Saturday Notes...

Good morning folks. Happy weekend to ya. Here's a few notes for you to enjoy on this fine day...

:: For the most part, I can't stand the hypocrisy of the sports media. When Calipari is demonized for two incidents that he had nothing to do with, and a media darlings like Coach K and Lute Olsen get free passes, it just drives me crazy. Even coaches like Bill Self and Jim Calhoun have had worse encounters with the NCAA, but you hardly ever hear about those. I know this is old news, and something we've complained about before, but with yesterday's news of Arizona's vacated wins, I wonder where the Calipari-like outrage is? Crucify Cal if you want, but please treat the other coaches with the same type of scrutiny.

:: The annual Kentucky Football Fan Day has been slated for Saturday, August 7 at Commonwealth Stadium. There will be a bonus for the fans this year as new head coach Joker Phillips will hold an open practice starting at 6 p.m. ET. Gates open at 5 p.m. ET, when 3-D posters and schedule cards will be given away. The open practice will run until 8 p.m. ET and be followed by an introduction of the players and an autograph session. Players and coaches will sign autographs before a fireworks show closes the event. The fireworks are scheduled to take place at approximately 9:30 p.m. ET. This is a great opportunity for fans to get out there and support our new coach and this year's football team. Should be a great day.

:: John Wall was back in Lexington for Cal's pro camp. While there, Wall told reporters that he hopes there won't be too much pressure on freshman Brandon Knight to have the kind of season he enjoyed in his "one and done" campaign at Kentucky. While I understand where he's coming from, I really don't think there will be that kind of expectations piled upon his back. Lead this year's team to a national title? Yes! Play just like John Wall. No. In other words, just win, Brandon... and right, wrong, or indifferent, those are the same expectations that are put upon any player that decides to don the blue and white of the Wildcats.

:: The circus (also known as the Sypher trial) continues to unravel in Louisville. I don't care to share anymore specifics than those we've already reported on this site, but there's a number of places online you can get those juicy details if you're interested. All I can really say is that it's an ugly mess, and it makes you wonder if Rick would like to hop into Marty McFly's car and just pay off the crazy chick before all this went public. Of course, that's beside the point now, and the details of this scandal will linger on for the rest of his career, and most likely, his life. While, I'm not much of a fan of Pitino anymore (1996 was a long time ago), I do feel sorry for his family.

Well, I guess that's all for now, but we'll be back later this weekend with some UK related updates, rumors and links for you to enjoy.

Operation Win helping the community...

Wall comes home...

Wanna Sneak Peek at Cal's 2nd Season?

According to Dave "Buzz" Baker, the UK exhibition games in Canada will be televised on BBSN, WKYT and WYMT August 15, 16 and 17. Generally, BBSN is available on Fox Sports Channels, as well. If true, that will be epic.

I had heard from local radio people that the games will be on the radio, as well. Also epic.

So for those of you counting down the days until Big Blue Madness in October, keep your chin up. You're about to get a rare early look at Cal's second campaign in Lexington, and a sneak peek at his newest crop of NBA-ready talent.

Woot woot!

Pitino wraps up testimony...

After a rough couple of days on the stand, Rick Pitino has finished testifying in the case of Karen Sypher, the chick who demanded millions from him after they had sex in a restaurant booth.

According to reports out of Louisville today, Pitino said he didn't immediately report threatening phone calls because he didn't want his family to find out. The embattled coach said that he kept quiet to "contain" the details of the sexual tryst from embarrassing his family.

Apparently, today, Pitino and the attorney for Karen Sypher had multiple heated exchanges during more than two hours of questioning. Yesterday, Pitino admitted on the stand the two had sex in a restaurant booth but denied that it was rape, as Sypher alleges.

During questioning about the rape allegation, Pitino interrupted defense lawyer James Earhart saying he's "here to give the truth." Earhart replied: "I bet you are."

Oh to be a fly on the wall.

The Boogie Returns!

Thursday Quick Clicks...

:: Phillips, Strong looking forward to big game between Cats, Cards
:: Cal looking forward to using more of the Dribble Drive Offense
:: Highly sought recruit, Austin Rivers still considering UK
:: Michael Gilchrist could be even better than advertised
:: Coach Cal has a bold, impressive recruiting strategy at UK
:: Pitino takes the stand, talks about sexual encounters with Sypher

MORE LATER

Hartline looking forward to Senior Season

A day in the life of DeMarcus Cousins...

Pitino takes the stand...

Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino has arrived at federal court for the extortion trial of a woman with whom he had a sexual fling. Pitino walked through the front door of U.S. District Court in Louisville about 11 a.m. this morning, the third day of the trial of Karen Cunagin Sypher.

Pitino is expected to soon take the stand against Sypher, a Louisville woman accused of trying to extort millions from him inexchange for keeping silent about their sexual encounter. Pitino has said he and Sypher had consensual sex at a restaurant table.

Years later, Sypher called it rape, an allegation dismissed by prosecutors and police. Sypher has pleaded not guilty.

Here's a video recapping yesterday's courtroom drama...

2010 UK Football Preview by Kentucky Sports Report...

Seth Davis chats with coaches about the upcoming season...

Gomez here...

Seth Davis recently made the rounds with a number of high profile coaches to scout the upcoming college hoops season. One of those coaches was our very own John Calipari.

While we are certainly not fans of Seth Davis around here, we decided to share the link with you anyway. If for no other reason but to see what Coach Cal thinks about next year's UK team.

Because of that, and mainly because its July, and news of any kind is generally slow right now, we thought there might be a chance that you would actually spend some of your valuable time reading what this moron has put together.

Click here to read Seth's latest effort at sounding like he knows what he's talking about.

Close, Seth, but no cigar.

Susan Shan loves the Wildcats (and us!)

One of the cool things about running this site is all the cool people you get to meet along the way. One of those people for me is the lovely Ms. Susan Shan (pictured on the left). I've been a fan of her for a while, and if you're not yet, you will be soon.

Shan is a sports journalist and a lover of all things Kentucky Basketball...

"While watching a blue team play against a red team on television, she became emotionally invested in the blue team because blue was her favorite color. Only a five-year-old would become impassioned from a uniform’s color. Whether Kentucky beat Indiana that day is irrelevant. Susan had become a devoted member of Big Blue Nation."
- from http://www.susanshan.com/

When someone as cool as Shan voluntarily becomes a member of the Big Blue Nation, it only speaks to the overwhelming influence of our basketball program in not only our own state, but all across the world. While Susan blogs about a great many things on her site, she always keeps a close eye on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Recently, Shan was kind of enough to list our little blog as one of the best Kentucky sites on the web, and its only fitting that we return the favor. If you're not a fan of Susan Shan, it's time to correct that mistake right now.

