Small Monkey Businesses?

An unidentified primate ushered in Halloween spirity to several University of Kentucky students Friday afternoon.

No one knows where the beast came from, but he was sporting a Wildcat Textbooks shopping basket and dispensing candy in the middle of Limestone Street, which intersects campus.

Most students were receptive to the ground-dwelling herbivore's offers. His generosity lasted about 15 minutes, then he was gone, never to be seen again.

Is It Me, Or Is This Creepy For Even The Student Newspaper?

What the hell is the matter with me? I used to be the kind of guy that would get over-served on adult beverages once every five years and then think it was a good idea to roll into a 'Gentlemen's Club' giggling like a 'Tickle Me Elmo' doll whilst drinking six dollar beers and ogling boobies. Now, I see an article in U.K.'s student newspaper and I go all Second Wave Feminist. (CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THIS ENTRY FOR FULL ARTICLE)

You see, I thought stripping was viewed by many as the objectification of women. Especially viewed this way by young, progressive women. You know, the kind you find at a university. Like the University of Kentucky, for instance. However, I am not sure of that anymore.

If you click on the link above, you'll find a story that was on the front page of the Kentucky Kernel October 30, written by a young college woman. In a nutshell she says that if you are a young college woman and need money for college, you should, like, definitely give stripping a go.

The newspaper interviewed a college student/stripper and found that -"She could go to work in the evening, attend classes during the day, use a fun fake name, play dress up and dance on a stage."

Shit, that sounds like something my daughter would like to do.

What? You have to take your clothes off too?

Er, nevermind.

Look, I don't think strip clubs are the bane of society. But to publish an article so pro-stripping makes me wonder why Deja Vu doesn't have a table set up at U.K.'s career day.

Maybe they're afraid company representatives will start dancing on it. Ba dum dum.

But seriously folks, there is nary a negative point made by the author, which surprises me because its fairly common knowledge that Strip Club clientele often include a few creeps here and there, while there's enough cocaine around to make Antonio Montana nervous.

I guess what I'm saying is, don't girls go to college so they can find a job with a better professional environment than stripping? Should college women find this article offensive?

Oh, and before I sign off, I should point out that this wonderful article does not just dole out money making tips to college women. Guys can make some quick cash too, as long as they're willing to donate sperm. My favorite part is when they describe the sperm donation process as "painless". Seriously, it says that, you should read it.

UPDATE- Now with a better picture!

Just a better picture, but the message is still clear - Vol fans = nutjobs!

What A Volunteer!

What the hell kind of person would make a false claim about being attacked by a minority supporter of the Democratic Presidential candidate?

Why, a Tennessee fan, that's who!

Out in the distance, a Wildcat did growl.

Fans have begun camping out for Saturday's Big Blue Madness ticket distribution. The tent city is enveloping Memorial. Last night several players visited the campers, including Kevin Galloway and Darius Miller. Today, Coach Gillispie stopped by to say hello.

Sales Tax on Complaining, Not on Textbooks

As Americans, it is our god-given right to complain about things we don't like. When Benjamin Franklin wrote the Second Amendment, he knew good and well that people would complain about others walking around with bear arms. First of all, people just look stupid in bear arms, even if it is your Halloween costume. Beyond that, anyone that would wear bear arms is probably a communist.

I like to complain about things too. When George Bush leaves office, I'm going to be a little bit bummed. Complaining about W's nescient presidency has been a staple of my adult political chatter.

Everyone has something they like to complain about. For college students, it's the price of textbooks. As a college bookstore manager, I absolutely agree with students; textbooks are ridiculously expensive. If the price of textbooks was the end-all, cure-all, however, Wildcat Textbooks would be the biggest store on campus, not the smallest. There are books used this semester that Wildcat Textbooks was over $100.00 cheaper than UK Bookstore, but UK Bookstore probably sold more.

However, most innocent complaints often have very complex answers. For example, high gas prices. We don't care why; we just want the price to go back down. As often is the case, the person complaining really has no interest in the reason why or who is really to blame. A recent USA Today Gallup Poll found that 98 percent of the people who complain about anything don't really care as to the cause of their beef. That's why mad cow disease was so devastating in Europe.

UK's Student Government President wanted to prompt state legislators to remove sales tax from textbooks. Why? Because they are too expensive. That's true. It's also true that there is no sales tax on textbooks, but maybe there should be on mindless complaining.

If you really want to know why textbooks are expensive, I would be happy to tell you. If you have four hours to discuss it, let me know. When your eyes start glazing after fifteen minutes, there is only one thing I can say -- George Bush is a stupid-head.

Funny, Funny, Funny

To the left you'll see an editorial cartoon that appeared in the Kentucky Kernel a few days ago. It is funny. However, I'm afraid it is funny for reasons other than the artist intended.

Let me explain.

I feel the artist is implying that the tution hike that U.K. has levied on its students is paying for the Rupp Arena expansion and the new U.K. Law Building. The question the 'everyman' student depicted in the cartoon asks is that of a rhetorical nature.

Pretty perceptive on my part, huh? Bear with me-

The thing with most rhetoric questions is that the answers should be assumed to be a known truth- most of the time a 'yes' answer. This is an example of a 'rhetorical affirmation' (thank you, wikipedia) - A rhetorical question that intends the communication of "yes, of course". I.E., "yes, of course" my tuition increase is there to pay for Rupp Arena expansion and the new Law Building. Yes. Of course.

HA, Mr. Cartoon-guy- that's funny because it's true! That damned ole U.K. jacking up my rent to pay for some pretty buildings. Screw them and their money-grubbing ways. What's next? A new fountain in the President's yard?

The problem with the artist's joke is that 0% of U.K. students' 9% tuition increase goes to either one of these projects. Do you know how I know that? Because 0% of the total tuition students pay goes towards those projects. That's right, the question the artist apparently expected would receive a resounding 'yes' (or at least a "huh, I bet it does go to that" ) instead gets a resounding 'no'.

That's why I think it's funny. Because it's so ill-informed that I have to laugh at the stupidity of one who would mock an institution of higher learning for its supposed frivolous tuition increases while citing examples that have nothing to do with tuition money from that university.

The Rupp Arena expansion is a city project. Complain about your city taxes if you want, but don't insinuate that the university that has a basketball team that plays there somehow is responsible for paying for a building it doesn't own. That's so obvious I didn't even look it up. Hell, if you really want to blame someone for Rupp Arena's expansion, blame Brad Paisley- he has concerts there all the time and his songs suck.

The Law Building, however, required exhaustive research on my part. This included a google-fueled trip to this website - http://www.uky.edu/Law/alumni/building_fund.html , where I found this statement - "The College is raising private donations in the amount of $13,000,000 to match the $52,000,000 commitment of state funds for the $65,000,000 project."

I was fairly sure that 'private' meant 'no U.K. tuition money'. But what about 'state funds'? Since not 100% sure I was forced to call a buddy that works for U.K. to make sure that I read that right. No tuition to build the new Law Building! He confirmed my suspicion, and after a full 38.2 seconds of digging around, I had my answer.

So, it is very funny to me that a guy would draw a cartoon making fun of the reasons for U.K.'s tuition hike when those reasons don't exist.

