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"Don't ask me if Jodie's coming back -- ask him."

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Today is the big day, the day we discover whether or not UK will have one of the most powerful teams in the nation, or a slightly less strong but still impressive list of players.  Jodie Meeks will be making the final call today regarding his senior year at UK -- whether he will return to a legitimate final four contender, or move on the the next level.

I personally would love to see Jodie back, but he has put a lot of time and effort into the process and I trust that he has gathered the information he needs to make a sound decision for his future.  I think that all most of us want is whatever is best for him, and if that is to move on to the NBA, then we will miss him and thank him for what he has done for our program.  If he comes back to lead next year's team to glory, I think I can speak for the entire Big Blue Nation when I say he would me most, most welcome.

It is no secret that Jodie has some holes in his game which would likely get patched up if he returns for another year of college, not to mention the (so it seems, these days) ancillary benefit of a college degree.  Of course, if we are being honest with ourselves, we will admit that professional athletes don't need college degrees.  The money has become so large in professional sports that as few as a couple of years could set a player up for life, if he manages his money with even the most rudimentary competence.

From the NBA standpoint, Meeks is big enough and athletic enough to play the off-guard spot, but he is hardly prototypical.  The ideal size for off-guards these days tend to be 6'6" or taller in the Association these days, but there are plenty of exceptions to that rule.  Meeks can also shoot the ball with NBA range right now, and his release is already as quick as any in the game.  But his handle is his biggest problem at the moment, and in order to get first-round attention, he must prove that he can handle the ball as well as shoot and run fast.

I have no doubt that there are teams who have considered elevating him to their first round pick, but right now, it doesn't seem as if he has closed that deal, and with every passing moment, seems more and more unlikely to be able to do so this year.  The smart money says Jodie comes back for a year under John Calipari's tutelage, but there are rumors both ways.  We'll just have to wait and see.

Now, for the news:

UK Basketball News

• Will He Stay Or Go? Meeks To Make Decision
• John Clay's Big Blue Links

• Players with tough calls to make on thier NBA aspirations
  But none tougher than Luke Harangody. I wish every draft-tester were as meticulous as Harangody when it comes to preserving his eligibility.

• NCAA should make freshmen ineligible
  Maybe. But if you expect it to happen, you need to join us here in the real world.

• Jodie Meeks should return, according to the Washington Times.
  "Assuming John Calipari hasn't already recruited over him, Kentucky will be a national title contender and Meeks could solidify his first-round status by returning."
  
  Ouch. Well, I can't say we don't deserve that shot.

• WWJD: What Will Jodie Do?
  Apparently, at this point, nobody knows for sure. Matt Jones is getting conflicting information.

• Eric Crawford says forced player departures are not new.
  I didn't remember the departures at Louisville when Pitino came, but Crawford does. I think his point about schools having to pay a penalty is backwards, though.
  
  I think the transfer rule needs to be done away with. If we are going to let schools dismiss players without penalty, then players should be able to transfer to another school and play right away. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

UK Football News

• Will UK Football need a mulligan this year?
  This guy thinks UK will take a small step backward this year, and a big step forward next year. It could happen. I hope not.

• Rafael Little making a little noise in Titan football camp.
  David Climer of the Tennessean has the details. Great news for UK fans.

Other UK Sports News

• UK golfer wins Kentucky State Amateur
  Congrats to Jordan Blann.

• Cat Scratches for Monday.
  I thought the NBA Finals were pretty exciting. The problem is, the Magic lost both close games. If they had won them both, which easily could have (and arguably should have) happened, this would be a different conversation.

NCAA Sports News

• Arms race in the SEC
  The SEC has come a long way in the passing game. Auburn's Tommy Tubberville may have been the last of the old "run first" guard.

• More fun from Team Speed Kills when it comes to football.
  They also notice the angst of the Big Blue Nation over Jodie Meeks.

• Devan Downey will be back at South Carolina.
  There was speculation he would stay in the draft or opt to play in Europe, but he will be back to give UK fans nightmares about the last UK/South Carolina game -- until Calipari & Co. purge it forever.

• Jacob Jenkins decides on Bellarmine.
  For a long time, a number of UK fans wanted Gillispie to recruit this guy. I think he wound up at the right place.

Other News of Interest

• Hood has a bad game, Indiana sweeps Kentucky.

• Dr. Todd responds to the Herald-Leader
  It seems that Dr. Lee Todd, President of UK, thinks the Herald-Leader is way too focused on basketball and should take a look at the bigger picture of UK.

The Daily Schadenfreude

• The Bottom 10 of College Football's BCS Teams for 2009
  This guy thinks Louisville belongs in the bottom ten. Heh. Schadenfreude, anyone?