Kentucky Wildcats: Morning Quickies - College GameDay Edition

Today is ESPN College GameDay in Rupp Arena. The crowd is big and rowdy, and Wildcats fans are getting ready for the big game tonight against the Missouri Tigers.

Tweet of the Morning:

#GameDay is ROCKING at Rupp Arena. Big Blue Nation. Wow. (Via @ukphotogs) twitter.com/UKphotogs/stat…

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) February 23, 2013

Your Quickies:

Kentucky football

• The WBN Interviews Bowling Green's Nacarius Fant // Wildcat Blue Nation
  One of UK's top targets. Hat tip: Mr. Hanky.

• Many Ohio players expected at Kentucky football junior day // Recruiting
  This is great to hear. Stoops has really revived interest in the football program, no doubt about it.

• Conner QB Drew Barker kept open mind about new Kentucky staff and likes what he has seen // vaughtsviews

  He’s a four-star quarterback who has impressed recruiting analysts and will be one of the leading contenders for Kentucky Mr. Football honors next season. Yet Kentucky was not one of the 10 schools that had offered Conner’s Drew Barker a scholarship until offensive coordinator Neal Brown changed that after watching Barker throw during a recent morning workout.

  I'd love to see us stick it to Louisville on this one. It would send a message.

Kentucky basketball

• Kentucky basketball guard Ryan Harrow rose to teammates' challenge, now faces Missouri's // The Courier-Journal

  "That was a big step for Ryan," Cauley-Stein said. "We need him to be more vocal like that and get it within himself and express how he feels to Coach. It’s all about growing up and starting to be a man like that."

  There is no doubt that if Harrow plays well, the team is much better. If he can give us a performance something like he did against Vanderbilt, our chances of defeating Missouri are greatly enhanced.

• Q&A with Craig Brownson: Harrisons twins' high school coach has high praise // The Courier-Journal

  How competitive are they?

  Even in shooting drills, they don’t like to lose. They’re driven to want to be the best. And they’re each other’s worst critics. We could be up 20, and if one takes a bad shot, the other tells them.

  These two young guys are very impressive. Nobody on this year's team compares to the level of intensity and skill that they bring to their respective positions.

• Kentucky Sports Radio // Sights and sounds from ESPN GameDay (so far)
  The word is about 14-17K showed up, which under the circumstances, is excellent.

• Calipari says Missouri road woes similar to what 2011 UK Final Four team had // vaughtsviews
  The road is really tough in the SEC.

Other UK sports

• Scout.com // Grundy dominates in UK win over Elon
  Nice bounce-back win after the loss to Kansas St. on Thursday.

Links posts

• Kentucky Sports Radio // College Gameday Links
• Tom Leach // Saturday Links

College football

• Johnny Manziel files lawsuit to protect ‘Johnny Football’ name // Saturday Down South
  Oh, good grief.

• Mack Brown: ‘Alabama is ahead of all of us’ on deregulation rules // CollegeFootballTalk

  "Alabama is ahead of all of us with the number of personnel they’ve hired, and that’s something that everybody’s looking very closely at," Brown said Thursday, adding that the Longhorns have also posted a position for a director of player personnel.

  So the schools that are late to the game are complaining about Alabama, who was ready to leverage the changes (as if they really need more help). Whiners and losers is what I say.

• Hal Mumme taking over SMU offense, according to report // SBNation.com
  Interesting. Via Mr. Hanky.

• LSU legend Billy Cannon in intensive care after stroke
  Sorry to hear this. Via Mr. Hanky.

• FAU sells stadium naming rights to for-profit prison operator
  I heard about this. Good money is where you find it, I guess. Hat tip: Mr. Hanky.

• Louisville withholds allegations vs. former Miami Hurricanes assistant coach Clint Hurtt - UM - MiamiHerald.com

  The University of Louisville still is withholding the Notice of Allegations for former UM football assistant coach Clint Hurtt, whose allegations have been received, Louisville acknowledged earlier this week.

  Louisville is a public school and by law is required to distribute the information to those who formally make a public records request.

  This won't hold up much longer. I wonder why Louisville is doing this. It makes them look guilty, and trying to ape Miami. Not a good idea.

• Former Miami Hurricanes coaches will get NCAA motion heard, report says // ESPN

  The NCAA's Committee on Infractions agreed Friday to consider the request of three former Miami assistant coaches who say their individual cases in the Hurricanes' athletic scandal are tainted and should be dismissed, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

  I'm not surprised, and I do think that the coach's motions deserve to be adjudicated. If the NCAA used facts or testimony gleaned by the use of the bankruptcy proceeding testimony, they may well succeed. Hat tip: Mr. Hanky.

• Texas A&M leaks first renderings of Kyle Field renovation // CBSSports.com
  So Texas A&M is going to try to be on par with teams like Tennessee, Alabama, and LSU when it comes to stadium size. Via Mr. Hanky.

College basketball

• Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino irked by NCAA deadline on pro draft // The Courier-Journal

  "The way the rules are written, they’re basically saying to the kids, ‘We’re just looking at the universities, we’re not looking after you,’ " Pitino said.

  I completely agree with Pitino. We have mostly the ACC coaches and some other coaching whiners to thank for this stupidity.

  There aren't that many places where John Calipari and Pitino sing from the same hymnal, but this is definitely one of them

• College basketball for television February 23 // John Clay's Sidelines
  Basketball Games for today.

• BJ Young's shot lifts Razorbacks over Georgia, 62-60 // The Baxter Bulletin
  Both Georgia and Arkansas have been playing well, but Arkansas is making a case for the NCAA tournament. I don't like our chances much on Fayetteville if the Hogs keep this up.

Other sports news

• John Wall explains the game-sealing jump shot // Bullets Forever
  We know a thing or two about John Wall and game winners. Now the Wizards do.

• Lindsey Vonn rips officials over crash // The Courier-Journal

  "I skied aggressively, but when I was skiing, I couldn't believe the conditions. The snow was too soft. It had broken down. I didn't think it was safe."

  I agree with Vonn. I saw some of that contest, and I think the conditions were too dangerous.

  Skiing really needs to get with the program. I know it's difficult, but we should not be sending skiers down mountains with unsafe conditions. It's dangerous enough already.