Day 5 ended with a bang in the Karen Sypher Trial, as a day of mostly mundane testimony was rocked by a crazy ending with Karen Sypher’s former attorney Dana Kolter. The day was basically a show of men who could not withstand the siren call of Karen Sypher and their testimony showcased her amazing talent. The day began with Tim Sypher finishing his testimony and facing cross-examination, but the star of the show was Dana Kolter, so we will begin with him in our factual recap:

DANA KOLTER:

— Kolter walked into the courtroom, looking like a heavier version of John Gotti…if John Gotti lived in Louisville and tried family law cases. Kolter had the appearance of a B-level mafia member wearing a C-level suit, with hair slicked back and a confident walk. He began his testimony by telling the jury that he was a lawyer in Louisville who did mostly civil litigation and family law, but was basically a general practicioner.

— He said that he met Sypher in a parking garage in 2005 as she was in his parking spot (”I pay $90 a month for those spaces, so I stopped.”) He was taken aback by her and she seemed upset…so Kolter tried to comfort her. He gave her his business card and then he left soon after.

— Later in the year, she came by his office to sell holiday cakes for his employees. They struck up a conversation and began talking over the next few months. Then in 2006, on her birthday, they went to a party at a bakery. He remembers because he realized that there was “a connection that men and women have” between them (this was kind of gross to hear him talk about…but nothing compared to what was to come). Both were married, but they ended up kissing during this encounter.

— Then in September of 2006, Kolter hired Sypher to work as a model for his company “Hoosier Daddy” Motor Bikes at a trade show. She worked for him that day and then at the end of the day, gave him oral sex. When it was completed, he asked her if this meant she was his girlfriend, but she did not answer.

— Sypher then got Kolter to write a letter to her husband in 2007, informing him she wanted a divorce. They were still hooking up at this point and Kolter testified that their relationship was more than “strictly business.”

— Then came the part that I may never be able to forget. On Valentines Day in 2008, Sypher came to Kolter’s office in a red jacket and skirt, or as Sypher called it “an outfit appropriate for Valentines Day.” The Government introduced four photographs from that day…three with Sypher posing and then one showing the back of her blond hair, with her head in his lap and a bare abdomen being shown. Kolter testified that Sypher was performing oral sex during this picture. Kolter had taken photographs for his own use of the act being performed.

— On March 21, 2009, Sypher came to Kolter’s house for the purpose of getting him to help her with the Rick Pitino situation. He said she called and came over, and when she arrived, he showed her around the house. Sypher was distraught and told Kolter that Pitino had raped her twice in 2003. Kolter testified he told Sypher to go to the police or the Commonwealths Attorney, but she said she was afraid of what would happen if this went public. He suggested she see a psychiatrist or a different attorney, and attempted to comfort her and make her feel better. While attempting to comfort her, they ended up getting physical (Kolter said that it “devolved or evolved into sex”) and she performed oral sex on him.

— After the oral sex was over, he said he would mull over whether to represent her. Then Kolter became emotion and he said that he went through a “person and professional crisis over this.” Kolter began to cry and said that he was worried that she could be killed and decided he would try and help her. The two parties agreed that he would receive a 10% commission on any money that was won, but it ended up being “10% of nothing.”

— Kolter then agreed to write a letter to Pitino to “try and figure out a way to solve this problem.” While he was at the computer typing, Sypher sat right next to him, watching every word. They worked together to type the letter and in it, they threatened a lawsuit for sexual battery. Kolter says he warned Sypher abou the ramifications and that it would be a big deal and would have a large effect on the community (on this he was correct).

— Kolter was asked whether some of the details of her story concerned him…such as the fact that she drove him home after the alleged rape. He said no, because of the potential for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He also said he didnt find it odd that she said it was “snowy” outside (it was in July) or that she wore panty hose, even though he had never seen her wear panty hose. Kolter said that in the end, “I believed her.” He mentioned that he mentioned the risks, such as that if there was no rape, she had no claim and the Statute of Limitations issues….but still he felt he could go through with it.

— Then things got a little testy. Kolter is sort of a bumbling attorney and he liked to talk about everything and the US Attorney grew frustrated…with his own witness. But of course the Attorney said during his opening that the jury might not like Kolter, and it looks like he was correct. Kolter said that he asked Sypher to write down her claims “under oath” in an affidavit and then recorded her agreeing to the facts of her claim on audio (which was played to the court). He said this is part of why he believed her story. He asked Sypher on the tape if she had sent the man on the phone calls to call Rick Pitino and she said, “absolutely not.”

— Kolter testified that he was told Rick Pitino asked her to make a list of demands, and he believed that he was doing this to try and get her to deny the claims if the caller went public. That was why he believed Pitino asked for the list. He also said he found it interesting the list had a UL mascot on it and that Tim forced her to write it and give it by 4 pm before they left for West Virginia. He saw this as Pitino putting a deadline on the list.

— He said Sypher made him demand for a mediation in 2 days, even though he thought it was a bad idea. Kolter testified, “even if someone raped you, you should be more genteel” in your dealings with the other side. Still he went ahead and made the demand.

— After the FBI was brought in, he saw the agreement signed by Sypher in which she waived attorney-client privilege and thought he had to give file to the FBI. He said that during the course of his 3-week representation, he had oral sex with her three times. He was never paid any money.

TIM SYPHER CROSS-EXAMINATION:

— The day actually began with Tim Sypher finishing up his testimony from the day before. He testified that Pitino set up a secret college fund for his daughter that Karen did not know about. His sister was put in charge of the fun, because he thought “that was the right thing to do.” Two $10,000 contributions were put into the fund by Pitino as part of a bonus for Tim Sypher.

— A note was shown in which Tim wrote his wife Karen a card that said, “I said I do 27 months ago today.” It was addressed to “Daisy Mae” and showed that it was from “Hoke.” Tim Sypher testified that these were their pet names and came from the names of the characters in “Driving Miss Daisy.” Tim said that he and Karen used these names as a reference to the trip to Cincinnati for the abortion (I try to refrain from editorial comments…but this is just strange).

— On cross-examination, Tim says that he looked for abortion clinics outside of Louisville at the direction of Rick Pitino, although Pitino never mentioned the word abortion. On the trip to the clinic, he took her to a park and told her that he wanted her to “go to that special place.” The defense was clearly trying to suggest that this trip was a threat to her that she had to get an abortion.

