Evan Daniels: Press Conference Thursday for Henry

Evan Daniels of Scout.com says so with this link.

***UPDATE***

And by press conference Thursday, apparently he means no press conference is scheduled. He says so with this link.

Twitter FAIL

Xavier Henry to Kentucky Excites Daniel Orton

"Sources" all over the interwebs are claiming they know Xavier Henry is coming to Kentucky. Everything you're hearing is most likely good stuff concerning Brothers Henry. The radio conversation with father Carl sounded promising.

Even Daniel Orton gets giddy thinking about the possibility of playing with high school rival Xavier Henry. I guess this would be considered the second time the rumors of a rift between Xavier Henry and Daniel Orton would be shot down. Oh well, whaddaya do?

NewsOK

Two Exhibition Games Set

The Cats have cemented two exhibition games for the first week of November in what will hopefully become a banner year.

Monday - November 2, 2009 - Campbellsville University Tigers

Friday - November 6, 2009 - Clarion University (Division II) Golden Eagles***

*** = The top two stories on the CU Athletics basketball page are about Calipari.

Aha, That's Why We Have An Extra Scholarship

Are these people the most important figures in UK's immediate future?

The story that will not quit. And from the sounds of it, the story might not quit until Xavier Henry officially enrolls at Kentucky. The latest coming today being he might be having regrets on committing to Kansas. Xavier's mother (above, left) was the main reason he went with Bill Self and the Jayhawks, but after a Kansas City Star article portraying the Henry's in an unflattering light, the family seems to be having second thoughts.

This seems to clear the picture a bit more on why Coach Cal left us with only twelve scholarship players, also saying one more could leave. This would certainly open the door for Brothers Henry to come to Lexington.

Rivals.com reports that Bill Self and Danny Manning are on their way to Oklahoma City tonight to meet with the Henry family, presumably in a last-ditch effort to keep the star player in Lawrence this fall.

Quick summary: Xavier Henry really wants to play for Cal. Signs LOI with Cal/Memphis. Decommitts when Cal leaves. Chooses Kansas (no LOI) partly because both his parents went there. His mother didn't like the prospects of moving to Kentucky. Still not feeling KU. Kansas City Star feature comes out. Mom says she's cool with him in Lexington. He knows we have a scholarship.

Two things are certain at this moment:

1. The crapstorm will come from everywhere if Xavier Henry decides he's going to Kentucky. That is a fact. Get ready. We will be under the microscope. Why didn't he just wait for Jodie to get drafted?


2. If his family is upset with an article from the Kansas City Star, what's gonna happen when Jerry Tipton gets his claws on a Henry family feature? I don't see how this can end well.

Kansas City Star

Rivals/Yahoo

Courier-Journal (via USA Today)

June 30th: On this date...

... in 1993, Jamal Mashburn was selected fourth by the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Draft. The Kentucky All-American was asked to do exactly what he did in Lexington, try and rebuild a team. Mash didn't seem overwhelmed by this task either. He spoke of the similarities between the Lexington and Dallas situations and was looking forward to the challenge. The number four selection was the highest for a Wildcat since Sam Bowie went second overall a decade earlier. Personally, I remember this moment in UK history sending little Cat fans into a frenzy trying to find replica Mashburn/Mavericks jerseys. The "Monster Mash" had a very successful NBA career cut short due to knee problems and microfracture surgery, a new(ish) surgery in which players had difficulty recovering. Former UK star Chris Mills was drafted 22nd overall by Cleveland.

UK calendar

June 29th: On this date...

... in 2002, Tayshaun Prince was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 21st pick of the NBA Draft. NBA teams were hesitant on taking the long, lanky fella from Compton. I can remember watching the McDonald's game that Tayshaun participated in and thought the rail thin kid would be overmatched at the college level. He proved me and twenty NBA teams wrong by becoming one of the steals of the Draft. He earned his playing time by becoming a defensive specialist frustrating the best players in the world. His key block on Reggie Miller in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals was the signature play in what became a Championship winning season for the Pistons. An All-American at Kentucky, Prince became the first UK alum to win an NBA title since Rick Robey in 1981 with the Boston Celtics.

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Billy Mays Found Dead

The most famous pitchman on TV has been found dead in his Tampa, FL home. He was 50 years old.

Yahoo/AP

June 28th: On this date...

