” Old Time Football Revival Needed By Media ”

By – Ira D. Combs

Director / Syndicated Columnist

Tri State Sports Media Service Inc.

I’ve grown to love football media day at UK it’s a plethora of opinions 4 – 8 , 6 – 6 , 5 – 7 , 7 – 5 , and occasionally the ultimate optimist 9 – 3 yes , there are a few even in the media but I won’t mention his name . Simply put the day is different than any other opening day sports press conference . In baseball your expected to be either in or out of the playoffs , basketball is either NCAA tourney eligible or Sweet Sixteen , or Final Four but nothing is quite like college football .

Then there are those perks that we media folks cabbage on . The complimentary press guides , free calendars , free media gifts that are always helpful in covering the Cats and of course the complimentary food trays provided on opening day and any other media gathering . Can’t beat UK’s SID staff they go the extra mile in providing info and opportunities for us small time folks as well as CBS , ESPN , and the other big time media entities .

But here is what really happened thru my eyes at the 2011 UK football media day .

Coach “Joker” Phillips stepped up to the podium at the Wildcat Den underneath Commonwealth Stadium last friday morning at exactly 10:00 a.m. to greet the statewide media contingent to the 2011 college football season and his second as head man at UK . After approximately 45 minutes of interviews with the media he left to go out on the field for pictures . Nothing extraordinary came out of the press conference from Phillips himself other than he mentioned that several freshman could possibly play early and often .

However , for a guy that is home grown and has been well liked by the media and multitudes of UK fans over his career there was an odd odor of skepticism in the air after his remarks from those in attendance .

The head Wildcat himself seemed very excited to start the season in his comments and extremely motivated to prove the pre season magazines and it’s writers wrong in their predictions which for the most part have been gloom and doom for the Cats this fall . The mood in the room at that point from the statewide and local media representatives was a mixed review of a feint bit of optimism for another bowl eligible season to the Cats first losing season ( based on a 12 team regular season schedule ) in five years since the bowl streak was started back in 2006 . Many folks who have followed UK football over the last 40 to 50 years never thought they would see the day that a UK football fan base would be sick & tired of following a UK football program that wins fifty percent or more of their games in the regular season then goes to 5 consecutive bowl games .

But that day has arrived .

Big Blue Nation wants more and I’m afraid if they don’t get more by midseason empty seats will pop up in great numbers on game day .

It’s been well documented in recent days why the bleak expectations have been predicted for UK football this fall so I won’t beat a dead horse and mention any names , simply put , it’s the offense . Not that the defense is expected to be iron curtain strong but it should be improved and in other circles the offensive line has gotten some love . No one I’ve talked to mentions anything positive about the offensive skill positions .

Personally , I’ve regrouped from my summer comments or at least taken a more objective view for the time being .

I’m not going to start the season out or at least not in this column spanking a few coaches for their schemes and being critical of a bunch of players that have not had the opportunity to perform yet . None of us know how some of these redshirt freshman or wet behind the ears sophomores will perform in their new roles let alone some of these incoming freshman who have not even worn a college football jersey yet . Also , just to make sure we are all on the same page these other teams across the SEC and college football have lost a few players as well . In some cases maybe even right here at UK it could be as they say down at the old barber shop ( addition by subtraction ) at some positions .

So let’s all step back and take a deep breath and hold our thoughts and opinions for at least the first three games . Well , everybody but me I’ve got to put together a pre season prediction column sometime in the next three weeks so I’m going to give myself a ( football mulligan ) when that day and column arrives .

The only thing that is glaringly apparent to everyone involved and “Joker” admitted this himself friday is that play makers must be found at pretty much all skilled positions across the offense and in the return game as well . But it can be done every team across the USA graduates and losses players every year but all teams carry on , that’s what is so special about college football and college sports in general . Players move on because you only have four years of eligibility .

The University of Kentucky played on without Vito “Babe” Parrilli , they played on without Alfred “Sonny” Collins , they played on without Tim Couch . Now it’s time for someone else to hold down the fort for a few years other that Randall Cobb , Derrick Locke , and Mike Hartline .

Revival Of Old Time Football Perks Needed

I miss good old fashioned nick names especially in football . I miss identifying a favorite player and anointing him with his own personal nickname .

The sports world especially the fan bases and sportswriters in this new modern day and age of technology especially in football have gotten away from nicknames and I don’t like it , there are way too many electronic devices on game day to play with instead of just picking a favorite player and identifying with his play for the day .

