The Kentucky Wildcats were outlasted by the Clemson Tigers in the 2009 Music City Bowl on a cold, windy Sunday night in Nashville. Clemson's C.J. Spiller accumulated 172 total yards and added a rushing TD to lead the 9-5 Tigers to their first bowl win since 2005. Kentucky (7-6) fell just short of notching their fourth straight bowl victory.

Spiller was the ACC's Player of the Year, and finished his tenure at Clemson ranked first in career touchdowns (51). He rushed 15 times for 68 yards, and gained 57 yards on three pass receptions. The rest of his yards came from kick returns.

While Kentucky's defense kept the speedy Spiller somewhat in check, its offense was stagnant. After a beautiful opening drive capped by a 17-yard TD pass from Morgan Newton to Chris Matthews, UK would gain only 216 yards the rest of the game. Newton (13-23 passing, 98 yards, 1 TD) averaged more yards per rush (3.7) than Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb, who both averaged 3.6 yards per carry. Newton (10 carries, 37 yards) averaged 3.7. See the full boxscore for the rest of the game stats.

Spiller earned game MVP honors, and became the first player to amass over 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in one season in ACC history. He also leaves his college career as the NCAA's all-time leader in kickoff returns for TDs, with seven.

The game was bittersweetbitter as well, as head coach Rich Brooks announced he was "80 percent sure" he would not be returning next season. The 68-year old will unveil his final decision in "three to four days." Joker Phillips, the current Offensive Coordinator, has already been named Brooks' successor.

Chris Low of ESPN wrote a great article recapping what could be the last stop in Coach Brooks' illustrious career.

Pawpaw led the Cats to the post-season four straight years for the first time in school history, winning at least seven games in each year, a streak unmatched in the past 97 years. That's since 1909. UK also owns the second-longest non-conference winning streak in the nation (18 in a row). In 2009, Kentucky won three SEC games on the road for the first time in 32 years, defeated Auburn for the first time in 43 years, won at Georgia for the first time in 32 years, and shut out an opponent (Miami University) for the first time in 13 years. In '08, the Blue-and-White's triumph over East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl marked the third-straight year for a Wildcat post-season win, the first time in school history that had been accomplished. Only 11 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision had won bowl games in each of those three years, putting UK in the same company as Texas, LSU, and Southern Cal, among others.

Brooks was also named the 2009 SEC Coach of the Year by CollegeFootballNews.com and is a nominee for the 2009 Lexington Sports Examiner Sportsman of the Year to boot. The playing field at Oregon University is named after Pawpaw for all he did there. Perhaps it's time for UK brass to consider a similar tribute.

Recapping the week that was in sports:

• Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry passed away early Thursday morning, succumbing to injuries sustained after falling out of the bed of a pickup during an alleged domestic dispute. Heartbreaking story here, as Henry really seemed to be getting it together after a troubled past.
• Don't forget to throw your two cents in on Lexington's 2009 Sportsman of the Year.
• CFN.com's SEC Coach of the Year Rich Brooks announced UK football's 2009 season awards yesterday. Randall Cobb took MVP honors, as John Conner was handed Special Teams player of the Year. Do yourself a favor and watch #38 the next time UK returns a kickoff.
• Speaking of college football, check the semi-official BCS playoffs, where we let the all-encompassing powers of the Xbox 360 decide who's the best.
• The Greatest Tradition in the History of College Basketball will win its 1,999th game if the Cats knock off Austin Peay on Saturday.
• Tiger Woods received a boost in an otherwise awful month as he was named the AP's 'Athlete of the Decade' this week. Tiger also seems to be getting divorced, and has taken up night golfing.
• In my personal favorite story of the week, former IU dictator Bobby Knight called out John Calipari during a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. These comments come six days after Cal's Cats strolled up to Bloomington and laid a 17-point beat down on the Hoosiers:

We've gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that's why I'm glad I'm not coaching... you see we've got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he's still coaching. I really don't understand that.

