Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
It’s been quite a day. Let’s get through this quickly.
- Before we jump into all the notes of the day, it’s worth pointing out something that we’re all probably very aware of, but maybe haven’t fully appreciated. Coach Cal has made the summer blogging period a whole heck of a lot less painful. This is unquestionably the worst time to look for things to write and find stuff to fill our 15-20 posts per day and summers usually are the time when you sometimes turn on us and we all start hating each other. But it’s not like that with Cal. There are actually exciting recruits to follow, events to perpare for and – gasp! – news stories to discuss. We might appreciate it more, but we all benefit from it. Being a Kentucky basketball fan has always been a 12-month job. Now there’s just actually 12 months worth of news to keep up with. I think we can all be thankful for that.
- With that being said, the big news Friday was the reaction to Joe B. Hall not being allowed to coach the UK Legends team at next month’s exhibition. Twitter erupted in support as thousands of fans were joined in the #FreeJoeB movement by Rex Chapman, Tim Couch, Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas and Erin Andrews. In the end, Hall found inclusion in the game as Calipari made a move only he could make and essentially flipped a quick bird to the NCAA and gave Coach Hall a spot as an assistant on his Dominican team. The whole situation seems a little ridiculous still, especially considering former UK players are still allowed to be involved, but there was at least something of a happy ending. So pat yourself on the back. Your #FreeJoeB Tweets worked.
- Matt and Mark Ennis filled in for Lachlan McLean Friday night on WHAS and brought Coach Hall on as a guest and it was a little heartbreaking to listen to. Joe B. Hall sounded genuinely sad and hurt by not being allowed to coach the UK Legends team. He told Matt that he still doesn’t know who made the ruling that he couldn’t participate and flashed a little OJ by saying he plans to get to the bottom of it eventually. He said that he feels a little embarrassed that he’s not allowed to participate and he’s not sure why, pointing out that Cal, former players and Dewayne Peevy are all involved in some way. However, he noted that all the support from the fans made him feel good and that he absolutely adores John Calipari, who he said is extrememly thoughtful and has a wonderful appreciation of UK’s history. But he sounded hurt and I don’t like that. I want to get to the bottom of this too. No one puts Coach Hall in a corner. You can listen to that interview here.
- Though Coach Hall’s situation seems to be resolved, the question still remains as to who will coach the UK Legends team in the exhibition. Drew offered up some ideas and 41 of you are great Americans, but the search still continues. The only thing we really know at this point is that it will not be anyone with a tie to the school, so we can rule out former players and coaches, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the well is dry. Several of you suggested someone like LeBron James, who has no official tie but has been very open about supporting the program. I wonder if Calipari won’t reach out to his old buddy Larry Brown. Brown is available, has no connection to UK and would serve as a “stick it, NCAA” type guy to fill in for Hall after he was presumably denied for being a recruiting tool. The more I think about it, the more I like it. I’m in full support of this.
- Tucked away in a Utah newspaper was the note that Enes Kanter will not work out at UK this summer if the lockout continues. Enes is currently weighing offers from Chinese clubs, who will keep an eye on him during his stint with the Turkish national team this summer, and would probably benefit most from signing with one of those teams and getting some live game action under his belt. However, if he opts to not go that route, he has ruled out returning to UK and training with the other NBA players on break and will stay in Chicago and practice with Tim Grover. With that, the Enes Kanter era in Lexington appears to be officially over. Seems like just yesterday he was walking out to the Undertaker theme.
- A new name popped up on the UK 2012 recruiting radar Friday and it was quite the name. John Calipari, along with Jim Calhoun, Steve Lavin and Fran Dunphy, watched seven-footer Blaise Mbargorba play Friday. Mbargorba, who received an offer from West Virginia earlier in the day, is unrated by Rivals and ranked as a three-star prospect by Rivals. He currently also holds offers from Clemson, Cincinnati, SMU, Vanderbilt, St. Joe’s and Temple, but his profile has raised quite a bit this summer. The New Jersey native is still viewed as a bit of a raw player, but Calipari is apparently at least slightly intrigued with what he could bring to the table. So, let’s all agree to keep an eye on him.
That’s it for now. If you missed this morning’s episode of Kentucky Sports Radio, make sure you give the podcast a listen below. Matt talked about what went down yesterday with the exhibition game and talked about what the final product should look like. JT called in and said, “If the NCAA were a man, I’d punch him in the face.” It was great fun for everyone involved. Make sure you check it out.
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July 29th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Matt, Beisner, KSR staff, has there been ANY explanation at all from the NCAA regarding why Coach Hall could not coach the UK Legends team? i don’t see any logic in this at all.
July 30th, 2011 at 12:05 am
Larry Brown would be great. He should come out onto the court during intros wearing a Joe B Hall mask and carrying a rolled up program! The roof would absolutely come off of Rupp!!
July 30th, 2011 at 12:16 am
If not Larry brown how bout Dale Brown, the former LSU coach and an SEC contemporary of Coach Hall’s. You know he’d would love to come out in a Joe B. mask. No one has been more passionate and vocal in pointing out the absurdities of the NCAA as Coach Brown. He has always been my favorite former “rival” coaches. I cant think of a better ally than Brown for Coach Cal in expozing the NCAA for the Bozos they are!
July 30th, 2011 at 12:20 am
Dick Vitale should be the coach. It will give him a chance to actually coach talented players.
