August 31st: On this date...

The international symbol for Polish cowboy.

... in 1982, a baby "Woo" was born in Poland to Marian and Grazylua Obrzut. Fan favorite Lukasz Obrzut was best known as an enforcer on the basketball court from 2003-2007. "Woo" finished his career with 196 points - 135 rebounds - 170 fouls. He was a part of a select group of players who really embraced being in the spotlight for Big Blue Nation. The calendar says Woo's career highlight came against #4 Louisville during his junior season. He was inserted into the starting lineup and helped get the Cats to a 39-24 advantage by halftime. While only having four points, I'm sure he fouled the begeezus out of the Cards literally scaring them away from the basket. Woo's career high came against Vanderbilt and High Point, when he scored nine points in limited action. Woo is now a member of Lexington's new ABA team, the Bluegrass Stallions.

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Four Former Cats Headline New ABA Team

Lexington's new ABA team, coached by Kentucky great Kyle Macy, has a very Blue feel to it. Macy announced today the team would consist of four former Wildcats: Wayne Turner, Ravi Moss, Bobby Perry, and Lukasz Obrzut.

I don't know much about the ABA, but it seems the addition of "Woo" to the league should keep it afloat for at least a few years. The guy is not only a fan favorite, he's not afraid to attempt a dunk from the 3-point line before breaking the backboard with the ball.

Go Cats/Stallions.

August 28th: On this date...

... in 1983, nature model/all-time Kentucky basketball great Kenny "Sky" Walker helped lead the Uncle Sam's to the FIFA Junior World Championship. They won the gold medal game over the Russia Gorbachevs, 82-78. Walker's team-high 24 points sent a message to the communist world that Americans would not only destroy them in basketball, but produce a photo essay like the one here that is still unrivaled to this day. It was the second World Junior Basketball Championship for the Americans.

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Aaron Boyd: Odd Man Out?

MJP at WLEX just said Aaron Boyd might be keeping it gangsta on the sidelines this season because the coaching staff has decided to redshirt the Lexington sophomore. According to most reports, it seems as though Mr. Boyd has had some maturity issues.

If what MJP says is true, it means the coaching staff doesn't think Boyd is as valuable as he thinks he is and/or they might be deeper at wide receiver than we originally thought. Either way, we wish Aaron well and hope to see him in Blue next season. The kid has to want to change his ways though.

If I remember correctly, we went through some shaky times with Shane also.

Also, Rick Pitino had sex in a Louisville restaurant floor with a crazy woman.

And Billy G was arrested for driving drunk after a night of golf. And if you're going to arrest for driving drunk, might as well arrest him for putting drunk too! OOOOOOOOOOOOh!

Is This the Face of Someone with Leverage?

Well, helllllllllloooo Thursday. The man pictured above has had quite the morning. Some comments/questions for this glorious Thursday morning.

Did this guy eat the old Billy Clyde?

I would give a penny for the thoughts running through the minds of A.D. Mitch Barhart, University President Lee Todd, and local sports anchor Alan Cutler. You think these guys are having a nice Thursday?

If you are THE MAN at WLEX, how is your first reaction not to get Alan Cutler out of bed down to Lawrenceburg/Frankfort?

Will Billy Clyde end up paying the University of Kentucky before its all said and done?

Does anyone know where Joe B. Hall and Tubby Smith are? With all of the stuff going on with former coaches, we might need to move these guys into hiding. NORAD, Fort Knox, wherever.

I've tried telling everyone who has ever come in contact with me: Do not mess with Mercer County? I guess the same can be said for their neighbors just north (Anderson County). Welcome to the party fellas.

Does Billy Clyde use a phone for everything? I'm going to go out on a limb and guess he's a horrible poker player. Nerves = cell phone.

Do I need to do a "On this date..." feature today? I'm guessing........no.

Has there ever been a better offseason to be a Big Blue fan? It's going to end at some point, but all of this in one summer?

Can someone get Rick Pitino in front of a camera? He has got as happy or happier than anyone in the UK administration.

Sorry if this is a bit random and all over the place. I'm just really having trouble wrapping my head around how stupid this guy is.

Breaking News: Media Put Its Collective Penis Into Karen Sypher

Ummm........a reach-around on Yao Ming? Bingo!

Some random observations from the Pitino presser:

• Louisville head coach Rick Pitino had a news conference this afternoon to let the world know that anyone who listens to the news coverage of him is to blame for him putting his penis into another woman on the floor of an upscale Louisville restaurant.

