:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47480118/GettyImages-56531537.0.jpg)
What a missed opportunity by so many organizations yesterday, if you had bad news to report and you missed out on doing it yesterday then it is your fault. From the crack of dawn till the stroke of midnight the news story that dwarfed all other stories was the Louisville Escort Scandal.
ESPN's Outside the Lines did an expose on the situation and shed more blinding light on the situation. Even the most red-tinted glasses wearers came away with an understanding that this happened. Not only did it happen, it is closer to the extreme version of everything being true vs somewhere in the middle.
Five former players and former recruits corroborated the accusations, Outside the Lines verified the validity of the text messages and a few other key bits of information.
ESPN’s key points on the scandal pic.twitter.com/W1LJr0HTZ1
— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) October 20, 2015
There is no need to rehash in-depth as the information is fast and furious everywhere you look, suffice to say that this is a terrible situation. I know Louisville is our biggest rival and we take satisfaction in their loss and suffering, but this is a bit different.
It is a situation where parents of recruits are suffering from their imagination running wild. It is a situation where there are good Louisville fans (yes, there are a lot of them) who will live with the tainted future of this administration's decisions.
You have borderline human trafficking going on with an exchange for sexual acts with 17-20 year old KIDS, by some KIDS the same age while adults profit.
Having said that, there is a large portion of fans, coaches, and administrators that will be getting a strong comeuppance from this scandal. If there is a silver lining in this it would be that the University is teetering on the precipice of a long overdue house cleaning.
The floodgates are just opening, there will be more come out, and it is going to be an avalanche of embarrassment that ends with jobs lost, games vacated, and probation handed down, in my opinion.
TWEET(S) OF THE NIGHT
Jay Bilas: "It's not anything that I have heard of in college athletics in the last 20 some years. It shocks the conscious frankly." #ESPN
— Ty Carver (@TySalesRecruit) October 20, 2015
Keeps Pitino after Sypher incident. Keeps Hurtt after show-cause. Rehires Petrino. OK's Devonte Fields' recruitment. Who's really to blame?
— David Cornett (@DACats86) October 20, 2015
Former Louisville recruit about his visit to school: "It was like I was in a strip club." https://t.co/NZoHjJrjd9
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 20, 2015
Have to be honest, I agree w CC on this. If reversed Cal would be KILLED in media. Absolutely slaughtered. https://t.co/qjime0Ah34
— Andy Sweeney (@TheOnlySweeney) October 20, 2015
Lack of Prostitutuonal Control
— Lil Joe B. Hall (@LilJoeBHall) October 20, 2015
YOUR QUICKIES
- Karl Anthony-Towns made his way on a regional cover for Sports Illustrated
LOVE THIS (regional) cover for SI's NBA Preview Issue. Check them all out here: https://t.co/CxDB1IvajG pic.twitter.com/1OvRtcEUkN
— SI Vault (@si_vault) October 20, 2015
- Matthew Mitchell previewed his team from media days and emphasized defense first when he is recruiting players. I wonder if Coach Cal's emphasis on defense had a part in that change of philosophy.
We tell everybody, if you don't value defense, don't come here. Don't even get on the recruiting list. Don't even waste our time.
- Cal's recruiting picking up some major steam with UK being the significant favorite for DeAron Fox, now leading for Malik Monk, and Jarrett Allen. Fox is the #1 Point Guard and is described as John Wall and Brandon Knight in one, Monk is the #5 player, and Allen is the #19 player.
- Jerry Colangelo has said the coach to follow Coach K for the Olympic team is likely to be an NBA Coach. You have to think Cal would LOVE to have that job.
- Football Injury update from Coach Stoops has All-SEC Kicker Austin McGinnis ready to fully return, Jordan Jones will be back, and Melvin Lewis officially out for the regular season.
- Offense starting to click? Shannon Dawson said the offense against Auburn looked about as close to what they want from the offense this year.
"Offensively, I think we executed about as good as we have this year," Dawson said. "That's probably as close to what I envision offensive football looking like."
- Good Story about Women's Basketball Janee Thompson's journey back from a broken leg and dislocated ankle.
- Men's Basketball single game tickets for Boston, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, and Wright St went on sale15 hours ago so you may wanna jump on that now.
- Tight End C.J. Conrad has already earned the trust of his teammates. The Freshman has a BRIGHT future in Lexington.
- The Courier-Journal's Jon Hale grades the 'Cats through six games. He gives the offense and defense a B- and the Special teams a C-. I would say more like a B+ or even A- for the defense just due to the positions they were put in and did not wilt.
RANDOM QUICKIES
- To their credit, both John Clay and Rick Bozich called for Rick Pitino to be let go if the program wants to move forward.
- The Ohio State Buckeyes are going with J.T. Barrett over Cardale Jones this weekend.
- People have a love/hate relationship with Tom Brady but his jersey continues to be the top seller in the NFL
- Ivan Maisel doled out his midseason all-american team, led by Trevone Boykin, Leonard Fournette, and Dalvin Cook.
- Leonard Fournette is the unanimous Heisman choice among ESPN experts. Cannot say it is surprising.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4183350/Screen_Shot_2015-10-20_at_11.16.42_PM.0.png)
- Blink 182's Travis Barker told Good Morning America he tried to pay his friends $1 Million to kill him after his 2008 plane crash where 65% of his body was burnt.
- If you did not know, Texas A&M has special helmets for this weekend that appear all-black until light hits them. The idea being the lights would create a glow effect, pretty cool huh? Except I do not think they counted on an 11 AM kickoff.
Checkout Texas A&M's New Helmets which appear black until flash which lights up the logo via @mkaybarbzzz #TBG pic.twitter.com/KX59Ojbd9T
— The Best Gear (@TheBestGear) October 14, 2015
- Colts punter Pat McAfee explains the unexplainable fake punt, and makes it worse. Apparently they were just trying to trick the Patriots into a penalty for too many men on the field. Just stick with the "he should not have snapped it" guys.
- Katherine Webb is not too happy about the NFL Network having a video showing some of the players nude in the locker room. Her husband, A.J. Mccarran plays for Cincinnati in case you wonder why she is weighing in. Personally, much ado about nothing, if the dudes in there wanna be naked it is part of it. They see the cameras, avoid them if you want to. For their salaries, I would say that is not too much to ask.
- South Carolina to focus their coaching search on Memphis' Justin Fuente, Houston's Tom Herman, and the man who has been a candidate for seemingly decades, Kirby Smart.
- In the What-The-What category we have the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning. Peyton has only seven TDs this season and 10 INTs. His QB rating is 72.5 (lowest since his rookie year) and three of those interceptions are pick-6s. The Broncos are 30th our of 32 in rushing yards per game. Your QB is bad, your rushing is worse, so what is your record? 6-0 of course.
OTHER NEWS
- Oprah Winfrey decided to purchase a 10% stake in Weight Watchers and the spike in value generated her $70 MILLION in one day, that is what you call a return on interest, lol.
- How would you like to have size 16 feet? Jeffrey Ortega has Proteus Syndrome and wants his feet amputated he is so fed up with the frustration. After reading the story, I cannot blame him.