... in 2006, Rajon Rondo was chosen 21st in the NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix made the mistake of trading him later that night to the Boston Celtics. Can you imagine Rondo in Phoenix's offense? Would've been fun to see. In his first season, Rondo was named to the NBA All-Rookie second team in spot duty off the bench. Johnny had four steals in a game six different times during his rookie campaign.

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June 27th: On this date...

... in 2003, the man on the right was drafted 43rd by the Milwaukee Bucks. His luck, though, had him traded by the end of the night to Disney World and Orlando. Keith Bogans was named SEC Player of the Year by league coaches after leading Kentucky to an undefeated mark in SEC play and the first overall #1 seed for the NCAA Tournament. The guard from DeMatha Catholic High School in Maryland quietly amassed more than 1,900 points during his time in Blue and White in what has to be the most under the radar careers in the past twenty years. Oh, and we beat DeWayne Wade and Marquette if he doesn't go down. No doubt in my mind.

UK calendar

The Cautious Look Ahead

Only because its never too early to start looking forward, the prospects for the 2010 NBA Draft are already being put under the microscope by Andy Katz. Its a good cop/bad cop scenario if you're a fan of the Blue and White.

Three Wildcats: DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, and Patrick Patterson are all listed among the top 30(ish). This should come as no surprise to anyone following UK basketball, just be prepared. We all know how fans took it when Jodie let his intentions be known.

Here is the nugget about each.

• DeMarcus Cousins - Cousins comes to a team expected to compete for the national title with plenty of hype. But how John Calipari uses him and how he meshes with Patrick Patterson are questions still unanswered. He's not ready for the NBA, but if Kentucky has a banner season and he flourishes, he could be tempted for a short stay with the Wildcats.


• Patrick Patterson - Patterson returned to school because he didn't think he was ready for the NBA. Great call. He clearly knows his game. He should flourish playing for Calipari, and there's no doubt the interest in him will only increase, as he likely will lead Kentucky to great things. Without Jodie Meeks, Patterson will be counted on to be more vocal. If he stays healthy, proves he's a leader and continues to be productive, his evaluation likely will be extremely positive.


• John Wall - Wall will be the projected No. 1 pick throughout the season. He has game-changing ability on every possession. He can fly as a lead guard and will be extremely tough to stay in front of on a possession. He could, and should, be Calipari's second No. 1 pick in three seasons after coaching Derrick Rose at Memphis in 2008. Of course, it helped Rose's candidacy for the top spot when he led the Tigers to the national title game. Wall could do the same at Kentucky.

This type of thinking is in the official UK fan handbook: Never enjoy what you currently have, always worry.

Irony at the NBA Draft

This is a picture taken from just outside the NBA Draft green room last night. Can anyone say tension? We do know both were in attendance, but SI says Coach Cal never made it to his seat. Therefore, no awkward, "So................how's the weather in Louisville, Rick?" ice-breaking questions.

And you know Pitino was excited to get away from everything Kentucky (trial, rivalry, etc.). Im guessing he showed up last night and either saw the sign or Coach Cal and immediately thought, "You gotta be shittin' me?!?" Stuff like this will never get old.

Sports Illustrated

June 26th: On this date...

... in 1996, three Wildcats went in the first round of the NBA Draft. The draft took place in the very building where the Cats won their sixth National Championship just a few months earlier. Sophomore Antoine Walker was selected sixth by the Boston Celtics. Senior guard Tony Delk was selected 16th by the Charlotte Hornets. Walter McCarty went 19th to the New York Knicks. A fourth Wildcat was taken in the second round at pick number 52 by the Indiana Pacers: Mark Pope. Head coach Rick Pitino was in attendance and provided analysis for the TV coverage.

UK calendar

Milwaukee-Bound: Cheese Head Jodie

At least the summer will be comfortable for Jodie. He went 41st overall to the Bucks, somewhat close to where the many projections had him. Personally I didn't want him to go there if for no other reason than having to compete against Keith Bogans for a roster spot. We wish Jodie Meeks well on his adventures to snowmobiling, cheese-eating, ice-fishing moose country.

Two Cats now in Milwaukee, guess I'm a Bucks fan now, eh?

Where Will Jodie Go?

NBA Draft begins shortly. Jodie will hopefully know his fate in a few hours. If not, Europe here we come! He has been projected to go anywhere from first round to being undrafted. Your guess is as good as anyone else's. After a pick or two, all mock drafts go out the window anyway.

Good luck to Jodie and Go Cats.

Pop Icon Michael Jackson Dead at 50?