Click over to her site today and see just how cool she is for yourself... and yeah, she's pretty hot too.

Joker's Operation Win Turning Heads...

Last week at the SEC media days, Joker Phillips made a great first impression as the new head coach of the UK football program. So much in fact that Joel Barker of The Bleacher Report ranked him as having the most impressive appearance of all 12 SEC coaches...

"Maybe it's because Joker is one of the newest SEC coaches. He still hasn't coached his first down in a game for the Wildcats. So, maybe he hasn't had a chance to get jaded yet. Or maybe he's just a great personality with a great vision for a program that has experienced some success recently, but is nowhere close to the top teams in the conference. Either way, Joker Phillips was extremely impressive on the first day of SEC Media Days. He talked of his 'Operation Win' plan with the fervor and passion of a pastor beckoning his parishioners to spread the good news."

With the kick off of the Joker Phillips era just a mere 40 days away, its nice to see individuals outside of the Bluegrass State showing some love for our new coach. Let's just hope the hype translates to a solid product on the field.

Kentucky's season begins on Saturday, September 4 with a trip to Papa John's Stadium in Louisville.

Media Selects Pre-Season Favorites...

After being named to the Preseason All-Southeastern Conference first team by league coaches earlier in the week, University of Kentucky wide receiver/quarterback Randall Cobb and tailback Derrick Locke have been voted 2010 All-SEC Media Days Football first and second team by members of the media, it was announced Friday.

Both players were named to the first team by way of special teams. Cobb was selected as a first-team all-purpose player, while Locke was voted as a first-team return specialist. Out of the four players voted first-team special teams, Cobb received the most votes with 123 while Locke was marked on 43 ballots.

Both of the UK stars also made the second team on offense - Cobb as a wide receiver and Locke as a running back. Locke received the fifth-most votes on the second-team offense with 40 while Cobb gained 14 votes.

Kentucky joins Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Georgia as the only teams to have multiple selections on the first and second teams. UK finished fifth in the conference with four selections, trailing Alabama (12), Florida (10), Auburn (six) and Georgia (six).

The honors for Cobb and Locke come days after the two Wildcat stars were selected to the Preseason All-SEC first team by league coaches. Cobb, who has now gained 10 preseason honors, was voted to the first team as an all-purpose player while Locke was named to the first team as a running back. Locke has gained six preseason awards this summer, five to first teams and one to second teams.

Cobb, a native of Alcoa, Tenn., is coming off a successful sophomore season where he finished second in the SEC in touchdowns. The all-purpose player led the team last season in receiving with 39 catches for 447 yards and four touchdowns on top of averaging 26.5 yards on kickoff returns and 12.8 yards on punt returns. Cobb has gained 889 yards rushing, 644 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns in 23 career games as a Wildcat.

Locke has also been impressive in the Wildcat backfield, leading UK in rushing last season with 907 yards and six touchdowns. In his career at Kentucky, Locke has gained 1,731 rushing yards, good for 10th on Kentucky's all-time rushing list. The native of Hugo, Okla., is also in the Kentucky history books as the only player in school history to have two 100-yard kickoff returns in a career.

The Wildcats were also chosen by the media to finish fourth in the SEC East in front of Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Florida, Georgia and South Carolina were voted to form the top of the tough SEC East division, respectively. Alabama was the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC championship and the SEC West. Kentucky, Georgia and LSU each received one vote to win the SEC championship game in Atlanta on Dec. 4.


First Team
Offense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
QB Ryan Mallet (118) Arkansas 6-6 238 Jr. Texarkana, Ark.
RB Mark Ingram (165) Alabama 5-10 215 Jr. Flint, Mich.
RB Trent Richardson (69) Alabama 5-11 220 So. Pensacola, Fla.
WR A.J. Green (142) Georgia 6-4 205 Jr. Summerville, S.C.
WR Julio Jones (123) Alabama 6-4 220 Jr. Foley, Ala.
TE D.J. Williams (105) Arkansas 6-2 251 Sr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Lee Ziemba (114) Auburn 6-8 391 Sr. Rogers, Ark.
OL Barrett Jones (103) Alabama 6-4 301 So. Memphis, Tenn.
OL Clint Boling (85) Georgia 6-5 310 Sr. Alpharetta, Ga.
OL James Carpenter (77) Alabama 6-6 300 Sr. Augusta, Ga.
C Mike Pouncey (109) Florida 6-4 310 Sr. Lakeland, Fla.

Defense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
DL Marcell Dareus (126) Alabama 6-4 306 Jr. Birmingham, Ala.
DL Jerrell Powe (77) Ole Miss 6-2 320 Sr. Waynesboro, Miss.
DL Cliff Matthews (46) South Carolina 6-4 260 Sr. Cheraw, S.C.
LB Dont'a Hightower (158) Alabama 6-4 258 So. Lewisburg, Tenn.
LB Kelvin Sheppard (84) LSU 6-3 239 Sr. Stone Mountain, Ga.
LB Josh Bynes (72) Auburn 6-2 235 Sr. Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
LB Brandon Hicks (65) Florida 6-2 228 Sr. Jacksonville, Fla.
DB Mark Barron (127) Alabama 6-2 210 Jr. Mobile, Ala.
DB Patrick Peterson (116) LSU 6-1 211 Jr. Pompano Beach, Fla.
DB Ahmad Black (67) Florida 5-9 189 Sr. Lakeland, Fla.
DB Stephon Gilmore (61) South Carolina 6-1 188 So. Rock Hill, S.C.

Special Teams
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
PK Blair Walsh (72) Georgia 5-10 191 Jr. Boca Raton, Fla.
P Drew Butler (104) Georgia 6-2 207 Jr. Duluth, Ga.
RS Derrick Locke (45) Kentucky 5-9 190 Sr. Hugo, Okla.
AP Randall Cobb (123) Kentucky 5-11 186 Jr. Alcoa, Tenn.

