A Sea Of Blue

SEC Baseball Tournament: Kentucky Wildcats 1 vs. Mississippi St. Bulldogs 2 - Postgame

2012-05-26T20:22:24Z

The Kentucky Wildcats went down to the Mississippi St. Bulldogs 2-1 in Hoover, Alabama this afternoon in the SEC baseball tournament semifinal. The Wildcats were trying to reach the SEC tournament final for the first time since it has been in Hoover, but they fail in a tightly-contested game.

Kentucky played well, but they just could not put together enough hits in succession to get any runs across. Kentucky managed eight hits in the game, but stranded runners on base inning after inning, particularly in the later innings. It was an incredibly frustrating game for Kentucky, including stranding the tying run at third in the ninth with the leadoff batter and Freshman of the Year, Austin Cousino, at the plate, when Cousino popped out to shortstop to end the game. Corey Littrell is charged with the loss, the win probably goes to Nick Routt who worked 3.1 innings for the Bulldogs.

Three times in the last three innings, the Wildcats had the tying run in scoring position, but simply couldn't plate a run. Credit MSU's pitching staff, who really got the job done and now have played five straight days to get into the final. Despite the victory on Thursday, it seems that John Cohen still owns Gary Henderson from a coaching standpoint. A frustrating loss for Kentucky, but they will almost certainly host a regional, although they will equally certainly not receive a national seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

The star of the game today for Kentucky had to be J.T. Riddle, who went 3 for 4 with a home run. He hit his final ball hard that could have brought home a run, but it was caught near the warning track for the third out in the 8th.

Overall, Kentucky's pitching staff did a great job as well, this was just one of those tough, one-run games that you hate to see either team lose if you don't have a partisan affiliation. MSU had two harmless errors, although their last one could have been costly as it put a runner on third with 2 outs in the 9th. But overall, this was a cleanly played game, and even the errors were cases of very difficult plays that the players couldn't quite pull off.

Congratulations to the Bulldogs, who will face the Florida Gators or Vanderbilt Commodores tomorrow in the SEC Tournament final. The Wildcats will go home, lick their wounds, and get ready for the big one.

SEC Baseball Tournament: Kentucky Wildcats (4) @ Mississippi St. Bulldogs (3) - Tournament Semifinal 1 Open Thread

2012-05-26T16:02:05Z

Today at noon (1:00 PM EDT) in Hoover, Alabama, the Kentucky Wildcats take on the Mississippi St. Bulldogs in the first semifinal game of the 2012 SEC Tournament. This is a very big game, because the loser of this one is out, and the winner goes on to meet the winner of the Florida Gators, who ousted then national champ South Carolina Gamecocks yesterday, and the Vanderbilt Commodores, who defeated Florida Thursday but, like UK-MSU, must face the Gators again today.

Related: SEC Game Radio Broadcast

I'll be posting some of the game, but not the early part as I am going out for lunch. When I return, I'll be more or less live-blogging the game by listening to the radio broadcast. For those of you reading from work, you can check in here for updates.

It's very exciting to me to imagine the Wildcats making it all the way to the tournament final and winning the SEC Tournament. The very best thing about this year's team is their youth, and most of the top talent on this roster will be returning for at least two more years. Coach Henderson now has a real chance to build UK into a long-term powerhouse and complete the job that John Cohen started before he left to coach his alma mater, Mississippi St.

Related: UK Athletics Live Blog

Beating Cohen's Dawgs again today would be sweet.

Kentucky Wildcats: Morning Quickies Saturday Edition

2012-05-26T15:41:35Z

Today, the big news is the SEC Baseball Tournament which begins at noon today with the Kentucky Wildcats facing off against the Mississippi St. Bulldogs, who defeated #1 seed LSU yesterday. The winner of this game goes to the SEC Final, and the loser goes home.

Our Tweet of the Morning comes from UK signee Alex Poythress:

Graduation today!!
— Alex Poythress (@AlexTheGreat22) May 26, 2012

Congratulations, Alex, we can't wait to see you in Blue and White.

Your quickies follow the jump.