• I'm really having trouble putting two-and-two together, but I think Pitino called the media together to give them a story about how they should not write a story on his story that he continues to put front and center. And that Ted Kennedy has passed away. And the FBI/US Attorney don't like basketball.
  

• It didn't take a genius to figure out once Rick Pitino came back to Kentucky to coach Louisville, it most likely wasn't going to end well. Especially when one of the parties couldn't control the use of his/her penis while in a restaurant.

• Pitino called Crackville's fans the best fans in the history of the world because they (the true fans) don't want to talk about him putting his penis into a strange woman while dining in a Louisville eatery. If that's the case, Big Blue Nation should receive a Nobel Peace Prize for their inability to want to talk about Coach Cal's past.

• I'm not going to lie. I had no idea about anything going on with the Pitino-penis-crazy eyes-restaurant-scandal until I saw Rick Pitino calling a press conference out of nowhere saying to stop covering his case. He then went on to say not to believe anything you see or hear about his case unless it comes from him. This just weeks after he admitted to having unprotected sex with a strange woman in a Louisville restaurant.

• If you are reading this right now, I'm going to need you to do one thing. Go to a mirror....look yourself in the eye(s)......and apologize for allowing Rick Pitino to put his penis into another woman while dining out at a Louisville restaurant.

That is all. Carry on. And remember, you should be ashamed of yourself. And if you ever read or hear anything bad about the Big Blue Booyah, either don't read it or turn the channel.

WLEX

August 26th: On this date...

Here, Master plays even though the team forgot their shorts. What's that? Oh, those WERE the shorts?

... in 1983, the University of Kentucky version of Michael Jordan.....Jim Master......scored 16 points in a Pan-Am Games showdown with the Brazil Amazons. The victory (87-79) wrapped up the gold medal for the Americans, and pushed their Pan-Am Games winning streak to 28 games. North Carolina's Michael Jordan added 16 points to help lead Team USA in a supporting role. The team was coached by Kansas State's Jack Hartman and was the third consecutive Pan-Am Games gold medal for the basketball squad. Unbeaten with an 8-0 record, the Americans struck gold for the eight time in nine tries. Other notable members of the team included Mark Price, Sam Perkins, and Wayman Tisdale. But none went on to have as successful a career as Kentucky's Jim Master. Go Cats.

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Krebs on Scholarship

John Clay lets us know that Coach Cal has given the final scholarship for the 2009-10 team to Mark Krebs. He had mentioned a few weeks back this was going to be a priority before the season started. Although I'm not really sure how hard that was supposed to be, as he is the head coach and everything.

Much to my surprise, Krebs does have a mix tape highlight reel on YouTube.

August 25th: On this date...

Seriously. A decal?

... in 2008, the mighty SEC and the even more powerful ESPN announced they would be teaming together in a television contract of epic proportions. The details of the deal being a 15-year contract for more than $2 Billion to televise SEC sporting events. Most importantly SEC Football and SEC Basketball (Men's and Women's). All of this starts in fall of 2009, so.........we did it!

Commissioner Mike Slive said, "This agreement makes the SEC the most widely distributed conference in the country...The bottom line here is that fans of SEC football will have more access to games and better distribution than they ever have in the past."

I'm almost certain his last statement was a direct shot at JP/Lincoln Financial/Raycom/the bowl of poop soup we'd been having to watch in year's past. So, in essence, Mike Slive is saying keep chanting "S-E-C, S-E-C, S-E-C" whenever you are in a large crowd in a foreign city and you may be rewarded with a Billion dollar contract.

E.J. Fields Needs Surgery

Promising wide receiver E.J. Fields has gone down with a foot injury that will keep him out for most of the season. A big blow for an unproven receiving corp. Rich Brooks relayed the message via Twitter saying E.J. was having a nice summer, but surgery is in the works.

John Connor is still nursing an ankle sprain and the team will know more in a few days.

Derrick Locke and Alfonso Smith have ran the ball well in practice, but lack conditioning.

PaPaw also gave props to Trevard for making the "Play Boy" All-American team. I'm guessing either Brooks has never seen a Playboy before or he was trying to stay away from the Twitter police. Think about the stories ol' Hugh and PaPaw could turn out. Like lookin' in a mirror.

August 24th: On this date...

