Saturday Newspaper for February 7th

The big news in sports this morning is a positive test of Alex Rodriguez for anabolic steroids in 2003.  A-Rod isn't talking, and neither is the player's union, but this can't be a good thing for the Yankees superstar.

Now, for the rest of the news.

Kentucky Basketball News

• UK fans put Gillispie on notice.  The argument here is essentially that "the honeymoon is over," and I agree.  I think we have yet to see the best of either the coach or the team, but those who argue that the patience of the Big Blue Nation is not infinite are understating the obvious.
  
  This fellow also seems to think that the UK coach is micromanaging the team, and I think he has a point.  Many have complained about Gillispie's quick hook (how many, I wonder, remember that exact same complaint about Tubby Smith?), and you do have to wonder a little about that.  But in the end, the coach gets to coach how he wants to.  What matters is the score at the end of the game, and if that is a measure of his coaching technique lately, it does make one wonder if an adjustment isn't necessary.
  
  
• Ric Roberts analyzes UK's problems on his blog, and his analysis is predictably full of the conventional wisdom we have heard from almost everyone -- guard the three better, get a point guard, quit turning the ball over.  All good advice, for sure.
• The New York Times says SEC teams are struggling, and cites lack of ranked teams as evidence.  The article goes on to explain that lack of high-level recruiting is part of the problem.
  
  I think this has a grain of truth.  We have several underachieving coaches in the SEC, two of whom have been freed up for other opportunities.  Depending on how well Georgia and Alabama do in their coaching searches, we should see the situation improve.
  
  
• Jodie Meeks is on the Wooden Award watch list.
• Embrace the hate.
• Chris Diggs defends Gillispie's recruiting against some irrational fan angst.
• John Clay's poll of his site visitors find UK fans "very upset."  Poor babies.
• The Gators face a defensive test against Kentucky.  Well, maybe, if Billy D. just didn't watch the last 3 games.

Kentucky Football News

• Jeff Drummond at The Cats Pause looks at some 2-star football prospects who made a big splash this year.
• Rivals has a list of top recruiters by conference.  Joker Phillips figures prominently for UK.
• Kenny Colston welcomes Rich Brooks to recruiting success.  On paper, at least, it sure looks that way.  But by way of warning, we have seen teams with much better recruits than ours underachieve.

NCAA Basketball News

• The mother of Zam Fredrick of South Carolina allegedly struck a teacher.
• Marquette beaten by USF.  I don't think Marquette is nearly good enough to be eighth, but USF is better than people think.
• Selling Senate seats is all the rage these days, it seems.

NCAA Football News

• Lane Kiffin continues to win enemies and alienate people.
• Urban Meyer, rather than taking the high road, decides to add a little whine to the cheesy Kiffin madness.  Rich Brooks thinks all this is bullshit, and so do I.
• Lots of lovely Kiffin tidbits from RBR.  This guy is like watching a train wreck -- you can't look away, even though it seems to take forever.
• A Vol perspective on the Kiffmeister.  It's eerie, isn't it, how similar this sounds to two years ago around these parts.

Other News of Interest

• LG&E says that their customers are fully restored.
• UK gym Cats fall to Arkansas.
• Primetime prep cheerleading performers picked by Tom Leach.
• Scott County is up to #66 in Rivals' high-school rankings.