— Tim Sypher then had his least believable strand of testimony, when he said he “couldnt remember” whether he took Karen Sypher to Cincinnati once or twice. He says he may have taken her on August 27, but he doesnt know. The defense attorney showed Tim’s calendar and the fact that he had written down the Aug 29 trip, but not the Aug 27 trip as having taken place. The Defense seems to be suggesting that only one trip took place, contrary to Ohio law and could be implicating that Pitino was able to get them to go around that law….this argument remains to be seen but seemed important to the Defense, as they stayed with it.

— At the clinic, Tim testifies that they mutually agreed to leave his name off the paperwork. The defense shows that the original contact phone number on the paperwork was Tim Sypher’s but then was changed so that one digit was different. When asked why this happened and if it was Tim who did it, he replied, “I might have, I am not sure.” He testified that he paid for the abortion out of the $3,000 given to him by Pitino.

— Tim Sypher then testified, “that day at the abortion clinic…is stuck in my head and she gave me a look I will never forget.” He said, “we hit it off…we clicked.” He was asked if Rick Pitino cared that he decided to start dating the woman that Pitino had sex with previously and Tim said it didnt seem that it bothered him.

— They then went to the incidents after the extortion calls in 2009. Pitino calls Tim Sypher after his “Red Alert” text and says to get to the Yum Center. He gets Karen to come after calling her son Jacob and begging him to bring her. When they get there, they talk suspects but are not able to come up with anyone. Tim mentions that he did not know Lester, who ended up being the caller, saying that “he was like the Easter Bunny…he gave stuff and then would run away.”

— They have a second meeting later that night in the Yum Center and Karen takes off her wedding ring and tells Tim not to come home. Tim said he didnt know what to do but he didnt think about turning it over to law enforcement, that he wanted to find out who was making the calls.

— On March 6, 2009, the events that happened, that could be the major part of the case for the Government. Tim testified that he found out that Karen was at the doctor’s office with her mother and he went there before their trip that evening to West Virginia for the game. He said he doesnt know whether he was invited or not but that he went to check on her and talk about the phone calls. He then asked Karen “what do you want and I told her to write it down.” He testified that he didnt know if Rick had told her in a previous meeting that the things on the demand letter were things he would give her.

— The defense then made a big deal about the fact that Tim Sypher was not invited to come see Karen, thus suggesting she had not intention of writing the letter. The attorney also noted many times that Tim asked Karen to write what she wanted down. The attorney is clearly setting up the argument that Pitino/Tim Sypher were the ones asking Karen to write the note, not the other way around. The attorney asked if Tim had told her to write the “I will protect Rick Pitino’s name forever” language and Tim Sypher said, “you can stop right there sir. I did not tell her to write that”.

— The attorney then asked if Tim called Karen’s son Jacob and told him to make sure and bring the letter before they got on the flight to West Virginia. Tim said he wasnt sure. The defense attorney asked repeatedly why would Tim be in such a hurry to get this demand letter the night before the biggest basketball game of the year for Louisville. Tim Sypher really had no answer.

— He also testified that he did take Karen to the cemetery a couple of days after they got back from West Virginia, hoping that reminiscing at the spot where they got engaged (another odd fact) would make things better. It did for a couple of days, but then things were bad again.

— Tim said on redirect that Pitino did not ask for a list, but that he asked Karen Sypher to write things down so he could remember them. He testified, “things she said and what she wrote down, I dont think she knew what she wanted.”

— On re-cross, two major points were shown by Defense. First, Tim Sypher admitted to buying Karen’s son a car and attempting to buy her a car, both at Pitino-owned dealerships in Lexington. He bought Karen’s son a car at Toyota of Nicholasville and tried to buy Karen one at Lexus of Lexington, with the “Sold” sign even being put on the car. Both happened after the “demand letter” was given.

— The defense attorney then also asked, why would Karen Sypher ask for $75,000 after Pitino left Louisville unless that was a clause that Rick Pitino wanted. He asked Tim why would Karen want her money later instead of now. Tim said he didnt know. He also said he had no idea if Pitino was entertaining NBA offers at that point and defense continued to suggest that the clause was proof that Pitino told her what to put in letter, rather than it being her demand.

The day ended after Kolter and will begin Monday with cross-examination of Dana Kolter, which could be very interesting. Kolter came off as bizarre and the entire affair between he and Karen Sypher a little too gross to think about. His cross should be also full of odd details. As for Tim Sypher, he is done and had some parts of his story torn into a bit. The question as to whose idea was the letter is (along with who made the third phone call) the center of the case so far. Thats it for Week 1…hope you enjoyed it. The rest of the coverage from the week is linked below:

Day 1: The Opening Arguments

Day 2: Lester and the Seconday Characters

Day 3A: The Pitino Testimony

Day 3B: The Guy Who Waited on Pitino at the Bar

Day 4A: Pitino Finishes on the Stand

Day 4B: The Guy Who Married Karen Sypher Speaks

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Sypher Trial Day 5: The Men Who Were Seduced By Sypher is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

Now, The Article Links-

2012 number one recruit Andre Drummond is hearing from UK

Marquis Teague wants people to remember him as a winner and go out his senior year with a bang

Tony Wroten Jr. is going to be just as entertaining in interviews as he is on the court

UK Assistant coach(es) were on hand Thursday to watch 2012 recruit Perry Ellis

DeMarcus Cousins plans to hoop it up against UK’s new big man, Enes Kanter, and some of the other incoming freshmen while in Lexington

Otis Hughley probably wouldn’t have gotten a job with the Sacramento Kings if he hadn’t coached and helped DeMarcus Cousins mature in high school

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Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog’s Article Links is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

Kentucky Recruiting: 7/26-7/30 is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

Normally in this spot, we talk about the news of the day, but we are foregoing it tonight for another roundup of Sypher testimony. A couple of people have said they thought there was too much of this on the site, but otherwise it has been an overwhelmingly positive response to our coverage. The reality is that this story has been unlike anything I have ever seen. The site numbers, Twitter responses, emails, etc all suggest to me that there is a huge desire to know about what is happening in the courtroom, not only in this state, but nationwide. Yet for such a big event, very few outlets are covering it and there isnt the attention that a story of this size and absurdity would usually have. We will continue to do it for as long as possible, while also covering our regular UK beat. Thanks to all who have been so supportive these last few days. With that, the facts:

ABORTION NURSES:

— After lunch, the day began with two nurses who worked with Karen Sypher at the time of her 2003 abortion. The first worked at the Women’s Clinic Research Center in Louisville, where Sypher first found out she was pregnant. She testified that Sypher came into the clinic and a urine test showed she was pregnant. They then gave two ultrasounds that were inconclusive as to her pregnancy. This testimony made me wonder if the Government was going to argue that Sypher was never pregnant, because it was left open after the first nurse.

