One would think former UK basketball star Jeff Sheppard has more than enough responsibilities taking up space on his metaphorical plate -- Let's see, he owns and operates 15inc, a very successful apparel company; he is vice president of business development for the ever-growing Wazoosports.com; and this summer he organized the "Jorts Tour," which promoted a line of Jorts (aka Josh Harrellson) clothing.  He's married to one of the greatest woman basketball players in University of Kentucky history, the former Stacey Reed, and he has two young children to keep him busy.  But evidently, that isn't enough.

The hard-charging and driven Sheppard is now organizing a series of basketball games between a group of former Wildcats, most of whom play in the NBA (if we ever have an NBA again), and five Kentucky NAIA schools: Pikeville University, Mid-Continent University (coached by former Wildcat Winston Bennett), Alice Lloyd College, Union College and Georgetown College.  The games, to be played in high school gyms around the Commonwealth (with the exception of the Pikeville U game on October 8th, which will be held at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville), are designed to bring financial gains to all the schools involved (as well as the V Foundation for cancer research), both the NAIA programs, as well as the high schools where the events will be held, with the exposure the NAIA schools will receive being priceless.  

The cherry on top of the big blue basketball, though, is a game Sheppard is organizing pitting the Big Blue All-Stars versus "The Villains," a game to be held in Rupp Arena on October 24 at 7:30 pm.  

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Basically, my trip to the KFC Yum! Center to see the John Calipari-coach Dominican Republic team play the Kentucky professional payers team was just a lot of fun -- UK fans were celebrating being UK fans, and the love for all things UK almost made me forget for the moment I was in the home of the Louisville Cardinals.  I have been in the Yum! Center three times since it opened, and all but this one it took half an hour to get to the door after the event despite the fact that this was the most crowded it has been at any of the three, and the furthest away from the door I have ever been (basically 180 degrees).

When I mentioned my amazement at getting to the front door in about 7 minutes, some guy in front of me said, "Well, you have to remember, UK fans don't stand around and block everybody's way like Cardinal fans do."  Interesting take, and anecdotally, I have to say it seems more valid than less.

I was also pleased at the crowd behavior -- Denny Crum and Eloy Vargas were cheered, Edgar Sosa, Al Horford and Francisco Garcia were roundly booed, and all around there was appreciation for the good basketball plays on both sides.

Attendance-wise, the lower arena was completely full, as were all the corporate seats.  The nosebleeds were full on the sides, but not in the end zones, or at least not in the one I could see.  I figure between 19-20K, but that's just my rough math. For the pictures I took, go here.  Sorry there isn't more, but my iPhone died on me.

The game was excellent, lots of fun but not particularly good basketball, at least by the pros.  They were doing a lot of fancy passes that usually resulted in turnovers and couldn't shoot free throws worth a darn, and they made a ton of defensive errors.  Needless to say, that cost them against a very good-shooting Dominican Republic team.  Even though Garcia, Horford and Sosa didn't log a minute in the second half, the pros proved once again, as if it requires repeating, that great shooting and good teamwork will defeat sick athleticism almost every time.

That's all for now.  I have to catch up on some sleep.

I was invited to appear on Unleash The Rage Internet talk radio show last night, and I will be appearing there once or twice per week throughout the rest of college basketball season.

Last night's show covered the following topics:

• Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel's recent NCAA problems;
• The all-SEC Team;
• The SEC Tournament bracket matchups.

There is a lot of excellent give and take in the discussion of all these topics, and if you have time I encourage you to take a listen.  You can listen to it over the Internet or download it as a podcast.

Here is the player for the Kentucky Derby Festival Classic game, tonight, April 11th at 7:00 PM. It requires the free Microsoft Silverlight framework.

ESPN, multiple local sources reporting Billy Gillispie will not be back as the coach at Kentucky.

The Herald-Leader reporting an 18-minute meeting took place between Gillispie, UK President Lee Todd and others at the President's mansion on campus, after which Gillispie was seen getting into a vehicle with Texas A&M tags and leaving.

More as it comes...

Orestes Meeks, Jodie's father, shares some surprising and interesting comments that make it seem like this was coming for some time, or at least has more behind it than we maybe realized.

Friday was the first day of Foursomes and Four-ball, the part of the Ryder Cup Matches that the USA usually gets way behind in.  I have no idea why this is so, bu historically, the USA has struggled mightily in team play and when they have won, they have done so, by making a comeback in the singles matches.

For those of you unfamiliar with this kind of golf, how it works is this:  In Foursomes, each team of two plays one ball, and the shots are alternated -- i.e. player one hits a drive, and player 2 for the same team hits the second shot, and so on through the green.  Yesterday, the USA was up 3-1 after the Foursomes, with two wins (one point each) and two, "halves," (where the teams end up tied after #18, which gives each team 1/2 point apiece.