Second Team
Offense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
QB Greg McElroy (44) Alabama 6-3 225 Sr. Southland, Texas
RB Derrick Locke (40) Kentucky 5-9 190 Sr. Hugo, Okla.
RB Mario Fannin (22) Auburn 5-11 228 Sr. Hampton, Ga.
WR Darvin Adams (19) Auburn 6-3 185 Jr. Kennesaw, Ga.
WR Randall Cobb (14) Kentucky 5-11 186 Jr. Alcoa, Tenn.
TE Luke Stocker (26) Tennessee 6-6 253 Sr. Berea, Ky.
OL Carl Johnson (53) Florida 6-6 360 Sr. Durham, N.C.
OL Marcus Gilbert (48) Florida 6-5 322 Sr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
OL Derek Sherrod (47) Mississippi St. 6-6 305 Sr. Columbus, Miss.
OL DeMarcus Love (27) Arkansas 6-5 315 Sr. Lancaster, Texas
C William Vlachos (27) Alabama 6-1 289 Jr. Mountain Brook, Ala.

Defense
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
DL Pernell McPhee (34) Mississippi St. 6-4 285 Sr. Pahokee, Fla.
DL Justin Trattou (31) Florida 6-3 252 Sr. Ramsey, N.J.
DL Kentrell Lockett (29) Ole Miss 6-5 260 Sr. Hahnville, La.
LB Chris Marve (62) Vanderbilt 6-0 232 Jr. Memphis, Tenn.
LB Nick Reveiz (32) Tennessee 5-10 224 Sr. Farragut, Tenn.
LB Courtney Upshaw (31) Alabama 6-2 263 Jr. Eufala, Ala.
LB Justin Houston (30) Georgia 6-3 260 Jr. Statesboro, Ga.
DB Janoris Jenkins (56) Florida 5-11 186 Jr. Pahokee, Fla.
DB Will Hill (41) Florida 6-1 204 Jr. West Orange, N.J.
DB Brandon Boykin (39) Georgia 5-10 183 Jr. Fayetteville, Ga.
DB Zac Etheridge (33) Auburn 6-0 213 Sr. Troy, Ala.

Special Teams
Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown
PK Wes Byrum (65) Auburn 6-2 216 Sr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
P Chas Henry (34) Florida 6-3 222 Jr. Dallas, Ga.
RS *Julio Jones (42) Alabama 6-4 220 Jr. Foley, Ala.
RS *Warren Norman (42) Vanderbilt 5-10 192 So. Stone Mountain, Ga.
AP Chris Rainey (35) Florida 5-9 176 Jr. Lakeland, Fla.

All-SEC By Team
School 1st 2nd Total
Alabama 8 4 12
Arkansas 2 1 3
Auburn 2 4 6
Florida 3 7 10
Georgia 4 2 6
Kentucky 2 2 4
LSU 2 0 2
Ole Miss 1 1 2
Mississippi St. 0 2 2
South Carolina 2 0 2
Tennessee 0 2 2
Vanderbilt 0 2 2

Predicted Order of Finish
SEC Champion - Alabama (143), Florida (17), Auburn (7), Arkansas (3), Ole Miss (2), Georgia (2), LSU (1), South Carolina (1), Kentucky (1).

Eastern Division (First Place Votes)
1.Florida 1030 (153)
2.Georgia 791 (15)
3.South Carolina 790 (8)
4.Kentucky 462
5.Tennessee 450
6.Vanderbilt 194 (1)
Western Division (First Place Votes)
1.Alabama 1034 (157)
2.Arkansas 726 (6)
3.Auburn 691 (10)
4.LSU 653 (1)
5.Mississippi State 320
6.Ole Miss 293 (3)

Weekend Quick Clicks...

:: Larry Vaught chats UK with Dick Weiss
:: Ed Davender faces more trouble over ticket scams
:: Some key recruiting issues to consider this offseason
:: WVU's Coach Huggins breaks ribs after fall
:: Coaches told to avoid Pump Foundation
:: Cobb very high on UK true freshman, Jerrell Priester

MORE LATER

Spotlight on Coach Cal...

Football: The Players Speak...

Cal says "On Second Thought..."

Gomez here...

Coach Cal was supposed to be having a fundraiser at his home on August 11 for the re-election campaign for Gov. Steve Beshear. However, after news broke of the $1,000 a head party, Cal released this statement cancelling the event on his Facebook page...

"I hope by now you all realize that I don't take my position as your basketball coach lightly. I know how politically charged this state is and I recognize that the Big Blue Nation comes from both sides of the aisle. I appreciate every elected official who supports the University of Kentucky, regardless of party. That said the Governor's event planned for August 11 - along with other charitable functions scheduled for our home - have been canceled after realizing the full plate of both professional and pressing, personal matters I will be tending to in the next couple of months. Ellen and I do hope this discussion will lead you to exercise your right to vote in the upcoming elections."

Interesting. Or maybe not. I still think Cal is a Republican. Or maybe he's just playing his cards close to his chest just in case Richie Farmer runs for the office. That could put him and his family in an odd spot, as Farmer will certainly pull in a huge number of the Big Blue Nation.

More later...

Joker's Media Day...

Football: Pumping iron for the upcoming season

Pro Camp Dates Announced...

The University of Kentucky announces the schedule of appearances for the Coach Calipari “ProCamp” presented by the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation.

One of Kentucky’s three recent NBA first-round draft picks will join Coach Calipari each day.

Featured on July 29 is No. 5 pick and current Sacramento King DeMarcus Cousins. July 30 will feature No. 1 overall pick and current Washington Wizard John Wall, with 18th overall pick and member of the Los Angeles Clippers Eric Bledsoe featured on July 31. Each pro player will attend one full day of camp for both age groups.

Located at UK’s Joe Craft Center, camp is open to boys and girls entering kindergarten through 12th grade. All campers will receive a camp shirt, Coach Cal autographed team photo and the opportunity to get autographs from each of the NBA rookies.

Families are encouraged to secure their spot quickly, as the camp will sell out. For more information and online registration, please visit www.ukathletics.com/camps.

Football: Wildcats earn preseason honors

Three University of Kentucky football players, including junior wide receiver/quarterback Randall Cobb, senior tailback Derrick Locke and senior defensive end DeQuin Evans, have been named to the Preseason All-Southeastern Conference Team selected by the league coaches, the conference office announced Tuesday.

Cobb, who made the team as an all-purpose player, and Locke were named to the first team while Evans was selected to the second team. The honor for Cobb and Locke is one of many so far this preseason as Cobb has gathered eight preseason honors while Locke has received four. This is the first preseason honor for Evans.