— The second nurse came from the clinic in Cincinnati where Tim Sypher took Karen to have the abortion. She testified that Sypher made two trips to the clinic, the first on August 27, and the second two days later, after the 24 hour mandatory waiting period in Ohio. She testified that Sypher filled out forms at the clinic saying she was “confident” and “strong” and that she was certain about her decision.

— The second nurse also testified that Sypher circled “Not True” on a statement asking if anyone was forcing her to have this abortion or making her do something that she did not want to do. Sypher then had the abortion on August 29, 2003. The doctor who performs it estimates that she had been pregnant for five weeks at the time of the abortion.

TIM SYPHER:

— The next witness was Tim Sypher, who testified for the duration of the day and has still yet to face cross-examination. He testified that he is the Yum Center Director and began his career with Pitino as a Personal Assistant for him in Boston. He got the job after a number of other careers, including working at the dog track.

— In August of 2003, Rick Pitino called Tim Sypher into his office and asked if he could “help me with something.” Sypher said that Rick told him “that he supposedly got somebody pregnant.” He then called up Karen Sypher and on August 25, met with her in a Walgreens Parking lot, before having Sypher follow him to his condo.

— At the condo, Sypher talked with Pitino while Tim Sypher waited upstairs. He said they spent an hour together in his house, but he heard no sounds. When he came downstairs after the hour, “she was just business.” After the meeting, he did research on abortion clinics in Cincy, Evansville and other locations and tried to find a place for it to take place.

— Pitino gives Tim Sypher $3,000 to give to Karen Sypher for health insurance. He was scheduled to go to a party in Boston, but cancelled the trip so that he could take care of the Sypher situation. On August 29, he called Sypher early in the morning, asked if she wanted something from Starbucks (he remembered it was a decaf vanilla latte), picked her up and then took her to Cincinnati. They made small talk on the trip and he testified that Karen Sypher did not seem nervous at all.

— Sypher paid for the procedure out of the $3,000 given to him by Pitino, saying he wasnt going to use his own money. He testified that they ended up holding hands while they were waiting for the procedure and “it was like being struck by lightning.” He said he felt a connection to her at that time. He then said he drove her back (stopping at Carrollton to eat at Subway…he remembered she ordered a turkey sandwich with mayo on wheat bread…the man remembers details) and then took her home.

— When they got back to Karen Sypher’s home, she invited him into the house and asked if he could look at her plumbing upstairs because she had a leak. Tim said he agreed to look at it, could not fix it and then proceeded to leave. Karen stopped him at the door and said, “is this it?” They then agreed that after Tim got back from his trip to Boston, they would see each other again.

— Over the next few days, a phone romance emerged and when Tim returned, they went on a date. He said he went to her house and “things skyrocketed there” and they ended up having sex, one week after the abortion in Cincinnati. They then began dating and got serious quickly, with Tim stopping dating two women he was seeing at the time.

— After the first date, Tim Sypher testified that he asked Rick Pitino if it was ok if he dated Karen Sypher. Pitino said yes and Karen became part of the group. She went to UL basketball functions and at no time during their marriage did she complain about the sexual incident with Pitino or say it was rape.

— Tim testified that Sypher had an abortion with him in 2004, after she became pregnant before they got married. They then got married later and the first few years were great according to Tim. In 2007, he got a letter in which Karen Sypher said she wanted a divorce, but they stayed on again and off again over the next couple of years.

— Then according to Sypher, “all of a sudden she started using the rape word.” He said she would get angry and yell it, often in front of their kids. She would bring up problems with Pitino, including not getting the same Christmas presents that the other wives of the basketball coaches were given. Tim Sypher testified that he found the actions very strange.

— Emails were shown between Karen and Tim, written in late 2008, that showcased the problems the two of them were having. At this point in his testimony, one could see the clear affection that Tim had for Karen and he talked about how he loved her at this time. He said her actions were inconsistent and “one day she talks divorce, and the next day we are kissin’ and huggin’” He said that at this time, he got her a Christmas present in which she opened the box and inside was a picture of Morristown, NJ…which was special to the two of them because it was where their first child was conceived.

Extortion Testimony

— Tim Sypher testified that on February 26, 2009 “my heart fell to the ground.” He received a text message from Rick Pitino that simply said “Red Alert”. Pitino calls and says that he needs to meet with Tim and Karen in his office. The three go to the office and they start talking about the phone messages Pitino has received. They talk about who it could have been and then at some point, Karen looks at Tim and says “you dont need to come home tonight.” Tim stays that night at the Yum Center and proceeds to stay there and at hotels for the next few weeks.

— Coach Pitino at some point says he “cant have the media know this” and then the next day receives a call saying that the media will be informed. Karen Sypher then has a second meeting with Tim and Rick, in which she says that Jacob (her son) needed a new car and she needed a Lexus 470, pearl white “with all the extras.” On March 18, Tim actually buys Jacob the car, a white 4-Runner, with money that he testifies Pitino gave him as a bonus when the team won the Big East Tournament.

— On March 6, 2009, Tim finds out that Karen is at a Doctor’s office and goes to see her. While at the office, Karen Sypher starts telling Tim about all the things she believes Pitino should give her and what she wanted for the problems from six years before. Because she is saying a number of different things, Tim tells her to write down what it is she wants. This could end up being a key piece of testimony, as it can be used by the defense to suggest that Karen Sypher’s demand note was actually a response to a request by someone from Pitino’s group. It will be interesting to see how the defense plays this.

— Later in the day, Tim meets Karen’s son Jacob in a McDonald’s Parking lot and he delivers him the note. Tim leaves it sealed and then takes it to West Virginia, where Louisville is about to play. He gives Rick Pitino the note and Rick says “this is blackmail.”