So says TMZ. Take that for what its worth. Geraldo is on the wagon thinking this has either happened or was coming shortly. The UCLA Medical Center is a freaking madhouse, like moths to an open flame. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the world in which we live.

LA Times

NBC

USA Today

Rondo Fires Back

And by Rondo, I mean his agent. Amid Johnny Rondo trade rumors, agent Bill Duffy has come to his client's defense putting Danny Ainge on blast. You might remember Ainge going on a Boston radio station (WEEI) popping off about how he wasn't sure if Rondo had what it took to lead the Celtics. After extensive research, BBB has confirmed Ainge thinks it was purely coincidental Rondo was the point guard when they won the Championship last year.

You only have to look at the most recent postseason run to realize Rondo was the most consistent guy on the team. His statline during the 2009 NBA Playoffs: 16.7 pts - 9.7 rebs - 9.8 asst. I would be willing to put those numbers up against any other point guard in the 2009 Playoffs.

Everyone knows Rondo has room for improvement, but his skills far outweigh his weaknesses. Lockdown D and a freak rebounder says what? He just turned 23. I'm guessing Ainge could find a few suitors to take his "problem" away from him.

June 25th: On this date...

... in 1997, UK's "Air Pair" was drafted in the top 13 of the NBA Draft -- Ron Mercer (6th), Derek Anderson (13th). The two members of the 1996 NCAA Championship team were two of the most athletic players our generation of Wildcat fans had ever seen. A first team All-American, Mercer was drafted by the Boston Celtics and newly hired coach Rick Pitino with the sixth pick. Derek Anderson was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers at selection thirteen. Mercer would play until 2005, averaging 13.6 points per game. Anderson won an NBA ring with in 2006 with fellow '96er Antoine Walker for the Miami Heat. They were the sixth and seventh Cats to win both a NBA and NCAA Championship. The others are: Frank Ramsey, Rick Robey, Lou Tsioropoulos, Cliff Hagan, and Nazr Mohammed.

UK calendar

SI Vault: The Big Cat Came To Play

December 5, 1983

A blast from the past. While checking out Sports Illustrated today, I came across the SI Vault with a feature on Twin Tower Sam Bowie and their destruction of Louisville.

It was the first game in the renewed regular season rivalry. Louisville had taken Kentucky out in the 1983 NCAA Tournament to kickstart the rivalry again. The way the players talked trash and how the players, coaches, and fans literally hated one another was really refreshing.

There was not even a compromise on where the announcement would take place:

Two years ago, when a preseason publication wished to pose Kentucky and Louisville players together on the steps of the Capitol in Frankfort, Crum was more than willing but Hall refused to cooperate. This summer, after the schools finally agreed to play, Louisville Athletic Director Bill Olsen proposed that the announcement be made at the governor's office. His Kentucky counterpart, A.D. Cliff Hagan, refused. When Olsen recommended Shelbyville as a neutral site, Hagan wanted to know if that town was closer to Lexington or Louisville. The result was that Olsen consulted the AAA auto club and determined the exact halfway point—which turned out to be a cow pasture off U.S. 60.

Great stuff and a great read on an uneventful Wednesday night. Oh yeah, the Cats took 36 free throws and Louisville only took 5. You gotta love a renewed rivalry, no?

Yanks Take Down #1 Spain

19-year old Jozy Atlidore (17) leads the way.

In an upset of epic proportions, the U.S. has taken down the world's top-ranked team, Spain, 2-0 in a semifinal of the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Jozy Altidore had the game clinching goal midway through the first half and Clint Dempsey added a goal late to put the game out of reach. Uncle Sam's team takes on the winner of Brazil-South Africa Sunday in the Cup Final.

While this is not a USA/USSR hockey type upset, it's easily a top two or three win in USA soccer history.

The loss ended a 35 game win streak for Spain dating back to 2006. Spain will play the loser of Brazil-South Africa in the consolation match.

Game 1: Kentucky-Miami (OH) Noon on ESPNU

So go ahead and start complaining to your cable company now if you don't have ESPNU. Surely two solid months of complaining will help them realize the importance of Game #1.

What: Rumble at the River

Where: Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH

When: Saturday - September 5th, 2009.

Why: Because we already play too many shady non-conference teams at home.

Tickets: (800) 928-CATS

Prices: $35 upper - $45 lower - $75 club level

Bored?

And to see Triumph the Insult Comic Dog at Bonnaroo, click here.