 

Strong accusation from a man who has himself been accused of choking and punching an SID, assaulting a police officer in Puerto Rico, kicking his son during a game, threatening a female boss, attacking an assistant coach, and firing a shotgun at a homeowner while hunting (maybe he was hunting humans?) Don't forget his infamous 'rape is inevitable' quote. He has also thrown chairs, pulled his team off the court halfway through an exhibition game and been restrained by police officers for going after a Baylor fan. His players listen though; Knight's been known to choke, grab, berate, whip and headbutt his own. Class: it's not just something you can physically force your two-star recruits to attend on a daily basis.

Always a lesson to learn in situations like these, however....

We're back.

With a pretty good year in sports coming to an end in the Bluegrass, now is a good time to reflect on some of Lexington's best sports figures.

Here are my nominees for the Lexington Sports Examiner's 2009 'Sportsman of the Year:'

Rich Brooks- UK football
Thanks to Brooks & Co., Kentucky was chosen as the "biggest surprise" of the Southeastern Conference for the 2009 football season by ESPN.com. UK was on the brink of its first 8-win season since 1984, but was narrowly defeated by Tennessee. Nevertheless, Brooks has led a bunch that was plagued by a season-long injury bug to its fourth consecutive bowl game. Don't forget that the Cats also lost star defensive end Jeremy Jarmon before the season due to an NCAA suspension; Jarmon now suits up for the Washington Redskins. Chris Low of ESPN.com also named Brooks his second choice for SEC Coach of the Year.

Randall Cobb- UK football
Cobb finished up another stellar season for the Cats on the gridiron in 2009. Phil Steele's College Football magazine named Cobb a second-team All-SEC performer- twice. Cobb is on the list as a wide receiver and punt returner. The native Tennessean was a 2009 AP All-SEC honoree, leads UK in receiving (37 catches, 427 yards, four TDs), has rushed for 537 yards and 10 TDs, and is averaging 13.5 yards on punt returns and 26.5 yards on kickoff returns. Cobb is second in the SEC in TDs and third in scoring, punt returns, and all-purpose yards.

Sean Coughlin- UK baseball alumni
A former first-team All-American catcher at UK, Coughlin was recently selected as the Arizona Diamondbacks Minor League Position Player of the Year. The native Coloradan was a 13th round selection, and advanced to the Double-A Mobile BayBears of the Southern League in 2009. Coughlin started the year with the Visalia Rawhide of the California League, where he hit .260 (27-for-104) with 18 runs scored, seven doubles and 20 RBI (27 games). He then caught fire in Mobile, hitting .304 with 24 runs scored, eight doubles, seven homers and 20 RBI (50 games). Coughlin finished 2009 with a .287 average, 15 doubles, 11 homeruns and 40 RBI in just 77 games. (Coughlin's season was cut short after breaking a bone in his hand during the Southern League All-Star game.)

Tyson Gay- Lafayette
The 27 year-old Lafayette alum has been nominated for the 2009 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAFF) Athlete of the Year. Gay won the honor in 2007. This year, he posted personal bests in the 200 meters (19.58 in New York) and the 400 meters (45.57, Austin, Texas). Gay also placed second in the World Championships (Berlin) in the 100 meters, and won the IAFF World Athletics Final (Greece) in the same event.

Domonique Hayden- LCA football
Class A's player of the year had a stellar season, culminating in a state championship for Lexington Christian. Perhaps a nominee due to his total body-of-work for the Eagles, Hayden scored 138 touchdowns (120 on the ground) in his career, good for 837 total points. All three figures are good for state career records.

