SB Nation - Matt Pilgrim

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Early Signing Period Edition

Truzenzuzex — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:00:46 -0000

by Ed Reinke - AP

Top recruits, like John Wall, are increasingly waiting until the late period before signing with a school.

Today, the Big Blue Daily Mail asks the question -- is the early signing period a good thing, especially in light of the new restrictions on National Letters of Intent that forbid extra conditions being attached to the letter, a la addendums allowing recruits to get out of their commitment in the event of a coaching change?

Most coaches are in favor of course, and according to this article by ESPN's Andy Katz, some coaches think the new restrictions are no problem:

"If there is a coaching change, they can get out of it,'' Ohio State's Thad Matta said. "They always do anyway.

I think that's right. Almost no school is willing to risk the negative recruiting consequences of not letting a recruit out of his NLI in the event of a coaching change. And it's fairly obvious why coaches like the early signing period:

"I don't want to be on planes flying all over the place as the head coach during the season,'' Self said. "You want November recruiting to be done so you can have a leg up on the next year during the year.''

But it seems like the top recruits are not sold on the benefits of signing early, and aren't really interested in freeing up mercurial coaches to just coach:

"The top guys are realizing that they have the leverage to wait," said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer. "And the guys who are not the top guys know that more opportunities can open up for them later. So, if you don't feel confident in where you stand, if you're not ready, it only makes sense to wait with all the coaching changes that occur and the springtime roster changes that occur."

I don't think you can blame these guys for feeling this way, and I think waiting is smart from the standpoint of a top recruit. For the other guys, I think the early signing period makes much more sense, because it prevents them from being edged out of a scholarship by a really good recruit suddenly becoming available with no scholarships left.

The news follows the jump.

20 points about the college basketball season | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/11/2009
Dribble-drive originator says it's all about attacking | KentuckySports.com
"Cal did it a little disservice," Vance Walberg said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "Everybody thinks it's a dribble-dribble-dribble offense. That's not what it is. It's an attacking offense."

I don't think that. I suppose the name is a little deceptive, but doesn't "dribble-drive" imply an attack?
UK Football Fan: Pundits' UK Bowl Projections
Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Andy Katz puts together the worst conference ranking list ever
I agree. This is not a proud effort by Katz.
ESPN Columnist Forde diagnosed with "romantic abnormality" " The Adams Group
Clinical researchers and sex doctors have completed a two-year examination of ESPN.com senior writer Pat Forde and concluded that he has a bizarre "romantic abnormality" the likes of which no other human has ever been diagnosed with.

Read, and don't be drinking anything while doing so. Fair warning.
Tom Leach has lots of stuff on his blog today.
Morehead state preview podcast, Vandy radio voice podcast, and lots more.
Tobias Harris Journal: It's Crunch Time
Tobias Harris, the #5 recruit on the Rivals150 List for 2010, is now 12 days away from announcing his college choice. This is the Tobias Harris Journal, an all access feature from AllKYHoops.com that intends to illustrate the high-major recruiting process through the eyes of the recruit.
Karen Sypher Evicted from Home
The woman accused in a plot to extort $10 million from Rick Pitino was forced to move from her home Tuesday.

Weirder and weirder.
I Can See (the Suspensions) Clearly Now - Arkansas Expats
Both Courtney Fortson and Stefan Welsh have been suspended indefinitely. Welsh we knew about, but the news on Fortson is at least somewhat surprising. It was known that he would face some type of suspension after his infamous tweet, but Pelphrey's comments make it sound like additional factors are at work as well.

Double uh oh.
Duke Basketball is Geigh (Not That There’s Anything Wrong with That)
Heh.
Forde Minutes: A look back and a look forward - ESPN
Louisville-Kentucky (23). When: Jan. 2, in Lexington. Why: The feud is back to molten temperature with Calipari's arrival at UK. He and Pitino have had some memorable battles over the years, and should go at one another with maximum ferocity now that they're just 75 miles apart.
Goin' Back To Indiana
The only team that can challenge Kansas for the title, at least in terms of talent, is the Kentucky Wildcats. New coach John Calipari has the country's best recruiting haul, led by next June's no. 1 pick in the NBA draft, John Wall.
College basketball is back ... with a whimper - Seth Davis - SI.com
• I wonder if Arizona fans realize just how close they were to getting John Calipari as their coach. If the Kentucky job hadn't opened, I'd say there was about a 75 percent chance Cal was going to end up in Tucson. That's why Arizona's coaching search looked so disorganized at the end. They thought they had their man.

Like most of Seth Davis' assertions, I find this one unpersuasive.
Jeff Jordan Suspended Two Games For Offseason Violation - SB Nation
UK women have fun in exhibition rout | KentuckySports.com
McGinnis Named SEC Swimmer of the Week - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
" Matt Pilgrim stars in first Oklahoma State exhibition John Clay’s Sidelines
Great for Matt.
" Rich Brooks next-to-last in SEC coaching salaries John Clay’s Sidelines
Well, we knew this.
You're On Your Own. - Maize n Brew
These past three years, barring some fleeting bright spots, have been unrelentingly painful for anybody who follows Michigan football with any kind of passion. For the first time in my life, I can honestly say that I look forward to watching the NFL on Sundays. I can't wait for basketball season to start. When was the last time you heard that from a Michigan fan?

A Michigan fan's lament. As a Kentucky fan who has just suffered through four long years of Hell, and who is still recovering from the burn scars, I am totally sympathetic.
5 Razorback Basketball Players Suspended - Razorbacks News Story - KHBS NW Arkansas
University of Arkansas head basketball coach John Pelphrey suspended five of his players Tuesday, with suspensions ranging from two games to indefinitely.

Uh oh...
#4 Kentucky Wildcats - Storming The Floor
Nice job by Storming the Floor. Interesting that the author has the same name as a member on A Sea of Blue. Could they be one and the same?

I even get quoted!
Dick Vitale defends Calipari
Until someone comes to me and proves without a doubt that Calipari is involved in those shenanigans and is involved … I can’t hold them guilty. If you’re anti-Calipari, you’re going to use that to bury him. If you’re a guy who just looks at what’s right, and see what he’s done, and about the graduation - that’s another thing he gets a bum rap for … his kids have graduated; he’s got a terrific graduation rate - but yet nobody wants to hear that.

Very impressive and well-executed defense by Dick Vitale, despite attempts by the interviewer to lead him to a different conclusion. Via Bluegrass State Basketball.
Hartline Returns to Practice
"Hartline did some good things, and then a couple of times looked like he had a little rust on him," Brooks said. "Now, the question is how that knee will respond in the next 24 hours. We’ll have to see how that goes. He moved around well and executed the whole offense."

I'd be surprised if he is ready for much action at Vanderbilt.
More High School Sports Titles Decided By Technicalities - gymnastics - Deadspin
A Kansas gymnastics team was docked one point at the state championship meet—enough to drop them from first to third in the final standings—because their coach made an "illegal inquiry." She asked was the score was.

Wow.
Let the Cal-i-parti begin! | Vaught's Views
Let the Cal-i-parti start.

Why not?

