There seems to be a lot of UK hatred from the usual suspects going around.  Most of them are yearly "Hate UK, hate Coach Cal" retreads, so I think it deserves a warm embrace by the Big Blue Nation as a badge of honor.

Here's today's links:

• Kent Sterling Joins the Hate on Kentucky Parade
  Kent Sterling is the sockpuppet douchebag from a year or so back. I would rather link a Chinese virus site than his blog, but I will link to a link.

• Writer from The Boston Globe Takes Shots at Kentucky Basketball
  Dan Shaughnessy is another guy I won't link. He was the same idiot that used commentary critical of UK to draw Matt Jones into a nasty fight last year. He's at it again. Read the excerpt at NB, but don't click the link, this guy doesn't deserve the hits. Getting hated on by him is a badge of honor. Embrace it.

• Kentucky Sports Radio :: The Hits Keep Coming
  Heh. Saw this earlier. 'Tis the season. Embrace the hate.

• Wildcats Thunder Blog: Photos: UK Hoops lose to Tarheels Out of NCAA Tourney
  Drat. I hate that.

• Tough teams still battling in NIT's final eight - CBSSports.com
• UK Basketball: Doron Lamb will need "something concrete" before leaving UK this year for NBA - centralkynews.com
• Kenneth Faried Named All-American by Sporting News
• Comcast not fans of John Calipari :: Chris Diggs - UK Fan Blog
• FORT WORTH, Texas: New Texas Tech athletics director officially gets our attention with Billy Clyde :: Kentucky.com
• Pearl committed another NCAA violation this month :: Vaught's Views
• East Region Sweet 16 preview :: Beyond the Arc
• UK Hoops’ loss, Pearl’s pink slip and more morning notes :: John Clay’s Sidelines

• Lamb calls Sullinger "a great big man" :: Vaught's Views
  Doron Lamb figures to play a prominent role Friday when Kentucky faces No. 1 Ohio State in the East Regional in Newark, N.J. He’s averaging 12.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He’s shooting a team-best 46.9 percent from 3-point range and 79 percent at the foul line.

• John Calipari says Ohio State is a major challenge for Kentucky basketball :: The Courier-Journal

  "(Teams) want to be us," Calipari said on his radio show. "Understand that: They want to be us. Not beat us. Be us. So they're coming at you, trying to say, ‘You win against Kentucky, it shows that we're them.' So everybody we play is going to bring it and bring it at a high level."

  I can see OSU being galled by this.  But it's true.

• Kentucky's Liggins relishes role as defensive stopper | University of Kentucky Sports News | Lexington Herald-Leader

  At South Carolina, usually stoic freshman Bruce Ellington got so exasperated, he threw the ball at Liggins when play stopped for a timeout and drew a technical foul.
  
  "All psychological," Liggins said with a look of satisfaction on his face.

  Heh.  Love what Liggins does.  Love it.  He has a passion for being the best defender in the game, and that's how you become a great basketball player.

• Marquis Teague Named Marion County Player of the Year
  This kid is scary good.

• Kentucky receiver Gene McCaskill may miss spring practice with knee injury :: The Courier-Journal

• Seth Davis Thinks Kentucky Falls Hard to Ohio State
  That score would sure be a disappointment.

• Ranking the Sweet 16 matchups - CBSSports.com

  1. No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Kentucky: Two of the most talented teams left in the field, this could easily be a Final Four match-up. The key for Kentucky will be keeping Josh Harrellson out of foul trouble and guarding the perimeter. Ohio State is too good when it is knocking down its shots and facing a depleted interior group.

  Nobody doubts that this will be the best matchup of the Sweet 16.

   

• Matta, Ohio State respect Kentucky :: Vaught's Views

• Tennessee Basketball Coaching Candidates - Rocky Top Talk