— When they get home from West Virginia, he takes Karen to the cemetary where they were engaged to ask her who it was that made the phone calls. She says that she does not know and Tim says he picked the spot for sentimental reasons, not to threaten her.

— Tim Sypher was called in by the FBI as a potential suspect as being in on the calls. He told the FBI the truth and he testified that they tried to “good cop/bad cop” him. He moved in with Vinny Tatum and then agreed to work with the FBI, as they taped him making calls to Karen and her son. These calls were the subject of a legal dispute between the two parties and the judge recessed court for the day so that he could decide those issues.

So that is where we are…back to Tim Sypher at 10 am. It was a pretty wild two days and Rick Pitino has said a couple of things that will stay with him forever. Overall, another positive day for the Government, and Pitino ended up being a good witness…even if his person PR was hurt in the process. Here are the rest of the recaps from the other days:

Day 1: The Opening Arguments

Day 2: Lester and the Seconday Characters

Day 3A: The Pitino Testimony

Day 3B: The Guy Who Waited on Pitino at the Bar

Day 4A: Pitino Finishes on the Stand

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Sypher Trial Day 4B: The Guy Who Married Karen Sypher Speaks is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

Earlier today Dave Baker released some details through his twitter on the KentuckyVS Canada world tour coming up mid August.  For those of you who won’t be able to travel with KSR to see the games in person (and this likely includes myself,) according to the Buzz, we will be able to catch all the Canada games on TV.

His tweets, unabridged:

buzzbaker: 1st chance to see UK’s freshman! All games in Canada will be televised on the Big Blue Sports Network & will be seen on WKYT-TV & WYMT.

The Sunday and Monday games will be at 7:00pm, with a “Wildcat Warm-up” pre-game show from 6:30-7:00pm.

The Tuesday game will be at 11:00am and will be followed by a 30 min. post- game “Wildcat Wrap-up” show.

Yours truly & Canada’s favorite son Kyle Macy on hand! The dates August 15, 16, 17! Could we also see “Curling w/ Kyle?”

So there you go.  Everyone but Vargas should be making the trip, so you should get a chance to preview the team before Big Blue Madness.  Will it be good basketball?  Not likely.  Will Coach Cal stop the game to tell us that ‘there’s a lot of work to do?’  Pretty likely.  Will the combination of Kyle Macy and Buzz Baker manage to both put us to sleep and excite us in inappropriate manners?  Absolutely likely.

Unrelated topic of discussion: Does Rick Pitino’s fifteen seconds of fame make its way into competing coaches recruiting speeches?  Even a little?  And how terrible will the West Virginia fans be to Louisville this year?

Take it away commenters.

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The Revolution Will Be Televised is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

Danny Trevathan with Kentucky’s only tackle vs. Mississippi State.

Penn State may not yet be ready to relinquish the title of “Linebacker U,” but Kentucky has quietly put some fairly stout linebackers on the field themselves in recent years. Guys like Wesley Woodyard, Johnny Williams, Braxton Kelly, Micah Johnson and Sam Maxwell have each played at All-Conference levels and have all spent at least some time in the NFL. Going into 2010, however, there is real question as to who will fill those shoes. The Kentucky linebackers appear to have some speed and athleticism, but aside from lone returning starter Danny Trevathan, the Cats have a grand total of one start and 25 tackles at the linebacker position. How quickly the newcomers can be assimilated into the defense may go a long way toward determining Kentucky’s defensive prowess in 2010.

DEPTH CHART

Weak Side LB:
Danny Trevathan 6-1, 223 Jr. Leesburg, Fla. (Leesburg)
Ryan Mosby 5-11, 206 Fr-RS Heath, Texas (Rockwell-Heath)

Strong Side LB:
Jacob Dufrene 6-1, 211 Sr. Cut Off, LA (John Curtis Christian)
Ridge Wilson 6-3, 240 So. Louisville, KY (Central)
Chris Agomuo 6-2, 200 So. Mason, OH (Mason)

Middle LB:
Ronnie Sneed 6-2, 230 Jr. Tallahassee, Fla. (Florida)
Qua Huzzie 5-10, 219 Fr-RS LaGrange, GA (LaGrange)
Antonio Thomas 6-1, 235 Jr. Cowpens, SC (Broome)

THE MAN

Danny Trevathan broke into the starting line-up last season and did not disappoint. Despite playing the season one-handed due to a broken wrist, Trevathan registered 82 tackles from his weak side linebacker position. This productivity led to him being voted Kentucky’s most improved defensive player by his teammates following the season. Trevathan brings outstanding speed to the position and will likely be the Cats primary blitzer from the linebacker position. That speed, a year of experience and the doubling of functional hands at his disposal, should lead to a break-out season in 2010.

FALL CAMP BATTLES

Two of the three linebacker positions appear to be up for grabs in fall camp. In a mild surprise, junior Ronnie Sneed was named the starter at middle linebacker following spring drills over highly regarded redshirt freshman Qua Huzzie. Sneed has the edge in experience, having played in 17 games as a reserve over the last two seasons, primarily on special teams. Huzzie, who redshirted in 2009 after suffering a shoulder injury, carries the more impressive credentials as the all-time leading tackler in the history of UK’s triple-A affiliate, LaGrange High School. For a point of reference, the 2010 Cats will feature four former Grangers on the defense. Former Cats Wesley Woodyard and Braxton Kelly also starred for LaGrange.

The starting position at strong side linebacker is also in dispute, with little-used senior Jacob Dufrene currently holding on to the spot over sophomore Ridge Wilson. Wilson has the advantage in every measurable category. The Louisville Central product is not only two inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than Dufrene, but also has a significant speed advantage. Dufrene, however, is a senior who has played in 36 games as a Wildcat and understands his role in the defense. This knowledge and experience has given him the nod to this point, but his hold on the position is tenuous. When the proverbial light comes on for Wilson, he will be formidable.

NEWCOMERS

The rookie class includes five linebackers, all of whom share a common characteristic. They can all run. Linebacker has traditionally been a position that a true freshman can step into and play immediately. It appears very likely that at least one freshman will find his way into the rotation. Assuming they make it academically, the most likely candidates are Jabori Johnson from Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia and Avery Williamson from Milan, Tennessee.