Jayson Langfels- EKU baseball
The Eastern Kentucky University sophomore has re-written the Colonel record books in just two short years. The Lexington native and Lafayette grad was named a second team All-American by CollegeBaseballInsider.com, and was an honorable mention All-Ping! performer by Ping!Baseball.com. Langfels' 2009 season also earned him first team All-OVC honors. He tallied 72 RBI this past spring, good for third all-time on EKU's single-season list. Langfels led the country with 1.67 RBI per game. A Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in 2008, he batted .441 in '09 and won the OVC's batting title.

Eric Quigley- UK tennis
Quigley recently won the deciding mixed doubles point to give the United States a 4-3 win over France in the finals of the Master'U BNP Paribas. The sophomore from Pewee Valley, Ky. also played for the U.S. each of the previous two rounds. He is one of only six tennis players in the country to play in the tournament. In his 2009 fall season, Quigley won the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championship and qualified for the National Indoors Championships. Quigley is currently the 70th ranked player in the ITA Preseason Division I singles rankings.

Barry Rice- UK soccer
The senior defender from Parma, Ohio recently wrapped up a historic career for UK on the pitch. 2009 marked Rice's third consecutive season in which he was named an All-American (College Soccer News). He was also named an All-American by Goal.com and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. In the 19-year history of the program, Rice became the first player ever to earn All-America honors in two seasons. Last year, Rice was named All-America by Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News. He was also a 2009 first-team All-Conference USA performer. Rice paced UK's 2009 defense that led Conference USA with a 0.78 goals-against average, is sixth all-time in game-winning goals, and was the first player in C-USA history to be named its Defensive Player of the Year twice. Rice started all 78 games in his career with UK.

Sarah Rumely- UK volleyball
A key member on one of UK's best teams this year, Rumely earned All-SEC first team honors for the second consecutive season in 2009. She shattered the all-time UK record for career assists, leading the SEC with 11.82 per set. Rumely also earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors after winning the MVP at the Kansas State tournament this season. The New Palestine, Indiana native is a three-time All-SEC honoree, a starter from the day she arrived at UK, and is among UK all-time leaders in sets played, hitting percentage, assists, aces, block assists and digs.

Let's not forget UK basketball namesakes John Calipari and John Wall. If you haven't heard of these guys and are looking for some insight, perhaps it's time you wake up and smell the Bluegrass.

I've also left room for a couple 'write-in' ballots, so if you think I've missed someone, leave a post to let me know. You can also post your vote for the 'Lexington Sports Examiner 2009 Sportsman of the Year' here as well.

Solid weekend for the Blue-and-White...

Click on the link above for my weekend recap, which includes:

• Kentucky handles Indiana in Bloomington, moves up to #3
  
• John Wall named SEC Freshman of the Week for fourth straight time
• Lebron, Wall have developed friendship
• Lebron also a fan of french fries
• Cards-Catamounts establish rivalry?
• Cards make Strong hire as UK goes bowling yet again
  
• UK volleyball falls in Sweet Sixteen, but built to last
• Roy Williams: really?
• Trevor Ariza: really?

After watching last night's thriller between UK and UConn, I was impressed, especially by (you guessed it) John Wall. While perusing tebowisms.net, however, I was not. So, as a tribute to our 'Blue Jesus,' I've decided to do a little comparing between Timmy Tebow and the Great Wall of Kentucky:

First, the Tebowism, taken verbatim from its website,

Then, my 'Wall-ism'... enjoy

Anything Tim Tebow can do, John Wall can do better.....

Your left-handed recap of today's UK/UNC game...

Can't ever complain with a victory over the Heels, even though our Cats sputtered (cramped?) a bit in the second half. Follow the link to find out why diaper-dandy John Wall is not perfect. After tonight's action on the NCAA gridiron, he seems less flawless than Timmy Tebow. Looking forward to seeing the Cats travel to a 'neutral' site to take on UConn next week.

Peters named SEC's Defensive Lineman of the Week. Yay!

