KSR's Free $20 Derby Wager's Wednesday Night News and Views

Want a free $20 wager on the Kentucky Derby? OF COURSE YOU DO. You can turn that into like a million dollars (if the right scenario plays out). Allow me to tell you about it... We have an exclusive offer for Kentucky Sports Radio readers and listeners this week, via our friends at TwinSpires.com. Simply sign up for a new account with TwinSpires, deposit $20 into an account, use promo code 'KSR20' and you'll receive a free $20 wager on the Kentucky Derby. The $20 wager will be credited within 72 hours of the $20 deposit. No wagering is required to receive the free $20 wager. Players will also be eligible for our $100 Sign-Up Bonus. If players entering the KSR20 promo code meet the requirements of the $100 Sign-Up Bonus, an additional $80 will be deposited to their accounts. See $100 Sign-Up Bonus for rules and restrictions. For more information, visit www.twinspires.com/ksr. Now how about some News with a side of Views?   Derek Anderson is in trouble with Big Blue Nation. Derek Anderson, the beloved Wildcat from the mid-90s, went on a radio show in Louisville today and was very critical of John Calipari's system at Kentucky. Not only did D.A. take shots at Cal, he was hard some of the players, like Dakari Johnson, for instance:

“If Coach Cal wanted to keep these kids and develop them, he should tell them that. He’s just running them in and out. It’s not him, it’s not just him, it’s the parents. If my son is supposed to go second round, ‘Son, you need to stay in school, get your degree in case something happens, and also finish the job. Make sure you make these people know you can actually play.’ They’re just running them out of here. Like Dakari Johnson. I hope he makes it, but he’s a 7-footer who can’t jump. What’s he going to do with no degree when he’s done in two years?”

And it's not just the one-and-done system that Anderson is against; he isn't a big fan of Cal's coaching, either.

“Last year, when we went to the Final Four with [Julius] Randle and them, it was because of pure talent, and the reason we lost? Coaching. Why did Louisville beat [UConn] by 30? They pressured their guards. We let the kid Shabazz Napier—he walked the ball up and just shot in our face the whole night. I’m like, ‘did you not watch the tape of Louisville beating them? They pressured these guys.'”

While I can agree Cal's made a few coaching mistakes here and there, this example is just dumb. Louisville pressured UConn with quick guards who tried to stop the ball all season long. Kentucky had the Harrison twins; two excellent guards, but not known for their quickness and ball pressure. It was just a bad matchup for the Cats and the Huskies were hot. And let's not forget, Kentucky beat Louisville (Pitino) in that same tournament. Anyway, Anderson insists it's not personal with Cal. He just thinks he could do a better job coaching:

I love Coach, I think he’s a great guy, he helps people out, he brings us back, he’s treated me with nothing but respect, but I’m talking about coaching. I’m not talking about personal, I’m talking about coaching. If you’re going to coach these kids, let’s make them play the game the right way.“

You can hear the entire interview here. If Anderson has beef with Cal's tactics, there are definitely better ways to voice his opinion. And CERTAINLY other radio shows to do it on. We'll hear his explanation in the morning on KSR at 10:30 am. Sam Malone didn't like Anderson's comments. https://twitter.com/SamMaloneuk13/status/593550530128969730 Post-basketball Sam is the best version of Sam. He's been on fire lately. Kentucky and Indiana are talking about renewing the series. According to the Indiana Business Journal, there's hope for a renewal of the UK-IU basketball series. The IBJ talked to officials from the two schools and both parties acknowledged there have been general discussions about reviving the rivalry. The report mentions the possibility of a game as early as next season, but with several non-conference games already locked in, that is extremely unlikely. However, it could be a thing in the near future if the two sides can come to an agreement on how to get it done. Get your popcorn buckets ready, Bloomington. Alex Poythress is jogging again. Poythress, Marcus Lee and Tyler Ulis were available to the media Monday afternoon to talk about life after the mass exodus. The biggest news of the day was Poythress telling everyone he has started to jog again. “I’m jogging right now," he said. "I’ll probably start some single leg jumps and stuff soon. I’m progressing. It’s been a struggle and a journey. That’s how it is with ACL injuries. It’ll all be worth it when I finish rehab and everything. I’ll be fine for the preseason. “ Marcus Lee said, "When Alex comes back, it’s going to be game over." Marcus Lee hasn't left the gym since the Final Four. Lee knows it's his time and he is already putting in the work to make the most of his upcoming opportunity. He told reporters he hasn't left the gym since the team got back from Indianapolis, but what aspects of his game he is working on, he will not reveal. “I’m not going to tell you that. This (the gym) is my place. You guys can figure that out when it comes.” Shaun Kirk signed with N.C. State. Who is Shaun Kirk, you ask? He's that three-star forward we talked about for a couple hours yesterday. You know, the one Cal offered Monday night after he gave a verbal commitment to N.C. State earlier that day. Well, he's gone now. You can forget we ever typed words about him. You can forget the name Shaun Kirk altogether if you choose. No offense to the kid. Moving on... Billy Donovan is about to become the new head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.  According to ESPN, a deal is almost finalized and an official announcement will come Thursday or Friday. So who gets the Florida job? Tomorrow is BUD DUPREE DAY. Good luck to Bud Dupree tomorrow night the in the NFL Draft! He is all set to become Kentucky's first first-rounder in over a decade and only the third in the last 30 years. We'll have plenty of Bud coverage throughout the day as we count down the hours till he lives out his dream.