Big Blue Nation Linkapalooza: LSU Aftermath Edition
by Glenn Logan on Jan 30, 2012 12:50 PM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats News
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PrintThere has been some hue and cry for Trent Johnson, coach of the LSU Tigers, to take further action against Malcolm White for his take-down of Anthony Davis over the weekend, and it seems that wish will be granted, at least to some extent. But probably not enough for some.
Read the links for that story, and more:
LSU coach says flagrant foul on Davis "was just a stupid play" by his player // vaughtsviews
"I am not going to disclose that with everybody. I will deal with that," the LSU coach said. "This game is meant to be played a certain way. I told Malcolm that was very distrubing to be. I will deal with it in-house, but I am not going to make it a big thing (publicly)." [SIC]
For at least a few Kentucky fans, that probably won't be enough.
Tom's Take: Katz on the Cats // Tom Leach
Who would get your vote today for SEC Player of the Year? We put that question to ESPN ace college basketball reporter Andy Katz on today's "Leach Report" radio show and he said he would lean to Anthony Davis over Miss State's Arnett Moultrie.
What do you think?
NCAA Division I governance to be examined // USATODAY.com
Baby steps. Governance is a start.
Those looking to see athletes get paid, though, are kidding only themselves.
Hat tip: Senator Blutarsky.
UK women hang on to beat Alabama 82-68 // Kentucky.com
Matthew Mitchell less than pleased.
"I didn't feel like we defended up to a Kentucky level today," the coach said of his team, which won its seventh straight over the Crimson Tide. "They saw that we weren't going to stay in front of the ball and we weren't going to rotate over. You can't make a lot happen when you just let people dribble by you in the middle of the floor and go lay the ball up."
For more, see Greg's postmortem.
Big Recruiting Weekend for Kentucky Football // Wildcat Blue Nation
Kentucky football's recruiting class in focus ahead of signing day // Kentucky.com
As of Saturday afternoon, recruiting Web site Scout.com rated Kentucky's recruiting class as the 34th-best in the country, but the Wildcats trailed every Southeastern Conference team other than Missouri and Mississippi. Scout.com rated Louisville's class No. 29 and Western Kentucky's No. 115.
34th in the country is still way below most of the SEC.
UK basketball notebook: C.M. Newton urges 'fannies in the seats' for SEC // Kentucky.com
Is it irony to note that it takes only a glance at a televised game to see empty seats? Not at Kentucky, of course. But some SEC venues look practically empty, though the league's TV partners keep their cameras trained on the floor and, heaven forbid, seldom mention sparce attendance. [SIC]
You know, it is a shame. I really don't understand why SEC teams don't support their basketball programs more. Tennessee does a decent job most years, and Vandy also, but football hotbeds like LSU, Alabama and Georgia have regrettable fan support for basketball.
It's a point of pride for me that Kentucky, despite being a basketball school, comes out in support of the football team even when they aren't very good.
You think you know why coaches leave college for the NBA, but you probably don't.
Very interesting read.
This is what No. 1 looks like // The Big Bluegrass Blog
One fluke shot from being undefeated, UK showed its stuff against LSU Saturday, taking repeated hits in the mouth and still coming back. They poured in shots and when the lead was 10 and they made it 15. At 15 they made it 20. They put this game away and they looked good doing it.
Is the LSU game what #1 looks like? I think so. What about you?
Two UK targets commit elsewhere, IU loses one // Jody Demling – Recruiting
Kentucky had two targets commit elsewhere on Sunday.
Kentucky Sports Radio // Yahoo! tells Willie Cauley’s story
We’ve mentioned Willie Cauley’s relationship with former Kansas City Chief Will Shields before, but in case you missed it, Yahoo! Sports told the story all over again its ‘The Post Game’ blog.
