I will be updating this space as the day goes along for Wildcat commitments, particularly the guys who have not decided yet.  You can also check out SB Nation's signing day page for more info.

• Miles Simpson, 3* RB out of Northern Kentucky's Simon Kenton, has picked Kentucky over Louisville, Purdue, Illinois and Cincinnati among others.
• Brandon Gainer, #15 RB in the nation, signs with UK in a surprise over South Florida, UCF and North Carolina.  That's the second North Carolina recruit that UK has "stolen."
• List so far: Josh Gibbs, Justin Henderson, Tyler Brause, Alvin Davis, Mike Evans-Douglas, Brandon Gainer, Jabari Johnson, Brice Laughlin, Miles Simpson and Alex Smith have all signed LOI's.
• Joseph Mansour has signed.
• Nerman Delic, Malcolm McDuffen, Eric Simmons are now Wildcats.
• Jerell Priester to UK -- decommits from Vandy.  Further updates via Twitter for a while -- I have to go out.
• Tim Patterson signs with Kentucky.
• Avery Williamson has also signed.
• Tim McAdoo, Donte Rumph and Farrington Huguenin have signed.
• Per Eric Lindsey, 3-star running back Raymond Sanders has signed.
• 3-star TE/DL prospect Teven Eatmon (6'7," 280 lbs), high school teammate of UK QB signee Tyler Brause, has signed.
• Dale Trimble, a 3-star corner back (rated #20 at his position) has selected the 'Cats over Tennessee, Clemson, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss.
• Ronnie Shields, a tight end prospect out of Alcoa, Tennessee has signed.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

And all will turn, 
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
Grey ships pass
Into the West.

-- Into the West, Annie Lennox

And so it is that the Rich Brooks era has passed.  From the West he came, and eventually, into the West he will return.  But hopefully, not just yet.

Coach Rich Brooks left a mark on the Kentucky football program that the fans will never forget.  From the darkest depths of probation and despair, through disappointment at his hiring and calls for his head that might have sent lesser men his age straight back to the flyrod, Rich Brooks showed us all that he was made of sterner stuff.

In his seven years as Kentucky Head Football Coach, Brooks proved that earnest hard work with a caring but traditional attitude can still be effective in today's instant-gratification, 24-hour news cycle world.  His tenure wasn't sexy and it wasn't modern.  The sports world barely took notice.  But gradually, slowly, deliberately and effectively, Rich Brooks led the Kentucky Wildcats back from the failed program that it was to respectability.  It was a long, sometimes painful journey, but Brooks (and to his credit, Mitch Barnhart), never lost faith in their shared vision.

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Coach Rich Brooks has retired as head coach of Kentucky football, and Joker Phillips has been elevated to the head coaching position as per previous agreement.

Here is some of the reaction:

• Chris Low, ESPN
• Larry Vaught
• The Louisville Courier-Journal
• Chris Diggs
• Straitpinkie

Well, I'd like to say that 2009 was a great football season, but reality must intrude -- 7-6 cannot be considered great by any but a rebuilding team, and this Kentucky Wildcats team was definitely not that.  But the real tale of the the season was a lack of offensive punch, similar to last season.  Yes, Kentucky had a better offense this season than last, but overall, there was not that much difference between the two teams.  The SEC was definitely weaker in the midsection than last year, also.

But with all that said, 2009 wasn't a bad year, either.  It was disappointing, but mostly because of the fact that the Wildcats missed so many opportunities to add wins. UK was only uncompetitive in one game all season, and had a decent chance to win at least three more football games -- versus the South Carolina Gamecocks, versus the Tennessee Volunteers, and versus the Clemson Tigers.  Yes, injuries were a big part of that, but injuries are a part of football.  They hit us hard in critical spots this year, but UK must eventually build enough depth to win through injury if they are ever to seriously compete in the SEC East.

I know that Kentucky fans are anxious to break through and make a real run at the SEC East, but before we get there, we are going to have to find a way to get to .500 consistently in the league.  That is going to take time, and I know everyone is tired of waiting for these results, but wait you must.  This is not the Big East -- the SEC is filled with great football traditions, of which UK is definitely not one, at least not yet, and it is questionable if they ever can create one.  But four winning seasons in a row is a good place to start.

Now, let's look back at the 2009 Music City Bowl.  Follow me over the jump.

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Just heard the word over WHAS 84 in Louisville, in Rich Brooks' own voice.

The Joker Phillips Era likely begins in a few days.  These are the facts, and they are undisputed.

More as the story develops.

[UPDATE]:  Rich Brooks just confirmed that he was 80% leaning toward retirement to Tom Leach.  Heard with my own ears.

Said it has "Been a difficult time over the last few weeks thinking about it." And ...

"The whole year has been extremely frustrating."

Well, it had to happen eventually, and tonight it happened to the Wildcats.  After three straight bowl wins, they lost tonight to a tough Clemson team.

Congratulations to the Clemson Tigers.  They did what they had to do, and managed to fight and claw their way to a big win.  Despite shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly with dumb penalties, the Tigers managed to make enough clean plays to win the Music City Bowl on the strength of fine work by the Clemson offensive line, who did a very good job against the Wildcat defensive line.  C.J. Spiller had a lot to say about the this game, and Kyle Parker was very un-freshmanlike in his excellent game management.

For Kentucky, it was a frustrating loss.  Randall Cobb dropped two critical passes, perhaps the only really meaningful drops he has had this year.  Kentucky's defensive line just was not up to the task of handling the constant pressure from Spiller.  And the fumble from Gene McCaskill was ultimately the ball game for the Wildcats, as turnovers deep in your own territory so often are.

This was a disappointing season for Kentucky, but it shouldn't have been.  All the injuries and having a true freshman quarterback at the helm for most of the year, it's hard to figure how UK was able to win seven games.  But in the end, the 'Cats were as healthy as they have been all year, and were unable to do what was required to win their fourth straight bowl.

Of course, I'm disappointed in the loss, as all Kentucky fans are.  But for once, it wasn't for lack of Randall Cobb touches, or weird playcalling.  This time, the players lost the game on the field (to the extent Clemson didn't win it outright) by turning it over in their own territory, dropping passes at crucial times, or just failing to get the play off timely.

More after the jump.

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The Kentucky Wildcats (7-5) will be looking for an historic fourth bowl game victory in a row tonight in Nashville, Tennessee (8:30 PM on ESPN) against a familiar bowl foe in the Clemson Tigers (8-5).  Clemson, who came within a wildcat whisker of playing in a BCS Bowl game this year, will be looking to halt a two-game losing streak, after season-ending losses to South Carolina, and Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game.  Kentucky, after losing a 30-24 overtime heart-breaker to rival Tennessee in their final regular season contest, is searching to keep alive the momentum within the program.   

For the game particulars, follow me after the jump.

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Just a few quick links for your reading pleasure as we wait for the Music City Bowl to begin.

• Music City Bowl: Looking for a Good End to an Alright Season - Team Speed Kills
• Kentucky football hopes it won't see a Spiller thriller at Music City Bowl | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
• Music City Bowl Preview: Clemson vs. Kentucky
• Will Rich Brooks stay, or will he go? John Clay’s Sidelines
• UK fans taking over Nashville | Vaught's Views
• Cat fight in Music City: Kentucky battles Clemson on TSN2
• Clemson Tigers suspend 4 players for Music City Bowl vs. Kentucky Wildcats - ESPN
  Wow. Everybody suspends players versus the 'Cats in bowls. Weird.
• NCAAF Kentucky Wildcats vs Clemson Tigers