Case of the Moooondays

Here we go again, ending another Monday, and starting another week. Sorry by the way for the delay in posts over the past weekend, I had been extremely busy with end of the semester work, along with spending some much needed out time with a few of my favorite boys and girls. Since I am 100% no one comes here to get the breaking scoop or their instant sports fix, I was sure most wouldn't mind, or that it would just go un noticed. If you do like reading my stuff though, (which I hope you do) and expect me to live up to a higher standard of blogging, I promise to give a good faith effort and not have too many more day's off. Haha I mean shit happens right?


But anyway, as Kentucky basketball fans, we are still waiting on Terrence Jones. Jones who I talked about last week, had a press conference, was totally confused as to what to do and ended up picking Washington while under the gun. However, he did not sign his Letter of Intent (like former teammate and friend Terrence Ross did) and as of right now remains unsigned with any school. Minutes after the press conference, Jones had a fifteen minute phone conversation with John Calipari. Although it is subject to much debate, it appears Jones is the one who called Calipari. I mean it is really absurd to think John Calipari would call a former recruit right after he committed to another school. Even the most extravagant Calipari haters do not think he is that shady. Word is he and his family had talked and had felt good about Kentucky, but under pressure of teammates and friends, pulled the trigger for Washington at the last second. However it went, it was clear he really had no idea where he wanted to go, and it appears he still has no idea. It has now been three days since, and still no definitive answer. The UK staff still remains optimistic, while Lorenzo Romar and the Washington staff have to be holding their breathe as well. No matter the outcome, you can expect a post from me on here concerning what is the strangest recruitment of all time.




Super Saver won the most exciting two minutes in sports as you all should know. And If you have no idea what those two minutes are, then one, hopefully you do not live in Kentucky, then two, you really need to get a clue. We are talking the Kentucky Derby! The most prestigious horse race period, anywhere. Also in case you missed it, Ice Box made a very late, hard charge through the field to take the second spot after being tied up in bad position for most of the race. Other notable stories was the guy who won the contest to get to place a $100,000 dream bet, and actually won (equalling over $900,000). Jockey Calvin Borel winning again making it 3 out of the last four Kentucky Derby's. Oh, and of course, a lot of rain, and a lot of mud. To be frank, it was almost a deluge, which made it even more festive, for what is always a very festive infield party (free for all). For those of you who think the Kentucky Derby is nothing but a bunch of snotty horse enthusiasts with their Armani Suits, Fancy Hats, and Mint Julips, then obviously you know nothing about the Derby infield. To put it simple, think Talladega on crack, or more less a Woodstock with horses. That is the Derby infield. To get an even better idea, to quote a friend, and frequent Derby goer (infielder), "I have been to the last three Kentucky Derby's. I've only seen the track once, and I've never seen a horse." So in Kentucky, when we celebrate (party), we celebrate. Gotta love it.




Tiger Woods came out and SUCKED it up all over the Carolina's as he didn't even make it into the weekend at the Quail Hollow Championship. After a brilliant return at The Masters, this just showed that even the best in the world cannot take that much time from competitive golf and still come back to form. This is only the third missed cut for Tiger in almost the past eight years. Who didn't suck though was Irish young gunner Rory McIlroy, who shot an amazing 10 under par (62) to take a four stroke win over Phil Mickelson. Now the attention is on the 20 year old McIlroy who with his super low 62 Sunday is taking the golf world by storm. NOTE: expect to hear the name Rory McIlroy a lot in golf circles during the next decade.

Oh and if Rory McIlroy's 62 (par 72) wasn't impressive enough, some Japaneese kid, Ryo Ishikawa shot a 12 under 58 to pick up a win on the Japan Tour. The 58 is the lowest score ever on a major tour. Oh, and the kids just 18.

In otherwords, Tiger better get his shit on a roll.



And for playoff basketball, the Utah Jazz blew their opening series game against the Lakers. Thus meaning more than likely the Lakers will win the series and make it to the Western Conference Finals.

The other Western Conference Semi is the Phoenix Suns against the San Antonio Spurs. Game one of the series is tonight. The Spurs, beating out the Dallas Mavericks who I have talked about a couple of times in the past few weeks, making the frequent remark, Mark Cuban is somewhere swallowing a handful on anxiety pills. Well now, he is somewhere swallowing a handful of anti depressants, which I guess is basically the same thing. His Mavericks squad closed the season after the All-Star break better than anyone in basketball, thanks in part to the trade for Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood. Now he has a little time to contemplate which direction to take his 30+ year old team. If he gives it too much time, then he will just take them directly to retirement here very shortly. Now don't get me wrong, I love Dirk, I love Shawn Marion, I love Jason Terry (three main pieces of the Mavericks team) but if they were going to do something you would think it would have had to have been this year. Now with Caron Butler turning 31 soon, time is running out for a now aging team, with not much room to work with.


In the East, the Bucks cinderella run finally ran out as the Atlanta Hawks sent them back to Milwaukee with a game seven victory. Give the Bucks credit though, they made it further this season then anyone could have ever imagined, and doing so without two of their best players, sharp shooter Michael Redd, and big man Andrew Bogut (who missed the playoffs). It looks as if behind this years rookie sensation Brandon Jennings, that they are on the up and up, for the rest of this year though, at least we won't have to continue to hear, "Fear The Deer". Thank God.

The Hawks start their series against the Orlando Magic tomorrow night.



The other Eastern Conference semi is King James and the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Big 3 + 1 and the Boston Celtics. The plus one of course being former Cat, Rajon Rondo. The Cavs lead the series so far 1-0, but are trailing as we speak in game two 83-61, with the fourth quarter just getting underway.




So this week, most of you I know are like me and have Finals to tend to. Good luck on that. Hopefully you are looking forward to Summer as much as I am. Terrence Jones could possibly make his decision this week, but he then may decide he needs to freak out and wait a little while longer because he still has no clue what he wants to do. Plenty of good playoff basketball this week as the NBA Playoffs are winding down. On the random tv show watch, catch Deadliest Warrior on Spike Tv tomorrow night as Al Capone will be taking on Jesse James (the outlaw, not the monster garage and Sandra Bulluck guy) in a fight to the death. (chuckling a little bit).

Hometown Proud: The CJ Leslie Story

Ever since John Wall stepped to the mic and announced his intentions to attend the University of Kentucky from the Word of God Academy press table, most believed that teammate and schoolmate CJ Leslie would be doing the same the following year. Leslie, a 6'8'' freakish athletically gifted forward, had already gave his verbal to attend North Carolina State University, a verbal he later retracted when re opening his recruitment. NC State, located nicely in Raleigh North Carolina, the home of Word of God Academy (also the home of Wall and Leslie), provided a safe haven for CJ to play ACC basketball, all the while not having to leave the confines of what he has felt comfortable with, his home. However, after another season of AAU ball last summer, it became clear Leslie was about to be stepping into the national spotlight as he cemented himself firmly as one of the nations best. Calls started to come in from premiere colleges throughout basketball, you know the John Calipari's, the Jim Calhoun's, and the Roy Williams' of the world. At this time last year, it was starting to be the beginning of the CJ Leslie hype, not to mention the start of the enormous hype that would become Kentucky Basketball in the John Calipari era.


As friend and former teammate John Wall flourished at Kentucky, CJ did the same at Word of God. Entertaining the country via youtube videos showcasing his insanely athletic game, it was looking more and more like he was going to be following the same path as Wall did. I mean once a recruit decommits from a school, rarely does he ever recommit to the same school. In the world of recruiting, it is under a one percent odd of actually happening. With schools like Kentucky, UCONN, Florida, among others knocking on the door, who would want to even think about suiting up for NC State? While Kentucky has the likes of Lebron, Magic, Drake, Mike Tomlin, among other whos who in Rupp Arena showing up for games, the Wolfpack of NC State was just trying to sale out over half of their seats. While Kentucky was being shown on National TV basically every game, NC State was just trying to get on National TV. While Kentucky was competing for a National Championship, NC State was just trying to keep its mid level ACC status, and not drop to bottom dweller status, ala Boston College. While Kentucky players and coaches were living a somewhat celebrity status (you know, like getting calls from the President, and having hundreds of thousands idolizing your signature dance moves) the NC State players were walking around unnoticed on campus, unless they were wearing their Wolfpack gear. While Cal ended up putting four frosh straight into the NBA, Sydney Lowe and NC State is still working on sending more than one every five or more years (Thank You JJ Hickson).

