NBA free agency draws near...

At midnight tonight, the NBA free agency period begins. For some, like the New York Knicks franchise, this has been a two year countdown. For others, like the Chicago Bulls, some have recently made shifts in personnel to make room for max players.

There have been some surprises already as Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki have opted out of their options with their current teams to become free agents. Most believe that Pierce and Dirk did this to work new deals with Boston and Dallas. But other guys, like Richard Jefferson opting out, are a bit more confusing.

Of course all eyes are on Cleveland and King LeBron. It's being reported that LeBron will meet with Nets and Knicks ownership tomorrow with Chicago and Miami meetings coming up too. But James isn't the only big name out there, not by a long shot.

Let's take a look at some of the biggest names available and some of their possible destinations...

LeBron James: Cleveland, Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Miami
Everyone has an opinion on where LeBron will end up. You can make a case for any of the suitors for him but I think in the end he stays in Cleveland. Still, there are many who believe he'll end up in Chicago. Chicago certainly has the goods to offer LeBron with guys like Rose and Noah already on the roster. They also have room for LeBron and one other max player. I still find it hard to believe James would go to a city where the fans and media will constantly compare him to the greatest player to ever play the game.

Dwayne Wade: Miami, New York, New Jersey, Dallas
Wade will see if there are some options that would allow him to win right away, but NBA sources say Pat Riley is committed to bringing Wade back and building around him. Miami has the cap space to sign him and one other max player.

Chris Bosh: Toronto, New York, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, LA Lakers
There isn't a real leader, or so it seems, for Bosh's services. He did say that the possibility of him playing with Wade and LeBron in Miami seems like "pie in the sky" and the numbers don't seem to work for that to happen. All three would be max players and there just isn't enough money to go around for all of them to play together. For some reason I like the Knicks to get Bosh in the end, but Miami and Chicago are certainly in play.

Amar'e Stoudemire: Phoenix, Chicago, New York, Miami, Dallas, Houston
Stoudemire could literally end up anywhere. Most believe he stays with the Suns but it's no secret that he wanted max money there and didn't get it so maybe he's ready for a change? Don't forget that he's from Florida and if Miami misses on LeBron and Bosh, they will have more then enough to bring Stoudemire to South Beach.

David Lee: New York, Toronto, Phoenix, Dallas, Miami, New Jersey
Lee is not as sexy as some of the other names on the board, but has the production that will have plenty of teams interested. New York needs a change and probably won't pay him what he deserves so his departure is likely. A sign and trade with Toronto for Bosh is a possibility. He's also on several teams back up plan such as New Jersey and Miami.

Joe Johnson: Atlanta, Miami, New York, Dallas
Johnson is also a back up plan for teams like Miami and New York if they miss out on some of the bigger names. Rumors late this evening say Atlanta is ready to give him max money to keep him in Georgia but that won't keep him from meeting with other teams over the next 48 hours. New York is likely a destination but I am not sure that they are prepared to pay him max money. New York is hoping to woo Johnson with the possibility of playing with LeBron and hoping that he's open to making less than max money. If they could work out such a deal that would leave them with enough money to possibly sign two max players like LeBron and Bosh. If Atlanta does indeed offer him max money however, it'll be hard for him to walk.

Rudy Gay: Memphis, New York, Miami, New Jersey, Dallas, Chicago
Gay is a restricted free agent allowing Memphis to match anyone's offer. New York is interested for the same reasons that they are interested in Johnson and he may be a more likely scenario for the Knicks. The question is will Memphis step up and finally become a player in the free agency period?

Carlos Boozer: Miami, Utah, New Jersey, Phoenix, Orlando
Boozer would love to be in Miami, but he's probably plan C behind LeBron and Bosh. Utah likely has conceded that Boozer won't be back as they drafted Hayward who they hope can be groomed into his role. Some rumors have Orlando working out a spot for Boozer on their roster. It could be after some of the bigger names are off the board before we'll get a good indication where he'll end up.

Dirk Nowitzki: Dallas
All indications are that he'll work out a new contract with Dallas.

Paul Pierce: Boston
Like Dirk, he's likely to rework his deal with the home team and finish his career a Celtic. If that happens, expect Boston to try and keep Ray Allen in Beantown as well. At 34, Allen is no longer in the mix for a huge contract but that's not to say that there won't be other teams interested.


There's my take for now and there are certainly a lot of other names in the mix. As with college recruiting, free agency is a fluid situation and will likely change a lot over the next few days. Expect our local NBA expert, Austin Martin to come along this weekend to give his take on all things free agency.

Stay tuned...

Cal's SEC teleconference...

