The Herald-Leader's always excellent Chip Cosby writes in his Sunday column on the impact of Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke on the UK football team, and the need for Kentucky to find a body to give the two workhorses a helping hand: Preach, Chip, preach!

In case you missed it, here's ESPN's Dana O'Neil's outstanding behind-the-scenes look at what college basketball coaches really (and anonymously) think about the NCAA, their coaching counterparts, summer recruiting, agents, and many other troubling opinions on the state of college hoops --- What genuinely surprised me was the apparent deep-rooted cynicism most of the coaches O'Neil talks with, have for the game they coach, and the coaches they coach against.

Paul Jordan at Wildcat Blue Blog has an interesting piece on UK-target Tony Wroten -- I'm laying 5-1 odds Wroten goes elsewhere.

By now, most everyone has read about the declining health of former North Carolina coach Dean Smith.  Joe Posnanski of Sports Illustrated.com has written a really good piece on Smith, which reveals the type of man Smith is, and has been for his entire adult life-- Even if you don't care much for Dean Smith, I recommend giving it a read.  I was a long-time Dean Smith basher/hater until I read his book, A Coach's Life, several years ago.  This article, like Smith's book, gives one a glimpse into the man, more-so than the coach.  Simply put, it's difficult to dislike someone who is obviously such a great man, and universally respected among those who know him. 

Chip Cosby wraps-up SEC Media Days in his UK Football Notebook. -- The upcoming SEC football season is fraught with question marks regarding starting quarterbacks (UK, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee), new coaches (Derek Dooley at UT; Robbie Caldwell at Vandy, Phillips at UK), and replacing great talents (Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Georgia, Florida).  Should be a memorable, and hopefully productive season for the gridiron 'Cats.

Jody Demling, the Courier-Journal's outstanding recruiting reporter, talks with UK basketball target, Kyle Wiltjer -- I'm laying 10-1 odds Wiltjer ends up elsewhere.

Also, Demling has the news that John Calipari is interested in Memphis-area 2011 product Adonis Thomas (6-6, 190 lbs).

And finally, former Tennessee, and current Southern California coach Lane Kiffin continues to make a career out of alienating other coaches.  This time Tennessee Titan head coach Jeff Fisher -- With the resignation/firing of USC athletic director Mike Garrett, and the subsequent hiring of Rhodes Scholar Pat Haden as the new man in charge of Trojan athletics, I look for Kiffin to be on a very short leash, and possibly a very hot seat, quite soon.