OVERVIEW

Trevathan will admirably man one outside linebacker position. If Joker’s assurances of a more attacking defense are more than hyperbole, look for Trevathan’s name to be called in blitzing situations frequently. The battles for the other two positions will rage throughout camp and likely spill into the first portion of the season. Huzzie and Wilson will ultimately nail down the positions as their talent will overcome their more experienced challengers. If that is indeed the lineup, it may be Kentucky’s fastest linebacking corps ever. This speed should provide significant improvement in covering backs and tight ends, an area that has been an enormous issue in the past. Still, it makes precious little difference how quickly the linebackers arrive at a ball carrier if they don’t bring him down when they get there. The coaches and fans will learn together whether the linebackers can accomplish that task starting on September 4th.

Next up: Defensive Backs

Part five: Defensive Line
Part four: Offensive Line
Part three: Receivers
Part two: Running Backs
Part one: Quarterbacks

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2010 Kentucky Football Position-by-Position Preview is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

Good morning, my KSR family, and welcome to the first Thursday of the rest of your lives.  The testimony came fast and furious again in Louisville and, despite the massive amounts of information pouring out, an surprising party publicly spoke out against the proceedings.  In a recorded tape, Rick Pitino played the role of the caring counselor as he assured Karen Sypher that she would not go to Hell.  It seemed to be a small footnote in a massive day of testimony, but it turned out that it was one that Hell would not let go quietly.  In a statement issued by Hell’s publicist, the fiery afterlife destination said urged all of those involved to “leave me out of this disgustingly perverse and sick public glorification of sinfulness”.  Hell’s publicist then added that, while the ultimate judgement would come later, his client tries not to think of the possibility of anyone involved in this moving into his neighborhood. 

Now onto some UK notes…  

- While Rick Pitino’s day of testimony seemed to go perfectly with what he had to have hoped entering the day, Thursday might present a much tougher outing.  In his time on the stand, which Matt said was obviously uncomfortable for him, Pitino essentially admitted to nothing that was new and avoided any further public smearing.  However, Sypher’s defense team will cross-examine Pitino on Thursday and, likely, will question him much more intensely.  As we noted yesterday, should they decide to go for mud and start questioning his past, Pitino’s entire past (including his time at UK) could be introduced and questioned.  If there is nothing there, no big deal.  But, if the Sypher situation is not an anomaly, it could get embarrassing.  Wednesday night had to be a horribly uncomfortable one for Rick Pitino.

 - The big news of the day in the state, as mentioned above, was Rick Pitino taking the stand to answer questions from the prosecution in Karen Sypher’s extortion trial.  Matt says Pitino’s testimony significantly helped the prosecution, putting some points on the board for the good ole U.S. of A a day after Sypher was seen as having a good day in court on Tuesday.  But, despite this success, there were a couple of other clear-cut winners and losers:

Winners

1.  My buddy Erik - He had “white thong” in the office pool.

2.  Minimalists – If Karen Sypher had driven Rick Pitino home in a Prius instead of her gas-guzzling SUV, it would have been a home run day for anyone who’s ever believed less to be more.  Instead, mimimalists will have to celebrate the public attention being turned to fabric and energy conservation.  The big buzz of Wednesday surrounded Karen Sypher’s apparent obsession on miniskirts and Rick Pitino’s insistance that their interaction was “very brief”. 

3.  Paraphrasing - Now, I’m not going to say Rick Pitino didn’t tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth when being questioned by the prosecution.  I have no idea.  But, I will say that after knowing what we know about Karen Sypher and the way she gets down so openly and so aggressively, I am a little hesitant to believe that she actually said “You have to pull out because I’m fertile”.  That just doesn’t fit her profile.  I’m sure she communicated that thought, but I tend to think Coach Pitino might have cleaned it up a bit. 

Losers

1.  Loyalty – Poor Vinnie Tatum.  He got stuck picking up a tab that wasn’t his and he had to sit and wait awkwardly for unmentionable things to finish.  And what does he get for being a good soldier?  A trip to federal court where he is forced to decide if the burden is on the woman to resist when her skirt is being raised in front of a group of strangers in public.

2.  Matt Jones - Our beloved KSR star is certainly having his Chip Brown moment in the sun right now as major websites are picking up his every tweet and every post.  Unfortunately for him, unlike the similar success enjoyed earlier this summer by Orangebloods.com’s Brown, his have to include words generally reserved for health class.  And, believe it or not, this is actually sleezier than the closed-doors handshakes and lies that surrounded conference realignment.

3.  Everyone else in my office pool - Sorry, guys.  I thought “commando” was a lock too.

- On an actual UK note, the Governor’s Cup Luncheon was held in Louisville on Wednesday and both Joker Phillips and Charlie Strong spoke to the crowd, both saying very positive things about each other and the friendship that exists between them.  Joker said that he considered joining Strong’s staff when Strong interviewed for previous head coaching positions.  Now, the two friends will be facing each other in what will be the head coaching debut for both.

- One of the major theme’s of Joker’s time at the podium was the confidence he has in his staff and the emphasis that he’s put on making sure they’re great recruiters, as well as coaches.  He acknowledged the returning coordinators (Randy Sanders and Steve Brown), but spent some time describing the new members of UK’s coaching staff and what he expects from them.  Most notably, he said that Tee Martin, in addition to being a good coach, is a valuable recruiting tool because “his name is still out there among the kids” and that he hired new offensive line coach Mike Summers because his lines are always physical and very knowledgable of offensive schemes.  He also said that Rock Oliver has helped transform the players physically in his short time in Lexington.  You could tell that Joker is extremely happy about where the coaches have gotten the players, as well as where he thinks they can take the program in the future. 

- On a personell note, the big news was the eligibility of Donte Rumph, who not only adds depth to the defensive line, but also represents a good story of a player who fought for two years to get to Lexington.  Joker said that Rumph will play this season, saying “If we don’t play him now, he’ll be 40 years old before he finishes”, but said that he’s not placing high expectations on the young man because he will likely be out of shape.  However, you could tell he was genuinely pleased for his team, as well as the young man.

 - Joker also added that defensive tackle Mister Cobble is “day to day” in his efforts to gain eligibility.  The summer session ends next Thursday, so his status won’t be known before then.  He’s another player who might not have high expectations, but getting him available for games will add depth to a position where having fresh bodies is very important. 