Spring 2008 Textbook Price Comparison

Wildcat Textbooks vs. UK Bookstore

A-H 105 Art Across Time, Vol. 1 Wildcat - $69.95 UK - $74.25

ACC 201 Financial Accounting Wildcat - $99.95 UK - $132.00

ACC 202 Managerial Accounting Wildcat - $119.95 UK - $124.50

ACC 300 Financial Reporting & Analysis Wildcat - $119.95 UK - $139.25

ACC 324 Accounting Information Systems Wildcat - $29.95 UK - $98.00

ANT 160 Dobe Ju/Hoansi Wildcat - $19.95 UK - $24.75

AST 192 Voyages to the Stars & Galaxies Wildcat - $59.95 UK - $64.25

BIO 102 Living in the Environment Wildcat - $99.95 UK - $109.50

BIO 308 Microbiology Wildcat - $99.95 UK - $125.25

CE 106 Engineering Design Graphics Wildcat - $89.95 UK - $93.00

CHE 105 Chemistry Wildcat - $109.95 UK - $132.50

CHE 108 General, Organic, & Biochemistry Wildcat - $79.95 UK - $118.50

CHE 236 Organic Chemistry Wildcat - $39.95 UK - $105.25

COM 181 Confident Public Speaking Wildcat - $87.95 UK - $106.75

COM 252 Interplay Wildcat - $49.95 UK - $54.75

DIS 300 Foundations of Operations Mgmt. Wildcat - $69.95 UK - $99.00

ECO 101 Economic Way of Thinking Wildcat - $84.95 UK - $93.00

ECO 201 Microeconomics Wildcat - $64.95 UK - $90.00

ECO 391 Stats for Mgmt & Economics Wildcat - $69.95 UK - $110.00

EDP 202 Educational Psychology Wildcat - $84.95 UK - $89.00

EPE 301 Justice, Ideology, & Education Wildcat - $59.95 UK - $69.50

FIN 300 Essentials of Corporate Finance Wildcat - $90.50 UK - $96.75

FIN 423 International Financial Management Wildcat - $69.95 UK - $119.25

GEO 130 Elemental Geosystems Wildcat - $59.95 UK - $75.00

GEO 160 Diversity Amid Globalization Wildcat - $49.95 UK - $88.50

GLY 120 Resources of Earth Wildcat - $69.95 UK - $83.25

HIS 104 Sources of the West, Vol. 1 Wildcat - $39.95 UK - $42.75

HIS 108 American History, Vol.1 Wildcat - $64.95 UK - $77.25

ISC 161 Advertising & Promotion Wildcat - $99.95 UK - $123.00

MA 108 Intermediate Algebra Wildcat - $39.95 UK - $43.50

MA 109 College Algerbra Wildcat - $44.95 UK - $48.75

MGT 320 Fund. of Human Resource Mgmt. Wildcat - $69.95 UK - $81.00

MGT 340 Law, Business, & Society Wildcat - $99.95 UK - $117.00

MKT 300 Marketing Wildcat - $89.95 UK - $123.75

MKT 310 Consumer Behavior Wildcat - $99.95 UK - $145.50

PHI 120 Concise Intro to Logic Wildcat - $29.95 UK - $90.50

PHY 211 Enhanced College Physics Wildcat - $99.95 UK - $145.50

PS 210 Good Society Wildcat - $49.95 UK - $54.00

PSY 100 Exploring Psychology Wildcat - $54.95 UK - $58.25

PSY 223 Developmental Psychology Wildcat - $99.95 UK - $104.75

STA 200 Statistics: Concepts & Controversies Wildcat - $59.95 UK - $63.00

UK 101 Your College Experience Wildcat - $29.95 UK - $34.25

You Can't Hide Money

If you click on this blog title you can check out a story at uky.edu about the big U.K. Bookstore renovation coming this fall. According to the article, "The renovation and expansion is scheduled for completion in November 2008 at a cost of $3.1 million."

That's right, folks. $3.1 million smackeroos.

That's a whole lotta cash to throw around in today's world of inflation, rising tuition costs, and lest we forget - rising textbook costs. But, don't worry. Mega-giant corporation Follett Higher Education runs the U.K. Bookstore and is picking up the tab, not U.K. A look at the price comparison on this very blog shows that U.K. Bookstore is probably not hurting for money in today's troubled times, so don't worry your pretty head about that part.

So, what's all the moolah going toward? Shorter lines? More efficient means of buying back books than scanning books at one counter then sending a customer to wait at another counter before finally giving up the dough?

Nope.

They're promising more square footage for the essentials of college life like, "seating so that the community can spend time browsing the books and magazines." Good thing, because I remember hearing several people at the Community Center last Sunday say that they wished they could sit in the campus bookstore and browse the Math section or look through the July edition of "Guns & Ammo".

I don't know which group I'm more scared of, by the way.

One thing's for certain- there will be a response from Wildcat Textbooks. Just last week, we found an unopened gallon of paint that had been here for over a year and parlayed that, along with 8 dollars worth of drywall, into a brand new dressing room. Sure, if it rains it may leak a little through the roof, but that's only when it rains hard. And that's just the start. In addition to cleaning the windows and mopping the floors every week, we pledge to have the staff shower just as often.

While these cosmetic changes at Wildcat may not entice the community to come in and read our GER 201 textbooks, they will come in about 3.0999999999999999 million dollars less than U.K. Bookstore's cosmetic changes and allow us to continue to sell books for astonishingly less than the campus bookstore.

Wildcat Textbooks- selling books for less instead of flaunting our price-gouging ways with unnecessary building expansions. That's our whole philosophy.

Tayshaun Makes Olympic Team

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080619/SPORTS03/80619058/0/SPORTS03

Billy Clyde on the Recruiting Trail

People bitched and moaned that Tubby waited too long to recruit kids. Gillispie recruits them too early. Finally someone from ESPN, of all places, actually gives our coach some props for what he has done.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/basketball/mens/news/story?id=3403559

Lexington Herald MisLeader Article

The following is a link to an article which was published in Sunday's Herald Leader. The article takes a look back at Gillispie's first year as head coach and also addresses many of the notorious rumors.


http://www.kentucky.com/276/story/408374.html

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Buyback

In an effort to increase the miniscule textbook buyback at Wildcat, we sent our army of collegiate droids to the streets. It was guerilla marketing at its finest, spitting in the eye of bureaucracy and conservative fiefdoms. The results were a resounding, fist-pounding cry of freedom to the college bookstore gods.

Flowing UK Roster

Scholarship players that will be returning or arriving for sure (we think).

1. Jodie Meeks (Junior)
2. Perry Stevenson (Junior)
3. Michael Porter (Junior)
4. Jared Carter (Junior/Senior)
5. Kevin Galloway (Junior)
6. Ramon Harris (Junior)
7. Patrick Patterson (Soph.)
8. A.J. Stewart (Soph.)
9. Josh Harrellson (Soph.)
10. Darius Miller (Frosh)

That leaves three scholarships available. Jasper (transfer) and Liggins (qualify) have two reserved for them. I feel like Jasper is probably going to transfer. So lets say that Liggins qualifies.

That leaves two scholarships available. Here are the possibilities in order of UK's chance (in my guestimation):

1. Bobby Maze - Juco PG - Good scorer. Committed to Maryland, but couldn't go because of grade issues. Looking at UK and Cincinatti. Update: Maze Committs to UT.

2. Paul McCoy - PG, would be a freshman. Rumored to be down to UK and Virginia. If Maze committs to UK, McCoy is probably out. Update: McCoy Committs to SMU.

3. Maurice Sutton - PF, would be a freshman. UK has not offered. Sutton probably would committ to UK upon invitation. IU has offered, as well as some other eastern schools. With the committment of Harrellson, Sutton probably will not be offered.

Are we done for this year?

Cats in the NBA

I found this info on the Catspause and thought it was pretty interesting. This is how much these former Cats in the NBA make:

*Jamal Magloire (Mavericks) $231,000

Tayshaun Prince (Pistons) $8,675,620

Rajon Rondo (Celtics) $1,229,280

Keith Bogans (Magic) $2,440,000

Antoine Walker (Twolves) $8,329,640

Randolph Morris (Knicks) $810,000

Derek Anderson (Bobcats) $770,610

Nazr Mohammed (Bobcats) $5,632,200

Keleena Azubuike (Warriors) $687,456

Chuck Hayes (Rockets) $1,750,000

Jamal Magloire's number is a obviously not correct. Someone suggested that a previous team is paying the rest of Magloire's salary.

Rondo looks to be the best player for the money, with Antoine Walker as the worst. Rajon will undoubtedly be getting a big pay raise when his contract comes up.

Earthquake Rocks the Bluegrass

An earthquake rocked the Bluegrass in the wee hours of the morning, measuring a 5.4 on the Mark Richter Scale. Trimmers were said to be felt from Paducah to Maysville. The most significant damage occurred in the Louisville metro area. The largest structure in Louisville, Rick Pitino's ego, was said to have sustained no major damage. Although, bystanders did say a couple hair plugs were shaken loose.

Jasper Gone / Ramel's Album Here!

A source extremely close to the UK basketball team has told me that Derrick Jasper is more than likely going to transfer. The reasoning for exactly why Jasper will transfer is debatable. However, it seems to be some combination of feeling like Billy Clyde works people too hard, the new recruits coming in, and sensing a lack of appreciation from the staff.

In other news, Ramel Bradley hand delivered his new album to us today. Oddly enough, the first copy we sold was to Joe Crawford, who said that Ramel told him he had to buy one (no free copies, even if you're on the album).

If you would like a copy, they are available on our website.

http://www.collegegear.com/sf/stores/1139/p-376916.shtml

Jasper Gone?

Rumors are swirling that Derrick Jasper may be leaving the Wildcats. Sources close to the situation claim the Paso Robles, CA native is homesick. These same sources believe there is a 50% chance Jasper will stay at Kentucky, and a 42% chance that he will transfer. Sixty percent of the time, these sources are correct everytime.

What's Up Chuck?

Chuck Hayes is one of my favorite UK basketaball players. However, this is the most fugly bo-bugly shooting technique I've ever seen!

Gnome in Vegas

Gnome at the Alamo

Gnome in Chicago

Gnome in Paris

Gnome in Egypt

Dwayne Wade Game Thread

The Wildcats head to California to take on the Marquette War Beagles this Thursday. Despite being a much lower seed, the Cats actually match up very well with Marquette. The game should be a close one, as Kentucky looks to avenge the loss to Marquette in the 2003 Elite Eight game.