• Cobb (Alcoa, Tenn.) was selected to the All-SEC first team by the Associated Press and ESPN.com after an impressive sophomore season. Cobb, considered one of the nation’s most versatile performers, finished second in the SEC in touchdowns, third in punt returns, fourth in all-purpose yardage and seventh in scoring last season. The junior led the team in 2009 in receiving with 39 catches for 447 yards and four touchdowns. While operating UK’s “WildCobb” formation, he rushed for 573 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also averaged 26.5 yards on kickoff returns and 12.8 yards on punt returns. In 23 career games as a quarterback/wide receiver, Cobb has gathered 889 yards rushing and over 644 yards receiving and scored a total of 24 touchdowns.

• Locke (Hugo, Okla.) received several honors last year, including All-SEC first team kickoff returner by CollegeFootballNews.com and an Associated Press All-SEC second team all-purpose player. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound tailback has 1,731 rushing yards – good for 10th on UK’s career rushing list - with 12 touchdowns rushing and three touchdowns receiving during his career. Locke has also returned a kickoff for a touchdown in each of the last two seasons, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown against in-state rival Louisville last season. With the 100-yard return, Locke became the only player in school history to have two 100-yarders in a career. In 2009, Locke led the UK squad and ranked sixth in the SEC in rushing with 907 yards and six touchdowns.

• Evans (Long Beach, Calif.) posted a tremendous first season as a Wildcat, leading the UK defense in tackles-for-loss and sacks in 2009. Evans played and started in all 13 games last season, gathering 38 tackles, six sacks and 12.5 tackles-for-loss. Last season, Evans was named to the All-SEC fourth team by Phil Steele’s College Football and UK’s Most Outstanding First-Year Defensive Player by UK’s coaches. Evans, a playmaker that made a quick adjustment from junior college to the SEC last season, ranked fifth in the SEC in tackles-for-loss and ninth in sacks. Arguably, one of Evans’ best games of the year came against Louisville when he recorded five tackles and two sacks against the in-state rival.

Here is a full list of 2010 preseason honors for Cobb, Locke and Evans:

Randall Cobb, Jr., QB/WR, #18
Athlon All-America – Second team, all-purpose player
Sporting News All-SEC – First team, running back
Rivals.com All-SEC – First team, punt returner
Lindy’s All-SEC – First team, all-purpose player
Athlon All-SEC – First team, punt returner
Phil Steele All-SEC – First team, punt returner
Blue Ribbon All-SEC – First team, punt returner
Coaches Preseason All-SEC – First team, all-purpose player

Derrick Locke, Sr., RB, #20
Rivals.com All-SEC – First team, running back
Phil Steele All-SEC – First team, running back
Blue Ribbon All-SEC – First team, running back
Coaches Preseason All-SEC – First team, running back

DeQuin Evans, Sr., DE, #55
Coaches Preseason All-SEC – Second team, defensive end

John Wall: The Next NBA Superstar

Bledsoe's on Facebook

Magloire to join the big three in Miami...

Jamaal Magloire will re-sign with the Miami Heat as a back-up center, adding even more UK flavor to what is now the most talented team in the NBA. (Pat Riley being the other UK connection)

The former Cat will join James, Wade and Bosh and a host of other back-ups and role players that hope to ride coat tails all the way to a championship.

Magloire rode the pine last year, and will most likely do the same this season barring any major injuries to the starting rotation and key reserves.

Brandon Knight wins Gatorade Award...

MTV Shows

Wall impresses...

Do you have boogie fever?

And the winner is...

ESPY night, or one of the more useless nights in the wide world of sports. It's really just another way the "mother ship" can show how they are the center of the sporting world. Don't we really know who won the games? Is there a reason why someone should get best football team? Won't that be the Saints? Won't the Lakers be the best basketball team?

There is, however, individual awards too and at least we know for sure they got one right. John Wall won Best College Male Athlete. He was also up for Break-through Male Athlete as well. So while these awards don't mean much to anyone other than the few who are nominated, or those that ultimately win, it's nice to know that UK is represented nonetheless.

Bobby Johnson steps down...

As you have probably already heard, Bobby Johnson has stepped down as head coach at Vanderbilt. This comes as a big surprise to everyone, especially with football season quickly approaching, now just a little over a month away.

Johnson was quick to point out that it was for personal reasons and not related to his or his wife's health. Still, the timing is odd, and it will certainly hurt Vandy, both in the short and long term.

Johnson led Vandy to a 2008 bowl game win, and the Commodores have competed more under his watch then in any other era that I can recall. Vandy is a unique situation and requires a different approach then most SEC schools.

Their search for a replacement will likely be slow given it's the time of year most coaches aren't looking to make a move.

The New Look NCAA Tourney Bracket

The NCAA Tournament committee has finally made its decision about the way the new 68 team bracket will be set up. The last four at-large teams in the field will play for two of the play-in spots and will be seeded on the line where they would have been before this new system, probably somewhere between a 10-13 seed. Also, the last four automatic qualifying schools from the smaller conferences will play for two of the spots on the line of 16 seeds.

I think this is much better than having the worst 8 small schools play for the spots on the 16 seed line, which would have made the play-in games completely pointless. Also, it is interesting to note that this will be the first time that the final four at-large teams are publicly announced in such an official manner. We have always had the "experts" tell us who are the last 4 in and first 4 out, but now it will be official and potentialy create more drama and angry fan bases.

Sound off in the comments section with your opinions on this new tourney format.

GO BIG BLUE!!!

Another passing of a Yankee legend...

As MLB pauses for it's All-Star Game tonight, it will do so with heavy hearts. Long time Yankee owner George Steinbrenner has passed away after suffering a heart attack. He was 80 years old.

This news hits just two days after legendary Yankee Stadium PA announcer, Bob Sheppard died at age 99.

Football notes...

The Vols seem to be confident that they're streak against the Cats will continue...
Matthews may be California dreaming, but he loves his new Kentucky home....
Cats continue strong recruiting in New Orleans...
UK commit, Forrest will be among the state's elite prospects this season...
A Sea of Blue gives a preview to the upcoming season...
This Georgia blogger believes UT will finish last in the East, UK third...
Chris Low breaks down UK in his latest blog...

More from the summer league...

Former Cats off to good NBA start...

