Lots of tributes to coach Rick Majerus, who passed away from heart failure yesterday. Mark Stoops is headed to town, bringing with him the hopes of the Big Blue Nation to return the football program to competitiveness.

Tweet of the Morning:

We are hours away from welcoming @ukcoachstoops to the #BBN. Nutter has never looked better! #WeAreUK twitter.com/UKFootball/sta…

— UK Football (@UKFootball) December 2, 2012

An exciting time for UK football.

Your Quickies:

Tributes to Rick Majerus

• Rick Majerus gave his heart and help // ESPN

• Stats, facts, quotes and anecdotes: The best of Rick Majerus // CBSSports.com
  I was sad to here of Majerus' passing, but the memories of him will last a long time. He had no small impact on Kentucky basketball.

• Rick Majerus' final press conference was funny, sad, perfect, everything // CBSSports.com
• Warts and all, Rick Majerus was a treasure // ESPN
• Monson: There was nobody like Rick Majerus // The Salt Lake Tribune

• Majerus lived his life to help others // Stltoday
  A particularly touching column.

• Coach Rick Majerus made lasting impact on college basketball // Andy Glockner - SI.com
• Rick Majerus remembered for teaching ability, selflessness // NCAA Basketball - Sporting News
• Majerus tributes pour out on Twitter // CollegeBasketballTalk

Kentucky football

• Former Cats hope Stoops can bring winning attitude, toughness and complete culture alteration // vaughtsviews
  We'll have to see, but we'll have to wait a while to see.

• UK Football Ticket Sales Increase After Naming Of New Head Coach // ABC36 News WTVQ Lexington Kentucky

  "As far as in a non-season and in the non-football playing season, it is undoubtedly the most enthusiasm we've had with a coaching hire," Neely said.

  This is good to hear, and is exactly the result we should expect. Kentucky fans want to support football, but Phillips just gave them no reason to hope for improvement.

• John Clay: Kentucky's Mark Stoops was born to coach // Kentucky.com

  "Mark is the one who will pour cold water down your back," explained Ron. "He's the one who will push you into the pool when you aren't looking. He was probably the most enjoyable to be around, counting all five of his siblings."

  Interesting...

Kentucky basketball

• Harrisons: Kentucky Could Win NCAA Title With Wiggins // ZagsBlog.com

  "Me and Andrew (Harrison), we love playing with great players, so we just want to win, and we’ll do anything to win," Aaron told Jones. "If Andrew (Wiggins) is the person that Coach Calipari thinks we need on the team to win, that’s who I want to have."

• Pod: Seth Davis on UK's loss, UCLA's mess, Duke's problem, Dixon leaving Mizzou // CBSSports.com

• Kentucky, Noel have much to learn after loss to Baylor

  Noel seized seven offensive rebounds Saturday but converted only three of his 14 field-goal attempts. His personal shot chart suggested a man shooting blowdarts at a peephole rather than basketballs at point-blank range. He made two layups, one dunk and missed every other contested shot.

  Noel has to learn to be more patient, and how not to try to disregard the other big guys in his way. He could do that in high school, but not in college.

• Baylor exploits Kentucky's youth // Tampa Bay Times
  We'll hear this mantra every time Kentucky loses this season.

• That’s a wrap: Baylor 64, Kentucky 55 // John Clay's Sidelines

• UK signee Derek Willis thinks Cats will also add Andrew Wiggins // vaughtsviews
  I think he's right.

• Calipari 'not fazed' as home streak ends - Kentucky Wildcats

  It may have taken longer than Calipari wanted, but that message has finally sunk in. For all the talk about not comparing this year's team to the one that cut down the nets in New Orleans eight months ago, there was a tiny voice in the players' heads telling them the opposite. That voice is now silent.

  I am concerned, but not that concerned. Circumstances made this outcome likely.

• Andy Katz says The Kentucky Wildcats May Not Make the NCAA Tournament // Everything Kentucky Online
  Katz is surely just tossing this out to upset the Big Blue Nation, which will garner him lots of hits. But he is right that these losses have a very negative impact on our seed, and I will go so far as to say that a #1 seed is now quite unlikely.

• Just how bad were UK’s offensive numbers? // John Clay's Sidelines
  Badness, badness everywhere.

Other UK sports

• No. 9 Wildcats, No. 6 Cardinals set for Sunday's showdown for Bluegrass State bragging rights
  Go, 'Cats!

• UK volleyball advances to Sweet 16 // The Kentucky Kernel

Links posts

• John Clay's Big Blue Links.

College football

• 2012 SEC title game: the greatest in conference history? // CollegeFootballTalk
  For my money, yesterday's game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide was the best college football game I have seen in years. To me, there is no doubt at all it was the best SEC championship game ever.

Other sports news

• Kentucky Sports Radio // Jodie Meeks hits 7 3-pointers vs. Nuggets
  We've seen this movie before.