Woody Harrelson's Monday News and Views

With now less than 36 hours remaining until the bar exam, the thoughts turn to the finer things in life. Yes, I have already tonight posted about Sergio's choke job, Kige Ramsey (YouTube Sports) and Carlos Toomer's poetry, so you would think there would be nothing else left to enjoy. But life keeps on giving and thus a few minutes ago I was able to catch about fifteen minutes of the glorious movie Kingpin. For those of you not fortunate enough to have ever seen Kingpin, I can honestly say that no movie has ever made me laugh harder in the theater than this wonderful piece of cinematography. Yes there are more clever movies, certainly better written and even those that on repeat viewings do more for me in the realm of sophomoric humor. But I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the finest Bowling feature to ever hit the silver screen. There are many reasons that this movie shines, from Randy Quaid's perfomance as an Amish diamond in the rough to that girl from the USA show who should have made it much bigger. But at its core, this move is all about Bill Murray. Watching one of my top five funniest people (joining Will Ferrell, Ricky Gervais, David Letterman and Chris Rock) in a virtuoso "Big Ern" performance always makes me laugh and is exactly the pick-me-up needed on a Bar Exam study break. The movie also has Woody Harrelson, whose birthday is today. Woody, who hasnt produced a good movie in seven years but whom I still like, once spoke at Transylvania about hemp and hooked up with a girl I knew while on campus. None of that of course has anything to do with Kingpin, but it does remind us all that no matter how ugly you may be, get famous.....and the women will follow. To the news..... (1) This weekend and week showcase the Las Vegas AAU tournaments which in the past were bastions of news for those of us who follow UK recruiting. However this year, the news is kind of dead, in large party due to the new priority placed on recruiting at UK. In past years, the Vegas tournaments were one of the early places where you found out who Kentucky would be recruiting for the upcoming year.....and often names you were not familiar with became UK targets suddenly. It was around this time last year that AJ Stewart was connected to the Cats and thus this tournament was a must-see event. But now, we know the names. Billy Clyde is so far out in front that we know the 08 names and have a decent notion of the long-term looks at 09 and 10. So Vegas week will come and go with stories of the play of Olek Czyz and Darius Miller, but the news likely will be sporadic. This is the new life of UK recruiting.....news may come in bunches (as when visiting weekends occur), but it will be much more of a sprint.....and the dead times will likely be longer as UK gets things wrapped up quickly and tightly. (2) This is the week where we likely find out about the final location of Leonard Washington. I was told last week to expect to hear something by the middle of this week. But as per usual concerning Leonard, my source said that now some wonder if this will creep into early August as the grades and core classes are still in question a bit. I still believe that this behind the scenes movement is mostly UK based and that Leonard is likely to want to be a Cat if everything works out. Big man Malcolm White committed to Ole Miss recently and it makes more sense for Leonard now to look at the Cats.....especially when it seems that the Rebels may not have a scholarship. Leonard is playing in Vegas and from all indications looks very good. Hopefully when we write next Monday's report we will know his destination.....but the way this has gone, dont count on it. (3) We have spoken a little bit about who might be this year's Patrick Patterson and many (including me) have wondered if it could be Tyler Zeller. But after his rise this summer, the must-have recruit of 2008 may be Olek Czyz. The Polish wonderchild with the 40 inch vertical is playing in Vegas and continuing his summer of unbelievable game and accomplishment. It is looking like Czyz will ultimately be offered by Duke, joining a list of schools that will include UL, UK and most of the Pac 10. Duke gives offers very stringently and when they focus on a recruit they usually get him.....but recently, not all the time. Patrick Patterson was a whiff for the Blue Devils and it may come down to another Duke battle this year for Czyz. Olek has an amazing amount of talent and UK is likely to get a visit from him......but stay tuned to this recruitment, because he is likely to be one of the hot talents of 08.....and Kentucky will once again be right in the middle of the battle. (4) Four games on the UK football schedule are going to make this season. I see wins against the three non-conference foes and Miss St, likely losses to Florida, LSU and on the road to Arkansas and Georgia. Thus Tennessee, Louisville and at South Carolina and Vandy make the season. Win all four and it is one of the best seasons of the past 30 years. Lose all four and you have squandered the best chance for UK football to be great for the near future. As our football coverage ramps up this week, those four games loom large. Kentucky football has often been cursed in the past.....this is the year to change it....and those are the four games where it must be done. Much more tomorrow.....look for Rob and the football fix and more.....