• The Cats of the gridiron became bowl-eligible with a big win at Vanderbilt last week. As far as venues go, if UK loses to both Georgia and Tennesse, it is likely they will travel to Shreveport for postseason play. One victory could mean Nashville's Music City Bowl, while a sweep may land them the Outback Bowl in Tampa.
• Cats D-tackle Corey Peters was named the SEC's Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance, which included five tackles (1.5 for loss) and a quarterback pressure.
• Quarterback Mike Hartline had surgery on Tuesday to repair cartilage damage in his knee. Hartline was 2-6 for 10 yards in a limited role on Saturday. He was expected to miss the remainder of the season, but the procedure didn't actually reveal any damage to the cartilage. Rich Brooks is calling it a bone bruise instead, and is anticipating Hartline to be available for any bowl game.
• The SEC gauntlet is taking its toll on other key players for UK's Saturday tilt at Georgia. Randall Cobb was forced to leave practice early on Wednesday, and is now questionable becuase of a bruised shoulder. Georgia's got their own issues as well: star wideout A.J. Green will miss the contest, also with an injured shoulder. Green left the Bulldogs' game two weeks ago against Auburn, and missed last week's game vs. Tennessee Tech.
• Saturday's game will be televised from Athens in ESPN2, and kickoff is set for 7:45.
• UK's final home game vs. Tennessee has been picked up by ESPNU, and will kick off at 7:00 the night of November 28.
• John Wall for Heisman! Who's with me?

see all of my stuff at:

Lexington Sports Examiner

via d.yimg.com

They're the team that can do no wrong. With the coach that says all the right things, a top-ranked recruiting class, and the return of one of the country's best players, the 2009-2010 Kentucky basketball team has the folks in the Commonwealth more excited than a crowd before a Hannah Montana concert (for the record, I wouldn't know).

Buzz. Anticipation. Star-power. Athleticism. Depth. Potential.

All of these words have been directly associated with the new-look Wildcats since head coach John Calipari's arrival. Aided by his can-do attitude and his 'can't miss' recruiting class, Cal and company's expectations are higher than sky high.

UK fans, whom Calipari has said are "the greatest in the world," are ready to burst with excitement on Friday, as UK tips off its season against Morehead State. Speaking of the fans, "they're like throwing wood on fire," says diaper-dandy Demarcus Cousins, "it's going to be roaring."

For those that have some worries about team unity and togetherness, have no fear. According to the players, it's all sunshine and rainbows on and off the court. "We're like brothers" said newcomer Eric Bledsoe. "God put this team together," claims freshman Daniel Orton.

But hold on just one second, you rabid UK fans; allow me to bring you down to earth with some words that may, just may, be associated with this team:

Immature. Inexperienced. Overrated. Selfish. Distracted. Overhyped.

Now before you go crazy, throw your computer, or let your frenzied fingers type a hateful post below, allow me to explain myself. I'm not saying this team will underachieve. I'm not even saying they won't do what all UK fans think they might. It's reasonable to hope for an SEC Championship, a Final Four appearance, or even an eighth national championship for Kentucky. Just do yourself a favor and don't expect it (I promise, you'll thank me later).

Keep in mind that Jodie Meeks has left and, while he's been replaced by some freakishly talented players, he will not be forgotten. The lack of long-distance, Meeks-like marksmen may hurt the Cats this season.

Keep in mind that the highly-touted 'dribble-drive' offense doesn't include many looks down low for big men. Why do you think All-American Patrick Patterson has been jacking up threes this preseason? He's got to find a way to get shots, and Cal knows his looks in the paint will be limited due to UK's new style of play. Sure, you'll see some set plays designed for Patterson, Cousins, and Orton, but not as many as you'd think. Just watch.

So before you set your goals at the aforementioned accolades of championship banners and #1 rankings, try some reasonable ones first. Here's some examples:

Kentucky will be looking to avenge losses to several teams this season, including Louisville, Mississippi, South Carolina (twice), Mississippi State, Georgia, Florida, and LSU.

