Kentucky Sports Radio

The tournament continues and the matchups….well, some of them arent that close. Case in point, the one from last night, where Cotton Nash pounded our man Nazr Mohammed into submission, defeating him 5-0 with the fan voting producing the highest discrepancy yet in the tournament. Nash moves on and completes the first round of the Adolph Rupp Bracket. The second round will see these matchups:

Dan Issel
Jim Master

Pat Riley
Mel Turpin

Rick Robey
Alex Groza

Antoine Walker
Cotton Nash

Continuing with the first round, we move to the Tubby Smith Bracket, which looks like this:

Tubby Smith Bracket

(1) Jack Givens
(16) James Lee

(8) Wayne Turner
(9) Wah Wah Jones

(4) Keith Bogans
(13) Jamal Magloire

(5) Winston Bennet
(12) Jim Andrews

(6) Johnny Cox
(11) Jeff Sheppard

(3) Cliff Hagan
(14) Sean Woods

(7) Ed Davender
(10) Deron Feldhaus

(2) Tony Delk
(15) Patrick Sparks

As you can see, lots of interesting matchups of players and contrasting styles. We begin with the only two teammates to draw each other in the first round, Jack Givens vs James Lee.

Jack Givens:

We often talk in this tournament about eras and folks who greaw up in certain eras favoring certain players. Chances are if you are in your late 30s or 40s, you likely would argue that Jack Givens was one of, if not the, best player in UK history. “The Goose” could do it all, pass, rebound and play defense….but man could he score. Part of some of the first groups of players to get to play four years, Givens took a year to hit his stride, but beginning in his sophomore season, he became virtually unstoppable. He was second team All-SEC his sophomore year and then First team All-SEC the next two years. His Senior year found him to be one of the best players in America as he finished Second Team All American and led the Cats to their first national championship in 20 years. In that Tournament, the Goose went from a great player to a legend, scoring 41 points against Duke, the highest number ever for an NCAA championship game. His performance has been called one of the top 5 in NCAA history and established the Lexington native as a legend for all time. He finished his career 3rd in scoring (without the three point line) and 12th in rebounding. At a time when Kentucky fans were nervous and demanding a national championship, Givens gave it to them and thus his #1 seed in this tournament.

James Lee:

The unfortunate soul who must face the Goose is the “Freight Train” James Lee. The Train and the Goose had careers that intersected from the playgrounds when they were kids to the national championship game in 1978. Like the Goose, Lee is from Lexington, Kentucky and grew up playing high school basketball against the Goose. Lee’s career was that of a steady player who had a knack for finding key baskets in key situations. Throughout his time at Kentucky he hit clutch shots and did the little things it takes to be a winner…..all the while showing overwhelming athleticism and getting dunks that would make all but Dirk Minniefield shake their head in wonder. His senior season saw Lee receive accolades as Third Team All-SEC and get noticed on the national level. But more importantly, he became the key igniter of the run that led UK to its victory in the title game. When Duke had the lead in the second half and UK couldnt buy a basket, Lee scored six straight points and gave Kentucky a lead that they would never relinquish. Lee has been called one of the most athletic players in UK history, but it was his key buckets at the end of the 78 Championship game that makes Lee a UK legend.

So there you go, the Goose and the Freight Train…..it may be a bit of a mismatch, but use the comment section to make your pick and to tell us your memories of two of the key members of one of Kentucky’s 7 Championship Teams.

Perhaps no other country on the planet has produced a greater assemblage of athletes in their nation’s history than these United States of America. Pretty impressive when you consider the rest of the world enjoyed centuries of a head start. Our progeny has been so dominant in the world of sports, that we had to invent our own games to play amongst ourselves. Such is life when you’re number one in the world in the BAI (Bad Ass Index).

