UK Sports Info

A Letter to BBN

Jordan — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:53:08 +0000

Dear BBN,

These last 3 years have been some of the most exciting, wonderful, joyous, wildest and amazing sports years of my life. As I grow older and the memories of actually running up and down a court myself fade, all of those are being replaced with memories of our beloved CATS…

Share a few of those with me today…

-John Wall dunking all over Indiana (yea IU, you beat us last year but we still own you like most people own a pair of Nikes. And yes we threw you out after we’ve worn you down to nothing). Thank you John.

Brandon “I had cornrows but cut them off like Samson, except I got way freaking better” Knight hitting that off-balanced jumper to drive a nail into Thad Matta’s team. Jared Sullinger who? You’re them man, B.

Yes, I was in the house when the man they call, Jorts had a career night in the Yum! Center. Best part of that night, I sat with an diehard U of L fan in the U of L women’s golf coaches seats. So sweet… Jorts you aren’t my favorite off the court (look at our Twitter battle-I won) but I love you in-between the lines.

Terrance Jones starting his freshman year like the best player in the country in Hawaii, only to slowly fall into some lets say “poor” habits but rebounding (literally) into his sophomore campaign as a LEADER and Winner, thank you Terrance.

I think my favorite memory wasn’t even on the court. It was Anthony Davis on the outdoor courts by Wildcat Lodge. The dude throws the ball around a kid with about my same athletic ability, jumps 5 ft. in the air and punishes it with one hand. I had my doubts, I lost my doubts, I’m embarrassed for having them to begin with. Thank you Ant.

Mookie, Mookie, Mookie… YOu’re a bulldog. I would mind having you in my crew anytime. I got to watch you shoot jumpers in the Craft Center and you missed 2 out of 30. Thank you Sir.

This is kinda turning into a love letter. I’ll admit it. I love my Cats. I grew up watching DA (his story is soon to come), Walker, TD and Shep. This last few years I have to say are right up there with those great memories of those great players and of that great time in my life. Thanks BBN for giving this mid-twenties (I use that loosely) has been (never actually “was”) something pure to still love about basketball.

Sincerely,
Jordan J. Haffley

Are Better Facilities Really the Answer for Kentucky Football?

Drew — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:27:22 +0000

The Montrezl Harrell Watch is officially on Day 2 after Virginia Tech stopped being douches and released him to pick another school. Expect things to heat up quickly. In fact, I’d bet the $1.21 cents under my couch cushions Coach Cal has already contacted him. MONTREZL, MONTREZL, MONTREZL. Typing his name three times each morning has to be good luck, right? It worked for “Candyman”. OK, bad example, but you catch my drift.

The second I wrote yesterday’s first Kentucky football post of 2012, I knew I had opened Pandora’s Box. Now I can’t stop thinking about the upcoming season, the state of the program, and Joker’s future in Lexington. This isn’t unusual for me. On any given Saturday in the fall, I convince myself Kentucky could beat the 1985-86 Chicago Bears (Walter Payton, Jim McMahon, The Refrigerator Perry, Mike Singletary, Willie Gault, etc.) if “this” or “that” were to happen. Like, “if Kentucky can get four turnovers, they might be able beat South Carolina”. Or, “if LSU’s first, second, and third string defense catches a horrible diarrhea virus, maybe we can pull this one out.” Yep. I do this. Don’t judge me. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again–when it comes to Kentucky football, I’m a sadist. I take the abuse, but I keep coming back.

But the newest twist in the offseason talk and speculation centers around Kentucky’s facilities, or lack thereof. Since Senator David Williams extended an invitation to UK President Eli Capilouto and AD Mitch Barnhart regarding state funds that, if released, could help renovate Commonwealth Stadium, I’ve been amused by Big Blue Nation’s tepid reaction. Most don’t seem to give a damn one way or the other. Sure, every Kentucky fan will say a better Commonwealth Stadium would be pretty cool. Who wouldn’t? My point is this: the dying breed of Kentucky football fans are vocal, but the rest of BBN doesn’t really seem to care. It’s been a long time since this much apathy has clouded the football program. So my question is simple. Will better facilities really help Kentucky football? Will it somehow inspire a resurgent Kentucky football fan base to buy season tickets and actually care?