BtB 2009-10 Big 12 Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:10:30 -0000

With six NCAA entrants, all of whom won at least a game in the Tournament, with two reaching the Elite Eight, the Big 12 had a pretty good 2008-09 season.

Thanks to some returning star power and some high-profile recruits, 2009-10 could be a banner year for the conference.

Sure the Griffin brothers left Oklahoma, but Willie Warren is ready to turn into a star. Chinemelu Elonu may have shocked everyone by going to the NBA, but Bryan Davis could be a more than capable replacement at Texas A&M. Their archrivals, Texas, lost J.J. Abrams, but Damion James is back, and he'll be joined by McDonald's All-American Avery Bradley and the highly-touted Jordan Hamilton.

And then there's Kansas, where Cole Alrdich and Sherron Collins decided to return, the Henry brothers are now on board, and a star recruit named Elijah Johnson may struggle to see the floor.

But that's just the start of what should be a very exciting year in the Big 12. This year's league should be similar to the Big Ten in that while the bottom teams--three in the case of the XII--don't stand much of a chance at all, the remainder of the squads all have somewhat legitimate NCAA hopes. More on each team's specific chances after the jump.

Let's first take a look at the 2008-09 Big 12 standings.

Big Twelve Conference Standings

(updated 4.2.2009 at 10:13 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Kansas Jayhawks	14	2	27	8
Oklahoma Sooners	13	3	30	6
Missouri Tigers	12	4	31	7
Texas A&M Aggies	9	7	24	10
Texas Longhorns	9	7	23	12
Oklahoma St. Cowboys	9	7	23	12
Kansas St. Wildcats	9	7	22	12
Nebraska Cornhuskers	8	8	18	13
Baylor Bears	5	11	24	15
Iowa St. Cyclones	4	12	15	17
Texas Tech Red Raiders	3	13	14	19
Colorado Buffaloes	1	15	9	22

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a team's name appears in red, click the link to visit the school's SBN site for further analysis throughout the season. You can also visit Big 12 Hoops for more info and analysis.

Colorado (last NCAA: 2003) During the offseason, Jeff Bzdelik talked to the Minnesota Timberwolves about a coaching role but ultimately remained in Boulder, where he's won less than one-third of the games he's coached. This year may not be much better. The backcourt will be the Buffaloes strength, as Cory Higgins averaged over 17 points and nearly 3 assists a game, Dwight Thorne III was the team's only other player to average in double-digits (12 ppg), and Australian point guard Nate Tomlinson had a solid freshman campaign (7.4 ppg, 3 apg). The returning frontcourt players don't offer much in terms of anything, as last year's Big 12 rebounding and defensive statistics will tell you, but another Aussie, 6-11 C Shane Harris-Tunks, and 6-7 JC transfer Marcus Relphorde may be the prescription for those woes. The Buffs travel to Maui this year, where they seem destined for the consolation bracket, as they open with Gonzaga.

Nebraska (last NCAA: 1998) The Huskers had a respectable season last time around, finishing at .500 in the Big 12 and earning an NIT invitation. Neither of those results is likely for Doc Sadler's club this year, as he lost four key players from that team, including leading scorers Ade Dagunduro (12.8 ppg) and Steve Harley (10.8 ppg). Point guard Cookie Miller (7.3 ppg, 3.6 apg) transferred to Miami (OH), leaving another hole. Guards Sek Henry (8 ppg) and Ryan Anderson (7.1 ppg) lead the returnees, who are joined by a busload of newcomers. The theme of the class is size. 6-11 Puerto Rican C Brian Diaz will play after a redshirt year, and he'll be joined by two German big men, 6-11 Christopher Niemann and 6-8 Christian Standhardinger. Sadler even picked up 6-8 Quincy Hankins-Cole from the JC ranks. He's joined by his Polk State College (FL) teammate, G Lance Jeter, who is expected to bring a new dimension to the backcourt. NU will play Tulsa in the Las Vegas Classic in December, then either Nevada or BYU.

Texas Tech (last NCAA: 2007) The Red Raiders won only 3 Big 12 games last year, and Pat Knight will be counting on five new arrivals, including three JC transfers, to help improve that total. Leading scorer John Roberson is back to lead the offense. Roberson averaged nearly 14 points and more than 6 assists a game last year, so he's a pretty good building block. Senior Nick Okorie averaged 11.3 points a contest, so the starting backcourt is pretty well set. Knight may even go to a three-guard set, as JC transfer David Tairu, a former teammate of Okorie, is expected to boost the Double-T's defense. Frosh Nick Davis could be a bench scoring threat, especially outside, where the graduated Alan Voskuil will be missed. In the frontcourt, Mike Singletary (12.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Trevor Cook (7.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg), and C Robert Lewandowski (6.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg) are all serviceable players. Two 6-6 JC transfers, Brad Reese and Theron Jenkins, will be expected to contribute immediately; however, as they give Knight some flexibility the current forwards don't offer. The Red Raiders will host the Duel in the Desert, a four-team round-robin tournament, where Oregon State figures to be their main opposition for the crown.

Baylor (last NCAA: 2008) The Bears had high hopes last year, and a 15-3 start, featuring a run to the 76 Classic final seemed to justify them. Then, the wheels came off completely. Baylor then dropped 10 of their next 12, a run that started with a six-game Big 12 losing streak. They nearly stole the league's auto bid, but fell to Missouri in the Big 12 final. Scott Drew's team then built on that momentum and reached the NIT final, which they lost to Penn State. Now Baylor will have to attempt to be more consistent without three of last year's prominent performers. Point guard Curtis Jerrells (16.3 ppg, 4,9 apg), the team's heart and soul is gone. So are F Kevin Rogers (12.76 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and guard Henry Dugat (9.4 ppg). Drew has a strong backcourt, even without Jerrells, as LaceDarius Dunn (15.7 ppg) and Tweety Carter (10.6 ppg) can both score, and Carter can do a decent job running the point (3.2 ppg). Expect freshman A.J. Walton to see some time running the offense as well. The arrival of Mark McLaughlin and Nolan Dennis means the Bears will be set at shooting guard for the next four years. Meanwhile, the frontcourt will be bolstered by 6-10 Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh, who will be supported by returnees Quincy Acy, Josh Lomers, Anthony Jones, and Fred Ellis, none of whom averaged more than 5.4 a contest last year. Baylor plays in another tournament near a Disney park this year, featuring in the Old Spice Classic in Florida, where they'll open with Alabama.

Iowa State (last NCAA: 2005) Greg McDermott hasn't had much luck in his three seasons in Ames, but he must have felt like he found a four-leaf clover and horseshoe while a shooting star flew overhead when Craig Brackins announced he was foregoing NBA millions for at least one more season. Brackins very nearly averaged a double-double last year, scoring more than 20 a game and grabbing nearly 10 boards. While the Cyclones may not have enough besides him to challenge for a conference crown, his return makes them a serious postseason threat. ISU's biggest issue is scoring, as they ranked 10th in the league last year in offensive output, and Brackins was the only player to average in double-figures. Expect the two starting guards, Diante Garrett, who very nearly averaged 10 a game, and Lucca Staiger (8.2 ppg) to step up. 6-11 Canadian Jamie Vanderbeken (5.5 ppg) should also benefit from the attention opposition defenses will pay to Brackins. McDermott also has high hopes for his two JC transfers, 6-9 F LaRon Dendy and 6-6 Marquis Gilstrap. The Cyclones will play in the Chicago Invitational Challenge, facing St. Louis in the semifinal, then either Northwestern or Notre Dame.