June 22nd: On this date...

Can't you just feel the intensity?

... in 2005, Randolph Morris sent a fax to Tubby Smith saying he was going pro after his freshman year. Despite minimal interest from NBA teams, Morris felt his game was polished enough to hang with the big boys. The freshman averaged just eight points and four rebounds during his initial campaign with the Cats. He would later go undrafted during the 2005 NBA Draft. The very fax that he sent in helped him regain his eligibility back at Kentucky, albeit after a suspension for receiving money for some of his NBA workouts.

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Meeks Gets the Guarantee He Wanted

So says The Hoops Report via Aaron's UK Basketball Blog. If this is the case, you have to think this was why Jodie was so confident in leaving his name in the Draft.

The guarantee comes from the Denver Nuggets (pick #34), which would be an excellent fit for Meeks. Their up-and-down style would suit his game and would give him the opportunity to play in the open court and get some shots up as a reserve. Not to mention Jodie would be going to a team that made it to the Western Conference Finals this past season.

The only workout Meeks has been through since the June 15th deadline was for the New Jersey Nets. Rumor has it the Nets will try to trade down to possibly get an extra late first round pick. They currently only hold the 11th overall pick with the rumor of trading it to get the 16th and 26th from the Chicago Bulls. Therefore we might get to see a bidding war for the services of our former shooting guard.

I'm really looking forward to Draft this Thursday as it seems like its been an eternity since a UK player has been drafted. Hopefully the NBA Draft will be a sign of things to come from our current crop of Wildcats.

June 21st: On this date...

... in 1991, tributes continue to pour in for Kentucky's most famous supporter, Albert "Happy" Chandler, who died June 15th at the age of 93. Not only was Chandler an ardent UK supporter, he was the former governor, senator and commissioner of baseball. He would always be seen sitting in the front row of World Series games wearing his blue "K" hat.

UK calendar

Happy Father's Day!

June 20th: On this date...

Let's see. There's Riley, 'Toine, and..........I'm sure Anderson's in there somewhere.

... in 2006, two of the people pictured above, along with an injured Derek Anderson, led the Miami Heat to the NBA Championship. And when I say led, I mean stayed out of the way of DeWayne Wade and Shaq as much as possible. It was Riley fifth overall NBA title, his first since 1988. It was the first NBA ring for Walker and Anderson, who were teammates on the 1996 NCAA Championship team, the consensus best team of all-time. No one disputes it.

UK calendar

June 19th: On this date...

... in 1984, Sam Bowie was taken second and Melvin Turpin sixth in the NBA Draft. Bowie was selected by Portland, while Turpin was picked by the Washington Bullets. The story of the Draft, though, was the third overall pick to the Chicago Bulls, Mr. Jordan. Portland pick has been scrutinized ever since for the lone reason that Sam Bowie wasn't better than Michael Jordan. Newsflash: no one ever has been better than Jordan. While often injured, Bowie did play 10 seasons in the NBA and scored nearly 6,000 points, hardly a below-average career. He also was a member of the gold medal winning 1980 USA Olympic team. Fellow Twin Tower Melvin Turpin stayed in the league only five seasons.

UK calendar

Darius Miller Continues World Domination

The United States of America has invited Darius Miller to play basketball for them. Don't worry, he will still play for UK this fall, but his summer is now booked. He was one of twelve players to make the Under-19 Team USA for play in New Zealand next month.

Once again your Coach has his fingerprints all over this roster, as it includes two youngsters from Kentucky (Darius and Shelvin Mack of Bryan Station/Butler fame) and two youngsters from Memphis, TN. Therefore one-third of the team has some sort of tie to UK, only because everything revolves around anything with a Kentucky tie.

No word from the NCAA yet on whether or not they are looking into the situation. If we've learned anything from the punishments set forth for Florida State, Alabama, and UCONN, it's that they will probably discontinue the basketball program at Kentucky. I mean seriously, were these schools even punished?

Andy Katz has a writeup about the selection process and USAbasketball.com has feature all about Darius during the tryout. Well done Darius, please don't get hurt.

Sources say they will take a getaway to the innards of New Zealand and do a remake of Lord of the Rings, except with tall people.

Go Cats.

June 18th: On this date...

Easily the Commonwealth's most famous mustache.

