The Global Bacon Shortage's Thursday News and Views

One of our greatest nightmares is about to become a reality: The world’s bacon supply is dwindling.

Britain’s National Pig Association is expecting a shortage of bacon across the globe. “It is unavoidable,” the group said in an official press release last week. According to the release, new data shows the European Union pig herd is declining at a significant rate, and this is a trend that is being mirrored around the world. Pig farmers have been plunged into loss by high pig-feed costs, caused by the global failure of maize and soya harvests.

I don’t know what any of that means, but it’s terrifying.  This is the Aporkalypse.

I can think of one-million other things I’d rather the world run out of first: cancer, AIDs, Louisville fans — just to name a few. But bacon? BACON? We can’t be short on bacon. I mean, it’s bacon. America runs on that stuff.

I bet the Mayans are behind this. Damn them.

 

  The big news on Wednesday, like in the days before, was the status of Maxwell Smith. Smith did not throw the ball in Wednesday’s practice — as part of the staff’s Tuesday/Thursday plan — but he did hand the ball off with the first team. Afterwards, Joker Phillips said, “Max will be ready to play.”

Smith discussed the injury with reporters after practice. When asked about how he held up throwing the ball on Tuesday, he said, “I felt like I threw it pretty well. It was painful, so maybe I wasn’t able to snap on some balls like I wanted to. I made every throw but a little bit inaccurate. I’ll be alright. It will all come.”

Shoulder surgery could be an option on down the road, but the staff and trainers don’t believe it’s needed. They’ll talk about an operation in the offseason.

  If for some reason Smith can’t go, Jalen Whitlow will get the start in his place. Whitlow took all of the passing reps with the first team on Wednesday, although he didn’t exactly wow the staff with his play. “He wasn’t God-awful,” Joker said about the freshman’s day. “It’s practice. He made some throws,” he added.

  Some unfortunate injury news from the backfield: Coshik Williams is doubtful for Saturday’s game against South Carolina. Kentucky’s starting running back reaggravated that hip strain and will likely sit out against the Gamecocks.

On the defensive side, Mister Cobble is listed as doubtful with that joint infection.

  Switching over to basketball, tickets for the Blue-White game go on sale Thursday, October 4 at 9:00 am.The annual scrimmage is scheduled for Wednesday, October 24 at Rupp Arena. Tickets will be available online through Ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be sold in person at the UK Ticket Office between the hours of 9:00 a.m.— 4:00 p.m. ET or by calling 1-800-928-2287. Fans can also obtain tickets by calling or in-person at the Rupp Arena Box Office (859-233-3535) or visiting statewide Ticketmaster outlets. The cost of the tickets will be $10 (lower level) and $5 (upper level). All seating is reserved and no general admission eRUPPtion Zone tickets will be available for this contest.

  Be on the lookout for James Young this weekend if you’re in Lexington for the game. The 2013 star announced on Twitter that he’ll visit Kentucky this weekend, just two weeks after Coach Cal was in Michigan for an in-home visit. It will be an unofficial visit to UK for Young.

  If you didn’t get a chance to read USA Today’s story on Julius Randle’s in-home visits, I encourage you to do so. It’s full of great quotes from Randle and his mother about each of the visiting coaching staffs. Like this:

Calipari’s message was simple: Come to Kentucky for a year, compete for a national title and dress nice on NBA Draft night.

“He said they lose first-round talent every year,” Randle says. “It’s obviously working. That ring he was wearing was crazy.”

“Yeah he was leading with the right a lot when he was talking,” Kyles jokes. “He made sure we saw that championship ring. It was hard not to see.”

Randle also said Cal showed off pictures of himself hanging out with Jay-Z.

“I’m not a businessman; I’m a business, man. Let me handle my business, damn.”

  From the California high school basketball scene, Marcus Lee cut his list down to two schools: Kentucky and California. Louisville had been in the mix for Rivals.com’s 15th-ranked player but Lee’s brother said Marcus has dropped the Cards from consideration.

  ESPN.com’s SEC Blog has a list of five SEC assistants poised to make the jump. Remember those names if Joker Phillips can’t turn things around this season. I’m giving him one more game before I jump off the wagon. There aren’t many of us still sitting here. At all.

  I’ll leave you with a look at the new locker room in Rupp Arena, via Coach Cal.