Missouri (last NCAA: 2009) Considering that he was losing three starters to graduation, including his two leading scorers and rebounders, you couldn't have really blamed Mike Anderson if he left Columbia after reaching last year's West Regional final. Yet, Anderson spurned the advances of numerous suitors to stay at Mizzou. Now he has to figure out how to get more out of the many returnees on the roster, none of whom matched the contributions of the departed DeMarre Carroll (16.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg), Les Lyons (14.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), or Matt Lawrence (9.2 ppg). The Tigers two leading returning scorers and rebounders are both in the backcourt, J.T. Tiller (8.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Zaire Taylor (6.7 ppg, 3 rpg). Both also averaged more than 3 assists per game, so Anderson can rest assured that his offense will be run well. Missouri's Mr. Basketball from last year, Mike Dixon, Jr., is the point guard of the future. 6-6 Kim English averaged 6.5 points in only about 14 minutes per contest, so his numbers should increase significantly with more action, especially if he continues to shoot well from the perimeter. The frontcourt is a major concern, however, as none of the returnees even cracked 4 ppg or 3 rpg last year. Junior Justin Stafford did average 3.4 points in 9-plus minutes of action, so he could turn into a consistent performer. The fact 6-10 freshman Keith Dewitt couldn't get eligible for this season was a major blow to MU. The Tigers will play in the South Padre Invitational over Thanksgiving weekend, opening with CAA contender Old Dominion, then facing either Mississippi State or Richmond.

Oklahoma State (last NCAA: 2009) I saw the Cowboys drop two of three at the Old Spice Classic last year, and not look terribly good doing it. (They managed to beat Siena in the 7th/8th place game that was delayed by a leaky roof caused by a freak November thunderstorm.) In the end, Travis Ford's squad improved enough to win 9 league games, beat Tennessee in the NCAA tournament, and scare Pittsburgh in round two. This time around, Ford will have to run his four-guard offense without two key cogs, as point guard Byron Eaton (14.3 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 2.2 spg) and Terrel Harris (13.9 ppg, 1.7 spg) graduated. Swingman James Anderson (18.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg), a challenger for all-Big 12 honors, is back, as is Obi Muonelo (12.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg). Keiton Page (8.6 ppg), a sharpshooter who's 5-10 on a very good day, will see more action this time around. Eaton's spot at the point will probably be filled by a freshman--most likely Ray Penn. 6-6 Marshall Moses (7 ppg, 6.1 rpg) is the only frontcourt player to see significant time last year, so Kentucky transfer Matt Pilgrim will be asked to contribute immediately. The Cowboys will play in the Thanksgiving Las Vegas Invitational. Bradley will be their first opponent, followed by either Illinois or Utah.

Texas A&M (last NCAA: 2009) The Aggies easily knocked BYU out of the tournament for the second year in a row, part of one of the dreariest NCAA sessions I've ever experienced. Somehow, the Aggies are one of only six schools to win an NCAA game in each of the past four seasons, but that's a streak they may have trouble extending without C Chinemelu Elonu, who decided to go to the NBA, despite only averaging 9.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg, and swingman Josh Carter (13.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg). The good news for Mark Turgeon is that just about everyone else is back, led by 6-9 Bryan Davis (10.8 ppg, 6.5 apg), who should move over to the center spot., and point guard Donald Sloan (11.8 ppg, 3.2 apg). With sophomore Dash Harris averaging 2 assists per game, while seeing only 13 minutes a contest, Turgeon could even move Sloan off the point to give himself another scoring option. 6-7 freshman Khris Middleton could be a replacement for Carter. The fact that 6-9 Kourtney Roberson won't be eligible for the Aggies is a major blow to a thin frontcourt, however. A&M will have a good idea of how they'll fare nationally after their three games in Anaheim at the 76 Classic, where they open with Clemson.

Kansas State (last NCAA: 2008) The Wildcats lost four contributors after last season, most prominently F Darren Kent (9 ppg, 5.8 ppg). but hopes are high in Manhattan. The starting backcourt is highly-regarded, in a league full of highly-regarded backcourt performers. Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen are the team's two leading scorers, averaging 15 and nearly 14 points per contest respectively, but both were equally adept at dishing the ball to their teammates, combining to average nearly 7 dimes a game. But the depth of the backcourt will be tested after Buchi Awaji and Fred Brown both left the program. Incoming freshmen Martavious Irving and Nick Russell will be expected to replace them. Frank Martin also expects big things from two other newcomers in the frontcourt, 6-9 F Wally Judge, another highly-touted recruit from the DC area and 6-8 UConn transfer Curtis Kelly. They'll join a unit led by returnees Jamar Samuels (8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Dominique Sutton (7.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Martin will hope his team will gel enough for the Puerto Rico Tip-off, where the Wildcats open with Boston University.

Oklahoma (last NCAA: 2009) Look for the Sooners to play a completely different style this year, without Blake and Taylor Griffin manning the frontcourt. The Willie Warren-led (14.6 ppg, 3.2 apg) backcourt will be the focus this time around. Warren will have to take on more of a leadership role now that Blake Griffin and point guard Austin Johnson (8.6 ppg, 3.9 apg) is gone. Expect him to not spend as much time on the perimeter this season. Tony Crocker (9.6 ppg) and Cade Davis (4.7 ppg) will be expected to take on more of the scoring load as well. In the frontcourt, Orlando Allen and Ryan Wright averaged under 2 points a contest each in very limited action, so who knows if they can adequately fill in for the Griffins. 6-9 300 pound freshman Keith "Tiny" Gallon, a big man who can shoot the ball well will see a lot of action. The Sooners head north for Thanskgiving, where Jeff Capel's men will face at least San Diego and Houston in a six-team Great Alaska Shootout field.

Texas (last NCAA: 2009) Rick Barnes has few question marks this year. Unlike the Sooners, his frontcourt is pretty well set, thanks to the return of 6-7 swingman Damion James (15.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg). James will again team up with 6-6 Gary Johnson (10 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and 6-10 Dexter Pittman (10.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) to form one of the most formidable frontcourts in the college game. While Texas has three returning guards who saw significant time last season, their roles will undoubtedly diminish because of three newcomers. 5-9 junior Jai Lucas will be eligible after sitting out last year after transferring from Florida. He'll run the offense. Lucas will be joined by two highly-regarded freshmen, 6-3 Avery Bradley and 6-7 swingman Jordan Hamilton, both of whom should challenge for more than just All-Freshman honors. The Longhorns will get to showcase their old and new talent at the CBE Classic in Kansas City, where tjhey should make the final, as they face rebuilding Iowa in the semifinals. Pittsburgh or Wichita State awaits them on night two.