So why wouldn't CJ Leslie follow John Wall and come to Kentucky? Obviously Wall had kept him informed during the entirety of the season, keeping him up to date on whatever madness may be going on at the time. You have basically everyone in the recruiting world saying he is Kentucky's to lose, and even had one such recruiting source go the distance and say don't expect anything but a decision to come to UK, its going to happen (hmmm hmmm ESPN Rise), only for him to make his decision in the two days to follow.

The answer may not be as hard or as puzzling as what you think. Just know that in order to understand the present, you must be able to learn from the past.

Not only were John Wall and CJ Leslie high school teammates, they also played along side one another for Brain Clifton's D-One Sports AAU team. Wall, who had lost his father in his pre-teens, looked to Clifton as some what of a father figure. During the Wall recruitment, many relationships became divided. Clifton, was more so pushing John towards Coach K and Duke. Why you ask? Well it wasn't because Duke was closer to home, and it wasn't because Clifton felt Coach K could better develop Wall and get him league ready faster than Calipari. It wasn't even that Clifton and Wall's family felt closer to K and Duke. However, it basically fell back tongue in cheek to the shady part of business that is AAU basketball and high school basketball recruiting. In Clifton's (and others who were surrounding Wall) head, he knew that if John went to Duke, then he would be better suited to stay with Wall throughout the process, ultimately into the NBA and those NBA paychecks (endorsements included). At Kentucky, Clifton foresaw losing his grip on Wall to the alliances that Calipari has aligned himself strongly with via his NBA connections. In the end it appears that hunch is correct, as Wall now seems set to join forces with Lebron James and team up for a monster apparel deal. Behind that more than likely lies another Calipari/James connection in William Wesley. AKA Worldwide Wes, AKA the most powerful man in basketball.

Which brings us back to Leslie. Again, same high school team, same AAU team as Wall. Pretty much same community. Wall and Leslie's people, well they know each other. It is pretty evident Leslie's people saw how the John Wall situation panned out, and realized they to could get cut out of a good paycheck if not being able to ride CJ's coat tails to the promise land. Many sources indicated CJ wanted to come to Kentucky. So much so it reminded all of us eerily of the Ralph Sampson situation in which Sampson longed for Kentucky, but was pressured into staying closer to home, ultimately deciding for Virginia instead. Many sources also included though that Leslie was getting immense pressure from family and friends to stay home and play ball. Hmmmmmm. Wonder why?

But not to sound like a complete and total jerk, and total conspiracy theorist that CJ Leslie not ending up at Kentucky was based on things other than just an 18 year old kid making a decision, CJ did form an extremely tight bond with Sydney Lowe and his NC State staff. Many times throughout the season, Leslie made the cross town trip to campus to hangout with Lowe, and his team. Also adding to the bond was long time friend Ryan Harrow pledging his commitment to play with the Wolfpack this upcoming season. So although Leslie had to have been enamoured with the fame of playing at Kentucky, he also felt super comfortable suiting up for the Wolfpack.

Like anything though, basketball recruiting will always be filled with enough conspiracy theories to make 911 conspiracy theorists blush. In the end CJ Leslie broke the mold, and gave his commitment back to the school he had previously removed it from. While that left countless numbers of those following the recruitment shocked, maybe it shouldn't have. Once you look at it, there are plenty of reasons as to why this made sense, even if it wasn't directly related to Leslie, but perhaps maybe those around him instead.

Hump Day Headlines

Just a couple of days ago I was complaining about the weekend almost being over, then about the weekend officially being over. Here we are and its Wednesday, and we are just a few days away from the weekend once again......Thank God.


On the Kentucky Basketball front, be sure you pay attention to the announcement of Terrence Jones on Friday. Jones, the most sought after Calipari recruit remaining will let his college decision be known. The Portland native, and McDonalds/Jordan Brand All American would be a key addition for next years Kentucky team. He is a 6'8''forward who will bring a versatile game to whatever team he chooses. Labeled as the perfect Calipari player, he could be lethal in Coach Cal's Dribble Drive Motion Offense. What makes Jones' game so special is his ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter, and his hunger on defense as well as rebounding the basketball. Rare traits from someone who is such a polished inside player. If he joined the likes of Brandon Knight, Enes Kanter, Doron Lamb, and Stacey Poole Jr at Kentucky, then unbdoubtably the Wildcats (John Calipari) would have the number one recruiting class in the country once again. He is obsessed with Calipari's offense and how he would fit into that offense. Last years Kentucky team sending four freshman into the NBA Draft cannot hurt either. BUT, it has long been stated that there is a major concern about whether or not he will be willing to leave the West Coast. The teams remaining on Jones' list, and who he will pick from are Kentucky, Oregon, Washington, UCLA, Oklahoma, and with a recent visit to Kansas the Jayhawks may have made their way back onto Jones' list, although he had previously removed them from consideration. Due to the recent drought going on at Oregon as far as the delay in them finally hiring a coach, many believe the battle will come down to Washington and Kentucky. Initially Jones was set to make his decision with long time friend and former high school teammate Terrence Ross. It was reported last weekend that Ross gave his verbal commitment to Washington after completing a visit to the school. It was later said that Ross did not give such verbal and at this point no one really knows.

If you ask me, I don't feel real good about Kentucky landing him. He likes Kentucky, he likes Calipari, but the distance factor is weighing in heavily. The fact that Ross has came out and rebuttled reports he had already gave his commitment to Washington makes it seem like he may be waiting to do so along with Jones, as many have expected to possibly happen. Then again you can never count out John Calipari, especially when it comes to recruiting. My odds are at 60/40 Washington. So once again when everyone say's their prayers tonight, pray that he chooses Kentucky on Washington. Believe me, you want this to happen.


And oh yeah, if you haven't heard by now, Drake performed in Lexington last night at Memorial Coliseum. The whole team, including Calipari and former Cat Ramel Bradley were brought out onto stage. John Wall, in what may be one of his last moments before he leaves Lexington, got the crowd pumping by jiggin out his signature dance. If Drake coming to multiple ball games last season and sitting court side behind Ashley Judd wasn't enough to make you believe he truly loved the CATS. Then last night should have done the trick.

I guess you can call it old Kentucky news, but Billy Clyde "Drink and Drive" Gillespie got the Iowa State job. As much as I am glad he isn't the coach of our beloved Wildcats anymore, and I just as glad he is coaching again. Gillespie is actually a good coach all though hes actually about the worst coach for Kentucky. We should all be happy that we now have John Calipari (who I feel is perfect for UK) and be equally happy for Gillespie, who has had a rough couple of years since leaving Kentucky. I wish him all the best.


In NBA action last night we saw a lot of things. We watched Lebron James hurt his right elbow, and with the game on the line at the end, ended up shooting a free throw left handed (Lebron is right handed) because the pain in his right arm was so uncomfortable. Lebron had made the first of the free throws that had given the Cavaliers a four point lead with just few seconds left. So although the second free throw was not a crucial one, it still showed just how much pain James was in. After the game he stated that Cleveland fans should not worry and that he would be ready for Round Two of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Once again he almost collected a triple double, finishing with 19, 10, and 9 (points, rebounds, and assists). On the flip side of things Derick Rose had 31 points and 6 assists for the Bulls. Rose pulled up for an inside shot in the final seconds (Bulls down three) that was highly contested by Cavalier big man Anderson Vaerejo. The resulting miss lead to the Lebron James free throw make, then subsequent odd left hand miss. Rose has continued to show that he is one of the dominant point guards in the league, and doing so in just completing his second full NBA season. A sign of things to come for future NBA John Calipari Point Guards? (hmm hmm John Wall, hmmm hmm Brandon Knight, hmm hmm Marquis Teague) I think so. The Bulls return home after losing the series four games to one. Now all Chicago fans have to hope for is maybe luring hometown product DeWayne Wade to Chicago in next years anticipated free agent signing period. Other than that the rest of the nation (perhaps with the exception of Flordia fans) can rejoice in the notion we will not have to look at Joakhim Noah's ugly face for at least a few months. Now that is something we can all appreciate.



