Eric Quigley's Thursday Morning Wakeup

Well hello there. You snuck up on me. I didn't expect you to be here so early. How are you? You good? I'm good, but not as good as Eric Quigley is good at playing tennis. The Louisville native had a great career at the University of Kentucky from 2008-2012 (if you consider being an All-American and NCAA runner-up a great career) and last night he qualified for the main doubles draw of this year's US Open. As a former Tennis Channel contributor and two-time US Open correspondent, I consider myself somewhat of an expert on the sport's fourth and final tennis major championship each year. I know the ins and outs of the tourney, and it's a pretty big damn deal to be a part of the major draw. So congrats and good luck to Quiggy Smalls -- let's get this money. https://twitter.com/UKMitchBarnhart/status/768635744760000516 Hey Tennis Channel, send us back this year? The tennis beat needs us back on the scene.   John Calipari will be a guest on KSR this morning. Tune in to Kentucky Sports Radio radio this morning to hear a very special guest appearance from one John Calipari. Coach Cal will be on around 10:30 am to discuss his upcoming softball game, his new Kentucky basketball roster, and the season ahead. Don't miss it. Mark Stoops will be a guest on tomorrow's show. Southern Miss prep officially begins today. The coaches have been watching Southern Miss tape for weeks, but today is the first day the entire team will collectively look ahead to the Week 1 opponent. Fall camp ended Tuesday and they stepped away from football for the first day of school yesterday; now it is time to buckle down and prepare for that opening kickoff in Commonwealth Stadium. We'll have a practice report to follow some time this afternoon. UK re-upped with the Champions Classic. The Cats will run it back with the Champions Classic for three more years. The format will continue as it has since 2011 with the foursome of UK, Duke, Michigan State and Kansas. Here's the new schedule beginning next season:

• Nov. 14, 2017: Kansas vs. Kentucky and Duke vs. Michigan State, United Center in Chicago
• Nov. 13, 2018: Michigan State vs. Kansas and Duke vs. Kentucky, Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis
• Nov. 12, 2019: Kansas vs. Duke and Michigan State vs. Kentucky at Madison Square Garden in New York City

John Calipari said, "I know our fans love traveling to those cities. It’s always a tough way for a young team like ours to face those types of teams that early but it’s a great opportunity for us to learn and to prepare for that type of environment down the road.” The SEC Network predicted a 7-5 record for the Cats this season. With a home loss to Vanderbilt?! We'll take it. Kirk Herbstreit (Birk Berbstreit for our old podcast listeners) predicts a bowl game for UK. Herbstreit named Kentucky one of his five "Surprise Bowl Teams." As Nick pointed out last night, Herbstreit spoke at a luncheon in Louisville back in May and told the crowd, “I’ll be very surprised if (Mark Stoops_ doesn’t have a breakthrough year this year... A breakthrough year for Kentucky — if they were to get to a bowl game and get to seven or eight wins — that would be monumental.” We are taping a new KSR Football Podcast today. I'm covering practice and then recording the podcast while running the whole show online today, so let's hope things don't hit the fan later this afternoon. I'm only one man. Big day ahead...