Monday Quickies: It’s a Great time to be a Wildcat Edition

It’s New Years Eve and the Kentucky Athletics program is closing 2018 out with a bang!

The basketball team just beat it’s archrival, the football team is going to play in a New Year’s Day bowl game against Penn State, the women’s basketball team has only one loss, the soccer team made it to the Elite Eight, the volleyball team was nationally ranked all season, and I’m sure there is something I’m missing.

It’s been a great stretch for UK Athletics and Mitch Barnhart is behind it all. He’s been a great AD and I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves. He’s not brash, he’s a private person, and he gives all the credit to the coaches. But Barnhart hired the coaches and put them in a position to win.

Thanks to Mitch, it’s a great time to be a Wildcat.

Tweets of the Day

Bengals fans have been tricked before.

I’d say it’s well deserved.

Quickies

A history of Kentucky vs. Penn State | Lexington Herald Leader- The Wildcats and the Nitany Lions have some history and UK has come out on top twices. UK will look to even up the series tomorrow afternoon.

Five questions going into the Citrus Bowl | Cats Pause- One of the more interesting questions, aside from if Benny Snell will break the rushing record, is if Terry Wilson can improve on the passing game. Wilson has shown he can do it and the Cats will be even more dangerous if he can be consistent.

Mark Stoops and James Franklin discuss bowl matchup | WKYT- There’s no love lost between these two. When Mark Stoops was trying to get things going as UK football was at it’s lowest point, Franklin poured it on and lit up the scoreboard while he was at Vanderbilt. Stoops hasn’t forgotten.

Manny Diaz hired at Miami | SB Nation- After Mark Richt’s surprising retirement, Mark Stoops popped up as a candidate for the Miami job. That didn’t last long as the Hurricanes zeroed in on and landed Manny Diaz. If Mark Stoops continues to succeed this won’t be the last time we hear his name mentioned for jobs like this.

Eddie Gran reflects on relationship with Benny Snell | Cats Pause- Snell is a different character and Gran knows that he has to coach players differently. But he really had to put on his psychologist hat with Snell.

Steve Alford out at UCLA | CBS- After an embarrassing loss to Liberty, it seems the AD at UCLA has had enough of Alford after a disastrous start to the season.

Marvin Lewis fired as Bengals coach | Cincy Jungle- I know there are a lot of Bengals fans that read this site so I’m sure many of you are jumping for joy after what seemed like a too long tenure for Lewis.

Ole Miss set to hire Rich Rodriguez | ESPN- Rich Rod was the hot name coming out of West Virginia. But he flopped at Michigan and then was fired at Arizona after a sexual misconduct scandal. Ole Miss will hire anyone.

NFL Playoff picture is set | Sporting News- The Eagles, Ravens, and Colts all three had to win to get in and they did just that. The Vikings had a chance but were skunked by the Bears and the Steelers were left out when the Browns lost to the Ravens.