A Couple of Thanksgiving Night Notes

Posted on January 27, 2016 by in Sports

Randall Cobb

Weighing in at just over 1 lb, it’s the Kentucky Basketball 2012 Box Calendar by Season Never Ends. If you’ve bought one in previous years, you’re wondering what’s new about this one. Answer: everything. In fact there’s dozens of brand new stories, many covering last year’s magical run to the Final Four. Brandon Knight, DeAndre Liggins and Jorts play prominent roles this year.

It’s an awesome gift idea, especially if your co-worker went to Louisville, hearing a UK fact every day will drive them crazy!

Coupon codes: Use the code “Turkey” to knock $3 off the price. You’ll also qualify for free shipping if you order three.

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I’m tired. I’m full. Let’s get this out of the way.

– Some people may think they know what is going to happen to Joker Phillips after this weekend, but one person who doesn’t know about the future of Kentucky’s head football coach is Joker Phillips himself. He told reporters, “All I hear is what I hear from you guys,” when asked if he has any plans to resign. He says he only knows what Mitch Barnhart has said publicly. When asked if he’s talked to the UK AD about his job status, Joker said, “No and we don’t need to talk about it.” Barnhart was at football practice Thursday but declined comment.

Kentucky Basketball

– A lot of people are upset over the NCAA stepping in and shutting down the “Rumble in Rupp” event that was set to take place this weekend in Rupp Arena. The NCAA has a new rule prohibiting any non-scholastic events from playing on college campuses or in college basketball facilities so the event was moved to LexingtonAcademy. Some Kentucky fans believe that the NCAA only did it because it was Kentucky, but it turns out that the same thing happened to Duke and North Carolina back in April with the Bob Gibbons’ Tournament of Champions. The rule was made just weeks before that tournament took place. While it helps to know UK isn’t the only one to be affected by this ridiculous rule, it still doesn’t change the fact that they waited until two days before “Rumble in Rupp” to notify the tournament’s organizers.

– ESPN just showed Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s fiancee in the crowd. If there are more like her on A&M’s campus, I’m not opposed to Kentucky playing in College Station every year. Welcome to the SEC, ladies.

– Happy Thanksgiving, Draft Express!

– Have you voted for Randall Cobb today? Cobb’s Packers moved to 11-0 with a Thankgiving Day win over the Detroit Lions. Cobb let a touchdown pass slip through his hands in the fourth quarter and Ndamukong Suh secured his spot as the biggest punk in the NFL. After the game, Suh, who stomped on a Green Bay player, said he was off balance and had to step on his opponent to keep from falling over. His PR manager needs to be fired.

I’ll wrap things up with a special thank you to every single one of you. Without you all, this ridiculous, outdated UK website doesn’t exist. We appreciate every visitor, reader, commenter, radio show listener, KSTV viewer, and even the people who tell us how much we suck.

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The KSR Friday Night Pick ‘em

Posted on December 2, 2015 by in Sports

KSRStarting this very evening, I’ll be running a new feature where the KSR staff takes some of the weekend’s best games and makes their picks for the world to consume. The picks will serve as part preview of the weekend, part battle for supreme bragging rights and the right to use Will Lentz as a footstool at the KSR compound. I’ll give you my thoughts on the games and picks in this space, and we’ll track the crew’s success as Kate inevitably kicks all our asses. And, if I can think of a good way to involve our loyal readers without me having to read and track 35,000 picks in the comments or through email, we might put a KSR prize you’ll never receive on the line. We’ll see. For now, enjoy the product of literally minutes of frantic research on my part.

Texas A&M (12-4, 1-1) At #1 Texas (16-0, 2-0)

The top team in the nation meets one of its most bitter rivals in what I wish would be the first loss of the season for the Longhorns. A rivalry game against an A&M team that is decent could potentially spell trouble. What it will probably spell is a game that’s closer than it should be for a while before the talent up and down Texas’ roster proves too much for Billy Clyde’s former employer. The Horns are a unanimous choice from the writers, as well, and who am I to shirk convention?

#5 Syracuse (16-1, 3-1) At #9 West Virginia (13-2, 4-1)

By far the toughest game of the weekend to pick. One was a trendy Final Four pick in the early season, the other came by surprise to storm into the top five. Both teams are talented and the coaching matchup is a push, because how could I choose between Mr Whitefolks and Clark Griswold? Typically I like the home team in games like this, but the Syracuse zone is tough and will cause West Virginia problems, which is why I’m taking the Orange.

#23 Ole Miss (13-3, 1-1) At #10 Tennessee (13-2, 1-0)

There’s a cute little story brewing down in Knoxville, now isn’t there? The 78 basketball fans in Vol Nation are rocking, and the last time I saw this kind of rally around someone named Skyler, she was pulling dollar bills out of people’s mouths with her boobies. Yes, the fairytale is one that warms your heart and that the sentimentalist in you hopes can continue forever. And the truth is, it can go on forever. Or, at least, until Ole Miss and their stable of guards invade Thompson-Boling and remind the Vols that you can only last so long with six scholarship players. The fun’s over.

