Kentucky Wildcats Morning Quickies: Bob Simon Edition

Veteran CBS news correspondent Bob Simon was killed in a car crash last night after more than 40 years as a journalist. Our sincerest condolences go out to the family and friends. He will be missed.

Tweet of the Morning

THIS JUST IN: George Karl & Kings agree to 4-year deal estimated at $15 million. (via ESPN & media reports) pic.twitter.com/1KmH8xtOPK

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 12, 2015

George Karl is now the coach of the Sacramento Kings. Boogie, your office on line 1.

Your Quickies:

Kentucky football

• Louisville grand jury returns "no true bill" in UK lineman Lloyd Tubman’s rape charge (i.e. no indictment). This is very interesting news. Let’s see what happens next.

Kentucky basketball

• Coach Cal: You don’t change the "special sauce" on a Big Mac, so why mess around with UK’s winning formula? Indeed.

• From the comments: Why the Sixers should take Karl-Anthony Towns over Jahlil Okafor.

  For me, it’s a no-brainer. Okafor is a poor defender and shows virtually zero interest in anything but offense. He’s a great offensive player, to be sure, but you have to defend your position in the NBA, and Okafor cannot. Not only that, I have doubts he will ever be able to due to lack of athleticism and footspeed.

  Hat tip: mrmondaynite

• Jon Rothstein argues that but for being on Kentucky where sacrifices are expected and willingly given, Karl-Anthony Towns would be in the Player of the Year discussion as well as Okafor.

  He should be anyway. Unfortunately, it’s not the way of the sports media to utilize proper analysis, but rather to (speaking generally) "baa" softly and follow the flock.

• The Baton Rouge Advocat’s Scott Rabalais explains why a sellout crowd and heroic effort by LSU came up short against Kentucky:

  The Tigers had their chances to alter their fate. After their mega run to go up six, the game teetered for the next four minutes. Kentucky broke LSU’s icy grip on momentum with 6:51 left when Towns — who got a fist-pumping, finger-pointing earful from UK coach John Calipari after his technical — sank a top-of-the-key jumper with :01 left on the shot clock after LSU played 34 seconds of adhesive-like defense.

  That’s what the great teams do. They make the clutch shots. They also play defense. After the Tigers went back up 69-66 with 3:52 left on a basket by Mickey, LSU didn’t score again. The Tigers managed just two field-goal attempts in that span, including Hornsby’s try for the winner.

  This is right. Great teams make big shots and get big stops in close games on the road. It’s important to remember that.

• John Calipari and Les Miles share mutual appreciation. Two fine coaches with championship pedigrees.

Other Kentucky sports

• Kentucky ranks 2nd on the 2014 Fall Sports SEC Honor Roll with 63 honorees.

• Hoops welcomes the 13th ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs into Memorial for a top 15 showdown tonight.

• Calipari lost his mind at Karl-Anthony Towns on Tuesday for a reason. The biggest reason is that KAT is one of the guys who can take harsh criticism without pouting. Towns has a terrific ego kept in check by a humble and self-effacing nature. You cannot get to him by yelling. He will hear you, but his sense of self-worth cannot be touched by criticism. Great kid, maybe the most self-aware and intelligent player of the John Calipari era.

Links posts

• The Leach Report: Thursday Wildcat Links

College football

• SEC Morning Links (ESPN)

• The NCAA has proposed a few football rule changes, and one of them is the ineligible downfield rule.

College basketball

• Like Kentucky, Virginia is dodging bullets. Life at the top.

• Tennessee escapes Vanderbilt in overtime. Vandy is the best 3-win team in the SEC.

Other sports news

• Dirk Nowitzki replaces Anthony Davis in the All-Star game due to a shoulder injury. Tough break for AD, but he needs to get better after that bad fall the other day.

• Interesting:

  BREAKING: Enes Kanter tells my colleague @tribjazz he hopes to be traded from the Jazz before next week's deadline.

  — Tony Jones (@Tjonessltrib) February 12, 2015

• Yes, we’re all sad about Anthony Davis missing the All-Star game.

Other news

• Asking the important questions: Does "umami" make a better burger? I’m thinking yes…

• Three Powerball winners to split over half a billion dollars. Amazing jackpot.