All five of UK's first round picks have made their NBA debut in the Summer League. Four of them have had very good starts. After a slow start Wall finished with 24 points and 8 turnovers in a win over Golden State on Sunday. As I write this Wall and Bledsoe are facing each other in late action on NBA TV. At the half Wall has 15 points and Bledsoe 14 for the Clippers in his first game. Cousins had 14 points and 10 boards in his debut earlier today.

Patterson had a strong debut this past weekend scoring 18 in his first game. Some in the Lone Star State were so impressed that they have already pegged him as the answer for Houston's frontcourt.

Matter of fact, the only Cat with a bad start to their NBA career, albeit it is only the summer league, was Daniel Orton. Daniel averaged just over 3 points a game in the Orlando summer league and was even ejected from his debut game. To be fair, most saw Orton as a "project" and he was drafted on potential, not his immediate impact.

All in all, the rookies have made Big Blue Nation proud and it's going to be exciting watching these kids progress in the league.

Friday Night Notes...

My favorite thing about Friday nights right now is the fact that I get to watch "Friday Night Lights" on NBC. Currently, the fourth season is airing, and its another great one. Sadly, not enough of you out there are joining me in the weekly viewing and the ratings are once again mediocre. Unfortunately, that means next season's fifth campaign will most likely be it's last. With that said, I beg you to watch catch up on this show on DVD and become a regular viewer. If you're a sports fan, especially football, and you don't watch Friday Night Lights, you should be ashamed of yourself. It's tragic the show doesn't have more fans that it currently does. Especially among sports fans like us.

Okay, so now that I've stepped off my soapbox, I'll hit a few highlights from the week...

:: First of all, we send our sympathies to the family of Melvin Turpin. His suicide was a tragic end to a life that belonged to a truly loved Wildcat. Some of my earliest memories of watching Kentucky basketball were those of the teams from the early 80's, and those with Turpin doing his thing. He will truly be missed by all of the Big Blue Nation.

:: Patrick Patterson's summer league debut was one to remember as he scored18 points and did it well. At times, he seemed to be the most talented and most comfortable player on the floor, scoring from beyond the arc, mid-range and down low. While, its only July and meaningful games are still months away, its still nice to see Patrick get off to a solid start, especially in light of Orton's poor play.

:: Meanwhile, John Wall has yet to show what he can do against professionals, as he suffered a groin injury on Thursday and was held out of Friday's practice. While there's not much doubt that Wall will perform well, we're sure its gotta be frustrating for the kid to get slowed down with an injury so soon. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him on the floor soon.

:: While JLee's wishes didn't come true Thursday night when LeBron snubbed his New York Knicks, there is some comfort in knowing that New York did secure the services of one Keleena Azubuike. While not quite the player LeBron is, its always nice when a former Wildcat makes his way on your favorite pro team. Let's hope Keleena does well in the Big Apple. They're going to need it.

I guess that's all for now. The summer months are often lean as we await the return to campus and the beginning of football season. We appreciate you hanging out with us until that big day arrives.

Good night and good luck.

Kentucky Football Yearbook Now Available...

Go get it.

Now.

That is all.

The Passing of a UK great...

Mel Turpin, former NBA player and All-American Kentucky center, committed suicide Thursday, authorities said. He was 49.

Police and the coroner were called to his North Lexington house Thursday afternoon on a personal injury call. They found Turpin dead.

Coroner Gary Ginn says that Turpin had committed suicide, but would not say how. He also would not say whether Turpin left behind a suicide note.

Margaret Burrus, his sister, tearfully told reporters outside her home that her brother was diabetic and trying to keep it under control.

"I didn't know he was depressed or anything," she said. "I would have never said that he would have done this."

Turpin was the youngest sibling among six, Burrus said. Just two are still living.

"We had a big family and it's now whittling away," she said.

Burrus said Turpin's wife had a heart condition and authorities said she was not at home at the time of the death.

Neighbor Amanda McFadden said Turpin always seemed happy.

"He never looked upset. He kept a smile on his face, just a good person," she said.

The 6-foot-11 Turpin, dubbed "The Big Dipper," was an All-Southeastern Conference player for the Wildcats from 1980-84. He led Kentucky to the SEC championship in 1984.

The center helped lead the Wildcats to three consecutive regular-season SEC titles. He averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game in 1983-84 and shot 74.5 percent from the field.

Mitch Barnhart, Kentucky athletics director, said school supporters "will forever remember Melvin and all his contributions to our basketball program."

Current coach John Calipari expressed his sympathy to Turpin's family and said he is praying "for their strength during this time of grief."

Turpin was the sixth player selected in the 1984 NBA draft that included Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, but never had the NBA success of those future stars.

Turpin was picked by the Washington Bullets, then traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. His best season was 1985-86 when he averaged 13.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, but he was out of the league four years later.

Cal's Pro Camp Announced...

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The UK men’s basketball program has announced the 2010 John Calipari ProCamp, where three recent NBA first-round draft picks will join campers for three days in late July.

The camp, scheduled for July 29-31, will feature the No. 1 overall pick and current Washington Wizard John Wall, the No. 5 pick and current Sacramento King DeMarcus Cousins, and the 18th overall pick and member of the Los Angeles Clippers Eric Bledsoe.

The camp will run from 9 a.m. to noon for boys K-6th grade, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for campers 7-12th grade. Each pro player will attend one full day of camp for both age groups. The price of the ProCamp is $199.

For more information, interested parties can call 859.257.1916 or go online to www.ukathletics.com/camps. The three former Wildcats will be fresh off their first NBA Summer League stint which began on Monday, July 5 with the Orlando Summer League followed by the Las Vegas Summer League, which runs July 9-18. Fans can watch Bledsoe, Cousins and Wall in summer league action on NBA TV and follow them at NBA.com.

LeBron Miami Bound

Gomez here...

Sorry, Jlee. He's a member of the Heat. The Knicks still suck.

More later...

Where's the media now?

Everyone in Big Blue Nation had a sour Memorial Day when news broke that the NCAA had been looking into Eric Bledsoe's high school career. Questions were raised from a New York Times story that alleged that Eric's family might have received unacceptable benefits in the way of rent that may have been paid by Eric's high school Coach. This created an outcry from the faction of the national media, almost all of which are clearly anti-Calipari.

The landlord disputed the story from the beginning and now the Birmingham News is reporting that Eric's family did indeed pay the rent payments that were in question. Of course where are all of those reporters now? People like Pat Forde, Dana O'Neill and Dan Wolken, who were publicly critical of Calipari (like it would've been his fault anyway), have said nothing of this news. At least we the fans now know that this was clearly another witch hunt that amounted to nothing. Something tells me the TMZ report last week will end up with the same fate.