Gnome Contest: An NCAA Gnome is on the line. Guess correctly and be the spiritual healer of Keith Bogans' ankle. First to guess winner and spread correctly wins a Kentucky Gnome.

Official Blue Donkey Prediction: Kentucky by 2.

UK / Ole Miss Game Thread

Above: Wimpy Gillispie gettin' some UK love.

According to ESPN, UK will take on Ole Miss tonight, with the winner getting an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, the Rebels are runnin' to the NIT instead, along with the two-time national champion Florida Gators. It was an unpredictable first day of SEC tournament action. Had I been filling out a bracket, I would have gone 1-3 on the day.

Tonight, the Cats take on Georgia for the third time this season. A SEC Tournament Gnome is on the line. Let's have it. The spoils go to the first person to predict correctly.

Offical Blue Donkey Prediction: UK by 6.

American League Baseball Preview

We've been inundated with e-mails calling for the second installment of my MLB preview, so here it is.

The Detroit Tigers went to the World Series in 2006. In 2007, pitchers got hurt, hitters got hurt, and a team in their division (Cleveland) was awesome. They still almost won 90 games, but missed a return to the playoffs. Pissed beyond belief, their owner and GM combined to work a deal for Edgar Rentieria, a really good shortstop. This allowed Sean Casey to go bye-bye and capable bat Carlos Guillen to move over to first from shortstop and keep from getting dinged up as much.

But, that wasn't enough. They then traded 6 minor leaguers for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrell Willis. Willis is a durable left-hander with a funky delivery, which in the baseball world makes him as big of a lock for a full-time job as the mayor's son in a small town. Cabrera, well, on a list of "most similar batters in the history of baseball at age 25" Hank Aaron turns up number one in comparison to Miggy. In case you don't know, Aaron has more career homers than anyone with a size 10 or smaller head.

What does this mean? The Tigers should win 95-100 games if things shake out right, but that may not be enough since Cleveland's so damn good. The AL Central should be a great race, and will likely feature the Wild Card winner.

Defending Champ Boston is still sending out an awesome offense, but they have pitching concerns that will make their annual race with New York typically tight with both teams likely besting 90 wins.

In the West, I think the Angels are pretty good.

In summary, look for the Tigers to face the Cubs in the World Series this year.

Gnome Winner!

Brett 'The Hitman' Wooton wins the Senior Day Gnome contest, becoming the first person other than Jon G. to receive the honor. Mr. Wooton is a native of Owenton, KY. He is a big Kentucky fan (and by that we mean he is a really large person). Brett said that he really looks forward to receiving the gnome, and that it will finally give Mr. Wooton someone to hang out with.

Florida Game Thread

Big weekend for sports in the Bluegrass. Billy Donovan returns to Rupp Arena for the first time since he turned down the Kentucky job. Sunday is also Senior Day for Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley. Most pundits believe a Wildcat victory will ensure Kentucky's chance to dance. A loss for Kentucky, however, will make the Big Blue Nation question the angle of their NCAA dangle. Good article about the turnaround of this season in the Kentucky-hating Herald Mis-Leader.

Weather Update in Lexington: Raining Ice Bullets

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to sit down will my old friend Danny Trejo. You may recognize Dan from his roles in Con Air, Heat, and Spy Kids. Despite his intimidating appearance, Danny is actually a very friendly guy. We discussed politics and the upcoming presidential election. Mr. Trejo likes Barrack Obama, but doesn't think Obama will be able to beat John McCain in the general election. I personally think who ever wins the election should appoint Danny as the Director of Homeland Security.

On Wednesday, I took part in a round table discussion with Andre Woodson, Wesley Woodyard, and Stevie Johnson. We discussed the upcoming NFL Draft, 40 yard dash times, and the slumping of Swedish tennis since the departure of Bjorn Borg. This was my first interaction with Stevie Johnson, and I was very impressed. Not only did Steve provide some very thought provoking discussion, but he also gave us all a hug when he left. Check out Stevie's pregame performance in the video below.



Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit Rafael Little at his apartment in Lexington. Rafael just had knee surgery this week, after tearing his ACL and MCL in the Senior Bowl. Despite being immobilized, Rafael was in good spirits. His rehabilitation will take around eight months, so we won't be seeing Rafael in the NFL until the year after next. Rafael said he thinks Joker Philips will be an awesome head coach, and that he fully expects the new version of Knight Rider to be as good as the orginal.

My Old Kentucky Gnome Game Prediction Contest: This is a big one. Be the first to guess winner and spread correctly, win your very own Kentucky Gnome.

Offical Blue Donkey Prediction: Kentucky by 3.

Odom's Last Stand

The Wildcats head to Columbia's Steak House tonight to take on the South Carolina Odomites. Las Vegas doesn't think the Cats will leave Columbia with a victory. The Blue Donkey disagrees. Ramel Bradley will lead this team to two more regular season victories. If not, the basketball gods be damned.

Offical Blue Donkey Prediction: Cats by 3.

First person to correctly predict winner and margin wins a Kentucky Gnome.

Later

Tennessee game post

Klive Jr. here - filling in for the one and only Blue Donkey. But lets get down to business. The orange and white wearing Volunteers of Tennessee are predicted to win this game.... but if you remember correctly they were suppose to oust Kentucky on January 22 at Rupp Arena, but failed to do so. They also failed to conquer Vandy shortly after gaining the #1 rank in college basketball. I guess they don't know a whole lot about PRESSURE. That's right, PRESSURE! As an attempt to prepare Kentucky for tough "Pressure" filled games, coach Billy G calls in a special motivational speaker before every game against a ranked team. And not just any motivational speaker, but wildcat textbook's very own Christopher Milisor (aka House). You may be asking yourself "what makes House so special?" I'll tell you what - 4 years of running track on scholarship for U.K. . House has stared down Olympians such Tyson Gay and taunted them with his homemade shirts that say"get used to the view" on the back. Now that's what i call pressure.Off the track House can usually be spotted proudly wearing his letter jacket and "all S.E.C" watch. If you see him on campus and you don't find yourself thinking "What a stud" you might want to go ahead and schedule a CAT scan at your local doctors office.

I'm sure you all know by now that star freshman, Patrick Patterson, will not be playing for the rest of the season because a stress fracture in his left ankle. Sad.... you bet it is! Patterson's the only freshman ranked among the SEC's top 10 scorers (16.4 points per game) and rebounders (7.7 per game). Kentucky not having Patterson is equivalent to Pamela Anderson not wearing make-up (google search it if you dont believe me). What I'm trying to say is, U.K.'s going to need to find a way to "donkey" kick up their performance if they want any chance of making it into the NCAA Tournament. They are gunna need to take serious action - and im not talking about taking action like GW Bush did when hurricane Katrina first hit.

As always, don't forget to make your predictions in the comment section. First person to correctly guess the score of the game wins a Kentucky Gnome.

Official Blue Donkey Prediction: Tennessee by 23.

Official Klive Jr. Prediction: Kentucky by 7 BYAAAHHHHH!!

Brian Smith Game Day Thread

Brian Smith brings his Ole Miss Runnin' Rod Barnes' into Rupp Arena this evening for an epic battle against the Kentucky Wildcats. Ole Miss has yet to procure a SEC road victory, and the Wildcats are undefeated at home in conference play. Look for a Wildcat victory in typical Kentucky fashion. Vegas has Kentucky by 5. The Blue Donkey has Kentucky by 11.

My Old Kentucky Gnome Game Prediction Contest: Be the first person to correctly predict the winner and margin, win yourself an ass-kickin' Kentucky Gnome courtesy of Wildcat Textbooks. Only one entry per person. Submit your guess in the comments section.

Sunday Succotash

Another gutsy win for the Wildcats. The Gnome crew was in the house for John Pelphrey's return to Rupp Arena, and the Kentucky fans greeted the 'Unforgettable' with a standing ovation. The attendance for the game was the fifth largest in Rupp Arena history. Gillispie gave the crowd several 'thumbs up' for their participation as he exited the floor.

The victory moved the Cats' RPI up several more spots to #63. A win over Ole Miss this week will hopefully move Kentucky into the 50's. During the Tennessee / Memphis game last night, Dick Vitale even mentioned that he thought UK was playing its way into the tournament.

Great article today in the Herald Leader about my buddy, Wah Wah Jones.

http://www.kentucky.com/287/story/327270.html

Also a good article in the Loserville Ledger about the Cats' recruiting prospects.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080224/SPORTS11/802240579/1002/SPORTS

John Pelphrey Game Thread

John Pelphrey brings his fighting Hillary's to Rupp Arena on Saturday. The game is a 'must win' for the Wildcats, although the Rupp Arena crowd will probably show more affection to an opposing coach that it ever has in the history of Kentucky basketball. The game looks to be a tight one, with the edge going to the home team.

