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The Grammy Awards are tonight. I don't know how many of you actually care about this, but I'll be forced to watch by my wife. So who do you think should win a Grammy, but probably won't?
Tweet of the Day:
UK needs one more offensive lineman. Could have some news to report very soon with top targets returning from visits.
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) January 26, 2014
Getting the class complete would be nice.
Your Quickies:
Kentucky football
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2015 recruiting Big Board tease. Derrick Ansley has this recruit interested in the Cats — Hank.
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UK 2015 Commit Marcus Walker makes the DB Watch List for The Opening. (Hat Tip to Patrick Loney at Kentucky Scout) — Hank
Lake Wales 2015 DB Marcus Walker (@Prim3timejr4) makes @TheOpening2014 DBs watchlist. #flhsfb
— Polk County Football (@polkcountyFB) January 25, 2014 -
One of the top offensive linemen in 2015 has Kentucky on his list.
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Vince Morrow gets a raise. Well deserved. His new contract can be found here. Hat tip: KSR. Ben Roberts also has more on the players he has recruited.
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Matt Elam was in Lexington yesterday for his final recruiting visit.
Kentucky basketball
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Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News says that Kentucky's freshman class is meeting expectations:
Their influence in barely more than half a season has been striking, matching most expectations if not the hype that accompanied their debut.
"I think it’s an A," said ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg, when asked to grade the group. "Just the energy created by this group for college basketball was unbelievable. As a group, they’ve been spectacular. A realistic basketball person would say they’ve transitioned very well."
Does that mean UK fans are unrealistic? I'd say "probably" if it was anyone but Seth Greeenberg positing the question.
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The ball moves, the 'Cats win. Too right. Consider:
"One of the big emphases in the last week was moving the ball," said Willie Cauley-Stein, who bounced out of his recent three-game slump with eight points, six blocks and six steals. "We did a really good job of moving it and getting other people shots. It worked out good."
Yeah, Willie, it almost always works out good when you move the ball.
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John Calipari showed James Young that his game was flawed once he got to Kentucky. I found this interesting:
"I wouldn’t say a breakthrough (against Georgia), but we’re just getting better day by day, practice by practice. I just feel we’re slowing getting better. To be where we want to be is going to take time," Young said.
While true, I am constrained to point out that the clock is ticking ...
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Aaron Harrison thinks it's way too cold here. I can't help but agree. Via Hank.
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Jarrod Polson's jersey is retired at his high school. Congratulations, Jarrod.
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Seeing beyond the "clutter." Background noise from friends and family is always a problem, especially when it comes to highly-ranked players. This is an interesting observation:
This is the tradeoff for attracting so many soon-to-be professional players and it is a tradeoff any college coach would make in an eye-blink. But while other coaches might evince exasperation at spending so much time on the rudiments of basketball and so little on refinement, Calipari conveys a curious amount of serenity. Where another coach might seem anxious or annoyed at the progress of young players, Calipari appears slightly amused and unusually detached.
I don't think I would describe Calipari this way. Remember last season, when he was exasperated to the point of suggesting some players were uncoachable? Maybe he's just trying on the Phil Jackson zen approach this season to see how it works out.
Judging by the results of the last two games, I'd say he's making headway
Other Kentucky sports
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Kentucky track and field has a big day at Nutter Field House.
Links posts
College football
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Fox Sports grades the football coaching hires. This is fun:
Grade: D Bobby Petrino, Louisville: If the goal is to simply win, the return of Petrino is a magnificent hire. Strong left him with plenty of toys to play with, but a reputation for bouncing between jobs makes you wonder how long it will last -- though a $10 million buyout could help there. Of more tangible concern, how will his ugly exit from Arkansas and his questionable behavior impact his ability to recruit?
It's also fairly interesting that they rated the Charlie Strong hire at Texas only a C. I happen to agree with them on this as well. They rank James Franklin (Vandy to Penn St.) and Chris Petersen, who went to Washington from Boise St., as the only "A" hires. Via Hank.
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Louisville down to 17 commitments and recruits are canceling visits. I'm sure the recruit's parents just love Bobby Petrino's bio. Via Hank.
College basketball
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Robert Morris suspends four members of their basketball team indefinitely. Is this like a Rick Pitino "indefinitely," or ...
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Big win for Michigan over Michigan St. yesterday. It was a great game
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I think it's likely correct that the Pittsburgh Panthers will be under-seeded in this year's NCAA Tournament. They aren't getting much national buzz despite playing excellent basketball.
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Sigh. #RPIFail
Other sports news
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I know a thing or two about back pain, and wish I didn't. Get better, Phil.
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I really haven't been following the whole Sherman thing, but it's obvious he's focusing too much on theatrics and not enough on football, and it's got him into trouble. I think the fine should have bee about 3X what it was. Fining an NFL player $7,875.00 is like fining a regular person $100. Make it sting a little, I say.
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Jacob Tamme family considers it a "blessing" to be back in the Super Bowl. I think that's right.
Other news
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Oh NO!!! Tell me it ain't so! — Hank
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We really should take better care of the radioactive material we move around in the United States, particularly when it's actually in amounts that could be a serious risk to people's lives. I know a thing or two about this subject, having been a nuclear reactor operator in another life.