Photo: Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images
Jodie Meeks is looking for a new home. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Washington Wizards are trading Meeks to the Milwaukee Bucks, who are expected to waive the nine-year NBA vet.
Wizards are sending a future second-round pick to Bucks in deal too, league sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/OXxBgwE8vq
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 15, 2018
In April, Meeks was suspended 25 games for testing positive for ipamorelin and peptide-2, two performance enhancers banned by the league. He sat out the final six games of the Wizards’ season and has 19 games to go. Last month, he appealed that suspension, maintaining his innocence.
As Sam Vecenie points out, this move could actually be viewed as a win for Meeks. Even though he’s looking for a new team, because he will be waived by the Bucks, he can collect the money from his $3.5 million salary he otherwise would be docked because of the suspension.
Hell, the trade saves Jodie Meeks money, too. He's suspended to start year. Because he’s waived, he’ll collect that money. If he signs elsewhere, you’d assume it’ll be for the min., and serving the susp. on those games is better for Meeks than getting docked $ on a $3.5M salary.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) October 15, 2018
Where will Jodie land next?
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To celebrate the Bye Week, Mark Stoops enjoyed a stress-free Saturday.
“It was good to sit back and watch other people,” said the UK head coach. “It was a wild weekend, that’s for sure. But it was good. It was good to sit there and be stress free for a day.”
He saw plenty of football in-between Dad duties for a son’s birthday party, but he didn’t take the time to see where things stood once the dust settled. He has not yet looked at the SEC East standings and he is telling his players to do the same.
“We’re going to be one week at a time. We know that. I’ve said that all year. We’re going to try to go 1-0. We’re going to try to win this week and put ourselves in a position to win this week. We have six one-week seasons left.”
Stoops may not have his eye on them, but it’s an injustice to look away from these beautiful standings.
It’s fun to look down the road and play out the many possible scenarios. While we try to forecast the future that could put Kentucky in Atlanta, Stoops just wants to make sure his team is ready to play against a hungry Vanderbilt team.
“Vandy is a team that’s really well coached. I have a lot of respect for Derek (Mason) and what he does and how he coaches,” Stoops said.
“They’re just looking for that breakthrough. They had a great opportunity to beat Notre Dame and then had a great opportunity against Florida; two very, very good football teams. You see what they’re capable of. Vandy is a good team. They’re hungry. They play hard. We’re going to have to play very good football.”
Sydney McLaughlin is taking her talents to New Balance. Now a professional, the former Olympian and UK track star announced today she’s signed a deal with New Balance, a coup for the footwear and apparel brand.
“New Balance has a long-standing history as an excellent running company and they are the perfect partner for me,” McLaughlin said in a press release. “I’m thrilled to join the Team New Balance family, a brand that not only shares the same values and principles that are important to me but also supports its athletes on and off the track.”
Fearlessly independent ? @newbalance pic.twitter.com/QaNrRG0pkx
— Sydney McLaughlin (@GoSydGo) October 15, 2018
McLaughlin turned pro in July after an incredible year at Kentucky in which she lowered her personal bests in the 200m, 400m and 400m hurdles and ran the world’s fastest 400m hurdles of 2018 by 0.57.
The New Balance ad is cool and all, but nothing will top Sydney’s video with KyWildcatsTV, which now has over six million views:
Block out the noise. Rewrite the book, @GoSydGo pic.twitter.com/fe23fy7BrW
— UK Track & Field (@KentuckyTrack) June 9, 2018
Go Syd Go.
Getty Images
Za’Darius Smith is playing the best football of his career at the right time.
Yesterday the former Kentucky defensive end got awfully familiar with Marcus Mariota. The Tennessee Titans’ quarterback was sacked by Big Z three times, including one impressive strip sack by the Baltimore Raven. The only thing more impressive than that play is his post-sack celebration.
I think it’s safe to say Za’Darius was pretty happy after the win.
.@TheRealZSmith is HYPE postgame. pic.twitter.com/ymdI4E20GU
— RavenSSSSSSSSSSS (@Ravens) October 14, 2018
Za’Darius added five tackles and two quarterback hurries to his lengthy stat sheet. He woke up to a text message from his old coach.
“Shot him a text this morning and congratulated him. He’s having a really good year and had a great game,” Mark Stoops said at today’s press conference.