... in 2008, ya boy Tayshaun Prince single-handedly took home the gold for the Americans in the Beijing Olympics. His six crucial points, two critical rebounds, and 100% shooting on the night paced Uncle Sam's team. Semi-stars Dwayne Wade (27 points), Kobe Bryant (20 points) and Lebron James (14 points) played key supporting roles in regaining the title of World Dominators. The Americans took control early and held on as the Spaniards made a late run but couldn't get over the hump. Final score 118-107. The two teams had played earlier in the Olympics and Team USA destroyed Spain by 37 points. Prince became the most recent in a long line of University of Kentucky gold medal winners, joining Adolph Rupp and Tubby Smith. Who would've thought the skinny little kid from Compton would end up being one of the greatest Kentucky players in his generation, much less a gold medal winner. Tayshaun making us proud. Speaking of pride, something tells me Tayshaun had his puppies set off the bus.

August 23rd: On this date...

... in 2001, the University of Kentucky announced plans to retire all-time great Dermontti Dawson's #57 jersey. The event would take place during Kentucky's first game vs. Louisville, September 1, 2001. Dawson was a product of Lexington's own Bryan Station High School, where he was an all-state lineman. A four-year letterman at UK, Dawson played both guard and center while in blue and was a part of the 1984 Hall of Fame Championship team. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted the All-SEC lineman in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft. Dawson's NFL career lasted 13 seasons, all with the Steelers, included seven Pro Bowls, and contained a 170 consecutive game playing streak. Not currently an NFL Hall of Famer, Dawson points to one man being the key to his success on the field and in life.......former Kentucky head coach Jerry Claiborne. The discipline and character he received under Claiborne's tutelage led him to be a pillar in every community to this day. Someone please get this Kentucky great in the Hall of Fame.

August 22nd: On this date...

... in 1992, a 6-4 guard from Peachtree City, Georgia, committed to play for the University of Kentucky. Head coach Rick Pitino compared Jeff Sheppard to two all-time greats. He said Sheppard "shoots like Kyle Macy and jumps like Rex Chapman." Pitino couldn't have been more spot on with his description.

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August 21st: On this date...

... in 2001, former University of Kentucky wide receiver Jeff Piecoro was named the new analyst for the UK football radio network, replacing Jeff Van Note. Piecoro began his broadcasting career with Lexington's WTVQ fresh out of college in 1985. From 1992-95, he was the weekend sports anchor for WLEX. Jeff is currently the play-by-play voice for the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team. As is that wasn't enough he handles the pre and post game shows for the Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds. To top it off, he has a morning sportstalk radio show on the Homer and does play-by-play for the AFL's Columbus Destroyers. Jeff currently lives in Villa Hills, KY, with his wife and three children. The duo of Tom Leach and Jeff Piecoro are two of the best in the business and paint a great image for Big Blue Nation on the radio.

Ich Bin Ein Berliner? More like Ich Bin Ein Fail.

Today at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships. Berlino the mascot almost murdered a gold medal winner from Jamaica via piggyback.

Football is Football, right?

via Tom Leach

Caught With Their Pants Down?

Welp, there goes the leverage. Seems like anyone paying for ad spots for tonight's WKYT Schedule Release Party wouldn't be happy with the Herald-Leader releasing the schedule this afternoon. If nothing else, I'd ask for a small discount.

Granted there was not going to be much surprise on the opponents, but the dates and TV schedule was a bit of a mystery, no? At the end of the day it won't matter anyway. The "rabid" Kentucky fan base will watch anything with the labels "Kentucky" and "Basketball" and "Release".

August 20th: On this date...

... in 1941, Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks was born in Forest, California. The path to 2009 wasn't the easiest a coach has ever been though as Tom Leach notes in the book above. Rich's time in Lexington has been anything but rosey. But we have to remember Rich Brooks came to us when no one else would....in the midst of an NCAA death penalty. I'll be the first to admit I was ready to part ways multiple times during PaPaw's first few years. And I'll be the first to admit I was wrong. At the end of the day it's still all about wins and losses, and Brooks still totes a 32-41 record in Lexington. But any Big Blue Nation member who has been around the program in the last three years can vouch for this program being in arguably the best shape in their lifetime. Rich Brooks has simply changed the culture in Lexington. And while many people may not like to hear it, Mitch Barnhart deserves as much credit for sticking with Brooks as he does blame for the other mess. Rich Brooks has succeeded and done what few others could do at Kentucky: make Big Blue Nation Believe.

