Monday Evening National and Local Notes

(1) Every Kentucky fan I have spoken with today has had the exact same reaction....."Wow....we are #8.....can that really be right?" Unlike the delusional fanbases that exist in parts of the college football world, Kentucky fans are taking this ranking with.....well a little bit of skepticism. I was out on Saturday night when Desmond Howard picked Kentucky at #5 in his poll and the entire group of people around me were stunned. It just doesnt seem possible that Kentucky could reach these heights this season, especially after starting the year off most of the national prognosticator's radar screens. But there it is....the Cats are a legit top 10 team, ranked as the second highest SEC team in one of the polls and are in the DRIVER'S SEAT in the SEC East. IF the Cats can somehow win 2 of the 3 between South Carolina, Florida and Georgia (no easy task), they very well may represent the SEC in the title game.....truly remarkable. But first the Gamecocks.....dont you just feel like the Ol'Ball Coach needs to go down. (2) Louisville suspends another player for the year. Has a football program ever taken a greater fall quicker than the Ville? Four weeks ago the Cards had visions of national championships dancing in their heads....then MTSU scored 42, the Cats pulled off an amazing night, the Cuse was in the house, Willie got hungry.....and wow, here we are. What can you say? (3) As the picture above can attest (courtesy of EDBDS), even people who wear singlets out in public are crazy about South Florida. They have truly impressed this year, beating a very good West Virginia team at home and taking out a newly upstart Auburn team on the road. Now they too are a Top 10 football team and in the driver's seat in the Big East. With the recruiting base in Florida, South Florida has the ability to dominate the Big East for years to come. No other team in the conference will have the talent pool they do and their enrollment (9th largest in America) means that resources will be available to help build for the future. Watch out folks....whether now or later, its Bulls time in America. (4) Notre Dame is 0-5.....the Cats are 5-0.....Tennessee is an afterthought nationally....South Carolina-Kentucky is a marquee national game.....Oklahoma-Texas is of no consequence....UK will be on CBS as the main SEC game for two weeks in a row. Folks, the world is crazy. (5) Tough news today on Derrick Jasper....when the surgery first occurred, I was told it was much more serious than many were suggesting. Microfracture surgery is keeping Greg Oden out for Portland all season.....Jasper is supposedly however recovering well and everyone insists he will play this year....I hope they are correct. A New Poll is up....Vote early and often