Kentucky Wildcats: Morning Quickies - Jerry Buss Edition

I was sad to hear about the passing of Jerry Buss, longtime owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. He was by all accounts a very high-quality person, and set a fine example for all NBA franchise owners for many years. He will be missed.

Tweet of the Morning:

The sports world lost a titan yesterday. We may never see another owner like Jerry Buss -> es.pn/XmBFAz (via @grantland33)

— ESPN (@espn) February 19, 2013

Godspeed, Mr. Buss. You'll be missed.

Your Quickies:

Kentucky football

• The WBN Interviews Former Kentucky Football Great Trevard Lindley // Wildcat Blue Nation
  One of the great cornerbacks ever at UK.

• Illinois Football Recruiting: Kentucky Offers Clifton Garrett // Writing Illini

Kentucky basketball

• CatsIllustrated.com // Randle back from injury and done with visits
  We'll have to wait and see.

• Kentucky's Nerlens Noel has had previous leg problems // Cincinnati.com

  Dr. Robin West, an orthopedic surgeon on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ medical staff, said complications from growth plate injuries, such as deformity or malalignment, become more likely if an injury is not given proper time to heal.

  Those problems, sometimes so subtle that the patient does not even know they exist, can be foreboding.

  "If the leg healed awkwardly and (Noel) had a malalignment in that knee," West said, "that could predispose him to future injuries in that leg."

  Troubling news.

• Mark Story: If it comes to it, Cats should say yes to the NIT // Basketball: Men | Kentucky.com
  Kentucky will not say no to the NIT if it comes to that. There are lots of good reasons, but the best two are that a) more game competition is always better than less, and b) fits of pique are unbecoming of this program.

• Calipari coming // HeraldStarOnline.com
  Well, good!

Other UK sports

• Another Wildcat Strike at Reed Arena // Good Bull Hunting
  A view of the Hoops game last night between UK and Texas A&M from the A&M side. Nice work.

• DeNesha Stallworth has double-double to help Kentucky hold off Texas A&M 70-66 // vaughtsviews
• 2013 SEC Softball Tournament All-Session Passes On Sale Now // UKAthletics.com

Links posts

• John Clay's SEC Links // Sidelines
• Tom Leach // Tuesday Links
• The Morning Mix // Troy Machir, CollegeBasketballTalk
• John Clay's Big Blue Links // John Clay's Sidelines

College football

• Miami calls for ‘no additional punitive measures’ from NCAA // CollegeFootballTalk

  Okay, this is straight-up BS from Shalala. If Miami did wrong, they should be punished. If it can't be proven without tainted testimony, then they will probably get off. But if it can be proven without tainted testimony, this is just a bunch of bluster. A lawsuit will, and should, end badly for Miami.

  Miami may have a beef, but what they are trying to do is escape accountability on the theory that the NCAA behaved so badly that the investigation has no integrity. But that's yet to be determined.

  I find myself hoping Miami gets pounded, sues the NCAA and loses. Shalala just lost me so completely that I doubt it can ever be recovered. Instead of waiting for all the facts to come out, she pulls this stunt. Evil. The NCAA and their absurdities are also evil.

  Can't they both lose? Please?

• In Miami debacle, NCAA President Mark Emmert leaves accountability to others // ESPN

  This is yet another excellent article by Dana O'Neil of ESPN. I could say a lot about it, but it would mostly be making points she already makes.

  Should a rulemaking organization be subject to the rules it makes for others? I think most people would say yes, but we this all the time, especially in state, federal and local government. This is not particularly unique, but I'll bet this critique stings, and it should.

College basketball

• Report: Bob Knight likely done at ESPN after this season // John Clay's Sidelines
  Not likely to be many tears shed in the Big Blue Nation over this news.

• Pac-12 reprimands Cal coach Mike Montgomery for shoving Allen Crabbe // CollegeBasketballTalk

Other sports news

• The Official Website of John Wall
  Check out John's new slick, Flash-driven website. Very nice. Lots of Kentucky stuff on there, too. John hasn't forgotten his roots.

• Jerry Buss, Longtime Lakers Owner, Is Dead at 80 // NYTimes.com
  Godspeed to a great owner. He will be missed.

Other news