Rich Brooks, Kentucky Wildcats Head Coach, at 2009 SEC Media Days

August 19th: On this date...

Sorry DA. I can't get enough of prom night.

... in 1994, even though Louisville native Derek Anderson had decided to transfer from Ohio State, it was a given he would not be going to Kentucky. The Wildcats didn't have any scholarships to offer Anderson anyway. Even the assistant-SID was quoted as saying, "There's not going to be an association between Kentucky and him." Anderson said he would not walk-on and since there were no scholarships available, he would need to move on. Enter Scott Padgett's bad grades. Suddenly, the big blue frowns turned upside down. The decision is reversed and D.A. comes to Lexington. Padgett's loss was Derek's gain. Anderson would be able to be an active member on on the greatest team ever. The '96ers.

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August 18th: On this date...

Wait a minute. Is that.....Is that the shocker??

... in 1995, Kentucky coach Rick Pitino was ejected from an exhibition game in Italy while touring with the greatest team ever. It was a game the Cats would eventually lose, 123-115, to Montecatini. The loss was the first on the Exhibition Tour of Italy. The Italian referees whistled your University of Kentucky Wildcats for 42 fouls, Montecatini for 33. After falling behind 100-77, the Cats made a huge comeback, only to fall short at the end. Making only 38 of 100 shots didn't help anything either. I'm guessing the extra practice didn't hurt when molding the greatest college basketball team ever assembled. Years later, the coach pictured above would continue his "strange-acting ways" in some of Louisville's finest eateries.

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Kentucky TWIB Notes

The Kentucky Wildcats baseball program has received some good news today regarding next season's roster. Top baseball prospect James Paxton (LHP), drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the supplemental first round of this summer's MLB Draft, has decided to return for his senior season. Paxton is considered one of the top lefties in the college game and immediately gives Kentucky a force atop the starting rotation.

We also learned today that five of the seven incoming freshmen drafted in the MLB Draft are also making the trip to Lexington this fall and bypassing a major league contract. This class includes three more pitchers, giving the Cats a young, but loaded pitching staff.

Great news for head coach Gary Henderson and his staff. With this news, Kentucky is expected to be a major obstacle in this year's SEC race. Now all we need is an updated stadium and we'll be good to go.

Cat Scratches

Its A Schedule Release Party!

Over 30,000 attended last year's schedule release party.

Word this afternoon from Eric Lindsey at Cat Scratches that says the 2009-10 men's basketball schedule is complete. UK is waiting on word from the SEC/ESPN/Nike/Ball Homes/Kroger/Al Purnell's Old Folks Sausage on finalized date and times, but the teams are all there.

WKYT has been given rights to host a schedule release party with Dave Baker as VeeJay. He will be joined by The Voice of the Wildcats Tom Leach, strong-armed negotiator Mike Pratt, and first year head coach John Calipari. The Big Blue Network has been given the task of making as much money off advertising as humanly possible to help pay for our coaches' salary.

As a part of this year's schedule, Kentucky will be involved in half of ESPN's Super Tuesday SEC games. Three of the four games will be on the road: @ South Carolina, @ Mississippi State, @ Florida. The home game being vs. Mississippi.

August 17th: On this date...

... in 2006, the University of Kentucky Athletics Department received its largest donation in history as Joe Craft donated a cool $6 million toward a new basketball practice facility. In return, he would receive naming rights to the state-of-the-art building. Craft, a native of Hazard, KY, graduated from the University with a degree in accounting in 1972 and a law degree in 1976. He is President and CEO of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., a diversified coal producer and marketer. The facility houses both men's and women's basketball teams along with administrative and UK Athletics staff offices. It officially opened in January 2007. To this day, it is the standard to which all other basketball facilities are measured. Chalk another one up for World Domination.

Video tour of Joe Craft Center

New Blogger Alert! New Blogger Alert!

Greetings to all who read this blog. It is obvious if you are here you are an outstanding member of society and obviously above the average IQ range. Otherwise, you would be reading something about the economy and worrying about your financial future. I am going to be writing on this blog from time to time and I can promise you 2 things. First, I have no time for research and just like to talk about sports so nothing, I repeat nothing I say has any relevance to society or will help you to become a better person. Second, my opinions are mine and you are entitled to your own, but my opinion is what you will be getting when you read my posts.