... in 1988, Clay County's Richie Farmer, who led the Tigers to five consecutive Sweet Sixteen high school basketball tournaments and the 1987 state title, was named Kentucky Associated Press High School Athlete of the Year. He averaged over 27 points per game for a Clay County squad that finished runner-up in the state finals. Eddie Sutton was very hesitant in recruiting the 'stache, but Farmer went on to survive the probation years, a new coach, the worst season in school history, to finish his career with a jersey in Rupp's rafters. The combination of his legend as a Kentucky high school player and being a part of Kentucky's Unforgettable team made Farmer one of the most popular players in UK's storied history.

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To 2013.........and Beyond!

From the semi-creepy department comes news from the Cats Pause that Kentucky will be hosting an elite Freshman All-American Camp next weekend (June 25-28). The top 150 players in the class of 2013 will be migrating to Lexington to see where they stand among their high school-less peers.

North Carolina was scheduled to have the camp, but after a scheduling conflict the camp was moved to UK. And although coaches and players cannot be involved in any way, the public can!

The players will compete in league games, attend personal development seminars, receive SAT preparation strategies (isn't this what Derrick Rose is having trouble with currently?), and take practice tests. Two All-Star games will be played Sunday June 28th.

Daily tickets are $5 for kids under 18, $10 for adults. Weekend passes are available for $30.

Get your creep on!

June 16, 1774 - Happy 235th Birthday!

On yesterday's date 235 years ago, Big Blue Booyah's hometown, Harrodsburg, KY, was made the first permanent settlement in the history of the world Kentucky (just don't tell that to the Indians they forced out).

James Harrod rode an army tank into town, parked it on a hill, walked a few miles down the road, and built the above settlement. The parking lot, stairs with railing, and stone walkway didn't come for another six months or so. He then started the world's first County Fair & Horse Show, followed by the first Beef Festival and Wine Tasting west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Scholars maintain the great Woodstock Festival in 1969 was derived from the nation's first hippy festival formed by Harrod and his crew. He called it the Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival, or Turtle Days.

Harrodsburg, KY

Beaumont Inn

To book your Harrodsburg getaway, click here.

Darius Miller Confident in New Team

ESPN's Andy Katz is at the U-19 Team USA trials in Colorado Springs this week trying to get a feel of who will be on the new team. He points out that while most of the talk about Kentucky this offseason has centered around Coach Cal, the return of Pat, and the newcomers, one Wildcat is flying under the radar.

Katz has a nice writeup of just how important the Kentucky sophomore will be in the upcoming season:

If he can he make this squad, that would go along way toward proving to Calipari that he can be a baller, too.

"I'm not paying attention to that," Miller said of all the talk about everyone else. "I'm glad for the team that everyone is talking good about us and saying we can compete for a national championship. That's my only goal."

Darius also said that while he wished friend and former teammate Jodie Meeks would have come back for his senior year, he thinks everything will be fine:

... But after seeing Wall and Bledsoe in an open-gym scrimmage, he's anticipating a seamless transition for the Wildcats.

"They were a good fit and the few times they were on teams together they played really well," Miller said. "We were all playing well, but we're not there yet, but we're getting there."

Man, I'm absolutely torqued to see Darius this fall and wish him well this summer. Go Cats.

Highlights from the UK landscape

Some recent highlights from the past week of your University of Kentucky Wildcats. We'll focus on the not so mainstream sports.

• UK senior golfer Jordan Blann (from Bowling Green) won the Kentucky State-Am by two strokes, becoming the first Cat golfer since J.B. Holmes to do the deed. Blann's teammate Ben Fuqua (Danville) finished in a tie for fourth.
• Kentucky sprinter Rondel Sorrillo placed 2nd in the 200m finals and 5th in the 100m finals at last weekend's NCAA Championships. He had a hand in all of Kentucky's 15 points for the meet. The rest of the team didn't do as well.
• Kentucky softballer Molly Johnson was selected to the US National team and will take part in the Japan Cup later this summer. Good news for an up-and-coming team that comes back loaded next year.

Go Cats.

June 17th: On this date...

... in 1986, Kenny "Sky" Walker was selected fifth in the NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. The Kentucky All-American was most known for his Slam Dunk championship moreso than his actual NBA playing career, but "Sky" represented the Cats well nonetheless. Walker was the highest pick from Kentucky since Sam Bowie in 1984 and only Jamal Mashburn has gone as high since. After making All-SEC four times and All-American twice, Walker went through five coaches in five years. Ultimately, knee injuries limited Walker's success, ending his career in Washington.