Basketball Prospectus // Take and Make
In basketball there are few plays as exciting as the fast-break bucket generated after a steal. When a player picks off a ball and takes it the other way for a lay-up or dunk, fans go wild. These plays are often harbingers of a momentum shift. Teams will use such entertaining plays to end the run of an opposing team or to jumpstart a run of their own. At the very least, the squad on the receiving end of these actions will often burn a timeout to temporarily quell the crowd noise.
Pollard can drive or shoot with range and his defensive abilities include terrific shot blocking because of his length and timing.
Former Tennessee commit looking at UK // Jody Demling – Recruiting
Former University of Tennessee commitment Khalid Henderson has narrowed his list to a pair of schools and could make a decision at some point today.
Kentucky’s RPI being hurt by strength of schedule // John Clay's Sidelines
The Cats are just fifth in the RPI, behind Syracuse, Duke, Baylor and Michigan State. Yet at 21-1, the Cats have a better record than all of those teams, with the exception of Syracuse. And the Orange took its one loss just over a week ago, where Kentucky hasn’t lost since Dec. 10.
Don't condemn kids like UConn's Boatright for others' selfishness // Gregg Doyel, CBS Sports
And because of the mother and her hand in the cookie jar -- and the car dealership and the travel agency, if the NCAA is to be believed -- people are outraged. They're outraged that Ryan Boatright's mom milked her son for cash and a car, yet her son will be allowed to resume his amateur career at UConn.
Me, I'm outraged too.
At the mom.
Exactly right.
Adults have a very bad habit of doing things that aren't in the best interests of their children, and in the NCAA context, that can have disastrous consequences.
I'm glad to see the NCAA identified the fact that Boatright was a victim of his own mother's greed or naivete, whichever you prefer, and some others who should have, and probably did know what they were doing could get Boatright in trouble.
Rival fans will never accept that a player didn't know about his parent's illicit dealings, but I'm inclined to believe it. Even as I grew up in a good family there were things related to me that my parents did not disclose while I was in high school.
Is it so hard to imagine that would happen with other children?
The Renardo Sidney era at Miss State ends after this season // Beyond the Arc
The often troublesome forward will leave the Bulldogs after this season, according to Zagsblog. He could transfer (unlikely given how miserable he’s made Rick Stansbury), but he’ll likely seek to begin his professional career somewhere. The NBA is a longshot. Perhaps the D-League or overseas.
Weekly Bracketology: 01.30.12 // Rush The Court
North Carolina a 2 seed? What do you think?
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Yeah, Malcolm Mitchell, too!
It was a horrible foul and while we’re at it: Malcolm McDowell, Malcolm Brown, Malcolm X, Malcolm Jamal Warner and anyone else named Malcolm. It was that bad.
War is God's way of teaching Americans geography. - Ambrose Bierce
by hoboat33 on Jan 31, 2012 12:55 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Looking at the RPI and SOS
shows Cal all wrong about wanting to drop a rivalry game for another cupcake…oh, wait, I have been “arguing” with Glenn that Cal is right in his thinking….With apologies to Roseanne Roseannadanna, nevermind.
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 30, 2012 2:04 PM EST reply actions
Actually...
On further review, I think the apologies go to Emily Litella….
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 30, 2012 2:12 PM EST up reply actions
i agree
But we haven’t played the toughest SEC teams yet. It will go up. I tell you though Cal sees the writing on the wall. IU will be tough. Those three teams will be perennial top 25 teams. Plus we have Duke on our schedule next year. Adding Mizzo to our list. Sec is getting better and better. I’m starting to see it from his vantage point. Cut NC.
by tenken on Jan 30, 2012 3:59 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Cut IU
I’ve been a big supporter of the UK-IU rivalry and slammed Cal for even considering dropping it, however, I’ve done a 180 since this year’s game. The nasty tone of the press up there prior to game time combined with a corresponding violent clown attitude from IU fans turned my opinion. Cut IU from the schedule.
