the worst-case scenario is that “it could be so many you’re not gonna ever try to fill that many.” Calipari received the Adolph Rupp Cup for Coach of the Year and John Wall the Adolph Rupp Trophy for Player of the Year during a ceremony held by the Commonwealth Athletic Club at the Marriott Hotel on Thursday.

Video of John Wall talking to media after ceremony:

Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star reports that Marquis Teague’s decision could be coming soon:

Marquis Teague’s much-anticipated college decision could be coming soon. Shawn Teague, the father of the standout Pike High School junior, said his son “will make the decision whenever he wants to make it.” “We’ve talked about it the last couple weeks,” Shawn Teague said. “We wanted him to have a chance to see all the teams he was looking at and he’s done that. So it’s really up to him now to make that decision.”

(Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)

Mark Story of the H-L on UK’s Elite Eight heartbreak:

NCAA Tournament regional finals. Historically, have been the place where UK basketball dreams go to die. Kentucky men’s teams have fallen one victory short of the Final Four a whopping 19 times, including four in a row. So, Cat fan, which of these UK Elite Eight defeats caused you the most pain?

Kentucky Sports Network sent along this video of Terrence Jones:

Continue reading ‘BBL: Kentucky basketball, football look to future’

(AP photo)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

Jerry Tipton of H-L writes about TV deal shrinking Auburn’s prep time for today’s game: “Because Auburn played at Tennessee on Thursday night as part of the league’s ESPN package, Kentucky has the advantage of two extra days to prepare. UK last played on Tuesday, winning at Florida to move Coach John Calipari within one of Adolph Rupp’s national record of 64 straight conference victories.”

Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser writes that Auburn faces daunting task: “DeWayne Reed heard about this Kentucky team last month, figured a little time in front of the television might help him prepare. Auburn’s point guard was impressed. John Wall, the Wildcats’ freshman guard, went for 25 points that night. He was fast on the break, willing to challenge bigger defenders near the basket, sharp with his mid-range jumper. The display piqued Reed’s curiosity.”

Kenny Colston of the Kentucky Kernel reports that James Paxton loses injunction: “After a marathon court day on Friday – a two-hour hearing Friday morning followed by a six hour afternoon hearing that lasted close to 10 p.m. – James Paxton and his attorneys could not convince a Fayette County Circuit Court judge to grant a temporary injunction allowing Paxton to play this season without submitting to an NCAA interview one of Paxton’s lawyers said.”

Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes that Bledsoe is happy to be home and away: “Eric Bledsoe was pursued by some of the nation’s best basketball programs, but there was a notable school, the University of Kentucky freshman guard said Friday, that never so much as offered a scholarship. Though Bledsoe is a native of Birmingham, Ala., he said on Friday that Auburn – the team that hosts No. 2 UK (17-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) on Saturday – was ‘off and on”‘ in recruiting him.”

Andrew Gribble of the Opelika News writes about Auburn-UK: “Calipari certainly brought a quick fix to Kentucky when he took over for Billy Gillespie, who struggled to fit in with the Wildcats’ diehard fans, especially those who want more out of a coach than just X’s and O’s. Not only did Calipari bring the charisma that makes him a TV favorite, he also brought three of the country’s most highly touted recruits, all of whom he’d been recruiting to Memphis. All three of those players are starting now, and all of them are averaging double figures in scoring.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Auburn knows Kentucky will be a tough task’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Michael Porter tweets that he is writing a book (Hat tip to Wildcat Wrap):

• Jerry Tipton of the H-L on Eric Bledsoe: “Could Bledsoe coexist with the more heralded John Wall? Or, maybe worse, would Bledsoe not get a chance to show what he could do until Wall fulfilled his one-and-done destiny by entering the 2010 NBA Draft? Eight months and a half-season later, Bledsoe is ensconced as a starting guard. He’s coming off a career-high 25 points at Florida and headed to a quasi-homecoming game at Auburn on Saturday.”

• In The State, Chris Dearing reports on South Carolina’s win over the UK women: “Kelsey Bone dominated on the interior and Charenee Stephens and Valerie Nainima, along with a host of Gamecocks, provided more than enough support as the Gamecocks beat a team that was coming off of a 10-point victory against then-No. 17 Vanderbilt and a one-point setback on the road against No. 8 Georgia. It was the first time the Wildcats (13-3, 1-2) lost when scoring more than 61 points.”

• Tom Leach talks to ESPN’s Jay Bilas.

• Kentucky Sports Network has a video interview with Jodie Meeks.

• Kenny Colston of the Kentucky Kernel reports that James Paxton case could be decided today: “After a whirlwind month full of legal filings, but no actual court dates, senior pitcher James Paxton could finally get some answers in his case against UK on Friday. Paxton sued the university for a temporary injunction that would allow him to play baseball this season without submitting to an NCAA interview regarding his eligibility.”

• Beth Rucker of the AP on Tennessee’s rout of UK’s next opponent, Auburn: “Starting center Wayne Chism heeded the warning and had 12 points, 12 rebounds and six steals as No. 9 Tennessee shook off the slow start to beat Auburn 81-55 on Thursday night. Bobby Maze and J.P. Prince both had 14 points for the Volunteers, while Scotty Hopson chipped in 11 and Kenny Hall 10.”

• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel on UT’s win over Auburn: “The result was a 16-0 Tennessee run and a 38-37 halftime lead before a more conventional Vols’ rotation exploded in the second half en route to an 81-55 victory at Thompson-Boling Arena.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Michael Porter tweets that he’s writing a book’

(AP photo)

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

Tom Leach talks to Ashley Judd, who says she has been suffering from the flu, but hopes to be in Rupp on Saturday.

B.W. Jones of the Kentucky Kernel reports on the controversy surrounding UK pitcher James Paxton: “Senior pitcher James Paxton is suing UK, according to a New York Times blog post. According to the post, the lawsuit was filed in state court on Wednesday. The lawsuit alleges Paxton was approached by a university official in October and told he would have to meet with an NCAA investigator, though no one would tell Paxton what allegations had been brought against him.”

Cat Scratches has a letter from the brother of a former UK football commitment, who died in a car crash: “Chris Mosby’s family received that uniform during halftime of Saturday’s Tennessee game. Chris Mosby, who would have been a senior this season, was honored during Senior Day festivities as one of the 27 seniors in this year’s class. Mosby’s family received a framed jersey in his honor.”

My column saying that Saturday is why UK hired John Calipari: “Not every year, and not every game, perhaps, but if you’re the UK coach, you have to beat the Heels, who visit Rupp Arena on Saturday. You have to beat them in recruiting off the floor. And you have to beat them in points on the floor. Not every time. But you have to beat them enough times to make it competitive.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Ashley Judd hopes to be at Rupp on Saturday’

A.J. Stewart

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports that freshman offensive lineman Larry Warford is making a big impression.
• Jerry Tipton of the H-L reports that UK rules SEC Basketball’s Super Tuesday on ESPN.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes that UK has something “black” planned for Mississippi State game.
• Dawson also reports on the battle at center for a one-game start.
• Bluegrass State Basketball reports that A.J. Stewart will play at Texas State.
• Cat Scratches reports that UK pitcher James Paxton has postponed his major league career.
• Chris Low of ESPN writes that Kentucky hoops is the villain to Kentucky football.
• Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Corey Joseph, being recruited by UK, is spending plenty of time at Minnesota.

Continue reading ‘BBL: A.J. Stewart to play at Texas State’