I will begin with todays golf festivites. The PGA Championship finished today and Tiger did not win. REPEAT Tiger Woods did not win. My first question is does anyone really care? Don't get me wrong, Tiger is a great golfer, but he is not going to win every tournament. If he did, it would be no fun to watch the tournaments. It is no secret I am not a huge Tiger fan. I tend to pull for lefty but we do not need to talk about his week in golf. Probably one he wants to forget. Back to Tiger. If you did not hear, Tiger had never lost a major tournament when leading or being co-leader after 54 holes. Again, does anyone really care. Much like Duke basketball and the Boston Red Sox. The media has overkilled Tiger Woods. Tiger can be 8 strokes off the lead and an up-and-comer winning a tournament and all the announcers talk about is Tiger. If he is that far off the lead who carses what he is doing at the time.

I talk about this for no reason except to bring up the question of is Tiger Woods the greatest golfer ever? I do not accept that as truth yet. The technology is far greater than it was 30 years ago so it is unfair to compare him to Nicklaus and Palmer. Doing that is like asking if Muhammed Ali would have beat Mike Tyson in their prime. When history separates athletes of the same sport you have to go with statistics. And looking at that Tiger is 3rd in the all-time wins category behing Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus. Then you look at all-time majors of which Tiger is in second behind Jack Nicklaus. To me, saying Tiger is the greatest ever is something that basically only time is keeping from happening, but we canot say that yet. Let me ask you this. Was Hank Aaron the best homerun hitter until he broke Babe Ruth's record? Was Pete Rose the all-time hit leader until he broke Ty Cobb's record? Is UNC the winnigest program in college basketball? (answer: not as long as UK still has a program and Coach Cal handles his bidness). The answer to all of these is NO, and until Tiger brings in major title #19 and becomes the all-time wins leader I will never say he is the greatest golfer ever.

August 16th: On this date...

... in 2008, Kentucky standout Tayshaun Prince helped the Americans destroy Spain, 119-82, in the Beijing Olympics. This would end up being a preview of the gold medal match that would take place eight days later. While most believe Prince was added to the roster as a defensive specialist, the games were such blowouts everyone got into the offensive mix. The Compton native clocked just over 13 minutes and tallied 10 points for the eventual gold medal winners. For the entire Olympics, Tayshaun averaged 7.3 PPG - 5.1 RPG (2nd on team) in nearly 18 MPG. And as any member of Big Blue Nation would have done, he refused to give Coach K his gold medal.

Tyson Gay Sets New American Record

Moments ago Lexington's own Tyson Gay set an American record in the 100m at the World Track & Field Championships. His time of 9.71 was second only to winner Usain Bolt of Jamaica. Bolt set a new World Record at 100m, finishing in 9.58 seconds.

Gay's American Record makes him officially the second fastest human to ever walk the planet, behind Bolt. The Lafayette High School product also gave a shout out to everyone in Lexington in his post-race interview. Meh, decent Sunday afternoon I guess.

August 15th: On this date...

... in 1996, Kentucky superfan Ashley Judd made Big Blue Nation proud by staying true to her colors. In an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader, Judd spoke of an encounter on the set of a recent movie with a North Carolina fan. When offered a North Carolina jacket on a cold night of filming, Judd said she would. "just as soon freeze to death." I love you.

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Rick Pitino Saga - Reader Beware

Please refresh. Is this Alotta Fagina or Pussy Galore?

Soft-spoken FoxSports columnist Jason Whitlock has finally weighed in on the Rick Pitino situation. He lets us know the only thing Rick Pitino did wrong was try to go one-on-one with the most dominant dynasty in the history of human existence........vagina.

Whether you're a sports athlete, coach, or political figure, no man has ever come out on top against nature's greatest phenomenon while doing the no pants dance. If you're a target or think you're a target, playing hide the sausage with a stranger could ruin your career. One little game of parking the beef bus in tuna town most likely isn't worth it.

I'm guessing Mr. Whitlock will have a firestorm of vagina raining down on him in the near future.

Walking Wounded

Injuries are a part of any football team early in camp. But for this year's Cats to have any chance at a fourth straight bowl, they need to limit them. Having said that, the number of wounded Wildcats is growing just a week into fall practice. We've heard all summer how this may be PaPaw's deepest team talent-wise since he has been at UK. We might be close to finding out.