The Southeastern Conference held its yearly summer teleconference with the 12 men's basketball coaches Monday morning to give an update on where the teams are midway through the offseason. As usual, UK head coach John Calipari joined the call to provide us with an update on the Kentucky men's basketball team...

John Calipari's opening statement: "I've had two really, really powerful days in this past week and I just want to address both of them quickly. One, I went to Haiti. The program and the people of Kentucky raised $1.5 million through the "Hoops for Haiti" telethon. I wanted to go down and really see what kind of impact it had. I can tell you that any money was given to save lives, it is really a sad state of affairs even six months later. The money is truly saving people but it's not doing anything for the infrastructure. There's no lights, there's no garbage pickup, there's no sanitation, there are a million people living in tents, food in ration. It's a total mess. I hope people haven't taken their eye off the ball. It's not going to be cured just by the people in Haiti. I think people are going to have to step up. Ellen and I are trying to figure out in our own little way what we can do. We went to an orphanage. It was a powerful day for me."

And then Thursday, draft day. Just being able to -- and I can't explain the emotions -- of being able to be with five families and five players who have realized their dreams, and we were connected to that. We helped created hope for their families. Obviously they did it, but we were a part of it. The call with Eric Bledsoe -- he's screaming, I'm screaming, (his) mom is screaming. It was just incredible.

I made a statement - and I'll make it again -- that it was the biggest day in Kentucky basketball history. I wasn't talking to the past. I was talking to the future. Chris Douglas-Roberts, one of my former greats at Memphis, was at my house last night for two hours and we talked. He said, 'What a great statement to make for those kids.' It was a two-hour infomercial for our league, the University of Kentucky, and it will speak volumes for five years, maybe longer. That's what I meant by that (statement).

"We're a players-first program. Players will win us national titles. We've got to figure out as a staff with the rules they are - 40 years ago it was different. They all stayed four years. It's not that way anymore. With the rules the way they are, which I don't agree with, kids should be able to go directly to the league and then stay two or three years. Those are not the rules we're playing by. How are we going to deal with those last three games and then the next two with a young team like we had last year because it looks as though we'll always have a young team.

"The returning team I'm excited about. We've got nine of them on campus right now. They're training with our weight strength (program), they're playing pickup (games). They're great kids. Brandon (Knight) comes in with almost a year of academic credits under his belt before he goes to one (college) class. You've got Doron Lamb and Stacey Poole -- great kids -- that are just going to add up that depth and strength to our guard play. Terrence Jones is just going to be one of those unique players along with Eloy (Vargas) and Enes (Kanter), who gives us size.

"And then there are the players coming back. Right now everybody is talking about Darius (Miller) that it's ridiculous. See, Darius could put himself in a position at the end of next year that he's making a decision, and maybe DeAndre (Liggins) the same deal. They're all doing well. The biggest surprise right now has been Josh Harrellson. He went to China and they were stunned how good he was. Right now, with the weight strength, are people are saying he's on a mission. All of a sudden you have a 6-10 guy, and you say, 'Well, he didn't play last year.' He played behind two first-round draft picks. No kidding. So we're looking at this saying it's going to be good.

"We are going to Canada and finalizing those things in August to try to figure out this team and who's who and who's what. I'm excited about the future. I'm excited about the future of our league. I think we've got three teams in our top 10. It's all good stuff, but I'm excited about it."

Question: In having a group like you did last year and having so many freshmen, did you learn anything as a coach that you could apply with this group since you have so many new guys?

Calipari: "The biggest thing is they've got to be good people who respect each other and want each other to do well. You cannot come to Kentucky if you want to be the only guy who can play. Go somewhere else. You cannot come here because there are going to seven or eight other guys on a mission the same as you and you've got to be for each other. If one guy is having great success for two or three weeks, you've got to be happy. If he slips, you've got to be there to try to pick him up, to tell him he's going to be OK. Those are some of the things you have to have.

"The lesson at the end of the day is, you can win a lot of games, you can win leagues and do all that, but those last three games with a young team, the anxiety of never being in the Final Four, the anxiety of not knowing how it plays out, the anxiety of our case of going 0-for-20 and never being in that position because they didn't play enough seasons. If they had been with me three seasons, there would have been a game or two that we started 0-for-20 and figured out how to win, but we were too young. We started breaking down defensively.

"But my point is, with a young team, what do we have to do to give ourselves the best chance to win? The players are going to win us national titles. That's why you've got to keep looking after players. The '96 team had 11 NBA Draft picks on it. If we're about these kids, we're about them getting better, and then figuring out with a really, really young team, how do we finish it off, because we did everything else. Only one Kentucky team won more games than last year's team and that was 1948. So we did everything short of those last couple games. This is a one-and-done tournament so one game can shut you down. But believe me, we're looking at this saying if these rules don't change, we're going to have a young team just about every year we coach."

