Phil Collins' Friday News and Views

It has been a long week here in Louisville as I still dont have power and am continually convinced that a tree loaded down with ice will fall on my head, messing up my hair. Add to that the fact that the Cats laid an egg in Oxford, we had our big guest postponed to another week and the blog was not mentioned in the new Stimulus package and it has been a bit depressing in the city of the dirty Cards. But if you are like me (and you most certainly are), then one thing will make you smile and get out of your week of difficulty....celebrating the birthday of Phil Collins. When people think about the aging adult contemporary singers of years past, Phil Collins often gets lots in the shuffle, forgotten for old fogies like Rod Stewart, Sting and Bryan Adams. But Collins is an important part of our parents generation. Imagine if you will (if of course you are 20-35) your parents, running around as young people, turning up "Sussidio" and dancing their little hearts away. Similarly, it is likely the case that at some point your father looked at your mother and said, "Wouldnt you agree....baby you and me.....got a Groovy Kind of Love." Phil Collins is a balding icon, and not just because he sang "In the Air Tonight" to the guy who witnessed a drowning. Collins has produced more EZ listening music than almost any of his generation and for that, he deserves our praise....and his own News and Views. To the news.... (1): The Cats got back to it on the practice floor today after a difficult trip back to Lexington due to the bad weather of the last couple of days. As a whole, the Cats are healthy and Gillispie expressed positive feelings about today's practice. I have been told to expect to see some different players hitting the floor for different times on Saturday and a couple of guys who maybe havent had their chances (Galloway, Stewart?) could see the possibility of playing dangled before them against South Carolina. Gillispie will talk about the Gamecocks tomorrow, but there is some concern that the exact issues that plagued UK against Ole Miss can show up against South Carolina. They are a good three point shooting team, with some good ability to penetrate from their guards. We will see quickly if the lessons from Tuesday were learned. (2): For those of you that missed the Gregg Doyel live chat, it was a great event and he had some GREAT lines. The one that stuck with me the most however was his quote about Joker Phillips...."a gamble on greatness." Essentially his point was that Joker is not an assured quality....he may or may not be successful. But unlike most coaches that teams like Kentucky are able to pull nationally, Joker has the potential to be great and that is why Gregg believes him to be a great hire. I like the idea that Doyel is putting across here....Joker has the ability to be great and a new force in the SEC.....he also may not be a successful head coach in the SEC. But unlike most potential UK candidates, Joker has that greatness potential....and for that, Doyel (and I) think it is a great choice. (3): According to Scout.com, Kentucky received a football commitment today from JUCO RB Josh Morgan. Morgan is from California and picked the Cats over Washington State and Oregon State. This is the third commitment that the Cats have received from a running back and shows the need for bodies at that position next year. I do not know much about Morgan, but when I spoke with someone from the program recently, they told me that they had a "JUCO guy on the radar who could start next year".....my assumption is that this is Morgan. If so, today could be a big get. (4): Finally, Rivals.com reports that Terrell Mitchell, possibly one of the better UK recruits of the last few years, the TE from Georgia is going to visit Miami in the next week or so. Mitchell has the ability to come in and start next season....he is that kind of talent. However Miami has produced TEs that have been NFL stars for the last ten years or so. If Kentucky can find a way to hang on to the lead for his services, it might be the best non-Newton/Mossakowski get for this staff. Like you, I watched Rotnei Clarke go for 26 points tonight....a part of me thinks he may have been a better fit for this team than Donald Williams....but alas poor Yorick, things happen. We will be back for a big day on Friday as our focus turns to "School Boy" Darrin Horn and the Gamecock team. Stay tuned....