MY OLD KENTUCKY GNOME CONTEST: Predict the correct winner and margin of todays game and you win your very Kentucky Gnome. Only one entry per person. First person to correctly predict wins. Submit answers in the comment section.

In other news, Kelvin Sampson was fired today. After learning of the news, some players didn't show up to practice. It will be interesting to see who plays today.

Also, check out this Duke article:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/stewart_mandel/02/21/duke/index.html

The Next Hoosiers Movie

Even a well-timed pelvic thrust may not save Kelvin Sampson now, but the IU basketball players are doing what they can to save their beloved coach. During a meeting with Indiana Athletic Director Rick Greenspan, several players reportedly threatened to quit the team if Sampson was fired. Superstar frosh Eric Gordon also threatened to move out of the IU basketball dorm and buy a house if Greenspan lowered the interest rates again. Do you think the IU administration is wishing they still had Bob Knight?

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10659277

In other news, Billy Clyde traveled through ice and snow last night to watch Scotty Hopson in Hopsonville. Rick 'Dingle' Stansbury of Mississippie State and assistant coaches from Tennessee were also on hand. Hopson had 37 points.

The Sporting News released it's list of the most under and overpaid sports figures. A certain 'coach' made the list, and it's not who you're thinking. Check it out.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=350924

Arkasas Game Thread will be up later today.

The rooster's first crow

Greetings, let me be honest about myself; I'm crazy about numbers. Before I even knew what they meant, the stock market page was my favorite part of the newspaper, just for the sheer number of numbers. The backs of baseball cards were another favorite hunting ground for numbers. I, for example, probably could have quoted you Andy Van Slykes' batting average and homerun totals from 1985 until sometime in 1986. I could entertain myself for hours with a calculator. Now, as an adult, this preoccupation has leant itself to some odd, some might even say obsessive, behavior. For example, I knew I could track all the results at Keeneland over a few years and arrive at a formula that would guarantee I went home a winner every week, soon quitting my job and becoming a philanthropic millionaire. This endeavor cost me not a little time and money.

I am not alone. Today, one of the most important mathematics techniques invented in all of mankind is what is known as the RPI, or Ratings Percentage Index. There are a few different variations on this method, such as the Sagarin rating, which crazies like myself like to argue over. The reason such a sophisticated tool was developed; to help so-called experts decide which college basketball teams should be invited to play in the annual tournament. There must have been a stat-head on the tournament committee who, like myself with no talent for evaluating basketball talent subjectively, called upon his stat-head friends to come up with a guaranteed method for objectively comparing teams with grossly different talent levels, styles of play, personnel, competition, injuries, and on and on. Though the goal may have seemed large and unattainable at the time, stat-heads conquered so completely that non-believers today are chastised in the MSM and at the water cooler alike. My only question is "How did I not see that Dayton was the 24th best team in the country before?"

Alas, let me approach the point. People of similar mental defect as myself also tend to be interested in chance, fate, and randomness in the universe, and are predisposed to be predicters and gamblers. So we all now collectively turn our attention to that greatest of tournaments, March Madness. The utmost sage, supposedly, of this time of year is the great and venerable Joe Lunardi, who in his weekly "Bracketology" (don't you love how scientific, even mathematic, it sounds) predicts the field of 64 teams that will be competing in the tournament. No wait, I believe I mispoke, he predicts what teams would be in the field of 64 if the tournament was held tomorrow. WTF, I don't care about if the tournament were held tomorrow, I only care about the tournament that will be held March 21 through April 7. For all I care, Mr. Lunardi can keep any predictions otherwise to himself. But, with his prophet like status, he dare not be incorrect. I on the other hand, thrive off of being wrong so here is my unabashedly RPI-influenced predictions for the rest of the year and how those results will be interpreted by the selection committee in setting the field of 64.

Let us start with the conference champions and the so-called "locks" who could only miss the big dance, rightly or wrongly, due to force majeur. They are;

Big East: Louisville, Georgetown, U Conn, Notre Dame, Marquette
ACC: North Carolina, Duke
CUSA: Memphis
SEC: Tennessee
Atl 10: Xavier
Big 12: Kansas, Texas
PAC 10: UCLA, Stanford
Big 10: Purdue, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan St.
Horizon: Butler
WCC: St. Mary's, Gonzaga
MVC: Drake

Then their are the conference winners of conferences which would not get any at-large bids;

AEC: UMBC
Atlantic Sun: Belmont
Big Sky: Portland State
Big South: Winthrop (whats the preoccupation with "Big" in conference titles anyway?)
Big West: Cal State Northridge
CAA: Colonial Williamsburg
Ivy: Cornell
MAAC: Harlem
MAC: Kent State
MEAC: Morgan State
MWC: The Morman State College of Utah
NC: Robert Morris
OVC: Austin Peay
Patriot League: The School of the Americas
Southern: Davidson
Southland: Lamar (the billboard people?)
SAC (he,he): Alabama St. College of the Arts
Summit: Oral Roberts
WAC: Boise St

Then there is the Sun Belt, with both W. Ky and South Alabama looking like bubble teams, lets assume both are in for simplicity. Thats a total of 43 of 64, leaving 21 bids at-large.

1: Vanderbilt (25-6, 10-6) tight losses on the road to Ark. and at home to Tennessee, and that drubbing of UK, along with a 8-2 final 10 should make them first in
2: Pitt (21-9, 10-8) need a road win at Notre Dame, Syracuse or West Va to finish 3-3, but the RPI loves these guys?
3: Washington St (24-6, 12-6) only a tough loss at Stanford prevents them from finishing 8-0, watch out for the Cougars (thats what the press will be saying at least)
4: Oklahoma (22-9, 10-6) pounding by Texas prevents the sooner-be-dead-than-Oklahomans from finishing 8-0.
5: Kansas St (20-9, 11-5) the loss at Nebraska makes a win at either Baylor or Iowa St critical, but I think they'll win both
6: Arkansas (22-8, 11-5) a road loss at UK is all that prevents this Hog team that can finally win on the road from finishing 6-0. Finish 1st in the west and see a 6 seed. Soooooooooooooey!
7: Clemson (22-7, 11-5) 4-0 finish with win at Maryland and the Orange Crush get back to the big dance
8: Rhode Island (25-6, 11-5) finishing the year five-and-oh makes you proud to be a Rhody
9: UNLV (23-6, 11-3) A road loss to New Mexico makes the Gamblers 4-1. The Mormons' chief rivals make thug-till-death Greg Anthony proud.
10: Texas A&M (22-8, 9-7) a win at Baylor is paramount, a win at Oklahoma or at home against Kansas would be nice boost
11: Miami (22-8, 9-7) 7-1 down the stretch with wins over Duke and Maryland are nice, but doesnt' help condo prices in the metro does it?
12: Villanova (19-11, 9-9) a win at home vs either U Conn or Marquette makes this team 5-2 down the stretch in the Big E(asy)
13: W Va (20-10, 10-8) riding big wins over Providence, dePaul and St. Johns, the miners' daughters finish 3-3 and limp into the tournament on the committee's east coast bias
14: Houston (24-6, 13-3); the oilers go undefeated absentia Memphis in CUSA
15: Wake Forest (20-9, 10-6) 7-1 down the stretch with 3 road victories and home wins over Duke and Maryland
16: Mississippi (22-9, 7-9) 4-2 coming down the stretch to leapfrog Miss St. into contention
17: Kentucky (18-11, 12-4) 6-1 down the stretch, with a close loss to Tenn on the road and the committee saves UK any more embarrassment by letting them in the tournament with an 8 seed
18: Florida (22-9, 9-7) 4-2 with close losses to Tenn at home and at UK is enough to get the young crocs the SECs surprising 6th bid. Is there an SEC bias after it's recent success? Regardless, we know we'll here about one on SS by ACC's pet-shop boy Bilas. Will anyone be listening?
19: USC (19-11, 10-8) Will win at either Arizona or Arizona St, win over Stanford in the finale lifts them higher
20: Arizona (18-12, 9-9) need wins at Washington and Oregon St, and either at Oregon or home over USC
21: Arizona St (18-12, 9-9) need wins at Washington and Oregon St, and either at Oregon or home over USC (sound familiar?)

In case one of these falters

20: UAB (22-10, 11-5) UAB, Memphis and Houston combine for three losses to CUSA teams outside the triangle, and all are by UAB, can't stand the loss at UTEP!
21: Baylor (19-10, 8-8) must win one of the following home against K-State, home agains A&M or away against Tech.

Given what I've had to say about numbers, of course I have to mention my astonishment at this phenomena of Jon G guessing the spread correctly in two straight, the chances of that happening were exactly 31,425-1. Wow!

