The Crimson Tide are the next team in line for the 'Cats down in Tuscaloosa, Alabama at 3:00 PM on Saturday. This is a big game for Kentucky and would represent the third road win in as many tries if the 'Cats are able to pull it off, and when combined with the win over a scrappy Auburn team at home and losses by Florida and Mississippi State, may well herald the return of Kentucky to the top 25 of at least one of the polls.
Now, for the news.
Kentucky Basketball News
- The Birmingham News wonders about the Alabama-Kentucky game. Alabama has a ton of talent. They have been underachieving. The 'Cats should beware.
- The Wildcats grab first place in the East, Patterson's injured hand notwithstanding.
- Perry Stevenson refuses to revel in his recent stellar play. He lets others do it for him. "Action speaks louder than words," Stevenson said. "Just do what you want to do, and don't talk about it." Right on, Perry.
- Daniel Blank at MSNBC says Kentucky is rising and Tennessee is falling. I agree with one, but not necessarily the other. If Tennessee beats Memphis, and they surely can, all this poor-mouthing will stop. All Tennessee needs is for their guards to, well .... guard better.
- Gillispie says Patterson is 'a lot better this year.' No doubt he is playing great after a bit of a slow start. Just wait till his finger gets better. Gillispie even says he wants Patterson to shoot some threes.
- NCAA.com has a real nice article on Patterson and Meeks and the history they are making at Kentucky [via Aaron's blog]
- Studio 54: Meet Jodie Meeks. Great piece, great notoriety for a well-deserving person.
- The beauty of the beast. Nice turn of phrase from Bret Dawson.
- Matt Jones says the Big East is ''incredibly overrated'' and takes issue with a piece linked here earlier by the Loathsome Troll Jeff Goodman. I do agree that the press is making too big a deal about them. In fact, Ken Pomeroy's aggregate ratings have the Big East third behind the ACC and Pac-10. Perhaps, as Matt seems to suggest, the sales job is largely being done to give the impression of validation to the pre-season hype.
Kentucky Football/Other Sports News
- Jody Demling says Deuce Finch has chosen Boston College over Kentucky. Rare bad news in recruiting for Brooks & Co. This was posted earlier in one of the comment threads.
- Interesting. Gillispie helping Brooks. [via Aaron's blog.]
- Brooks & Co. land 3-star Florida running back. Well, we lost Deuce and gained a higher-ranked player. Add a gun rack to that awesome F-150, coach.
NCAA Basketball News
- West Virgina pounds Georgetown in their own house. That should put to rest the doubters that think WVU was not a quality win for UK. Congrats to the Mountaineers.
- Minnesota loses at home to the Boilermakers. Not an upset, but a tough game for the Gophers.
- Oregon State upsets Cal. Cal made me look bad -- I had them ranked this week (more on that later today).
NCAA Football News
- Morehead State the "cradle of NFL coaches?"
- John Clay has a ton of SEC football links.
- John L. Smith an assistant to his former assistant.
- The Capstone Report blogs about petty Congress-critters.
Other News of Interest
- Sad story. This trial will be interesting.
- Most folks around my home town of Shelbyville take Claudia Sanders' place for granted, but I knew the Colonel personally and my sister worked at Claudia Sanders Dinner House in her youth. It's still a great place to go for comfort food. Wonderful hot-browns and fried chicken along with all the fixings, good service and a family atmosphere that can't be beat, vaguely reminiscent of the antebellum South.
- The taxman cometh -- for your golf game? Dude!
- This is an example of how we can let our competitive zeal completely overthrow our ethics, sportsmanship and good sense.