"He still carries a lunch bucket. What's up with that?"
by BlueCollarMan on Jan 30, 2012 9:47 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I would say the same thing for one reason........
the game gains us nothing. It is never worth much on the RPI, it is a quick trip, but if we win, we win nothing, if we lose, we take grief from uneducated hoosiers all year. And even though we do not lose the game very often, it is just not a win-win like most of our home and home series games are.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Jan 30, 2012 10:33 PM EST up reply actions
Timing, Tournament, and Toddlers
I think Cal’s issue isn’t with the overall schedule strength, but with playing such tough games early given the youth he has every year. Keep in mind that in most years, the exempted tournament will have better teams than ODU and Penn St. The Big East/SEC Challenge might also provide a much tougher opponent than a young St. John’s. There could easily be three more top 20 teams. Maryland is also being added next year, who probably won’t be great, but should be better, around top 40.
by GoLightning on Jan 30, 2012 11:39 PM EST up reply actions
This And That
Malcolm White discipline: the SEC is yet to speak, and they may not.
SEC POY: AD, admitted bias, but there is an anti-UK bias as well.
NCAA governance: Typical bureaucratic incrementalism hoping to assuage the restless natives.
SEC FB recruiting rankings: UK 14th.
Anthony Bennett: a perfect fit for UK.
Bracketology: KU still a #1, I think not. Heels will be a #1 on Selection Sunday. Ole Miss in, surprise!
"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
What is Amazing about Being #14...
is we have one of the 4 or 5 parade all-american QB’s in the class and cannot get off the bottom of the SEC….
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Jan 30, 2012 2:21 PM EST up reply actions
You have an excellent point, but
Parade All-American status does not necessarily equal elite college prospect. Towles is going to be great, no doubt, and he is, of course, a PA-M, but Rivals and most other scouting services rank in the mid-teens overall among QBs.
by mrmondaynite on Jan 30, 2012 2:50 PM EST up reply actions
A Better Bracketology
Easier to read version – KU not a #1, UK, ’Cuse, OSU and Duke.
"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Not buying Duke.
UNC is liable to beat them both at home and away.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Bracketology Philosophy
Are they predicting what they think the bracket will eventually be, or guessing what it would be if the season ended today? I think a Big 12 school (Kansas, Baylor, or Missouri) has a better chance to be a 1 than Duke.
by GoLightning on Jan 30, 2012 11:42 PM EST up reply actions
Most are doing a "if the season ended today" bracket
Statistics is the part of mathematics that God didn't invent. - Ethan Smith
On being ranked #1
One fluke shot from being undefeated,
I have to disagree with this. While the shot by Watford (hope I remembered his name correctly) was outside the normal 3 point range, he has shown capablility of hitting that shot and therefore should be considered an excellent clutch shot, not a fluke. Calling it a fluke in my opinion takes away from the failure of the UK team to defend those final seconds in an appropriate manner. If we had followed the coach’s plan of using the fouls we had left before free throw shots would have been awarded, the game might well have ended differently and most likely in our favor.
Making waves in a sea of blue.
You have a fair point.
“Fluke” is probably not the adjective I would have used. He makes plenty of those, and he’s an upperclassman.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I think that the "fluke" in this case may have been that he was not defended properly.....;-)
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Jan 30, 2012 7:22 PM EST up reply actions
Heh.
Given our lofty defensive ranking, you have a point as well. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Cats Unanimous #1
All 31 votes in ESPN/USA Coaches Poll. Also tops in AP.
"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Renardo Sidney; the Greek Second League's next big thing
Why Rick Stansbury has put up with Renardo Sidney other than the fact that his butt’s as wide as the state of Texas is beyond me.
by chicagoblues on Jan 30, 2012 2:55 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Gathers Waiting On Cats' Offer
4* LA POY Ricardo Gathers de-commited from St. Johns now wants to play with Archie Goodwin. While he waits for UK, UK waits for Anthony Bennett it would seem.