If you were like me, you wanted Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder to come in and take the LA by storm last night and thrash the Lakers. Well if you were like me you came away equally as disappointed as Kobe Bryant and the Lakers walked away with an easy 111-87 victory. The Thunder missed their first 13 shots from the field and this was all that it took to start a route. In my opinion the only real chance of the Thunder winning the series was for them to steal the game in LA last night, with the series being tied at two games apiece. Then they could return to Oklahoma City where they had won their two games and hopefully win a fourth to win the series and knock out the defending champs. Of course that did not happen, and the home teams still remain the only victors of the series, Lakers leading 3-2 with the chance to win the series when it resumes in OKC on Thursday night.


In other NBA action...

As I stated in a post the other day, Mark Cuban is still somewhere swallowing a handful of anxiety pills. His Dallas Mavericks team won pretty easily at home over the San Antonio Spurs, 103-81, getting them back into a series that had looked doomed. The Mavs still trail 3-2 in the series, but still have a chance to win and advance. Like also stated in a previous post, Cuban went all in with this team, and with so many aging veterans you have to feel that if they do make a run, it would have to be this season. Time is still not on their side, but they win the next game and push the game to an even 3-3, then it is a whole another story.


The other game saw Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics knock off Dewayne Wade and the Miami Heat, advancing them to the next round of the playoffs. Rondo, continuing his brilliance had a near triple double, going for 16, 12, and 8 (points, assists, rebounds). He continues to be one of the best rebounding point guards in the league, as well as one of the leagues best point guards period. As two seasons ago championship Celtics relied on the importance of the big three (Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett), this years Boston squad will rely heavily on the outstanding play of Rajon Rondo if they intend to win their second championship in three years. The Big Three finished with a combined 59, with Pierce and Allen having 21 and 24 respectively. Wade finished with with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists, and showed once again, no matter how much of a superstar you are, you cannot make a run at the NBA Title without help. This dilemna will cause Pat Riley to make an intense run at a Chris Bosh, or a Joe Johnson as this years Free Agency class is the most significant of all time. If you want a list of this years potential free agents, you can find that here.... http://www.sportscity.com/nba/2010-nba-free-agents

If Riley doesn't find Wade a wingman, or two, Wade could find himself elsewhere. A possible destination could be another Eastern Conference playoff team, his hometown Chicago Bulls, who also will have available cap space to sign one of the big name free agents in this years class.


Tonight the surprising Milwaukee Bucks and young and gunning Atlanta Hawks square off, their series tied at two apiece. Though many expected the Bucks to be one of the worst teams in basketball season, they have more than exceeded expectations, and have continued to do so in the playoffs. Rookie Point Guard Brandon Jennings has been phenominal. Still though, the most exciting thing about the Bucks is probably their mascot Bango, who recently completed a back flip dunk while jumping off a ladder positioned 10ft above the rim. If you haven't watched it yet, check it out below. BUT, as cool as it is, if your mascot it the most exciting thing going for your team, your probably screwed.


Utah is going for the knockout in the other game tonight at the Jazz take on the
Denver Nuggets. Jazz lead 3-1.




We didn't get the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight that everybody wanted, and nobody really wanted to see the Pac Man/Clotte beatdown we were subject to in March. However, you can see Floyd Money Mayweather take on Sugar Shane Mosely this weekend. Don't forget about that.




But that's all I got right now on this humpday. So go out there and celebrate the week almost being over, and if your lucky, then well...hump.

Remember, tell all your friends and get the word out, I promise to dedicate a lot of time to the site and its posts. I will be working on a big article detailing CJ Leslie and his recruitment, and should have that sometime tonight if you are interested. Have a good one.

Weekly Ignition

Once again the weekend is over with, and while I sit here on a rainy Monday it was as if it was never even here. I have no idea why days with nothing but studying and class go by so slow and miserable, but the days you actually have the option to sit around and do nothing fly by. It makes no sense, but I guess there is a lot of things that make no sense.

Anyway, pretty good weekend of sports. I touched on the Aldo/Faber fight in the Saturday Night/Sunday Morning post, as well as a couple of NBA Playoff games. Yesterday there was another foursome of games on the hardwood, two being in the Eastern Conference, the other two from the West.


King James did what he does, and the Cavaliers push their lead on the Chicago Bulls to three games to one for the series with the final score 121-98. Lebron James with another playoff triple double shows once again why he is the most complete player in the NBA. He finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. Also impressive was he done so on 11-17 shooting, while also converting 9 of 10 from the free throw line. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah both had 21 for the Bulls. Probably the best thing going for this series right now is that the Cavs are only one game away from us not having to look at the hideousness of Joakim Noah until at least next year, thank the Lord. Keep your fingers crossed we only have to see his ugly annoying ass for one more game.

Mark Cuban is somewhere this morning swallowing a handful of anxiety pills. After he went all in at the trade deadline pulling in Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood from the Wizards, his Dallas Mavericks team went on a run that was at the time the best in the NBA. Since, they had still continued to play good basketball, but after yesterday's loss trail the San Antonio Spurs 3-1 in the series. Final score of yesterday's game being 92-89. If the Mavericks do succumb to the Spurs, it could end up being a long ride back to the top for a team who's four key componets (Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, and Caron Butler) are all getting well into their thirties. Butler being the youngest at 30 years of age. Mark Cuban was trying to build his team to make a run this season, and for a while it looked as if they would do so, right now though its not looking good. This Texas Showdown will continue Tuesday as the Spurs come to town.

Also in the West, the Utah Jazz win 117 to 106 over the Denver Nuggets increasing their series lead to 3-1. Nuggets coach George Karl has had to watch his team play from his television set after his recent bout with cancer. He is still undergoing radiation treatments, and we can continue to hope he pulls through okay and eventually gets back on the Denver bench. The initial plan was that he would be back here in the playoffs, but now that is not likely. I wish George Karl a speedy recover, and as a JR Smith fan, also hope for a Nuggets recovery in the series. Side note, JR Smith is the most underrated player in the league, at times he can take over the game. But at other times he isn't very effective. I guess one of many reasons the Nuggets are looking at going home after the First Round.

In what was without question (IMO anyway) the best game from yesterday, DeWayne Wade and the Miami Heat fought for their playoff lives and has held on for one more game. The series will resume back in Boston, and that could ultimately send Wade and the Heat to the house. However, what Wade did in yesterday's game was nothing short of heroic. When you play basketball at this level, it is rare that single players take over a game enough that their team actually gets the win. Only the great ones can do it, and even they only do so every once in a while. Yesterday was one of those times. Going 46, 5 and 5 (points, rebounds, and assists) Wade loaded his team on his back and led them to a 101-92 victory. The way he controlled the second half, hmmm hmmm, the fourth quarter, it was clear that he would not end his season in Miami, at least not yesterday. Even though Quentin Richardson chipped in twenty points, it is clear Wade has little help in Miami. Top 3 pick and college superstar Michael Beasley has been nothing short of a bust, and with his lack there of work ethic doesn't seem like his games going to be changing all that much. I hate to say that because I like Michael Beasley and was a huge fan of what he done in high school and at K State. I guess that just shows you some guys like to win, and some guys just like the money. For the Celtics, Kentucky product and our boy Rajon Rondo put on a show in the first. He was the first half's anti-D Wade, but couldn't repeat his mastery in the second half, he finished with 23, 9, and 4 (points, assists, and rebounds) for the game. The Big Three (Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett) finished with a combined 49 (points).



Now I'm not a huge NASCAR fan by any means, but theres a couple things I do love about it. One is the extreme southernness/countryness of it. Two is the hardcore, bang it out, go almost 200mph racing. Three, the super pnarley wrecks (as long as no one is injured). Luckily Talladega has all three, key reason I actually watched more than just the last 5 laps (as I do most races I do watch). In what could be one of the best finishes we will see this year, Kevin Harvick nosed out teammate Jamie McMurray to grab his first win in over three years. The race had to be restarted three times in the last two laps (known in NASCAR as the Green White Checkers) after a caution had brought the race down from ten laps to two. The Green, White, Checkers format allows for up to three restarts, as long as a caution happens before the racers get back to the line before the white flag comes out signaling the last lap. After a couple of multi car wrecks, the third and last time was all that was needed for Harvick and McMurray to battle it out, Harvick not making his move until the last corner and crossing the line just mere feet ahead of McMurray. During a couple of the previous pile ups, rising tensions again grew to a boiling point between teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. If you do like NASCAR, you probably need to keep your eye on that, it is shaping up to be a huge rivalry. Dale Jr. finished 13th after being in contention to win during the first two Green/White/Cherckers runs. He sits at 8th in the point standings, and still remains primarily the only reason I care at all about NASCAR. Jimmie Johnson is your points leader, and is looking for his un heard of fifth championship in a row.