- On a less positive note, Kentucky lost a recruit when three-star corner Justin Coleman committed to Tennessee.  Coleman said that it was neck and neck between the Vols and the Cats, but the tradition of Tennessee pushed them over the edge.  Plus, Louisville basketball has an incoming freshman named Justin Coleman and cheering for one and rooting against another would be too confusing for Kentucky fans.

- On a basketball note, Michael Gilchrist said he will wear #14 when he arrives in Lexington in 2011.  He will wear the jersey to honor his late father, whose birthday was the 14th of April, as well as Chris Douglas-Roberts.  For his part, CDR tweeted that UK better be glad that they have Coach Cal because it wasn’t too long ago that Gilchrist was wanting to be a Memphis Tiger.  Yet another reason to be happy about the current coaching situation.  You know, in case the current court proceedings in Louisville hadn’t provided enough yet. 

 - Also, the UK basketball schedule got two more games added when Missippi Valley State and Coppin State both announced they will play UK this season.  The Mississippi Valley game will be December 18 and Coppin State will come to Rupp on December 28.  Good thing we don’t have to camp out for tickets or else the tents would start popping up now. 

- On a final non-UK note, prayers go out to the friends and family of Lorenzen Wright, whose body was found on Wednesday.  Wright, according to reports, was the victim of a dozen gun shot wounds and was reportedly linked to him having a large amount of cash in his possession.  A very sad story. 

That’s it for now.  Stay tuned throughout the day for all the UK goodness that you’d come to expect from us here at KSR, as well as all the ridiculousness that you’d expect from Sypher’s defense team cross-examining Rick Pitino.  It’s going to be an interesting day around, if nothing else.  See you in a few…

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Hell’s Thursday News and Views is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

It was an unbelievable day once again in Federal Court in Louisville. We had the first comments by Rick Pitino, a huge contingent in the gallery that left the place standing room only and the return of the 7 year old sketch artist. All in all, a successful day for our judicial system. In all honesty, today was one of the more surreal days that I can remember. To watch Rick Pitino, a hero of my youth, in this situation and talking about these topics…well it almost boggles the mind. The morning was filled with three witnesses, but the afternoon belonged to Pitino, who finished direct examination but will face cross-examination tomorrow. Because Rick was the star and the story, we will start with him and then hit the morning witnesses (who by the way, provided craziness as well) a bit later tonight. Pitino testified about the Porcini’s incident twice, but we will put it all together to make the events chronological. Here we go, the facts as shown today:

RICK PITINO:

— Pitino walked into the courtroom just after lunch in a red tie and with obvious stress on his face. At first he was understandably nervous, but over time settled in. The first ten minutes of questioning was on Pitino’s history as a basketball coach, the fact that he won a lot, etc. The AUSA handling the questioning didnt know basketball and it showed, and Rick was able to use his coach speak several times. In talking about a season, he began, “you all start with the same dream.” It almost made me want to go buy his book.

— They quickly got into the night in question, July 31, 2003. Pitino said he met Sypher at the bar when she came over and asked him to tell her son Happy Birthday on the phone. He did and he didnt see her again until later in the night. With the restaurant shutting down, he purchased Sypher a drink and they began to talk at the bar. The owner of Porcinis came over, told Pitino he was leaving and how to get out the front door, which would lock when he shut it. Pitino claims he thought that they had the restaurant to themselves and that Vinny, his driver, had left.

— Pitino then said when asked about the sexual encounter, “unfortunate things happen.” They had a drink and moved to a booth just behind the bar. Pitino said, “one thing led to another” and then she “opened up my pants.” She asked Pitino if he had a condom and he said no. She said “well you have to pull out because I am fertile.” Pitino said this concerned him, but he continued and the entire sexual encounter “took less than 15 seconds.” He said he knows that he did not ejaculate inside of her. “We talked, I pulled my pants up an we left a short time later.”

— Sypher then drove Pitino home because he thought Vinny Tatum had left. The drive was pleasant and Sypher “was in a good mood, talking non-stop.” They sat out in his driveway for 5-7 minutes and Pitino said she asked for basketball tickets. Pitino was asked what she was wearing that night and he said a mini-skirt, adding “she didnt wear anything but miniskirts”, even in the winter.

— Three weeks later, Sypher called and told Pitino she had missed her period and she was worried because she was usually very regular. Pitino said he did not believe it was his child, thought he had been set up, but recommended that she get counseling. She then told him that she had no health insurance and he asked how much one needed for health insurance and she said $3,000 and he agreed to get her the money.

— They met in a condo and discussed whether she would have the child. Pitino then said he “made arrangements” with Tim Sypher to find a place for her to have an abortion if she chose to have one. Pitino said he found a place in Cincinnati but didnt know if she would end up having the abortion. A series of voicemails were then played where Rick called Sypher six times over the next 3-4 days to see her decision. One of his messages said this:

This is not something I can decide on. I think the best thing in all seriousness, is to go through with it but tht has to be your call….I am a high profile person….but the decision has to be yours and the way you put it, put it behind us and then move on…..you just let me know what you are going to do.

— It seemed from the tapes that Pitino wanted her to have the abortion, but he often repeated that the decision was hers.

2009 Extortion

— Much was made about how Pitino had the “best team” in 2009 and on February 26, he was returning from a recruiting trip in Vegas when he got his voice mails from Lester. At the time he “got sick to [his] stomach” and listened again. “I felt threatened and frightened…I knew what was about to happen.” He says he also knew that by the way the phone caller pronounced Cincinnati, he must be from Kentucky.

— Pitino said initially he thought Sypher was the person behind the lies, but over time she convinced him otherwise. Pitino called Tim Sypher and told him to bring his wife to the office and they had to meet. This meeting was recorded, and the 45 minute tape was played in court.

— At the meeting, Sypher suggested that it was potentially Rick who had leaked the information himself, asking if he had done it when he was drunk. Pitino noted that the caller knew details that no one else knew and kept asking who could this be. Sypher continued to insist she did not know.

