Kentucky Wildcats: Sunday Brunch -- Beat-Down Edition

The historic 30-point beat-down that Kentucky suffered yesterday understandably has UK fans wondering what's next. Unfortunately, there are more questions available than answers.

Tweet of the Morning:

The moment you're ready to quit is usually the moment right before a miracle happens...Don't give up....

— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) February 17, 2013

From a guy who knows a thing or two about adversity. The Wildcats would do well to read this, and make it a part of them.

Your Quickies:

Kentucky football

• UK RB coach Chad Scott on Sanders, George and Clemons // vaughtsviews
  The big-time competition will not just be at quarterback next year. Look at this stable of tailbacks we have. Very promising.

• UK football notebook: Stoops' tenacity, relationship-building skill on display in recruiting // Kentucky.com

  There were 66 days between Mark Stoops' formal introduction as Kentucky's new football coach and the introduction of his first recruiting class.

  And it wasn't just any recruiting class.

  According to Rivals.com, UK's class went from 62nd in the nation in 2012 to No. 29 this year.

Kentucky basketball

• My Saturday afternoon observations // ESPN

  For most of the season, he [Nerlens Noel] has been the only one playing with a combination of consistent ferocity and passion. The rest of the team tends to disappear frequently, lollygags on defense often and shows such dispassionate body language at times that you have to wonder whether the players are clock-watching.

  That's hard to read. Very hard. Sadly, I can't disagree.

• John Clay: Kentucky lacked Noel — and a whole lot more // Kentucky.com

  And this wasn't supposed to be a one-man team, anyway. Calipari was right to say the pre-season voters needed to be drug-tested for voting his team No. 3 to start the season. But even Calipari could not imagine his team losing by 30 points to a Tennessee that entered the game with a losing record in the SEC.

  I've scheduled my own drug test. Just to be sure. I had the same inflated opinion.

• NBA GM: 2013 Draft Class is ‘Historically Weak’ // ZagsBlog.com

  The GM said he would still take Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel No. 1 in 2013 despite his ACL tear because of his ability as a shot-blocker.

  "I would, yeah," he said, "because he has an elite skill at least. Very few of the guys in this draft have anything elite.

  Well, that's interesting. This is a GM, so that means something.

• Kentucky takes a drop in the compute rankings // John Clay's Sidelines
  Not surprising.

• VIDEO: John Calipari tees off on his team after 30-point loss at Tennessee // CollegeBasketballTalk
  I want to point out that "not real coachable" is not the same thing as "uncoachable." Not even close. Some of the best players we have had were not real coachable at times.

• Doug Shows’ real record // John Clay's Sidelines
  Let's not go here, please. The officials had a bad game. It happens. It didn't matter, it just made the affair slightly more embarrassing.

• Kentucky Sports Radio // Willie Cauley-Stein has some things to say
  This is why Twitter should be off-limits to every UK player, and every . I sympathize, but this is not the right way to react to a bad loss.

• Livin’ on a Prayer // Chris Diggs – UK Fan Blog

  I wish I could put a figure on what is wrong with this team but I can’t. It’s obvious that they are young and make silly decisions, but why hasn’t Calipari been able to mesh these young guys like he has the last three years?

  I think this is a good question. Coach Cal, over to you ...

• CatsIllustrated.com // Cats hit rock bottom in 88-58 loss at Tennessee
  I will say this -- I hope this is rock bottom. If it is, I hope we stop digging.

• Willie Cauley-Stein Follows Up "Fake Fans" Tweet // Everything Kentucky Online
  Great, Wille. Now do me a favor -- delete your Twitter account and focus on basketball and school. No good comes from Twitter. It is the Devil.

• Tom'sTake: will crisis = change?
  Another good question.

• Jarrod Polson battled in his first start and impressed Vols with his effort and smart play // vaughtsviews

  "He’s a great guard," Golden said. "He’s good for them and he’s a good guard."

  Said the guy who schooled Polson off the dribble.

• Twin-engine backcourt: Kentucky basketball recruits Harrison brothers have Texas-size talent, small-town values // The Courier-Journal

  "He doesn’t really kiss their [Aaron and Andrew Harrison] butts," Aaron Sr. said [of John Calipari]. "They liked that he came in and said, ‘Yeah, you’re good. So what? You’re going to have to work hard.’ Every other coach came in and said, ‘You’re great. We’re just going to give you the ball.’ "

  For those who think Calipari promises NBA riches, shots, or playing time, or anything else to his recruits. Read this, and weep.

Other UK sports

• No. 2 Southern Cal Hangs on to Edge No. 7 Kentucky // UKAthletics.com
  Drat.

• UK Hoops Travels to Texas A&M for Big Monday Showdown on ESPN2 // UKAthletics.com

Links posts

• Kentucky Sports Radio // Sunday Morning Blues Links
• Tom Leach // Sunday Links

College football

• Ten ways to get ejected from a college football game // CBSSports.com
  There are more ways than I thought.

College basketball

• Joe Lunardi's Bracketology update // ESPN
  Still plenty of time to recover, but it's fairly important the Wildcats get their minds right and start winning.

• Bubble Watch: Saturday's survivors // ESPN

Other sports news

• John Wall’s agent responds to David Falk

  "David Falk’s rant about John Wall was uneducated, unsophisticated and immature. It proved the adage that one can grow old without ever growing up," Fegan said. "I’m relieved David had the sense to apologize for his remarks but that doesn’t change the fact that he publicly disparaged a classy young man and a great young player. I have no further comment on what David said."

  Absolutely right. Can you spell, "douchebag," Falk? Because a man should be able to spell his middle name.
• Packers' Randall Cobb, James Jones and Casey Hayward among NFL's unsung Joes // JSOnline

Other news

• Two Brothers in Kansas Blow Up House Celebrating Lottery Winnings // The Big Lead
  Definitely Darwin Award nominees here.