John Clay's Sidelines

Smart ESPN analyst Jay Bilas was in town and attended UK basketball practice over the weekend. Preparing for UK’s Champions Classic appearance, Bilas liked what he saw.

First our favorite Dukie tweeted: “Watched Kentucky practice. Those that think @ukcoachcalipari “just rolls the balls out” . . . no way. One of the very best, he can really coach!”

Then Bilas tweeted: “T. Jones is mature, ready to soar; M. Gilchrist competes his tail off; A. Davis oozes potential. M. Teague and D. Lamb are the keys.”

Then CoachCal.com caught up with Jay for a video interview.

Continue reading ‘Video: Jay Bilas impressed after watching Cats’

ESPN’s Jay Bilas is no fan of the NCAA. He’s also one Dookie that UK fans can abide.

Steve Fisher

Hat tip to Jay Bilas for this one, as Bilas tweeted: SDSU and Steve Fisher celebrated 400th win this season, too: http://t.co/lfe2ZkU. Does NCAA need to take off socks to count vacated wins?”And it’s true, San Diego State does include Fisher’s vacated victories on its school web site.

The web site lists Fisher’s record in 1991-92 season with Michigan as 25-9, when the NCAA says it is 24-8 because of vacated games in Final Four that year.

Fisher’s 1992-93 (31-5), 1995-96 (21-11) and 1996-97 (24-11) seasons were also vacated at Michigan, but that is not reflected on the San Diego State web site.

Continue reading ‘San Diego State includes Fisher’s vacated victories’

On an ESPN teleconference today with analysts Jay Bilas and Fran Fraschilla, who talked about the Sweet 16 matchup in the NCAA Tourmament, including Kentucky-Ohio State.

Here are three downloadable clips:

- Here, Bilas and Fraschilla tab Ohio State as the tournament favorite, and even talk about a possible Kansas-Ohio State final.

- Here, Bilas talks about the Kentucky-Ohio State matchup.

- Here, Bilas is asked about how Kentucky might defend Ohio State, and about Josh Harrellson.

Continue reading ‘Audio: Jay Bilas talks Kentucky-Ohio State’

To be honest, I figured it was a fake account. It was just too funny, too irreverent. Don’t get me wrong. Jay Bilas is funny, and he can be irreverent, and he’s super smart. Nor is he shy about giving his opinions. You don’t always see all those characteristics combined on a real Twitter account by a public figure. Turns out, the Jay Bilas account on Twitter is really Jay Bilas. And it’s really good.

Four recent examples:

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Continue reading ‘Stop what you’re doing and follow Jay Bilas on Twitter’

Jay Bilas

After a two-day absence, back to the Media Approval Ratings. We’re currently judging ESPN’s basketball personalities. The attorney Jay Bilas is on the docket today. He’s a former Dookie. Played on the 1986 team that lost to Louisville in the NCAA final. He’s smart. And open-minded. Jay took up for John Calipari in the Derrick Rose mess. He has come down hard on coaches, as well. So you decide.

What say you on Jay Bilas, thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Previously: Dick Vitale

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader talks to Jodie Meeks about his decision to stay in the draft.
• My column saying that Jodie was right to follow his heart.
• Tipton’s blog talks to Jay Bilas, who says a third coach in four years may have pushed Meeks to the NBA.
• Rick Bozich of the C-J writes that UK can still flourish even with Meeks gone.
• Bozich also has ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla endorsing Meeks’ decision.
• Brett Dawson of the C-J reports on Meeks’ decision.
• Eric Crawford of the C-J blogs that Meeks was probably wise to stay in the draft.
• Tom Leach writes Godspeed to Jodie Meeks.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Meeks’ decision is not a real surprise.
• Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News writes that Kentucky fans are losers for Meeks’ departure.
• Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports writes that Kentucky is still a winner, because Patrick Patterson is staying in school.
• Gary Parrish of CBS Sportsline moves Kansas up to No. 1 and drops Kentucky to No. 2 after the Meeks news.
• Sekou Smith of the AJC reports on the Norcross product turning pro.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Reaction to Jodie Meeks moving on’

Personally, being a poor journalist, I don’t have an ESPN Insiders subscription, but the folks at Kentucky Sports Radio do — that lawyering must pay well — and have printed excerpts from Jay Bilas’ defense of John Calipari.

Here’s one excerpt from Bilas’ piece:

So far, the biggest target in this saga has been Calipari. Because we have this ridiculous notion that the head coach is responsible for everything that goes on in his program, Calipari is taking the blame even though his name is not even mentioned in the Notice of Allegations. Remember, the Notice mentioned the name of a representative of Memphis’ athletic interests over a single phone call. If the NCAA had anything on Calipari, it would have unloaded it in the Notice. It does not.

Continue reading ‘Jay Bilas defends Calipari’

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• In the Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton writes that so far John Calipari has made all the right moves.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports that Jeremy Jarmon accepts blame for NCAA suspension.
• My Sunday column saying others should learn from Jarmon’s mistake.
• Valarie Honeycutt Spears of the H-L reports that positive tests are rate rare, but not unheard of.
• Cosby writes that just like Jarmon, Cats have to move on.
• Tipton’s basketball notebook leads with UK will open next season against Morehead.
• Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News writes that Calipari has expectations through the roof.
• ESPN.com Chris Low writes that Jeremy Jarmon is “as real as it gets.”
• Robbi Pickeral of the Charlotte Observer writes that losing Wall could block UNC from all-time win mark.
• In the Oklahoman, Brandon Chatmon has Daniel Orton saying that Wall is last piece of the puzzle for UK. (Hat tip to Spam’s Wildcat Page.)

Continue reading ‘BBL: Jeremy Jarmon reaction links’

Hat tip to Thomas Beisner and Kentucky Sports Radio, where I saw this first.