Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the Big Blue Nation, and welcome to the Tuesday Morning Quickies.
Normally, I have been discussing Saturday’s football game in this space, but today, I hope you’ll forgive me if I decline to do so. Some games are just best forgotten by everybody but the team.
Moving on to Big Blue Madness, I’m sure a lot has been said on this subject but I want to offer a few observations of my own.
First off, I didn’t realize, until I experienced it, how different (and not in a good way) Big Blue Madness is without a crowd. I don’t think I need to expound on that much, but let’s just say I hope this is the last time we have to ever put on this traditional scrimmage without the crowd.
I am encouraged by what I saw of the Women’s team. This looks like a potential SEC contender, and if everything goes well (and Rhyne Howard stays healthy), a potential deep NCAA Tournament team. At least, it passes the eye test.
The men’s basketball team is more of an enigma:
- I was looking for the Alpha dog on this team, and I didn’t identify one. That is troubling.
- Shooting, with the exception of Jacob Toppin, a
graduatetransfer, was ... not great. - This team looks like it is going to get pushed around a lot in the SEC at almost every position. They are tall, long, athletic and all pretty much featherweights.
- The team we have should be very versatile, but they felt like the youngest team we have ever had. They have very far to go and a short time to get there.
- I predict the starting lineup we see early on will not be the lineup come tournament time (assuming we get there). I have never felt less certain of a group of players in the Calipari era.
This season promises to be nothing if not a realization of the old Chinese curse (you know the one I mean). If nothing else, surprises should be plentiful, good and bad. Take it away, Sam:
Tweets of the Morning
Detroit Mercy just announced it has had a positive COVID test among staff. So, Titans will not play in Kentucky's "bubble" later this week. No Cal-versus-Brad game. Detroit Mercy said it's hopeful of a makeup date for the game.
— Jerry Tipton (@JerryTipton) November 24, 2020
The first of many pennies to drop this season, I’m afraid. More on this:
Kentucky will not look for an opponent to replace Detroit on Friday, and instead will reschedule the game
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) November 24, 2020
UK plays Morehead on Wednesday and Richmond on Sunday
Your Quickies:
Kentucky football
- Ugly, but unsurprising:
Kentucky opens as a 23 point underdog to Florida
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) November 22, 2020
- Mark Story previews the Kentucky-Florida game. Could a surprise be coming?
- Stoops reports on the COVID situation with the team.
Kentucky basketball
- Sad to hear. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Billy’s connections.
Former UK Wildcat Billy Evans of Berea has passed away
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) November 24, 2020
Started on the 1954 UK team that went undefeated and then was part of the 1956 US Olympic Gold Medal team
He also played tennis and baseball at UK and is the UK Hall of Fame
Rest In Peace to the UK legend pic.twitter.com/EoAgaIM8f9
More here.
- After Saturday’s scrimmage, John Calipari is extremely unsatisfied:
“Worst scrimmage since I’ve been the coach here,” Calipari said during a video teleconference. “I’ve got both feet and hands on the panic button right now. I’m just hoping they need to play against somebody else and just got tired of each other. Because if not, I’m going to have to be the most patient soul on the Earth when we start the season, like, 0-6.”
Not exactly a vote of confidence.
- Off to a tough start: Keion Brooks will miss the first week of UK basketball games.
- Morehead excited to play Kentucky in the “Bluegrass Showcase.” The schedule for the entire bubble package has been adjusted due to the loss of Detroit Mercy.
Links posts
College football
College basketball
- If Auburn and Bruce Pearl thinks they are pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes by imposing a post-season ban this year, they are kidding themselves.
- More COVID:
Rhode Island is expected to replace Baylor in the 2K Empire Classic on Wednesday and Thursday at Mohegan Sun, source tells CBS Sports.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 23, 2020
URI was already scheduled to play games in Bubbleville.
And:
BREAKING: Duke's season-opener against Gardner-Webb that was scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed because of a positive test in the Gardner-Webb program.
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) November 23, 2020
And still more:
Ole Miss suspending all team basketball activities until Dec 7 due to Covid
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) November 23, 2020
Other sports news
- Nothing but bad news this morning, it seems: Josh Allen expected to miss time with a knee injury.
Other news
- “Quintessence?” Apparently, it is a thing.
- Can a computer develop a “Theory of Everything?” Maybe, but don’t hold your breath.
- SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launches largest Earth-observing satellite ever.