Happy Memorial Day

As you can tell, most of us here at BBNR have been enjoying the time off with friends and family. I have tried to keep a close eye on all things Bledsoe but there just doesn't seem to be much news other than what initially came out on Friday. A few stories have trickled out about the so called investigation (at this point there is no real evidence that this is even an ongoing NCAA investigation) but nothing new seems to be breaking. There is a rumor floating around Internet circles that Bledsoe is going to sue the New York Times and whoever leaked his transcripts.

While I don't feel this story is going to go away anytime soon, I think in the end UK will be in the clear. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but all I see is a lot of "what if" scenarios being thrown around and not a lot of FACTS. If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts then every school would be in trouble for something. We'll stay on top of it, but again, there just isn't much else to report yet.

Finally (and most importantly today), thank you to all the men and women who serve our country and let's remember those who have given their lives to protect our freedom. Have a happy and safe Memorial Day.

We'll be along later, stay tuned...

Unsure

Sorry that this is a day late, and like most of us, a dollar (or more) short perhaps, but I was having entirely too much fun out on KY Lake. My weekly installment to the BBNR is being sent directly from my palatial estate located on the shores of KY Lake, just outside of Draffenville, KY (yes, it bothers me to actually want to spend time in Marshall
Co., too)

I'm sure many of you are looking at the image above and asking yourself one simple question: What in the world is that, and how can it possibly having anything to do with University of Kentucky sports(Men's basketball more specifically)?

I did a search on google images for the simple work of "Unsure," and this was the result that most caught my eye.

I'm not sure of Coach Cal. He has more than proven his metal over the last 20 years as a HC at various stops throughout college basketball. I'm not unsure of the fans of our beloved University, as they (we) become more rabid and passionate with each passing moment. I'm not unsure about our recruiting (for the first time in a decade).

I am, however, unsure about the future of the program moving forward. This might not be the most popular thing I write for the site, but sometimes it is needed to take off your blue-tinted glasses and have a look with some eyes that see things in a literal manner.

My #1 concern is this: Despite the unimaginable amounts of talent Coach Cal is able to bring in, is it enough? Now I'm not questioning if the players he is bringing in have enough talent to get us back to the mountain top-- that goes without saying or questioning. My question is, is a team that seemingly is going to have to reload nearly entirely each and every year will have the experience and mental fortitude to actually win the title.

I don't know the answer to this question, but for the time being, I'm leaning toward the negative. Yes, this may be a bit premature... but it is my belief, and that is based on over 25 years of not only watching, but breathing and living UK basketball... not only UK basketball, but all basketball.

It is my opinion that, until we are able to bring in highly skilled players who do not already think of themselves as NBA ready, merely using college as a stepping stone to their big payday, we are going to continue to see exactly what we did last year-- the most talented team in the Nation undone by facing a team in the NCAA tourney that is nowhere near as good individually, but have one common goal and game plan that we have not faced all season long.

To find more support for my opinion, all we have to do is take a look back about 20 short years ago to the team considered by most as the most beloved team in the nation, the Unforgetables. Under-sized, under-talented, but with more heart and will than any other team in the nation. Had it not been for a total fluke of a shot by the player whose name is still being burned at the stake in most corners of the Commonwealth, another Final Four banner would hang from the rafters of Rupp Arena.

While I have unbridled passion about what Coach Cal has done and will continue to do while reigning as the Pope of the Big Blue Nation, I hope that he can finally get the mixture of superstar recruit, and players in the make of Allen Edwards, young men who will do anything for the 'Cats, without fear of them leaving after a year.

Rondo to play in Game 1 of NBA Finals

In all of the Bledsoe news we failed to give props to our man, Rajon Rondo. Behind his stellar play at the point guard position, the Celtics are returning to the NBA Finals. Rondo did have a scare when he tweaked his back after a hard foul driving to the basket. Doc Rivers said this morning that Rondo "would be fine." Since the Eastern Conference Finals did not go 7 games, he'll get an extra couple of days to rest it.

Rondo has been one of the better stories of the NBA playoffs and he has become a great ambassador for the University of Kentucky. If the Lakers (who lead 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals) meet the Celtics it'll be a 2008 Finals rematch where the Celtics won the Championship.

Good luck to Rondo in the finals, Big Blue Nation is behind you...

Saturday Morning Update on Bledsoe...

There has been a little more information this morning in regards to the Bledsoe investigation, all of which gives a slightly different version of the issue.

The Birmingham News is reporting that the NCAA did ask Hayes and Parker Schools questions concerning Bledsoe but has had no contact with them since February. The NYT article seemed to suggest these events transpired recently. According to a Bledsoe "tweet" earlier today he said,

"high school coming back? wrong, already worked my way through that."

ESPN also released their own story which had this to say:

"ESPN.com reviewed copies of Bledsoe's transcript after his sophomore and junior year, as well as his senior year at Parker High School. Though coaches projected Bledsoe as a non-qualifier entering his final year, he performed markedly better in the classroom as a senior with a college basketball scholarship on the line, taking a heavier workload that included a night school class and an online course to improve an earlier grade.

His grade-point average improved significantly after scoring an A in an online biology course, which replaced a D from his sophomore year. And, after failing to achieve an A in his first three years, Bledsoe scored two others in his senior year at Parker -- Algebra 2 and Algebra 3, the latter taken in night classes.

Steve Ward, who coached Bledsoe at Hayes High, acknowledges his former star guard had plenty of academic work to accomplish when the school closed after his junior year.

"When he was at Hayes he was borderline," Ward told ESPN.com. "When he left me I don't know what happened."

Asked if he was surprised that Bledsoe qualified, Ward said: "Not really. I knew if he applied himself he would have been able to. So I wasn't totally surprised."

Seems to me that the NCAA did investigate these issues back in the winter but have not done anything on the case in months, including contacting the University of Kentucky or Coach Calipari. It also seems very interesting the timing of the report as it's the same day that the NCAA dropped the gauntlet on the UCONN program. The Bledsoe story broke at the New York Times in the heart of the Big East and just moments from the Connecticut border. Maybe it's nothing, but it sure seems to be a lot of smoke to me.

I still feel this story will amount to nothing, but for the time being it'll give our critics plenty to talk about.

More later...