— What followed was 45 minutes of the most mind-numbing conversation imaginable. Sypher was upset and frantic, and Rick was obviously nervous and trying to find out information. Most of the conversation isnt worth recounting, but a couple of interesting moments:

1. Sypher tells Rick that she has “been through hell” and Rick says that he knows she has and asks multiple times, “what can I do to help you?” This theme continues throughout.

2. Sypher asks Pitino how she is supposed to “live with Cincinnati” and says that “I pray to God that I dont go to hell” for having the abortion. Pitino replies, “you are not going to hell.”

3.: Karen Sypher and Tim Sypher then begin to argue about their marriage and Rick Pitino channels his inner Dr. Phil, trying to help them work it out and saying “you two love each other.” This was the one part where Rick sounded nervous as he seemed to see that if they separated, problems could occur.

4.: Pitino acknowledges that because of this, “I may have to resign this job.”

5. : Pitino continues to try to comfort Sypher, asking repeatedly what he can do help her or “make your life easier.” He says “you are not an outcast, you’re part of our family.” He tells Sypher, “I can make your life better, but I can’t make certain things go away”, referring to her guilty from the abortion.

6.: Pitino tells Sypher for the first time that he has set up a college fund for her daughter from Christmas bonus money. Sypher didnt know about this at the time.

7.: Pitino tells her they have to be careful and says, “This guy can go to the front page of the Louisville Courier Journal and ruin all of our lives.”

— Throughout the entire tape, the word “rape” is never mentioned by Sypher. Pitino says after the conversation, “I honestly didnt think she knew who made the phone calls. I stayed up all week trying to figure it out.” This occurred during the last week of the Big East regular season.

— Pitino then volunteers his assessment (which he did throughout his testimony, sometimes without questions even asked) of the situation and notes that she never mentioned rape. “You dont give someone a ride home, talk basketball, be cordial, sit in the driveway, etc and it be rape.” He says the rape charge is “the direct opposite of truth. I would never rape a woman., I could never be physically harmful to a woman.”

— Pitino ended up meeting with Sypher three times, beginning February 26, 2009. At the end of the second meeting, Sypher mentioned that if Pitino wanted to help her, he could get her a car, her son a car, a house in Lake Forest and money. He said he couldnt do that, but he could get UL to give Tim Sypher a raise. She then stopped crying, looked at Pitino and asked why she wasnt given a pocketbook last Christmas by him, like the other wives of the basketball staff had been.

— On March 1, 2009, Sypher calls Pitino and leaves a voice mail asking when she will get all the things she has asked for. On that same day, Pitino gives the alleged extortion messages to his lawyer in Lexington, who says that Rick needs to go to the police. Pitino says that because the NCAA Tournament is coming up, he wants to wait until after March Madness before talking to the police. Attorney also advises he stop talking to Sypher and he does.

— March 6, 2009, he arrives at hotel in Morgantown, WV for game against WVU and is given a letter by Tim Sypher in which Karen demands a car for herself, a car for her son, a house, $3,000 a month for bills and $75,000 after he leaves Louisville. If Pitino gives her that, she “will protect Rick Pitino’s name for life.”

— A few days later, Pitino gets a call from Sypher’s mother, wondering why her grandson hasnt gotten his car yet. She then says, “we know people in high places also.” Pitino then gives Tim Sypher $10,000 of his Big East Championship bonus money to purchase the car for Karen’s kid…a fact that was skipped over after said, but is sure to be a big part of the cross-examination tomorrow.

— On March 22, 2009, Pitino is sent a letter from Dana Kolter, an attorney representing Sypher who goes into detail about the rape claims made by Sypher. He says that Pitino “forced your sexual avances upon her” and then had “an abortion that she feels was forced on her.” He then requests an immediate mediation and gives Pitino only 2 days to respond or they “will seek closure one way or another.”

— Soon thereafter, Pitino goes to the police and meets with the Kentucky Attorney General, who suggests he meet with the FBI. All of this goes down during the NCAA Regional, of course the one the Cards later lost to Michigan State.

— Lawyers representing Pitino meet with Kolter and Sypher, and report to Rick that Kolter and Sypher were “screaming obscenities at each other.” They initially asked for $10 million but said they would take $5.5 million, a number that was apparently the total raised by the Daniel Pitino Foundation for abused children. She picks this number according to Pitino because Sypher said, “she too had lost a child.”

— Pitino says “I was obviously dealing with problems at home myself at the time.” Within 48 hours, he informs the Athletic Director, UL lawyers, PR Director, his wife and children of what has happened.

— In July 2009, he is charged by Sypher with rape….he leaves a recruiting trip early to come back to town to meet with Louisville police and is never charged with any crime.

— As Pitino’s testimony ends, he acknowledges that he was fooled by Karen Sypher and says that when she an Tim got married after he had taken her to get an abortion, “it was bizarre to all of us at the University.” (I guess). After their marriage, Sypher would see Pitino at Christmas parties, tailgates and his Daughter in law’s shower and they were always friendly.

— He ended the day by being asked if he had raped Sypher and he said, “absolutely not” and he answered that he found it an “insult” that she claims he ever used the phrase “concrete shoes” in reference to her or her family.

So that was it for Rick Pitino. He testified on direct examination for 3.5 hours and generally did a very good job. The presentation wasnt well orgranized (I put it in much better order than it was delievered), but that was due to the Government, not Pitino. Rick seeme believeable and was never obviously frustrated. Of course that was the easy part….tomorrow is where the drama gets heavy as they begin the cross-examination. It will be a day of fireworks for certain and it will be interesting to see how Pitino does against what is a very good defense attorney so far. I will have more later tonight on the morning witnessess…who were much goofier and bizarre.

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Sypher Trial Day 3A: The Pitino Testimony is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

video via the Courier-Journal

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Joker speaks is a post from: Kentucky Registrar

Good morning, fine KSR readers, and welcome to your Humpday, er, I mean Wednesday News and Views for July 28, 2010.  What is usually a fairly dull time of year around these parts got a shot of penicillin voyeuristic excitement on Tuesday as another salacious day of the Karen Sypher extortion trial took center stage.  While it was full of the expected x-rated details, the big star of the proceedings turned out to be “The Boys”, a collection of who’s who among the Louisville basketball program and the city itself, who apparently joined forces multiple times a week at restaurant/brothel Porcini’s to just bro out and be the big-timers that they are.  The Boys, who formed Kentucky’s most high-profile gang since Mark Krebs and Mark Coury called a kid a girl at K-Lair once, will likely now be forced out of the public eye to unite as a secret society in an underground lair somewhere, meaning Louisville – and Porcini’s – might never feel their raw (no pun intended) power again.  But, on Tuesday, they were again the great white in the koi pond, soaking up one last moment in the sun as Louisville’s hottest sextet (again, no pun intended).  And, for that, let’s give them the proper recognition their unmatched power deserves on this fine Wednesday.