Question: There was great value in what Patrick (Patterson) did for you. How much do you need a Darius and DeAndre, who have been around, to step up in leadership roles.

Calipari: "It's not just leadership roles. It's service leadership. Sometimes leaders think you get the towel for me, it's my turn, go get my water, understand this is my team (so) don't try to do too much because this is my team, my turn. We don't need that here and you can't have it here. What you're doing is you're challenging them to get better because they're in turn going to challenge you to get better, which means you're going to have the opportunities to realize your dreams. If we really do well together, even if I score less and play less minutes, it's going to be better for me and I'm going to get a chance to realize my dreams.

"I understand parents want their kids to play 40 minutes and score 30 points and truly be the only one to score any points, but you can't be that way here. If you're having that on the outside, you just can't listen to that. You have to be strong enough to withstand all the chatter. You've got to have a leadership by service leadership, that you're there for all these kids. I believe we have that. Darius, last year was the first time he had every played for me and the first time he had every played that way. It was the first time he's played (a lot). Now, all of a sudden he's put in his second year with me in a position that yeah, it's on you a little bit. I think he's going to respond."

To read more of this and more, visit the official UK athletics website.

Cal on the air...

Gomez here...

Cal took to the radio waves last Friday and discussed some of things that have been discussed recently, such as the NBA draft, his relationship with LeBron and his rumored interest in returning to the professional coaching ranks. It's a fun listen, so click the link below to check it out.

Monday Football Links...

:: Joker has to continue to build on Rich's sucesses
:: Locke continues to heal from off-season accident
:: Joker will continue tour of state with Gam3Day Ready program
:: UK tries to hold on to recruiting commitments
:: Texas Linebacker sold on Joker, UK program
:: Rich Brooks is enjoying retirement from coaching
:: Former UK coach getting fresh start at Georgia State

MORE LATER...

Meeting the latest King...

One on One with Patrick Patterson...

Cal talks about new roster...

Washington rolls out red carpet...

Weekend Quick Clicks...

:: Andy Katz talks about UK's historic night in the draft
:: DeMarcus Cousins wants to be "Rookie of the Year"
:: Goodman says you better get used to seeing Cats on draft night
:: DeCourcy thinks teams will regret passing on Cousins
:: Recruit Quinn Cook is hearing lots of talk about Kentucky

:: NCAA proposes delaying when athletic scholarships can be offered

MORE LATER

Wall honored...

John Wall Superstar. . .

NBA Draft.... What Do You Need to Know?

1. Don't dress like this (above): Stay classy Joakim.

2. Lack of Franchise Players: Outside of the top 5 (in no particular order) of Wall, Cousins, Turner, Johnson and Favors there are no true franschise players. That doesn't mean that none of the others couldn't develop into franchise players, but it will make for awesome theatre tonight after pick #5 because there will be a lot of moving and shaking, teams moving up to get players they want, teams moving down due to what has been left at their pick.

3. Financial Climate of the NBA/LeBron James Sweepstakes: I grouped these two together because I think they go hand in hand. Earlier reports in the week said that whatever team traded fro Chris Paul could also get LeBron James. Trading a future Hall of Famer such as Paul is absurd on paper, but with the New Orleans Hornets going broke they will be looking to dump salaries and of this morning, looking to dump the #11 pick. A climate that Paul wants no part of. The Indiana Pacers are another team in dire financial straits. Due to the amount of money and notoriety that LeBron James could bring to the table I think GMs are going to be dumping salaries and making deals to position themselves for a run at the King. Something to watch. Which brings us to #4..

4. The fate of the Five Cats: its the night that Wall, Cousins, Orton, Patterson and Bledsoe all came to Kentucky for, the night they will have thier name called and shake their hands with the commissioner. When factoring in all of the factors discussed above the only certains are this. Wall and Cousins will be taken in the top five. Wall at 1 with the Wizards, as he becomes the first Kentucky Wildcat in SCHOOL HISTORY to become the first pick in the NBA Draft, and Big Cuz going, I think #5 to Sacramento (although, I think he is the second best player and possibly 10 years from now, the best player in the draft).

After that its a crap shoot. I have seen mock drafts where Patterson has went as low as #22 and as high as #10. I think he makes it in the top 10, or 11. I have a feeling the Pacers like him a lot and whatever team takes New Orleans' pick could be in the mix as well.

Bledsoe has bounced around the 14th pick, but I could see the Raptors taking him and if he slides to Boston he could be taken there.

Daniel Orton has been the only Wildcat out of the group to slide. I mean, what's not to like about 3.3 ppg, 3 rebounds a game, a controlling father who meddles in his business, character issues, and a bum knee. C'Mon guys. With that being said, the NBA is all about potential. I see Orton joining Kevin Durant in OKC or going to the Spurs.