****Breaking News-NCAA Bledsoe Probe****

The New York Times is reporting that the NCAA is investigating Eric Bledsoe for his time at Parker High School in Alabama. It appears the NCAA is most interested in how he and his mother payed rent while they lived in Birmingham during his senior year. Eric's grades are also being called into question where as a senior at Parker High School Bledsoe raised his GPA from a 1.9 to a 2.4.

This could end up being nothing as Bledsoe's former coach and Principal is saying everything was on the up and up while Eric was enrolled at Parker. UK has still yet to receive any correspondence with the NCAA regarding the issue. Still, it's certainly going to give all the UK and Coach Cal haters plenty of ammo to bash him this summer.

We'll have more information on this breaking story as it becomes available. Stay tuned...

This Day In History...

In completely non-UK-related news, May 28 was a very important day in history, and an even more important day in the history of BBNR.

Some very recognizable figures were born on this day in history. Some of these include: Ian Fleming (Writer of many James Bond Films,) Jerry West (NBA Legend,) the first recorded instance of quintuplets with all children surviving (pretty important stuff here folks,) and Michael Oher whose story was made famous in the movie, "The Blind Side."

There were probably many other important May 28 births that I haven't discussed, but the most important to our site was this day in 1977, when two of the founding fathers of BBNR, Michael and JLEE were born.

Without this day in history, you wouldn't have the privelege of reading our crazy news and views. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our boys, Michael and JLEE. Have a great birthday weekend guys.

GO BIG BLUE!!!

Mid Day Links

On a slow news day thought I would continue to add to the chatter about the 2010 NBA/Kentucky Basketball Draft.

First, Flip Saunders thinks our man John Wall can revolutionize the Point Guard position. D.C. Sports Blog

Also, NBAdraft.net got a chance to view Daniel Orton and Hassan Whiteside workout out in San Fransisco. Some interesting thoughts on Daniel's draft stock are included, as they predict he will land somewhere in the middle of the first round.

There has been buzz recently that Favors and Ekpe Udoh's draft stocks are soaring. ESPN's Chad Ford has moved Favors up to #2 on his draft board, and Udoh is reportedly getting looks from the Nets at #3. Also, Patrick Patterson's strong showing at the NBA draft combine couldn't have come as a surprise to the Big Blue Nation. He displayed his all around game and character in Chicago, which resulted in some positive buzz for the polished big man from Huntington, West Virginia.

All of these big guys impressing could be bad news to Demarcus Cousins. Right or wrong, there is a perception around Cousins right now. He has been labeled as having character concerns, which could cause teams to cool on him. He is currently down to #7 in NBAdraft.net's latest mock. (Coincidentally to the Detroit Pistons, which is probably the best possible destination, as they could use a little bit of a return to the bad boy mentality that is a big part of their history.)

This time of year often brings a lot of volatility in mock draft's, and should almost always be taken with a grain of salt. Teams could be sandbagging Cousins in hopes of him falling in their laps. You really never know this time of year, but there does seem to be very little positive buzz around Big Cuz a month before the draft.

Brandon Knight's Got His Hair Did

Anyone that has seen Brandon Knight during his high school days surely noticed his signature dreads, or corn rows, or whatever those crazy kids are calling it these days. His previous look resembled a cross between Predator and whatever they called the aliens from James Cameron's blockbuster Avatar. I didn't really care too much what his hair styling choices were, just as long as he lived up to his billing as one of the best point guards in the country.

More interesting than the haircut itself is the reasoning given for it. In this article from the Miami Herald, Knight's mom explains the new look was designed to help make her son more marketable... You can take from that what you will, but it would seem to support an argument that Knight will be another one of Cal's one and done guys.

Most UK fans had hoped Knight's excellent academic pedigree could lead to two years of his service's. With the NBA lockout looming, it is an extremely fluid situation. I take this as just another example that Knight is a very intelligent young man. He is keeping as many options open as possible, and who can blame him? Just as he declined to sign the one sided Letter of Intent, he is now changing his hair cut in an attempt to open the maximum number of doors

Yea... It is a slow day.

New Oregon Coach confirms Payne to UK

In a move that isn't surprising anyone, Dana Altman confirmed today that Kenny Payne will be leaving the University of Oregon to join Coach Cal at Kentucky. Expect an official announcement tomorrow from the University of Kentucky. This is a great hire for Coach Cal and should further prove that he isn't going anywhere.

Romar speaks...

No one would blame Washington Coach Lorenzo Romar if he were a little bitter toward Kentucky. There are also more than a few national analysts who have the Maui Classic circled on the calendar this fall expecting the buzz to be off the charts if and when Washington and Kentucky meet. The story is there for sure. Coach Cal not only took the best big man in this class, former Washington commit, Enes Kanter; but last week he took another former Huskie, Terrance Jones (albeit a soft verbal).

Yet, Romar has taken everything in stride and been a true professional throughout. Can you imagine the scene if this had happened to someone like Coach Pearl? He was already calling foul against Cal when Selby decommitted and the kid didn't even end up in Lexington.

Romar took some time out with ESPN in Seattle late last week where he compared UK's current recruiting to the Fab 5 at Michigan in the early 90's. He also had some interesting comments on the Jones recruitment too.

Again, Romar has every reason to be cold to Cal and UK, but this isn't his first rodeo and he knows how the game works...

Wednesday Quick Clicks...

:: Coach Cal talks about UK's latest recruit, Terrence Jones
:: ESPN's Eamonn Brennan reviews the first 50 days of the off-season
:: Kansas basketball program rocked by ticket scandal
:: Early look: 10 freshmen that must contribute right away

:: Cal talks about mom's battle with cancer, UK program

:: UK's Josh Harrellson continues to play well in China

MORE LATER

Meet the newest Wildcat...

Zach Lipson has signed on to be UK's manager, and his story is inspiring. Click here to read about it and click here to watch a news video about it.

More later...

NBA Cover Boys: UK Point Guards

A new week and two more magazine covers. Very nice...

Recruiting Wrap Up...

We all know that Cal pulled out his magic wand and wrapped up another stellar recruiting class. But, it makes it so much sweeter to see recruiting experts like Paul Biancardi crowning UK with the number one spot.

Also, check out this article by Eamonn Brennan talking about the Jones saga. Finally, check out this great article about what it takes to reel in a #1 recruiting class and remember, WE ARE BACK!

Have a great Tuesday.
GO BIG BLUE!!!

Pearl is a noob...