Rooster

Georgia Recap

Kentucky dispatched the Georgia Bulldawgs in underwhelming fashion last night. After a sizzling start, the Cats let Georgia stay in the game until the final buzzer. The outcome of the game was no surprise to Jon G., who won the Gnome Contest for the second time. Mr. Guess is the only player to correctly guess a game score so far, making him a legend in his own mind. In recognition of his monumental achiement, Mr. Guess wins a Kentucky collector basketball autographed by Woo, She-Ray, and Bobby Perry.

The Goat, lil' Monkey, Blue Donkey, and the Bert were in house for the game. The lower level crowd was lame as usual, with many of the attendants leaving before the outcome of the was determined. The experience made me realize how badly UK needs a new arena. The Eruption Zone has definitely helped the atmosphere, but the student section needs to encircle the court - give the rest of the lower level student seats to the displaced patrons.

In other news, another Kentucky basketball player is off the team. It's a rather bazarre story - click on the link below to read it.

http://www.kentucky.com/276/story/323138.html

UGA Game Thread

The Cats take on the Dawgs tonight, as Dennis Felton brings his zany personality to Rupp Arena. Expect a close game, because that's how the Wildcats roll.

Official Blue Donkey Prediction: Wildcats by 8.

Make your predictions in the comment section. First person to guess correctly wins a Kentucky Gnome.

National League Preview

Spring has sprung, so the time has come for the official Wildcat Blog Major League Baseball Preview. I know for a fact of our 6 or 7 regular viewers, at least one is a baseball fan!

We'll start with the National League, where the New York Mets appear to be the team to beat after unloading a ton of prospects in exchange for Johan Santanna, a very good southpaw from Minnesota.

Note: According to a fine boxer named Balboa, the term "southpaw" comes from a left-handed boxer facing south Philly when he fought- so, paw is his hand, south Philly - south paw, "southpaw".

Anyway, like I said the Mets are really good and got better in the off-season, so despite their late season collapse last year they should win the East, even though Philly (there's that town again) is good as well.

The Reds got Dusy Baker to manage this off-season, so that means all their oldest offensive players will dominate playing time while their young pitchers will have their arms dangling off their shoulder by the end of the year due to overuse. The Houston Astros made a huge trade for Miguel Tejada, who may or may not be facing perjury charges from the Mitchell Report on performance enhancing drugs. The Cardinals have done nothing and there are rumors of Pujols' elbow possibly needing surgery. The Brewers are coming off a good year, but I don't think guys like Braun will repeat their offensive numbers. And, Ben Sheets is hurt almost as much as my Grandma.

What does this all mean? The Cubs should win the Central. And since it's been 100 years since they won a World Series, I'm predicting that they will at least make it there in 2008. They are deep in pitching and signed their biggest need in the off-season by acquiring left-handed (another 'southpaw'!) hitting right-fielder Kosuke Fukudome. Now, his last name is pronounced FOO KOO DOH MAY, though I prefer the phonetic pronunciation myself. (If you don't see the humor in that, you are far too mature to read anything I ever write on this blog, so go away.) In Japan, he got on base a lot and hit for power, something the Cubs haven't had since Fred "the Crime Dog" McGriff had his tour of duty before retiring to hawk Tom Emanski baseball drills videos.

As for the West, who cares. They don't play until 10:30 at night, so no one will know anything about them until October. Arizona will be good and the Rockies might repeat last year's performance. Whatever.

Up next, the American League.

Baton Rouge Game Thread

Kentucky travels to Baton Rouge today to take on the LSU 'Lucky' Pierre's. The game is a must win for the Wildcats, as any remaining loss (besides Tennessee) will likely put an end to the Wildcats' post season aspirations. Two weeks ago, the match-up seemed like a probable 'W' for the Cats. Since the LSU administration fired John Brady, however, the Tigers have been playing their best basketball of the season.

Last Saturday, LSU held Tennessee's high powered offense to 47 points. The Tigers followed the performance by beating the Florida Gators by 12 in Gainesville.

So what will it be today? Predict the outcome correctly and win your very own Kentucky Gnome. The Blue Donkey predicts a five point LSU victory, ending any NCAA tournament dreams for the Wildcats.

2008 Recruiting Update

Billy Gillispie works underneath a shroud of mystery, which makes following the recruiting of the new Wildcat regime a difficult task. Where Tubby Smith's recruiting style assimulated a snail race, Gillispie's recruiting is more like a game of Where's Waldo. There seems to be no question that Billy Clyde possesses the aptitude of a successful recruiter, but his methods are new to the Wildcat faithful.

With two newcomers signed and two seniors leaving, Kentucky theoretcially has one scholarship to give. However, there will more than likely will be a couple of defections at seasons end. The remaining need for the Wildcats seems to be on the interior. However, there are very few big men left on the table for 2008.

As we enter the home stretch in recruiting for the class of 2008, let's examine some the names remaining on the Cats' radar.

Roderick Flemings - 6'7", 210, SF - Roderick (pictured)attends Weatherford Junior College. He was a high school All-American from the class of 2005, who orginally committed to Oklahoma State. Roderick is averaging around 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. Some analysts consider Flemings to be the best junior college player in the country. Roderick ranked 26th in the Rivals Top 150, Class of 2005.

Tyrone Appleton - 6'3", 190, PG - Tyrone attends Midland Community College in Texas and is known as being a excellent on-ball defender. He is currently being recruited by Kansas, Kentucky, and Texas.

Verdell Jones - 6'4", 160, PG - Verdell is from Champaign, IL. He considered a three star prospect by Rivals. Verdell has been on the Wildcats' radar for several months, and attended Big Blue Madness in October. Jones is also being recruited by Minnesota and Tennessee.

Brad Tinsley - 6'3" 180, SG - Tinsley, a Rivals' four star recruit, is a recent addition to the Wildcats' list. He is ranked 93rd in the Rivals Top 150. Tinsley is also being recruited by North Carolina, Tennessee, and Marquette.

And of course there is also the Scotty Hopson saga. Hopson, one of the most highly touted Kentucky players in recent history, originally commited to Mississippi State while Tubby was still at U.K. Since the arrival of Gillispie at Kentucky, Hopson has backed out of his verbal commitment to the Bulldogs. Although, reports are conflicting as to whether Kentucky is actively recruiting Hopson. Hopson is known as being incredibly talented and for his poor work ethic. Besides the Wildcats, Hopson is also reportedly interested in Tennessee and Louisville.

Wednesday Whispers

If you didn't get enough of Kevin Stallings last night, you can see him in King of the Hill on Sunday. As crazy as it seems, no one correctly predicted Vandy by 41 in the Dan Langhi Prediction Contest. However, Coach Billy Clyde did oblige Jon Guess' request to put A.J. in the game.

Add Jimmy 'Butch' Dykes to my list of media members that are too stupid for television.

"Kentucky has enough talent. Joe Crawford, Ramel Bradley, and Patrick Patterson were all McDonalds's All Americans."

Nothing wrong with this statement, except that it's not true.

During an Illinois/Minnesota game update, Dykes stated , "Kentucky fans aren't going to want to hear this, but Minnesota is doing really good right now."

Oddly, at that moment Minnesota was losing at home to Illinois, and eventually lost by 24. The game was Minnesota's worst home loss of the season. Illinois improved there record to 11-14.

"Kevin Stallings is one of the top five 'offensive minds' in basketball."

Really?

"I got my hair cut yesterday. It cost me $41.00. Rascal Flatts gets their hair cut there."

Wow!

"I love coming to Nashville; it's all about the music. If Randy Travis was here, I would sit in his lap."

That I can believe.

If you didn't know, Jimmy Dykes was an assistant coach at Kentucky under Eddie Sutton. The University of Kentucky fired Dykes after Billy Ray Cyrus filed a restraining order against him.

Ouch!

That one is going to leave a mark.

Dan Langhi's Vandy Prediction Thread

The Wildcats head to Music City this evening to take on the Marshall County Commodores. With the spirit of of Dan Langhi, Barry Goheen, Aaron Beth, and Dan Hall behind the Commodores, it may be a tough task for the Wildcats.

Billy Clyde will be coaching his first game in Vandy's funky gymnasium. Gillispie down-played the significance of the court design, claiming the he and Ramel Bradley have been able to communicate on a telepathic level since Ramel suffered his concussion.

Tonight's game predictions should be varied, as the Cats will not be favored. Vegas has the Dores by 2.5. What do you have?

The winner will receive their very own My Old Kentucky Gnome statue. Only one guess per person. Point spreads cannot be duplicated. To win, the exact spread must be guessed. No submissions allowed after tip-off.

