The Ghost of Christian Laettner Haunts KY Politics

Via LA Times' Top of the Ticket:

Trey Grayson started it.

As soon as the NCAA men's brackets were announced, Kentucky's Republican secretary of State was up with an Internet ad assailing his opponent in the Senate primary -- Rand Paul. Not because he's the son of presidential candidate Ron Paul, the darling of Libertarians everywhere, or because he has never held public office before, but because he's a graduate of Duke Medical School.

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Kige Ramsey for YouTube Dancing

Today, SportsCenter was all about the John Wall dance. Tonight, YouTube Sports carries the torch in what is the best rendition of the "I'm a little teapot" dance I've seen since pre-school.

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Tim Tebow Brings Visions of Terry Baker

When Kentucky coach Rich Brooks thinks Tim Tebow, he's reminded of his old Oregon State teammate and former Heisman winner Terry Baker. Obviously.

Via One Great Season...

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"Pistol" Meeks

"Pistol" – that’s what they called Pete Maravich years ago when he was lighting up opponents in the SEC. After last night’s performance by Kentucky junior Jodie Meeks at Tennessee, it would appear he might be a worthy successor to that nickname.

Meeks scored 54 points on the Vols last night, sinking 10 3-pointers and hitting all 14 of his free throws along the way. It is the single greatest scoring game by a Kentucky player – ever.

That’s saying something, considering all that is Kentucky: you know, the all-time winningest program in NCAA history, seven national championships, and on and on and on …. Meeks’ performance put him one better than Dan Issel’s 53 against Ole Miss in 1970, and Dan Issel is widely considered the best player to ever have played at UK. Of course, Issel also had games of 51, 47, 44 and 42 during the 1970 season. I write that not to diminish Meeks’ performance – to the contrary, I think it illustrates just how good of a player Meeks passed last night.

Perhaps as important is to note that Meeks hot streak wasn’t some isolated freak occurrence – Meeks has been on fire all year long. He rang up 39 points in the season opener against VMI, laid 37 on Kansas State, went off for 46 against Appalachian State, and scored 28 on Louisville, including seven points in the final 50 seconds to tie the game. All this after basically not playing last year because of injury.

By their own lofty standards, the past couple of seasons have been down years for UK. They’re currently not ranked, and if you asked most college basketball fans, I think the consensus before last night would have been that the Wildcats aren’t serious players on the national scene. But with a weak SEC schedule ahead of them and not one, but two great scorers (don’t forget about man-child Patrick Patterson, who’s averaging close to a double-double), the perception about this team will likely begin to shift. Come March, the Cats will likely be positioned to make some noise in the tournament.

-Posted by Rev. Shaw Moore

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The Cynic's Guide to College Football, Week 9

It's kind of appropriate that tomorrow is Halloween, because we're entering the Dead Zone. You know--that time of year when the World Series is over (for all six people outside the Philly metro area who actually cared) and the unmitigated evil of the NBA is upon us, but see-who-can-find-the-remote-and-hit-the-mute-button-before-Dick-Vitale-can-talk season (also known as college hoops) hasn't gotten here yet.

Scary, ain't it?

It's hard to believe that we're in the homestretch of the college football season. Everyone is nearly two-thirds of the way through the season and things are getting weirder by the week. With that, I give you your weekly dose of the Dark Side of college football. Happy Halloween everyone. And don’t forget to vote!

1. To Burn or Not to Burn

On paper at the start of the season, last Thursday’s West Virginia/Auburn game looked like it could have serious national title implications. After all, the two teams were the preseason #8 and #10 teams in the country. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Last Thursday’s game between these two was really just about saving face. West Virginia was able to do so, rolling off 31 unanswered points, en route to a 34-17 win that bumped their record to 5-2. They’re still very much in the mix for a BCS bid in the weakened Big East. But how bad are things for Auburn? So bad that West Virginia fans were wondering if beating the Tigers was even worth burning a couch over.

Warning: Contents are flammable.

2. Whodathunkit

Which is more improbable: that, nine weeks into the season, an 81-year old Joe Paterno has a legit shot at his first undefeated season since a then-22 year old Kerry Collins led the Nittany Lions to a 12-0 mark in 1994? Or that a now-36 year old Collins is an NFL starting quarterback and is leading the only undefeated team in the country?

The odds were this long!

3. The Joke’s On Kentucky

A week ago I wrote about Kentucky offensive coordinator Joker Phillips and wondered how he got his nickname. Well after seeing some of the Wildcats’ offensive performance in their 63-5 loss at Florida last weekend, now I think I know. To be fair, Kentucky was battling a ton of injuries. But three offensive points?