However, over the last several years, us patriots have seen our athletic stronghold weaken considerably in our bread-and-butter sports like basketball, baseball, and rock-paper-scissors (hell, up until this year we weren’t even the best at competitive eating, although our ‘non’-competitve eating title still looks pretty safe). The latest trinket of evidence? In last week’s Pan-Am Games in Brazil, the United States men’s basketball team finished in a paltry 5th place. The pan-am team was far from “dreamy”, with a roster comprised of a bunch of all-conference guys, most notably Drew Nietzel, Roy Hibbert, D.J. White, and Wayne Ellington. Not exactly a juggernaut, but you’d like to think they could dig deep enough and not lose to the likes of Uraguay and Panama. But this is but a mere tick on the ear of a much bigger problem. The once fabled ‘Dream Team’ hasn’t won anything since the 2000 Olympics, and are sliding further down the podium each time out. The NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs boast a Frechie PG and an Argentine wing to compliment thier Carribbean big man (although he plays for us, since we own the Virgin Islands…because we’re badass).

Don’t get me wrong, I have no qualms with a diverse NBA, and if you thought the USA was going to win every international game by 20+ for the rest of eternity, well, you probably own a pair of these and think Toby Keith is the new Waylon Jennings. Many of the reasons for the leveled playing fields among longtime yankee-centric sports are due to political and economic enhancements (suggested reading: “The World is Flat”). But come on, we’re now losing to countries that manufacture the Nikes we wear. Now, I’m no Buddhist, but I believe they call that caramel.

Is basketball in our country really this bad, or is it a combination of not giving an ‘F’ and big booty Brazilian girls into the wee hours? We all know that the luster of a gold medal is slightly less significant than that of a gold plated toilet seat to many NBA allstars; and we know that compared to the rest of the field, the US squads barely get to practice together. I’m still just finding it hard to believe that we’ve fallen so far, so fast.

To complete the circle, the USA recently defeated, among others Brazil, en-route to a quarterfinal showing in the under-20 soccer playoffs, and of course there’s the continued media fellatio of David Beckham’s arrival to the MLS. Then, there’s Stephon Marbury’s latest proclamation that he’ll play in Italy when his NBA contract expires in 2 years.

What in the world is going on here?

There will be more news later tonight, but forgive us if we are excited. On tomorrow’s show we will have Phillip Fulmer and Jared Lorenzen giving us all the info we need on our rival Vols and our favorite Round Mound of Touchdown. Add to that the fact that Phil Steele will tell us why he had the Cats listed as last in the SEC East and Clay Travis of CBS Sportsline’s “Clay Nation” and well…..we are talking about the potential for the best show ever.

Just so you know…..dont miss it!

Sports Mob is back in gear today as we continue with our college football shows heading towards our big finale of interviews towards the end of the week. We will look at the MLB trade deadline with Emilio San Martin, the big deal that makes Rondo a starter on a championship team and Florida’s lousy schedule. Guests scheduled to appear include Evan Daniels from Scout.com (in studio) and Mississippi State assistant coach Woody McCorvey to preview the Wildcats. Listen at the link below and use the comments to talk about it…..Vols coach Philip Fulmer and Giants QB Jared Lorenzen on tomorrow.

Sports Mob Radio

And oh yeah, enjoy Kige’s view on the UK schedule…..

Quick post for all of those that were wondering:

A. Is Tim Couch in Training Camp yet? YES
B. What does he look like in Jaguar colors? About the same, only in Jaguar colors
C. Will he get to wear number 2? YES–begin preparing signs begging Jags coach Jack Of The River to “Turn the Deuce Loose”
D. Will he wear a black sweatband on his right arm? YES
and
E. When he takes the field will he attempt to confuse the defense by wearing a full-length ball gown. Apparently NO

Also, Happy Birthday to Tim as he turns 30 today. It was a well-known fact in Leslie County that he just missed (by hours) having an extra year of Little League Baseball as Little League’s dividing line was August 1. If his moms had held on a little longer might we have seen Tim hurling fastballs?

Lots going on tonight, so we gotta move quick on a couple of notes…..

(1) Get ready for our man Rajon Rondo’s stock to absolutely soar over the next year. In a manner similar to Tayshaun Prince, Rondo has fallen into a perfect situation on a team that is about to rise considerably in the rankings. With the acquisition of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and the decision to keep Paul Pierce, Rondo will now likely start for a team that could be headed toward the Eastern Conference Finals. On a team full of superstars, Rondo can do what he does best, focus on defense and creation for his teammates. However, unfortunately he will not likely be able to do what the Celtics may need him most to do…..hit the open jumper. Nevertheless, Rondo will rise in the nation’s collective basektball consciousness over the year and that can only help his alma mater….the Cats.