UK calendar

You're Welcome, Jodie.

Jodie gave a big thank you to all the Cat fans today on his website. For the most part, the first words we've heard from Jodie since he declared for the NBA Draft. Its straight and to the point. For all the Jodie haters out there, check yourself and realize these are the biggest days of his life and we should be happy for him. You won't find a bigger UK fan in the NBA than Jodie.

He has a great chance of being drafted in the first round next week. Whether or not it happens is yet to be seen, but he's gonna get drafted. Hopefully a team will reward his great career and realize the kid can fill it up. Good luck Jodie in your new endeavors.

Obama Destroys Terrorist Aviation

With Meeks Gone, Let the Meaninglessness Begin!

Whew, I didn't ever think we'd get here. Now that the deadline has passed for the NBA Draft, we know a little bit more about teams going into fall 2009........kinda. And since no one can think of anything different or unique to write about, let's start with preseason polls!

What everyone forgets to tell you is that they've already made their preseason picks. Remember, two seconds after the Final Four was over, every "journalist" came out with their rankings for 2009-10. That is, until those rankings were dubbed meaningless when players started going pro.

This doesn't even include the numerous coaching changes, recruits decommitting, late signings, NCAA violations, etc. Oh, and don't forget that we're talking about 18 year-old kids that have never played college basketball before. Or players who have never played in a game for their new coach.

We've had preseason rankings for a solid 75 days now. So discuss the following amongst yourselves for a while to give these guys a vacation. At least until they make more preseason predictions next week.

Andy Katz - ESPN - preseason rankings - #7

Gary Parrish - CBS Sports - preseason rankings - #2

Luke Winn - Sports Illustrated - ranking the offseason moves - #2

Mike Miller - NBC Sports - preseason rankings - #3

Jeff Goodman - Fox Sports - starts vacation today - new poll shortly

June 16th: On this date...

... in 1983, Republican Louie Guenther, a state legislator out of Louisville, decided he was filing a bill to be considered in next year's state legislature requiring the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville to play each other annually in basketball and football. Negotiations were already going on between the two schools, but Guenther was afraid nothing would get done. The Cats and Cards had just played Dream Game 1 in Knoxville during the 1983 NCAA Tournament with a Final Four berth on the line. The game was considered an overwhelming success that many wanted to happen regularly. I'm guessing this was Guenther most notable accomplishment in office.

UK calendar

June 15th: On this date...

... in 2009, Jodie Meeks decided to skip his season and keep his name in the 2009 NBA Draft...Yuck.

and

... in 1989, Tubby Smith and Billy Donovan joined Rick Pitino's staff as assistant coaches. Smith, 37, was an assistant coach for South Carolina. Donovan, 24, played under Pitino at Providence and is best known for winning back-to-back championships turning down the Kentucky head coaching job twice because it would hurt his mentor's feelings.

Meeks Stays in Draft -- Are New Uniforms the Reason?

Jodie....shortly after finding out we would be getting new uni's next year.

In short, probably not. But I'll ask you this: Are we getting new uniforms next year? Yes. Is Jodie coming back? No.

And since everyone and their mother will have a reason why he's not coming back, I'm gonna use this one. Nike single-handedly cost us the Championship in 2010. All I've gotta say is that these uniforms better be good.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, today's news sucks. I think every UK fan kind of had a feeling Jodie would come back. We all thought this because of OUR own agenda, though, not his.

You have to ask yourself: Why do people go to college? The answer is to give themselves a better opportunity at earning a living in a specialized field. It just so happens that his specialized field offers much more than yours.

But in this bad news, we will find out who wants it and who doesn't. This gives a tremendous opportunity to the players on the current roster to step up and make some noise. We will be young in the backcourt, but we will be talented in the backcourt. This most likely sets up as a two PG team. How many other teams next year will be able to boast two ball handling freaks like us?

I would've liked Jodie to be a part of what I think is going to be a special 2009-10 year, but you can't blame the guy. Consider the alternative*.

* = Billy Clyde coaching. No Pat. No Jodie.

Meeks staying in the draft

Per Cal's Twitter Page:

Jodie called..He's keeping his name in the draft. He's excited and I'm excited
for him. I wish I got the chance to coach him.5
minutes ago from txt

Twitter Update

As we all wait to see "What Will Jodie Do", I thought I would break the news void with a Twitter update. It has been a while since our last update, and boy has Cal been busy.