Bobby Knight

Even though as a child I was taught to dislike Indiana Basketball, I've always sort of liked Bobby Knight. My lack of disdain is probably based on my age, as Bob Knight's Indiana teams never seemed to be that good while I was growing up. Actually, Mike Davis' tenure with the Hoosiers was much more entertaining from a U.K. perspective.

Last night Bob Knight was on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Mix in Larry the Cable Guy and Mr. Knight dressed in a referee uniform, and you have some truly excellent entertainment.

Check it out.

Alabama Game Thread Winner

The first ever My Old KY Gnome game predicition contest was held on Saturday against Alabama. Thank you to everyone that participated. We will be having the contest for each of the remaining games this season.

Saturday's winner was Jon Guess of Paris, TN, who correctly picked the score of Kentucky by 10. Jon is an automechanic at Hank's Auto Care, and attends the Paris Mormon Tabernacle. He has one wife and two kids. The Guess' also have a Boston terrier named Mr. Ferdinand, who they enter in dog shows around the country.

Jon graduated from Marshall County High School. He says he's been a Cat fan since he can remember. His favorite Wildcat players of all-time are Richie Farmer and Rob Locke. Mr. Guess thinks the Cats will make the NCAA tournament this year, behind the leadership of Ramon Harris. Jon also said, "Coach, when you gonna put A.J. in?"

Look for the Vandy game thread tomorrow.

Here We Go!

In the words of the awesome 80's rock band Europe - 'it's the final countdown'. With eight games to go in the regular season, the recent upswing in the Wildcats' play has people wondering what the post season holds for Kentucky. As a fan, I have been unwilling to let myself believe the Cats have a chance to make the NCAA tournament. Yes, Kentucky's name is beginning to be mentioned as a possibly bubble team. And yes, others like ESPN's Jay Bilas seem to be campaigning to keep the Cats out of the tournament. But before you run off and start making anti-Jay Bilas t-shirts, remember that media folk are paid to talk. They are not paid to be correct.

Furthermore, I don't think it does our basketball team any favors to try to predict the future at this point. In the words of my spiritual leader Ramel Bradley "Now is not about making our record look pretty. We just have to keep winning basketball games."

Regardless of what the post season holds for this team, I am proud of what this basketball team has done so far. They have battled through injury and embarassing losses. The have persevered through a difficult coaching change and the transfer of players with lunatic mothers. They have bought in to Coach Clyde's system, and they have come together as a team.

However, there are eight games to go. Tomorrow we play the first. A win at Vanderbilt would be huge for this team, as it would provide the Cats with their first road win over a quality opponent. It will not be easy, but it is possible.

The My Old KY Gnome Game Day Prediction thread will be up in the morning. Have your guesses ready. More on the Alabama game contest winner later in the day.

"I may be bald, and we may not have an athletic department. But we have a funky gym and an Australian player, and that has to count for something."
Kevin Stallings

Another Must See

I'll break from tradition and cover a movie that's only been on DVD for a short while. 3:10 to Yuma is a great one. What makes it work are the two lead characters, Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. These characters make an unlikely connection that is the focal point of the movie.

Bale plays a rancher who struggles with a drought, railroaders running him off his land, a son that wants to run wild, and a wife that's losing her love for him. Opportunity to set all these straight strikes when he accepts a cash offer to aid in the escort of a dangerous criminal to the 3:10 prison train to Yuma.

That criminal is Ben Wade, played by Crowe. Now, you know just from the guy's last name being Wade that he's a badass and a hit with the ladies. But, what becomes surprisingly apparent as the movie goes on is that this man respects the down-on-his-luck rancher who is intent on seeing him off to prison. Enjoy the subtle dialogue between the two as the movie goes on.

As good as those two are, Ben Foster darn near steals the movie as Charlie Prince, Wade's substitute gang leader. This guy dazzles with the sidearms and is one of the meanest hombres north, south, east, and west of the Pecos.

Favorite scene? I'll just say it's right after this verse is sang- "They-re gonna hang me in the morning A'fore this night is done They're gonna hang me in the mornin' And I'll never see the sun".

Is That You, Yogi?

Jorge Posada channeled another great Yankee Catcher yesterday when he said - in regards to the Roger Clemens steroid story - "I just hope whoever is telling the truth is telling the truth. We'll see." Jorge's quote on-line

We will see Jorge, because the story got nuttier as reports are coming in that Clemens' wife got some HGH to prepare for a photo shoot in Sports Illustrated. I've researched the photos, purely in the name of journalistic research, and I must say that if she did take HGH then they outta put the stuff in the public water supply because she's hotter than billy goat with four testicles.

This whole saga makes for good t.v., but I'm to the point where people are gonna have to realize that almost every accomplished athlete has made sacrifices and tried things that most of us wouldn't. In other words, if you think that all baseball players are completely PED - free now that testing is stricter you are wrong. If you believe the NFL is PED - free you are crazy. Just watch the combine workouts on the NFL channel this summer. These are guys coming right out of college and they are freaks. Absolute freaks. It takes more hard work than most of us can comprehend and more mental toughness than most of us can muster. And I think it sometimes means taking drugs, but that last part admittedly is speculation on my part.

But, as more and more of these stories come out, can we really believe that only a very small portion of high level athletes use PEDs?

Come Again?

Over the course of the past 48 hours, I have listened to Rush Limpbaugh's radio show and watched Ann Coulter on the Today Show. There is mention among the conservative ranks that voting for Hillary in the presidential election, with the insinuation that she would ruin the country so quickly, would be more beneficial for the Republican Party in the long run.

First, let me say that I would be happy with any of the three remaining candidates. Beyond that, I have to question whether Limpbaugh or Coulter have been lucid during the past eight years?

Success as a country can be defined in many ways. However, it is beyond me cognitive abilities to define how the past eight years have been in any way a success for the United States. The mistakes are obvious and plentiful, but will be saved for a later post. I do think, however, that the legitimacy of the conservative movement needs to be examined if these two people are truly spokes-people for the cause.

Alabama Game Thread

Seriously, how could you possibly like anybody that looks like Mark Gottfried? His middle name is Fredrick - that seems appropriate. If I was a high school basketball player and this guy started calling me and sending me letters, I would notify the F.B.I. Oddly enough, Mr. Gottfried seems to be an incredible recruiter. For instance, he beat out North Carolina for the services of Richard Hendrix. Unfortunately, Fredrick seems to be as bad of a coach as he is a good recruiter. Despite having good players, Alabama never seems to have a good team. He's sort of like the sober version of John Brady at L.S.U. (who just got fired).

The Cat's should take this game. I just saw Ramel Bradley walking back from class a couple of hours ago. He was all smiles, and seemed to be back to his old self.

My Old Kentucky Gnome Contest - We are introducing a new contest with the Alabama - Kentucky game this weekend. If you predict the correct spread in the game, you win your very own My Old Kentucky Gnome, courtesy of Wildcat Textbooks. An example would be, Kentucky by 3. Only one entry per person. The Gnome goes to the first person to predict the spread correctly - You cannot duplicate someone else's guess. Submit your guesses in the comment section.

All Aboard - Meet the New Cats

Kentucky's 2008 football signing class appears to be complete. All 18 players that were expected to commit, as of yesterday, have made it official. In addition, the Cats added Aaron Boyd and Collins Ukwo. Ukwo, a defensive end from Tennessee, was not offered a scholarship from U.K. until yesterday. He was previously commited to Middle Tennessee.

Meet the new football Cats (courtesy of U.K. Athletics):