Even though Commonwealth Stadium has been declared to be “structurally unsound” within the next ten years, it’s not the worst stadium on the planet. I’ve been to every SEC football stadium (except LSU), and I’m here to tell you it could be worse. Vanderbilt’s stadium is smaller than Texas high schools. Mississippi State is a cement monstrosity that gives everyone permanent bleacher-butt. South Carolina’s stadium looks fantastic on television, but in reality, it’s brutal. Don’t get me started on The Grove at Ole Miss. FANTASTIC tailgating can’t polish their turd of a stadium the Black Bears play in. So are millions of dollars devoted to Commonwealth Stadium really the answer for a struggling program? It might help some, but to assume Kentucky will vault into an SEC East contender based on “better facilities” is short-sighted and wrong.

Would a brand-spanking new stadium inspire better recruits to attend Kentucky? Maybe a little, but way more times than not, no. Would a refurbished Commonwealth Stadium solve the offensive woes from last season? Of course not. Would a better recruiting room help Joker get committments from four and five star players? No, because every other SEC program has a recruiting room. The history of problems for Kentucky football are enough for a 27 volume book on heartbreak. The challenges never seem to go away and they run deep. I absolutely believe Mitch Barnhart loves Kentucky football and supports the program as much as he can. So what is really the problem with Kentucky football as we enter the third (and maybe last) year of the Joker Phillips regime?

I’ll have more this weekend. Stay tuned.

In other news–there is no Montrezl Harrell news.

Have a good one, BBN. Cheers to the freakin’ weekend. Follow me on Twitter @drewuksportsinf.

This One Time, At Wildcat Lodge…

Tony — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:55:18 +0000

A random story on a slow Thursday in May…So my family is in the painting business, been doing their thing since 1934. Commercial, residential, industrial, you name it. They do horse farms, hospitals, and schools among other projects, and all kinds of work at the University of Kentucky. In the summer of 1993, the Joe B Hall Wildcat Lodge needed a fresh coat, and Radden Painting got the call.

I was a 15 year old in between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. I needed a job, as my first car would not be paying for itself. Dad put me on the Lodge project, doing grunt work like sanding, taping, and stripping wallpaper. It was hard work, but a kid from Kentucky could not have asked for a better gig. One day, Travis Ford would stroll past. Another day, it was Bernadette Locke Mattox. I even stood and stared a time or two as Rick Pitino himself stopped by(again, this was 1993…he was THE MAN). I would often peek in the mail basket, and could not help but notice how many envelopes from banks were addressed to Jamal Mashburn. Step back NCAA, it was after his junior and final season in college.

I had very little supervision, and as long as my assigned tasks were taken care of, I would often just wander around the Lodge. Most of the trophies that are currently on display in the Joe Craft Center today were at the Lodge back then. It was like a mini-museum. So much history in that place, but the decor was quite dated, and my task became stripping old 1970′s wallpaper from a loft-like room hovering above the main lobby.

Lodge is the right word for this place, as it feels(felt?) like a ski lodge, or some sort of honeymoon chalet in the mountains. Very warm and cozy, a fella could take a lady here and let’s just say, the mood would be right…

So I’m stripping this old wallpaper, which sucks if you’ve ever done it. The idea is to cut little holes in it, then soak it with adhesive remover, and hope that it comes off in full sheets. Sometimes it does, often times it just breaks apart in little pieces, forcing one to repeat the process over and over. I didn’t mind, I was a young member of BBN, hangin out where the players live, dreaming about the (non-existent) possibility of calling this place home in a few years. Foot-loose and fancy free, I went about my task with pride, whistling the fight song and imagining the stories these soon to be paperless walls could tell. Then all of a sudden, as I’m ripping away a full sheet, something that had been stuck behind it against the wall shot into the air…

It was long, and it had girth. I did not see the actual word “MAGNUM,” as I’m not sure those even existed in the 70′s, but I’m pretty sure this was from the same manufacturer. That’s right Cat fans, it was a big ‘ol rubber. At 15, a mixture of emotions overcame me. Why would a condom(no wrapper by the way, fully extended) be stuck behind the wallpaper at Wildcat Lodge? Did the contractor who, ahem, “hung” it, get busy with a lady co-worker and decide to send proof into the future? Did one of the players get some play while the place was being built and throw said prophylactic into the adhesive? This sexy time-capsule caught me off guard, to say the least.

