John Clay's Sidelines

PROGRAM NOTE: DON’T FORGET TO CHECK BACK AT 10 A.M. FOR LIVEBLOG FROM UK FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY.

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Michael O’Brien and the Chicago Sun-Times come right back with another Anthony Davis story, repeating earlier rumors, this time with UK’s response.
• Football Cats report and are itching for practice to start, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• APR numbers support John Calipari’s contention that he cares about academics, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader. (Remember, the story that won’t be written.)
• Kentucky will play Oklahoma in Maui opener, before a possible dream match-up with Washington. This being Washington’s dream.
• “I hope we look bad,” says Calipari about Canada trip, reports Tipton in the H-L.
• Kentucky football team takes plenty of questions into camp, starting at quarterback, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• A small team with big strides to make, basketball Cats prepare for its trip north of the border, eh, reports Dawson in the C-J.
• It’s always something with Calipari, says the Cincinnati Enqurier.
• Get ready Ashland, John Calipari is coming your way Sept. 6, reports the Ironton Tribune. (Hat tip to Bluegrass State Basketball.)
• Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News on UK basketball taking some media hits of late.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Sun-Times repeats rumors, acknowledges response’

Just back from Georgetown College. Went to Marvin Lewis press conference. Bengals column to come. Yet first, just read where the jury has returned a guilty verdict against Karen Sypher.

No big surprise there.

Rick Pitino took the brunt of the criticism and the embarrassment over the sexual encounter in 2003, but it was Sypher that was accused of the actual crime. Now, she has been judged to have committed the crime. Any one who spent time in the courtroom listening to testimony, as I did for two days last week, or kept up with the trial knew there were huge holes and discrepancies in the Sypher story. She appeared to be a woman whose main goal was to, by any means necessary, drag Pitino through the mud. She succeeded there.

There was some talk last week that because Pitino at least made some attempt to negotiate with Sypher, the extortion charge might not stick. It didn’t matter. Nor should it have mattered.

My only disappointment is that Sypher didn’t take the stand.

The latest bizarre twist in the increasingly-bizarre Karen Sypher trial came this morning when the defense failed to call a single witness.

This from the WDRB blog:

The judge walked in and told the jury that “we’re now at the stage” where we were going to hear from as many witnesses as Karen Sypher chose to bring forward.

Instead, Jim Earhart, Sypher’s defense attorney, rose to say that no witnesses would be heard and the defense rested its case.

It was a shocking announcement that seemed to surprise everyone in the media. Immediately, most all of the media members left the courtroom and began reporting this back to their news organizations.

Closing arguments have begun.

Enes Kanter has yet to be cleared by the NCAA.

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Zagsblog reports that after visiting UK, Anthony Davis has decided on a school. He’s just not ready to say yet.
• Ex-UK student manager Andrew Rogers is working for DeMarcus Cousins now, reports Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun.
• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader on the price increases for basketball prices and K-Fund.
• Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches, a UK athletics department blog, makes the case for the ticket increases.
• Enes Kanter has not yet been cleared by NCAA for trip to Canada, says H-L report.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal also reports on the Kanter eligibility situation.
• Gary Parrish of CBS Sports says Kanter is under extensive questioning by the NCAA.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Anthony Davis not ready to talk about his decision’

(AP photo)

More Karen Sypher sex stories, as her trial resumed this morning in Louisville. WDRB continues to do an excellent job blogging from the proceedings during breaks. An excerpt:

During their sexual relationship, Fields testified, she cautioned that she was “fertile as a rabbit.” (NOTE: This matches up with Pitino’s testimony, in which he said she told him something similar.)

Over time, Fields said, their relationship changed and he became Sypher’s “confidant.” He characterized her as “not happy” and said she “generally did not seem to be a happy person.”

Fields testified that Sypher told him that she had “financial issues” but that she had found a way to establish some “financial resources” and that she planned on getting a divorce.

Here is also the AP story on the proceedings today.

(AP photo)

Travis K. Kircher is doing an excellent blog on the Karen Sypher trial for Fox 41 in Louisville.

Excerpt from Kircher’s blog on today’s proceedings, which included the bizarre testimony from Dana Kolter, Sypher’s former attorney who testified that he had sex with his client before she became his client, and even showed a picture of a sexual encounter.

An excerpt:

Kolter said they engaged in sexual relations in his office. He also admitted to taking photographs of this encounter. Four of these photographs were submitted for the court to view. The first three were of Karen Sypher sitting in a desk chair – dressed normally and smiling – and appeared to show no sexual activity. The other photograph was difficult to make out, but allegedly portrayed Sypher and Kolter engaging in sexual relations, though only the back of Sypher’s head could clearly be seen.

Kolter said Sypher was aware that the pictures were being taken.

Kircher details go on to give great detail of Kolter’s testimony.

Here is also trial coverage from Brett Barrouquere of the AP.

Courier-Journal video of Kolter leaving courthouse:

Video from last night’s newscast on WHAS-11 in Louisville. And by the way, the “blank” referred to rhymes with snore:

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Zagsblog reports that Austin Rivers has Kentucky in his final five.
• My random notes column, with a few UK meanderings sprinkled within.
• Rick Pitino is expected to testify today in the Karen Sypher trial, reports Will Graves and Brett Barrouquere of the AP.
• Bartender says Pitino and Sypher looked happy, reports Andrew Wolfson of the Courier-Journal.
• Football analysts offer insight on Joker Phillips and Kentucky, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Eamonn Brennan of espn.com on John Calipari’s bold recruiting gambit. (Think there’s a tongue in cheek there.)
• Kentucky, now with more dribble drives, blogs Diamond Leung of espn.com.
• Jody Demling of the C-J has a Chane Behanan update.
• Tailgate Review has video of UK 2012 target Brandon Ashley.

(AP photo)

Just curious, but are you following the Karen Sypher trial?

And by the way, it is not the Rick Pitino trial. The Louisville coach is not on trial. Is reputation has been tarnished. He should be embarrassed. But he has not been charged with a crime, thus is not on trial.

But Sypher is on trial. Are you following it? If so, why? If not, why?