5. Coach Cal working the room: Coach Cal haters better not watch the draft tonight. He will be plastered all over ESPN. Interviews, appearances... Cal doing his thing. It will be a great night for Kentucky basketball as the first round of the draft will be one big advertisement and promotional tool for the basketball program and Coach Cal. No college basketball team has ever had five players drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft. Its going down tonight.

GO CATS!!!

Cousins Prefers Detroit?

Draftexpress is reporting that our man Demarcus Cousins preferred landing spot in the draft is in Detroit. The Pistons currently own the #7 pick, but there have been rumors of them using Tayshaun Prince or Rip Hamilton to move up to #5 and nab Cousins. It seems pretty risky to hope for Cousins to slip all the way to #7, although it isn't out of the question.

I know it would create a small dent in his pocket to slip to #7, but I feel that it would ultimately be in his best interests. For one thing, falling down the draft would give him a bit of a chip on his shoulder. That edge has served several guys well, Paul Pierce and Caron Butler being two that come to mind. Neither of those guys have forgotten the teams that passed on them, using that as fuel to become elite NBA players.

Cousins might not be mature enough at this time to give a top three pick, but I would bet on him making those General Manager's passing on him look incompetent. He seems like just the type that would revel in reminding teams that pass on him how they screwed up as he develops into a perennial All Star player. This is something that Calipari mentioned in his Outiside the Line's piece yesterday talking about Cousins, and I totally agree.

One of my favorite moments, and something I bring up pretty frequently is interviewing Demarcus Cousins after the Miami (OHIO) game this year. I got the full gambit of emotions in that limited interaction. If you remember from that game he had a mix up with Calipari and was benched for an extended period of time. As the game progressed Orton ended up getting taken out of the game with a pretty tough spill, which didn't sit too well with Big Cuz. He looked terrible for the first part of that game but came in with a spirited effort in the second half to help us get the win.

During the post-game interview, Cousins looked like he was ready to knockout anyone that might rub him the wrong way. As the interview went on he showed more and more of his personality and gave some great quotes along the way. I was very unsure to that point about what his future held, but came away with a lot better opinion of the Alabama native.

The way Cousins plays and conducts himself seems tailor made for a reinvention of Bad Boys Basketball in Detroit. If anyone would appreciate him, it would be the Pistons and Joe Dumars. Dumars has made some terrible personnel decisions after he assembled a championship caliber team. As much as his mistakes hurt a guy like Tayshaun at this point of his career, it is perfect for Cousins. His questionable calls have created an opportunity for a young guy like Cousins to come in and make a huge impact on that roster.

Part of me hopes Tayshaun could join forces with Cousins to help turn the Palace of Auburn Hills into Lexington North. It would be great to have two of my all time favorite Cats on the same NBA squad. I could also see how it might be time for Tay to move on to greener pastures. He is in the prime of his career and ready to help contribute to a championship level team. That isn't something in the cards for Detroit anytime soon, with or without Demarcus Cousins.

We shall see how things fall in the next couple days, but Cousins to Detroit might be too good for everyone to pass up.

Happy Father's Day

Would like to wish a happy father's day to the million's of father's that read this site each day. Hope you enjoy it hot outside, because that is what you are looking at for the next week or so anyway. If you would rather avoid the oppressive heat and are looking for something to watch this afternoon, there was a Tiger Woods sighting yesterday in Pebble Beach at the U.S Open if that interests you.

Tiger, Phil, and Ernie Els are chasing Dustin Johnson. There have been several young players recently showing a glimpse of the future, but Johnson might very well end up being the best of the bunch. Tiger describes him as "stupid long". The world's best players fall over themselves to play their practice round with this guy, and the rumor is Johnson plays and wins big money off these guys in the money games during practice rounds.

Johnson plays a different game than any of us mortals will ever play. Should be interesting to see if he can withstand the pressure today on golf's biggest stage. Expect some fireworks, as it appears the USGA set up the golf course with birdies in mind. Expect plenty of NBA draft talk in the next couple of days, but until then sit back and celebrate Father's day with some golf on this Lazy Sunday.

Most Important Game 7 Ever!!!

BUCKLE UP KIDDOS!!

Game Seven in LA will be the most important game seven in recent NBA history. A ton on the line. Hall of Fame tickets for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen could be punched. The University of Kentucky's Rajon Rondo could claim his second NBA title before his car insurance is discounted (age 25).

For the Lakers they get to avenge the 08' Finals, Kobe gets to take another step in trying to over take Michael Jordan's legacy and Phil Jackson tries to overtake Red Auerbach in NBA Championships.