SEC Baseball Tournament 2012: Final Four as Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt Fight It Out // Team Speed Kills

(4) Kentucky vs. (7) Mississippi State, 12 p.m. ET, CSS / ESPN 3 We meet again. The semifinal this weekend will mark the fifth time in 10 days that the Wildcats and the Bulldogs will face off with each other. At this point, it's almost getting personal. After all, it was Mississippi State that swept Kentucky out of the SEC East race and Kentucky that tried to cool of the Bulldogs by defeating them earlier in the tournament. The question for the Bulldogs is how much they have left after a thrilling win against LSU in the last round of the tournament. Kentucky, meanwhile, got its second bye of the tournament and will be ready to go for the noon game. But I'm hesitant to pick against whatever's working for Mississippi State, and the Bulldogs defeat their two-week rival again.

I suppose it's fitting that Kentucky keeps facing their former, and up until this year most successful, coach -- John Cohen.

Could we see Christian Laettner on a college sideline one day soon? // CollegeBasketballTalk

After all Laettner's legal and financial troubles, he needs to find some kind of job.

Marshall’s season-ending injury included broken elbow // CollegeBasketballTalk

When UNC point guard Kendall Marshall was injured in an NCAA tournament game against Creighton in March, a fractured wrist was listed as the official reason for his tragically curtailed sophomore season.

SEC Weekly Five: 05.25.12 Edition // Rush The Court

The biggest splash this week in the SEC again came from the defending champion Kentucky Wildcats and its scheduling choices. First, some group of stuffy faculty members chastised John Calipari’s decision to move toward more neutral site games. So what does Calipari do? He announced that UK has added Baylor to its schedule in a Rupp Arena game in 2012-13, but the Cats will travel to play the Bears in Cowboys Stadium in 2013-14. Now that’s an "experience." But it’s not about playing Baylor. This move, as is seemingly everything Calipari does, is a strategic move to advance his program.

Calipari is, right now, so far above his competition in program development that there almost is no competition. How long will it last?

Former UConn Huskies forward Roscoe Smith transfers to UNLV Rebels // ESPN

A look back with Jodie Meeks // The Kentucky Kernel

"Billy (Gillispie) prepared me for the NBA by helping me prove to myself that no matter what your circumstances are, you can make the most of it and be strong minded," Meeks said.

Mary Jo Perino, sports anchor for WLEX-TV, said, "as with the rest of the team he played on, there was a frustration you could see develop as he spent more time with Billy Gillispie."

The frustration with Gillispie is what led to Meeks’ biggest disappointment at UK – not making it to the NCAA tournament his junior year.

It's very classy of Jodie to take the high road. We all know that his relationship with coach Gillispie was strained, at best.

"Andrew Wiggins just really a normal teenager except for when he’s on the basketball court and he is not normal at all" // vaughtsviews

"He is absolutely special. He is just an amazing athlete. You can’t miss it when you watch him play. You don’t have to know anything about basketball to see how special he is," Price said.

Cal's Cats excel in classroom

For the second consecutive semester, UK student-athletes narrowly fell short of the 3.0 department-wide grade point average set forth by Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart. All UK student-athletes combined for 2.97 GPA and the GPA for scholarship athletes was a slightly higher 2.98 GPA. The average team GPA for the spring semester was 3.07.

Two words: Oustanding job.

Tom Leach Productions // Saturday Links

The Herald-Sun // Calipari wants Cats to play Duke UNC on regular basis

But, while Calipari and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski have informally discussed such a series, Cragg said nothing has been finalized. The two sides have not discussed any financial details, nor have they reached out to any arenas about housing the games or looked at possible playing dates.

I really hope this game happens.

Quigley Advances to Singles Quarterfinals with Thrilling Victory // Kentucky Wildcats Official Athletic Site

University of Kentucky men's tennis senior Eric Quigley used a clutch performance Friday in the singles round of 16, winning two tiebreakers to defeat No. 13 Artem Ilyushin of Mississippi State and advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championship on Friday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.

Congrats to Quigley! Get it done, young man.

Future Wildcat, Jacob Hyde // LEX18.com

The Kentucky football team didn't have to go far to find their first recruit. At 6 foot 2, 300-plus pounds, Jacob Hyde could be on the starting defensive line as a Sophomore if he continues to work hard -- something he's accustomed to.

Check out this very cool poster. You can find it here, along with a zoomed view.