Bruce Pearl is stirring the pot again. Its late May, and we're still months away from Midnight Madness, but that's not stopping the big orange moron from flapping his gums.

Yesterday, Pearl said that Florida was the clear cut favorite in the SEC East and that Kentucky would be "lumped together" with Tennessee, Vandy and Georgia in a chase for second place and a hopeful NCAA bid. He did applaud UK's new class coming in, but also made a point to say that Kentucky will not be as good as they were this past season and that their new class isn't as loaded as the one before it. He said other stuff too, but it ain't worth repeating. If you must know though, you can read the whole article here.

Personally, I think Pearl likes taking off-season cheap shots at UK and Cal. It keeps the rivalry fresh and relevant, which is good for him and his program and the SEC as a whole. Of course, he said just enough to make his comments sound legit, but he surely knew that his comments would fly all over the most rabid fan base in all of college basketball.

Oh well, when the time comes, we'll show 'em who's boss!

NBA Draft Mondays

I was assigned to Mondays. I get the prime time day here at BBNR. :). Nonetheless as we head up to the draft I will dedicate the Mondays at looking at the stocks of Kentucky Wildcats who are battling for spots in the draft.

JOHN WALL- TOON SAYS: #1 pick WASHINGTON WIZARDS- Franchise changing draft pick. Wesley Johnson and Evan Turner may have better jumpers and may do more things all around but any Kentucky fan can tell you Wall will bring the excitement night in and night out. He will also put butts in the seats in DC and breath life into a dead franchise. No brainer. #1 pick is Wall. If Washington can trade Arenas and get some good wings to go along with what will be a run and gun offense in Washington, sunny days will be ahead for the Wiz.

DEMARCUS COUSINS- TOON SAYS: #5 to the Sacramento Kings- The best player in the draft. If it wasn't for "character issues" Cousins would go #1 in the draft. DeMarcus Cousins can be a Shaquille O'Neal type interior force. He is one of the most agile, nible big men to come along since Shaq. He can block shots, shoot jumpers, and rebound with the best of them, a physical beast. The Timberwolves, who are trying to trade Al Jefferson would be wise to shore up their inside with Cousins. However, I think Cousins will slide to the Kings who end up getting the best player in the draft. With NBA Rookie of the Year, Tyreke Evans and the 2011 NBA Rookie of the Year DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings are on the up and up. Mark it down.

PATRICK PATTERSON- TOON SAYS: #8 to the LA Clippers or #9 to the Utah Jazz- Either team would love to have a workhorse like Patrick Patterson. Patterson was unselfish in his final UK campaign taking a backseat to Cousins and Wall. Patterson can score, pass, and be a natural leader. He would fit the Jazz well with Boozer leaving. Los Angeles would pair him with Blake Griffin on the inside and possibly play him at the wing giving the Clippers a dynamic frontcourt. However, the Clipper curse is nothing I would wish on P Dub. Patterson also impressed scouts with his ability and selflessness, as he was one of the few to workout with teams in the Chicago rookie camp. P Dub's stock is rising.

ERIC BLEDSOE- TOON SAYS: Tough read on this one. I think Daniel Orton and Bledsoe are both in play at the #18 pick with the Miami Heat. I am going to say that Bledsoe goes to the Portland Trailblazers at #22. Bledsoe would be the first PG off the board in the 2011 draft. However, this is 2010 and Bledsoe stayed in. The Blazers have a need at PG with the aging Andre Miller leading the way and the need to move Brandon Roy off of the PG spot. Bledsoe comes in and makes an already young and dangerous Portland team even more young and dangerous.

DANIELLE ORTON, AHEM, DANIEL ORTON- Sorry folks, bitter. I just don't like the way the whole Orton thing went down. Out of all the freshmen he seems like he didn't care about what Kentucky stands for and didn't embrace it like the other freshmen did. Anyway, the Miami Heat are taking him at #18. Udonis Haslem is walking this offseason, Michael Beasley is too soft to play the four. The Heat need a big man and Orton, while he is still a project, can be a fine big man in the future, as he showed flashes of greatness at Kentucky. He can block shots, score and rebound on the inside. He lacks the disipline that is needed for a seasoned big man. Simply put, he is a project. A worthwhile one at that. Unless his dad is his agent. HEYO!

That is the initial look at the NBA draft as it pertains to Kentucky. Next week we will look at some of the other prospects that could come in and alter draft positions that Kentucky players currently hold.

Monday Evening Random Tidbits...

Gomez here with some random notes...

First of all, a shout out to the very funny John C Reilly who turns 45 years old today. He's probably best known as Will Ferrell's partner in crime in both Step Brothers and Taladega Nights, but has a long career of fine work on both the stage and the silver screen, as well. We know he's a big fan of the site so we hope this little salute makes his life complete. Now, on with the news...

:: Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports is reporting that its more or less a done deal for Kenny Payne to replace Rod Strickland on the UK bench this fall. Payne is leaving the same job at Oregon for the opportunity to work for Cal, and reportedly, is taking a pay cut to do so. Again, this is on Twitter, so you know its true.

:: Matt Jones of KSR fame is reporting that Daniel Orton did not complete his spring semester at UK, which will certainly hurt Kentucky's APR. However, Jones also reports that the other players leaving the program did in fact complete their semester work, so he doesn't expect the APR to dip so low that it might hurt Kentucky's scholarship situation. Still, it doesn't really help smooth things over between Orton and the Big Blue Nation as he moves on in his career. Alot of us (not me, but still alot) didn't ever make a connection with the big man, and thought he'd be better served with another year in Lexington; so this will just add more ammo for the people intent on bad mouthing the kid. We certainly hope that doesn't happen, but deep down, know that it will on some level.

:: A federal judge has denied a request to move the trial of Karen Sypher away from the Louisville area. As I'm sure you know, (but I will remind you anyway) Sypher was charged with trying to extort $10 million from Rick Pitino. She is also accused of lying to the FBI, which is never a good idea. Anyway, U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III ruled Monday that Sypher couldn't show that pretrial publicity warrants the unusual step of relocating the case. Her trial is set to start July 26, and you can guarantee it will be a circus that we will cover for you right here at BBNR.

:: Mike Brown has finally lost his gig as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, so we can expect the rumor mill to kick in high gear (again) about the possibilities of Cal joining LeBron in the professional promise land of the NBA. I don't think it'll happen, but I'm still prepared for the onslaught of rumors, and you should be too.