Sorry Pat, better luck next time.

Happy LeBron Eve

Anyone that knows me also knows that I have patiently awaited July 8th, 2010 since Donnie Walsh was named President of Basketball Operations for the New York Knicks. My allegiance to the Knicks goes back to the 90's when Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls ruled the NBA. Every basketball fan that I knew loved MJ and rightfully so, but I did not.

I don't know if it was his background at North Carolina or the fact that he could do no wrong in the media's eyes, but I just grew tired of Air Jordan. Every year you could pencil in the Bulls in Finals, but every year you could also bet that New York, led by Patrick Ewing and John Starks, would be a "tough out". Matter of fact, the Knicks were the only team that challenged Chicago and every year I watched hoping it would be the year the Knicks did the impossible and bounced the Bulls out of the playoffs.

Of course we know the story and we know that even though there were several close calls with the Knicks, the Bulls always prevailed. The Knicks were always competitive, gritty and tough; and those years made me fall in love with Madison Square Garden and the Knicks and I've never quit cheering for them. Fast forward nearly twenty years later and the Knicks have been anything but competitive or gritty. Yet, for the first time in a long time, there is hope. Hope that this storied franchise is about to begin a new era. This journey started two years ago when Donnie Walsh begin repairing years of mismanagement by clearing cap space for the LeBron sweepstakes and the talented 2010 free agent pool.

Unless you've been under a rock this week, you know that King James will announce tomorrow night where he'll sign to play. The New York Knicks are not front runners, matter of fact, many believe them to be a long shot. Still, I have something I haven't had in a long time and that is hope. With Donnie Walsh calling the shots in Gotham, I am not likely to lose that any time soon.

So, no matter if LeBron chooses to go to Chicago or Miami, or even if he stays in Cleveland, I am excited about Knicks Basketball again, and that's saying something.

No More Early Recruiting?

Another NCAA rule is in the works that could further restrict the way that coaches are allowed to recruit high school athletes. This article from Dana O'Neil discusses the possible rule change.

Could Billy Clyde Gillispie be a major reason behind this because of his scholarship offer to an eighth grader? Let's hope not for his sake, he doesn't need any more reasons for Big Blue Nation to despise him.

However this plays out, the good news is that it should have little affect on Coach Cal's recruiting practices. He will continue to wait until the late signing period to woo the remaining stud recruits to the Bluegrass.

GO BIG BLUE!!!

Mid-Summer Notes...

Gomez here...

After a brief, unseasonably cool break for a few days last week, Kentucky's weather has returned to what we should all expect for July: hot, sticky and nasty. Its during afternoons like this that make the football and basketball seasons seem like they're still centuries away, but in reality, we're edging ever so closely to both.

First in line is the football season. All indications are that Joker's putting together all the pieces for another decent season. While we shouldn't expect a BCS bowl bid or anything, it seems quite possible that Kentucky could play their way into a fifth straight bowl appearance.

The schedule certainly looks to be in favor of this. The season kicks off with three very winnable games: at Louisville and WKU and Akron at home, with Louisville being the toughest of the three. The road gets a bit tougher after that with road games at Florida and Ole Miss to start the SEC conference games.

Then there's a crucial three game homestand against Auburn, Georgia and South Carolina. This little three game stint could be the determing factor as to what kind of season we can expect from our boys in blue. If the Cats could win two of three, then Joker's first season would most likely be considered a major sucess. After that homestand, there's a four game swing to wrap up the season, and all four are winnable games: At Mississippi State, Charleston Southern and Vandy at home, and then the annual regular season finale against Tennessee in Knoxville.

Trying to predict what record the Wildcats will eventually compile is nearly impossible and often serves as a receipe for extreme frustration. I say this because Kentucky almost always wins some games they should lose, while losing at least one or two games they could have (and probably should have) won. If that holds true, its difficult to say what the final record will be. I'm going to guess 7-5, but who really knows? Not me.

However, with all that said, there's always the possibility of a break-out season. One of these years, the stars are going to align, and we're going to win the games we should, while stealing all the evenly matched toss-ups, and win at least one big shocker, which would all work together to produce the coming out type season all of us have been waiting patiently for. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this year will be that type of season. You never know. It could happen.

Meanwhile, the tip-off to the basketball season is a bit further away. Still, it'll be Midnight Madness again before you know it, and there's plenty to be excited about. Sure, we lost a record five players to the first round of the NBA draft, but Cal has quickly reloaded. When the smoke clears and the dust settles, I think Kentucky could be just as good on the hardwood this season, and possibly even better by the time March rolls around. Considering our boys went 35-3 last season, won the SEC regular season and tournament titles and eventually advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA tourney, that's a pretty bold statement. Still, all the pieces are in place, and Cal is the best in the business at dealing with roster churn. Color me optimistic.

I guess our only concern should be whether or not there's any truth to the TMZ report last week that suggested the NCAA was in the early stages of an investigation of the UK program. So far, there's been little information to come out since that announcement, so if you're reading this, you know about as much as any of us here.

To be honest, this sort of thing should be expected as long as Cal is at UK. No, I don't think he's as dirty as some make him out to be, but he's going to bring in "the best of the best" and they'll often be "one and done" and quickly off to the NBA. Those kind of kids, while they might be smart and kind at heart, are still kids and are prone to make silly mistakes, as they dream of million dollar pay checks and big shoe contracts. In other words, its completely conceivable that any of them could take gifts or make illegal agreements with potential agents, no matter how careful Cal and his staff instruct them to be.

Again, its just the nature of the beast right now, and for whatever reason, Cal seems to have the bulls-eye on his back while other coaches get the free pass. Austin covered this yesterday and if you haven't read his article, you should scroll down a bit and take a few minutes to do so. Its good stuff and worth your time. What else are you going to do? Go outside and melt?

With that said, I'd rather take my chances with the best of the best instead of trying to win with no name talent that are undeserving to where the UK uniform. We just gotta hope that we stay clean and that the kids we recruit make the right decisions in the face of extreme temptation.

At any rate, as the temperature rises and the summer wanes on, there's plenty of stuff to be excited about as we anxiously await the return of the Wildcats this fall.

That's all for now. Stay cool.

Daniel Orton's summer league debut

Tossed...

