Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day in America, and a federal holiday. My favorite quote from Dr. King:

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Amen.

Tweet of the Morning:

Wishing I could pick a Super Bowl team a la carte. Yes to John Harbaugh, no to Ray Ray. Yes to Kapernick and Vernon Davis. No to their coach

— Will Graves (@WillGravesAP) January 21, 2013

Heh.

Your Quickies:

Kentucky football

• Kentucky Football: Several Wildcats in All-Star Games

  A handful of former University of Kentucky football players, including kicker Craig McIntosh, offensive linemen Larry Warford and Matt Smith, wide receiver La’Rod King, defensive back Martavius Neloms and defensive lineman Collins Ukwu, have accepted invitations to participate in national all-star games.

  Just a reminder that this Kentucky team wasn't without talent last year.

• UK football: Approach of spring practice has Coach Stoops giddy // Kentucky.com

  When asked about the idea of getting out on the field with his first team as a head coach and getting to do actual coaching, Stoops' face lit up in an exclusive interview with the Herald-Leader last week.

  You have to know the first ever spring practice for a head coach has to be a moment to remember, and to look forward to.

• CatsIllustrated.com // Kentucky in mix with Florida, Auburn for Hearns [subscription]
  This would be a good steal.

Kentucky basketball

• Give it up for Jarrod "Sky" Polson // John Clay's Sidelines

  "Jarrod played good," said Calipari of his backup junior point guard, before quickly correcting himself. "Jarrod played great."

  Jarrod did play great. He's been an important part of the team this year.

• Four UK recruits make Nike Hoop Summit team // Next Cats
  One that didn't make it surprised me.

Other UK sports

• UK cheer and dance wrap up at UCA/UDA Championships // Cat Scratches
  The Wildcats came up just short for the first time in a while.

• No. 9 Kentucky Mens Tennis Wins Both // LEX18.com

  The University of Kentucky men's tennis team began the 2013 season on Sunday afternoon with two 7-0 wins, as the Wildcats knocked off Northern Kentucky and Morehead State to improve to 2-0 on the season at the Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center in Lexington, Ky. The pair of wins are the first for head coach Cedric Kauffmann as the man in charge of the Wildcats.

• UK women show no mercy in rout of Auburn // Kentucky.com

  "I thought it was pretty unclassy to continue to press when you're up by 46 points," she said. "We're a pressing team also, but at some point we take the press off because at some point it's not respectful of the other team."

  I have mixed feelings about this. Taking your foot off the gas can be seen as disrespectful, too. I guess you just can't please everybody.

Links posts

• Tom Leach // Monday links

College football

• Oregon promotes Mark Helfrich to coach // The Seattle Times

  I somehow missed the news that Chip Kelly left Oregon, but with sanctions on the horizon for the Ducks, I'm not surprised. I long predicted he would leave this year.

  Their OC, Mark Helfrich, is the new coach.

• College football roundup: Couric to get on-camera interview with Te'o // Yahoo! Sports

  Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o has agreed to an on-camera interview with Katie Couric to be broadcast Thursday on her syndicated show "Katie."

  Whatever.
• State Of The U Chats With Hurricanes Legend Howard Schnellenberger // State of The U

College basketball

• 3-point shot: Debate over the top spot // ESPN

  Get used to more unbalanced schedules having a say in conference champions. The more bloated the conferences become (see: 14 team ACC, Big Ten and SEC), the less likely the schedules will be fair and balanced.

  This is a good point, and one I had ignored. It deserves some consideration

• No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 6 Syracuse final score: Orange win 70-68 thriller // SBNation.com
  Louisville has no excuse in this one. Peyton Siva jacking up bad threes was a major reason the Cardinals lost this game. This on the heels of an apparently drug-addled meme from somewhere that Siva is better this year than John Wall was at UK.

• No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 13 Butler final score: Butler wins instant classic, 64-63 // SBNation.com
  For those who missed it. It was a great game, although I didn't see it all.

• Impressive. Via Anthony Wireman:
  

Other sports news

• Miami Heat will not offer Josh Harrellson another 10-day contract // SBNation.com
  Life in the NBA. Good luck, Josh. Hopefully someone will pick you up.

• Vinny Del Negro sees trade rumors surrounding Eric Bledsoe as a positive // ProBasketballTalk
  For a guy in his position, there's probably more good than bad in the trade talk.

• John Wall is giving immediate boost to Washington Wizards upon return from knee injury - The Washington Post

  Wall hasn’t been perfect in his first five games of the season, but the small sample size has been enough to show that an offseason spent reshaping his game and a three-month, injury-forced studying session from the sideline has resulted in an improved player leading and instilling confidence in the Wizards.

  I think John is on the verge of a breakout. Wizard fans will be pleased.

• Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon have Hornets dreaming big - SBNation.com

  The key figure in all of this is Davis, the top pick in the draft. Slowed early by injuries including a concussion, Davis ceded ground early to Damian Lillard in the Rookie of The Year race, but he's making a strong case for himself. Look beyond his 13 points and 8 rebounds and note his 50 percent shooting with a PER over 20. His defense, which was so dominant at Kentucky, will take time to develop but there's no doubt that he's a presence.

  Davis is back on track and back in the ROY conversation. The Hornets are starting to win a few. Life is looking up in NOLA.

• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Role Diminishing on Charlotte Bobcats
  Are the Bobcats backing off MKG's development? Let's hope not.

• Sources: Kings to play in Seattle next season // Yahoo! Sports
  Big changes. Wonder what this means for the Big Cuz?