Kansas (last NCAA: 2009) The Jayhawks fell five points short of a regional final appearance last year, but this time around such a result would be considered a major disappointment, when you consider all that Bill Self has coming back and coming in. Sherron Collins (18.9 ppg, 5 apg) and Cole Aldrich (14.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg) will obviously lead the way, but the Morris brothers, Marcus (7.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Markieff (4.6 ppg. 4.4 rpg) should be better in their second go-round, as should Tyshawn Taylor, who nearly averaged 10 points a contest. 6-6 Xavier Henry, one of the top recruits in the country, will provide even more scoring punch to the backcourt. His brother C.J, a Memphis transfer, even came along for the ride. Another transfer, Jeff Withey, got to practice against Aldrich last year, so the 7-footer who left Arizona could turn into another force inside. In the early season, the Jayhawks will be tested by games against Memphis (in St. Louis), La Salle (in Kansas City); at UCLA, Temple, and Tennessee, and in Lawrence against California and Michigan.

As the Jayhawks are virtually everyone's preseason number 1, they'll hold the Big 12 auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. The conference should have a big presence in this year's tournament, so check back in then to see how many at-large bids I'm predicting at the start of the year.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big 12 team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Player of the Year: Sherron Collins, 5-11 G, Sr. (Kansas)

Remainder of the Team
Cole Aldrich, 6-11 C, Jr. (Kansas)
Craig Brackins, 6-10 C, Jr. (Iowa State)
Damion James, 6-7 F, Sr. (Texas)
Willie Warren, 6-4 G, So. (Oklahoma)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big 12 this season?

Baylor

4 votes

Colorado

1 votes

Iowa State

2 votes

Kansas

31 votes

Kansas State

2 votes

Missouri

12 votes

Nebraska

1 votes

Oklahoma

3 votes

Oklahoma State

2 votes

Texas

74 votes

Texas A&M

3 votes

Texas Tech

1 votes

136 votes | Poll has closed

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Matt Pilgrim Moves On, and Other Tidbits

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:39:47 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

Mr. Unpopular? Coach K is in second place in his home state.

Browse more photos »

The big news of today is that Matt Pilgrim has decided to play for Travis Ford at Oklahoma State University. That's good news for Pilgrim and good news for Travis Ford.

Coach Calipari was reportedly working with Josh Pastner to try to get Pilgrim to Memphis, but apparently, that didn't work for Pilgrim for some reason. As we all no doubt remember, Pilgrim was said to have been very impressive in workouts last year versus Patrick Patterson, and was highly touted by some recruiting insiders around the UK program. Now he his headed west, and I hope the NCAA can see their way clear to let Pilgrim play immediately. It's bad enough that he wasn't invited back to the UK team, but it would be heaping insult onto injury if the NCAA forces him to sit out yet another year, which presumably would also cost him a year of eligibility.

Now for the rest of the news, of which there is not too much today.

UK Basketball News

Can Patterson improve draft status?
Maybe he can, but he would have to do something we haven't seen so far, like handle the basketball and shoot from the perimeter.
Calipari hopes to see a more confident Miller
I think we will see Miller more confident. He seemed to gain confidence noticeably at the end of last year.
Meeks has no regrets
Jodie has no time for regrets. Making an NBA team is hard.
Heh.
Xavier Henry = Alex Legion, or Michael Bradley? Well, he certainly had a better upside than either of those two.
Kendrick Shoots Up The Rankings
Hmmm ...
X’s & O’s of Basketball: John Calipari Dribble Drive Motion Drop 5 Offense
More interesting DDMO stuff.

UK Football News

Hartline says he's 'the guy'
'"I don't really read the newspapers or message boards too much," he said. "My mom does, and it upsets her, but some of the things I've heard people say about me are the same things they said about (ex-UK quarterback) Andre (Woodson). The next thing you know, he blows up.'

Interesting. So if the kids themselves don't read the on-line stuff, the parents apparently do.
Cats in no rush with football recruiting
Kentucky is trying to get involved with more elite prospects. We definitely need to do that.

Other UK Sports News

None today

NCAA Sports News

One-and-done controversy still lingers
I think it's time to just shut up and see what happens. This thing may resolve itself.
Henry-Kansas Saga Offers Proof NBA Rule Wrong for College Basketball
"Clearly, the Henry boys and their dad have little interest in school. The NBA and it's minimum-age requirement is forcing a one-year marriage between the Henrys and KU we all know will end badly. C.J., a 23-year-old former Yankees prospect and a skilled 6-foot-3 point guard, could have given the NBA a shot but he's a bit rusty after a few years in the minors, and doesn't possess the can't-miss talent of his younger brother in basketball."

If it ends badly, it will be because the Henry Boys don't have discipline to do the right thing. They should both have gone to Europe if they see college as that much of a burden. It's also interesting to note that Xavier Henry is a good student. But in spite of that, he can't be troubled to go to class and live up to his end of the bargain? I think he can and will.
Dan Wolken: Tigers pursue class of the class
Pastner has Memphis recruiting going in the right direction, that's for sure.
Devils may play more zone this season
Heh. That should be interesting.

Other News of Interest

Federer Outlasts Roddick at Wimbledon for 15th Major Title - NYTimes.com
An amazing tennis match. I have never seen a 30-game set before.

The Daily Schadenfreude

Poll: Roy Williams is more popular than Coach K
Heh. I love stories like this. Even Duke fans like Roy Williams better than Carolina fans like Coach K.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- The Roster is Near Completion

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:30:34 -0000

More photos » by April L. Brown - AP

Soon we will know if we'll be seeing this picture again next year.

Browse more photos »

As the deadline for the NBA draft "in or out" grows near, UK's roster is getting very near completion. It has been an excruciating process this year, and frustrating for fans and no doubt players as well.

I said before I would comment on the Galloway situation, and I will now do so. I am on record has having opposed the forced departure of any of the players, but particularly the senior players. Many people, after it was revealed that Kevin Galloway would not be returning, pointed to a qualification allegedly in the record that Calipari agreed not to non-renew the scholarships of four-year seniors, not all seniors. If so, I consider those weasel-words -- there is no real difference between the two. It is almost impossible for a junior to transfer into a good situation for him. It does happen (Marvin Stone may have actually helped himself transferring from UK to Louisville), but it is extremely rare. That is the root of my objection.

Today, the Herald-Leader has an article about his departure that sheds about as much light on this situation as we can ever expect to actually see in the mainstream media. Kevin Galloway says that Calipari did not kick him off the team, but rather explained to him that staying on the UK bench with little playing time would not enhance his NBA dream. While I hate to see this happen, this could optimistically be classified as a "voluntary" departure, if Galloway is to be believed.

As far as Matthew Pilgrim is concerned, I am not nearly as troubled -- he has two years to go and UK not honoring its commitment to him should free him to have his year in residence here restored at his next destination, and an appeal for immediate playing time seems more likely than not to be granted, plus being that much closer to a college degree. It seems that he should easily be able to obtain significant playing time on the D-I level, perhaps enough to get some NBA interest, and should easily be able to obtain a college degree with at least two and possibly three additional years in school (though only two as an eligible player), depending on the NCAA. The worst thing is, he apparently had the rug pulled out from underneath him -- no pretension of a "voluntary" departure, this was just basically a "Sorry, we no longer have a need for your services."

