Ram Vera's Monday News and Views

by:Matt Jones11/05/07
ram.jpeg This truly was a great weekend. First, I got to go home to my hometown of Middlesboro, see my folks, hang with some friends and get a much-needed break from the law/blog/radio worlds. Plus, wasnt it nice UK fans to have a weekend of college football where you didnt have to be nervous about what would happen with our (once again) ranked Cats? I spent Saturday afternoon and evening watch Matt Ryan's Heisman balloon get popped, Adrian McFadden kill South Carolina and my bet on the game, John Parker Wilson go from biggest stud on campus to campus goat and Eugene, Oregon produce a great day of football (ranging from Gameday starting before daylight (complete with a sign that said "Stop Climate Change"....only in Oregon) to Arizona State feeling the power of the Duck). But the best part of the day without a doubt was watching Navy beat Notre Dame to end a 43 year losing streak. I have so much respect for the guys that play for the service academies. As my friend Gregg Doyel said this weekend, when you recruit at Navy, you are recruiting not only for football, but for a war in the Middle East.....that is quite a hurdle. However these players give it their all and triple option it all the way to great victories like Saturday. Oh yeah, and they also produced one of the best plays I have ever seen. Cornerback Ram Vera's leap over the fullback, onto Notre Dame's QB on 4th down at the end of regulation was....well amazing....it had me screaming with glee....well almost as if I was a Midshipmen myself (they would never have me). Below is a video of the play and some gleeful cadets watching it.....a great start to your Monday.... To the news..... (1) Biggest news coming out of the weekend? Well it has to be that Chris Singleton made a visit to UK this weekend, saw the game against Seattle and hung with the guys, including AJ Stewart and Ramon Harris....his hosts. Singleton will be making his choice by November 14 and I am hearing it is likely we will know something by the end of this week or the weekend. Chris is down to UK and Florida State and I am hearing that the folks at UK are confident.....as are the people at Florida State. Usually when you get to this point, the staffs know where the kid is going. When Patrick Patterson was being recruited, the Fla, Duke, UVA and Wake staffs all thought he was headed to Florida....the only people who held out hope for UK were the UK people....and they were right. It could go in either direction, but I like the way Kentucky has moved up from likely a mediocre 3rd in the race to the potential winner. We expect to have Chris on the show on Thursday (as part of an exciting Wed-Thur day of recruiting interviews).....should be interesting. (2) Some have wondered why the Alaskan Assassin got pulled in the second half against Seattle, but it looks as if the explanation is unfortunate. Ramon Harris may have a stress fracture in his foot, and if so, could be out for 3-6 weeks, depending on the diagnosis. We will find out today what the result is and we will let you know here as soon as it comes out from UK. But if the Cats lose Harris to injury, it will be another unfortunate turn to one of the most banged-up preseasons I can ever remember for UK basketball. The Cats need Harris' defense and ability to play on the perimeter against athletic wings....however if they lose him, the importance of AJ Stewart ratches up a few notches. (3) Also in injury news, concern is growing for Derrick Jasper. Jasper is not healing at nearly the rate some hoped and his prognosis for return is foggy at best. No one is officially saying this around UK, but the murmurs continue to grow about whether he will return all year and to what extent a redshirt season could be a possibility. This team could REALLY use Derrick Jasper....A LOT. His height could be of a huge impact in 3 and 4 guard lineups and his versatility can give UK the ability to do so many different things on the defensive end.....losing him would be a huge blow......lets hope he can make a comeback, but for now....it doesnt look great. (4) You might have seen that Joe Crawford's brother Jordan Crawford just went for 30 points in Indiana's opening exhibition game. The Hoosiers, when their coach is not texting and making 3 way phone calls, have a dynamic group of young players and Eric Gordon may be my favorite player in the class....but Jordan Crawford scoring 30? I never saw that coming and if he ends up being an offensive factor this year....watch out. (5) You may have missed it this week but Michigan State lost to Grand Valley State in an exhibition game in double overtime. Drew Neitzel (who unbelievably is STILL at Michigan State) missed a shot at the buzzer to win, meaning the Spartans lost to the Division II at home. Folks, I know it is an exhibition game, but that is as big an upset as you will see in college basketball. It went under the radar and seems to have been noticed by no one, but it is quite amazing. Only in college sports..... (6) Tyler Zeller is going to go to UNC according to my source with his AAU team....announcement likely today or Tuesday. I like Tyler a lot....he will do well at UNC. More throughout the day, including our preview of Perry Stevenson, reports on Harris' injury and why I cant stand Boston.....

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