Christmas is over.  Mine was wonderful. Hope yours was blessed.  Moving on.

I thought I would start out Friday with a linkfest.  I know most of you have been deeply engaged in Christmas activities over the last few days, and I feel a need to catch up on what is going on in the sports world.

• I don't know about you, but I am still reveling in some of the reviews of the Louisville-Minnesota game, at least the ones that don't come with an anti-UK blurb, like this one from NCAA Hoops Today:

  Pitino on the other hand is running out of excuses. No longer the "but the high-schooler went to the NBA" excuses work. Gone is Derrick Caracter. He should have had the team he was expected to. But the only one of his six guards that is meeting or exceeding expectations is Preston Knowles. The rest of them are just out of it

  
  Louisville has lacked good guard play all year, and that is shaping up as an advantage for UK.  Preston Knowles is a fine little player, but he is not the kind of guard that gets you deep into March.  Can Kentucky take advantage of Louisville's guard play?  I guess we'll find out soon.
  
  
• Dawg Sports has a brief prediction for UK vs. East Carolina in the Liberty bowl.  I hope he's right.  In other Liberty Bowl-related news, John Clay offers his services as counsel for the defense of Kentucky's defense.
  
  
• Hip 2 Da Game says Kentucky is a team to keep an eye on this year, owing to a top 15 rating in both defensive and offensive efficiency.
  
  
• The Herald-Leader picks up on the theme of Gregg Doyel's article that we commented on the other day.  Chip Crosby does a good job, I think.  Also the San Diego Union-Tribune has a piece on minority head coaches which includes a brief discussion of Kentucky.
  
  
• Stevie "Big Play" Johnson just continues to get raves around Buffalo, more because of the unexpected nature of his contributions than putting up big numbers.  Great to see.
  
  
• More love for Tim Masthay.  Well deserved.
  
  
• I'm not touching this with a ten foot pole.
  
  
• The AP notices that Kentucky is looking good right now.  How's that again, Mark Bradley?  Overmatched, you say?
  
  
• Kevin Galloway is getting it, and it shows.
  
  
• The Grinch visits the Golden Gophers.
  
  
• Jeremy Jarmon considers jumping to the League.
  
  
• Jodie Meeks ranks #1 in this week's Rivals power rankings.  Well earned.  He might be there for a long time.
  

We'll have more on tomorrow's game later today.