(2) Speaking of stocks rising, if you invested last week in Jon Hood, you made a good choice. The rising junior from Madisonville has become the latest in the long line of Kentucky high school players hitting the national scene. Jerry Meyer of Rivals.com says that Wall was one of the revelations of the Vegas AAU tournament this past weekend and that teams like Tennessee are starting to become interested. This is one worth watching and I look forward to seeing the kid play this fall.

(3) Two more days until contact period begins again…..expect news to go fast and furious for the next couple of weeks. On Thursday we will give you the “UK Recruit Summary” to get you caught up on where UK stands with the main targets and what the overall status of UK’s efforts currently is. I often get asked, “Matt, summarize where we stand for those of us that dont follow it every day.” Its coming…..

Sad to hear that Tom Snyder passed away…..a legend in the interview business and someone who helped create the modern trend of making interviews entertaining by making the host entertaining. Also sad news about the Chief Justice’s seizure…..those who know me know my fondness for him personally and I hope things end up ok with him.

Phil Steele on the show Wednesday, Tyler Zeller on Thursday, Darius Miller on Friday…….be ready

So you are the defending national champion……yes you have lost a lot of players…..yes you are breaking in a new set of future Gator greats. But you want to show the world your championship and why Florida Gator basketball is the best! So here is what you do….you play this schedule:

DATE OPPONENT SEC SITE TIME GVO*
Thu Nov 1 Flagler Gainesville, FL TBA
Mon Nov 5 Lynn Gainesville, FL TBA
Fri Nov 9 North Dakota State Gainesville, FL TBA
Sun Nov 11 Tennessee Tech Gainesville, FL TBA
Wed Nov 14 UNC-Central Gainesville, FL TBA
Sat Nov 17 Rutgers Gainesville, FL TBA
Tue Nov 20 North Florida Gainesville, FL TBA
Fri Nov 23 Florida State Gainesville, FL TBA
Tue Nov 27 Stetson Gainesville, FL TBA
Fri Nov 30 Vermont Tampa, FL TBA
Mon Dec 3 Jacksonville Gainesville, FL TBA
Wed Dec 5 Florida A&M Gainesville, FL TBA
Sat Dec 15 Georgia Southern Jacksonville, FL TBA
Wed Dec 19 Charleston Southern Gainesville, FL TBA
Sat Dec 22 at Ohio State Columbus, OH 3:45PM(ET)
Sat Dec 29 Temple Sunrise, FL TBA
Wed Jan 2 High Point Gainesville, FL TBA
Tue Jan 8 at Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL TBA
Sat Jan 12 Auburn Gainesville, FL Noon(ET)
Wed Jan 16 at Ole Miss Oxford, MS 8:00PM(ET)
Sat Jan 19 Kentucky Gainesville, FL TBA ESPN
Wed Jan 23 at South Carolina Columbia, SC 8:00PM(ET)
Sun Jan 27 Vanderbilt Gainesville, FL 1:00PM(ET)
Sat Feb 2 at Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 3:00PM(ET)
Tue Feb 5 at Tennessee Knoxville, TN TBA
Sat Feb 9 Georgia Gainesville, FL 3:00PM(ET)
Wed Feb 13 LSU Gainesville, FL 8:00PM(ET)
Sat Feb 16 at Vanderbilt Nashville, TN 3:00PM(ET)
Wed Feb 20 South Carolina Gainesville, FL 8:00PM(ET)
Wed Feb 27 at Georgia Athens, GA TBA
Sat Mar 1 Mississippi State Gainesville, FL 2:00PM(ET)
Wed Mar 5 Tennessee Gainesville, FL 9:00PM(ET)
Sun Mar 9 at Kentucky Lexington, KY Noon(ET)
Thu Mar 13 SEC Tournament Atlanta, GA TBA

Yep there you go…..wonder if John Clay will find it in his heart to blast this one?