Of course there was also some Hockey and Baseball being played yesterday, and like last time I don't care enough to write about it. In Hockey, I watched the Olympics and I actually kind of got into it, as far as the NHL goes, not so much. And is it just me or does it always seem like its Hockey season? I mean what is it, do these guys get like a month off a year or something? Thankfully the NHL doesn't have a major network deal or else we would have to see or hear about it a lot more than we do. As for baseball, don't take it the wrong way, I love baseball, I really love baseball. May actually be my favorite sport. But again in a season that has 162 games not that many news worthy stories come out on a daily basis, at least not for me to write about That is unless I am going to be making fun of somebody, or discussing my hate for the Bankee's, I mean the Yankee's. My Cubs are off to a slow start, but after holding one of the best records in baseball the season before last, I am still holding firm to the notion this may be the season, and I will wait at least until the All-Star break before I worry. ATTENTION: If you plan on being a Cubs fan, prepare for a lot of heartache.


Remember playoff basketball again tonight, as well as some good baseball games. Oh and if your like me and like watching random tv shows, tune into the History Channel at 10pm and catch Pawn Stars.


On one last note, UK recuit and must have for the 2010 class Terrence Jones will be announcing his college choice Friday, April 30th. Jones' long time friend and former teammate gave his commitment to the University of Washington last night after a visit to the school. Many had believed Jones and Ross were maybe planning to attend the same school being they had discussed the matter amongst themselves quite a bit. The initial plan for both was to actually announce their choices at the same time, but now that Ross has already pulled the trigger for Washington, that may point to Jones heading elsewhere, possibly Kentucky???? One can only hope. So when you say your prayers tonight, as for Calipari to be able to land Terrence Jones, so once again UK can be competing for a Championship in basketball.





Also check us out on facebook, you can find it here... http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=100817673295759

That is all. Have a great rainy day, and a great hopefully sunny week.

Saturday Night Special

Well we are into Sunday morning now, and that can mean a lot of things. One thing that it means, and something I am not fond of, is that the weekend is almost over. As sad as that is, at least Saturday made for a great sporting day.

WEC 48: Aldo vs Faber turned out to be a success. The debut Pay-Per-View event for UFC's sister company lived up to its expectations. In my opinion anyway. The headline bout for the featherweight title went the distance, with Jose Aldo getting the decision over Urijah Faber. Faber the former champ, and WEC legend was dominated by the 23 year old Brazilian phenom for the entire fight. Aldo landed his leg kicks at will and basically chopped Faber down until he could barely walk. The leg kicks were so devastating that after the third round was over, Faber was carried into his corner. Then in the fourth Aldo caught Faber in a crucifix and pounded him with strikes for over a minute. Urijah Faber, as always, showed his heart and stuck it out before his hometown Sacramento crowd. I think many expected Aldo to win, but maybe not that convincingly. The win however just went to show how dominant the Brazilian truly is.

Also on the card, the Lightweight title was up for grabs with the rematch between Ben Henderson and Donald Cerrone. Henderson (the champion) won via submission from a guiotene choke early in the first round. The first matchup between these two was a five round war that resulted in being MMA's fight of the year in 2009. Many believed Donald Cerrone should have been awarded that fight, but tonight's outcome left little doubt. Cerrone, the former bull rider, and nicknamed the Cowboy, will be going back to his New Mexico ranch wondering what went wrong, as I am sure after the first fight he felt that the title could have been well within his reach tonight. Instead, Henderson remains the champion.

As shocking as the quick finish in the Henderson/Cerrone fight was, the most shocking moment of the night came not from the Pay-Per-View card, but instead the nationally telivised preliminary fight card aired on Spike TV. After numerous entertaining fights on the free card, the last before the Pay-Per-View event started was without question the fight of the night, and could be one of the greatest fights of all time. Leonard Garcia and Korean, Chan Sung Jung put on a show for the capacity crowd in Sacramento's Arco Arena. More importantly, they put on a show for millions watching at home for free on Spike TV. After basically exchanging blow for blow for all three five minute rounds, Garcia ended up being the winner by split decision. Garcia actually suffered a broken hand during the fight, but fought through it to earn the victory. Both fighters were caught with several vicious shots, but neither would quit until the final bell sounded. Even though Leonard Garcia was declared the winner, there were truly no losers in this one, as MMA fans can agree, they put on a show for the ages. That being the most shocking thing of the night to me, being one of the pre-lim fights ended up outshining the several big name Main Card acts.




Also rounding out the day....

Kevin Durant and the Thunder even the series with the Lakers back at two games apiece behind a strong bench performance. Final score being 110-89.

Brandon Roy made his return late for the Trailblazers, who ended up getting the win over the Phoenix Suns, and tying the series 2-2.

The Orlando Magic once again outlast the Charlotte Bobcats, setting them up for a potential sweep. They lead the series 3-0.

Also around the NBA, the surprising young Milwaukee Bucks win their first playoff game against the Atlanta Hawks, but still trail 2-1 in the series.


In football news, the biggest being the wrap up of the NFL Draft. This year was the first year of the new three day draft format, and for the first time in years the draft will not conclude on Sunday evening. For a complete run down of the draft you can see the picks here... http://www.nfl.com/draft/2010

In the Bluegrass, the most important football news without a doubt was today's Spring Blue-White game, and former Wildcats going in the draft. Among those to hear their names called were Corey Peters, Trevard Lindley, and John Conner. Not drafted, but signing free agent deals were running back Alfonso Smith, and O-Lineman Justin Jefferies. As for the Blue-White game, RB Donald Russell impressed with his 118 yards and two touchdowns. Thus showing Cat fans that Locke and Cobb may not be the only playmakers we see on offense next season. As for the defense, as expected, Danny Trevathan stepped up and did what we expect Danny Trevathan to do. After the loss of Micah Johnson, his play will be crucial in continuing the success Kentucky's defense saw last year. As stated earlier, to no surprise the race for the starting QB job will venture on into the summer. Some may consider Redshirt freshman Ryan Mossakowski to be the dark horse, but I look for him to at least see the field if not win the starting job. Kids got a great arm, and a great feel for the game.





Of course there was some playoff hockey and baseball going on today, but if your on here looking for hockey updates you may not want to come back. As far as baseball goes, I love it, but in a sport that sees 162 regular season games, not much to really say. You want the scores? Well look to your Sunday paper in the morning. :) Although seeing that cat from the Reds chuck the ball into the stands with only two outs was pretty funny, not too mention seeing two base runners get picked off by the pitcher. But with the way the Cubs have played this season, I really cannot say much.

Pierce with Game Winner, more games on the NBA slate today....

With last nights game tied at 98, Celtic's wing Paul Pierce pulled up in the final seconds and hit a clutch jumper at the buzzer to win it and give Boston the 3-0 edge over the Miami Heat. In what was a great game to watch, that saw back and forth action and thunderous dunks and nifty buckets all night, Pierce was the one with the ball in his hands at the end. He delivered, showing us why it is still okay to call him by his nickname, "The Truth". The truth however, is that Miami superstar guard (and former Kentucky Wildcat killer) DeWayne Wade had the ball in his hands with under twenty seconds to go and a chance to win the game. Wade who finished with 34 pts, 8 ast, 5 rebs, had to watch his three point attempt collect iron, but what he was about to watch made it even worst. With the buzzer sounding as Pierce's shot next trip down the floor went in, the buzzer may have also sounded on the Heat's season. No team has ever came back from being down 3-0 in the NBA playoffs, and with the way the Celtics have came together and started playing, it will be tough to get a couple games from them, much less four.

“We’re going to be a team that’s tough to beat four times,” Pierce said. “But it’s very demoralizing, I think, for the other team when you go down 3-0.”