Current Followers: 191,881

Tweet of Interest:

No word from Jodie...Made me run faster 2day around campus...Headed 2
Markey Cancer Fundraiser @ Ashford Farms...Gonna b in NYC 2niteabout 17 hours ago from txt

Yup, That's Who I'm Hangin' Out With Tomorrow

See you tomorrow, BBB.

Nationwide Series race Saturday at Sparta's Kentucky Speedway. Sorry. It's gonna be rainy and wet tomorrow. Yay, for me!

Jodie Meeks Decision Impacts Nation, If Not World

"I will be announcing this weeeeeekennnnnnnnnnnndd!"

So says Gary Parrish of CBS Sports. Well, he didn't actually say "world", but that's what I gathered. He is probably the biggest name left to decide on his future. Obviously, its the most important decision for everyone in the Bluegrass.

The world of Internets says the decision will come this weekend. Of course this is the conclusion they come to because the deadline is Monday. Nothing gets past the Internets.

Gary lets us know the college basketball world and its meaningless preseason rankings hinge on Jodie's decision. If he comes back, we could be #1. If not, we'll still be a top team, but the chances of winning a national title decrease significantly. Tis the calm before the storm. And I'll actually be in Sparta, KY watching the Nationwide race, go figure.

In other news, Jody Demling reports Jon Hood is up to about 200 lbs. now. He is getting ready for the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star games this weekend. Saturday in Indianapolis, Sunday at Bellarmine. No word if Twinkies are to blame. What a fatty.

Dicky Lyons, Jr. Needs Your Help

DL3 is in the process of working out for some NFL teams trying to make a roster for this fall's upcoming NFL season. Dicky has been writing entries for A Sea of Blue on his adventures during his tryouts. Almost like a running diary.

He just got done with his Atlanta tryout and is now heading to Buffalo. Hopefully, Stevie Got Loose has some pull with player personnel decisions.

And he also wants you to follow him on Twitter. Help a Dicky out.

Calipari's new EA commercial

June 11th: On this date...

... in 1989, freshman Chris Mills decided to transfer to Arizona in wake of the pending probation. Mills was one of the best players from the disastrous 1988-89 team that only won 13 games. Chris was the center of a major scandal involving receiving improper payments, allegedly from a UK booster. The scandal broke when an Emery Worldwide package addressed to Mills' father popped open and several large-denomination bills spilled out. After Mills took a trip to Tucson to visit the University of Arizona, he decided Lute Olson would be the perfect fit for his game. He was named to the All-SEC Freshman team, as well as third team All-SEC while at Kentucky. Mills is also a part of the elusive Kentucky triple-double club.

Galloway and Pilgrim Out

Wait, what does this have to do with news tonight? Nothing, but it's a funny pic.

Matt May and the internets are confirming tonight that Kevin Galloway and Matt Pilgrim won't be returning to the UK basketball team this fall. Rumor has it that Galloway's grades weren't in order and I'm not really sure what the Pilgrim deal is about.

If Pat, Cousins, and Stevenson are all out after this coming year, only Orton and Harrellson remain as low post guys for 2010-11. This is the thinking of a Kentucky fan, though. Always worry about the future.

With this news tonight, you'd have to think Jodie is coming back. I have no proof, but I'll take the opinions of Mike Pratt and Tom Leach over anyone else online.

WLEX confirms
WKYT confirms
Zags Blog

June 10th: On this date...

... in 1978, Kentucky All-Americans Rick Robey and Jack "Goose" Givens, along with super sixth man James Lee were selected in the 1978 NBA Draft. All were coming off an NCAA Championship run under coach Joe B. Hall. The Indiana Pacers selected Robey with the 3rd overall pick. The Atlanta Hawks chose Givens with the 16th overall pick. James Lee went to the Seattle SuperSonics with the 39th overall pick. Robey played a total of eight seasons in the NBA, winning a Championship with the Celtics in 1981. Givens played just two years with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging less than seven points a game before being released. Lee never recorded an NBA stat according to basketball-reference.com.

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Paxton goes 37th to the Toronto Blue Jays

It's still considered the first round, just supplemental first round. My guess is it's not gonna change the fact he just made a ton of money. If you need anymore info on the subject, UK Athletics is your place.

Holmes Qualifies for U.S. Open

Former Wildcat J.B. Holmes qualified for next week's U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in New York. He is skipping this week's event on the PGA Tour because of the today's sectional qualifying effort in Columbus, OH.