Think the football team's 24-game losing streak against Tennessee is embarrassing? Last season, Bruce Pearl's Volunteers finished ahead of UK in the SEC for the fourth straight season, the first team in SEC history to do so.

While preseason basketball rankings may be the most insignificant polls in sports, don't forget that Kentucky fell out of the AP top 25 last season for the first time since 1990. Thanks to Calipari and his recruits, UK has jumped back into the top 25 (the top 10, for that matter) in most collegiate preseason ratings. See how much fun this is? Go ahead and mark that one as 'completed.'

One more goal you can put in your 'reasonable' column may be the most gratifying one. UK failed to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time since 1992. Despite a pretty cool atmosphere at Memorial Colesium and a hellacious dunk from Perry Stevenson, I don't think anyone wants N.I.T. rumblings anytime soon. On top of that, UK team leader Patrick Patterson has yet to strut his stuff in the Big Dance, something all UK fans can be pulling for this year.

While the Billy G. era ended with a season full of unwanted firsts, it brought Big Blue Nation to its knees in a lesson of perspective. Hopefully UK fans remember where they've been with the Cats of late before they dream about where the Big Blue may be going.

So enjoy the layup lines, the pregame intros, and the 99% of basketball previews that have the Cats among the nation's elite. But allow yourself to be pleased if UK beats LSU and Ole Miss, tops the Vols in the SEC East, or punches a ticket to the NCAA Tournament in March. Go ahead and jump for joy if the Cats win the SEC Tournament or knock off pesky teams like Louisville and Florida. And if they should happen to cut down some nets in March? Go nuts, Big Blue Nation, and be surprised.

2009-2010 Kentucky basketball schedule

In a fall season thick with anticipation for UK basketball's home opener on Friday, there is another team on campus looking forward to a season with great potential. Gary Henderson's Kentucky baseball team unveiled their 2010 schedule on Tuesday, a 56-game campaign that includes 15 NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago. The BatCats' pre-conference schedule includes trips to the east (Coastal Carolina) and west (San Diego) coasts, as they face some stiff competition before their ten Southeastern Conference series.

In arguably the best conference in the country, Kentucky hosts Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and defending national champ LSU at Cliff Hagan Stadium this season. They road-trip to Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Auburn, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Local rivaries will also continue for UK, who will take on Indiana, Western Kentucky, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Morehead State.

Whether it's seeing traditional college baseball powers (Florida, South Carolina to name a couple), the returning national champions (LSU), or an intense rivalry, there will be plenty of reasons to check out the BatCats this season.

Still more of those reasons are involved with the players that will be performing in the blue-and-white this season. The BatCats' boasted the nation's third-best recruiting class a year ago, and were ranked in '09 (#15 by Baseball America, #6 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper) among the nation's best again. What's a 15th-rated class get you in the SEC? It's good for sixth.

Nevertheless, nine freshman and four transfers (five of twhich were 2009 MLB draftees) represent an outstanding 2010 recruiting class. Along with standout returners James Paxton (2009 first-rounder is the highest-drafted college player to return to school) and Chris Bisson (all-SEC infielder hit .360 last year), the Cats look to return to SEC title contention and postseason play.

via gate21.net

There's been a considerable amount of fallout after Kentucky's disappointing loss at home to the hands of Mississippi State last Saturday. Before the game, a good percentage of Big Blue Nation had reason to believe that their Wildcats could win 9-10 games, beat Georgia and/or Tennessee, and travel to the Chick-fil-A or Outback Bowl.

Fans now question the Cats' chances at Vanderbilt and whether or not they'd travel to Shreveport or Memphis instead of Atlanta or Tampa. Who's to blame? Take your pick:

1. The players

Kentucky had consistently demonstrated quite a formidable defense the past few weeks. In the Cats' last four games before taking on MSU, they'd held Alabama, South Carolina, Auburn, and Louisiana-Monroe to under 5.0 yards per carry. Mississippi State, however, managed to rack up an alarming 7.7 yards per rush, led by SEC Player of the Week Anthony Dixon's career day (33 carries for a school-record 252 yards).