If there's a perfect time to get the young guys involved, it's early on in the season. Hopefully, the first three weeks will allow our newcomers to get acquainted with everything they need to before going through the gauntlet (games 3-6).

Offensive Line: Center Jorge Gonzalez is in the doghouse already and will miss Game 1. This isn't injury related, but time will be lost. Guard Jake Lanefski underwent knee surgery today and will miss 2-3 weeks.

Running Back: Derrick Locke is coming off a major knee injury. Moncell Allen has been inconsistent and battled weight issues. Alfonso Smith is injury prone and already has missed time this fall for a stress fracture in his foot. Newcomer/Walk-On Coshik Williams has a sprained foot.

Wide Receiver: Randall Cobb is currently sporting a hurt back (back injuries are scary). Aaron Boyd is suspended for immaturity.

Tight End: TC Drake has a pulled groin.

Defensive Line: Jeremy Jarmon's replacement DeQuin Evans is coming off a hamstring injury.

If the bench is as good as we've told over the past few months, we may not be in as bad of shape as we were in the past. But with this being Kentucky football, they need to prove it for people to Believe. Who will step up? Opportunities are abound.

August 13th: On this date...

... in 1948, the U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball team struck gold in London as they destroyed the Frenchies 65-21. This meant back-to-back golds for the Americans. The team consisting of Adolph Rupp's Fabulous Five and players from the Phillips Oilers had a comfortable margin in each game. Alex Groza had 11 points in the final. Wah-Wah Jones and Ralph Beard added four each, Ken Rollins two, and Cliff Barker did not score. Rupp's Kentucky players were the first Wildcat basketball players to ever win a gold medal. More would come.

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Rick Pitino Is Sorry For Getting Caught?

Rick Pitino did the only thing he could do today and issued an apology for his indiscretions. The majority of the damage had already been done, he simply needed to dot the T's and cross the I's after the Courier-Journal release.

The man knew it would be a smack in the face to Kentucky when he came back here, so he has to know what's coming at him when he comes to Rupp in a few months. Right or wrong, it's going to happen. Everyone already thinks Big Blue Nation is crazy anyway. They'd probably be a bit disappointed if we let him come in here and feel the least bit comfortable.

What will we see tickets behind the Louisville bench going for on Ebay?

How much security will be in and around that area on gameday?

How many Kentucky fans will be thrown out before the start of the game?

Can Rick Pitino still pull off the purity of the white suit?

Will he wear a sweater with a large "A" on the front for key games?

How quickly can Rick try to turn himself into the victim? (check)

The only thing I know is this is the longest period of time John Calipari has been out of the spotlight in his six months in Lexington. Do you think that's a coincidence? You have to think Coach Cal is laying as low as possible until all of this dies down and then comes back with something BIG. A 2010 commitment would be great timing coming off an interesting last few days from your rival in-state school. I'm guessing it will either be that or a new partnership with Porcini.

Path to World Domination

The image you see above has been named the greatest place in the history of the world as of about an hour ago by CBS Sports. The folks over there had a contest to determine the top-ranked college basketball arena. Top-ranked for what? I'm guessing greatest place in the history of the world.

CBS Sports didn't have a poll only because they knew Big Blue Nation would make Rupp the winner easily. And as you can tell, that worked magnificently. For a recap and some great comments about Rupp, go to the link above.

August 12th: On this date...

... in 1987, the man above(ish) lead the Americans to a 105-73 rout of Mexico in the Pan Am Games. Rex Chapman's 18 points led the a U.S. team that included Danny Manning and David Robinson. The U.S. squad shot nearly 60% for the game. The head coach for the team was none other than radio personality Denny Crum, giving the Bluegrass another reason to make the drive to Indianapolis. Other players on the team included: Jerome Lane, Keith Smart, Jeff Lebo, Pervis Ellison and Willie Anderson.

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And speaking of King Rex, Denny, and Perv. How bout a beatdown recap.

How Long Will These Next Two Months Take?

The countdown is on for Kentucky fans to complain that John Wall carries the ball too much.

August 11th: On this date...

... in 1948, Alex Groza's 19 points and Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones' 10 points lead the Americans to a 71-40 beatdown of the Mexico Jalapenos. Many saw this as the only roadblock on the way to the gold medal. You know what the game plan was? Listening to the assistant coach (A. Rupp) and starting all five Kentucky players. Wah Wah Jones broke the game open by creating baskets in transition. Fellow Wildcats Ralph Beard and Cliff Barker added six points each.