Today, I would probably take it home, perhaps frame it and try to track down Goose or Macy to sign it. What game room is complete without such a piece of memorabilia, after all. But back in ’93, young Tony found it repulsive, and rightly so. It scared me. It is more than likely that many large jimmys have intimidated a guest or two at the Joe B Hall Wildcat Lodge, and as Cal’s Cats make the move to the fancy new Coal Lodge soon, I can only hope that Dad’s crew gets to work on this place as well, maybe before the paper hangers get finished. I could use a side job this summer, and perhaps…

Nevermind, I’m not putting anything behind the wallpaper. The next kid to experience what I did 19 years ago would not be as impressed.

-Follow me on Twitter, @tonyradden

Drew’s Morning Thoughts–Joker Time Edition

Drew — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:58:15 +0000

Day One of the Montrezl Harrell Watch came and went slower than a fat kid in the three-legged race on Field Day. The news was, well, there was no news. All was quiet on the Harrell front. For that matter, not much happened at all yesterday. If you caught KSR’s radio show yesterday, you got to listen to Senator David Williams kind of explain the obstacles of getting the funds released for Kentucky football to upgrade its facilites. I can’t give you direct quotes because political talk requires a translator I don’t have the app on my iPhone for. However, he actually encouraged Mitch Barnhart and UK President Eli Capilouto to contact him directly to get the ball rolling. I’m not a huge fan of Williams, but at least he had the balls to be on radio live. Most politicians won’t publically support issues when it’s not an election year, especially when it concerns Big Blue Nation.

So Williams has that going for him. Which is nice. But all the talk about facilities, football, Mitch Barnhart, and Kentucky’s future reminded me how close we are to Joker’s third season as head coach. It’s been easy to forget how important this season is for his future at Kentucky, with Coach Cal’s national championship season and recruiting being the BBN priorities of the day.

So I’ll fire opening shot about Joker Phillips and the Kentucky football program. Morning Thoughts. NOW.

Is this a “do or die” season for Joker Phillips?

This question is always the most difficult to answer. There are so many things that go into the decision of a coaching change (unless your name is Billy Gillispie). Mitch Barnhart has said publically the importance of improvement on the field is vital, even if Kentucky’s record is the same as last season. We can all agree last season was disastrous most of the time. A loss at home to Louisville was the first warning sign. Being COMPLETELY overmatched by South Carolina and getting blown out by Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT!) were embarrassing to watch. Will Barnhart’s version of “improvement” include better, more competitive losses to these two programs? If so, what does that really mean? The only sure-fire way to insure job security and fan support is simple: WIN MORE GAMES. This year’s schedule is BRUTAL. It’s going to be a challenge to win more games. So how much “improvement” does Mitch Barnhart need to give Joker another year?

Joker SHOULD NOT have been fired last season.

I’m of the old-school belief that every new coach deserves three years to make the program his own. Even if Joker was named coach in waiting before Rich Brooks retired, it takes time to make his mark on the program he now runs. Beating Tennessee and ending The Streak undoubtedly gave Joker a brief reprieve from BBN. But don’t forget about the effect firing a coach in his second year could have on whomever his replacement is. Say you’re an up-and-comer, a rising star in the college football head coaching fraternity. Joker is fired after two seasons. UK contacts you about interviewing for the job. You get the job. You sit down to start hammering out the details of your contract. As most college football programs do, they offer you a five year deal. Wouldn’t your first thought be “but you fired Joker Phillips after only two seasons”? Of course it would. How could a new coach at Kentucky ever feel comfortable when his predecesor was canned after two years? Firing Joker after two seasons sets a horrible precedent for the next guy, making the search that harder.

If Joker isn’t around for his fourth year, is a “big name” coach the answer?

