John Clay's Sidelines

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Davis comfortable with Spiderman role, writes Elena Bergeron of ESPN.
• Lamar faces No. 3 Kentucky, reports Beaumont Enterprise.
• Kidd-Gilchrist much like Tebow, reports Jerry Tipton of H-L.
• Kidd-Gilchrist is ready to lead, reports Eric Lindsey of CoachCal.com.
• MKG is back on the case, writes James Pennington of Cats Pause.
• No kidding in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, reports Brett Dawson of Cats Illustrated.
• MKG excels despite mother’s illness, reports Jon Hale of Ky Forward.
• Pat Knight adopts father’s strategy, reports Tipton.
• Former Dunbar star faces UK women, reports Jen Smith of H-L.
• UK focusing on (Lamar) Cardinals, writes Kyle Tucker of C-J.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Tough night for Michael Gilchrist, writes Matthew Stanmyre of Star-Ledger.
• Amoeba defense gets the best of Gilchrist, writes Brandon Parker of ESPN Rise.
• A sweet moment for St. Anthony, writes Christopher Lawlor of Daily News.
• Memory of Georgia tornado still vivid at SEC tourney, writes Jerry Tipton of H-L.
• Twenty questions about the SEC Tournament, by me.
• Pelphrey says he’s building program the right way, writes Tipton.
• Martin Newton named AD at Samford, reports Daniel Pauling of Birmingham News.
• SEC tourney about seeding and pleading, writes Brett Dawson of the C-J.
• Joe Dean, Jr. picks Kentucky to win tourney, writes Larry Vaught of the A-M.
• Cats prepping for tourney time, reports Aaron Smith of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Lamb shifts his focus from scoring, writes Chandler Howard of the Kernel.
• Basketball reigns in Kentucky, writes Earl Cox for Voice Tribune.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Michael Gilchrist has an off night in big game’

Ex-Kentucky basketball star Patrick Patterson, now a Houston Rocket, threw out the first pitch last night before the UK baseball team lost to Rice 8-7 in the Houston College Classic.

(UK Athletics/Aaron M. Sprecher)

(AP photo/Kerry Smith)

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Red-faced Mississippi State faces steep climb, reports Brandon Marcello of C-L.
• State’s will to be tested in Rupp Arena, writes Jim Mashek of Biloxi Sun-Herald.
• Calipari dismisses importance of meeting, reports Jerry Tipton of Herald-Leader.
• Ex-UK star Craig Yeast named coach at Bryan Station, reports Mike Fields of H-L.
• Steve Brown to UCLA picking up steam, reports Bleed Blue Kentucky.
• UK QB situation 10th-best in SEC, says Seth Emerson of the Ledger-Enqurier.
• Weaker bats fit Kentucky’s style, writes Ethan Levine of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Trevor Lacey scores 31 points in three quarters, says Next Cats.
• Kentucky could be looking at Braeden Anderson, says Kentucky Sports Radio.
• J.P. Tokoto narrows list to eight, reports Nation of Blue.
• Michael Gilchrist plays hard every night, reports Brian Nash of Fox Sports.
• Kings fine Cousins after altercation, reports Jason Jones of Sacramento Bee.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Steve Brown rumors, QB ranking, hoops recruits’

(H-L photo/Jonathan Palmer)

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Early 22-0 burst propels Kentucky women past Mississippi State, reports Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader.
• Forcing turnovers helps Kentucky beat Bulldogs, writes T.J. Walker of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Marquis Teague named MVP in Indiana tournament, reports Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star. (Hat tip All Ky Hoops)
• John Calipari thinks summer basketball recruiting should be dropped, writes Ron Chimelis of the Republican. (Hat tip Spam’s Wildcat Page)
• Patterson has upper-respiratory infection; Hayes receives scare, reports the Houston Chronicle.
• Kentucky’s Eric Quigley reaches SEC Men’s Tennis Indoor final, reports the Courier-Journal.
• Anthony Davis puts on a show for John Calipari, reports Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal.
• Randall Cobb remains humble over his Kentucky stardom, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Illustration of Kentucky breaking down the zone, from Aaron Smith of the Kernel.
• Kentucky burned a hole in the LSU zone, writes Brian Rickerd of the Frankfort State-Journal.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Teague named MVP in tourney; Patterson update’

(AP photo/David J. Phillip)

Patrick Patterson had his first NBA double-double last night, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in Houston’s 114-105 victory over Toronto.

In four games since being recalled from the D-League, Patterson is averaging five points and 3.3 rebounds in 10 minutes per game.