Georgia Tech

#18 Georgia Tech (12-4, 1-2) At #13 North Carolina (12-5, 1-1)

North Carolina came into the season as some people’s Final Four pick. Georgia Tech came into the season with major sleeper potential, as their roster is full of quality talent. Georgia Tech has been pretty much what people expected. Carolina has not. The Heels got spanked Wednesday night against Clemson, and have been terrible on the road this year. However, this game isn’t on the road, and I feel like Carolina will bounce back well in their own gym, even though I hate them. Heels take this one.

Louisville (12-5, 3-1) At #20 Pittsburgh (14-2, 4-0)

Another member of the ‘please beat someone to help Kentucky’s RPI’ club is evil Louisville. Of course, Kentucky’s RPI doesn’t have a hefty wager with a friend that the Cards won’t make the NCAA tournament. I do have one of those wagers and, luckily for me, I expect Rufio Siva and the gang to continue to prove me right in Pittsburgh tomorrow. The Cards have beaten no one of consequence and missed their best shot at it Monday against Villanova, instead looking destined for a .500 or below finish in the conference and the NIT. I’m gonna be rich.

Vanderbilt (13-3, 2-0) At South Carolina (11-5, 2-0)

Two of Kentucky’s SEC East brethren meet in Columbia and one side will suffer their first conference loss. If the game were in Vandy’s space station gym, I’d like their chances against a depleted South Carolina squad. However, with the game on planet Earth, I expect Devan Downey to have something like 115 and South Carolina to beat the giant Aussie and potentially make him one shade pastier, if that’s possible.

Notre Dame (14-3, 3-1) At Cincinnati (11-6, 2-3)

Cincy turned heads early in the year with their near triumph in Maui and a win over UConn. Now, that win over UConn doesn’t look quite as good and the Bearcats have lost three of four against the likes of St. Johns and Seton Hall. Cincy has Lance Stephenson, but Notre Dame still has Luke Harangody. Born Ready…meet created in a lab and hungry…for…your..brains. Irish win on the road.

#11 Georgetown (13-2, 4-1) At #4 Villanova (15-1, 4-0)

If I were to include a fourth team in the group with Texas, Kansas and Kentucky, it would be Villanova. They’re a flukie loss to Temple away from being undefeated, and Scottie Reynolds just got done putting 30 on the filthy Cards in the second half Monday night. Georgetown can be like watching paint dry, so I’m picking Villanova in the name of entertainment if nothing else. Another one the staff will unanimously have to eat it for if we’re wrong.

 
Minnesota At Indiana

Minnesota (12-5, 3-2) At Indiana (7-9, 1-3)

Outside of a three-game losing streak early in the season, Tubby’s troops have been respectably solid this year. On the other side, Indiana is terrible. Not good. At all. Picking the Hoosiers in any game this year would fall under, “things that are a bad idea under any curcumstances,” along with assless chaps and clear liquor from plastic bottles. That said, I’m still taking them. What can I say? I shirk convention.

#15 UConn (11-5, 2-3) At Michigan (9-7, 3-2)

UConn looks less and less impressive the more I see of them, and they really haven’t registered a win over a good team all year. However, John Beilein’s brand of wacky-ball hasn’t taken hold up north, and he’s basically the other guy Michigan poached from West Virginia who hasn’t delivered, but lucky for him no one cares. I don’t think Michigan is good enough to beat UConn, even at home, but it’s awfully tempting to take them anyway because the Huskies have been so unimpressive. Still, I feel like I should take UConn, and since BTI is taking the Wolverines, I know I’m right.

See the writers’ picks below, and have a good time enjoying one of the best weekends of the NFL season. Or, if you’re a Bengals fan like me and can’t stomach thinking about NFL football, enjoy a weekend full of college basketball that didn’t matter before the writing of this post but now matters a great deal.

 

A&M/Texas Cuse/WVU Miss/Tenn GT/UNC Ville/Pitt Vandy/USC ND/Cincy Gtown/Nova Uconn/Mich Minn/Ind
Matt Texas WVU Tenn UNC Pitt USC Cincy Nova UConn Minn
Beisner Texas WVU Miss UNC Pitt Vandy Cincy Nova UConn Minn
BTI Texas Cuse Miss UNC Pitt USC Cincy Nova Mich Minn
Intern Texas WVU Miss UNC Pitt Vandy Cincy Nova UConn Minn
Drew Texas WVU Miss UNC Pitt Vandy Cincy Nova UConn Minn
Dustin Texas WVU Miss UNC L-Ville Vandy Cincy Nova UConn Ind
Kate Texas WVU Miss GT Pitt USC ND Nova UConn Minn
Lentz Texas WVU Miss UNC L-Ville USC ND Nova Mich Ind
Johns Texas WVU Miss UNC L-Ville USC ND Nova UConn Ind
Barker Texas Cuse Miss UNC Pitt Vandy Cincy Nova UConn Ind
Hunter Texas Cuse Miss UNC Pitt USC ND Nova UConn Ind
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The Muppet’s Wednesday News & Views

Posted on October 27, 2015 by in Blog Posts

Muppets

It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights!

