John Clay's Sidelines

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Bryant Gumbel takes a shot at Urban Meyer, reports the Orlando Sentinel.
• There have been some close calls in Florida’s 23-game win streak over Kentucky, writes Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• Florida is worrying about a slow start vs. Kentucky, writes David Jones of Florida Today.
• Florida not getting points from its long drives, reports Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
• A win Saturday would make Urban Meyer the sixth-fastest to 100 victories, blogs Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post.
• WKYT-TV on ex-UK basketball player Mark Krebs publishing his first book.
• Kentucky hasn’t committed a turnover. Florida has created 12 turnovers. Something has to give, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• My column on UK wide receivers coach Tee Martin, who faced a similar scenario to the one Florida quarterback John Brantley is facing.
• No pressure on Kentucky this week, writes Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal.

Continue reading ‘BBL: A few close calls in Kentucky-Florida series’

Randall Cobb at SEC Media Days (AP photo)

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• After on-line protests, John Calipari cancels his political fundraiser for Gov. Steve Beshear, reports Jack Brammer of the Herald-Leader.
• Calipari’s Facebook page, where he announced the cancelation.
• Derrick Locke thinks Mike Hartline will be UK’s starting quarterback, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• NCAA investigations have coaches fired up about agents, reports Cosby.
• Joker Phillips is keeping Kentucky on its toes, writes Andy Bitter of the Macon Telegraph.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes that UK’s running back isn’t Derrick Locke-jaw.
• Paul Warford’s college football career is over, reports Dawson.
• Warford ruled academically ineligible, reports Nathan Hutchinson of the Richmond Register.
• John Wall’s academic excellence doesn’t fit one-and-done image, writes Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News.
• Randall Cobb is glad that Tee Martin is at Kentucky, writes Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Football meets SEC media, basketball meets politics’

(AP photo)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register reports that Tee Martin says he likes working for Joker Phillips:

Now he’s excited about working for Phillips, whom Martin describes as energetic and full of new ideas.

“He doesn’t have a head-coaching complex,” Martin said. “His door is always open. He has new ideas, he’s fresh and he listens.

“It’s something that’s started to permeate our program already.”

Mike Strong of the Times-Picayune on New Orleans quarterback committing to UK:

Cobbins, 6 feet 2, 195 pounds, with 4.44 speed in the 40-yard dash, delivered his commitment to Kentucky Coach Joker Phillips via telephone Wednesday, the day before the Roneagles concluded spring practice with a scrimmage at South Lafourche, Cobbins and McDonogh 35 Coach Wayne Reese said Friday.

Jerry Tipton of Herald-Leader was in Chicago for a Q&A with DeMarcus Cousins:

Question: You came to UK with the reputation as a player who needed to control his emotions. You had five technical fouls and were involved in several other incidents in which referees checked the sideline monitor to determine what, if any, punishment should be imposed. How do you feel having your maturity questioned?

Answer: It doesn’t bug me at all because I expect it. That’s been the big question all year. That’s the main question I’m looking for. I want them to ask me so I can tell them the truth.

Q: What is the truth?

A: I’m not that type of person. … I’m still a work in progress.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Tee Martin happy to be working for Joker Phillips’

New UK wide receivers coach Tee Martin met with the media before tonight’s Kentucky-Alabama basketball game.

Tee Martin

The Daily Lobo newspaper at the University of New Mexico reported last night that Lobos wide receivers coach Tee Martin, the ex-Tennessee quarterback, will join Kentucky’s staff as wide receivers coach.

An exceprt:

A source close to New Mexico quarterbacks coach Tee Martin told the Daily Lobo late Wednesday night that Martin will accept the wide receivers coach opening at Kentucky.

The deal is reportedly worth about $40,000 more than Martin makes here, which puts his salary in the ballpark of $150,000. Martin makes roughly $110,000 at the University.

There was intense speculation by some Web sites that Martin’s departure to join new coach Joker Phillips’ staff was imminent. In the end, Martin’s connections within the program helped land him the job, the source said.

Click here for Martin’s coaching bio at New Mexico.