Kentucky Basketball: UK's Spring Grades 3.12, John Calipari Takes a Shot at "Bitter old men"

2012-05-25T22:43:40Z

There are some things that are just so timely and so sweet that you can't get enough. Kentucky.com is reporting that the men's basketball team had a spring semester GPA of 3.12. This comes directly on the heels of a complaint by the Coalition of Intercollegiate Athletics that:

The sort of players he referred to will probably need to attend classes to stay eligible their first semester of their freshman year, but, if they intend to turn pro, would have no need to attend classes in the spring because their intention is to leave the university once drafted. Any pretext of such UK (or any other university’s) basketball players as student-athletes is gone it seems.

And today, John Calipari said this:

"We had a (3.12) GPA as a team for this term with five players who are leaving early, so all this stuff bitter old men say that they don't go to class, it's not true."

How does that knife feel, bitter old men, now that Calipari not only stuck it to you, but is slowly twisting it in deeper? Just askin' -- looks painful to me.

Bob Knight, your office on line 1.

Kentucky Basketball: Tying Up the COIA Matter With A Bow

2012-05-25T20:37:25Z

The other day I wrote about the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics' unethical call for a boycott of the Kentucky Wildcats because of some comments made by coach John Calipari. Subsequently, there have been several media and blogger comments about the matter, and I want to highlight some of those.

First up is Rob Dauster of Ballin' is a Habit and NBC's CollegeBasketballTalk.

Honestly, I don’t have a huge problem with this kind of scheduling. Obviously, holding the best college basketball games of the season in on-campus venues is ideal. The environment is better and, frankly, college basketball just feels right when it is played at Rupp or Assembly Hall or Cameron Indoor Stadium. But there is a method to Cal’s madness, one that I have a hard time disagreeing with. The NCAA tournament is played on neutral courts. The Final Four is played in a football stadium. Getting used to playing in those environs, especially for a team that will perpetually be filled with freshmen, is a smart move for a coach trying to win a national title.

He’s also not the first coach to figure this out.

Personally, I’d rather the game be played on a neutral court than not played at all.

You hear that, Tom Crean?

The reason I started with this one is because it's fairly clear that Dauster gets it in several important ways. First, he declined to address the substance of their remarks, deferring to a colleague whom I'll get to in a minute. Second, he recognizes the value, at least theoretically, of Calipari's desire to expose his young players to an NCAA Tournament-like setting before the actual tournament begins.

Third, he alludes to the fact that other coaches, for example, Mike Krzyzewski, figured this out a long time ago. Finally, he acknowledges that Calipari and Crean are equally responsible for the ending of the UK-Indiana Hoosiers series. As a Kentucky partisan, I blame IU more, but if I were being totally honest with myself, I would blame them both about equally.

Keep in mind that the ending of the IU series, according to the COIA statement, is the event that precipitated their comment.

Moving on to our second victim, here is Matt Norlander of CBS Sports and College Hoops Journal:

Does the COIA think any school is going to take this plea with a modicum of legitimacy? It sounds like a rant, not a measured dish of advice, and it's completely void of perspective to how college basketball actually works. If programs aren't going to schedule Kentucky it's because they're either A) too afraid to play the big boy Wildcats or B) their head coach won't arrange the game because he hates Calipari.

The COIA also says neutral sites "emulate professional conditions," which can only mean one thing: The COIA also refutes the existence of the NCAA tournament. Because there's nothing more professional about college basketball than the multi-billion-dollar bracket that's meticulously managed and presented every March and April. Do you hate the NCAA tournament, COIA?

Matt makes the same point I made in my first post, about the NCAA Tournament, but throws in one about fearing Kentucky or hating Calipari. But he leaves out the most important one, and the one I would like to see addressed, which is that the COIA misrepresents Calipari's comments and falsely accuses UK of wanting to play in big time arenas strictly to professionalize players, and has made this a "policy." These assertions are factually wrong, and when the facts underpinning an argument are fatally flawed, none of the rest of it matters.

Matt winds up addressing the least important flaws in the COIA piece, and completely ignores the most substantive ones. But he does rightly point out that this is simply a rant of almost no redeeming value.