Well, that's all for now. We'll have lots more later, so stay tuned.

Katz and Wall at the combine...

Monday Morning News

If the weekend is like winning the NCAA Tournament, then Monday mornings are like missing a game winning, half court miracle by two inches (cough, cough, Butler.) So, if you hate Monday mornings as much as I do, here are a couple of interesting reads to start your week off right.

:: Dana O'Neil discusses academics for one-and-done players.
:: Dicky V shares his opinion on how the new field of 68 bracket should be treated. (Personally, I love this idea.)

Check these out and post comments with your thoughts, especially about the new field of 68. We will have more news and views for you this afternoon right here at BBNR.

GO BIG BLUE!!!

Six years on being "Lost"...

You know, as LOST, the series that I consider to be the greatest in television history comes to a close, it made me take a retrospective look at just what has transpired in my life since the first airing of the show that lived up to it's billing 100000%.

I have gotten married to the woman I was destined to marry. I have had two of the most wonderfully gifted and beautiful children imaginable. I have found my true calling vocation-wise. I have deepened my relationship with the Lord... but for the purpose of this blog, I thought it fitting to take that same look back at the UK program.

At the beginning of the 2004 season, expectations could not have been higher. Coming off an undefeated regular SEC season, the Cats were ready to fire on all cylinders, behind the lead of Kelenna Azubuike (not to leave out Woo and Shagari)and the undersized stalwart, Chuck Hayes, and the nations #1 rated recruiting class coming in (Crawford, Bradley, Rondo, Morris). That season ended prematurely, though, with a one point loss to UAB in the 2nd round (up until that point, I wasn't sure that UAB even had any sports other than track and field).

2005, though, was going to be better. With all those young, awesome players coming into their second year in the program (AND another strong incoming class consisting of Jared Carter and almost Adam Williams), this team was going to make up for the inexplicable exit made in the round of 32 the year before.... almost. The Cats made it all the way to the Elite 8... beforing being upended by the jolly green spartans.

The heat was turning up on the Tubbster. The luster of his unbelievable luck of inheriting an UBER talented team from Benedict Rick in '98 was wearing off... but it was still tough to believe he should be let go (although, I personally swore him off in the Elite 8 game in '98 when the moron allowed us to get down by 18 pts vs. Duke without calling a timeout). Since all UK fans love and care about the regular season, but know our bread is buttered in the NCAA tourney, it was time to put up or shut up. After a season that saw UK endure a 3 game losing streak to the likes of Kansas, Vandy, and Alabama, we rolled into the NCAA's as the 8th seed in the East region of the 2007 NCAA tournament. Only to have our spirits CRUSHED once again with yet another 2nd round beatdown...

The 2008 season brought sweeping changes, as The One known for the bug-eyed stare and foot-stomping reminiscent of Johnny Tyler (not Ringo, or he would have been sooo much more fun to play for) was replaced by one Billy Clyde Gillispie, he of fame for rebuilding such programs as Texas A&M and UTEP (teams always known for the quality/dominant basketball teams). Things were DEFINITELY going to get better. DEFINITELY, WITHOUT QUESITON. Right? Well, that season... ya know what? I have totally blocked out the tenure of BCG from my mind (although I'm sure there are a few cocktail waitresses in the Lexington area who will never be able to), so we're gonna fast forward to the arrival of.... THE SECOND COMING, HE WHO WALKS BEHIND THE ROWS, the man with the best record in all of college basketball 3 years running, JOHN CALIPARI.

This past season went well beyond my wildest dreams... a last hour whirlwind blitzkrieg that saw Coach Cal and the Cats land not only the #1 recruiting class in the nation, but also the unquestioned #1 player in the nation in John Wall.Although the year ended just a bit sooner that any of us wanted, it was a clear sign that things were finally moving in the right direction. After blasting through the regular season, finding ourselves ranked #1 in the nation for the first time in what seemed like eternity, we had our worst shooting night from 3pt range since before the line became part of the game... and were beaten by an athletic but unimpressive WVU team.

That brings us to the present... where, on the heels of a mass-exodus of nearly the entire #1 recruiting class from this past fall (Wall/Bledsoe/Orton/Cousins), and the most impressive player to don a Wildcat jersey since Derek Anderson (Patrick Patterson), Cal did it again... hauling in yet another unbelievable class consisting of Terrence Jones, Enes Kanter, Stacey Poole, Doron Lamb, Brandon Knight, and Eloy Vargas.

What will the next 6 years hold for the UK men's basketball team? I have a feeling it's going to be pretty good... and we won't find ourselves LOST amongst the wannabe's of college basketball any longer.

Weekend Update...

It's an absolutely gorgeous Saturday in the bluegrass state, so let's get some quick updates out of the way and then let's all get back to enjoying the weekend...

The Cal to the Bulls talk has really slowed down over the last couple of days and Rick Bozich reported earlier today that Chicago has gone on the record as saying they are NOT interested in UK's head coach. Instead, Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau is the leader. Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski says that Cal really wouldn't bring much value to NBA teams...

Joker's latest commit is a duel threat QB from Louisiana, Theltus Cobbins...

Rick Pitino has placed his luxury Miami home for sale, it's only 13, 900,000. His home is also for sale in Lousiville. Maybe it's nothing, but it seems odd to me...

Evan Turner and John Wall have officially spoken to Washington officials...

Jerry Meyer weighs in on several issues involving UK in his weekly Mailbag column....


More later...

Wall believes Calipari will stay at UK

When he wasn't casting spells with Harry and Dumbledore, or saving the ring with Gandalf and Frodo, our man John Wall chimed in on every talking head's favorite topic - John Calipari.

Calipari has managed to keep his name in the headlines, albeit at the discomfort of the Big Blue Nation. There has been numerous rumors and speculation regarding our coach, but his former players have been consistent. Earlier this week Patterson said he believed that Calipari would stick around Lexington for a while, and today John Wall joined in on the hot topic.

Here's the link for your reading pleasure.

Catching up with Boogie...

New Look Cat's...Same Question??

Again, it's nice to be relevant. With that being said, you have to think UK's competition is starting to feel much like the picture above... they're all in the shadow of a towering beast, and especially on the recruiting front.