Galloway's case is different -- he has at most one year of eligibility left. Not only that, the difficulty of actually obtaining a college degree after shuffling around to what could be four different schools seems unreasonably difficult, and even though we may in reality be playing a game of make believe when it comes to "student athletes," Galloway's departure has the additional effect of making it less likely he will ever obtain a degree against which he has already done significant work. I hate that, and it rubs me very much the wrong way. Sure, it is still possible it will happen -- but I fear it will be much harder now than it was, and therefore less likely.

I will pass no judgment on Galloway's professional ambitions, but I will point out that he has major holes in his game (no left hand, no jump shot, average basketball IQ) that will make his road to making a living off the dribble. That's not Calipari's problem, and in reality, I agree with the assessment that Galloway's chances of playing professionally will not be best served by sitting on the bench next year. The question is, is the hit to his graduation chances worth the trade-off? Apparently, Galloway thinks so, and in the end, his is the only vote that matters. We are left to guess what would have happened if Galloway had refused to transfer, but the jaded among us won't have any trouble reaching that conclusion.

In the final analysis, I am once again placed in the position of becoming a scold (and believe me, that is tempting) or accepting the reality of the situation and moving on. Once again, I will choose a compromise, accepting this as part of the whole unpleasant transition mess while remembering it against the possibility of future transgressions. In other words, Calipari gets less latitude from me than before, and if this becomes a pattern with him, he can expect to read all about it right here. But for now, as before, I am going to hold my nose and take the Alfred E. Neuman stance.

What, me worry? Nah. Now for the news.

UK Basketball News

John Calipari: Long way from Moon to the University of Kentucky
Why can't the local media do an article on Calipari this good? Are we that journalism-challenged in this state? If you have not read this, go read it right now.
True Blue Kentucky blogs about "the forgotten one."
I don't forget Jon Hood. The others may have a bigger name and more stars, but Jon is a dynamite player that will have a terrific career at UK.
Holy bang-bang, Batman!
Is being shot in the head and thumbing a ride in an ambulance tougher than breaking ribs and finishing a bike race at 67 years old? I don't know, but it has to be close.
How it all went down
Bluegrass State Basketball suggests that Pilgrim was the only player that got the rug pulled out from underneath him.
More signs point to Jodie Meeks return.
I am thinking it is pretty likely we will see Jodie in Blue and White again this year.
Meeks decision will impact entire country
Indeed it does. Meeks is the last piece in an amazing puzzle, on that could form a Yellow Brick Road straight to Indianapolis.

UK Football News

Team Speed Kills interviews me on the football Wildcats
You can Cocknfire's questions, and my answers, on the 2009 football Wildcats.
Newton and Mossakowski begin 7-on-7 drills.
Donte Rumph is still waiting on his eligibility, and given the loss of Jeremy Jarmon, we really need him to get qualified. The really bad news is the loss of E.J. Adams. That one is going to sting.
More on E.J. Adams' departure
What "personal reasons" would cause a player to depart and enter the supplemental draft? I guess we are left to puzzle that out.

Other UK Sports News

UK's Sorrillo second in NCAA 200 meters
Congrats to Rondel Sorillo. Maybe next year he can win the thing.

NCAA Sports News

Jim "I don't have time to bleed" Calhoun bikes with five broken ribs.
Okay, I am either impressed at his toughness or shocked at his stupidity. An injury like that at his age could have easily been much more serious. I'm glad he's out of the hospital.
Cardinals predicted to be mid-pack in the Big East next year.
We'll be facing a couple of Big East teams early, UConn and Louisville.
Coaches UA didn't get have sticky situations.
A run down of some of the NCAA and personal difficulties of theoretical Arizona coaching candidates.

Other News of Interest

The new Lexington ABA team features some UK favorites.
Bobby Perry, Ravi Moss, Preston LeMaster and Ramel Bradley? Kyle Macy as coach? Very interesting.
Indiana 78, Kentucky 65 (Final)
Jon Hood had a very good game, indeed. But in a losing cause.
High school should set sights high for their next coach.
This is pretty funny. You should read it.
5 Things We Learned In The NBA This Week
"Look, we all know that NCAA players get paid under the table and have for years. It's not like this whole thing with Tim Floyd stepping down at USC and allegations that he paid O.J. Mayo was letting some big cat out of the bag, and it's not like Floyd or USC were the only ones who have ever engaged in this kind of behavior."

Heh. Talk about jaded.

The Daily Schadenfreude

Jurick not returning to Vols
Tennessee lost a scholarship, apparently over a low APR in men's basketball. Not only that, with Tyler Smith returning, they will also be over the limit. Heh.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Calipari, Floyd and Victimhood

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:32:45 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

That NBA is just sooo evil.

Browse more photos »

I know most of you are wanting to talk about the still-unconfirmed reports (by UK, anyway) that Matthew Pilgrim and Kevin Galloway will not be back next year. I will comment on this at the appropriate time, but at this moment, I have little to say until the story has a chance to be fully confirmed and ripe for comment. So look for that later.

Today, I want to talk about the bizarre fact that people are coming out of the woodwork to defend Tim Floyd as a victim of "the system," and virtually none of this talk was going on when Memphis was questioned about the possibility of academic fraud during Calipari's time as head coach there.

First of all, the argument that either Floyd or Calipari might be "victims of the system" (the "system," of course, being the "one-and-done" rule) is not only absurd, it is irresponsible in the extreme. To the extent either of these men engaged in any wrongdoing, "the system" had nothing to do with that decision other than being part of the circumstances creating it. Nobody, and I mean nobody, held a gun to Tim Floyd's head and told him to give cash to a runner for an agent, as has been alleged. "But Floyd was under tremendous pressure," apologists for this argument will aver. "He had to win or lose his job."

Well, duh! Every coach in America (well, with the possible exception of Mike Krzyzewski) has that metaphorical Sword of Damocles hanging over their head. That's part of the job, and it happens all the time -- just ask former UK coach Billy Gillispie about that. That's why coaches demand, and receive, large contracts with all sorts of provisions for termination. When you lose enough games, you lose your job. Then you go get another job. That's how it works in America, and it does not justify violating the rules to make sure you don't have that happen to you. Tim Floyd is no exception to that, and I'm sure if you asked him, he would reject that excuse out of hand

So why are so many blaming the NBA for the alleged rule-breaking of a college coach? There is only one reason -- they hate the "one-and-done" rule so badly that they are willing to sacrifice their reputation for reasonableness (assuming they have one, which I often doubt) on the altar of the more noble task of creating a public outcry against the current NBA rule. Either that, or they have decided this whole "personal responsibility" thing is an evil plot by the people in black helicopters. I don't like the rule, either, and have said so many times, but I am not going to defend Floyd or Calipari or anyone else by saying "The NBA made them do it!"

If Tim Floyd did wrong (Doug Gottlieb argues that a presumption of innocence is in order, and I agree), then he should pay the piper, and I'm sure he will. The same holds true for John Calipari. But my question is this -- why the double standard? If Tim Floyd can be a "victim of the system" in a scenario where he allegedly handed money to a runner (and only $1000, to boot) for a one-and-doner, why can't John Calipari be a "victim of the system" for a situation that happened to a one-and-doner 400 miles away from Memphis?