P-Pat also earned the praise the Dream Shake’s Tim Martin:

At this point, Patterson is likely to screw up and do something against the will of the coaches, sure. But you’d better believe that he doesn’t need any coaching to knock someone on his face going for a loose ball. He’s a talented overachiever, and if there is one thing that all overachievers have, it’s confidence. Thankfully, his confidence is a controlled confidence. It’s confidence in his own ability, but not to the point where it slithers into his ego. Having talked to him face-to-face at the NBA Draft, having been present for his first press conference as a pro and having seen him play during the summer and in the preseason, it’s clear that Patterson does not feel that he is anywhere near his peak as a basketball player and that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get better.

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

TREVOR LACEY DECISION COMING? – All Kentucky Hoops reports that UK has offered the 6-foot-3 guard, ranked No. 34 by Rivals, and that Lacey could make a decision soon.

BRASSOW GETS HIS RING BACK – Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches reports, “In the land of Kentucky basketball, finding a Final Four basketball ring of a former basketball player lies somewhere between the equivalent of discovering the Holy Grail and a 10-carat diamond. Quite literally, the ring is priceless. So imagine Jeff Brassow’s surprise when he was contacted by a Fayette Urban County Government employee and told his long-lost Final Four ring had been found. To give back an item of such worth and merit in a time of such dishonesty and underwhelming values was a jolt of shock for Brassow.”

DEANDRE DANIELS UPDATE – The 6-7 forward, who visited UK over the weekend, and can enroll in January, will visit North Carolina State. “NC State has been pushing hard for both Daniels and Garrett since this summer when Larry Harris first had contact with Garrett’s step-father and expressed NC State’s interest,” reports Pack Insider. “Since then it hasn’t been only Harris on the case, head coach Sidney Lowe and Monte Towe have also made their way down to Florida to visit the two stars. With NC State on both of their lists and the Wolfpack eager to land them, they’ve decided to take a visit to Raleigh together on December 19th when State takes on Arizona in the RBC Center, according to Garrett.” (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)

– Jerry Tipton’s AP Top 25 college basketball ballot.

– Tipton writes that Knight, Liggins and Jones are eating up the minutes for the Cats.

– SEC basketball taking its early lumps, writes Mark Story of the H-L.

THE SWITCH TO THE 3-4 – Rick Minter could be named UK’s new co-defensive coordinator as early as today, and there is speculation the Cats will switch to a 3-4 scheme next season. Bleed Blue Kentucky writes, “Before Rick Minter is named the new Co-Defensive Coordinator, he is already telling recruits the Cats will switch to a 3-4 defensive scheme in 2011. I have to admit, I wouldn’t be a huge fan of the change. UK hasn’t shown the ability to stop the run well enough to make the change in my opinion. However, the Cats have recruited defensive lineman such as Brice Laughlin and Donte Rumph who are natural defensive ends.”

– Video from ESPN’s Chris Low on the Mike Hartline suspension.

– Jon Davis is solid with his UK commitment, reports Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Trevor Lacey offered; DeAndre Daniels update’

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Ricky Lumpkin’s halftime speech sparks Kentucky past Vanderbilt 38-20, reports Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• If it was Randall Cobb’s farewell, it was a magnificent one, says my Sunday column.
• Mark Story of the H-L writes that Derrick Locke turned on the late show.
• Derrick Locke needed this type of game, writes Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun.
• Kentucky storms past Vanderbilt in the second half, reports Will Graves of the AP.
• Kentucky rallies past Vanderbilt for bowl eligibility, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that win was a fitting end for Mike Hartline’s home career.
• Vanderbilt thinks it still has plenty play for after loss to Kentucky, writes Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Kentucky takes care of (second-half) business’

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Another top John Calipari class is ready to sign today, writes Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Calipari rules the recruiting trail again, writes Jim Halley of USA Today.
• Randall Cobb to consider leaving early for the NFL draft, reports Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Cobb could be near the end of his UK career, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• DeQuin Evans has been battling injuries all year, writes Dawson for the C-J.
• Vanderbilt defensive back will help out at quarterback, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Matt Roark flying under the radar for UK, writes B.W. Jones of the Kentucky Kernel.
• It will be Kentucky’s talent vs. East Tennessee’s experience, writes Tipton of the H-L.
• Houston Rockets send Patrick Patterson to D-League, says H-L staff report.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Calipari ready to ink a No. 1 class again today’

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Kentucky doesn’t want to look past Vanderbilt, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• My column says Kentucky’s real bowl game this year will be in Knoxville.
• Vanderbilt may have to throw the football more, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• John Calipari is no fan of ugly-looking suits, blogs Diamond Leung of espn.com.
• A win over Vanderbilt is crucial heading into the bye week, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Senior Day will be emotional for Kentucky’s seniors, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Cats face a Vanderbilt team that has nothing to lose, writes Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Josh Harrellson can grow a beard, but can he hit the boards? asks Aaron Smith of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Dime Magazine catches up with former Cats star Patrick Patterson.
• Chemistry could be the key for Calipari’s Cats, writes Mary Jo Perino of WLEX.