Well the Greatest UK Player Tournament Ever is back from its hiatus with results of its closest matchup yet to date. If you remember, the last matchup you were asked to vote on was in the now famous Antoine Walker vs Chuck Hayes event. And well, it was a close and controversial finish. In a result I found surprising, Antoine Walker took out Chuck Hayes 3-2 to advance to the next round. AS you can see, the fans ultimately put Antoine over the top, although he only won the fan vote by 8 votes.

Matt Jones: Antoine Walker
Rob Gidel: Chuck Hayes
Larry Vaught: Chuck Hayes
Gregg Doyel: Antoine Walker
Fan Vote: Antoine Walker

So with that, we move to the next round and the dreaded 2-15 matchup, with Cotton Nash vs Nazr Mohammed:

Cotton Nash:

Part of the reason we do this tournament is so that fans of the younger generation can learn about guys like Cotton Nash. Simply put, there is likely no UK player who won more accolades during his time at Kentucky than Mr. Nash. Cotton came to UK in 1960 from Louisiana and after sitting out his Freshman year, proceeded to take the SEC by storm. Cotton was 2nd team All American his Sophomore year, 2nd team All American his Junior year and Consensus 1st team All American his Senior year. His talent was visible in every game played at Kentucky and he finished his career with one of the more remarkable statistics that I have ever seen. In the course of Cotton’s career, spanning a total of 78 games, he scored in double digits in all but 5 of those games. Think about that for a second……from the time he walked on the court for the first time until he left Kentucky, only five times did he walk off with less than 10 points. Even more astounding, out of those 78 games, he scored over 20 points in a game, 52 times. He was unstoppable all the way around and a poster boy for Kentucky basketball when the sports was just beginning to take hold nationally. He was the first SI UK coverboy and he finished his career 9th all time in scoring and 5th all time in rebounds. He could do it all and to many is the ultimate embodiment of Kentucky basketball in that generation. Hard to find many better than Cotton Nash.

Nazr Mohammed:

If you looked throughout UK basketball history, you will be hard-pressed to find a person who improved more in his career than the man they call Nazr. Arriving on UK’s campus at the beginning of the the greatest team in NCAA history’s magical season, Nazr find himself overweight and playing on (of all things) the JV team. However over the course of the next three years, Nazr outworked everyone, slimmed down and became a force to be reckoned with inside. He played three seasons and saw his college team go to the NCAA finals all three years….a run unmatched in UK history. Simply put, Nazr was a winner on the highest stage and at levels unprecedented in the Cats lore. He was the key cog in the national championship run of 1998, providing the consistent scoring and shot blocking that led him to later be a first round NBA Draft pick. Nazr was First Team All-SEC that last season and became one of the most feared big men in all of America. Those who saw him his Freshman year wondered how Nazr ended up at UK…..but he left as one of the greatest winners in its history.

So there you go…..Cotton and Nazr. Place your selection and give your best Cotton and Nazr moments in the comments section. The Adolph Rupp 1st Round Bracket is complete and we will now move on tomorrow to the next set of contenders……

Today on the Mob, Matt returns to bring whatever it his that he brings to the table. Rob talks to a football recruit at 3:30, Tim Woodburn is on the phone at 4 pm and Matt joins later to take your phone calls and recruiting queries. Listen to the streaming audio below, use the comments to chat and enjoy the picture of Matt and the Turkey Hunter in Vegas…..

Big week ahead, Tyler Zeller, Darius Miller, Phil Steele, Bomani Jones, Mike Decoursey and others…..no bigger week on radio anywhere in the state.

Monday Sports Mob Streaming

Our man Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger and KentuckySportsReport has been doing yeoman’s work here in the last few weeks, getting the stories that put the other newspaper folks to shame. Case in point…..he has had two tremendous articles talking with one of the more articulate young men to ever play for the Cats, Bobby Perry. In them, Bobby has interesting things to say about the state of the UK program and its future. In the first, he comments about how he feels that the decision to leave by Tubby Smith may have been best for all parties. And in the second, he mentions his lack of contact with Coach Smith since his departure.

