John Clay's Sidelines

WKU commitment and Clark County star Vinny Zollo shattered a backboard yesterday at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Zollo told the Myrtle Beach Sun News, “I took off and got up there pretty good, there was a lot of contact and I just went up and tried to finish. I didn’t know what happened. I looked behind me . . . and there was stuff flying. I didn’t know what it was because I didn’t really hear it crunch. I saw the glass all fall down and thought, ‘Oh God, that ain’t good.’”

(Hat tip All Kentucky Hoops)

Georgia's A.J. Green makes a catch against Tennessee. (AP photo/John Amis)

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Joker Phillips has cut off Twitter for his players, or maybe not, reports Mary Jo Perino of WLEX-TV.
• Kentucky’s fickle football fan base a product of the past, writes Mark Story of the Herald-Leader.
• Cats must avoid letdown against four-loss Georgia, reports Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Kentucky thinks it can win the wild, wild East, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• In the SEC Least, Georgia is hot, writes Mark Bradley of the AJC.
• Ex-UK commitment Vinny Zollo chooses Western Kentucky, reports Jerry Tipton of the H-L.
• Columnist protests UK’s madness threat, blogs Tipton.
• The Cats are buying what Rock Oliver is selling, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Men’s basketball walk-on tryout meeting is set for Wednesday, reports the Kentucky Kernel.
• Defense transforms for better in second half, reports Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Defense seeking a faster start, writes Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches.
• KSR says that UK censored DeMarcus Cousins’ “Free Enes” t-shirt at Madness.
• Bleed Blue Kentucky has a Lamont McMurry update.
• All Kentucky Hoops has news on the John Wall shoe.

(AP photo)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Fresh from Germany, Michael Gilchrist scores 26 in Peach Jam game, reports Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News.

• Gilchrist wants to bring Anthony Davis to Kentucky, reports Zagsblog from the Peach Jam.

• Tony Wroten tweets: “I Have NOT committed anywhere yet. But UK is in the lead right now. Then comes UW,Uconn,Nova.”

• Kentucky football makes Greg Nord hire official, reports Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.

• Joker Phillips has big plans for Kentucky football, writes Olin Buchanan of Rivals.com.

• Houston Rockets reach deal with Patrick Patterson, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

• Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN’s True Hoop likes DeMarcus Cousins’ finesse.

• Cousins turned in his second double-double, reports Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

• Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports that John Wall is headed to Los Angeles for the ESPYs.

• Wall gets a double-double in his second summer league game, reports Lee in the WP.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Michael Gilchrist scores 26 in Peach Jam debut’

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader reports that ex-UK commitment Vinny Zollo is weighing his options at summer camp.
• Courier-Journal columnist Rick Bozich writes that there are two sides to every basketball.
• The C-J’s Jody Demling gives a ItTakes5ive Classic recap.
• Demling also reports that Hoop Scoop has UK’s 2009 recruiting class No. 2 behind Marquette.
• Tom Leach says it’s a big month for John Calipari.
• CBS Sportline’s Gary Parrish thinks Brandon Knight will end up at Kentucky.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Hoop Scoop puts UK class at No. 2′

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader has a blog entry on John Calipari defending his salary, deferring roster decisions.
• My column saying players should have unrestricted movement after coaching changes.
• Mark Story writes that coaches can soar or plummet in a season or less.
• Tipton’s notebook leads off with high expectations, high salary.
• The H-L’s Chip Cosby writes on running back Alfonso Smith.
• Cosby’s notebook reports on UK putting on the pads.
• William Rhoden of the New York Times writes on the Calipari contract.
• In the Boston Globe, Derrick Z. Jackson writes on the college basketball charade.
• Tim Stevens of the Raleigh News and Observer reports on John Wall’s recruitment. (Hat tip to Spam’s Wildcat Page.)
• Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun reports that Clark County girls’ coach Scott True is a Calipari disciple.
• ESPN’s Andy Katz writes that Calipari is ready for the Kentucky stage.
• In the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Ron Higgins writes that Calipari’s move was just business.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that Vinny Zollo is waiting to talk to Calipari.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Calipari debate; spring football revs up’