The Joker enjoying his trip to Florida. The same can't be said for the rest of the Wildcat faithful.

4. Can Drug Use Be Justified?

Fifteen North Texas football players reportedly tested positive for some kind of drug use. But let’s be honest—if you played for UNT, you were 0-8, had given up less than 40 points only once this season and had been outscored 400-135, you’d probably need something to take the edge off as well.

UNT's backup long snapper.

5. OK, who had October 27 in the Pool?

Look, we all knew the end was coming for Tyrone Willingham. But getting fired after losing to the team you were at previously? Talk about adding insult to injury.

6. You Can’t Buy Votes . . . But I’ve Got Two on the Fifty.

With the election just around the corner, I had to throw in one story with a political bent—earlier this week, former Ohio state representative John Widowfield pled guilty to two counts of using campaign money to buy Ohio State football tickets—and then scalp them. He had reportedly made nearly $14,000 in profits between 2003 and 2006, but resigned from the Legislature in May when their Ethics Committee began investigating.

Free market entrepreneur? Evil bloodsucking parasite? Or your next governor?

7. Iowa State is the New Baylor

The reports of the Big 12 North’s resurgence have been greatly exaggerated. After last year’s great runs by Kansas and Missouri, lots of people were saying that the Big 12 North had finally turned a corner and would be on an equal footing with the South. Missouri had national title and Heisman hopes. Kansas had no reason to believe they couldn’t be back in the BCS. This was supposed to be the year that Dan and Cody Hawkins moved Colorado up to the next level. And Bo Pelini was going to get Nebraska turned around. Well, those dreams may have to wait a while. Missouri’s title hopes are down the drain, followed closely by the Chase Daniel for Heisman campaign. KU already has three times as many losses as it did all of last season. If anything, the Buffaloes have actually taken a step backwards. Nebraska, while showing signs of life, is also showing that rebuilding projects don’t happen overnight. The “Fire Ron Prince” bandwagon is picking up steam at Kansas State. And Iowa State fans, modest as their expectations are, have still been disappointed by the Gene Chizik era. To date, the North is just 2-10 against the South this season (Nebraska over Baylor and Kansas State over Texas A&M).

That said, I wouldn’t encourage Oklahoma and Texas fans to get too comfortable. A decade ago, Nebraska, Kansas State and Colorado ruled the Big 12 and fans of those teams thought that’s the way it would always be. But then strange things happened. People like Tom Osborne and Bill Snyder retired. People like Bob Stoops, Mack Brown, Gary Barnett and Steve Pederson were hired. And just like that, the pendulum swung south. But believe me, it can—and sooner or later will—swing back north just as quickly.

The Big 12 (and Thanksgiving--not Halloweeen--weekend) the way God intended it.

However, in 2008 . . .

8. Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter the Big 12 South

While I’m not sure if this says more about these teams or the overall mediocre state of college football right now, has there ever been any division more dominant than the Big 12 South right now? You could make a pretty solid argument that the four teams playing the best football in the country right now all reside in the same division. After successive victories over OU, Missouri and Oklahoma State, there’s no doubt that Texas is legit. Oklahoma State certainly acquitted itself well enough on Saturday to show it belongs in the mix. Oklahoma hung 55 points in the first half this weekend (although only three in the second, and their defense is an issue). And Texas Tech, the team with the most question marks coming in, hung 63 on the road against a good Kansas team. No disrespect intended to Penn State or Alabama but, if my job depended on winning just one game, I’m not so sure I wouldn’t choose to play one of them instead of taking on anyone from the Big 12’s Murderer’s Row.

Pick It Up, Guys! You're Making Me Look Bad!

After being trounced by Florida 65-3 this past Saturday, the University of Kentucky football team announced yesterday that QB Mike Hartline had lost his starting job to freshman phenom Randall Cobb.

This move shouldn’t have caught anyone off guard – UK’s offensive unit is lifeless, averaging only 14.25 points per game in SEC play. Hartline hasn’t done much to help his own cause either – against the Gators, he completed 7 of 13 passes for just 33 yards. He did throw one TD pass, but he threw it to the wrong team – his interception to start the second half was returned 40 yards for a Florida score.

Understandably, it is frustrating for any athlete to come to grips that they’re losing playing time, especially at a position as high-profile as QB. One thing is for sure, however: Hartline is definitely not hiding his frustration over the demotion. From the Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader:

"I'm disappointed. It stinks. You don't ever expect to win the starting job and then lose it because the guys around you aren't performing the way they should."

I’m not sure how well liked Hartline is within his own locker room, but I’m going to venture a guess that his reaction hasn’t won him any new fans among his peers.