I'll tell you why -- because Calipari is so successful, he just isn't sympathetic at all. Floyd came into a downtrodden USC basketball program and breathed some life into it. Calipari doesn't know what the word "downtrodden" means, even though he did the same thing at Memphis, and at UMass. But nobody wants to remember that, and when you go from downtrodden to the top of the world, nobody remembers when you were fired from your NBA job and looking for work, especially when you just inked a $31+ million-dollar deal with the winningest program in college basketball.

I suppose it's the nature of the beast. But I thought it was worth an observation. Now, for the news:

UK Basketball News

Martin Newton Newest Addition to Calipari Staff
Wow. I can imagine there are more than a few groans in the Big Blue Nation on this news. Not sure I get this hire, but I did like his daddy.
Galloway and Pilgrim Will Not Return Next Season - LEX18 - Lexington, KY
I am surprised and disappointed to see a senior be among those to leave. Apparently, the "seniors are off limits" rule was more rumor than fact. I'd be interested to hear the details of this, but I suspect I never will. We'll see.

UK Football News

ESPN Takes a Potshot at Kentucky, Ball State
Alan at OverThePylon defends Kentucky against an ESPN criticism of too weak an out of conference schedule. We have to listen to this every year.
Tim Couch and Craig Yeast on Ryan Mossakowski
The Mixed Bag of the Supplemental Draft
Arrowhead Pride, the SBNation Kansas City Chiefs blog, seems to be pretty excited at the prospect of Jeremy Jarmon entering the supplemental NFL draft.
2010 football prospect Tim Patterson
It sure would be nice if we could pick up another Louisville Central player. Hopefully that pipeline is becoming solid, and this kid looks like one we'd love to have.

Other UK Sports News

UK's Wade, Rusin drafted on second day of MLB draft
Two more UK baseball players get drafted.
Two UK discus throwers are among the NCAA favorites
Rashaud Scott and Chase Madison are trying to get it done in track and field.

NCAA Sports News

Can the SEC Rise to the Top, Again?
Track 'em Tigers says most of the East is trending down, and most of the West trending up. We'll see.
Juan Pattillo Going To Be A Hilltopper
Dismissed Oklahoma forward Juan Pattillo is headed to Western Kentucky to play for the Hilltoppers. Good news for Western fans -- Patillo is a very good player.
Ralph Willard leaves Holy Cross to assist Pitino.
Willard is a fine coach, and this is good news for Traitor Rick.
More detail about the Tim Floyd situation
Seth Davis has a pretty interesting article on the decline and fall of Tim Floyd at USC. I think everybody in the country knew O.J. Mayo was trouble. Turns out they were all right.
Ray Ratto's jaded comments.
Talk about apathy. Ratto is positively supine.
Oh my goodness. Red flag? Nah.
"O.J. doesn't give out his cell,'' Guillory said. "He'll call you.''

Other News of Interest

Amy Mickelson has breast cancer
Our prayers go out to Phil and Amy Mickelson. I hope everything turns out okay.
LPGA players concerned over loss of McDonald's sponsorship
McDonald's is no longer the sponsor for one of the LPGA's major events, the LPGA Championship. Tough times.

The Daily Schadenfreude

What’s Going On With Pitino?
Rush The Court is a bit ... perplexed at the Ralph Willard to Louisville situation, and puts on his tinfoil hat. I love this type of speculation about the Cardinals -- it makes Louisville fans wring their hands in angst. Ah, schadenfreude ...
Is Olympic Gold Leading to Duke Bronze?
Heh. Krzyzewski for Team USA! He's got my vote. Go K! Go USA!

Patrick Patterson: The Third Year is the Charm

Ken Howlett — Sat, 09 May 2009 09:34:14 -0000

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

"My eyes are on the prize."

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The news was highly anticipated and as welcome as mom's cooking after a two month road trip: 6-9 Kentucky sophomore forward Patrick Patterson has withdrawn his name from the NBA Draft.

Patterson's own words seem to belie the angst that UK fans have been feeling since the All-SEC performers announcement (on April 15) that he was throwing his rather large sneakers into the NBA Draft pool. Even though his declaration was absent the signing of an agent, the mere mention of "NBA" and "Patterson" in the same sentence sent 'Cat fans scurrying for the Rolaids.

Patterson, though, is looking forward to the coveted opportunity of doing something special at Kentucky:

"I have the chance to graduate in three years, which is important to me and my family. I want to help Kentucky compete for a national title, and even more than that, win its eighth national championship. I'm also really excited about playing for coach Cal and developing my game in the dribble-drive offense."

UK coach John Calipari told the Lexington Herald-Leader that after a late season work-out, Patterson seemed ready to stay in Lexington:

"He said, 'Wait a minute, I want to do this.' He said he would be wasting everybody's time by staying in the draft; mine, yours, and the NBA and 'I just don't want to do it.'"

Calipari also echoed a few superlatives that former UK coach Billy Gillispie showered on Patterson for his entire two-year tenure on UK's bench:

"In the month that I've been at Kentucky, I've been blown away by Patrick Patterson. He is one of the nicest individuals I've met and one of the fiercest competitors that I've been around. I'm thrilled to get the coach him next year."

Calipari is thrilled? Here's why ...

The Big Bang [ers]

For two years Billy Gillispie famously bemoaned the fact that Patterson had no help on the interior. But, with the addition of freshman phenoms and "bangers" extraordinaire DeMarcus Cousins (6-9) and Daniel Orton (6-10), along with reputed difference-maker in-waiting Matthew Pilgrim (6-8), UK now has a paint presence worthy enough to demand opponents guard the other big boys in blue. This should free-up Patterson, at least to the point that he isn't facing double and triple-teams on a nightly basis: Patterson one-on-one in the paint -- Now that's a perfectly pleasant scenario.

The Dribble-Drive

The entire premise of the dribble-drive motion offense is to isolate. Isolate the defense, put them on an island ... alone. Patterson, in his two years at Kentucky has shown a propensity, when guarded by a single defender, to have the handles to take his man off the dribble, and either pull up for a short jumper, or take the ball to the rim.

Calipari's offense will highlight, even encourage Patterson to make a habit of "posterizing" his defensive nemesis in this way. Additionally, the DDMO demands that the point guard penetrate and shoot, OR penetrate and dish to the wing to the open shooter, OR penetrate and dish to the post. The latter, under ideal circumstances, will have Patterson receiving the ball near the basket, guarded by one defender. This should lead to a high percentage shot for Patrick, or a free throw, of which he made nearly 77.0% last year.

NOTE: I won't yet speculate on who will be the primary point guard next year, but suffice it to say that Patterson will be receiving a much more catchable ball, in a location more conducive to him scoring.

His Health

There is simply no way anyone can determine, or guarantee, Patterson will be injury-free next season. After-all, in his first two years at Kentucky he's suffered through a broken foot, which ended his freshman year, and a severely sprained ankle, which cost him two games last year. But, some would argue the most devastating injury he endured was the jammed finger (I assume, no one ever said what the exact injury was) he suffered in UK's SEC opener versus Vanderbilt on January 10. The injury was so severe that he was required to wear a rather large bandage around the digit (middle finger of his shooting hand), which obviously effected his shooting touch.