When deciding which celebrity or historical event was worthy of a News and Views post this evening, let me tell you, the pickings were slim. So, instead of attempting to write about Snooki, or Miley Cyrus (both born on November 23rd) or the conquest of Seville by King Ferdinand III, I’ll spare us all the pain and dedicate this post to an entity wholly worthy of its weight: The Muppets. That’s right: Kermit, Fozzie the Bear, Gonzo, Rowlf, and of course, Miss Piggy. Today, Disney’s “The Muppets” debuts in theaters, ushering in a new wave of Muppet nostalgia. Everyone loves the Muppets (if you don’t, you probably have a very odd reason not to). Jim Henson created the wonderful creatures in the mid 1950’s, and since then, they have been featured in countless shows, the most notable being “Sesame Street,” “The Muppet Show,” “Fraggle Rock” and “Bear in the Big Blue House.” I speak for many in my generation when I say I cut my teeth on the Muppets, or rather, “Muppet Babies,” (yes, I went there) which debuted in 1984, and “The Muppet Show.” So, hopefully over the Thanksgiving weekend, I can tear my nephews away from the food and introduce them to some timeless characters, even if Jason Segel is involved (although his Andre the Giant skit on SNL was hilarious).

Before Fozzie the Bear comes at me with the hook, let’s get to the news and views…

– After a long roadtrip to the Northeast, the Cats return to the comfy confines of Rupp Arena tonight to face off against the Radford Highlanders. This game will conclude the oddly-prolonged Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament, which the Cats won on Sunday, but for some reason, are still playing in. As for the game itself, the matchup is lopsided at best (on Sunday, Radford lost 60-47 to Marist, who UK beat 108-58 earlier last week), but the Cats will be looking for progress on all fronts. In his comments to the media today, Cal said that his team lacks toughness right now, especially Anthony Davis. Cal said that Davis needs to “bend his knees” to get better leverage against his opponents. Basically, stick that butt out and own the lane. Davis is a physical specimen, but he needs to improve his presence in preparation for the big boys looming in the schedule (oh hey, North Carolina).

– On Monday night, Cal took to Twitter in defense of his point guard, Marquis Teague, whose play so far this season has drawn criticism from some. To date, Teague has 18 turnovers and 11 assists, which is not bad when you compare it to Cal’s past point guards, but definitely has room for improvement. But, improvement comes with hard work and opportunities, two things I’m sure Teague is focusing on right now. As fans, it’s easy to nitpick, especially with a team this talented this early, but nothing will help Teague more than time in the gym, and a little extra attention from Cal, which the coach has vowed to.

– Another interesting note in Cal’s time with the media on Tuesday was his hinting that Darius Miller may start instead of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist against Radford. As previously mentioned, Cal said he was disappointed with the team’s lack of toughness in Connecticut with one lone exception: Darius Miller. The senior stepped up when the going got rough, and his 13 point, five assist and four rebound performance may have just vaulted him back in the starting lineup. We’ll see how MKG responds.

UK Ticket Office

– If you’re looking for an opportunity to see the Cats over the holidays, you’re in luck: the UK ticket office is releasing tickets to the Samford, (Dec. 20), Loyola (Dec. 22) and Lamar (Dec. 28) games. Tickets go on sale today at 9 a.m., and you can get them by visiting the UK Ticket Office between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET or by calling 1.800.928.2287.

– On the football front, the Tennessee game is upon us like a tryptophan nap you can’t shake off. Maxwell Smith is nursing a shoulder strain after Saturday’s game against Georgia, and although Morgan Newton is getting healthier, Joker says Smith will be the starter if he can go. Word is that even WR Matt Roark has been taking snaps in practice; Roark played quarterback in high school and apparently the coaches are running some plays with him in the Wildcat package in case worst comes to worst.

– Maybe it was the Cats’ gutsy play against Georgia, or maybe it’s the Tennessee hate boiling in my blood, but I actually can’t wait for Saturday’s game. With the 26-game losing streak, it’s not quite excitement, rather anxiety mixed with a pinch of desperation. I agree with most that a Kentucky win will save Joker’s job, and inject some hope in a misery-ridden program. We’ve all been concerned about the direction of this program in the past season, but it’s hard to fire a coach who has managed to do what his recent predecessors have not: beat the Vols. And after watching the video of Derek Dooley slamming Vanderbilt in the locker room last weekend, I can only imagine what he says about the Cats. #BeatTennessee

– On Saturday, we will also say goodbye to the seniors, including defensive stalwarts Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy. Say what you will about the coaching staff, but these players deserve your support. For four years, they have given their all, their absolute all, for their team, and to come out for their last game to a half-empty stadium would be a shame. Trevathan and Guy in particular have been a bright spot in an otherwise depressing season. Do them right and go to the game if you can. There is a time and place for making a stand against coaches and administration. Saturday is not it.

– That reminds me, go vote for would-be-senior Randall Cobb and the other Cats on the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl Ballot.

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