 Now, onto some UK notes…

 - As was the case with the first two days of this week, the Sypher trial will again be on center stage and, likely, will become the biggest news in sports as Rick Pitino is expected to finally take the stand.  While Pitino is not the one on trial, his reputation is going to be before the firing squad on what will likely be a horribly rough day for him.  As noted on Bomani Jones’ radio show Tuesday morning (as told to him by a certain lawyer), one of the most perplexing and overlooked aspects of this case is that not only did Pitino essentially volunteer airing his dirty laundry publicly by pressing charges, but he has willingly entered a situation where no one – not the prosecution, who cares only about the extortion charges, nor Sypher’s defense team – enters the proceedings with his best professional interests as a priority in their approach.  Even worse, depending on what strategy Sypher’s team takes in her defense of the charges, Pitino’s entire past (including his time at UK) could be introduced and questioned.  If there is nothing there, no big deal.  But, if the Sypher situation is not an anomaly, it could get embarrassing.  An ideal day for Pitino would be talking about everything he’s already admitted and the defense questioning or finding nothing else in his personal life to introduce to the public.  Anything else, could make for a horrible day and make his decision to take this so public a million times worse than not putting anyone on the inbounder in East Rutherford 18 years ago.

 - On a day where most feel that Sypher’s defense found the most success as they poked holes (oops, no pun intended) in a couple of the witnesses and did their best to put a little reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors, there were some clear-cut winners and losers of the day:

Winners

1.  Fast Food - Long stuck in the shadows of more upscale restaurants as an appropriate date destination, fast food joints got a boost of street cred thanks to “Playboy” Lester Goetzinger, who admitted to getting safely into first base after taking Karen Sypher for a coke at McDonald’s. 

2.  Service Technitions - In what might be the highlight of the second day, the Courier-Journal (apparently the only “mainstream” media outlet acknowledging this trial) reported this little tidbit regarding Playboy Les’ testimony: “Asked if she knew his name, he said …they had been having sex intermittently since 1999 and that he often wore his LG&E name badge.”  So, for all of you working for the cable company or the electric company, you know that little fantasy you’ve played out in your head 1,000 times?  Turns out it actually could happen.

3.  Reggie Theus – By being named as a member of “The Boys”, Theus publicly becomes part of the “in” crowd for the first time since Hang Time.

Losers

1.  Marriage – With the entire case already a blow (yikes! another unintentional pun) to the institution as a whole, it was revealed that Playboy Les, like Rick Pitino, was also married during his encounters with Sypher.  I have a feeling a certain someone isn’t going to be allowed at any PTA meetings this year…

2. Karen Sypher’s reputation - Umm, again, acting like a hormone-ravaged drunken sorority girl in the second half of your life is not a good look.  And, to think, her reputation was so pristine entering this whole thing.

3.  Poison Hands – Apparently, attorney Dana Kolter, the second man Sypher allegedly coerced through oral arguments to help go after Pitino, has just released a clothing line called “Poison Hands”.  Talk about bad timing.  Based on where it finds itself in Google results, there’s no way this doesn’t end up as a diagnosis on WebMD and something your next girlfriend asks if you’ve been tested for.

 - On an actual UK note, rumors started circulating late on Tuesday that Donte Rumph has gained eligibilityfor the football Cats.  If so, it’s not only a tremendous gain for the defense, but also one heck of a commendable effort for the defensive lineman who originally committed to UK as a part of the class of 2008.  Assuming this is true, getting Mister Cobble eligible could add some nice depth to the defensive line. 

 - Wednesday also rings in the first of many pre-Louisville events as the Governor’s Cup luncheontakes place in Louisville.  The event will allow Joker Phillips and Charlie Strong to meet with the media before hitting the links to raise money for the Dare to Care Food Bank.  And, of course, it will hopefully confirm Donte Rumph’s eligibility.

 - In other football news that could impact the Cats, week 5 opponent Ole Miss is apparently picking up Jeremiah Masoli from Oregon, meaning the team predicted to last in the West and expected to be an easy win for the Cats now has a (former) Heisman candidate under center.  Of course, that is assuming Houston Nutt can find a way to get Masoli into the grad school despite the deadline being April 1.  This would mark the third consecutive (I believe) high-profile transfer brought in since Eli Manning  to resurrect the Rebels.  Hopefully his first season is more Brent Shaeffer than Jevan Snead.

 - In case you missed it earlier, the closest thing to basketball news came from an interview Coach Cal gave to SI’s Seth Davis.  In it, while admitting he thinks it’s a little too early to expect this team to be better than last year’s (hey, we heard that last summer), Cal reaffirmed his confidence in his recruiting strategy, saying “If you recruit guys who you know are going to be there for four years, you’ll probably be in the NIT, and that’s not a good thing at Kentucky.  You recruit the best players you can, and if someone is going to take them in the first round, I tell them to go.”  Or, in more common terms, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

 - On a recruiting note, Austin Rivers included UK in his final five, along with Duke, Florida, North Carolina and Kansas.  It’s widely believed that it’s a Duke and Florida race with Duke being the motorcycle and Florida being the tiny little side car.  You can check Rivers out in Orlando this weekend and, more importantly, you can buy me a $9 chicken sandwich if you see me.

 - Fresh off of throwing out the pitch at the Astros game, Patrick Patterson coached a celebrity team at the MLS All-Star 7 0n 7 game.  There are no updates or pictures  posted on Major League Soccer’s site, which puts them in second place behind Reebok, who returns no results for “John Wall”, for the worst initiative in updating their site.

That’s it for now.  Stay tuned throughout the day as we talk about…..well, we’re going to try to talk about other stuff too.  Honestly.  Anyway, stick around.  We’ll get you the UK news.  See you in a few…

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Wednesday’s Boys Night Out News and Views is a post from: Kentucky Registrar