Nobody wants Joker Phillips to succeed at Kentucky more than me. That being said, another season like last (or worse) might signal a time for a change. So is a “big name” coach like Mike Leach the answer? In my opinion, YES. There’s a reason why a “big name” coach is a “big name” coach. That means he has won a lot of games, has a proven track record, and has the personality and connections to improve recruiting. A “big name” coach would have the ability to recruit outside of Kentucky and attract better athletes outside the border. The fact that Kentucky high school football does not produce a ton of Division I SEC-type football players is a hindrance UK will always face. A “big name” coach could help alleviate that some. Then, the question becomes whether or not Kentucky would pony up the money to attract him, but that’s a conversation for another time.

OK, then who is the “big name” coach UK could get?

I don’t know. There’s no sense in talking about that right now. Give Joker the chance to turn things around this year.

Would Bobby Petrino be an option?

NO. NO. NO. I’ll hit that growth spurt I was promised at age 15 before Petrino is hired at Kentucky. Despite his success, Petrino is toxic right now and he’s too arrogant to trust. Forget about him. It’s not happening.

What has been the biggest problem in Joker’s first two years?

In my opinion, changes on the coaching staff have been questionable. Joker felt he needed better recruiters, which is fine and is definitely within his power as head coach to do. However, dismissed coaches like Steve Brown and Steve Ortmayer were proven teachers on the field. They developed 2 and 3 star players like Wesley Woodyard, Trevard Lindley, Myron Peters, Jacob Tamme, Corey Peters, and Jeremy Jarmon and turned them into NFL players. If you believe recruiting rankings, Kentucky has definitely improved the overall talent level. But where are the results? Why does Kentucky continue to have seven tight ends per recruiting class? What has happend to Morgan Newton, who once upon a time was one of the nation’s top high school quarterbacks? Why is Kentucky still starting walk-ons?

I’ll have more about Joker and Kentucky football as the season approaches. I am 100% behind Joker Phillips and I hope this season brings Big Blue Nation back to Commonwealth Stadium. I still support Kentucky football. The question is…do you?

That’s all I’ve got time for. Follow me on Twitter @drewuksportsinf. Have a good one folks.

Small Montrezl Update….really small…..

Brandon — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:14:19 +0000

This isn’t really much, but besides the water turned into Cardinal Blood in Lexington. So here is something, anything, not much. Anybody else ready for football?

Sporting News

John Calipari isn’t used to losing, especially on the recruiting trail.

Calipari has had the top-ranked recruiting class in the past four years, but in the last week has lost out on high-profile battles for power forwards Anthony Bennett (UNLV) and Amile Jefferson (Duke).

With the recent new of Amile Jefferson’s commitment to Duke, John Calipari looks to recruit Montrezl Harrell to round out his recruiting class. (AP Photo)

So where does that leave Calipari, who must replace the top six players on Kentucky’s national championship team?

He will turn his attention to trying to woo Montrezl Harrell, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Harrell, a 6-8 forward from Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia, had signed with Virginia Tech but just recently was granted his release from the school in the wake of Seth Greenberg’s firing.

Harrell, ranked No. 72 overall by Scout.com, is athletic and strong and has a good mid-range game. He could prove to be a capable backup to projected UK starting forwards Alex Poythress and Kyle Wiltjer, the lone returning player from the Wildcats’ primary rotation. Nerlens Noel, the No. 1-ranked player in the Class of ’12, will start at center.

Cincinnati and N.C. State, according to Rivals.com, also are on Harrell’s short list.

In addition to Noel and Poythress, Calipari also has signed shooting guard Archie Goodwin and center Willie Cauley. UK also will welcome transfer guards Julius Mays (Wright State) and Ryan Harrow (N.C. State), and forward Jon Hood is expected to return after missing all of the 2011-12 season after tearing his ACL in preseason.

Drew’s Morning Thoughts–Start The Montrezel Harrell Watch Edition

Drew — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:44:55 +0000

Reset the recruiting clock, Big Blue Nation. What was once the Anthony Bennett Watch is hereby renamed The Montrezl Harrell Watch. Day 1 begins today.