In the meantime, I’m proposing a new helmet sticker for the Wildcat players who still are on the field.

The Cynic's Guide to College Football, Week 8

We're getting close to the scariest time of the year. Around this corner are friendly folks looking to hand you sweets and goodies, just for asking. Around the other, blood-sucking ghouls looking to steal your soul. But then you find out they're the same person! Every one of them hiding their true identities behind a mask, each more frightening and hideous than the last. Yep, it's election time.

(Oh, and Halloween's coming up soon too.)

Boo.

1. I’m The Cynic, and I Approved This Message

This time of year, we always hear a lot of talk about Washington, DC politicians flip-flopping. Well, apparently Potomac Fever has spread outside the Beltway and is infecting neighboring states. Have there been any more split-personality teams this year than Virginia and Maryland? For Virginia, the season started with a blowout loss to USC (no real shame in that) and then a 16-0 shutout over Richmond, putting the Cavs at 1-1, right where most people thought they’d be. But then things got weird—UVA was humiliated 45-10 by UConn and 31-3 by Duke (yes, that Duke). The Cavaliers were 1-3, with their three losses coming by a combined score of 128-20, and the scribes were already writing Al Groh’s obituary. But a funny thing happened on the way to oblivion—UVA started playing football. They destroyed Maryland 31-0, beat East Carolina and, most recently, upset #18 North Carolina in overtime. Suddenly, UVA is sitting pretty at 4-3. Admittedly, their schedule doesn’t do them any favors down the stretch. But as odd as their play has been this year, I don’t want to even try to predict which ones will be wins and losses.

If it’s possible, Maryland has been even more unpredictable this year. The team that struggled to beat Delaware (14-7), lost to Middle Tennessee State and got shut out by Virginia is also the same team that beat #23 California and #20 Clemson and shut out #21 Wake Forest.

With all this flop-flopping going on, I halfway expect to see Al Groh or Ralph Friedgen on the election ballot.

And you thought Dick Cheney was a heart attack risk.

2. Maybe Brett Favre is Tipping Off UW Opponents?

A month ago, Wisconsin fans were celebrating their 3-0 start, talking about how bad they would beat up on the Buckeyes and planning their Rose Bowl trips. But four straight losses—including ones to 2-5 Michigan and a struggling Iowa—now have the Badgers stretching for any bowl. Fortunately, they close out the season on 11/22 with a home game against Cal Poly (now there’s a novel idea—schedule your creampuff game at the end of the season). But they still will need to eke out two wins against Illinois, Michigan State, Indiana or Minnesota. They may get to six wins this year, but that is certainly not what Barry Alvarez or Badger fans had in mind this season.

Save the badgers.

3. What in the Name of Marshall Faulk is Going on Here?

When San Diego State head coach Chuck Long was asked if he felt his job was in jeopardy, he responded, “Our program is not healthy yet, but we do see light at the end of the tunnel with the issues we're dealing with inside (the program).” Coach, a light at the end of the tunnel is not always a good thing. It can be an oncoming train. Or in the case of a “not healthy” program like SDSU, it may well be a near-death experience. When you’re 1-6 this season, 8-23 in your career, your team ranks 100th or worse in 11 different statistical categories and just led your team to their third-worst loss in school history, your coaching tenure is definitely on life support, and it’s only a matter of time until the AD pulls the plug.

Go into the Light, Coach Long. There is peace and serenity in the Light.

4. Some People Call Me The Space Cowboy . . .

I don't really know how to incorporate this into a story, but I thought it was interesting. And made me wonder why I don’t have a cooler nickname. Kentucky’s offensive coordinator (and head coach designate) is named Joker Phillips.

Hold that block, or see me after practice.

5. Who Knew “Malternative” Was a Word?

Bad news for (insert name of your rival school here) fans: MillerCoors announced they have discontinued Zima.

At least the Natty Light supply is safe.

Rev Picks 'Em: Week Seven

10 points: Minnesota (5-1) at ILLINOIS (3-2): Illinois hung 45 on Michigan last week in the Big House, and I’m betting the offensive keeps rolling against Minnesota. Illinois is an 11 point favorite heading in – I like them by two touchdowns, so I’m rolling with Ron Zook and Co. this week.

9 points: SOUTH CAROLINA (4-2) at Kentucky (4-1): The Ol’ Ballcoach is making his first appearance on this years pick ‘em list, and it couldn’t come at a worse time for Kentucky. The stakes are high in this game – the loser will most likely find themselves at the bottom of the SEC East standings come Monday. Steve Spurrier has absolutely owned UK dating back to his days with Florida, and South Carolina owns an 8-game winning streak vs. the Wildcats. UK played very well at Alabama last week … but I don’t know how much you can take away from that game, because ‘Bama looked flat after dominating the first quarter. South Carolina has the 2nd ranked defense in college football and they will pose a serious challenge to the Wildcats, who’ve experienced more than their share of offensive troubles thus far in the season.