"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
i dont
Think any fan was more angry then me at that stupid flagrant foul. Yet I believe that Johnson will take care of it. He will be more effective then anyone to discipline. It was stupid and dangerous but not worthy of suspension from league.
by tenken on Jan 30, 2012 3:37 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Boatwright UCONN and Kanter
Have I got this right? The mother of a UCONN player knowingly takes inappropriate benefits, initially lies about it, is caught, admits what happens and donates a related sum to charity. Her son is then cleared to play without loosing elgibility. UCONN is not punished in anyway.
Kanter’s family takes, apparently upon the advice of some “expert”, allowed money, but in an inappropriate form, uses some of the money in the manner it was intended and is allowed and freely acknowledged what they did. When this action becomes a problem the family offers to repay the full sum to the organization that paid them. Not make a payment to some charity.
So the kid who had a parent that knowingly took money that broke the rules is allowed to play and the kid who had a parent that tried to avoid breaking the rules and in fact passed up very large sums from a professional club, is not allowed to play.
What a joke. An unbelievable joke.
by darkandbloody@gmail.com on Jan 30, 2012 4:42 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
You, my friend, are logical
and we both know that the NCAA is anything but fair and logical.
Not quite.
It isn’t in the public record that Boatright’s mother ever lied about it, but it is likely that she wasn’t forthcoming with all the facts. That’s probably why the NCAA offered her the deal they did, which was to provide full disclosure in return for limited immunity for her son.
UConn has no culpability whatsoever. They were not involved, and neither were any representatives of their basketball interests. When the problem was uncovered, UConn immediately sat the player and he was disciplined according to the NCAA formula.
There is simply no real comparison between Kanter and Boatright given the determination by the NCAA. They determined that Kanter took over 30K in impermissible benefits from a professional basketball team. That’s vastly more than Boatright’s mother who took money from people she apparently knew, and Boatright’s impermissible benefits were even less than Renardo Sidney, who never told the truth, and he was allowed to play. See my long treatment of this case here.
I agree with you that the NCAA’s classification of Kanter’s benefits was not really reasonable given the circumstances, but the truth is that the NCAA has been and continues to be much more suspicious of players coming from overseas, and very unreasonable in their enforcement, not just for Kanter, but for others as well, as I examined more closely here.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Since when has a school not being involved stopped the NCAA from vacating wins?
Though I am glad they haven’t in this case.
by GoLightning on Jan 30, 2012 11:46 PM EST up reply actions
Yes
It’s unfortunate for Euro players that their basketball academies are run by pro teams rather than whoever runs them in the US, like sports agents (i.e. IMG Academy).
Ha ha
Yeah, I’m glad we don’t have that corrupt system of pro teams running training camps like Europe. We are fortunate to have sports agents running these camps, shoe companies outfitting the teams and who knows what other capitalists ensuring the sanctity of our amateurism. All under the watchful eyes of the NCAA. Makes me glad I don’t live in Italy, even though their food is better.
"He still carries a lunch bucket. What's up with that?"
by BlueCollarMan on Jan 30, 2012 9:35 PM EST up reply actions
Yes.
That’s the NCAA’s stance, pure and simple, in the Kanter case. All impermissible benefits are bad, but money from a pro team is apparently too toxic to forgive.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
bracketology
anyone else scratching their head at Lunardi giving #2 seed Kansas a “home court advantage” (St. Louis) against #1 overall seed Kentucky?
by drc928 on Jan 30, 2012 5:30 PM EST via Android app reply actions
I would guess it either goes to OSU or the winner of the Big 12.
But in reality, even Missouri or St. Louis U. wouldn’t have a home court over K in St. Louis.
by GoLightning on Jan 30, 2012 11:52 PM EST up reply actions
Randall Cobb reacts to UK beating Tennessee.
This is perhaps the greatest thing I have ever seen posted on KSR. Moncell Allen records Randall Cobb watching UK beat Tennessee, then they both jump in the car and head to Lexington. The video is embedded on KSR.