I did, however, really appreciate Rush The Court's take. They really didn't address the substance of the COIA's remarks, but instead, focused on the reaction and noted a whiff of hypocrisy:

One thing that we are still having trouble understanding is why those same writers continue to rip Calipari for his decision to essentially put the Kentucky-Indiana series on hold because of his desire for neutral site games. Numerous writers have penned columns saying that Calipari should submit to Indiana’s wishes in order to continue the series to do what is right for college basketball. Calipari’s job isn’t to make college basketball overall better it is do what is best for his players and his program. If he decides to do something that is not "in the best interest" of college basketball and it does not break any rules, we could care less about how he schedules and think that any criticisms of him for doing so come off as self-righteous. [my emphasis]

This is exactly the point we have been making around here for days, ever since the IU-UK game went on indefinite hiatus. It is not Calipari's job to preserve some sportswriter's notion of what is best for college basketball. It is not his job to kowtow to "college basketball fans," unless they are card-carrying members of the Big Blue Nation.

Calipari gets paid to win college basketball games, especially NCAA Tournaments, by playing within the rules set forth by the NCAA, the SEC, and the University of Kentucky. He works for UK, and has no other master except for the Almighty himself. Anyone suggesting he has a duty to college basketball that supersedes his duty to this employer is, without putting too fine a point on it, being an idiot.

Speaking of people who claim that Coach Cal has a College Basketball Overlord that he owes a greater allegence to, comes now Eamonn Brennan of ESPN.com:

For my money, the best argument is still the simplest one: Ending a traditional regional blueblood rivalry that has been played continuously since 1969 because you're only willing to play at neutral sites is, for lack of a better phrase, weak. It robs the fans of a game they deserve, in an atmosphere they control. It sterilizes or even destroys the things that make college basketball great: tradition, passion, the roar of the home crowd.

Brennan's money isn't worth spit around here, primarily because his argument is, as I said before, idiotic. Calipari has a duty to Kentucky first and foremost, because that's who pays his salary. Any other duty to tradition, to the college game, to fans, to sportswriters, to Dickie V., to ... whoever, must come at least second. If that were not the case, Calipari would be acting unethically. Brennan's argument is that he should do just that to satisfy Brennan's sense of tradition. It is also worth noting that Brennan doesn't even acknowledge Crean's role in the matter, and thinks that this is all Calipari's fault for not placing the interests of college basketball fans over that of his own employer.

That's idiotic, hypocritical, and plain, straight-up nonsense. He has a right to his opinion, but I have a right to call it what it is -- bogus.

Finally, apparently some readers of Kentucky Sports Radio blasted the COIA and spared no aspects of those worthies in typical "bad fan" style. The COIA then wrote this response to KSR, which they dutifully published with little in the way of commentary. Naturally, I'm happy to analyze this response for them, in the form of a Fisking:

Despite the obscene, ignorant and totally despicable comments we’ve received from many of you, I will respond in an attempt to set the record straight.

It is too bad that some fans found it necessary to use profanity and "despicable" commentary, but you almost never see a quality organization even address such comments -- it is part and parcel of some juvenile fans' existence to engage in low-class attacks. The fact that the COIA did mention this speaks volumes about their intentions, and not in a good way.

COIA has never, as a matter of policy, commented on the things that individual universities, or coaches, do whether we agree with them or not. That is not our thrust. We decided to comment on Coach Calipari’s pronouncement only because it has far broader implications for the integrity of the student-athlete idea in intercollegiate athletics. What he’s suggesting is that his non-traditional program is dedicated to bringing in athletes that are, for all intents and purposes, professional with no intention to graduate from the University of Kentucky.

And this is a problem for college basketball how? Other programs do this. What is UK supposed to do, get these young men to swear an oath signed in blood to substitute the judgment of the COIA or like-minded acedemicians for their own when it comes to the decision to stay in college or become professionals?

In order to satisfy the COIA, is UK supposed to decline to recruit the best players because they might have "no intention to graduate?" How does one go about this and still look after the best interests of their program?

The sort of players he referred to will probably need to attend classes to stay eligible their first semester of their freshman year, but, if they intend to turn pro, would have no need to attend classes in the spring because their intention is to leave the university once drafted. Any pretext of such UK (or any other university’s) basketball players as student-athletes is gone it seems. It also seems tragic to us that the NBA Players Association currently controls whether such athletes, who don’t desire to attend a university for an education and would prefer to play professionally, are limited in their ability to do so because the rules that apply to other athletes (i.e., baseball) graduating from high school don’t apply to them.