1. Eric Adeyemi, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 165, Fr-HS, Miami, Fla. (Southridge) – Swift wide receiver prospect … Has been timed below 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash … As a senior, caught 31 passes for 455 yards and four touchdowns for Southridge HS in Miami, Fla. … Rushed 24 times for 246 yards, a 10.3-yard average, and five TDs … Also returned kickoffs and punts, including a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown … Two-way player as a senior and had two interceptions on defense … Named to the All-Dade County team, a talent-rich area … According to a story in the Miami Herald, Eric was the only player this season who caught a pass against heralded Miami defensive back prospect Brandon Harris … Credited with 16 receptions for 353 yards, an impressive 22.1-yard average, and four TDs as a junior … Rushed for 206 yards on 28 carries, a 7.4 average, and three TDs … Coached by Rodney Hunter … Also a track standout … Second in the state in the 300-meter hurdles as a junior … Fourth in the state in the 110-meter hurdles as a junior … Name is pronounced “ad-uh-YEM-ee.”
2. Aaron Boyd, Wide Receiver, 6-3, 210, Fr-HS, Lexington, Ky. (Henry Clay) – Highly regarded wide receiver … The No. 1 prospect in Kentucky by Rivals.com and Scout.com … One of the nation’s top-40 wide receivers by both services, and rated the No. 18 player in the Midwest by Scout.com … Caught 55 passes as a senior, good for 1,157 yards and 15 touchdowns … First-team all-state by The Associated Press … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” and “Kentucky Tremendous 26” listing of the top seniors in the state … Named to the all-city team as a junior, snagging 39 balls for 730 yards and five touchdowns … Also saw action as a defensive back … Helped lead Henry Clay HS to a 35-6 record over the last three seasons, including trips to the state semifinals as a sophomore and junior … Coached by Sam Simpson … Also a member of the basketball squad and played for the Henry Clay team that advanced to the Kentucky Sweet 16 state tournament as a freshman … Brother of former Wildcat quarterback Shane Boyd (UK 2000-03), who is now with the NFL’s Houston Texans.
3. Chandler Burden, Offensive Lineman, 6-5, 280, Fr-HS, Oxford, Ohio (LaSalle) – Athletic lineman who played both offense and defense at LaSalle HS in Cincinnati, Ohio … Projects as an offensive lineman in the collegiate ranks … Played nose tackle and end while on defense … Two-year member of the highly competitive Greater Catholic League in the Cincinnati area … Honorable-mention All-Southwest Ohio as a senior … Has been timed below 5.0 in the 40-yard dash, an excellent clocking for a lineman … Named to an “All-Combine Team” in Cincinnati, an event which featured players from multiple states … Coached by Tom Grippa … Throws the shot and the discus for the track and field team … Advanced to the state meet and finished in the top 10 in both events as a junior … Has several relatives who live in the Lexington area and already were Kentucky fans.
4. Randall Cobb, Quarterback/Athlete, 5-11, 180, Fr-HS, Alcoa, Tenn. (Alcoa) – Named “Mr. Football” for Class AA in Tennessee … Dual-threat quarterback from perennial power Alcoa HS … Alcoa has won four-consecutive state championships, the last two with Cobb at the offensive controls as the starting QB … Team posted a 27-3 mark during his two campaigns as a starter … As a senior, completed 89 of 139 passes (64.0 percent) for 1,765 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only two interceptions … Rushed for 793 yards, a 9.0-yard average per carry, and 13 touchdowns … During his junior season, threw for 1,893 yards, 25 TDs, and just four interceptions … All-state as a junior and senior … Coached by Gary Rankin … At Kentucky, will be reunited with current Wildcat wide receiver Kyrus Lanxter … One of the top-11 prospects in Tennessee by the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel … One of the top-20 prospects in Tennessee, according to Rivals.com … Projected as a defensive back by Scout.com, he is listed as one of the nation’s top-100 DBs by that service … Also a member of the track team.
5. E. J. Fields, Wide Receiver/Defensive Back, 6-2, 190, Fr-HS, Frankfort, Ky. (Frankfort) – Highly regarded athlete … Played quarterback and cornerback at Frankfort (Ky.) HS and has been projected as a wide receiver or DB on the collegiate level … Led team to an 11-3 record and a spot in the state semifinals his senior season … Had eight interceptions as a senior, adding eight pass breakups, 59 tackles, and five tackles for loss … At quarterback, he ran for 1,023 yards and 19 touchdowns … Also passed for 373 yards and five scores … First-team all-state by the Louisville Courier-Journal … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” and the “Kentucky Tremendous 26” listings of the top seniors in the state … Ran for 1,147 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior, earning all-county and all-district honors … Career totals feature 2,677 rushing yards and 39 TDs … On defense, he totaled nine interceptions and 190 tackles … Coached by Craig Foley … Has been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash … The No. 4 prospect in Kentucky by Rivals.com, which also lists him as the nation’s No. 63 all-purpose athlete … The nation’s No. 45 safety according to Scout.com … Also has participated in basketball and track … Won the state championship in the 400-meter dash as a junior and also competes in the 100 and 200 meters … Best times include 10.7 seconds in the 100, 22.2 in the 200, and 48.7 in the 400 … Considering running track while at Kentucky.
6. Winston Guy, Defensive Back, 6-1, 190, Fr-HS, Lexington, Ky. (Catholic) – First-team all-state defensive back as chosen by The Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” listing of the top-22 seniors in the state … Helped lead Lexington Catholic HS to a 13-2 record and Class AAAA state championship as a senior … Earned a reputation as a great cover corner and his athletic ability enabled him to be a devastating blitzer … Senior defensive statistics featured 75 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 quarterback sacks, 10 QB hurries, two caused fumbles, and two blocked kicks … Offensive stats included 24 carries for 267 yards and six touchdowns, along with 16 pass receptions for 215 yards and two TDs … Also had two kick returns for touchdowns … Set a school career record with 19.5 sacks … Team also won the state title in Class AAA his sophomore season … Has turned in a 4.35 clocking in the 40-yard dash … Coached by Bill Letton … Projected as a safety by Scout.com and listed as the No. 12 safety in the nation … The No. 3 prospect in Kentucky and one of the top-30 safeties in the country as selected by Rivals.com.
7. Osaze Idumwonyi, Offensive Lineman/Defensive Lineman, 6-1, 275, Fr-HS, Cedar Hill, Tex. – Athletic lineman who excelled on both sides of the ball at Cedar Hill (Tex.) HS … Could end up on offense or defense at Kentucky … Started in the offensive line his junior year when his team went 16-0 and won the Class AAAAA state championship … Chosen for the all-district team as a senior … Noted for his quickness and explosion at the snap … Has run the 40-yard dash under 5.0 seconds, according to Cedar Hill Coach Joey McGuire, an outstanding time for a lineman … Originally played tight end but became a lineman as he matured … Top lifts include 650 pounds in the squat and 330 in the bench press … Listed as the No. 12 center in the nation by Rivals.com and the No. 62 player in the talent-rich state of Texas … Scout.com tabs him among the nation’s top-125 offensive guards … Name is pronounced “o-SAH-zay id-oo-WAH-ee.”
8. William Johnson, Linebacker, 6-3, 195, Fr-HS, Nashville, Tenn. (Pearl-Cohn) – Versatile athlete who performed at multiple positions at Pearl-Cohn HS in Nashville, Tenn. … At various times he played free safety and linebacker on defense and played wide receiver and tailback on offense … Also excelled at returning punts and kickoffs … Has a frame that will enable him to continue to gain size and strength while in college … His speed enabled him to be an effective blitzer, as he had 12 quarterback sacks as a senior, along with 80 tackles and a pair of interceptions … On offense he had 37 catches for 689 yards and 12 touchdowns … Rushed 21 times for 350 yards and four TDs … Averaged a phenomenal 35 yards per punt return … Helped Pearl-Cohn advance to the Class AAA state semifinals as a junior and senior … All-city, all-region, and second-team all-state as a senior … Has been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash … Coached by Tony Brunetti … Teammate of fellow UK signee DeAunte Mason … His athletic versatility also shows in other sports … Plays basketball and baseball in addition to football … Plays catcher and center field in baseball, another unique combination.
9. DeAunte Mason, Quarterback/Athlete, 6-3, 215, Fr-HS, Nashville, Tenn. (Pearl-Cohn) – Named “Mr. Football” for Class AAA in Tennessee … Dual-threat quarterback with good size … Began starting at quarterback midway through his freshman season at Pearl-Cohn HS in Nashville, Tenn. … Helped Pearl-Cohn advance to the Class AAA state semifinals as a junior and senior … Threw for 2,375 yards as a senior, also rushing for 1,052 yards, and accounted for 35 total touchdowns … Also the team’s punter and placekicker … Passed for almost 2,000 yards an 19 touchdowns as a junior, to go along with 906 rushing yards and 15 TDs … All-state as a junior and senior … Regional Most Valuable Player and also Nashville Metro MVP as a senior … Coached by Tony Brunetti … One of the top-11 prospects in Tennessee by the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel … One of the top-20 prospects in the state by Rivals.com … Among the nation’s top 100 QBs by Scout.com … Teammate of fellow UK signee William Johnson … Plays basketball and runs track … Member of the 4x200-meter relay team that won the state championship his junior year … President of his school’s chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes … Currently a finalist for the Admiral Lawrence Scholarship Award given by the Nashville chapter of the National Football Foundation … Name is pronounced “dee-AUN-tay.”