Take this into consideration: In the first 15 games of UK's '08-'09 season, Patterson averaged 19.5 points per game, while shooting an outstanding 77.4% from the field (127-164), and 79.5% from the free throw line (58-73). In the 19 games which followed, Patterson averaged 16.2 points per game, shot 52.6% from the floor (123-234), and 71.7% from the charity stripe (71-99). Even worse, in the nine games immediately following his injury he averaged only 15.1 points per game. But, when he came back from missing two games in mid-February due to his ankle injury (versus Arkansas and Vanderbilt), the bothersome bandage had disappeared, replaced by a much more palatable amount of tape. But, even then Patterson shot only 52.6% from the field (71-135), and 69.6% from the free throw line (39-56) over the final 10 games of the year.

Further demonstrating the adverse effect the damaged digit had on his game: In the nine contests immediately following his injury, he averaged only 7.7 rebounds per game. But, he ended the year strong, averaging 10.2 rebounds over the final nine games of the year (after having the bandage removed).

So, knowing all the adversity Patterson has encountered in his two years, and also knowing that despite that adversity he's been able to perform at an All-America level, certainly bodes well for the possibilities of what a healthy Patterson can achieve.

A Winning Combination

To encapsulate: In my estimation, considering Patterson now has the above-mentioned -- 1. Help, 2. An offense he should thrive in, and 3. Hopefully a healthy year, UK is now poised to recapture what has been eluding the Kings of College Basketball for far too many years: Being a major player in determining the National Champion. Whether that means a Final Four appearance or not, I don't know, but at least Big Blue is back in the conversation.

Sure, the absence of being relevant has been painful, fraught with coaching changes, players leaving long before they had any business leaving, and a generally tension-filled atmosphere hovering ominously over the Bluegrass. But, Patterson's return signals the beginning of UK's roundball renewal.

Leadership

There is no debating UK would be a very talented squad without Patterson's presence next year, but now Calipari won't have to rely on freshmen to man the middle alone (my apologies to Perry Stevenson). Plus, the leadership Patterson offers is impossible to replace: His work ethic, attitude, and competitive desire will be readily available for the incoming freshman to see, and hopefully emulate. That, my friends, is priceless to the program, and here's why ...

Freshmen DeMarcus Cousins, Jon Hood, Eric Bledsoe, Daniel Orton and JUCO Darnell Dodson -- All highly sought-after, highly touted recruits, who many times are guilty of entering their college days with their heads full of atta boys, and a general feeling of superiority, which of course can lead to complacent performance. But, when they see a player of Patterson's stature busting his hump at every practice, and during every scrimmage, demanding the same effort and intensity from everyone, they will be more apt to follow an accomplished leader, or risk being left behind.

Undoubtedly, Patterson is now in a position to be a trend-setter, with a team full of capable talent being the target of the trend. It goes like this -- Sacrifice for the team, sacrifice for the victory, sacrifice for the championship ...

Because talent alone won't win the most important games. It takes athletic integrity, and a cohesive unit, unconcerned with personal agendas, to attain the ultimate prize. But, before those two requisites can be achieved, a leader must lead.

Patrick, this is your time!

And finally for the fans: Patrick Patterson wearing the Blue and White clears the storm clouds away, and pushes the sun back up over the Bluegrass, where it shines the brightest.

We appreciate you Patrick!

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

A year in the life ...

Ken Howlett — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:11:25 -0000

When Tru first approached me to become a front page author here at A Sea of Blue, I didn't hesitate. I've never told him this, but I had been waiting ... and waiting ... ever so patiently for him to ask me just that question -- "Would you like to join me on the front page?"

Well, Sunday April 12th, was the one-year anniversary of my first front page post here, at what I consider, the ultimate UK fan-based web-site: But boy, did I ever NOT know what I was getting into, or how much I would enjoy doing what I do. Nor did I realize the multitude of events that would transpire over my first year, eliciting opinions, analysis, and commentary over a range of topics that even the most seasoned, experienced, professional sports journalist would be envious of writing about.

My year began with:

Kentucky guard Derrick Jasper transferring to UNLV despite the best efforts of Billy Gillispie to retain his top "lead" guard prospect for the 2008-2009 season. At first fans were led to believe by some media members that Jasper felt unappreciated by the UK fan base, but of course that turned out to be false. He was seeking asylum ... so to speak. But the negativity surrounding his departure was quickly replaced by ...
Billy Gillispie's recruiting prowess ... which earned several front page posts early in my tenure: I wrote about Nicola Kecman, Bobby Maze, Vinny Zollo, Matthew Avery, Matt Pilgrim, Kevin Galloway and Josh Harrellson in the summer of '08. Gillispie it seemed, would stop at nothing to secure what he thought was the top talent available, regardless of geography, or more pointedly, the recruits date of birth, which led to ...
"Forward thinking recruiting" became a hot topic of discussion among the Big Blue faithful, as well as sports writers, and those charged with maintaining ethics in recruiting. Gillispie and UK were lambasted in the national press for offering scholarships to players not yet in high school. The NABC even chimed in with a "we don't approve" edict. But of course, Dick Vitale offered up congratulations and praise to Florida's Golden Boy, Billy Donovan, for snagging a commitment from high school freshman Austin Rivers. Aah, I just had to write about the hypocrisy.
What is still one of my favorite stories of last year -- Tennessee guard, and Maysville native Chris Lofton, revealing that he played his entire senior year after being diagnosed and treated for cancer -- Fans of UT, as well as UK, were busy theorizing why Lofton didn't quite seem himself. Some thought the loss of Dane Bradshaw somehow made Lofton's job tougher, because defenses could concentrate on Lofton. Wrong; the kid battled through chemotherapy, and the hell that goes with it, alone. He persevered, played, and in the end taught us all a lesson in what it means to have desire, heart, and will. * I think my column on Lofton is still my father's favorite post, so here it is pops, you can read it again.
After the transfer of Jasper, the question on the minds of 'Cat fans from Katmandu to Catlanta was --"Who is going to be UK's "lead" guard? Big Blue Nation's concern was to be validated in a most unpleasant fashion, and in the end may have cost a head coach his job.
Kelvin Sampson and his serial breaking of NCAA regulations next hit the headlines. While I'm not an IU hater, I couldn't resist writing that Indiana AD Rick Greenspan got exactly what he deserved: A major headache, and an evisceration at the hands of Hoosier fans everywhere.
Next in line was Brigid DeVries and the KHSAA -- I was the lone, and lonely voice of caution concerning the Dakota Euton/Chad Jackson transfer from Rose Hill Academy in Ashland, to Scott County High School -- My knowledge of rampant, and long-standing cheating by high schools around the Commonwealth was enough to throw up a red flag in this particular case -- But, KHSAA commissioner DeVries was unable to back-up her contention with evidence that the players should be ineligible, so in the end (and rightfully so) the two athletes were deemed eligible for competition for the Cardinals.
Changing the culture of UK football followed on the front pages -- With UK coming off two consecutive bowl game victories, the 2008 season stood to be a hallmark in the long and sad history of UK's pigskin struggles. Would "old Kentucky" rear it's ugly head yet again and produce a losing season, or would head coach Rich Brooks put together a third straight bowl-worthy season, topped by a bowl game win? Three consecutive bowl game appearances ... it hadn't happened since 1951 when Bear Bryant was calling the plays in Lexington. And UK, in 117 years of football, had never won three straight bowl games. The talk of breaking that notorious embarrassment was fairly positive, until ...
UK's presumed starting quarterback, Curtis Pulley, was kicked off the team. The "Ghosts in the House" were haunting the Kentucky football faithful once again.
But, a dominating 27-2 victory in the opening game versus the ranked and hated Louisville Cardinals, in their house no less (capped by a rumbling, stumbling 72 yard scamper by UK D-lineman Myron Pryor), buoyed optimism among 'Cat fans -- "Now, if Kentucky can only get an offense" was a theme that was to be repeated to a nauseating degree.
After six games UK's football team, standing at 4-2, and coming off two straight losses (Alabama, and South Carolina - Will UK ever beat Spurrier?) was staring demoralizing loss number three-in-a-row squarely in the face. When, versus Arkansas (down 20-7 with five minutes remaining), "new Kentucky" proved with ferocity that these 'Cats were indeed in possession of multiple lives, and at least five good minutes -- A forced fumble led to a Michael Hartline 32 yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb, making the score 20-14 with 4:15 remaining; On Arkansas' next possession UK's defense held the Razorbacks to a four-and-out, UK capitalized with a Hartline 21 yard touchdown pass to Cobb, giving UK the lead at 21-20 with 2:21 remaining; And finally, with 1:07 left on the clock UK's Marcus McClinton intercepted a Casey Dick pass to complete the improbable comeback. The game epitomized grabbing victory from the brutal jaws of defeat -- Unfortunately, a series of SEC losses would follow, leaving a once promising Kentucky football team grasping for one last victory to gain bowl eligibility.
While Wildcat football fans are surely loyal to a fault, the Nations attention turns to the hardwood when November rolls around. But, a little three-point-happy team arrived at Rupp with arms cocked and victory on their minds, carrying with them the first sign of the trouble that awaited the loyal lovers of the Blue and White: It could be heard from Pike County to the Jackson Purchase ... "VMI, not again!!"
After losses to VMI, North Carolina,and at home to Miami, the frustration of Patrick Patterson not getting enough touches epitomizes my thoughts on the early season 'Cats.
It was around Christmas that many UK fans, including myself, began to realize that Billy Gillispie was most definitely NOT the type of basketball coach the we here in the Commonwealth have grown accustomed to watching -- His peculiar methods, highlighted by head-scratching substitution patterns, in-game decision-making, and media style, while not an indictment of his abilities, were certainly causing an inordinate amount of angst among many fans.
The New Year, though, began with a couple of events which heightened the spirits of UK supporters everywhere ...
Although I didn't write a post-Liberty Bowl victory piece, I reveled in the victory none-the-less. The 25-19 win over East Carolina ended the season just as it began: With a lineman, this time Ventrell Jenkins, scurrying into the end zone on a 56-yard fumble return to secure victory. A 7-6 season, and third straight bowl victory, despite all the team's injuries, made the UK win over ECU as sweet as any in recent memory.
My elation with the UK football bowl win was quickly followed by, at first heartbreak, and then a feeling of promise, after UK's close road basketball loss (73-70) to the Louisville Cardinals. The hard-court 'Cats, coming off a string of blowout wins over lesser opponents, seemed to be "coming together" as the SEC slate neared. And taking the highly ranked Cards to the brink of defeat only added to the optimism most UK fans felt.
But, who knew that only nine days later the 'Cats would reach the apex of their season behind an extraordinary 54-point performance by Jodie Meeks, resulting in a blowout win on the court of the Tennessee Vols. Meeks' unbelievable display of shooting was simply the best one-man, one-game accomplishment that I have ever witnessed at the high school or collegiate level of competition. But, oh, the end was near ...
In my view, the beginning of the end of the 'Cat's season began with UK's trip to Oxford, Mississippi to take on the Ole Miss Rebels. Shorthanded, because of a string of decimating injuries to three starters, including their All-SEC caliber point guard Chris Warren, Andy Kennedy's club played like they wanted the win. Sadly, Kentucky responded with an incomplete performance; something we would all become much to familiar with.
Following the Ole Miss loss, UK would lose consecutive games at home to South Carolina and Mississippi State which "propelled" the 'Cats to a 3-8 finish in the SEC. The nadir of the season took place in UK's own hallowed Rupp Arena: A 90-85 loss to the SEC's worst team, the Georgia Bulldogs.
I didn't know it at the time, but the Georgia loss, coupled with some unfortunate comments by coach Billy Gillispie, probably sealed the fate of UK's head honcho. There was to come a symphony of "should he stay, or should he go" commentary from the keyboards of bloggers, and sports writers around the nation. And with UK's NIT quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame, Mitch Barnhart and Lee Todd began the task of saving their own jobs with ...
An at-bat that could only result in a four-bagger ... or the consequences would be grave.
But, we fans now enter into a new era. An era filled with optimism and hope for the future: The hiring of John Calipari has lifted the spirits of the Kentucky faithful to heights unmatched in a decade. So with the future bright, we continue the march ...

Along the way I have had the great pleasure of interviewing some of the greatest players to ever don the Blue and White: Louie Dampier, Cotton Nash, Bob Burrow, Mike Pratt, Jeff Sheppard, and Dicky Lyons, Jr.. The late, great Kentucky Wildcat Mike Casey, while in a hospital bed undergoing tests and treatement, spent an-hour-and-fifteen-minutes out of his day to talk to me about his memories of his days playing for the 'Cats. It is a conversation that I will treasure until the day I meet my Maker.

For all of this I have one man to thank, and that is our fearless leader, Truzenzuzex. The opportunity to share my thoughts with you on UK, and all things Kentucky-related is due to the incredible generosity of Tru -- The fact that he deemed me worthy to share front page space with him on A Sea of Blue; the fact that he has been a sounding-board for ideas; the fact that he has always, without fail, given me solid advice and encouraging words leaves me indebted to him in a way that I will never be able to repay.

Finally, I must emphasize: I truly enjoy the discourse, debate, and discussion we partake in here at ASoB, and for that I must thank the readers and contributors. While we may not always agree with each other, we have been able to maintain quality conversations and dialog, which only enriches the "fan" experience. So, thank you readers. Without you, Tru, I, and BIgSky would be writing to the beat of sage brush blowing through the "Sea."

With all sincerety, and as always,

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

SB Nation - Matt Pilgrim

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Early Signing Period Edition

BtB 2009-10 Big 12 Preview

Big Twelve Conference Standings

Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Who is your pick to win the Big 12 this season?

Baylor

Colorado

Iowa State

Kansas

Kansas State

Missouri

Nebraska

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Texas

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Matt Pilgrim Moves On, and Other Tidbits

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The Daily Schadenfreude

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- The Roster is Near Completion

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The Daily Schadenfreude

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Calipari, Floyd and Victimhood

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The Daily Schadenfreude

Patrick Patterson: The Third Year is the Charm

A year in the life ...