July 30th, 2011 at 12:21 am
Give former Transy and Hall-of-Fame Coach Don Kane a call.
July 30th, 2011 at 12:22 am
Lane
July 30th, 2011 at 12:25 am
So JoB will be an asst w/ the DR but still cannot coach the UK Legends!? Hmmm… How about George Clooney or Johnny Depp just as a means of bringing more attention to the complete hypocrisy and stupidity that is the ncaa? But have Pat Riley and Larry Brown to do the real coaching.
July 30th, 2011 at 12:39 am
I like the Dick Vitale suggestion, it would be great PR.
July 30th, 2011 at 12:59 am
Larry Brown would be awesome !!
Vitale would also be awesome, and with as much exposure as Vitale has in college basketball, more great marketing.
July 30th, 2011 at 1:08 am
4…Vitale would be good. He’s an old friend of Joe B’s, as someone else stated “The Voice of College Hoops” and knowing Dicky V, he would get him some more “NCAA-Why-stop-Joe B??” time on the air. Larry Brown is alright I guess, but his Kansas-ties are still in the back of some folks minds. Vitale and Detroit at one time…well, that is like a non-factor -so he is certainly college-impartial.
July 30th, 2011 at 1:08 am
My friends and I started this, make it happen
From now on, the act of licking someone’s taint is “giving someone an Emmert”
Pass it on
Emmert is bottom feed
Excuse me, I’m about to get an Emmert
July 30th, 2011 at 1:11 am
How awesome would it be to flip Cardinal County the bird and get Denny Crum to coach the UK guys?
July 30th, 2011 at 1:15 am
12…that entered my mind for like a few seconds…but, umm…it would be like inviting a past enemy to a family reunion. Ex-college coaches (UK not applicable of course) kinda just don’t seem to make the grade for me.
Nahh… just can’t seem to grasp that. I respect Crum but, nah…
July 30th, 2011 at 1:24 am
Oh & before I crash for the night…almost forgot:
NCAA SUX!!!!!
OK, Good night BBN.
July 30th, 2011 at 1:37 am
13 – I mention it because Joe B. and Denny are such great friends now, and it would be a kick in the groin to Cardinal County to have their former coach fraternizing with UK. Win-win!
July 30th, 2011 at 2:03 am
I’m glad to see Blaise Mbargorba both as an unrated and 3-star prospect by Rivals. I guess the NCAA are not the only fools that cant seem to make up their minds.
July 30th, 2011 at 6:13 am
We should sign Mbargorba just to keep Vandy from getting him.
July 30th, 2011 at 6:14 am
I am sorry, but I feel bad about being a UK fan sometimes because of all the whining about the NCAA. Oh poor Joe B Hall. It’s such a tragedy he cant coach the team. Whine whine whine. Get the f over it. There is a lot worse things going on than poor old coach hall not getting to coach. Sometimes UK fans are the biggest whiny b’s I have ever seen. And this is coming from a lifelong uk fan.
July 30th, 2011 at 7:14 am
hey joe joe.. you’re an idiot
July 30th, 2011 at 7:32 am
18 quit whining…
July 30th, 2011 at 8:29 am
18 – Get over yourself, d-bag, and quit whining.
July 30th, 2011 at 8:35 am
Jerry Tarkanian should coach the UK legends,let the NCAA mill over that.
July 30th, 2011 at 8:55 am
Couldn’t we call the team “YouKay” the big bloo legends?
July 30th, 2011 at 9:28 am
#18…Joe B. former student and basketball player at UK for Adolph…asst coach at UK for Adolph.. head coach at UK..natl Champ, 3 Final fours in 12 years….now 82 yr old with maybe his last chance to coach at Rupp and is stopped by a vindictive out of control nc2a and you call yourself a UK fan?
July 30th, 2011 at 9:36 am
What about Ashley as coach?
July 30th, 2011 at 9:39 am
Could Jay Z do it?
July 30th, 2011 at 9:48 am
What about Kenny Walker coaching?
July 30th, 2011 at 10:12 am
A contest winning fan could have their chance to “Coach Against Cal”. These UK Legends know what they’re doing right…
July 30th, 2011 at 11:32 am
The game isn’t an NCAA event. That’s all that need be said on the matter.
It’s time to get the lawyers involved. It’s bad that it’s come to that, but the NCAA clowns have forced the matter and it needs to be properly resolved.
July 30th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Why is Kanter not on the UK Legends team???
July 30th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
The NCAA says all these things can’t happen can they supply the BIG BLUE NATION with reasons on why they can’t ????
July 30th, 2011 at 4:13 pm
I vote for Orlando Antigua’s brother, Oliver, who is the coach for the Domincan U-17 team.
July 30th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
For all that we done for Enes this is how he treats the BBN we went to bat for this guy free Enes campaigns threats to the ncaa and he snubs us are we gonna stand for that BBN.
July 30th, 2011 at 5:34 pm
He’s 82 ftard. He had his chance to coach. He doesnt need to coach again. Damn. Whiny bitches. Go cry an f’ing river somewhere. Oh god… coach hall had his last opportunity to coach taken away. Whine whine whine. Who cares?
July 30th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
.
July 30th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
joe joe, F off, troll. Go back to insideduhville.com
July 30th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
joe joe, F off, troll. Go back to insideduhville.com
July 31st, 2011 at 7:15 pm
…
August 1st, 2011 at 1:35 pm
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