Bye Bye Sanjaya's Thursday News and Views

Well you knew it had to happen at some point.....magical journeys must come to an end and tonight was the last stop for those of us on the Sanjaya bandwagon. After allegedly the most votes in the history of a Top 7 show, the musical train wreck known as Sanjaya was given the boot tonight. It was a sad night for all of America as Sanjaya cried like a.....well like a Sanjaya as he watched his video reminiscing about his long stay in America's consciousness. The final two were Sanjaya and the infinitely more talented Lakisha (my favorite in the competition) and you could cut the tension with a knife. Simon, still reeling from his bad publicity after the eye roll following Crappy Justin Timberlake's Va Tech comment, seemed genuinely torn as to who should emerge. But alas, Sanjaya took the heave ho and left America wondering when it will ever get to hear anyone sing so badly, so many times on television. Sanjaya, we here at Kentucky Sports Radio salute you.....and wish you well on your travels into Clay Aiken land. Onto the news.... (1) I had an interesting conversation tonight with Willie Warren, the stud 2008 recruit who told us last week on our show that he was very close to making a decision. I asked Willie if he was still close and he said, "well when I was on the show, I kind of wanted to go ahead and make a commitment soon after it and just end it. I was ready to do it in the next day or two but then my mom said I shouldnt rush anything and asked me to wait until the ned of the summer, so that is what I will do." When I asked him what that decision would have been, he said, "things changed so quick there and I just got excited about Coach Gillispie going to Kentucky. So my emotions may have gotten ahead of me. But I really like Coach a lot and he was just here in Dallas to see me as well." Warren said he couldnt wait to visit Kentucky and that right now they are in the top three with Texas and Kansas. Bottom line.....if mom hadnt stopped him, this could would have committed to UK last week. It is now Billy Clyde's job to make him want to do it again in a few months. (2) Alex Legion is coming to Lexington for a visit on Thursday according to multiple sources today. Legion is a stud talent.....a 6'4" guard who can straight fill it up and while not at a position of need, Legion is the type of player you just cant pass up. At this point, three sources have given lists of schools for Alex.....and only one school has been on all three lists.....Kentucky. One gets the feeling that his mother wants him to stay at Michigan, but with Alex coming to town this week and wanting to make a decision by the first of next week.....folks, the answer to first recruit to become part of the Billy Clyde era may be Alex Legion......a player arguably more talented than Patterson and Lucas. Pull that off Billy Clyde and ask for a raise..... (3) Word out of the West Coast today is that Kentucky has offered Darrington Hopson, a kid originally committed to Pepperdine, but now opening up his recruitment once again. Hobson is ranked around 100-125 by most services but is a kid with lots of upside....as seen by the fact that he once had an offer in hand from Kansas, but chose Pepperdine instead. THe assistant he liked at Pepperdine has moved to New Mexico, now coached by Steve Alford who was a Hobson finalist while at Iowa, so the Lobos are likely the main rival for his services. Hobson is scheduled to visit UK next week.....but one wonders if a Legion commitment might end the Hopson saga quickly......especially as the waiting game continues for Patterson and Lucas. UPDATE: Hobson's coach tells the Courier Journal's Jody Demling that he would be shocked if Hobson makes the UK visit. (4) Billy Clyde is making his way to Arkansas next week to meet with big man Michael Sanchez about joining the class of 2007 and becoming a Wildcat. Sanchez went into his Junior year ranked higher than BOTH Patrick Patterson and Jai Lucas, but patella tendonitis forced him to sit out of basketball for six months and took him down to the 70-80 ranking that some still chart him now. Sanchez is an interesting recruit because when healthy, he projected to be one of the top players in America. However people fell off him after the injury, but got back on board when he had a great AAU performance in a spring tournament a few weeks ago. He planned on prepping for a year to get back towards the top level of schools, but now with an offer from UK.....why wait? That is the question for Sanchez and his family. He meets with Billy Clyde next week and will be talking more with us after......one to watch for......will Legion-Sanchez replace Patterson-Lucas? (5) The Lexington Herald reports today (anyone notice that someone woke them up and said you better cover recruiting a bit?) that Stephon Pettigrew has been asked to wait two weeks for Kentucky before hearing about a scholarship. Pettigrew wants to make a decision before then and thus this COULD mean the end of the Pettigrew chances at UK. I have mixed emotions on this as I like Stephon as a kid and think he will be a real talent for some college at the next level. But I can see the argument that he may not be the type of player that Kentucky needs at this point. Xavier is a great offer for Pettigrew and my guess is that he takes it.....and he ends up doing very well. Lets hope UK either gets him to wait or doesnt regret their decision. The Woo interviews and the response to them made my day.....folks, if you didnt hear them, make sure you do....they were priceless. Below is a segment from today's show and a video I saw linked by the Sports Guy that is fascinating as Gilbert Arenas takes on Deshawn Stevenson in a shooting contest.....with Gilbert shooting one-handed. Amazing stuff. More as the day goes.... Wednesday Sports Mob Segment with Chris Tomlin