UK calendar

Coincidence?

Daniel Orton Hurts Elbow

Is this Daniel Orton's elbow, or an imposter?

Apparently Daniel Orton hurt his elbow while training out west via Hilton Armstrong. Hopefully this turns out to be nothing.

And Pat Patterson is kickin it on the beach:

Layn on beach. Getting my tan on. Goin from milk chocolate to dark chocolate. Holla

Rest up big man. Basketball time in the Bluegrass will be upon us before you know it.

August 10th: On this date...

... in 1995, we learned Kentucky sophomore Scott Padgett would be declared academically ineligible for the 1995-96 season (what a season to miss). He would not be attending the University for the fall semester and possibly the spring. The extra scholarship, though, would allow Rick Pitino to give transfer Derek Anderson a spot on the soon-to-be legendary roster. Anderson was in line to pay his way as a walk-on for the 1995-96 season. Padgett took the year off and re-enrolled in the fall of 1996. While he missed out on a chance to be a part of a great team in '96, Padgett was a key cog in getting the Cats to back-to-back NCAA title games in 1997 and 1998. Padgett turned that frown upside down as he was named to the All-SEC academic team in both 1998 and 1999.

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Keenan Burton has his Opportunity

Tough news for the Rams as top wide receiver Donnie Avery goes down for 4-6 weeks with a foot injury. This news presents an opportunity for former Cat Keenan Burton. He will have every chance at getting an opening day start at wide receiver.

Burton has been running with the first team recently and wants everyone to know he's coming for that number one spot. I've never thought of Burton as a number one receiver in the NFL, but here's a chance to prove me wrong. Something we all know he's dying to do.

In other NFL news, Steve Johnson did not play due to injury and Rafael Little only got mop-up duty in the Titans-Bills preseason game last night.

We Missed You NFL

The Path to World Domination

The recent full moon was off to Mr. Whitehead's left.

It's alive and well here in Lexington again as the fella above (Roshard Whitehead) was arrested last night minutes after being seen on the latest America's Most Wanted. This little rascal had been on the run for a few years and decided to post up in Lex Vegas roughly around the time John Calipari was named head coach. This is either a coincidence or this guy loves him some college basketball.

August 7th: On this date...

... in 1990, the SEC was in the early stages of adding an 11th team to its conference. The Arkansas Razorbacks left the Southwest Conference after 76 years when they realized their conference was heading down the toilet. The 12th team would be added that September. The SEC chose South Carolina over Miami, FL. The new SEC would be split into two divisions, East and West, and would begin play as an expanded league in 1992. The basketball season would be cut to 16 games in conference, down from 18. Just a few years after joining the SEC, the 1994 Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team would win the NCAA Championship. It was the league's first NCAA Title since Goose Givens led your Wildcats to the top in 1978.

UK calendar

It's Football Time In The Bluegrass

Hey look! It's section 134!!

I was planning on doing a "Five Key Questions for 2009 UK football," but since every site in Big Blue land has some variation of this kind of football preview, BBB won't. Instead, I will hand it over to anyone who reads this blog.

If anyone has a preview/opinion they'd like to post, feel free to send it in to mmayes211@gmail.com.

What are you most looking forward to for the 2009 season?

• beating Louisville again
• the emergence of a quarterback
• something to interest you until basketball season
• how we're going to stop the run/get to the quarterback
• will any of our running backs stay healthy
• the possibilities of Newton/Cobb in a Wildcat package
• the new cheerleading uniforms

Just testing you. Rumor has it we will be hanging up the classic, timeless, cheerleading uni's you see in the picture above. For what? For something a bit more fresh. Fresh meaning dropping the "K" logo for the newer "UK" logo. I haven't heard whether or not the style will change, but the logo is outty.

No one likes change, especially Big Blue Nation. Add to that the taking away of a staple of every Kentucky football or basketball game and backlash will follow. So take another look at the photo above....for your own sake. It might be the last time you see it in Commonwealth Stadium.

Keys to the season:

Chip Cosby

Tom Leach

Ira Combs

August 6th: On this date...