Big night tonight in the NBA historically, Celts 92 Lakers 90 with the Truth, Paul Pierce hitting the game winner.

EVIL

No, not a blast from the past here (unless you are Mexico)... just a quick reminder of exactly what TEXAS is: EVIL!

Why the harsh words? Well, although I could go in about 200 different directions, for the sake of this site, let's look at the effects on THE University of Kentucky.

I know some of you are asking, what effect can this possibly have on UK, other than the fact that the SEC will most likely not expand now? The answer is quite simple. MONEY
.

With the way UTexas has strong-armed the entire Big 12 conference into not only giving it the lion's share of all revenues earned throughout the league, but they are also apparently going to allow them to have their own television network! I'm unsure at this point as to whether or not it will be a state-wide network, involving schools such as TTU, Tamu, Baylor, Rice, Houston, etc., or one solely devoted solely to UTexas.

If UTexas gains such a huge payout, which they now will, they will have an enormous ability to greatly improve all sporting teams. Football, yes, but also basketball. With more money means better facilities... better accommodations... better coaches. All that adds up to an even more competitive Longhorns squad on the hardwood.

Now that things are finally swinging back positively for the 'Cats, I for one am against anything that can post a potential threat, and this is one of those things.

Tuesday Afternoon Delight's

Man, for what is usually a down time for college athletics (at least the ones that most people care about), there have been some big time stories stealing the headlines from the pro's. Texas did their part yesterday to keep college sports in the headlines. Personally, I am glad Texas chose to stick with the Big 12.

I am sure they made their decision based solely on the bottom line, so forgive me for not wearing my hand out patting them on the back. Still, the step will likely keep college athletics from taking another step towards professionalization. The proposed East/West layout of that PAC Monster conference looked more like a Pro Sports league than the regional conferences we are used to.

If The Big Ten decided to go to a super conference, the SEC's hand would have likely have been forced to do the same. It could have had far reaching consequences had Texas not stayed put, and I am glad they decided to do so. So even if the reasons probably had less to do with regional rivalries or the wishes of alumni, the end result is a positive for college sports.

Also, College Basketball is usually on the back burner in the middle of June, but the Cavaliers courtship of Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo is keeping our beloved hoops on people's minds. The departure of one of the sport's best coaches would have huge ramifications. Izzo has helped carry the torch for Big Ten basketball for the better part of the last ten years. Traditional power Indiana has fallen on tough times, and Izzo's final four run's have been something for the conference to hang its hat on.

The addition of Nebraska is going to do very little in the way of helping Big Ten basketball, and Izzo's departure would be a tough blow for what is traditionally a tough to watch hoops conference. Ohio State and Purdue have positioned themselves for some success with dynamic young coaches, but you have to wonder if either is truly ready to be the standard bearer like Izzo has turned State into.

Finally, we are only ten days away from the NBA draft. Five former Cats are waiting anxiously to find out where they will begin their pro careers. The buzz right now is that Wall is a lock for the Wizards, but everything else is up in the air. It looks more and more like Cousins is going to slip down the #5 or lower. Personally, I think he will end up with the Kings, but it is a very fluid situation with a little more than a week to go.

Patterson seems to have solidified himself as the third Cat in the Draft Lottery, but Orton and Bledsoe's stock are still very much in the air. There is a lot of smoke that Miami and Memphis might be two teams interested, but you never know this time of year. These two could go anywhere from the middle of the first round, all the way down to a second round pick. Expect more news on the NBA Draft over the next week. Do yourself a favor and tune into Game 6 tonight between the Lakers and Celtics. This one seems destined for 7 games, but we will see if Rondo and the Celtics have anything to say about that tonight.

Sunday links. . .

Several of our bloggers, (Mike, Jonathan, Gomez) are on vacation this week, so there may not be as many updates as usual. Those of us still around, will do our best to keep you informed on what's going on in Big Blue Nation. Here are a few headlines that are making their way through Cyberspace.

5-Star PF, Johnny O'Bryant expects to visit UK soon...

Here's another example of Tipton being Tipton...

Rondo and the Celtics prepare for game 5...

Tom Izzo's future with Michigan State still uncertain...

SI has more on UK's Canadian tour...

The Wildcats still dominate draft projections...

John Conner signs with the Jets...

Kentucky All-Stars hang tough, but fall to the north...

We'll be around later...have a great Sunday evening...

Friday talking points. . .

The Post reports that the Wizards will take Wall No. 1...
TCP releases an early look at the football depth chart...
Rondo and the Celtics tie the finals at 2-2 with win Thursday...
Team building begins for Cal's new cats...
Alabama Athletic officials reschedule "Bledsoe meeting"....

More later...

Kentucky vs. Windsor in August...