The Celtics, plagued by injuries the past two seasons have been under immense scrutiny following their Championship just two seasons ago. Having to hear about how everyone is getting old and past their prime maybe just the fuel they need to make a run deep in the post season once again. Quite frankly, the Celtics aren't getting any younger, and no matter what this year's playoff run holds, may want to look to overhaul the roster in the offseason. Boston GM Danny Ainge locked up former Cat and point guard Rajon Rondo earlier in the season with a multi year deal. However, the three amigos as they are known (Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett) are all getting into their thirties. It could be this age and experience though that may give them the edge to battle through the Eastern Division and bring back another championship.

In game three Pierce finished with 32 pts, and 8 rebs. Ray Allen added 25 (points) and 5 (assists), while Rondo finished with 17 pts 5 rebs, and 8 asts. For the Heat Michael Beasley also added sixteen points. The lack of another key contributor though is what makes it hard for the Miami Heat to contend and may be what ultimately drives D Wade out of South Beach this offseason. But, the allure of playing with him may just bring in the help he needs. It shall be an interesting offseason to say the least.





Also around the league today, Saturday, April 24th, in playoff action, The Charlotte Bobcats are playing host to the Orlando Magic. That game is underway and in the second quarter, Magic lead the series 2-0. Phoenix is at Portland, that game at 4:30 with the Suns leading the series 2-1. The Atlanta Hawks will look to push their series lead to 3-0 as they travel to Milwaukee and take on the upstart Bucks at 7:00. The final game of the night is the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lakers lead the series 2-1, game starts at 9:30.

Those Other Cats....

With so much attention to Calipari's team last season, and his upcoming team for next season, Joker Phillips' guys are often overlooked. Much has changed since Rich Brooks stepped down and turned the program over to longtime assistant and confidant Joker Phillips. Phillips has coined the program with phrases such as "Operation Win", and has added a foliage of military terminology to the team. Instead of Special Teams, we now have a "Special Forces" unit. None-the-less, the troops march into battle today at Commonwealth for the annual Blue-White Spring Game. The game is on going and you can listen via the Big Blue Sports Network. The game has also taken on a different format this year. Instead of dividing into two separate teams, it will just be Offense vs Defense. The Offensive scoring system will stay the same (6 pts TD, 3 pts FG, 1 pt Ex pt) but will also be given a point for ever first down. The Defense on the otherhand will be filling the scoreboard with 10 pts for every defensive touchdown. Three points for every three and out, six points for every turnover, two points for a fourth down stop, and one point for forcing a punt. The quarterback battle is still on going, and likely will heat on into the summer. Indications are that redshirt freshman Ryan Mossakowski is making up a lot of ground on last season starters Mike Hartline and Morgan Newton, and may actually un seat the two of them. Obviously the main ingredient to the Kentucky offense this season though will be Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, the two most prolific playmakers from last years squad. Other offensive storylines will be how the offense will replace four lineman lost to graduation, and the transition of tailback Moncell, "The Turtleman", Allen to fullback replacing another great nickname (and fullback) John (The Terminator) Conner. The defense will return seven starters next season, but will be hit at every point losing key D-Lineman Corey Peters, Middle Linebacker Micah Johnson, and shutdown corner Trevard Lindley.


Speaking of some of the standout players (soldiers) who will not be returning to Joker's squadron, congratulations is in order. Defensive Tackle Corey Peters was selected in the third round of the NFL draft Friday night at pick #83 by the Atlanta Falcons. Joining Peters is cornerback Trevard Lindley who was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round, and pick #105. John Conner (fullback) was also selected, being picked up by the Jets in the fifth round at pick #139 overall. Micah Johnson remains on the board mid way through the six round, but it is likely he will end up making an NFL roster before the season starts. If not drafted today, look for him to sign as a free agent, possibly as early as tomorrow. I want to be one of many who wishes these former Cats nothing but the best, and hope to see them making an impact on the highest level of football sometime very soon.

Aldo vs Faber

For the first time in company history, the WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) is coming to pay per view. Tomorrow night, April 24th, Featherweight Champ Jose Aldo will defend his belt against WEC legend Urijah Faber. The WEC is the sister company to the UFC and hosts events predominantly in the smaller weight classes of MMA. The biggest weight class in the WEC is its Lightweight division (155lbs), which also happens to be the smallest weight class in older brother UFC. The featherweight division (145lbs), and bantamweight (135lbs) divisions are not present in the UFC and are unique to WEC. One of the main reasons Zuffa (the parent company of both) keeps the two organizations seperate.

Although not as exposed as the UFC, the WEC is still packed full of action. Much like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have shown boxing fans, tomorrow nights PPV will show viewers these little guys can fight as well. In my opinion lightweight/featherweight fights are usually more exciting and explosive as compared to Light Heavyweight/etc, and Zuffa could not have picked a better time to showcase this as the main event pits two extrordinary talents.

Defending the belt is phenom Jose Aldo, a guy who hasn't lost in over five years. Although this is his first title defense, don't look for Jose to be shaken by the pressure. After dismantling the entire featherweight division on his way to un sitting champion Mike Brown, the MMA world took notice. With his incredible speed and vicious knockouts, Aldo has been a machine. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Aldo hasn't even let his ground game shine through, for his last six fights have all ended by horrendous TKO. To make it short and get to the point, Jose Aldo is a very bad man, and as a kid coming from the slums of Brazil, is not looking to lose his belt any time soon.

Facing Aldo is what you can consider the face of the WEC, the "California Kid" Urijah Faber. Faber, the featherweight legend seeks to reclaim his spot atop the division once again. After suffering his first title loss in five defenses to Mike Brown in 2008, Faber has been hungry to regain what is his. After choking out former UFC lightweight champ Jens Pulver, Faber got his rematch against Brown. During the fight, Urijah ended up breaking bones in his right hand, and dislocated his left thumb. When most fighters would have packed up and threw in the towel, Urijah kept going relying solely on getting close enough for kicks and elbow strikes. Although losing a decision, Faber gained respect. Anybody who still fights with broken hands has to have a ton of heart, and with Urijah Faber, he is all heart.

Eventually Brown lost the belt to Aldo, and after long rehabilitation for his hands, Faber returned better than ever with a submission victory over Raphael Assuncao back in January. Which brings us to Saturday night.


Faber recently stated "I don't care about the belt, I only care about being the best in the world. Right now Jose Aldo is the best in the world, and if I want to regain that title, I have to rip it from him."

That is what Faber will try to do, as the best that has ever fought in the division will go toe to toe with the divisions newest phenom. Ironically, Jose Aldo wanted the fight in Sacramento California's Arco Arena. Sac Town is the home of Faber, and everytime he fights at Arco its nothing but love. If that doesn't say anything about Jose Aldo, then I don't know what does. No matter what though, fight fans are going to be treated for something special tomorrow night during WEC's coming out party. Also on the card is a fight for the Lightweight belt as Ben Henderson defends against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. You can catch the prelim fights on Spike TV, and be sure to watch the main card on PPV. Again, its going to be a great night of fights.

