Good morning, Big Blue Nation. I hope your social distancing is going well. It’s nice to be able to talk to you over the internet.
247 ranked the top college football and college basketball coaching duos and UK’s John Calipari and Mark Stoops came in at #2 on the list.
John Calipari and basketball’s success first comes to mind with Kentucky, but the Wildcats have something special in football’s Mark Stoops.
The program’s stability under Stoops was evident in 2019, when the Wildcats went 8-5 (3-5 SEC), doing so after quarterback injuries forced wide receiver and return specialist Lynn Bowden into the starting role for the final six games. Coming off a career-best 10-3 (5-3 SEC) campaign in 2018, the Wildcats had every reason for 2019 to go haywire, but Stoops delivered with the second-best year he has had since taking over the program at the start of 2013. Stoops is a deceiving 44-44 (20-36) through seven seasons on the job in Lexington, but the best could be yet to come after the program reached four straight bowl games and won the past two.
Calipari’s resume is undebatable among basketball’s coaches. Since taking over Kentucky in 2009, the Wildcats have gone 330-77 (151-41) and missed the NCAA tournament just once through the first 10 years — 2013 in the NIT — with a quarter of Final Fours and the 2012 NCAA title after going 38-2 (16-0).
While Calipari has been looked at as one of the top coaches in the game for a long time, Stoops is finally gaining some major respect on his end as he continues to elevate Kentucky’s football program.
Tweets of the Day
Not a stretch pic.twitter.com/fNeoAGja2g
— Gene Chizik (@CoachGeneChizik) March 20, 2020
I would be on board.
We will look back on #Quarantine2020 as the Golden Era For Memes.
— Zach McCrite (@BigEZ) March 21, 2020
Quickies
What’s your favorite sports call ever? | WDRB- “Do you believe in miracles?” is my favorite even though I didn’t hear it live.
Anthony Edwards declares for draft | ESPN- The Georgia star will take his talents elsewhere. It’s not surprising and one really can’t make fun of his stint with Tom Crean since nobody got to go to the NCAA Tournament this season.
Isaac Okoro declares for the draft | CBS- Okoro gave Kentucky fits while he was at Auburn. He’s a potential lottery pick.
The ten best SEC basketball teams that didn’t win it all | Saturdays Down South- Of course this list is heavy on UK and the number one team is of course the 38-1 team. I’ll go to my grave saying this is the best team ever to not win the title.
Wait and see no longer a good options for Olympics | USA Today- The IOC still plans on having the Tokyo Summer Olympics even though the COVID-19 Pandemic is crippling countries.
NBA to pay players April 1 salaries but unsure after | ESPN- The NBA is no different from thousands of businesses across the country as they struggle to pay their employees. The NBA may start to hold players game checks as they are still at a standstill as for when actual games will be played.
RIP Kenny Rogers | USA Today- The legendary country music singer passed away at the age of 81. Rogers was mainly known for his country music but his talents spanned genres and he was an actor on top of it all.
2020 is one awful SOB of a year.