To try to put into words what Cal has done so far in his short tenure is really difficult to do. After Terrence Jones ended his recruitment with a signed financial aid agreement with the Cat's the final roster with no hiccups has started to really take shape. Let's take a projected look...

My projected starting five with the same question we faced last year. Who's at the 2??

C-Kanter
PF-Jones
SF-Miller
SG- ?
PG- Knight

Of course this leaves a bench that includes three possible starters (in my mind) in Liggins, Dodson, and newcomer Lamb, with other reserves Harrellson, Poole, Vargas, Hood, and Polson.

I would have to give the nod to Liggins unless Cal wants that added spark off the bench and goes with a more consistent shooter, whoever that might be. I think if Liggins improves his shot this off season it will be hard to keep him out of the lineup.

This is an interactive post so please give your predictions, opinions, and reasoning. Yeah, it's a little early and a lot can happen between now and November, but hey....It's UK Basketball.

Friday Quick Clicks...

:: ESPN ranks UK's latest class #1

:: ESPN analyst chats about hoops, including UK, Cal, and Wall

:: Hype already building for potential UK-Washington match up in Maui
:: CNNSI's Winn talks about college basketball's spring recruiting

:: Former UK student, Matt Pilgram has court date looming

:: UK forward, Josh Harrellson doing well on China hoops tour
:: Ross isn't shocked Jones picked Kentucky over Washington

MORE LATER

Where does UK's lastest class rank now?

Hello folks.

While me and Austin were discussing whether or not Terrence Jones' decision to become a Wildcat pushed Cal's second recruiting class past his first, this article was being published that suggested Kentucky's class wasn't even good enough to be ranked #1 this year, much less last year.

Of course, this was only Brian McLaughlin's opinion, but it still surprised me. I thought the recent additions of Vargas and Jones would push Kentucky well ahead of everyone else. Apparently, not everyone feels that way. However, with a class headlined by Kanter and Knight, and joined by the likes of Lamb and Jones, and rounded out with solid players like Poole and Vargas, I can't see how Memphis or Ohio State have any better classes coming in next season.

Now, I have to admit, I'm a little biased towards my home state, so maybe we should wait for some other sources to post their final rankings before we get too worked up. In the meantime, let us know what you think... where does Kentucky's class really rank?

A Little More on the Jones Saga...

JBRU was on top of things last night, and Gomez is out and about early this morning too. The big topic today is, of course, Jones giving a fairly solid commitment to UK by signing a financial aid agreement.

Just to clarify, a financial aid agreement binds the school to the player, but does not legally bind the player to the school as a Letter of Intent would have. However, Big Blue Nation should not be concerned because in this article from Andy Katz at ESPN.com, Katz says that both Romar and Cal have told him they firmly expect UK to be where Jones ends up. So, when even the opposing coach is giving up hope, the deal is most likely done.

Stay tuned as we will try to keep you updated on the ins and outs of the situation today. This will likely cement UK as the nation's top recruiting class... again. Man, it's good to be back.

GO BIG BLUE!!!

More on that Jones to UK story...

Gomez here...

Well, unless you were under a rock last night, you've no doubt learned that Terrence Jones is a Wildcat. I think most of us had just given up hope, and was already getting used to the fact that he wouldn't be coming to Kentucky. However, Coach Cal continued doing what he does best... sealing the deal.

With his committment, Jones is the final piece in what will be (once again) the #1 recruiting class in all of the land. He also helps push Kentucky back towards those pre-season top 10 rankings and should give the Cats another real shot at being in contention come next March. For all those that were singing the blues a few weeks ago, I think the wise words of one fine young blogger is ringing more true now than ever before... "We're going to be just fine, folks."

Of course, with the good, you also have to take the bad, and you can guarantee Cal's critics will be out in full force for the next few days. They'll say Cal "stole" Jones from Washington and that its just another example of how dirty he is and blah blah blah. Don't let that crap get ya' down, folks; we should be used to it by now. Just smile and say, "so sorry for your loss."

But all jokes aside, it does create a little tension between the two programs. As JBru pointed out, this will only add fuel to the potential fire that could be sparking in the Maui Invitational this fall. UK and Washington could play out there, and this whole situation could make for some really nice drama in what is usually a fun tourney already.

Anyway, it's all very exciting stuff for a cool, rainy day in May. It almost makes you ready for November, doesn't it?

That's all for now, folks. Stay tuned as we'll have more stuff for ya' later.

GO BIG BLUE!

Jones to UK!

And Cal has again left the UK faithful with high hopes next season. Terrence Jones according to Scout's Evan Daniels has signed a financial aid agreement with the Wildcats.

Let me just say...THIS IS HUGE! I had honestly given up and conceded he would be a Husky. Let's just say the Maui Invitational will be a fun event.

More to come later I'm sure but I'm glad this saga is over for now and UK has locked up a solid team for the upcoming season.

Katz talks to Wall about #1 pick...

Insert John Wall, Wizardry joke HERE

Now that the dust has settled on the NBA draft lottery, I thought I'd give my two cents on the ping pong balls falling as they did and how it might affect the future of our former players. First off, I am stunned that the Nets didn't get the #1 pick. I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist, and I just assumed that the Russian Billionaire who just bought the New Jersey Nets had this thing in the bag. He spent something like 700 million dollars to finalize the Nets move to Brooklyn in a new state of the art arena, and you would have thought there was some sort of clause that guaranteed this guy John Wall. It is too bad, because you get the feeling that the Nets could have become the IT team in the NBA with Wall, Jay-Z, Billions of Russian Rubles, and possibly some guy named LeBron. Welcome to the NBA Mikhail Prokhorov! Hopefully no NBA employees are injured in response to last night's lottery. I guess David Stern is not scared of the Russian Mafia.... Although I am, so I am not going to talk about this anymore.

In my opinion, Washington is the worst possible destinations for Wall. In the wake of the Arenas gun situation the Wiz finally blew up this underachieving bunch. They basically traded Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and Antawn Jamison for ten cents on the dollar. What is left is a team full of knuckleheads, and not the ideal situation for a young player coming into the league. Arenas, Josh Howard, and Blatche are the Wizards three best players, and all three have had varying degree of problems in the NBA. They were the most dysfunctional team in the league this past season, which is saying something when your competition is the Clippers.

When you add up the character and chemistry issues, along with the void of talent in D.C, it is hard to find a situation that is less attractive for John Wall. With all that being said, I think Wall is a good enough talent to overcome the bad draw. The Wizards being good anytime soon will depend a lot on luck, even with Wall on board. Wall isn't the type of number one pick that can lift a team out of the cellar single handed.