10. Gene McCaskill, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 175, Fr-HS, Chester, S. C. (Chester) – Named first-team all-state as an all-purpose athlete by the Columbia State newspaper and the High School Sports Report … Talented playmaker performed at quarterback and wide receiver in high school … Expected to get a first look at wide receiver in college … Helped lead Chester HS to the Class AAA state championship game as a senior … Accounted for more than 2,500 passing, rushing, and receiving yards, to go along with 30 touchdowns in those categories … Played in the South Carolina North-South All-Star Game … Has been clocked under 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash … One of the top-11 prospects in South Carolina by the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel … Coached by Vic Floyd … An all-region track and basketball player.
11. Cartier Rice, Defensive Back, 5-10, 180, Fr-HS, Duncan, S. C. (Byrnes) – First-team all-state selection as a senior by The Associated Press, the Columbia State newspaper and the High School Sports Report … Outstanding cover cornerback with noteworthy quickness … Helped lead Byrnes HS of Duncan, S. C., to three state championships of the largest classification during his four years on the varsity … Had three interceptions as a senior, and capped the campaign by playing in the South Carolina vs. North Carolina Shrine Bowl … Had an interception for the winning South Carolina team in the Shrine Bowl … “Rice took on the challenge all week of covering a very talented group of receivers and came up aces,” wrote recruiting analyst Barton Simmons, who covered the Shrine Bowl game and practices for Rivals.com … Also had three interceptions as a junior, to go along with eight pass breakups … Coached by Chris Miller … Name is pronounced “car-TEE-ay.”
12. Matt Roark, Quarterback/Athlete, 6-6, 190, Fr-HS, Acworth, Ga. (North Cobb) – Combines excellent height and good speed … Originally a free safety, he moved to quarterback early in his junior year when the team’s starting QB was hurt; blossomed at the new position as he developed into a top-notch quarterback … Honorable-mention all-state as a senior by the Georgia Sportswriters Association and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution …Two-time Cobb County Player of the Year … In 18 career starts he totaled 54 rushing and passing touchdowns … As a senior, he completed 98 of 136 passes (72.1 percent) for 1,552 yards and 15 touchdowns … Rushed for 1,010 yards and 12 TDs, averaging 7.3 yards per carry … Rushed for over 1,000 yards as a junior, scoring 18 touchdowns … Also had five interceptions … Led North Cobb HS to state playoff berths as a junior and senior … Coached by Shane Queen … Also plays basketball … Has Kentucky connections, as he was born in Lexington and still has relatives living in Hazard … Name is pronounced “RORK” … His father, Ray Gover, was a UK football letterman from 1985-88 as a defensive back and wide receiver.
13. Donte Rumph, Defensive Lineman, 6-3, 260, Fr-HS, St. Matthews, S. C. (Calhoun County) – Talented lineman with the size and strength to play tackle and also the quickness needed to play at end … As a senior, earned first-team all-state honors, covering all classifications, by The Associated Press and the Columbia State newspaper … Also first-team all-state for Class AA by the High School Sports Report … Totaled 107 tackles during senior season, to go along with 14 quarterback sacks, for Calhoun County HS in St. Matthews, S. C. … Chosen for the South Carolina vs. North Carolina Shrine Bowl and played for the winning squad … Made 65 tackles and five sacks during his junior season … Coached by Walter Wilson … Member of the Calhoun County basketball team which has won three consecutive state championships and has an active winning streak of more than 70 games … An uncle, Chris Rumph, is an assistant coach at Clemson … Cousin of Clemson defensive lineman Philip Merling.
14. Matt Smith, Defensive Lineman/Offensive Lineman, 6-4, 270, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (St. Xavier) – First-team all-state as a senior by the Louisville Courier-Journal … Named to the “Class of the Commonwealth” listing of the top 22 seniors in Kentucky by the Lexington Herald-Leader … Also tabbed for the “Kentucky Tremendous 26” … Played primarily in the defensive line for perennial power St. Xavier HS in Louisville … Helped St. Xavier reach the state finals in his senior and sophomore seasons, going 14-1 in each campaign … Known for his upper-body strength and playing savvy … Although he played mostly on defense in high school, he is usually projected as an offensive lineman in college … Scout.com lists him as the No. 63 offensive guard in the country … Coached by Mike Glaser … Also a competitive swimmer … Grew up as a Kentucky fan.
15. Sean Stackhouse, Tight End, 6-4, 250, Fr-HS, Jacksonville, Fla. (Mandarin) – Big, athletic tight end … Four-year starter for Mandarin HS in Jacksonville, Fla. … As a senior, caught 32 passes for 426 yards and four touchdowns … Snagged 33 passes his junior season, good for 333 yards … Two-year member of the all-conference team … Team captain as a junior and senior … Listed as the nation’s No. 31 tight end by Scout.com … Selected to play in the Florida North-South All-Star Game but was unable to participate because of an injury … Nominated for the U. S. Army All-America Game … Coached by Luther Price and the late J. D. Hall … Also participated in track and field and played basketball in high school.
16. Danny Trevathan, Linebacker, 6-1, 210, Fr-HS, Leesburg, Fla. (Leesburg) – Athletic linebacker whose speed and playing intensity have drawn comparisons to UK All-SEC linebacker Wesley Woodyard … Three-year starter for Leesburg (Fla.) HS … Third-team all-state, covering all classifications, by the Florida Sportswriters Association … Named first-team All-Central Florida by the Orlando Sentinel … Also the Area Defensive Player of the Year for Lake and Sumter counties by the Sentinel … Also the Area Defensive Player of the Year by the Leesburg Daily Commercial … Senior statistics included 117 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 5.5 quarterback sacks, two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown), and three caused fumbles … Played quarterback and running back on offense … … Rushed 56 times for 427 yards, a 7.6-yard average, and three touchdowns … Notched 98 tackles, including 17 for loss, along with five caused fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and six sacks as a junior … Has been timed as fast as 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash … Coached by Charles Nassar … Also a member of the school’s weightlifting team.
17. Dave Ulinski, Offensive Lineman, 6-4, 280, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (duPont Manual) – Co-winner of the Paul Hornung Award as the best player in Kentucky … Played center his senior season at duPont Manual HS in Louisville … Helped the Crimsons average 33.9 points and 172 rushing yards per game … Team went 10-2, advancing to the second round of the state playoffs … Named first-team all-state by The Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal … Chosen for the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” and the “Kentucky Tremendous 26” listings of the top seniors in the state … Prior to his senior year, he played in the defensive line at Manual … Has the ability and athleticism to play either side of the ball in college … The No. 7 prospect in Kentucky by Rivals.com and the nation’s No. 67 offensive tackle … Scout.com lists him as the No. 46 offensive tackle in the country … Coached by Joe Nichols … Dave’s grandfather, Harry, was a center/linebacker at Kentucky from 1946-49 … Harry was an All-SEC player, honorable-mention All-American, captain of the 1949 Orange Bowl team, played six years in the National Football League, and is one of UK’s retired-jersey honorees … Name is pronounced “u-LIN-skee.”
18. Collins Ukwu, Defensive End, 6-4, 210, Fr-HS, La Vergne, Tenn. (La Vergne) – Defensive end noted for his speed and quickness … Outstanding mobility indicated by the fact that he set a school career record with 43 tackles for loss at La Vergne (Tenn.) HS … Played only seven games his senior season because of injury, but totaled 86 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, seven quarterback sacks, three fumbles caused, and one fumble recovery … All-region as a junior and senior … Named to the all-area team as a senior by the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal … Honorable-mention all-state … Three-year starter who helped lead La Vergne to state playoff appearances his sophomore and junior seasons … Has run the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds … Coached by Will Hester … Member of school’s basketball team that has won four consecutive district championships and two regional titles … Competes in the shot put and discus throw for the track and field team … Name is pronounced “OOK-woo.”
19. Trevino Woods, Offensive Lineman, 6-5, 280, Fr-HS, Athens, Ga. (Clarke Central) – Sizeable offensive line prospect … Played two seasons in the offensive line at Clarke Central HS in Athens, Ga. … Graded at 82 percent for his senior season, including 45 pancake blocks … Team went 7-3-1 as a senior, advancing to the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs … Known for good quickness in addition to his noteworthy size … Has tremendous upside as he did not begin playing football until his junior year of high school … The nation’s No. 48 offensive guard by Scout.com … Coached by Leroy Ryals … The first commitment of Kentucky’s 2008 signing class … Also on the track and field team, competing in the shot put and discus throw.
20. Taylor Wyndham, Linebacker/Defensive Lineman, 6-4, 205, Fr-HS, Swansea, S. C. (Swansea) – Tall linebacker who has tremendous speed and range, and also plays with great leverage … First-team all-state for Class AAA by the High School Sports Report and SCVarsity.com … Second-team all-state selection, covering all classifications, by the Columbia State newspaper … Played outside linebacker as a senior, making 86 tackles along with five quarterback sacks, 21 quarterback hurries, one interception, three fumbles caused, and three fumbles recoveries for Swansea HS … Also scored three touchdowns on offense … Was an inside linebacker as a junior, making 130 tackles with three caused fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three quarterback sacks, and one interception … Named all-region as a junior and senior … Totaled more than 300 tackles at Swansea … Also played defensive end early in his high school career … Could possibly return to defensive end in the collegiate ranks as he continues to mature physically … Played in the South Carolina North-South All-Star Game after his senior season … Ranked as the nation’s No. 47 strongside linebacker by Scout.com … Coached by Van Lewis … Also played soccer and basketball.