The last of these two points is a true sticking issue with these guys. Woo has mentioned it to me on multiple occasions, saying that for guys like he and Sheray Thomas, “now is the time we need his help in life.” I genuinely think Tubby Smith is a good coach and a better person. But I am VERY disappointed in the way that he has handled his departure as it pertains to these former players. Unlike the guys still on the team (who Tubby might not want to bother since they have a new coach), these three young men were his players for four years and received a lot of criticism during their time here. He should be looking out for these young men at a time that all of their careers are a bit up in the air.

Again, great work by Larry Vaught here….

Bobby Perry part 1

Bobby Perry Part 2

Is there anything more entertaining to watch or hear than someone completely having a meltdown? Now I am not talking about an embarassing meltdown where the individual may have to check themselves into rehab or have their life ruined as a result. No I am talking about a mini-meltdown where a person gets really angry about something that seems really important at the time, but in hindsight is not really that big a deal. In my own life, there is a famous video of me, taken by my friends, going off on a room full of my friends one night in New Orleans as we waited for the police after my rental car had been stolen. I sort of lost it, went all Mike Davis on everyone, not knowing that they all were completely laughing at me behind my back. Thus due to may affinity for such reactions, at least when they dont involve me, I gotta give a salute to today’s birthday honoree Paul Anka. Most of you likely dont know Paul, and if you do it is likely for his musical career writing such hits as “The Tonight Show” theme, “My Way” and “She’s a Lady.” However I know and love Paul for something else…..his classic “The Guys Get Shirts” meltdown many years ago. Anka apparently became enraged when guys in his band did not have on the correct clothing and he….well, he went off. Below is a video of people acting, the soundtrack of which is the famous meltdown. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do…..

Now to the news……

(1) The tournaments in Vegas and Orlando are wrapping up and officially ending the summer AAU season. It has been, as we expected, somewhat of a dead season in terms of news. In years past, the AAU season is when you learned for the first time what players UK would be recruiting going into the fall. However this year, Billy Clyde and his staff have moved much faster, meaning that this summer is nothing but an endless supply of lists, most of which we already know. If there is a story however, it continues to be the news that Terrence Jennings has UK in his top 3. I cant tell you how big a deal I believe this to be. With the possibility that Tyler Zeller may go elsewhere (more on this later), the continued rise up the rankings by Olek Czyz and the worry that Chris Singleton will see Orange in the end, the possibility of another explosive power forward looking at UK seriously is great news. Jennings is EXACTLY what UK hasnt had in…..well, a long long time. An explosive athlete who can put the ball in the basket, Jennings would be the perfect compliment to a banger type player like Patrick Patterson. We are attempting to get an interview with Jennings this week to learn more about his interest, but if there is a story to follow over the next few weeks, to me Terrence is it.

(2) Also getting a lot of buzz is the question as to where Kentucky may stand with Tyler Zeller. Some have listed reports that Zeller may be narrowing down his list this week and that Kentucky may not make the cut. Zeller has agreed to come on our show towards the end of this week and we will of course ask him about these issues then. Until then however, I would not yet panic on Tyler. I continue to believe that Purdue is the likely leader, but Kentucky is in a group of schools, including UNC, IU and maybe another that is in that second tier. It would not SHOCK me if UK does not make the list (I am not sure whether the Liggins commitment helped or hurt UK on this one), but dont write this off yet. Tyler will be speaking this week (at some point to us) and all will be made clearer.

(3) The only worry of the week is the continued murmuring about UK commitment GJ Vilarino. GJ has played well over the AAU season, but not through the roof wonderful…..and some have been whispering that with all the point guard talent out there, UK may have made a mistake by the early commitment. Here is what I know about GJ. He is a good distributor of the ball and has a high basketball IQ. He is a decent (although not great) shooter and is fundamentally sound, while having a high degree of athleticism. He is however not the kind of player that AAU season favors…..he doesnt blow you off the court, he doesnt get a ton of highlight reel plays and he is better suited for the team concept. He is also suffering from the “old guy on the block” disease, where he is being picked apart by folks looking for the “next new thing.” No one knows GJ’s game better than Billy Clyde as he followed him way before he came to UK. I want to see GJ in the high school system….a much better indicator of guys with his type of game’s success. Its no time to panic. GJ loves the Cats and is set to be a great force for UK in the years to come…..one so-so AAU season shouldnt end that.