Ask Rajon Rondo about his first year in the league with cellar dweller talent vs playing alongside three future hall of famer's last few years. Although a great point guard can make others around him better, ultimately he is only going to be as good as the talent around him. Right now, there isn't much of it in D.C. Hopefully the Wizards can put some prime time talent around John Wall sooner than later.

If I were in the Wizards shoes, I would do my best to clear the team of this knucklehead label by trading Arenas and simply starting over with Wall as the face of the franchise. Big picture, I would try to set myself up to go add Carmelo Anthony in next year's Free Agent haul. Melo is a Baltimore native, and if the Wizards can find a way to add one more talented big guy to the roster alongside Wall and Melo, that could be a very quick turnaround for the nation's capitol.

More on how the ping pong balls might affect the former Cats later!

Two letters for ya... RR

"RR"
While this tattoo could stand for such things as "Remarkably Reliant,"Rambunctious Royalty," or "Ridiculously Rare," it simply stands for one man's name: RAJON RONDO.

Coming into the series vs. the team no one thought could be beaten in the Eastern Conference (at least since LeFail James folded like a wet cardboard box), Mr. Rondo has shined. I take that back... "shined" is entirely too small of a superlative. He has flat out been the best player on the court.

Thus far in the playoffs, RR is averaging a 17.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and a whopping 10.8 apg. I don't know about you, but this is the kind of line that wins you a fantasy basketball league... and to think, all of this out of an UNDERSIZED, POOR SHOOTING PG who played his college ball under one of the most STIFLING coaches ever to grace the hardwood in Rupp Arena.

Here's to YOU, Mr. Rondo, for showing everyone in America that not only does the state of Kentucky breed some of the finest players in the world, but we also suit them up to play in front of THE BIG BLUE NATION.

And the winner is. . .

In a surprising twist, the Washington Wizards have won the John Wall sweepstakes and Andy Katz says he's ready.

The top 3 picks look like this. . .

1. Washington Wizards
2. Philadelphia 76ers
3. New Jersey Nets

More NBA coverage later, including Rondo in the Eastern Conference Finals...

Terrence Jones to Sign Tomorrow?

Looks like the Terrence Jones saga could be coming to an end tomorrow. Personally, I have moved on and don't expect us to pull this one off. You never know with Calipari though. One has to wonder if the smoke around Calipari going to the NBA right now is going to have any affect on his decision. Here is the link.

Who Will Win the John Wall Sweepstakes?

The NBA Draft Lottery is tonight at 7 p.m. CST and could affect the future of up to 5 Wildcats. Andy Katz over at ESPN talked with NBA exec's and found out their rankings of players they would take with their lottery pick.

It is pretty interesting that all 5 Wildcats were mentioned, and the only probable scenario that Wall might not be selected first is if the Jazz get the pick via their ownership of the Knicks' first round selection.

Also, the latest Mock Draft at NBADraft.net has Orton moved up to #20 and Bledsoe still in the early second round.

Finally, you can check out the Lottery simulator at ESPN for a preview of tonight's lottery picks. Every time I do the simulation it shows four Cats in the Lottery, (Wall, Cousins, Orton, and Patterson.)

So Tune in tonight and see who wins the John Wall Sweepstakes.
GO BIG BLUE!!!

Who is World Wide Wes?

Like sands through the hourglass. . .

So another day has come and gone and with it more rumors of Coach Cal & LeBron. This time the mother ship (AKA ESPN) reported that World Wide Wes was shopping a package deal of Cal and LeBron around the league. This prompted Cal to tweet:

"Now, do I have to respond to these rumors too?"

It seems to me that if Cal had any thoughts of leaving UK that he has since decided to stay in Lexington. His tone two weeks ago had me concerned, but it seems that the changes made late last week (within the program) were enough to satisfy him. If he is in fact considering the NBA he is playing with a serious poker face at this point. Over the past several days he has made various UK PR stops, worked in his office the Joe Craft Center, pulled in a big time commitment from Vargas and made numerous public statements through Twitter that he will be the coach at Kentucky next season. So I am of the opinion that he will be. So let's all just move on and be happy that it now appears that we won't be "Kiffen'ed" after all.

In other news, Larry Vaught reported earlier this evening that Dodson will return next season. This to me is a pleasant surprise as all indications at the end of the season were that he would not be on next year's roster. Dodson isn't a program changer in my opinion, but he is someone that can contribute and will give us some much needed depth and experience. I doubt we ever know exactly what happened at the conclusion of the season but whatever the issues were, they now seem resolved and the team will be better for it.

Also today, the football program got two 2011 commitments; Darien Thomas (WR) from Alabama and Kentucky's own, Josh Forrest (WR/TE) from Paducah Tilghman. Forrest is an interesting catch as he just started playing high school football and was a key factor in Tilghman's title run last season. What's more intriguing is that Forrest is a very skilled basketball player and had received some interest from Billy G before the coaching change. Forrest's high school coach said he may look into trying out for the basketball team too but is very happy if he only plays for Joker and the football Cats. Having seen Forrest on the court, he would be a legitimate walk on option in my opinion.

In basketball recruiting news, TCP reported that UK is in the mix for UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie. Moultrie is 6'11" but would have to sit out next year before he could help with the depleted frontline. Moultrie told Steve Jones of Cats' Pause that Texas and Kentucky are his final two choices.

Well, that's it from what turned out to be another interesting day in Big Blue Nation and from the looks of things it may stay that way for a while. Stay tuned...

The story that will just not die...

More on Cal and LeBron...

Rockin Robin.. Tweet... Tweet... Tweeteley Tweet

Well, that was quick... an update on the story, Coach Cal Tweeted this four minutes ago...

UKCoachCalipari: "Now, do I have to respond to these rumors too? "

Sure coach, humor us...

His Word is His Bond?

Despite Coach Calipari tweeting that he will be coaching the Kentucky Wildcats next year his name continues to be associated with Mr. LeBron James.

The Worldwide Leader reported this morning that William Wesley a.k.a. Worldwide Wes, is shopping package deals that would bring Coach Cal and LeBron to teams such as the Nets, Bulls and LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS.