"The Calipari Effect"

Do you realize that if Billy Gillespie was still coaching the Wildcats that this years incoming recruiting class would look like, Dakotah Euton (NR 2*), KC Ross Miller (Rivals #148 3*), Dominique Ferguson (Rivals #40 4*) and lord knows who else. To make matters worst you more than likely would not have Darius Miller or DeAndre Liggins returning to the squad for their Junior seasons. Ferguson was touted as the prize Gillespie recruit after he sealed a commitment from the Indianapolis product as a junior. Dominique's game at the time was enough to have him as a top ten player, and a guy UK fans couldn't wait to get on campus. Flash forward to now, Ferguson sits at 40th in the land according to Rivals, and that more than likely being a generous spot. Instead of working to improve his game at one of Indiana's brightest basketball schools, Ferguson's attitude resulted in him switching schools and enrolling at Virgnia's Hargrave Military Academy. Many question where Ferguson's head is at, and the questions aren't going away after he committed to play for Isiah Thomas at Florida International. Euton on the otherhand, a Kentucky product, will play his basketball at Akron. Ross-Miller, will likely end up playing a couple of games at Rupp Arena, but will be doing it as a LSU Tiger. Upon John Calipari's arrival in Lexington, he decided not to go after any of the recruits, at the time the decision not to continue the recruitment of Ferguson was questioned, but now it is just an after thought as it appears Dominique may only cause friction for what ever squad he ends up playing for. The main reason though people have forgotten all about Gillespie's prize recruit; {and at the time the highest rated recruit to give a verbal to Kentucky since 2004's Joe Crawford (Rivals #9)}simple, I call it the "Calipari Effect"

John Calipari has always been a great recruiter. From his days at UMASS, where he brought in and led to the Final Four, star center and long time NBA vet, Marcus Camby. To Memphis where he brought in future NBA'ers like Dajuan Wagner, Rodney Carney, Joey Dorsey, Chris Douglas-Roberts, number one draft pick and NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose, and number four NBA pick in last years draft, Tyreke Evans. In the past Cal brought on a reputation of bringing in questionable guys with questionable character, however, there was no question whether or not some of these guys had talent. Obviously, they did. The most important thing though was he was getting all of this talent to come to Memphis, yes, that Memphis. Then something big happened. Something that some said would shake up the world of college basketball as we know it, and its happening now. The prophecies are being fulfilled, and now the nation can bare witness to what happens when you mix one of the all time great recruiters with the all time greatest college basketball program.

John Cal made quick work when he first arrived to Lexington. He sent some players out the door, then brought in what was considered one of the greatest classes of all time. For the first time since recruiting services put out rankings, Calipari landed the nations two top players (according to Rivals.com) in the class of 2009, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. Ironically enough, Wall and Cousins may both be selected one and two respectively in the upcoming NBA Draft, having only spent one season under Calipari at Kentucky. For Wall, this is nothing new. Calipari's previous two point guards were one and doners and top five picks as well. Rose being the number one pick in the 2008 draft, and 2007-2008 NBA Rookie of the Year. Tyreke Evans, the number four pick in the 2009 draft, and Rookie of the Year candidate this season. Wall will make three straight, and more than likely give two out of the three number one pick honors, and quite possibly make it a clean sweep or at least 2/3 for the Rookie of the Year Award as well. It's just what Cal does, he develops point guards and gets them into the league. If those three aren't examples enough, then you can look to Eric Bledsoe who was the 23rd ranked player according to Rivals (3rd best PG)coming out of high school. Bledsoe a guy many thought would never come to Kentucky because of John Wall, surprised everybody, and with Wall provided one of the most dangerous back courts in college basketball last season. He too only spending one year under Calipari felt it was time to chase his dream and enter the NBA draft, where he is projected to go mid to late first round. You can ask anyone in the recruiting industry if they thought Bledsoe would be a one and done player, and I would guarantee the answer would be no. Most felt he was at least going to be in Lexington for two or more years, but like Wall and Cousins, he too will be leaving after just one season.

Just when you thought Calipari was running out of freshman, Oklahoma City big man and Rivals 22nd ranked player, Daniel Orton also put his name in this years NBA draft. What makes that so special, well for one, Orton was not even a starter on this past season's Kentucky squad, and rarely penciled more than fifteen to twenty minutes a game. Those minutes were all Orton needed though to show what he could do, and obviously should be enough to ensure him as a first round pick in the draft. Orton rounds out a total of four freshman who will be leaving Lexington and playing pro ball, throw in Patrick Patterson, who was a Tubby Smith/Gillespie recruit, then you have five guys going to the draft, and five guys who will be first round picks.

So what does that say to current high school blue chippers? Obviously they are learning Calipari can get them to the next level, but what else is so special about Lexington, a place in which top 25 recruits had been rare over most of this decade? The answer is John Calipari himself. Already a recruiting genius, you give him a multi-million dollar practice facility to work with. The cathedral of college basketball in Rupp Arena. A trophy case filled with National Titles, along with more SEC's than you can count. A rep sheet that has your team with more wins than any program in college basketball. And last but not least, the heartbeat behind it all, a passionate fan base who spreads worldwide and bleeds blue. A fan base that puts 23,000+ in the seats for an exhibition game against Mountain Bible Prep. I mean it is what it is. Kentucky is bar none, one of the greatest programs going, regardless of wins and losses. Just from a business standpoint, Kentucky has more resources going for its basketball program than most universities have for their entire university. You give John Calipari the reigns to this giant, and what you get is the "Calipari Effect". Combined the two cannot be stopped, and this is what is happening.

In this years class, Calipari has already locked up Rivals #1 player, Brandon Knight. Knight a two time Gatorade National Player of the Year, and only the third player in history to be able to say that. You want to know how special that is, well one of the other two is Lebron James. Cal has also brought in Turkish phenom Enes Kanter, a kid destined for a long stint in the NBA. Earlier this month Kanter broke Dirk Nowitzki's Nike Hoop Summit scoring record by putting in 34 as the world team lost to Knight and team USA. What Kanter showed the world though was that he could play, and more than likely that he will not be playing in Lexington for long, not with Calipari coaching him at least. Joining the two will be wing players Doron Lamb (Rivals #21 5*) and Stacey Poole Jr (Rivals # 27 and 4* fringe 5*). Also on the radar is five star top fifteen players Terrence Jones, and CJ Leslie. One thing to keep in mind is that rivals has not updated their rankings to what will be their final rankings, so some of these players are subject to increase their rank even higher. Another to keep in mind is John Calipari has only been coaching the University of Kentucky for a little over thirteen months. Sometimes it takes coaches years to build a solid foundation. Calipari has already built a star studded foundation, lost it to the NBA, and is building another.


The most impressive thing to date though is what Calipari is doing in the class of 2011. Thursday, Pike High School (Indianapolis) star Marquis Teague (Rivals #2), and brother of Atlanta Hawk/Wake Forrest star Jeff Teague, announced he would be playing his college ball at Kentucky. This was a commitment that showed the basketball world just how powerful the "Calipari Effect" really is. Teague had long thought to been Louisville bound. Card coach Rick Pitino had been recruiting Marquis for over two years, even hiring one of Teagues high school coaches as an assistant on the UL coaching staff. Adding to the bond was the fact Teagues father and uncle had played under Pitino at Boston. Needless to say, the relationship was strong. It looked inpenetrateable, but Calipari broke through the force field, and stole one from Pitino. A blow that could ultimately be the demise of Pitino at Louisville. I mean Teague was the big fish that Rick P had to catch, and not only did it get off the line, but will be floating around in Kentucky's exotic, well purified tank. The Teague commitment really showed how strong of a recruiting team Calipari and Kentucky make.

Joining Teague is St. Patrick New Jersey wing Michael Gilchrist. A player many tabbed the best in high school basketball, regardless of class. Gilchrist is the undisputed number one prospect in the class of 2011, and its not looking like that will change. Like Teague, Gilchrist is headed toward NBA greatness, but not before a stop off in Lexington, to see a guy who will get him polished up and ready. Remeber earlier I said Calipari was the first to get the top two players in the same class to play for the same college team? Well in 2011 it will be happening again, for the second time in two years. You have something that was unheard of, Cal lands at Kentucky and it is a normal occurrence. There's still a long way to go though, but instead of having to worry about losing these two players to other teams, the only worry is who will be joining them, and that's not really a worry. Before it is all said and done, Kentucky will likely add rivals #3 overall player Qunicy Miller, and possibly Rivals #9 overall player Anthony (Tony) Wroten Jr. Both Miller and Wroten have gushed about Kentucky. Miller who has already been offered will likely choose between Duke, UK, and North Carolina. If he does what many thinks he will do, that will give Kentucky the first ever class with the top three players respectively. Although an offer has not yet been presented to Wroten Jr, if there is, indications are that he would accept. If your keeping score, that's 4 top 10 guys in the same class, following two previos top 3 classes. Cal could also look to add guys such as Michael Chandler (Rivals #10, #2 center prospect), Adonis Thomas (Rivals #11, #4 Small Forward prospect), Johnny O'Bryant (Rivals #12, #3 PF prospect), Demian Leonard (Rivals #14), or Quinn Cook (Rivals #20). All who list Kentucky, and all who are showing a lot of love toward Kentucky and Calipari. What we are about to see in the 2011 class is something that has never been seen before in college basketball. The likelyhood of having the best freshman class in the history of college basketball is almost certain. Although only speculation, there could be no player in that class ranked under twentieth in the nation, in a class that could include four to six players. That is crazy, I mean just sit back and think about that for a minute, crazy.

