Morning Newspaper May 1st, 2009 -- Kentucky Oaks Edition

[UPDATE 1]

It's May!  Hooray!

May has got to be one of my favorite months.  It starts with the Derby and ends with my vacation in Myrtle Beach, which I am looking forward to with great anticipation.  Fortunately, the wildfire that ran amok near my normal vacation spot has now been controlled, although there were nearly a hundred homes destroyed by the fire.

But today is the Kentucky Oaks, a race that I have often attended, but will not this year.  My wife always takes at least half the day off in honor of Oaks day, and we will be enjoying the races from home today when she leaves work.  I plan to complete my work early today as well so we can enjoy the horse racing.  If you are participating in the Oaks day festivities too, well, good luck.

And now, for the news

UK Basketball News

• Updated recruiting class rankings from Rivals.  UK now at #4 -- with a bullet, especially if Wall comes.  Man, it seems like a long times since I have seen UK listed ahead of the Tarheels.
• Steve Megaree of Rivals.com thinks that UK can be a Final Four contender if Wall, Meeks, Patterson and Cousins all wind up on the team next year.
• Some reasons to get excited about Jon Hood.  I was very impressed with Hood when I saw him in the Kentucky Derby Festival Classic.
• Lance Stephenson now in touch with UK?  Interesting ...
• Mike DeCourcy says Patrick Patterson is in danger of blowing it.  I'm not sure I agree, but Pat is a 'tweener, and that is never a great thing to be.
• This has been linked before, but it bears repeating.
• John Wall to visit ... North Carolina Central?
• Hope this turns out to be right.  Barton is an awesome prospect.
• [UPDATE 1]  Jerry Tipton says that Bledsoe is down to UK and Memphis.
• [UPDATE 1]  John Wall says rumors he is down to UK and Miami are erroneous.
• [UPDATE 1]  Bruce Pearl and John Calipari share a stage -- reluctantly.

UK Football News

• Braxton Kelley and Wesley Woodyard are together again.
  

Other UK Sports News

NCAA Sports News

• Tyreke Evans to remain in the NBA draft.  No surprise there.
• Renardo Syndey changed his mind.  He is now going to Mississippi State to play in the SEC for Rick Stansbury.  Wow.  MSU just became a serious contender, especially if Varnado were to decide to return.

Other News of Interest

• Greg Page, former boxing heavyweight champ from Louisville, is dead at 50.  Man, that's too bad.
• I think the Kentucky Derby is way more relevant than the Indianapolis 500, but that's just me.  And I live here in Louisville.
• Best.  Series.  Ever.
• How I learned to stop worrying about the Bulls and love this series.
• [UPDATE 1]  The Swine Flu reaches the Bluegrass.