Inconsistent quarterback play has also hurt the Cats. Freshman Morgan Newton led UK behind center against MSU, completing 11 of his 18 passes for 119 yards, no TDs, and a game-changing interception inside the Bulldog 20 yard line. UK's 'Wildcat' formation was also held in check on Saturday, as Randall Cobb was held to 25 yards on eight carries.

Argument against: Fatigue. The Cats are banged up, and have faced numerous injuries to key players (Micah Johnson, Derrick Locke, Paul Warford), some of which has caused them to miss considerable amounts of time (Mike Hartline, Trevard Lindley).

2. The coaches

Rich Brooks has tried to shoulder most of the blame for Saturday's loss, claiming that it was the coaching staff's fault for lack of preparation, so take that for what it's worth. Brooks has rightfully been able to avoid the negative talks that surrounded him during his first few seasons as head coach in Lexington. Joker Phillips, the Offensive Coordinator and Head Coach-in-waiting, has not. Questionable playcalling, specifically in the opponent's red zone, has been a hot topic in both of UK's last two losses vs. MSU and South Carolina.

Defensive Coordinator Steve Brown has also faced a considerable amount of Anthony Dixon-caused scrutiny, as the Cats were simply baffled by the relative simplicity of MSU's offensive gameplan. Anybody recall the shotgun-counter running play the Bulldogs ran over and over?

Argument against: Kentucky wouldn't be where it is today (three consecutive bowl wins) without the help of Brooks & Co., so cut 'em some slack. Right?

3. The fans

Perhaps the most perplexing part of UK's struggle on Saturday was its lack of fan support. Setting aside the half-hearted 'blackout' effort inspired by A.D. Mitch Barnhart, only 67,953 showed up to Commonwealth for the Mississippi State game. That's less than the attendance for the Louisiana-Monroe game last week. Assuming that the Bulldogs travel much better than the Warhawks (they do), a lot of UK fans seemed to have had better things to do on Halloween.

In a most disturbing scene, a steady flow of UK faithful could be seen heading for Commonwealth Stadium's exits after Newton's interception in the fourth quarter. Mind you, there was still 10:47 left on the game clock of a one-possession game.

Argument against: I'll give Big Blue Nation the benefit of the doubt this time. Ticket prices, bad weather, and Halloween may have deterred many from attending on Saturday. But enough of declaring that the players need to 'show up' more often; if fans want Kentucky to climb into SEC football notoriety, they're going to have to spin the proverbial turnstiles as well.

The test

How  to test the aformentioned 'weaknesses' displayed by UK football of late:

1. The players- quarterback play will continue to be spotty until Hartline returns (bet you never thought you'd read that). However, pay close attention to how well the Cats play against Eastern Kentucky, an FCS opponent. Kentucky will get the Colonels' best shot, but should be able to handle their intra-state foe from Richmond. The Cats are also preparing for their fifth contest in as many weeks, and are in the middle of a stretch in which they play nine Saturdays in a row.

2. The coaches- how well a team is prepared is tough to gauge. Playcalling, however, is not: hope for a more efficient performance from the Cats in their next few red zone possessions offensively. On the defensive side of the ball, Steve Brown will have to rally his bruised & battered troops; after UK's contest against EKU, Vanderbilt, Georgia, and Tennessee loom.

3. The fans- I can't blame Big Blue Nation for being hopeful of double-digit wins and a New Year's Day Bowl. However, it appears that a few too many clad in blue-and-white (and black) expected their Cats to accomplish those lofty expectations. Four bowl games in a row is an attainable and respectable goal, one which Brooks-backers can embrace.

So I leave it up to you, Big Blue Nation. Who's to blame? Anybody? Everybody? Post your comment(s) below.