As part of its Canada tour, Kentucky will take on Windsor in two exhibitions this August just over the border near Detroit. Windsor announced that the two games will take place on August 15 and 17. Tickets are about $10.50 a piece, and there are only 2,500 seats available.

"Kentucky," Windsor coach Chris Oliver said in a statement, "will be an incredible test for us." The Lancers were ranked in the country's top 10 for the entire season, and should be a decent match-up for the Cats, helping them prepare for the upcoming 2010-2011 season.

The folks in Windsor are apparently excited about the prospect of playing such a high profile college team from the States. Reads a headline in the Windsor Star: "Bring on the Wildcats."

Okay, Windsor... you asked for it.

Hood and Harrellson reflect on China experience...

pwned

I personally think Lane Kiffin is one of the worst people in sports. From backstabbing and shady underdealings, although it be to Tennessee, to failing as head coach of the Raiders. The man shows no loyalty and Karma struck today as news spread about USC being banned from bowl games for the next two years.

Not Kentucky related news, but good college sports news nonetheless.

Watcha' going to do, Tom?

There's not a whole lot going on in Big Blue Nation specifically right now, but the college basketball off-season continues to be somewhat eventful, and most specifically at the moment, the Tom Izzo to Cleveland story.

I have to admit, when I first saw the ticker on ESPN report the story earlier in the week, I really didn't think there was much of a chance that Izzo would actually make the jump to the NBA. While I have no doubt that he'd build a good relationship with both upper management and the players, I don't feel like Izzo's overall style of basketball would translate well to the NBA game.

I mean, the jump from college to the NBA is difficult anyway, even for coaches with NBA styles of play (Pitino and Calipari immediately come to mind), but when you have the type of play that seems custom made for the Big 10, it would seem to me to be an even taller hurdle for Izzo to cross.

Think about it... try to name me one college coach (other than Larry Brown) that has made a successful transition to the next level. Tough one, huh? No, most coaches go to the league, make some big bucks despite mediocre results, get fired, and eventually end up emailing their resume to collegiate athletic directors.

Yet, numerous reports today have claimed that Izzo met with his players and coaches this afternoon, and he at least admitted to having some interest in the Cleveland job. Of course, whether he takes the job or not has to hinge almost entirely on what King James plans to do with his free agency. If he were to sign with the Cavs again, the head coaching job would most certainly be enticing. If LeBron were to decide to take his game to a bigger, flashier market, the Cleveland job would then become what Coach Cal would call an "outpost" type job, despite its $6 million plus salary.

So, as the sports world keeps an ear towards East Lansing to see what Izzo might decide, the questions should probably stay on LeBron. What he decides will have a large ripple affect on both the professional and college game, and will give us all a good indication as to what sidelines Tom Izzo will be stalking next season.

Personally, I like Izzo and would like him to stay around in the college game. However, you can't really blame the guy for doubling his income while having the opportunity to coach perhaps the best (current) player in the game.

It'll be interesting to see how the story shakes out, so stick around here for the latest.

Former Cat Spotlight: Rajon Rondo

GET ER' DONE WEDNESDAY

*SIGH*

Moving on up, to the East side, to a deluxe apartment in the skyyyyy. Nebraska today tipped over what will be the first domino in what is speculated to be the remodelling and overhaul of college sports as we know it, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers Board of Trustees reported voted to pick up stake and move to the Big Ten.

When reading reports some of the colleges most affected is Notre Dame, as it is rumored they will make a long anticipated move to the Big Ten and Kansas and Kansas State who are left homeless when everyone moves out of the artist formerly known as the Big 12. Both Kansas and K-State coaches Self and Frank Martin expressed concern over being left homeless in a Sports Illustrated article by Luke Winn.

So why not pose this question/statement.. Why not invite Kansas and K-State into the SEC? Geographically its doesn't work into the scheme of things, but then again, how in the world does Texas and Oklahoma fit into the Pac 10 geographically?

In the football sense I think both of those teams work for the SEC, while they aren't powerhouses I think that they are on the same level as a South Carolina and possibly Tennessee at this point.

In basketball it benefits the SEC tremendously, as a college basketball super power joins the SEC in Kansas and Kansas State provides an opportunity to add an up and coming program to the portfolio as well. Add in the ACC teams that we have previously mentioned and the SEC becomes the second super power conference. Food for thought and I am sure its not feezable for K State and Kansas to join the SEC.

However, if Oklahoma a school that is 1630.50 miles from the Pac 10 headquarters in Walnut Creek, California, can join the Pac 10 then why the heck not??

Tuesday Quick Clicks...