If you think the magic will stop there though, it doesn't look like it. Instead the "Calipari Effect" seems to be spreading, and if you are a budding young high school star, it may be coming to a living room near you. The more kids see others like them be successful, the more they want to follow in the same footsteps. It's like outlining a path to greatness for someone, then all they have to do is follow it. That is what is happening at Kentucky. No longer will we have to celebrate finally landing a couple top 50 players. Instead, we can talk about how our recruiting classes only consist of guys who are in the top 50. Many stated when the hire was made that in a couple of years that it would not even been fair. Well, its looking like it will not be fair, but as a Kentucky fan, how can you not want anything else? While other coaches are filling kids heads with things they can or cannot do for them. John Calipari can simply say, if you come here, and if your willing to work, I can put you in the league, we can win championships. Although the championship part hasn't happened yet, its looking like it may happen soon. As for the NBA part, Kentucky fans get used to having to keep up with multiple NBA teams, cause thanks to the "Calipari Effect", UK will be well represented in the league for years to come. Cal knows how to get through to kids, he relates to them, and they respond back. It's like a new fad, all the top kids want to play for Kentucky now, and believe me, its not a coincidence.

Dez Bryant A Cowboy

Sitting at pick number 27, the thought of Oklahoma State playmaker, and Lufkin Texas native Dez Bryant still being there was not even in Jerry Jones' head. Bryant, widely considered one of the top ten players in this years draft(best wide receiver), saw his stock free falling the entire night, until finally he landed in Dallas at pick number twenty four. Once Jones saw that Bryant could be in reaching distance he could not sit still, nor could anyone else in the Cowboy war room. One person stated that there was an awfully lot of twitching going on once we got down to around the twentieth pick and Bryant was still on the board. That twitching blended with a whole lot of chatter and phone calls, and eventually led to the Cowboys trading up from 27th to 24th in order to snatch Bryant. Even though some thought he was a top ten pick, Bryant was not discouraged. Stating.
"When I fell to the Cowboys, that's the best thing that ever happened to me," he said. "I'm so happy I got picked and it doesn't matter where I got picked. I'm excited and I'm ready to go to work."
The joy was evident, Bryant the Texas native, grew up a Cowboys fan, and dreamed of one day playing for the Cowboys, now that dream has came true. Although expecting his name to be called much higher, Bryant couldn't be happier with how everything worked out. Jerry Jones on the otherhand couldn't be happier either,
"We have a great incentive and a huge reason to really make this work," Jones said. "And I think that what this can bring to our offense is worth whatever maintenance we have here, if you want to describe it that way.
Basically what Jones meant by that has to do with the veteran offense that will be around Bryant, and how that will work now he is in the mix. The Cowboys gave up a lot to bring in Roy Williams, a move that hasn't exactly paid off yet. After the emergence of Miles Austin last season, it really begs the question as to what will happen with Williams, and veteran Patrick Crayton. None the less, Jones stated Roy Williams had nothing to fear about his job, and we can all assume the tandem of Williams, Austin, Witten, and now Bryant will make for a lot of dangerous targets for QB Tony Romo to throw to. Not to mention speedster Felix Jones coming out of the backfield, mixed with the power running attack of Marion Barber, and do it all back Tashard Choice.
There was a lot of questions about Bryant leading up to the draft that ultimately led him to fall to Dallas. After missing all but three games last season for the Oklahoma State Cowboys due to NCAA suspension, a lot of eye brows were raised. However, Bryant has no criminal history, or any indication of showing bad character. What Dez Bryant was punished for though was not coming clean about meetings and workout with former Cowboy and NFL star Deion Sanders. No one knows for sure, but in a couple years there may be about twenty three teams who wish they would have taken Bryant, until then we will just have to see how it goes. From being a life long Cowboy fan, to working with a Cowboy great, Bryant may cap off his affair with the Boys by wearing the number of the greatest Cowboys receiver, Michael Irvins 88. So with Dez Bryant it all comes full circle in Dallas, and I guess if your once a Cowboy your always a Cowboy. One things for sure, Bryant cannot wait to get to Valley Ranch and go to work.
So in the end, it looks like everybodys happy, although I'm not sure who may be the happiest. As a Cowboys fan, I have to be towards the top somewhere, being I have wanted Jones to draft a top level receiver for over a decade now. One things for sure though, Jones always gets a lot of value out of his picks, and this time I think he got the most value pick number 24 could have got. So as the draft ventures into its second night, Jones and the Cowboys staff will look to address more needs that hopefully translate into a Super Bowl season. One things for sure, a play making Wide-Out/Return Man is not one of those, for in Bryant they got just that.

