Random Thoughts, Random Links

A few thoughts before the big game tomorrow (Yeah. Tomorrow. Mississippi Valley State at Memorial at 7:00p. Come nurse your hang-over and watch the UK Hoops get back on track. I almost feel sorry for the Devilettes): - Larry Vaught has some follow up with football recruits in light of the potential Rich Brooks retirement. I understand why Vaught wrote the article, but isn't that the main point of a coach-in-waiting? The entire notion of naming a successor seems built around the idea that players and recruits know ahead of time about the direction of the program. That is sort of important when you have a coach that gets discounts on his coffee from McDonald's. I would think that all of the players that consider Kentucky would do so with the idea that Rich Brooks is 1 and Joker Phillips is 1a. It establishes a coaching tandem of which Kentucky is demonstrably transparent. - I don't know much about the site, but Jeffrey Maryak ranks the states for one of those typical end-of-the-decade articles and Kentucky comes in at #36. That seems low to me, but his thoughts on the Commonwealth are allllll about basketball. Also, he slams UCLA, which is nice. Additionally, his take on Arkansas is pretty funny. - Speaking of state pride, Derek Gentile has a notes column and talks about his interactions with the late Ralph Beard and mentions how people of the Commonwealth are some of the nicest in the country. Regarding Beard, Gentile writes about the days before NCAA regulation where random alumni would slip Ralph $20. It is weird to think about how some bemoan the lost innocence and purity of the game in comparison to yesteryear when yesteryear seems pretty freaking corrupt. With the media and NCAA gestapos digging in every trash can and hiding behind every bush, I'm pretty sure today's game is much more honest and far less corrupt. If you aren't familiar with Beard, there is an excellent article on him over at Sports Illustrated.