Coach K Making it Hard to Like USA

As a UK Basketball fan right now, I feel a little bit like Ricky Bobby's Dad from Talladega Nights towards the end of the movie. Just when things were going about as well as possible for the Bobby familiy, Ricky's dad blew up because he couldn't handle things going well.

Right now is undoubtedly a great time for UK fans, but I can't help fight the need to find something to rebel against. The source of my disdain today is the same as it is most any day... Duke.

I still haven't completely gotten over an inferior Duke team cutting down the nets this year. We would have destroyed that team if not for a horrendous shooting effort, but it is what it is. They won. I can get past that. I have lived through four Duke championships, and life goes on. What also goes on is my hatred for Duke.

This isn't just another random post detailing my hatred for Duke, although I really don't require any reason to bang out a post on just hating them. One of the big things that bother UK fans (and pretty much every other college basketball fan) is how Coach K and Duke are held up by many on a pedestal as a shining beacon of college athletics. I can handle Duke winning games, and I can even handle their obnoxious stable of the most hate-able players in NCAA history (looking at you Wojo). What I cannot stand for is the perception of Duke being the White Knight of college basketball.

Look, I get why people hate on UK and Calipari. I know what I thought of Calipari before he got here, and I can see how his approach would rub many the wrong way. I love the guy now that he is in Lexington, but this isn't a post defending our coach or program. My whole thing is, Duke isn't any better, yet they are lauded by many pundits for doing things the "right" way.

I know, by now you are probably wondering just exactly what I am talking about. To the experienced Duke hater's out there, there's probably a number of examples that have crossed your mind. There was the Corey Maggette situation that is out there as an example of the double standard NCAA treats their poster boy Coach K. There are two of the least likable people on Earth, Bobby Knight and Billy Packer, continuously showing Coach K love, Christian Laettner. Yea, there is a lot there to hate.

To me, it is just lazy journalism to single out Calipari as the face of what is wrong with college sports, while giving Coach K a free pass. What is the source of my frustration today is Coach K's involvement with Team USA basketball. The Under 18 squad that represented the United States wreaked of Blue Devils. For the record, I had serious qualms about rooting for Team USA because of Coach K's affiliation with the Redeem Team.

First, there is former Duke player and assistant Jeff Capel being named the head coach for the team, despite his Oklahoma squad being under investigation for rules infractions. He is an up and coming coach, but let's not kid ourselves. He got the job because of Coach K.

Then there were the players on the squad. Kyrie Irving and Josh Hairston are both headed to Duke as incoming Freshman. Irving is a top notch player, but Hairston's addition to the team is right in line with countless Dukies getting rubber stamped as McDonald All Americans each spring. Rivals ranks Hairston #56 in the incoming class, yet he beats out future lottery picks like Kentucky's very own Terrence Jones? Here is the list of players that were invited to the tryouts, Seems fishy to me.

In addition to Hairston and Irving, Duke's two biggest targets for the 2011 class were also on the team, Austin Rivers and Quincy Miller. These two deserve to be on the team no doubt, but the whole thing is advantageous for Duke and Coach K. They have several Dukies recruiting these underclassmen, and also two incoming freshman getting some great exposure playing high level international competition.

Look, I don't blame Coach K for doing what he is doing. Anything within the rules should be exploited to help out your program. Cal lives by the same mantra, but Coach K isn't labeled as the same cut throat coach that lives in the gray area. K is no different than any other coach, other than the kid gloves many in the media and NCAA offices treat him with.

If Coach Calipari used TEAM USA basketball as a conduit for Kentucky basketball, you can believe Forde or some other hack would site it as another example of Cal being Cal. Anything to sign the next big thing. Coach K does the same thing? Not a word.

By the way, Team USA won the tournament. Wasn't as hard to root for the Red, White and Blue as it was in China a couple summer's ago, but it still feels wrong rooting for anything associated with Duke basketball.

Don't forget to vote...

Don't forget to vote for John Wall at ESPN.com in his two nominated ESPY catergories. Fans can go online to www.espn.com/espys and vote for Wall in both the category for "Breakthrough Athlete of the Year" and "Best Male College Athlete of the Year."

In the category of "Breakthrough Athlete of the Year," Wall, the 2010 Adolph Rupp National Player of the Year, will be going against Brittney Griner (Baylor women's basketball), Chris Johnson (NFL’s Tennessee Titans) and Stephen Strasburg (MLB’s Washington Nationals).

In the category of "Best Male College Athlete," Wall is going against Blake Geoffrion (Wisconsin hockey), Mark Ingram (Alabama football), Evan Turner (Ohio State basketball) and Garrett Wittels (Florida International Baseball).

Wall became the first player in the illustrious history of the UK basketball program to receive any one of the primary national player of the year awards, winning the 2010 Adolph Rupp Trophy. The 6-foot-4 freshman led the Wildcats in scoring (16.6), assists (6.5) and steals (1.8). He set all-time UK freshman records in scoring, assists and free throws made.

He also became the first Wildcat to ever be selected the overall number one draft pick in the NBA draft when he was selected first by the Washington Wizards.

Go vote now!

And go Cats!

Fireworks on the 4th, and every day during basketball season!

Quick entry for me today...as once again I find myself peering out over the beautifully majestic and serene KY Lake.

Better than the impressive fireworks displays I watched last night from both Southern Comfort campground and The Moor's Marina, as well as my own campground from the middle of the lake, were the fireworks provided by our beloved CATS this past season.

As the cliche goes, we RELOAD, not rebuild is obviously apparent. Reeling in 6 more top recruits this season, including the #1 rated recruit at the PF position in Enes Kanter, Cal's Cats will once again be a force to be reckoned with in not only the SEC, but also come March.

So, in conclusion on this 4th of July Holiday, I Pledge Allegiance, to the United State of Kentucky (even though I live in IL now), and the dominance we have once again returned to.

I hope everyone has a great day, full of lots of fun and sun, and continues to appreciate not only the freedom we have in the great nation in which we reside, but also for the wonders we are able to witness on the basketball court at The University of Kentucky.

Happy Fourth!

Friday Night Thoughts...

Howdy folks!

It's been a while, so I thought I'd drop in and catch up with you on some things. To say I've been busy this summer would be an understatement, which is why I haven't been around much. With that said, I'm very excited about the future of this site, and some of the things we're working on for the upcoming football and basketball seasons.

If you're constant reader, I think you're really in store for some cool stuff. That's all I'm going to say for now, but stay tuned over the next couple of months for some cool additions to the Big Blue Nation Report.