A Year Ago and A Year From Now

How many times have you heard the expression, "What a difference a year makes?" If your like me, you've heard it more times than you ever really want to hear it, especially the older you get (and the faster you slip into your 20's and away from the glorious days of youth). But in terms of Kentucky Basketball, no phrase better fits the situation. Roughly over a year ago today, Kentucky Basketball was in a state of misery. Not only did the CATS not make the tournament (for the first time in 17 seasons), they were put out of the NIT before even making it to Madison Square Garden. More importantly it looked like a mass exodus was going to happen being that most on the Gillespie torn team had experienced enough. Patterson would have more than certainly entered the NBA draft. Liggins and Miller both were likely subjects of transfer. Even seniors to be like Ramon Harris and Perry Stevenson had their fill of Billy Clyde and were contemplating a change in scenery. Then, to the delight of Big Blue Nation, UK President Dr. Lee Todd and Athletics Director Mitch Barnhardt made the decision to cut Gillespie loose after two painful seasons. Seasons that saw loses to the likes of Gardner Webb, VMI, and Georgia at home. As well as a monumental beat down to Vandy, that saw Josh Harrellson have to make the trip from Nashville to Lexington in the back of the equipment truck. Even more thrilling than the firing of Billy Gillespie was the hiring of John Calipari. Cal as we all know kept everyone around, well not everyone. But convinced sophomore Patrick Patterson to return for his Junior season, as well as convincing sophomores to be DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller to stay. Apart from the casualties of shipping out Billy G holdovers Matt Pilgrim, AJ Stewart, Kevin Galloway, then losing Michael Porter to graduation, and standout Jodie Meeks to the draft, Calipari had to bring in players and bring them in fast. In a little over a month, he assembled what many say is one of the greatest recruiting classes of all time. A class that brought the likes of five star prospects DeMarcus Cousins (Rivals #2 player), Daniel Orton, Eric Bledsoe, and four star players John Hood, and Darnell Dodson. The cornerstone of the class though was in John Wall, a player who would transcend the point guard position, and a player who would automatically make Kentucky relevant again. Wall, (Rivals #1 of the class of 09) the native of Raleigh NC, chose Kentucky over Duke, Florida, and Miami. So basically in a little over a month John Calipari reconstructed the entire Kentucky roster, and with a group made up of mostly freshman lead them into the first season of a new era. I don't have to get into how that all turned out, you guys know the story. 35-3, SEC regular season and tournament titles. Upsetting loss to West Virginia in the Elite 8, Wall, Cousins, Patterson, Orton, and Bledsoe all declare for the draft.
So now its on to year two, and once again John Calipari is having to reconstruct almost an entire roster. With it looking like only Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins, John Hood, and Josh Harrellson to be the only returning players, Cal has once again reloaded the talent. To replace John Wall, Calipari landed, Rivals #1 player in the class of 2010, McDonalds All-American, Two Time Gatorade National Player of the Year (only third player to do so outside of Greg Oden and Lebron James) Ft. Lauderdale Florida, Pine Crest standout Brandon Knight. Knight is not the same player as Wall, not even in the same category, but he is one that will fit perfectly into Cal's Drible Drive Motion offense. An offense that wasn't utilized for much of last season, given the team was not adequately suited for it. Joining Knight on the wing is fellow five star prospect, Doron Lamb, a NYC native, and Oak Hill Academy standout. Lamb's coach, Steve Smith, has stated that Lamb could be the best shooting guard he has ever coached. That says a lot considering the talent that has run through Mouth of Wilson Va. (location of Oak Hill Academy). Talent ranging from Carmelo Anthony, to Kevin Durant, to Josh Smith, to Rajon Rondo, to, well just google if you want to know the rest. But, point is, Steve Smith has coached talent, and his high praise on Lamb says a lot.
With a couple guys coming in to replace this years back court, there is still upwards of 6-7 spots Calipari can fill. For one of those spots he looked to the first commit of the class for Kentucky in 6'5'' wing Stacey Poole Jr. from Jacksonville Florida. Poole will add that big bodied, strong slasher who Calipari loves. Although not a five star prospect by Rivals or Scout, Poole is a high four star straddling the fence that separates five star and four star players. Now what is really going to be tough for John Cal to replace is the post presence that 1st Team All-American DeMarcus Cousins presented down low. Not to mention losing Daniel Orton who also helped bolster what was as tough as an interior as you could find in college basketball. Filling the void, Enes Kanter, a Turkish native and WWE Undertaker enthusiest. Since only arriving in America only around a year and a half ago, not much was known about Kanter. However, in this years Nike Hoop Summit he showed the world what he could do by putting up 34 points and double digit boards. The 34 point performance broke the Hoop Summit record previously held by Dirk Nowitzki. Before the performance everyone knew he could play, but the Nike Hoop Summit clinic held by Big Enes just proved it. It is also likely to catapult him into the top ten of Rivals.com's final rankings. Kanter, who played on a professional team in his Native Turkey still faces eligibility issues. Kanter was not payed to be on the team, but was provided with apparel and lodging. Last season Denis Kilitci, a former Turkish teammate of Kanter had to sit out 22 games for Bob Huggins' West Virgnia club. However, the NCAA rules committee are contemplating changing the structure of foreign players eligibility and declaring them eligible without suspension as long as no money exchanged hands. This is a good thing for Kentucky, and likely will cause Enes to be able to play right away opposed from his Turkish counterpart Kilitci.
So once again it is obvious, Calipari can get it done. Once again, in little over a month Calipari has lost several players from the previous years squad, but added incoming talented freshman to take their place. There are still several Kentucky prospects still on the board and with the mid May signing deadline a few weeks away, Cal still has room to add more. The most precious of these is Portland Jefferson standout Terrence Jones. Jones a 6'8'' forward can do it all. He can work from the perimeter, and also work you in the paint. He is a lefty with a huge motor, and gets after it on the defensive end as well. He is the perfect Calipari player. If there was a John Calipari DDM offense mold, Jones would likely be the first prototype to come out of that mold. Jones' has stated he loves the system John Calipari runs in Kentucky and loves how he would fit into it, but the big question is whether or not he is willing to leave the West Coast. As of right now Oregon, Washington, Oklahoma, and UCLA remains on Jones' list, with Kansas also trying to sniff their way back in. I expect it to come down to Washington, Kentucky, and Oregon, and hope he can make the trip out east. This class still needs a body to replace the production Patrick Patterson gave, and Jones would be the guy. If Cal misses on him, there is still another five star McD's all american out there in CJ Leslie. Leslie, a former high school teammate of John Wall at Word of God Academy in Raleigh has developed a high interest in the Cats. However, he also has strong ties to his hometown school, NC State, a school he was previously committed too. UCONN is also in the mix, and CJ is set to take a visit there this weekend. He or Jones would be very key pieces to next years puzzle, and getting one of them is almost essential. Both would be ideal, and a bit of a dream scenario, but with Calipari you can never rule anything like that out. Jones is set to make his decision next Friday on April 30th, Leslie has not expressed when he will make a college decision, although many speculate it may be soon.
If Cal strikes out on Jones and Leslie, look for Georgia Mr. Basketball Marcus Thornton to be the guy. Also on the radar are available prospects Terrence Ross (friend and former teammate of Terrence Jones, also announcing on the 30th), and Chris Hill. If anything else emerges you know you can see it here. But basically what I am trying to say with all of this rambling is what a difference a year makes. Ironically this past team looked nothing like the Gillespie lead team the year before, and next seasons team will look very different than this years team. You can expect to see a whole lot more dribble drive next year, and you can also expect to see a lot more three point shots to fall, something that plagued Kentucky last season. With so much talent coming in and out of Lexington, look for this to become a trend, and get used to the phrase, "What a difference a year makes". Because it sure is crazy if you really sit down and think, what a difference a year really makes recently for Kentucky basketball.

Wall Balled

As expected, John Wall announced to the Lexington media this morning that he would be entering the NBA draft. Of course to anyone who knows anything about basketball this was not a surprise. One, being he had already submitted his NBA paperwork. Two, being he has been touted as the likely number one pick in the NBA draft for the last two years now. As much as I will miss Wall playing his games in Rupp Arena, I will enjoy the memories of the season Wall did spend in Lexington. I was sitting about five rows off the floor when Liggins delivered a nice lob to Wall for a sick oop dunk against Tennessee, it happens like ten feet in front of me. As much as I will remember that experience, I will also never forget all the times I secretly done the John Wall dance while no one was looking, nor will I forget the times I got jacked up listening to Drakes "Forever" (one of the songs/themes for this years Big Blue Madness or at least one I couldn't hear without thinking of UK basketball) before the game came on. Although in many peoples eyes, the run fell a little short of where it should have, a 35-3 season all the while restoring the KENTUCKY brand is good enough for me. Of course this wouldn't have been possible without Wall, and we may go decades before we see another like him (although Teague will be close). There's just so much I could say, or so many things I could bring up in order to show my thankfulness for number eleven. However, I'm trying my best to keep it short and sweet. Basically all I am trying to say is that this season was one of the most memorable/enjoyable seasons of Kentucky Basketball I have ever witnessed. Wall is/was an instant superstar and a joy to actually watch play with Kentucky across his chest. For years I envied the teams pulling in stars like the Durants, Odens, Mayo's, Beasley's, etc. But this year we finally got a star to call our own, and along with Cousins don't think would trade for anyone. As Wall and company finally gave Big Blue Nation something to look forward to, as they move on to the next level, the next group of talented frosh will be hard pressed to try and take their place. I have a feeling Brandon Knight will be special, but a John Wall he will not be. So all I'm really trying to say is thanks John Wall, I'm sure I'll still bust a John Wall dance every now and then as you are destined to do your thing in the NBA. Thanks for giving us a season to remember and for bringing that swag back to the big blue. To help sum it all up for me, I'm just going to defer to this guy. I couldn;t believe I hadn't saw this until recently, especially considering all the John Wall youtube videos I have seen. After watching countless John Wall generic rap videos, I think this one says it best. I mean hey, if a hard rockin harmonica don't get ya what will?

Back At it.......

Ya know, I'm a realist. I understand that this blog saw hardly any hits at all when I created it around this same time last year. However, I didn't exactly get the word out either. Thanks to a hectic summer filled with slowpitch softball, golf, work (and in that order)and a winter filled with classes and even more chaos, the blog sit dormant for almost an entire year. It started out great and my posts came by the bunches, but then it all came to an end. Kind of like a bear going into hibernation or something. But with a year that saw my beloved Kentucky Wildcats go from average back to their righteous spot atop college basketball royalty. A year in which we got to enjoy the likes of Wall and Cousins, but suffered watching Duke win our (UK) championship. A year in which the Saints won the Super Bowl, WHO DAT!, Yankess win a world series (puke). A year where the SEC stayed dominant in college football, with Bama getting back on top. A year of Tiger stepping away from golf after apparently stepping into the bedroom with about 30 different women. A year in which Jimmy Johnson win the Winston Cup, Sprint Cup, whatever it is now for like the nineteenth time in a row or something. A year Kobe finally won a ring without Shaq. And last but not least, a year of sports and life in general that I enjoyed, and I'm sure you did as well, but a year without me posting anything for you on this blog. BUT, that is about to change, and I am currently whipping the dust off as we speak. Lot of stuff been going on, and it seems like I'm picking up about where I started last year, so lets get to it and see what happens this time, I promise not to disappear on you again. (well ill try not anyway). In case you do like to read some of my stuff, of course you can go back and read some of the older posts from last year, just to bring back some memories or something, I dunno. And if you really do like to read some of this, and are not just saying that, then please spread the word and lets get this place jumpin.

Yours Truly

Johnnie Mac Jackson