KSR Cyber Monday's News and Views

I freely admit that I have no idea what “Cyber Monday” actually is, but apparently it is the time when people do a lot of Christmas shopping online. Well we here at Kentucky Sports Radio can support any attempt at shopping online, so that is why our friends at Fan Outfitters are offering a Cyber Monday Special on UK gear for the next 24 hours. To aid and abet you in your Christmas shopping, Fan Outfitters is offering big discounts on all UK gear, including Nike products (rarely discounted), 50% off all Fleece products, free shipping on all orders over $25 and specials that you cant get any other time of the year. All you have to do is Click on the FANOUTFITTERS LINK BELOW and enter the promo code “KSRCyber” (a code that sounds much dirtier than it is) and make your order before midnight on Monday night. You will not find a better way to buy UK gear for your loved ones for Christmas, so check it out and get it done today, before the Cyber Monday clock strikes midnight.

FAN OUTFITTERS CYBER MONDAY UK DEALS

It has been a long few days, but here are the latest notes:

— The talk in UK land today is all about the frustration over the Cats’ performance in Knoxville and the 26th straight loss to the Tennessee Vols. Both on the postgame show and all over the blog here, the refrains have been similar, with most anger focused at the Defensive Coordinator Steve Brown and some long-term questions about Joker Phillips himself. One of those ranting is of course BTI, but I disagree with most of his conclusions on the subject. Watching the game, I was as annoyed as you were and became very upset at the lack of aggressiveness showcased in Joker’s game management. While individual defensive lapses existed (and I cant talk objectively about the UK Cornerbacks), the defense did only give up 24, and chances are if you had told most fans that before the game, they would have taken it. All in all, it was just another UK loss. I have said this all season…this team was never as good as fans believed and the future is not nearly as desolate as the haters insist. Joker will (and should) be judged on the next two years. What is important now is for the extra month of practice time to be taken advantage of and recruiting to finish strong, for what could be the best class UK has had from a rankings standpoint in 20 years.

— As for the Bowl game, the signs continue to point to UK ending up in Birmingham to play a Big East team. With the Boise State loss, it looks certain that the SEC will get two in the BCS, either Auburn/Arkansas or South Carolina/Auburn. That leaves a slot for UK in the SEC order and it is Legion Field in January for an odd game. The likely opponent will be South Florida, who just beat Miami and is actually playing fairly well. There is still a chance Pitt could fall into the slot and if something crazy happens, Louisville may move up. But for now, the smart money is on Birmingham and Skip Holtz’s South Florida team….in one of the last bowl games of the year, after all but the Sugar and National Championship.

— The other big question is who will stay and who will go from this football team for next season. Winston Guy says he will look at the NFL, but my guess it that they wont look back. That leaves Randall Cobb and Danny Trevathan, the two best players on the team, both of whom say they will test the waters. Randall Cobb said after the game that the time will now be for him to be “selfish” and consider what is best for him. While UK football could use him and NEEDS him to have a good year next season, he wont grow any taller or get any faster next year and I am not sure his stock will improve. IT might not be time for him to go….although I hope selfishly he doesnt. Danny Trevathan is a different case, as he could use a year of hype and a chance to be the focus of some national All America Campaigns next year. A year returning could improve his stock, although he did say today on Twitter that he has “decisions” to make. Either way, both young men have been amazing during their time at UK and whatever they do, they will be beloved by the fans and those of us at KSR.

— On the basketball side of things, we all have come down from the disappointing loss to Connecticut in Maui. The combination of some tired legs on a short bench, along with an inability to adjust to UCONN’s length when the Cats drove to the basket, made for a bad ten minute run in the first half that led to the defeat. No one I have spoken with is long term worried about the game and while we all would have liked to have won, it doesnt really matter a great deal. What does matter is getting Brandon Knight back on point and passing off the drive better than we saw in Maui. The next four games are tough with Boston U, UNC, Notre Dame and Indiana. If the Cats can get through that stretch 3-1, I would be happy, as they would be 6-2 with three very winnable games before Louisville. 9-2 going into the Yum Center would be fine with this guy, and the next two weeks will be huge for defining the team during the non-conference season.

— Finally, the Enes Kanter appeal is this week. While many have written off the chances, I am not yet ready to make that assumption as I do think there are “equities” in UK’s favor. I still say it is more likely than not that he doesnt play for UK, but the Cats have a puncher’s chance when Sandy Bell and Enes Kanter meet the Appeals Committee. They expect that to happen this week with a decision either by the end of the week or the first of next week. Cross your fingers.

This is also a big week around KSR. The television show (Kentucky Sports Television) debuts Tuesday night at 6:30 pm on CN2, and we will have more on that over the next couple of days. Plus, our LIVE STREAMING OF THE RADIO SHOW begins this week, with the show being available on iHeartRadio and iHeartradio.com tomorrow and on KSR later in the week. Please listen up as we get ready to take the radio show all over the Big Blue Nation. I truly believe that both the tv and radio will be great for UK fans and I hope you do enjoy them. Tomorrow on radio, we will talk about the UT game, the Maui trip, hanging with Jerry Tipton and Jerry Tarkanian and much more. Stay tuned.

We are back to normal on KSR this week…hope you enjoy.