In the Four-ball matches, each player plays his own ball and the lowest score is what counts for each team.  In yesterday's Four-ball, the USA once again rose to the challenge with two wins, a loss and a half.  That places the USA ahead after the first day, 5 1/2 to 2 /12, for the first time in six Ryder Cup meetings -- twelve years.

I was fortunate enough to watch all the players at one time or another, as our tendency was to pick a hole and watch all the teams cruise by.  The crowd was electric and huge, and this was only the first day.  I saw a few familiar faces there, including Matt Jones (to whom I introduced myself, but I'm pretty sure he didn't know that I write at A Sea of Blue).

Now, about J.B. Holmes.  I didn't get to see him that much yesterday, but I did during the Four-ball on #16 tee, where I watched him smash a 350+ yard drive into the fairway.  Now, folks, I have been a golfer since I was ten.  I played on my high school golf team and narrowly missed qualifying for the Kentucky State Amateur a couple of times.  I am an above-average golfer, and know what good golf looks like.  But watching someone smash the ball 350 yards in a professional golf tournament is something that I was unprepared for. No wind-aid, no hit-on-the-downhill ground effect adding 50 yards -- he simply flew the ball for 330+ yards and got maybe 20 yards of roll.

Holmes hit the ball so incredibly high, it simply vanished -- I don't think anyone could have seen it.  It wound up 50+ yards ahead of the three other players, and these guys hit great drives.  It was a margin so gaudy and unlikely that it was shocking, utterly gobsmacking to me.  I think a lot of fans just failed to appreciate the magnitude of a drive like that.  I myself have hit 300+ yard drives, but we are talking 310 at the most after a downhill roll or a 20 MPH following wind.  This was a 330+ yard carry in dead-still wind.  Amazing.

Some observations:

• Phil Mickelson is much bigger in person than in TV.  Tight-end big.
• Nothing can prepare you for the violence of J.B. Holmes swing.  As short as it is, the power he generates is impossible to describe or see on TV.
• Sergio Garcia looks the same in person as he does on TV.
• José-María Olazábal, the many-time Ryder Cupper, assistant European captain and frequent partner of Sergio García, is much, much smaller in person.  Tiny little guy.
• The European fans break out into Olé! Olé! far too often, and at weird times.
• Valhalla is a fantastic venue for the Ryder Cup, and the American fans have been spectacularly well-behaved.  It may get worse as we get closer to the end, as it often does, but so far, I have been pleasantly surprised given what we have seen at other Ryders.
• Nick Faldo is a very active, very motivated captain.  Azinger is extremely involved, but less frenetic.  Interesting contrast, given Faldo's extremely stoic mein during his PGA career.
• The Europeans have been very subdued, almost grim.  Given how loose they have been at previous Ryder Cup's it is a strange and unexpected contrast.
• What great weather we have had.  Maybe worse today, but it should be good tomorrow.
• Hearing the remote crowd roars in person is an experience everyone should have.  They are extremely exciting.
• Mickelson made maybe 4 or 5 20+ foot puts.  America really had the flat stick working, and it was a 180-degree reversal from what we have seen the last six or seven Ryder Cups.

I'll be leaving a bit later today, I needed a few morning hours to recover from yesterday.  Walking around a golf course for 12 hours in the sun is draining, and at my age, I have to pace myself.

Well, yesterday was my first day of a four-day stint at the Ryder Cup. The weather was awesome yesterday and the last of the practice rounds were played.  I took a ton of pictures, some of which I hope to share with you today.  From now on, cameras are not allowed on the golf course at Valhalla, so I can't take any more.  I will put up a few today and and the rest later on.

What has this to do with UK, you may ask?  Well, lots.  First of all, a former UK golfer, J.B. Holmes, is on the US Ryder cup team.  Second of all, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event for me to actually see a Ryder Cup live.  Trust me, it's a big deal.

Second, the UK band was there, along with the U of L band, to help launch the opening ceremonies.  As you will see below, I was kind of late to the opening ceremony and didn't have a very good spot, but it was fun nonetheless.

Today, the Foursomes begin.  This is the part of the event that has historically been dominated by the Europeans and the U.S. needs to be competitive in this area if we want to bring the Ryder Cup back from across the Atlantic.

After the jump, some pictures for your viewing pleasure.  Enjoy

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Just in case we have some interested parties out there, this is an open thread for the discussion of the NBA draft tonight at 7:30 on ESPN.

If we are going to wait for Joe Crawford or Ramel Bradley to go, we could be up into the wee hours.  But it will be interesting for other reasons.  I will be curious to see if Lofton or Foster get drafted, and whether Beasley or Rose winds up #1 overall.

Post your comments below.