With Amile Jefferson’s selection of ~~NC State~~ ~~sorry about that readers~~ of Dook, Harrell is now the hottest prospect in the country and next in line for what is probably Kentucky’s last scholarship. To that, I say good. First of all, I hate Dook. They are evil, unholy, and a terrifying blight on civilization. Second of all, any recruit that chooses Dook over Kentucky is now my enemy. Third of all, during his press conference Jefferson said “Dook is a once in a lifetime opportunity and something you don’t pass on.” Um, OK, Amile. If you have a preference for Star Wars conventions, obnoxious nerds posing as basketball fans, ugly cheerleaders, 134 guys named Plumlee, aversions to national championships, and Dungeons and Dragons, then by all means have at it. You’ll probably get a starting spot this season. Enjoy getting whupped by NC State and UNC. Get that education.

In all seriousness, good luck Amile. Sorry. Dook does this to me. It’s either genetic or a disease. You seem like a good kid. See you in Atlanta. I’m not going to lie to you, Amile. You better get earplugs when Atlanta turns into Catlanta. Big Blue Nation doesn’t like Dook. Dook doesn’t like Big Blue Nation. Game on, Dookies.

Morning Thoughts…rolling….

Montrezl Harrell: from Day One, my preference has been the ex-Virginia Tech Hokie over Jefferson. That’s not sour grapes because he didn’t choose Kentucky, either. Harrell might be a tad undersized for power forward (6-7), but he’s more ready for frontcourt action next season than Jefferson will be. Nerlens Noel needs an in-the-paint buddy, and Harrell fits the bill best. His high school, AW Hamilton (of Scott County High School fame), said Harrell’s release from Virginia Tech should come over the weekend. The list of suitors includes Kentucky, Louisville, NC State, Providence, Pittsburgh, Alabama, and Cincinnati. Don’t be surprised to see this list grow after his release is official. Definitely don’t be surprised to see Coach Cal get Harrell in Lexington as soon as humanly possible. Should Montrezl decide on Kentucky, the problem of frontcourt depth is solved. Coach Cal could go “big” with Harrell, Noel, Alex Poythress, Kyle Wiltjer, and Archie Goodwin running the point in a pinch. He’s a great compliment to Wiltjer’s game, too. MONTREZL, MONTREZL, MONTREZL. There. I got it out of my system.

Michael Porter: I’m not going to lie to you. What Porter has been charged with kept me up half the night. He pled not guilty to the sodomy and sex abuse charges with an underage girl at church functions. A third party posted $22,000 bail and he’s wearing an ankle monitor from the Lindsay Lohan line of criminal fashion. He can’t leave the state and is due back in court on June 4th. After the Jerry Sandusky and Bernie Fine scandals this past year, it’s hard not to jump to conclusions and declare him guilty. Let’s allow the judicial system a chance to work, folks. If the allegations are true, my thoughts are with both families. That’s all I have to say about this today. I truly hope I don’t have to blog about it again anytime soon. It’s just an awful, completely unexpected situation.

Bat Cats: the UK baseball team took one on the chin last night, losing to Murray State 7-3 in the metropolis of Murray, Kentucky. I haven’t checked the box score, but I have a feeling Gary Henderson “threw off” to save his best pitchers for this weekend’s showdown with John Cohen and the #25 Mississippi State Bulldogs. Kentucky controls its destiny. An SEC championship, a first-round bye in the SEC tournament, and NCAA seeding are all on the table. John Clay of Lexington Herald-Leader fame tweeted Kentucky is projected as a #7 overall seed, which means the Bat Cats should host a regional. Off the topic, did you know Murray is a dry city? Yeah, I don’t want to go there. Ever.

Brandon Knight: the ex-Kentucky point guard finished eighth in Rookie of the Year voting. In other news, Brandon Knight has locked himself someplace training in a Midwestern gymnasium (parts unknown), vowing not come out until the NBA starts next season. Knight is one of the hardest workers and most motivated players to play for Coach Cal at Kentucky. This is just the kind of motivation Knight can use to go from “I work hard” to “I’m going to show every damn one of you how much better I am”.