8 points: #14 VANDERBILT (5-0) at Mississippi State (1-4): Five games into the season, and Vanderbilt is thisclose to being bowl eligible. Gene Frinkle himself would have to be banging the cowbell Saturday night in Starkville for Mississippi State to spring the upset.


7 points: #19 MICHIGAN STATE (5-1) at #22 Northwestern (5-0): Another feel good story for this football season, Northwestern, like their nerd brethren Vandy to the South, is 5-0. Northwestern will look to slow the game down and grind out a win, but I’m not convinced their run defense can completely shut down Spartans running back Javon Ringer, the second leading rusher in the NCAA. Northwestern is getting 3 points in this game, and I think they’re going to need them. Spartans in a close one.

6 points: Notre Dame (4-1) at NORTH CAROLINA (4-1): The Irish have looked great at home so far, but the smackdown they suffered at the hands of Michigan State is still ringing in my brain as this game approaches. I’m coming around to the Irish, but I’m just not convinced they can put together a complete game on the road. Plus, North Carolina is playing some pretty decent football right now. The Tar Heels are a 7 point favorite, and should cover here.

5 points: ARIZONA (4-1) at Stanford (3-3): Doesn’t it seem odd that ‘Zona runs the “Tony Franklin System”, yet Tony Franklin got canned at Auburn because he couldn’t do the same?

4 points: #17 Oklahoma State (5-0) at #2 MIZZOU (5-0): Though the Tigers have been on a roll as of late, the days of the Colorado fifth down dives into the end zone and miraculous Nebraska touchdowns and screw with the confidence of Mizzou fans everywhere. So a pessimist’s viewpoint might scream out, “TRAP GAME!!”, but the facts say it’s highly unlikely that Okie St. can keep up with the Tigers over four quarters. The Cowboys had T. Boone Pickens buy them a nice easy 5-0 start with the likes of Wash St., Houston, SW Missouri St, Troy, and the leftovers of Texas A&M. For the Cowboys, this will be the first big test against a Tigers team that simply looks too tough to stop. The Tigers pull away from the Cowboys late in the first half and never look back.

3 points: #6 PENN STATE (6-0) at #24 Wisconsin (3-2): Two weeks ago, I said Wisconsin had the easy path to the Big Ten title. Then they lost two straight. Let’s make it three in a row.


2 points: #3 LSU (4-0) at #12 FLORIDA (4-1): Since the BCS was created, this is the first time that the last two national champions (Florida ’06, LSU ’07) will meet in a regular season game. Remember last year’s game, how LSU and coach Les Miles repeatedly went for it on 4th down against the Gators? The Tigers escaped that one last year by the very narrowest of margins. This year’s game will be nearly identical, although I expect the roles to be reversed. The Gators were off last week following their shocking loss to Ole Miss, and I just can’t see them losing back-to-back conference games at home.

1 point: #5 TEXAS (5-0) vs. #1 Oklahoma (5-0): Forget about all the points that Texas has scored – the reason I like them here is their defense. Since swiping defensive coordinator Will Muschamp from Auburn at the end of last year, the Longhorns D has made a complete 180°. It’s been said that the only team that can beat Oklahoma is themselves, and I suppose that’s partly correct, but I really think you can’t look past the impact the Texas defense should have in disrupting the Sooner offensive machine. Bevo gets 6.5 points here and I’m calling the game for Texas outright.

SEASON RECORD: 42-20

Tim Couch Hates Your Blogging Anonymity

Former number one pick Tim Couch wants to make a team.

Kentucky Representative Tim Couch wants to make anonymous posting online illegal.

According to WTQV, "The bill would require anyone who contributes to a website to register their real name, address and e-mail address with that site. Their full name would be used anytime a comment is posted. If the bill becomes law, the website operator would have to pay if someone was allowed to post anonymously on their site. The fine would be five-hundred dollars for a first offense and one-thousand dollars for each offense after that."

Separated at Birth: Monster Mash

This one comes from CR Dunbar:

I don't mean to be mean, but this afternoon while watching Jamal Mashburn on SportsCenter I was reminded of a Separated at Birth that I have carried with me for a long time. Every time I see Mashburn, I'm reminded of the Super Mario Bros. Movie. Both came out in 1993, and it has stuck with me since.

Take a look for yourself, Mashburn and Goomba...