I myself stated that I thought the Clippers were a major player in this whole thing and Kentucky fans won't be able to breathe a sigh of relief until Coach Cal is at midnight madness and coaching the Cats. Get ready for a Brett Favre retirement-like watch on ESPN for the next few months.

UPDATE 10:39 AM, Andy Katz is now saying that sources tell him that no such package deal is on the table and that Cal will remain at Kentucky.

Finally a PF

Evan Daniels at Scout is reporting that former Florida and Miami Dade Community College Power Forward Eloy Vargas has made a commitment to the Cats. Vargas was on campus this weekend for a visit. This should push UK up a spot to the #1 recruiting class for the second year in a row and help with a position no one seemingly wanted to fill. This is a huge pick up for Cal but I have a feeling he's not satisfied or finished. I'm sure we will have more later...

Another One Bites the Dust...

Kyle Cain, a power forward out of New Hampton Prep in New Hampshire, was released from his letter of intent from Rhode Island and was immediately contacted by Kentucky about filling our need for another power forward. He is reportedly not interested, so that is another option for power forward that has fallen through.

Hopefully, Cal and co. can pull something together to fill the one hole in our roster for next season. If not, we will still be really good, but probably not as good as we could be if Jones or another big man signed with the Cats.

Either way, it will be another fun season under coach Cal in 2010-2011. But it doesn't hurt to always want more right?

GO BIG BLUE!!!

Cal speaks...

Coach John Calipari on Facebook/Twitter this morning...

"Good morning! As you know, I've said many times that I've got the best job in the country. Still the speculation runs wild and I can't stop that. I want to address this with the Big Blue Nation one last time, I will be coaching at Kentucky next year. Now let's finish what we started!"

Works for me...

Let the real "talk" begin. . .

Tonight LeBron is out of the playoffs and he may be out of Cleveland next. Rumors abound that LeBron will be playing for a number of teams next season and most of them are not the Cavilers. No one really knows what will happen but there are plenty who are speculating tonight, including Chad Ford from ESPN. Ford said that he has heard from two different NBA insiders that King LeBron is heading to the Windy City and that Cal will likely follow him.

There is a lot of smoke concerning Cal and a number of NBA destinations, so much smoke that one would have to believe that there is some fire...even if it's only a spark. Over the next few days there will be plenty of talk and it's going to be tough to listen to all of it, because a lot of it will concern Coach Cal.

I have no idea what will happen, but my gut tells me that Cal will remain in Lexington next season. I just find it hard to believe he'll leave his "dream job" even if it means he could coach LeBron next season. If Cal's stint in the NBA taught him anything it's that NBA coaches are expendable, even Cal. Sure, he could be given the reigns with any NBA team that remains in the running for LeBron, but how long of a leash would he given with his NBA track record?

Furthermore, there seems to be a lot going on behind the scenes in Lexington. Today Coach Strickland is moved to an admin position within the program, likely paving the way for Coach Cal to bring in another moving piece of his choosing. UK also announced that Mitch will not be over the day to day operations of the program next season and that those duties will be handed to Rob Mullens. If the rumors of Mitch and Cal not seeing eye to eye are true, it makes sense that he wouldn't want to deal with Mitch on a daily basis. The talks of a contract extension are also in the works.

Seeing the pattern here? Maybe Cal is just using this NBA talk as leverage to restructure the program to his liking and to work out any kinks that may have been in his contract? I am not breaking any code here, there are a lot of people who have thought this has been the real story all along.

Maybe I am just reading too many tea leaves? But what else do we have to go on right now? That's what everyone is doing...

Strickland reassigned...

UK announced today that Coach Strickland has been reassigned to an administrative position within the program.

Coach Cal says this is a voluntary move and was based on the travel requirements for assistant coaches. Cal went on to say that Coach Strickland was a vital part in building the base to move the program forward.

I think the timing of this is fairly odd considering the Payne rumors this week and the recent legal troubles with Strickland. Either way, UK says the search to replace him is already underway and we'll probably know very soon who it will be.

2010-2011 Season... Let the guessing begin.

The beginning of the 2010-2011 season is months away, but naturally that doesn't stop anyone and everyone from throwing out wild guesses. I would rather wait a little closer to the start of the season to give you my specualtions, but here are some thoughts from ESPN's best to get the guessing games going.

• Pat Forde breaks down his teams to watch based on the guys who didn't leave for the NBA.
• Andy Katz comes out with his "Post-draft-deadline top 25" with the Cats at #13.
• Dana O' Neil thinks the wild ride from last season is sure to continue this year.
• For you extreme college basketball fans out there, here is a list of the players who tested the waters of the NBA draft, with a # beside the names who pulled their name out and will return to college this season.

These are some interesting stories to help get us all through the slow off-season; I hope you enjoy them.

GO BIG BLUE!!!

Hump Day notes. . .

Another UK site reported this morning that Kenny Payne was on the UK staff, this was later denied. It's been widely rumored that Payne would join Cal in Lexington if and when there was an opening, but until now there hasn't been one. Of course there could be an opening on the staff if Delk takes the WKU job that he interviewed for yesterday...

The national attendance figures were released today and to no one's surprise Kentucky was ahead of the pack averaging over 24,000 a game (Rupp officially holds 23,000). Little bro came in third averaging just over 19,000 a game...

Chris Low reported on ESPN radio today that Commissioner Slive is looking into expanding the SEC. They went on to say that Miami, FSU, Clemson, West Virginia and Georiga Tech were some of the schools in the mix...

With only a few days remaining in the spring signing period it's still anyone's guess what Jones will do. His mother says he's committed to signing a LOI and still says it's UW or UK. However, Jerry Myer from Rivals.com is reporting that Eloy Vargas will be on campus this weekend in Lexington. Vargas was ranked 26th in the 2008 class and played his freshman year in Florida before transfering to Miami-Dade junior college where he absolutely killed it. He would be a great get for Cal especially if Jones sticks with UW...

That's all for now, but stay tuned, the next few days should be interesting...

What about those Cats?

Next year's roster of Wildcats is finally taking shape, and so far, it doesn't look too shabby. Sure, gone to the NBA are five of Kentucky's top players, and yes, three senior leaders have graduated, but we'd be remissed to overlook the solid players that still remain on the UK roster(Miller, Liggins, Dodson, Hood, Harrellson) or the stellar recruiting class that will join them (Knight, Kanter, Lamb, Poole, Polson). I know, it's cliched and silly, but it's still true... Kentucky doesn't rebuild; we reload.