That does it for today. As always, thanks for stopping by. Follow me on Twitter @drewuksportsinf. Happy Hump Day!

Porter Pleads Not Guilty

Brandon — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:11:15 +0000

Over at Nation of Blue they are reporting that Porter plead not guilty today to sexual abuse charges. Here is the story and the link.

Porter Pleads Not Guilty

Former Wildcat Michael Porter pleaded not guilty in Fayette District Court to sexual abuse charges this afternoon. Porter was released from jail into the custody of a third party, but the judge ordered him to wear an ankle monitoring bracelet and forbid him from leaving Kentucky and from having any contact with the youth at the center of the case.

Porter is accused of having sexual contact with a minor in connection with several incidents that allegedly occurred in 2009 and 2010. Police say Porter met the victim while he was a group leader at a church function.

He is formally charged with sexual abuse and sodomy involving a minor. A preliminary hearing is set for June 4.

Brandon Knight, 8th in Rookie of the Year Voting

Brandon — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:42:57 +0000

Our favorite Shakespeare quoting former Cat finished 8th in the Rookie of the Year Voting results. Former Morehead State alumni and Cardinal killer Kenneth Faried finished 3rd. I would have loved to see him wearing a UK jersey, but to be honest taking down Pitino in the first ~~15 seconds~~ round of the NCAA tournament may have been even better.

2012 NBA Rookie of the Year Voting Results

Kyrie Irving, Cleveland
Ricky Rubio, Minnesota
Kenneth Faried, Denver
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio
Iman Shumpert, New York
Klay Thompson, Golden State
Isaiah Thomas, Sacramento
Brandon Knight, Detroit
Chandler Parsons, Houston
MarShon Brooks, New Jersey
Kemba Walker, Charlotte
Josh Selby, Memphis

Noel, Poythress Named to Yahoo Sports All-Freshman Team

Drew — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:44:42 +0000

Ain’t it swell to see two of Kentucky’s promising freshman already getting some preseason love?

Nerlens Noel was named to the first-team Yahoo Sports All-Freshman team. Possible roomate/future UK power forward Alex Poythress was named “to the bench”. In other words, he was named to the second-team. Here’s what Yahoo thinks about both:

C Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
Background: 6-10/200; five-star recruit from Tilton (N.H.) The Tilton School
Buzz: The NCAA is investigating Noel’s background, specifically his ties with two men from the Boston area, where he grew up. Regardless of the inquiry, Noel is a defensive difference-maker. While he lacks bulk, he is athletic and already has advanced shot-blocking techniques. His offense remains somewhat raw, but his defense and rebounding make up for that. Noel reclassified as a senior during the school year.

PF Alex Pothyress, Kentucky
Background: 6-8/215; five-star prospect from Clarksville (Tenn.) Northeast
Buzz: UK famously lost its top six players from its national title team, meaning Pothyress should slide right into the starting power forward role left vacant by Terrence Jones. He is athletic and runs the floor extremely well for a big man. He handles the ball well, and possesses a solid all-around offensive game; he can hit the 15-footer and also can put the ball on the floor and slash to the rim. He puts his athleticism to good use on the defensive end as well.

Somehow, Archie Goodwin didn’t make it. For those who have seen Mitch McGary actually play, I’d be upset too. Some guy named Shabazz was first-team, as well. For some reason, that name sounds familiar.

We’re all waiting on Amile Jefferson to pick a school before the world ends and the Mayans are proven right. Come back around 4:00pm, BBN.

The Croatian Sensation is heading to Northwestern

Drew — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:13:25 +0000

Mislav Brzoja, we hardly knew ya.

After a spring fling of flirting with UK and a brief visit to campus, the 6-5 guard committed to Northwestern University. Hopefully, Brzoja can help get NU to its first March Madness.

Seriously. I’m not kidding. Northwestern has NEVER been to the NCAA Tournament. Talk about being born under a bad sign…

I’m sure the commitment of Julius Mays was the nail in the coffin for Brzoja’s recruitment to UK. Can I return my Rosetta Stone “Speak Croatian” and get my money back? Opinions needed.

Carry on.