Season Never Ends Friday News and Views

by:Thomas Beisner12/03/10
season-never-ends-december-3 The Kentucky Basketball 2011 Calendar is here (featuring UK hero Scott Padgett on the cover), brought to you by Season Never Ends. Our all-new third edition is filled with your favorite UK basketball memories on the days they actually happened — old memories and brand new ones, like over 35 from the 2009-2010 season. Legendary players, games and moments drawn from over 100 years of the nation's #1 basketball program. Available online from seasonneverends.com for just $14.99. Use the coupon code KSR and take $3 off shipping. You can find it at the following stores: Allsports (Fayette Mall), Alumni Hall (Fayette Mall, St. Matthews Mall, Greenwood Mall), Kennedy's Book Store, Kentucky Korner (Fayette Mall, Shops at Lexington Center, Jefferson Mall & others), Joseph-Beth (Lexington Green), Gift Shops at Elk Creek Vineyards (8 locations), Beckers (2 Louisville locations), Fan Outfitters (Lexington & Louisville), Transfer Station Sportswear (Newport), The Kentucky Shop (Florence), Market@315 (Paducah) and many more. ------------------ Now onto some UK notes...  - Another day, same story.  With his appeal case already over with, there were hopes on Thursday that the Enes Kanter ruling would be released by the NCAA on their new fancy website, which has gotten quite the makeover since bringing in the Bylaw Blog guy and boosting his arrogance to an insufferable level on Twitter.  But, as of now, still no indication of any ruling yet or any time set for its release.  The widespread belief by those in the know is that the verdict would come quickly after the hearing concluded, which means that Friday could be the day.  But, until then, no one has any inside track on what the NCAA will determine, including the coaching staff.  John Robic said Thursday that they're "just waiting like everyone else".  So, if someone tells you they know something, they're probably lying.  Friday is going to be a "refresh" button kind of day. - As he seems to do more often than not, Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News wrote a piece Thursday on the Kanter situation and compared the lunacy of his ineligibility against the ruling in the Cam Newton case.  Though the cases differ in nature in the eyes of the NCAA, DeCourcy points out the seemingly odd take of college athletics' governing body in the cases by pointing out that the Newtons essentially admitted to willingly breaking the rules while the Kanters made a mistake and are willing to correct.  It's another excellent piece from a writer who seems to churn them out and his final line sums it up the best.  DeCourcy writes "The Kanters would gladly write that check. Unlike some, they are not looking to be enriched by their son’s time as an NCAA athlete."  Seems too logical for an organization like the NCAA. - As far as the on-court stuff goes, the Cats continue to get prepared for the North Carolina game on Saturday.  On Thursday, John Robic met with the media and said that the staff is looking forward to the game to see how the young team responds to their first game in a hostile environment.  While no one will accuse the Dean Dome crowd of being one of the most intimidating in the nation, it will mark the first time (Portland doesn't count) that this team will take the floor with a sizable anti-UK crowd in attendance.  Robic said that it's important that they avoid a slow start and don't fall behind early against a team that has the length and speed to potentially present major issues. - On the football front, there could be some bad news for those of you who were hoping for another Governor's Cup game in Birmingham.  According to Greg Auman of the St. Petersburg Times, the Cards are likely headed to the Beef O'Brady's Bowl in St. Pete and bowl officials are "confident" that the Cards will travel well.  I hope not.  But, Mike Rutherford of The Card Chronicle says that he has heard from a U of L football player that those plans are contingent on USF losing to UConn on Saturday.  Either way, they're scared. - In case you missed it, LeBron embarrassed Cleveland on national TV again Thursday night.  If it wasn't sad enough that Cavs fans (including the MAC's director of communications) wore their low-class chants and premeditated songs to the tune of "My Country, Tis of Thee" (seriously) like a badge of honor, the fact that LeBron nearly single-handedly out-scored their team in the third quarter of a 28-point beating was beautifully fitting of the last time a Cavs game will be worth watching for the next decade or so.  And this is coming from a guy who hates the Heat.  We're talking serious, pre-LeBron hate too.  - After three games of inconsistent officiating in the Maui Invitational, I'm sure this comes as a shock to you, but the NCAA officiating is getting worse and worse by the year and it cost UCLA a chance at a major upset on Thursday.  After the Bruins hit a three to tie the game (after what might have been a foul), Kansas brought the ball down the court, got stripped and then received a gift for the first night of Hanukkah when a Bruin and Jayhawk collided on a loose ball and the refs blew the whistle as time expired.  They went to the monitor and decided to put .7 seconds on the clock and Kansas made a free throw to extend the nation's longest active home winning streak.  But we still have Mitch Barnhart.  - On another note, former Wildcat and major league baseball player Jim Leyritz was sentenced to a year of probation for his role in a drunk driving crash that killed a woman in 2007.  The case had gained national attention as his lawyers argued that the woman who died was also at fault because she was found to also be drunk at the time.  He was acquitted of manslaughter and convicted of the DUI misdemeanor and paid the victim's family $350,000 in a civil lawsuit.   - Even if you don't poke fun at the obvious mistake by ESPN of including Alabama in the SEC Championship game, this picture makes me laugh:

craig-james-alabama

- Finally, with the UNC game on tap for Saturday, the trash talking got started a little early as Jeff Goodman Tweeted Thursday night that the bartenders at Four Corners in Chapel Hill were talking trash about KSR and said they read the site.  Because he is our leader, El Capitan Jones responded to Goodman and said only Chapel Hill bartenders and Fox Sports writers could be clueless enough to pick Harrison Barnes as the player of the year.  Ooooh, burn!  Goodman said something about Clyde in response, but it doesn't matter.   Matt Jones and KSR win. That's it for now.  Stay tuned throughout the day as we get you all set for the battle in Chapel Hill and possibly get you the Enes Kanter ruling.  It's going to be a fun day.  Make sure you stick around.  In the meantime, make sure you check out the podcast of Thursday's Kentucky Sports Radio below.

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2024-03-28