Holmes has struggled quite a bit recently on Tour, but still ranks 46th on the money list ($947K) and 47th in FedEx Cup points. So it's all relative, right? Just under a Mil in under six months of work.......very relative.

You know what they say, you can't win if Tiger's entered you're not entered. Having said all this, put all of your children's savings on Tiger Woods winning the 2009 U.S. Open. Lock of the century. Bold prediction, eh?

Kentucky Baseball Love

The Major League Baseball Draft is today and Kentucky LHP James Paxton expects to be picked at some point in the first round. Paxton boasts one of the most notorious uber-agents in the business in Scott Boras. This means that while some teams might be hesitant to draft him, the kid is about to get paid.

He is one of top prospects in all of college baseball as he throws massive heat and is a southpaw. This unique combination has team's foaming at the mouth. He has been projected anywhere from 3rd to 30th overall, but most mock draft have him going somewhere in between. Thanks to Mr. Paxton for keeping Kentucky baseball in the news.

His teammate, right-hander Chris Rusin is also slated to be picked today as well. He seems to be a possible third-round choice.

Eric Lindsey, at Cat Scratches, also found a nice piece from the Wall Street Journal raving about the University of Kentucky baseball program. They say over the last 10+ years, Kentucky rates as the third best baseball factory for pitching in MLB Drafts. Sending prominent big leaguers Brandon Webb, Joe Blanton, Scott Downs, now James Paxton and Chris Rusin. Not even mentioning the numerous Wildcats in the minor leagues currently.

Not bad for a school known for basketball, and more recently football. Having publicity like this doesn't hurt at all for our up-and-coming baseball program and helps cement the fact that the University is one step closer to world domination.

MLB Draft tonight at 6:00

June 9th: On this date...

... in 1969, Tom Payne, of Louisville, became the first African-American player to sign with Adolph Rupp and Kentucky. Academic issues kept Payne from playing as a freshman, but as a sophomore, his grades and play improved immensely. In 1971, he scored 30 points vs. Auburn to help clinch the SEC Championship for the Wildcats. However, with the possibility of playing the next year looking slim, he opted to declare hardship and declared for the 1971 NBA hardship draft. He was taken by Atlanta in the first round.

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June 8th: On this date...

... in 1978, former UK All-American Kevin Grevey helped lead the Washington Bullets to their first ever NBA Championship. Grevey averaged 15.5 ppg as a starter, alongside Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. After having a solid season with the Bullets, an injury held Grevey back during the playoff run. He did tally six points in the deciding Game 7 victory over the favored SuperSonics, 105-99. Upon retirement, Grevey opened a popular restaurant in Washington D.C., appropriately named "Grevey's."

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June 7th: On this date...

... in 1989, Kentucky guard Sean Sutton decided to transfer after speaking to new head coach Rick Pitino. Sutton said the biggest reason for leaving was that he wanted to go to a place where he could "win a national championship." But then he decided to transfer to Oklahoma State, which blows that theory out of the water. Both father and son would ultimately end up in Stillwater to "lead" Oklahoma State to.....................well, not much of anything.

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Summer Bird. Oh....You hadn't heard?

Summer Bird, not Mine That Bird won the Belmont Stakes today. Calvin Borel's dream, or anyone else's of a Triple Crown, will have to wait for a few more decades.

Jerry Tipton Hates Your Team

"Hi. My name is Jerry. I hate your team."

Jerry Tipton is pissed off that he went to the NCAA hearings today and didn't find out any dirt on your coach or team. What I'm gathering from his commentary is that he feels like if something fishy is going on in your vicinity, you should know. Or possibly go on probation. He asked Len Elmore about it today just to get his fix:

As a former All-America player for Maryland and then a longtime college basketball commentator, Elmore knows the ways of big-time athletics.

"You can't tell me that coaches don't have control over situations that have a direct impact" on an incoming player and the program, he said. " ... I'd really be surprised if there wasn't at least some inkling. Coaches have intuition. They've been around. Many of them have been around a long, long time. They know what the proper path to recruiting and admission of a student-athlete would be all about. And they also probably would be able to smell something that wasn't right."

These are strong words from Tipton and Elmore. Having said that, if I decided to pull the wool over on the SAT officials, I could've had someone take the test for me, and if I got caught, I could throw all of the blame to the Head of Finance at the University of Kentucky.

In conclusion, Len Elmore and Jerry Tipton hate Finance professors.