So, as the reloading is nearly complete (we're still waiting to see if Cal can land another PF), I thought it would be nice to ask a few questions about next year's team and then answer them ourselves. Of course, if you disagree, you can always share your own two cents in the comments section...

Q.) CNNSI has UK 12th for next season? Is that too high, too low, or just right?

A.) Austin: I think that's a little too high right now. JLee: I agree, definitely a Top 20 team, but we have 9 scholarship players and only one returning starter. Michael: I think that's fair right now. I mean we have a very solid class coming in and Miller and Liggins are a pretty good duo, as well. Plus, we have the best coach at handling turnover and roster churn. Gomez: I think 12 is about right. Think about where we were last year after Clyde left, and how we rebounded to a top 5 team. If you think about it from that point of view, 12 might be too low.

Q.) Who will Kentucky's best returning player be?

A.) Austin: Miller. JLee: Darius, no question. I expect a big, break out season from him. Michael: Liggins. Gomez: Liggins showed signs of being a clutch player this year. We'll need more of that for sure, and I think he'll deliver.

Q.) Who will be the best newcomer?

A.) Austin: Kanter JLee: Kanter Michael: Kanter Gomez: Knight Chris: Lamb

Q.) Do we beat UNC next season?

A.) Austin: Yes, as long as Kanter is eligible. They'll be as green as us with a weak interior. Kanter should dominate. JLee: It'll be close but advantage home team. Michael: That's a hard prediction to make this early, but I'm going to say yes, but really only because I'm a Kentucky homer. Gomez: We'll win by 30 points; UNC sucks. Seriously though, I have no idea. It's freakin' May. Chris: Carolina wins at home in a close one.

Q.) How will Kentucky do overall next season?

A.) Austin: My realistic hope is for a solid and fun season next year, but I really have no expectations on our wins and losses. We're going to see guys like Poole, Liggins, Miller, Hood, Dodson and Lamb running the dribble drive, and I think we're really going to see the system ingrained next season. JLee: Like I said before, we're a top 20 team, but we might be a player or two short from being in the running for a championship. Of course, if we could get Jones or another top recruit, we might be right there in the mix. Michael: I think we're going to be better than most people expect. I really think by the end of the season, we're going to be right there in the mix as one of the best teams in the country.

Well, that's all for now. We'll have more from our round table discussion later.

Tuesday Quick Clicks...

:: UK breaks into SI.com's power rankings.

:: Cal says he has "no interest in leaving Kentucky"
:: Rondo could be a force for Lebron to reckon with.
:: Does the recruiting deadline apply to Jones?
:: NCAA probe could prove costly for UCONN.
:: ESPNU's Biancardi is not surprised with Cal's recruiting ability.

Catching up with Mitch...

Katz on Cats...

Andy Katz and Cal have chatted about what the UK program might look like next season and its an interesting read that reveals several interesting thoughts (Dodson will return, Hood might play forward, and Cal will be studying the Knicks for ideas on how to run a four guard offense effectively)

Anyway, click here to read it for yourself. However, ignore the user comments that follow it, unless of course, you want your blue blood to boil.

More later...

Highlights: Kadeem Jack

Geting to know Kadeem Jack...

Another name that is potentially being discussed at the power forward position is Kadeem Jack. Zag says that Kentucky and UNC are both showing interest, and other top flight programs like Arizona, Arkansas, UConn, Miami and St. John’s have as well.

Read more...

Writers needed!

The Big Blue Nation Report is looking to add a writer or two this summer as we prepare for the upcoming football and basketball seasons later this year. If you love UK sports and fancy yourself a better than average writer, send an inquiry to bigbluenation@wk.net.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Weekend News and Notes...

The weekend is finally here, and we're excited about that. I went to see Iron Man 2 last night, and it was a fun movie and a nice start to the summer blockbusters. If you liked the first one, you'll most likely enjoy this one, as well. But anyway, you're not here to talk about movies, you're here to know what's going on in Big Blue Nation, so I'll try to fill ya in with what we know.

Ending weeks of speculation, it does appear that both Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton are going to stay in the NBA draft. That's really not a big surprise to anyone that's been close to the situation, so where they'll actually be drafted remains the bigger question. Some mock drafts have them going late first round or early second round, while others have them going in the lottery or mid first round. These situations are often fluid, and mock drafts are hardly reliable, so we'll just have to wait and see where our boys end up. We certainly wish them the best.

The Terrence Jones situation is still up in the air. While he still remains committed to Washington, he also says he's mainly undecided which is a pretty funny thing when you think about it. I mean, how can you be both committed and undecided? Well, anyway, expect this situation to drag out for a while longer, and because of that, Cal and company will continue to beat the bushes for a big man or two. While Marcus Thorton is no longer an option (see post below), Evan Daniels has reported that Cal and company are recruiting West Virginia big man Remi Debo, who is originally from the Ivory Coast. Catspause.com is reporting that UK hasn't yet offered the young man a scholarship, but Debo's coach has said he'll accept when and if an offer is made. We'll keep ya posted.

Meanwhile, Kyle Cain, a 6'8" power forward, has requested a release from his letter of intent to Rhode Island. Not surprisingly, Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports is reporting that UK is showing some interest. Apparently, Cain played AAU ball with Orton, so there's at least a minimal connection with Kentucky. According to ESPN, "Cain is an exceptional athlete with long arms, a cut frame, speed, quickness, the ability to play high above the rim, and a quick second leap. He's tremendously effective when getting out in transition and being around the rim on both ends of the floor." Sounds like a good fit, right? Again, we'll try to keep ya posted on this.

Well, that's all for now. We'll try to have another update later.

Thorton no longer an option...

Gomez here...

Remember Marcus Thorton? Well, if ya dont', I'll remind you; he's the kid that originally committed to play at Clemson but changed his mind after their coach left. Anyway, rumor had it that there was mutual interest between him and Coach Cal, but since then, things have supposedly gone south. And that sucks because with three big men heading to the NBA draft, and with the Terrence Jones situation still up in the air, we really need a power forward to sign on asap.

Reports all over the internet from TBK to KSR to Sea of Blue all say that Thorton will end up at either Georgia or Georgia Tech, and not Kentucky. I guess the kid wants to stay closer to home.

Geez... where have we heard that before?