(4) CSTV reported again today that Leonard Washington is a 2008 recruit and that he will be going to high school. Take everything about him with a grain of salt. We hope to find out more on Monday, but I wouldnt count on it.

(5) 2007-2008 schedule is out…..and there are complaints. Some say not enough marquee games…..I say that is silly. Kentucky plays four teams that legitimately can win the national title (UNC, Louisville, Tennessee and Memphis) and another three or four non-conference games against teams with their eye on the NCAA (Oklahoma/UCONN, Houston, UAB and San Diego). That is par for the course for the last few years and shouldnt be criticized. I dont like that there are 4 games against teams with an RPI over 200….that is bad and will hurt the Cats in seeding come the tournament. Play teams ranked 100-200 and you end up having a MUCH GREATER impact on the RPI than if you schedule UNC over a team ranked 80th. There is a science to the RPI and the Cats have been great at it (which is one of the reasons they have been seeded so well compared to others during the last 7-8 years). But that is nitpicky and this is a new regime, so it isnt too much to get worked up about. Rupp will be hopping for a few games…..the first home game, UNC, the Ville, UT and Senior night with the Gators. Get your tickets now!

I return full time to the radio show today and our college football coverage kicks off. It is about to be exciting and I am ready to count down the days. More as the day progresses, including Rob’s football fix…..In the meantime, watch Paul Anka singing “Wonderwall” by Oasis…..young and old can like it together…..

Our man Kige Ramsey has opined on many things…..and often he has given harsh criticism where he believes criticism is needed. But Steve Spurrier better watch out…..cause he has never taken a verbal smackdown like the one Kige is about to give…..

Probably the biggest story of the past week was the annual SEC Media Day festivities in Birmingham this week. As per usual, the news was fairly uninteresting. Steve Spurrier gave a couple of knocks, Nick Saban was greeted by the Alabama masses and Les Miles addressed the controversy with Snoop Dogg. But even the news was small, there is entertainment to be found. Rich Brooks and Andre Woodson met the media, Steve Spurrier cracked some jokes and Ed Orgeron sounds ridiculous. So take some time and click below on the Huntsville, Alabama newspaper’s video of the festivities. Good stuff for the big SEC Football fans.

SEC Media Day

Former Kentucky star and Leslie County legend Tim Couch has signed a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Couch signed a two-year pact to compete for the quarterback spot with Byron Leftwich and David Garrard in Jacksonville. Having spoken a few times to Tim over the last couple of years, I know his desire to get back into the league is deep and it is good to see him get that opportunity again. Now lets hope he can stay healthy…….

Its been a little bit since we have explored the MySpace world here on Kentucky Sports Radio, and that truly is unfortunate. Because as we saw yesterday with Coach Jerrance, MySpace can tell us a lot about those who are in and around our wonderful programs. Take our man Alex Legion. Here is his introduction on his MySpace profile:

I currently just graduated from Oak Hill closing that chapter in my life. I’m looking foreward to going to the University of Kentucky where i will be living for the next two years…Those that know me know what i’m about n that’s getting to the league, so i advise all of you to tune in, including the ney sayers and watch me spit my flame on the college sence. Peace and God bless

Now a lot of people may look at that negatively and think, “oh so I guess he doesnt want to be here very long.” And while I understand that viewpoint, I dont really subscribe to it. The vast majority of college players likely believe the same thing and all he is doing is articulating that belief. And I never believe that one should be punished for articulating the truth. It is good to know however…..Alex sees UK as a temporary stop and the league as the ultimate destination. But then again, so did I…..and you see how that worked.

And there is our boy Ra-Smoove and his continued forays into the rap world. If you go to Ramel Bradley’s MySpace, you will see that Ramel is still giving his raps to the world and freestylin for all of the internet to see. Actually, I am a big fan of Ramel’s page because it shows what Ramel is about. There are some pictures of Ramel doing his thing and showin his confident side, but then there are also pictures with the fans and images that show that he loves being a part of Kentucky basketball. So do your thing Smooth….and whenever you get that first rap gig in Lexington, I am there.