Okay, now we see what's happening here. The COIA has hired Bob Knight to consult with them. I wonder how they failed to notice that "The sort of players" (can't you just feel the scorn dripping off that statement) to which they refer not only attended classes in the second semester at UK, but did very well for the most part?

As for the NBPA part, well, they don't really control it, and you'd think these smart people would know that a collective bargaining agreement requires more than one party. Not only that, you think the COIA would know that these young men have professional options overseas when they graduate high school, but most would prefer a year or two of college. What should we do, make a rule to turn "The[se] sort of players" away from colleges that they are fully qualified to attend? How does one do that and stay within state and federal law? The COIA predictably doesn't say.

Again, COIA’s stance is only to defend the integrity of the student-athlete concept. The issue of games at neutral sites is not all that important, other than as a symptom of the "big issue" that we, as representatives of our various member faculties, felt that we have the responsibility to speak out about.

Is it possible that these intelligent people are really this obtuse and bigoted? Just because they don't like the fact that student-athletes sometimes are more athlete than student, since when did they become so narrow-minded that they could not appreciate the diversity that groups like this claim to value? It also beggars reason that neutral-site games weren't that important, since they were the most prominent feature of their screed against Kentucky and Calipari.

As you can see, there is nothing here except more hypocrisy and bloviation, the kind we have been regularly attacking at A Sea of Blue for years. This isn't about student-athlete integrity, it's about the unhappiness of some of these people that kids without a complete education can succeed at greater levels than those with advanced degrees, and utilize the same institutions in the process. It is about a kind of bigotry toward a certain type of educational achievement without which others are classified as unworthy of success, and unworthy of respect.

This is truly a sad commentary on this group, and a calumny from which their reputation cannot recover among anyone paying attention.

Kentucky Wildcat Fanatics: Danny Palmer is a genius

2012-05-25T20:24:08Z

The genius and passion stowed away inside a high number of Kentucky fans came blasting forth last night, but I couldn't resist offering up my own salute this afternoon.

Ever sit around wondering how to turn cereal into art? And I don't mean cheap, ill-conceived motel room art. No, I'm talkin' a blue-blooded Picasso or da Vinci here.

Well, Danny Palmer, a Kentucky basketball fan extraordinaire, along with his young son, have meticulously constructed what just might be the coolest player portrait in the history of sports, as they labored to make this incredible likeness of UK's own Anthony Davis ... out of cereal, specifically Kix, Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs, and Cap'n Crunch (normally I would frown on the seemingly frivolous waste of Cap'n Crunch, but this incredible achievement is neither frivolous nor wasteful).

From this day forth Palmer is my hero, for the patience, passion, and perseverance one must possess in order to so exactingly capture the essence of any one individual, are indeed rare commodities sought-after by men (and women) the world over.

So Palmer and Son, take a bow. The fruit of your labor is now and forever an example of the BBN's unmatched creativity in honoring its hard-court heroes.

I say hang the 4 x 4 portrait in Rupp Arena or the Craft Center, anything less would be hiding the light under a hat.

Kentucky Wildcats: Morning Quickies - 2013 Recruiting Edition

2012-05-25T13:09:36Z

There is a ton of news out there today, much of it focused on the 2013 recruiting class that is now heating up big time. For Kentucky, absent a surprise, 2012 is complete and we'll most likely compete with the team we have in place.

Today's Tweet of the Morning come from ESPN's Fran Fraschilla:

Talked with John Calipari over weekend about Baylor game in Cowboys Stadium. Wonder if Julius Randle knows that. Lol
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) May 25, 2012

No doubt he does know. Coach Cal also knows the Harrison twins are from Richmond, which is just down by Houston. Killing three birds with one stone - priceless.

Your quickies are after the jump, and there are very many.

Here Are Some College Conferences As Liquor Brands // Blogger So Dear

You know we love our adult beverages here at A Sea of Blue. Blogger So Dear, the SB Nation Wake Forest blog does, too. Classic. Via CollegeBasketballTalk.