:: A suspect ranking of the SEC QB's by Bleacher Reports
:: This guy thinks Cousins will be a different type of NBA center
:: Former Wildcat big man is making positive headlines in Canada
:: Michigan State's Izzo now linked to Cleveland Cavaliers job
:: The facts do not support public's perception of coach Cal
:: UT's Pearl will miss Wall and Cousins being in the SEC
:: Cal is no John Wooden, according to this guy's opinion

MORE LATER...

More on John Wall and the NBA draft...

High Stakes Land Grab

(When google image searching for "conference realignment" this photo was suggested. I agree..)

With the news this week that the Pac-10 has made the first move in offering Big 12 teams such as Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Colorado a chance to joining the Pac-10, Kentucky and SEC fans are left thinking what will become of the SEC if those six teams join? It also sets up a big time showdown between the SEC and Pac-10 to get those prized schools from the Big 12.

Originally it was thought that the Big Ten would fire the first shots over the bow leaving the SEC to take those power teams such as Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12. However, with the Pac-10 taking the first shot and assuming that those Big 12 teams follow suit and join the Pac-10, where does the SEC look for teams for its own personal power conference?
I would have to think that the SEC would drain the ACC when it looks for teams to join the Power SEC, as I call it :). Georgia Tech (an original SEC member), FSU, Miami Clemson and Va Tech would be in play.

Personally, I would rather have the SEC take from the Big 12. Texas, Oklahoma, OK State and Texas Tech would benefit the SEC in both football and basketball. I have always been from the school of thought that the ACC is an overrated football conference. So I don't see how adding those teams helps the SEC too much.

From a basketball standpoint the the ACC gain doesn't help the SEC much either, as none of those programs added are powerhouses. It just seems to me that the Big 12 teams would be far more benficial to not only the Big 12 teams coming in but to the SEC as well. The SEC needs to extend an invite to those Big 12 team as well and get in on the land grab before its too late.

With schools being taken from the ACC and Big 12 we haven't even scratched the surface on what would happen to the rest of the college landscape, as the dominos that would fall in the Big Ten, Big East and other conferences could push it to the realm to where conferences could be nearly unrecognizable. Murray State in the Conference USA??? I digress.. lol. Just my thoughts on conference realignment on a Monday morning.

That is all.

Weekend Update

:: John Wall's rise to the top wasn't easy
:: The games go on, but it won't be the same without Wooden
:: Rondo and the Celtics try to bounce back tonight in game 2
:: No Cal, no problem; Bulls hire Celtics assistant Thibodeau
:: Calipari's name back in play in Cleveland?

More later...

Cal speaks...

Keeping with his normal routine Coach Cal chose Andy Katz to clear up some of the misunderstandings surrounding him and the UK program. It was good to hear Cal clear up some of the stuff that has been rumored over the last few weeks.

"When you're coaching at Kentucky, you're held to a different standard and like in politics there is a core group that absolutely loves you and everyone else is trying to unseat you in any way they can -- anything to trip you up, that's what it is. If you're not up to that, then don't coach at Kentucky. If you are faint of heart as they come at you, there's no way to defend everything, then you march on."

While it was long over due for Cal to address these issues directly with the media you can be assured that the local media types will complain that he again chose a national guy to do with it. Maybe if Tipton and some of the guys weren't so quick to jump on Cal then maybe he would throw them a bone or two every once in a while.

Maybe.

West Kentucky gets no love, thanks to NCAA

Yesterday, while reading the press release about Cal's basketball camps for youngsters, I couldn't help but notice right away that none of this year's locations were on the western end of our great state.

As most of you probably know, BBNR is based out of Carlisle County, which is as far west as you can go without falling into the Mississippi River. However, I'm so used to the west side getting left out of everything that I didn't even bother to make mention of it last night. I mean, we know we're Kentuckians down here, and we know we love our Big Blue just as much (or more) than some of our brethren in the central and eastern portions of the state, even if no one else does.

However, because we are based in the western end of the state means we have a large portion of our readership from that same area, and many of you weren't as forgiving as I was last night. I've heard alot of complaints about the fact that western Kentucky was left out of the camp tour, and how it was just another example of how UK never does anything for the fans down here.

So, in the interest of keeping the peace (and reminding you that its not a horribly long drive to Elizabethtown if you're just dying to dress up like a child and sneak into a camp just to be close to Cal and the staff) please know this isn't UK or Cal's fault. It's the NCAA's, a common enemy we can all hate.

Apparently, they have a rule that says schools cannot hold a camp like this any further than 100 miles away from their main campus. Clearly, Kentucky branched out in all directions as much as possible, but were honestly limited to how far they could go.

So, with that in mind, lets just say we still love our Cats down here, and we forgive them for not breaking the NCAA rules on our behalf.

More later...

Camp info announced...

Coach Cal and his staff will travel around the state of Kentucky in June and August to teach the game of basketball to the youth of the Commonwealth with an upcoming series of basketball instructional day camps.

