The Big Blue Daily Mail -- And I Do Mean Big!

For the last couple of days, I have been engaged with lots of blogging, but not the daily mail post.  I am going to catch up right now, and this thing is huge.  So if you are a night owl, or have a lot of time on your hands, I will send you places that will amuse and amaze you over the two hours it would likely take to read this whole thing.

So let's get right to it:

Top Stories

• Bluegrass State Basketball: SEC Staffs Heading to Bowling Green to Look at Behanan

• SN's college basketball Top 50 has people talking - Mike DeCourcy and Jeff D’Alessio - College Basketball - Sporting News
  ESPN analyst Bob Valvano says: "Kentucky from seventh in the SEC and the second-worst season in their 106-year history to the second-best team in the country? In one year? John Calipari is a great coach, too, but you might have him confused with a different J.C."
  
  Heh.

• Florida says a heartfelt thanks to Kentucky - SEC - ESPN
  One word: AWESOME!

UK Basketball News

• Seven Storylines to Watch in 2009-2010 - Blogging the Bracket
  Great stuff.

• UK Basketball: This Weekend Practices! - Kentucky Sports Network
  Some observations from a person who witnessed some UK practices or workouts.

• Kentucky recruit Terrence Jones cuts list to seven schools | Walter's Wildcat World

• ZAGSBLOG " Harris Plans to Visit Seven Schools
  Harris will visit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness Oct. 16 but said he didn’t know the other dates of his visits. Louisville, West Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia Tech and Maryland are the other schools.

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UK Football News

• Alabama's Hightower to have knee surgery - SEC - ESPN

• ALABAMA NOTEBOOK: Brooks hopes 'Cats can rebound - al.com
  "They destroyed Arkansas," Brooks said.
  
  They'll destroy us, too, if we don't improve from last game.

• Brooks won't blame his players | KentuckySports.com
  "I don't feel any better about myself, especially on a lot of things that we did in that first quarter," Brooks said. "We've got to eliminate the mistakes and stupid penalties on offense. There's just so many things that need to be better."
  
  Indeed.

• A double headache for Wildcats | KentuckySports.com
  Bama quarterback Greg McElroy was 9-for-9 through the air in the second half against the Razorbacks for 188 yards and two touchdowns.
  
  Well, nobody said this was going to be easy.

• Brooks: First-quarter potholes must be patched
  The truth of the matter is UK has been a slow-starting team for some time now. As was first pointed out by Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal, the Wildcats have been outscored 139-44 in the past 16 first quarters dating back to last year's season opener.
  
  This is a problem that cannot continue.

• Profiles in Disillusion: Florida State can't take much more of this - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports
  Rich Brooks doesn't necessarily agree with the final assumption there, but take heart, UK fans: You still have a chance this season to end the longest active losing streak in any annual I-A rivalry -- your 24-year schneid against the Tennessee Volunteers. Even in the unforgiving SEC, redemption is always right around the corner.
  
  Dr. Saturday's Doug Gillett offers the benediction to our loss at Florida, reminding us that redemption is still possible. As usual after a devastating loss, though, it's a little tough to embrace that hope right now.

• " Video: Ricky Lumpkin on bouncing back from Florida loss John Clay’s Sidelines
  Not surprisingly, a remarkably mature and well-spoken young man.

• " Don’t blame Urban Meyer for Tim Tebow injury John Clay’s Sidelines
  I agree with John Clay.

• UK vs. South Carolina on Fox Sports Net | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
  The University of Kentucky’s football game at South Carolina will kick off at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, and will air on Fox Sports Network.
  
  Consider yourself educated.

• Managing Kentucky Football Fan Expectations
  This is some of Matt's best work. Flawlessly reasoned and compelling.

• Kentucky and Florida wrap-up
  I was never more embarrassed as a UK fan to watch some of our idiot and ridiculous fanbase cheer when Tim Tebow went down. I don't mind the initial reaction to the hit, but to see UK fans laughing and joking about Tebow laying motionless on the field was not only disrespectful, but ridiculous. You can hate Florida, you can hate the publicity and you can even hate the amount of facetime Tim Tebow gets, but to cheer when a guy that does everything the right way and is truly a role model to look up to is beyond stupid.
  
  Indeed.

• Smith: Recruiting ‘pretty good overall’ | Vaught's Views
• UK plans to be ready for No. 3 Bama | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal

• Cats seek mojo after no-show | KentuckySports.com
  On paper, a date with Rich Brooks' favorite fictional school, the Squawhaukee Canyon Institute of Technology, would seem ideal for the Wildcats to get back their mojo.
  
  Heh.

Other UK Sports News

• None today
  

NCAA Sports News

• SEC power rankings - SEC - ESPN

• USC basketball: Leonard Washington declared academically ineligible | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times
  Remember this guy?

• Initial Impressions from the Arkansas Game - Roll 'Bama Roll
  You could effectively go on all day rattling off dirty play after dirty play by Arkansas. It was easily the dirtiest game I've seen any opponent play against Alabama since Southern Miss in 2005, and honestly even the Golden Eagles had nothing that night that could hold a candle to what Arkansas showed today. Petrino ought to be ashamed of himself, and frankly he ought to be thankful Saban called off the dogs late.
  
  Wow, strong words from OTS about Petrino's team. That's another reason why I loathe Petrino deep down in my soul. I saw some of that game, and some of the blocks were obviously illegal. Of course, that's only one side of the story, but as I said, you don't have to work to convince me that Petrino coaches dirty football. I detest that guy. Nothing but love for the Hogs, but man, I dislike their coach. Just a personal thing.

• Pollin': At what point do coaches start caring who wins the games? - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports
  Hard to argue with some of Matt's points.

• Emmanuel Negedu of Tennessee Volunteers hospitalized after collapsing at university sports facility - ESPN
  Scary. I hope he is okay.

• Why Boise State can’t play for the BCS championship | Mr. College Football
  

  The Broncos have a quality win against Oregon, which looks even better since the Ducks beat California so decisively.

  But after that, here are the cold, hard facts. Eleven of the 12 Division I-A teams on the Boise State schedule are rated 67 or worse.

  Strength of schedule matters. Trust me.

• Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting - Kemp opening it up
  This might be a subscription-only article. If it is, sorry. This gist is that Shawn Kemp, who committed to Alabama, is reopening his recruitment.

• Headlinin': Tebow will be 'ready to go' at LSU. Will his doctors let him? - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports
  Matt Hinton has some stuff.

• Longing for the good old days
  Heh. Tempted to file this under "schadenfreude," but that would be hypocritical. How long has it been since our "good old days?"

Other News of Interest

• Dakotah Euton to pick a school

• The Implosion Continues: Binghamton AD to Resign
  Wow. This has become quite the story.

The Daily Schadenfreude

• Wanton Disdain Comics: Tennessee Volunteer Diversity " The Elitist Jerks' Sports Information Collective
  This tickled my funny bone. And my "schadenfreude" bone, wherever that might be. :-)