Report: Georgetown Will NOT Play Kentucky In The Big East-SEC Challenge // Casual Hoya

Via CollegeBasketballTalk.

The Reading Level of Sports Writing // The Harvard College Sports Analysis Collective

I'm sorry I missed this a couple of days ago. For those of you who are interested in smart, analytical blog p

osts about sports topics, the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective is an indispensable resource. Recommended reading.

Harrisons Could Announce By October // ZagsBlog.com

"It’s around that time," Aaron Harrison Sr. told SNY.tv Thursday, confirming comments he made to the Kentucky Rivals site. "Their birthday is Oct. 28. They want to get it done before the high school season starts."

I consider these two to be mortal locks for UK. I could be wrong, I have no inside information, I just feel it deep in my soul. I hope my soul isn't lying to me ...

Welcome back, Coach! // Dawg Sports

When Dawg Sports posts about basketball, you know I'm going to link it. I met coach Fox at the Final Four. Nice man.

Tim Higgins Is Retiring // Card Chronicle

Jim Burr? Karl Hess? TV Teddy Valentine? Everyone's doing it, fellas.

For once, Mike and I are in complete agreement. Could this be a sign of the apocalypse? Nope, just fans recognizing bad officiating when they see it.

SEC Baseball: Grundy, McCarthy lead No. 11 UK to 5-1 win over Mississippi State // vaughtsviews

Great job on the mound by Grundy, great job with the bat by McCarthy. Let's do this thing, Bat Cats!

Morning Five: 05.25.12 Edition // Rush The Court

It wouldn’t be the Morning Five without a John Calipari mention, as the sport’s biggest newsmaker spins the media like a top with his almost-daily appearances, interviews, and social media missives.

Read the whole thing.

Kentucky Sports Radio // Rich Rodriguez’s Friday News and Views

- In a tiny bit of NBA news that slipped through the cracks today, former Kentucky PG Brandon Knight will represent the Detroit Pistons at the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery. Hopefully he will throw some 3 goggles to Anthony Davis.

Awesome. Brandon Knight is going to be a great pro. Think Joe Dumars.

The Morning Mix // CollegeBasketballTalk

SEC Network? Timing just right for mega-deal

Napoleon said, "If you start to take Vienna, take Vienna.''

And if you're going to build a college sports empire, as Mike Slive appears to be doing with the SEC, then, by golly, you'd better build it big, which is exactly what's happening.

Word.

Quick recruiting update // Bleed Blue Kentucky

A2D2 recently recommended BBK for their football reporting. This is a good example. You'll be seeing me link them a lot more.

Tom Leach Productions // Friday links

Trevathan signs with Broncos // Bleed Blue Kentucky

UK naturally going low-key in scheduling; aims to play before largest hoops crowd ever - CBSSports.com

Now, as for the scheduling, there's a lot to be excited about. In addition to the Kentucky-Baylor game, the really refreshing news: Kentucky and North Carolina will revive their series after a one-year hiatus, which is taking place next season Even better, when it returns, it will again be a home-and-home. Games on campuses, yeah! Calipari wants to alternate years when playing at Louisville and at North Carolina. So, it looks like this: If for the next six years Calipari is at Kentucky, the only legitimate, true road game the Wildcats will play each year will either be in Louisville or Chapel Hill.

I can live with that.

Thank God, Matt. We wouldn't want your stamp of disapproval on our schedule < / sarcasm >

Clemson Tigers open to offers to leave ACC, board chairman says // ESPN

Clemson does not have a viable offer to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference, but the university's Board of Trustees would consider one if it was presented, the panel's chairman said Thursday, according to a report by The Associated Press.

South Carolina won't be letting them into the SEC, so where are the going to go?

Completely awesome workout by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist:

Calipari releases massive schedule plans // College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN

Anyway, you get the idea. The whole Kentucky-Indiana mess still grinds my gears, and I would argue most fans would prefer a few more nonconference events on campuses, with real, actual college environments -- real student sections, pep bands, banners hanging on the walls and rafters, the whole nine yards. That's what makes college basketball different, and often more exciting, than anything the NBA has to offer in the regular season.

Well, we can't go grinding your gears, Eamonn, or that of "most fans." Sheesh.