The camps, which will include instruction from the Kentucky Basketball coaching staff, allow participants to learn the game of basketball through a fundamental, intensive learning environment. The camps will give individuals the chance to learn more about the game of basketball, introducing drills that can be used at home.

Open to children in kindergarten through sixth grades, each session will also help the individuals develop positive attitudes, as well as gain more confidence on and off the court. In addition to learning the game, participants will receive a Kentucky Basketball t-shirt, as well as opportunities for autographs and photos.

The fee for each camp is $75 per child. Online registration is available. All camps will open at sites one hour before check-in. For more information, please contact the Kentucky Basketball office at (800) 852-2875.

June 14
London, Kentucky
North Laurel High School
9:00 a.m. to Noon
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

Williamsburg, Kentucky
Whitley County High School
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

June 15
Somerset, Kentucky
Southwestern High School
9:00 a.m. to Noon
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

Danville, Kentucky
Danville High School

4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

June 16
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown High School
9:00 a.m. to Noon
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown High School
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

June 25
Louisville, Kentucky
St. Xavier High School
9:00 a.m. to Noon
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

Louisville, Kentucky
Christian Academy of Louisville
4:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

August 5
Maysville, Kentucky
Mason County High School
9:00 a.m. to Noon
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

Newport, Kentucky
Newport Central Catholic High School
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For Boys and Girls K-6th Grades (Entering)

Joker to debut on ABC...

The Joker Phillips era of Kentucky football will kick off at Louisville on Saturday September 4 at 2:30 p.m. CST and will be televised by ABC Sports. The game will be part of an ABC three-way regional telecast. The other two games that will be regionally televised are UCLA at Kansas State and Connecticut at Michigan, but we don't care about those.

The UK-Louisville contest will be the first game for the new head coaches at both schools, Joker Phillips at Kentucky and Charlie Strong at Louisville. Kentucky leads the all-time series, 13-9, and the Wildcats have won the last three games of the intrastate rivalry.

We hope for more of the same this year, as well!

John Wall getting ready for draft...

Wednesday Quick Clicks...

:: Coach Cal makes big donation to Memphis charity
:: SEC considering tweaking their conference's basketball format
:: Why does everyone hate John Calipari, sportswriter wonders

:: Peevy responds for UK: NCAA cleared Bledsoe
:: Some coaches say the Bledsoe probe isn't as it seems
:: All sorts of updates on UK football

MORE LATER...

Mike DeCourcy

Mike DeCourcy is often the voice of reason on what can be the wild and ridiculous landscape of the college basketball media.

Personally, I enjoy reading his articles because he clearly doesn't have any favorites teams, coaches or players, nor does he seem to have an axe to grind with anyone either (we're looking at you Forde). No, Mike just sticks with the facts.

With that in mind, If you're looking for an unbiased opinion on all things college basketball, you should look no further than the Sporting News to see what DeCourcy thinks. Today, he wrote a great piece concerning Coach Cal and UK, and it is certainly worth the read.

In the article, he makes some good points, specifically how much of a stink the media has made over the Bledsoe situation, especially during a week that both Kansas and UConn have far worse scandals on their hands.

Good point, Mike. And that's not the only one either... so, read it for yourself.

The Witch Hunt Continues...

Gomez here...

For those of you that have been wondering where I've been, please accept my deepest heartfelt apologies. To be honest, I spent most of the holiday weekend trying to look at anything other than the Bledsoe situation, and I was mainly successful in that endeavor. I watched a few old Westerns, enjoyed lots of major league baseball, lounged by the pool and read a good book. In short, it was a nice break.

Let me be clear, its not that I'm overly concerned about what will result from the ordeal, but instead, it was just a little organized anger management on my part. If I had spent my holiday weekend pouring over blogs and message boards, and had I endured the constant finger pointing towards our coach and basketball program by some of the mainstream media, I would have blown my freakin' top. So, instead, I took the high road and purposely ignored it all.

Still, its there, lingering in my mind like a bad memory you wished you could forget but can't. But, in reality, I guess we just need to accept this kind of off-season treatment for now, at least while Cal's at Kentucky. Our head coach has his fair share of critics, his enemies, and his just plain haters, and they will continue the witch hunt as often as they need to until they find something, anything, to blow up bigger than it should be, in a continuous effort to implicate Calipari in "more" wrongdoing.

They will keep coming, the hunt will continue, and I'm afraid we'll have to grow some thicker skin. We can't get too concerned over every question or comment that's sent our program's way, or we'll be in a constant state of anger and confusion.

We'll just have to roll with the punches and let them have their hunt. Remember, sometimes, there is no fire... only smoke. Or in this case, hot air.