Now, on with a few thoughts on what has shaped up to be a pretty eventful day...

:: I'll start with the latest story that broke earlier today by TMZ. Naturally, I'm not all that excited about the fact that Kentucky's once again at the center of a swell of negative press, all of which is based entirely on vague rumors and nameless sources. That's not to say there isn't some truth to the story, but there's probably at least an equal chance that there's nothing to it; so, we probably just need to wait it out.

A Sporting News story reported this afternoon that Kentucky hasn't been notified of any type of official NCAA investigation, which means if there is one, its in the very early stages or the story is just plain false. So, again, let's just wait to see what happens before we get all hot and bothered about it.

:: There have also been several reports today that Scott Padgett will be leaving the UK program to accept an assistant coaching position at Manhattan College. Apparently, the head coach at Manhattan, Barry Rohrssen, is good friends with Calipari. Being both a former Wildcat and NBA player, Scott had served on Cal's support staff this past season, but is hoping for a quick rise up the college basketball coaching ranks. With that in mind, this is probably the right move for him. While we'll hate not seeing him on the bench next season, we certainly wish him the best moving forward.

:: Kentucky and Washington are facing off again in the recruiting trenches, this time for the services of Tony Wroten Jr. The kid isn't lost for words, and has a lot to say about how Jones handled his choice between the two schools back in the spring and how his will be different. Call me crazy, but I think Washington will lose yet another coveted recruit to Calipari and the Wildcat program.

Well, I guess that's all for now, folks. I hope you all have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. We'll be around some but don't expect alot of updates before Tuesday unless something earth shattering happens. If it does though, we'll be here doing our best to break it down for you.

In the meantime, we'll be eating hotdogs and shooting bottle rockets, all the while hoping that TMZ is just plain wrong.

Cats in trouble with NCAA?

This report is from TMZ, so take this for what it's worth... which probably ain't much... we hope.

According to a source who was interviewed by an NCAA investigator, the agency is interested in at least four players -- two current and two who were just drafted by NBA teams. In the case of one former Wildcat, we're told the NCAA wants to know about his relationship with his current agent. We're told the investigator asked about multiple meetings the agent allegedly had with the player ... dating back to the player's senior year in high school.

The insinuation is the agent had an arrangement with the player before he went to Kentucky. It is a violation of NCAA rules for a student athlete to receive anything of value from an agent -- orto have any agreements, verbally or in writing, with an agent. Just ask USC, Reggie Bush or OJ Mayo.

Kentucky "declined comment" -- and a rep for the NCAA tells us, "The NCAA does not comment on current, pending or potential investigations."

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/07/02/university-of-kentucky-basketball-sec-ncaa-probe/#ixzz0sXZl2rQ1

Ortmayer to be replaced...

In what may be seen as a controversial move, Joker Phillips has elected to replace special teams coach Steve Ortmayer. The timing is what raises eyebrows, as most believed Ortmayer to be safe, especially after he remained on staff through several staff changes.

Joker released this statement through UK tonight...
"I appreciate the time and effort that Steve has given to Kentucky Football. I thank him for his contributions to the team and wish him the best."

Early reports are that Greg Nord from Illinois is the likely candidate to replace Ortmayer.

Interesting...

Random Notes...

Gomez here...

Happy Thursday to all of you. I'm so glad you've decided to give us at least part of your day. As you can probably tell, things are somewhat slow around here. We don't waste a lot of your time with random tidbits, and try to stick with the facts that you need to know. In other words, we cut through all the crap so you don't have too.

However, in July, when people are focused on vacations, family and fireworks, you don't really have alot of earth shattering news to discuss. As we continue to inch closer and closer to both the kick off to the Joker Phillips era and Coach Cal's second Midnight Madness, the news will really begin to pick up. In the meantime, just hang in there and keep checking back right here for what you really to need to know.

Now, on with some notes for your Thursday...

:: We begin with some sad news. Terri Krebs lost her battle with breast cancer yesterday. I never had the pleasure of meeting her, but like most of the UK moms, all I hear is wonderful comments about how truly inspiring she was, and how much she loved her son, Mark. Everyone here at BBNR sends out their thoughts and prayers to the Krebs family during this difficult time.

:: Daniel Orton made some statements via Twitter last night that were very interesting. He basically apologized for what many viewed as poor judgement, including his dropping out of school and the comments regarding Kansas. I'll let Daniel's comments speak for itself...

"Okay there are some things that I’ve been needing to address, but I was trying to focus my attention elsewhere. As far as the classes I want to apologize for not doing what I said I would. I messed up bigtime and hope I can be somewhat forgiven. I messed up on a few due dates on my online class and I just lost focus in school. I apologize. Then the thing about the Kansas comment. I was more so set up on that question. We all know the media and how they like to get people but i was asked was there any other school that I would have gone to. At first I said No because I loved UK and I loved my experience and my teammates there. Then he proceeded to say. I know Kansas was recruiting you hard, you never had any thoughts of maybe you should have gone there? Of course I thought that at times I won’t lie about that I’m sure atleast two Players on every college team this year question their decision but in the end I am happy that I went to UK. As far as leavin early, I cant Really justify myself there. So sorry UK fans love yall and yall are the best Ima miss it!"

Nice gesture by Daniel, and it brings his (somewhat rocky at times) final days as a Wildcat to a somewhat satisfying resolution. At any rate, we wish him nothing but the best during his NBA career.

:: John Wall's number for the Wizards will be 2. Get it? 1+1=2. How clever! Anyway, get in line now at your favorite sporting goods store. You know you want too.

:: Joker's first team is ranked #51 in Athlon’s preseason rankings. Here's the blurb from the magazine... 51: Kentucky — Joker Phillips inherits a Kentucky program that has been to four straight bowl games, but also is 12–20 against SEC teams in that stretch, including 0–12 against Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. The schedule is forgiving enough that the Wildcats can make a fifth straight bowl game, but the defense isn’t strong enough for Phillips to give Cats fans the breakout season they crave.

:: John Calipari said Monday that Darius Miller is showing he has star potential and that Josh Harrellson has the promise of ascending from little-used reserve to key contributor. It's nice to see these guys improving over the off-season, and gives us even more excitement about the upcoming season. In the weeks ahead, we'll begin to break down the roster and talk about what we expect to happen with the latest edition of Cal's Cats take the floor this fall.

Well, I guess that's all for now. Stay tuned for more stuff later.

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