Seriously, we here at Kentucky could care less about what the nebulous, milquetoast "college basketball fan" wants. Do you hear that, Eamonn? WE. DON'T. FREAKING. CARE!!!

Just so we got that straight. Oh, by the way -- Calipari DOESN'T CARE either.

ESPN Basketball Recruiting // Player Rankings - ESPN

A target-rich environment for Kentucky and Coach Cal.

NBA releases list of players invited to June draft combine in Chicago // CollegeBasketballTalk

Phoebus/Boo Williams (Va.) forward Troy Williams will reportedly transfer to Oak Hill // CollegeBasketballTalk

Kentucky negotiates with Duke, schedules future series with Baylor, North Carolina // The Dagger: College Basketball Blog - Yahoo! Sports

There's still no excuse for Kentucky and Indiana not reaching a compromise to preserve one of college basketball's most significant regional rivalries, but nobody can accuse the Wildcats of ducking top competition.

Following a one-year hiatus next season in the series with North Carolina, Kentucky will once again play the Tar Heels and Louisville either at home or on the road in alternating years. The next two seasons, the Wildcats will also participate in the Champions Classic, next season against Duke in Atlanta and the following season against Michigan State in Chicago.

This is an opinion I can appreciate.

Karl Towns is another example of why Coach Cal is the best // CollegeBasketballTalk

This kid will remind you of a guy who's initials begin with A and D. Check out the video at the bottom.

Coach Cal's faith runs deep // WKYT

A continuation of WKYT's exclusive series on John Calipari.

Dave Telep and Paul Biancardi talk 2013 recruiting:

SEC Baseball Tournament: Kentucky Wildcats (4) 5 @ Mississippi St. Bulldogs (7) 1 - Postgame

2012-05-24T22:21:46Z

Congratulations to the Kentucky Wildcats, who defeated the Mississippi St. Bulldogs today in Hoover, Alabama, by a final tally of 5-1. Kentucky now moves to 2-0 in the SEC tournament, and draws the bye into Saturday where they will face the winner of the LSU Tigers, who eliminated the Mississippi Rebels today, and MSU, who was handed their first loss today by the Wildcats in the tournament.

Related: Box score

This same MSU team took the broom to the Wildcats last weekend in Starkville, and I reckon the Bat Cats didn't take to kindly to that rude treatment. Kentucky really brought the lumber today as they consistently hit Bulldog pitching, and unlike last weekend, was sure-handed in the field. Their line was 5 runs on 12 hits, and unlike their last meeting with the Dawgs, zero errors.

There were no real heroes in this game, it was a complete team effort from start to finish. The 'Cats were sharp offensively and defensively. Jerad Grundy pitched a quality game with six full innings and only 1 run allowed, including nine strikeouts and one inning, I believe it was the third or fourth, where he struck out the side.

Alex Phillips was razor sharp in his three innings of relief, allowing not a single hit from the same Bulldog batsmen who shelled Wildcats pitching last Saturday for 11 runs on 14 hits. Most of the commentariat blamed that loss on three Wildcats errors, but 14 hits tells the tale to me.

This pivotal victory places Kentucky into Saturday's SEC Tournament semifinal, where they will face either the LSU Tigers or MSU. Win that one, and UK will be in the SEC Tournament final on Sunday against either the South Carolina Gamecocks, Auburn Tigers, Vanderbilt Commodores or Florida Gators.

Your offensive star today was Thomas McCarthy (3b) who went 4 for 5, scored 3 times and had 1 RBI. McCarthy had been in a wee bit of a slump lately, and saw his average drop below .300 for the first time since mid-May, and he responded with a huge effort today. Star freshman Austin Cousino (cf) had his lead-off bat uncharacteristically silenced today. Freshman DH A.J. Reed had another strong outing going 2 for 4 with 2 RBI's.

Great game all around for Kentucky, who looked very sharp. This cannot sit well with form UK and now MSU coach John Cohen, so if we wind up facing the Dawgs again on Saturday, look for a genuine barn-burner. Cohen has been in trouble with the league for his antics with the officials regularly since moving to MSU, and he was at it again today, although he didn't lose control and place himself in jeopardy of a suspension. Cohen has a fiery temper, and we may see that if we have to face MSU again.

Go, 'Cats!