Kentucky Superfan is Bubba's Good Luck Charm

Photo: enquirer.com

This is one endorser we could get behind. Bazzzzing!

"A new addition to the HRC trail is actress Ashley Judd, who dropped by an airplane hangar rally to introduce former president Bill Clinton in Abilene, TX, last night."

From Hotline Blog: Clinton said that Judd joined him because "she just happened to be here" and affectionately noted that, "In 1996, she introduced me once in her native Kentucky, and we won Kentucky in 1996. So I hope she's our good luck charm, and you'll win Texas for Hillary." he added.

With her beloved Wildcats unranked at 16-11, her luck may have run out. But it's Ashley Judd, so who cares!

Personally, I liked this editorial line: "Bill, perched against the cab of the pickup truck from which both made their remarks, looked on appreciatively."

You're damn right he did.

I'd hit that.

You Were So Close, Tubby!

Five more minutes in Lexington? I think I'd rather leave now.

Earlier this week, Orlando "Tubby" Smith came thisclose to being the first coach in college basketball history to lose two games on the same night for two different teams.

On Tuesday night, Tubby's current team, the Minnesota Gophers, lost to the Florida State 75-61 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Simultaneously, Tubby's former team, the Kentucky Wildcats, survived a scare from lowly Stony Brook, edging past the pesky Seahawks 62-52 at Rupp Arena.

You see, it's all Tubby's fault that UK is a mess right now. Through his lack of recruiting and inability to win consistently over his ten years in Lexington, Tubby almost single-handedly destroyed the once-storied legacy of Kentucky basketball.

Earlier this year, it was "Tubby's Fault!" the Cats lost to Gardner Webb. Saturday, it most likely will be "Tubby's Fault!" if the UNC Tarheels crush UK, as expected.

Shockingly, new UK coach Billy Gillispie has come under relatively little scrutiny for a man in his position. Some might view this as the fans just enjoying their honeymoon with him - but that wouldn't be right, because far too many of them are still kicking and screaming about a good man and coach who they ran out of town.

So while Tubby missed out on the all too rare daily losing double in college basketball this week, we're sure his former team with give him many more chances at accomplishing that feat this season.

Believe in Getting You’re A** Walked On

As you drive north on Interstate 65 in Louisville, about 1 ½ miles from the University of Louisville and Cardinal Stadium, you’ll see a brand new billboard on the side of the road. It bears the image of a serious looking Andre Woodson, quarterback for the University of Kentucky Wildcats football team, with the slogan attached:

“Believe In Blue.”

First, this is kind of a cheap rip off from the Indianapolis Colts, who also employ the same “Believe In Blue” slogan. Aside from that, however, is the backhanded swipe this billboard seems to take.

You see, this is pretty close to the heart of the city, steps away from where the Cards play their home games. It’s like a big, wet fart right in the middle of town –any self-respecting athlete, let alone any fan who follows sports, couldn’t interpret this as anything less than an insult.

That said, going to billboards is a step up from UK’s most recent statewide media campaign. At least a few more people will see these. I imagine a website could be coming in the next couple of years.

The thing is, I think this is a pretty ballsy move on UK’s part - yet there’s not much merit to back it up. Granted, UK posted a winning record (8-5) and won the Music City Bowl last year, the school’s first bowl win since 1983. They return several explosive players, including a potential top-10 draft pick in quarterback Andre Woodson, all SEC wide receiver Keenan Burton, and hard-hitting linebacker Wesley Woodyard.

Despite the talent they’ve assembled, they dropped every regular season game they played against good competition last year: a 59-28 blowout loss to UofL; a tepid 26-7 loss to Florida, a score that is much closer than the game tape would indicate; a 49-0 no-show against LSU, and; a 17-12 loss to Tennessee to extend their winless streak against the Vols to 22 games.

An eight point victory against an indifferent Clemson in the Music City Bowl does offer some glimmer of hope going in to the 2007 season, but it’s hardly justification for all the brash talk of beating UofL, Florida, Tennessee that’s been coming out of Lexington lately. Local sports columnist Eric Crawford may have said it best – "...maybe it will be tantamount to a puppy barking at a passing tractor trailer."

We’ll have to wait until the third week of the season to find out if the billboards inspired UK fans to have any more faith in their team – that’s when the Cats and Cards meet up to renew their rivalry in Lexington. (Incidentally, this game used to be the first game of the season for both teams. UK begged to have this game later in the year so they could be better prepared …)

The smart money says Louisville will win this one again, and they’ll probably win it big.

I’d expect those billboards will be coming down soon after.

- posted by Rev. Shaw Moore