Smith is up to six total sacks this season through six weeks, surpassing a career-high set in 2015. According to Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Sun, Smith is getting one sack every seven snaps. He’s playing the best football of his career before in the final year of his contract, setting up a big paycheck in free agency this offseason. Stoops is not surprised one bit.
“He’s a great example of a guy that just comes in and was a real man about things. He came in with a mission. He came in from Junior College on a mission to improve everyday. A lot like Josh Allen and many others,” Stoops said.
“He’s there to get better each and every day. He practiced like that when he was here. He’s gotten better in the NFL. He’s having a great career and I’m just proud of him and the way he handles his business. You can tell he’s a pro the way he’s taking care of his body, the way he’s developing. He looks huge and he’s playing very fast, playing good. I’m just happy for him.”
Smith’s three-sack performance is rare for Kentucky Wildcats. The last former Kentucky player to have at least three sacks in an NFL regular-season game was in 1987 when the Chiefs’ Art Still took Jim McMahon to the ground three times. Smith’s success — along with Bud Dupree, Avery Williamson and others — helps on the recruiting front as well.
“Those guys have been very productive here,” said Stoops. “It helps.”
Big Z has been a grown man in 2018. It will not be long before Josh Allen is replicating that success on Sundays.
Could Josh Paschal return to the football field this season? Mark Stoops told reporters today the sophomore defensive end is making tremendous progress following surgery to remove a malignant melanoma from the bottom of his right foot.
“Josh is doing good. He’s doing very, very good. We’re very encouraged by Josh and his recovery and what he’s doing. Maybe I’ll have a nice smile on my face and a good update here in a couple of weeks. We’ll see. He’s getting better.”
After the surgery, Paschal underwent treatment and had to get around using a scooter before upgrading to a walking boot. Two weeks ago, he was able to get rid of the boot and walk around without aid. Now, Stoops says Paschal is running and doing bodyweight exercises.
“The procedure that was done to his foot is healing and that’s what he’s dealing with right now. But he’s doing some light running. He is progressing with some bodyweight stuff right now.”
When Stoops first announced Paschal’s diagnosis back in August, it was hard to imagine he’d be back on a football field this year; if he is healthy enough to go, he could play in four games without losing a year of eligibility. Even if he doesn’t see meaningful minutes, can you imagine the roar if he ran on the field during a bowl game or the SEC Championship?
The game times are out for October 27 and Kentucky’s game at Missouri will kickoff at 4 p.m. on the SEC Network.
As predicted, the World’s Largest Cocktail Party drew the CBS 3:30 p.m. slot. Here are the rest of the SEC game times for October 27:
- Vanderbilt at Arkansas, Noon ET/11 am CT on SEC Network
- Florida vs. Georgia (Jacksonville), 3:30 pm ET/2:30 pm CT on CBS
- Kentucky at Missouri, 4 pm ET/3 pm CT on SEC Network
- Texas A&M at Mississippi State, 7 pm ET/6 pm CT on ESPN
- Tennessee at South Carolina, 7:30 pm ET/6:30 pm CT on SEC Network
Kentucky’s offensive line took a beating during the first half of the season, but Mark Stoops said today that he believes there’s a “good chance” left tackle Naasir Watkins will be able to go vs. Vanderbilt after suffering a knee injury during the South Carolina game.
“Naasir is getting better, that’s good. We have a chance. I said last week I didn’t think we’d have him this week and I think there’s a good chance we’ll have him available this Saturday so that will be good for him as well.”
On this week’s depth chart, Watkins is listed as a backup to EJ Price at the left tackle position. Drake Jackson is listed as the starter at center after straining his groin during the Texas A&M game. Stoops said the bye week was huge for guys like Drake to rest up and heal.
“Obviously Drake, Drake Jackson is a guy, he needed it after the A&M game. It would have been hard for him to play if we played this Saturday. He’s one that jumps out immediately. But there are quite a few guys that are banged up, as you can imagine, halfway through the season.”
The bye week is over, which means it’s time for Mark Stoops to gather with his favorite media friends at Kroger Field to preview the Vanderbilt game. Follow along via the live stream below courtesy of our friends at KyWildcatsTV:
After injuring his knee vs. South Carolina, Naasir Watkins is back on Kentucky’s pre-Vanderbilt depth chart. The redshirt freshman is listed as a backup alongside Darian Kinnard behind E.J. Price.
Mark Stoops is expected to address Watkins’ status in his press conference at noon, so stay tuned…