... in 1948, the U.S. team continued their demolition of anyone in their path to advance to the medal round. The most recent victory, a 61-33 victory over the Peru Cocaines, moved them to 5-0 in the tournament. Head coach Omar Browning switched things up and played the Kentucky five in the first half and his team in the second half. Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones (above) led the team with 12 points. Jones was an All-American forward at Kentucky and an All-SEC end for the Wildcat football team. His #27 jersey hangs in Rupp's rafters as he was a part of the very first Kentucky NCAA Championship team.

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When In Doubt.......Battle!

August 5th: On this date...

... in 1948, the U.S. Olympic basketball team barrelled through their round robin play with a 66-28 beatdown of the Egypt Pyramids. The victory helped clinch a berth in the elimination side of the tournament. The Kentucky players didn't enter the game until the second half of the Egyptian thrashing because the head coach preferred to play the Cats as a unit. The win cemented the Americans as the favorite for the gold medal, as well as dominators of the world in general.

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Always Listen to Dick

Mr. Calipari, Mr. Calipari, Mr. Calipari!!!

Thank goodness. Everyone can take a deep breath. Dickie V has officially come out with his fourth preseason college basketball ranking of the summer. To be fair, this is a preseason Top 40, and he hadn't done one of those yet.

You'll be glad to know that your University of Kentucky Wildcats come in at #2. Most of you will go on with your lives as if all is well. Think of the position our program was in just over four months ago. Who else is ready for basketball season?

August 4th: On this date...

... in 1948, the man above, Mike Pratt, was born in Dayton, OH. The eyes you are gazing into may possibly be the reason John Calipari is the current coach of your University of Kentucky Wildcats. Pratt assisted with the most recent UK coaching search. As we all should know, Mike is currently the color analyst for each Kentucky basketball broadcast, alongside play-by-play partner Tom Leach. But before he became ear candy for Big Blue Nation, he had a very successful basketball career under Adolph Rupp. Mr. Pratt was named first team All-SEC both in his junior and senior seasons. His career high was 42 points against Notre Dame in 1969, and his career ended with 1,359 points. This coming fall, Mike will start his ninth season on the radio. A season we can hopefully look back on and give a hat-tip Mr. Pratt's way. So a big thank you to Mr. & Mrs. Pratt of Dayton, OH, and a Happy Birthday to their son. He shares a birthday with Barack Obama, Roger Clemens, and Jeff Gordon.

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Falcons Pluck Your Dicky

In what sounds like a painful event, Alan Cutler has confirmed that a former Kentucky wideout has landed in the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons have snatched Dicky Lyons (Jr.) from the free agent pool, as he will report to Falcons camp tomorrow.

This adds yet another Kentucky football alum to an NFL roster. Hopefully DL3 can make the roster in the form of Tim Dwight, or a poor man's Wes Welker. Quite impressive after what we witnessed last season with his knee.

August 3rd: On this date...

... in 1948, the Wildcat-laden men's Olympic basketball team squeaked out a win over Argentina, 59-57. Alex Groza's key bucket gave the Patriots the lead for good late in the game. He finished with 11 points, Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones had 4, and Ken Rollins 3. Two other Kentucky players, Cliff Barker and Ralph Beard, did not play. No other team would get this close to the Uncle Sam's.

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The Path to World Domination....

... takes us to Hollywood this week as the power of the Kentucky shirt has led Adam Sandler and Funny People to the top of the box office. The most hyped movie in the history of Kentucky has officially been released and it has destroyed everything in its path.

This can only mean we will win the National Championship in both football and basketball in the coming year. That is all.

Go Cats.

August 2nd: On this date...

... in 1948, the U.S. Olympic basketball team was on their way to a gold medal routing the European champions, Czechoslovakia, 53-28. Wildcat Ralph Beard led the Kentucky players with 7 points. Kenny Rollins had 6, while Cliff Barker scored 5. Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones and Alex Groza went scoreless.

Go Cats.

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August 1st: On this date...

Nickname? The Tickler.

... in 1963, Kentucky great John "Frenchy" DeMoisey passed away a week after suffering a heart attack. DeMoisey played three season under Adolph Rupp, 1931-32, '32-'33, and '33-'34. He shares the same number (00) as another Kentucky great, Tony Delk. An All-SEC player in 1933-34 and named an All-American in 1934, DeMoisey served as the Kentucky team captain. He later served as an administrative assistant to A.B. "Happy" Chandler. A native of Georgetown, Kentucky's record during his time was 50-6.

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Big Blue History