Here’s the KSR link: http://kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=106428
by KDH2011 on Jan 30, 2012 5:33 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
That is the coolest thing I've seen in a month of Mondays
And Randall has quite the room for watching games – the only arcade game missing is Golden Axe, but maybe it’s in another corner.
Statistics is the part of mathematics that God didn't invent. - Ethan Smith
Your welcome!
It definitely tugged at the heartstrings. Cobb’s 3 years at UK coincided with my 3 years there and thus my ability to get student tickets. I suspect he’s always going to be my favorite UK player for that reason.
Very Nice.....
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Jan 30, 2012 6:27 PM EST up reply actions
Nice link
They were getting into it. I loved the “we” did it….oops “you all” did it ….“us” segment. Always blue!
Great
I really enjoyed seeing this. What a great post.
"He still carries a lunch bucket. What's up with that?"
by BlueCollarMan on Jan 30, 2012 9:42 PM EST up reply actions
Man...
I miss Randall Cobb. Wish we could get him back, as well as Woodson, Tamme, Locke, Woodyard, Lyons Jr., Burton, Jarmon, Pryor, M. Johnson…etc
I miss him too
I am so sad that Green Bay didn’t make the Super Bowl, I bet he would have put on a show. Also would have given me a team to root for – this year’s matchup is blech.
Statistics is the part of mathematics that God didn't invent. - Ethan Smith
My thoughts exactly JLev.
Not too excited about the Super Bowl this year.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
I was wanting Green Bay to repeat....
and for Cobb to get a ring.
Not really a fan of the Giants’,but i hope they beat the Patriots’ again.
Go Cats’
Which comes first the recruits...`
..or the success? Well probably neither, but I would say it was a good recruiting class for Joker given the year we had. Honestly only a UK fan would see any success at all this year, and that because we viewed (like Randall) the win over UT as importantly as we did.
So 34th nation-wide means how many teams did we out recruit?? a whole bunch right? IF we had the #1 recruiting class would it had vaulted us to the top of the heap in the SEC? I think we can agree the answer is an emphatic “no”! there is too much ground to make up with the competition in the SEC to do it with one group of freshmen. But it does look like some of the building blocks we need are there, like potentially a quality QB. who knows maybe the quality there may make some of the other skill players we have perform better. and with a similar class next year, who knows, maybe the team can make some noise and we can become the first choice of a few more of the top notch players, not just the ones the perennial powers don’t need.
But whatever comes I still will be rooting for my Cats. Go Big Blue.
Football and basketball recruiting are so different
I think the best way to illustrate is with Indiana. For a while, Gunner Kiel (#1 HS QB) was committed to IU. He was not likely make IU any better next season. Maybe by his junior season he would’ve been ready to lead IU to a bowl game or close to it (like Cutler at Vandy). Contrast that with IU’s Cody Zeller in basketball. Other players have improved for Indiana, but Zeller’s impact has not been over-stated. They’ve already won 5 B1G games when they won only 3 last season. Strength matters so much more in football that it’s very hard for freshman to make a difference.
The other big difference is that the football recruiting rankings are much more suspect for a very simple reason: they are based on film and all star events, not games. The players only play once a week and 10 to 15 times a season. There’s just no way for the ranking sites to watch many of them play live. There are both AAU and HS basketball tournaments in which an evaluator can watch 20 top players play multiple games each over the course of the same weekend. They get to see good and bad games and all manner of game situations in a way that football list-makers just can’t. They also get a better feel for the quality of competition a player faces in basketball.
I didn’t mean to go on so long. This is the first year I’ve really followed football recruiting and I’ve found it endlessly frustrating. I get the feeling that outside of the Top 100 or so players nationally, no one really has any idea who will be good. A fan has to put a lot more faith in his Coach’s ability to pick the right players and develop them.
It is getting to the point that other SEC fans root
for their teams while we UK fans are lucky to have the occasional great player to root for.
Making waves in a sea of blue.
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