I can’t exactly remember how we got away from doing it , maybe us folks in the media are to blame as much as anyone but we’ve obviously not identified or labeled our sports heroes in recent years like we did back in the 50′s , 60′s , 70′s & 80′s . In doing a little research for this column I stumbled upon a New York Times article lamenting the demise of the cleverly nicknamed athlete but even “The Times ” couldn’t pinpoint the root of the problem . Maybe it reflects a loss of intimacy and connectedness with sports as a whole , maybe it is due to the changing way we name our own children or heaven forbid maybe all the good nicknames have been taken .

To me one of the most interesting and best conversation pieces about football is the nicknames players have been attached to over their football careers . Nothing like being able to identify with one of your favorite players during a game by standing up and yelling their nickname after a great catch by a receiver or tackling a quarterback for a sack .

There are many nicknames out their across the sports world and the stories behind their origin are what makes many of them so interesting . I’ll list my top five football player nicknames and you can match them up with your favorite and if this part of my column intrigues you enough pick out your favorite Wildcat attach a new nickname to him send it to me at  icombs14@windstream.net and I’ll pick out what I think are the top five and put them in my next column with your name attached to him .

My Top 5 Football Nicknames :

# 5 – ” The Deuce”  – Tim Couch / UK Quarterback roamed the sidelines early in his freshman season wearing his soon to be made famous # 2 jersey for several games while Elliott Uzelac & Bill Curry buried UK football deeper and deeper in a hole until Lexington TV sports personality Dave Baker finally started a rally among Big Blue Nation to ” Turn the Deuce Loose ” henceforth Curry finally obliged to a small degree late in Couch’s initial season but “The Deuce” wasn’t really turned loose until Hal Mumme came on campus . Had Mumme not turned Claude Bassett loose who knows where UK football would be today .

# 4 – ” Boomer” – Norman Julius Esiason / Bengals Quarterback got his nickname real early in life because according to his mother the little fellow kicked long and hard while in Mom’s womb and it says here the Bengals won’t be nearly as successful in the future as they were in “Boomer’s” years until the Brown family ” especially Paul ” is out of the picture .

# 3 – “Hacksaw” – Tennessee & NFL linebacker Jack Reynolds is famous in Knoxville because in order to vent his frustration one day after a “Vol” loss Reynolds cut an abandoned Chevrolet Bel Air in half earning the wonderful nickname ” Hacksaw” . This day and age the Vol players just hop in the abandon cars after games around K-town and have a merry old time until the last game of the season when it appears everyone in orange is on their best behavior and that orange jersey performs majic when the blue bloods show up .

# 2 – “The Snake” – Alabama & Oakland Raider quarterback who got his nickname before “Bear” Bryant or John Madden ever came into his life . Stabler’s high school coach anointed him with “The Snake” when he won several games late in the 4th quarter by scrambling his way thru the defenses zigging and zagging his way around after pass receivers were covered up . Due to constant knee problems and a late night routine that Joe Namath would be proud of Stabler became known for his passing skills late in his career .

# 1 – ” The Frig” – Chicago “Bears” defensive tackle William ” The Refrigerator ” Perry reportedly loved ice cream & popsicles and pressured his family as he was growing up to make sure that the refrigerator was stocked well . Personally , I never seen a more athletic nor faster athlete that weighed 350 lbs. plus most of his career . Sadly he now spends his time back in his native South Carolina home battling diabetes and weight issues at a still rather tender age of 52 , recently seen a TV special on him and he struggled to walk 15 to 20 feet at a time .

Honorable Mention nicknames : “The Golden Boy” – Paul Hornung ; “Prime Time” – Deion Sanders ; “Sweetness” – Walter Payton ; “White Shoes” – Billy Johnson ; “Broadway Joe” – Joe Willy Namath ; “The Bus” – Jerome Bettis ; “Night Train” – Dick Lane ; “The Galloping Ghost” – Red Grange

You can go online to www.combsbrothersonkysports.com for more coverage on UK football and basketball as well as KHSAA football and basketball .

Many Storylines Are Unfolding For The Kentucky Sports Fan

By – Ira D. Combs

Director / Syndicated Columnist

Tri State Sports Media Service Inc.

www.combsbrothersonkysports.com

Remember how hot it was in those quaint little old high school gyms of the 50′s & 60′s with those old pot belly stoves that kept it 90 degrees inside while it was freezing outside , well , I’ve traveled the Commonwealth from Hazard to Lexington to Northern Ky. to Louisville in the last few weeks and at no point has it been within 15 degrees of those old gyms , it’s hot folks . So , while we wait on September and the start of football season and a little more comfortable weather let’s look at a few items of interest to think about before 2011 ends .

Here is 10 sports questions for the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s sports fans to ponder as we enter the 2nd half of 2011 with a little tongue in cheek involved in a couple of the questions :

1. Why wasn’t Reds closer Co Co Cordero asked by any of the NL home run hitting contestants to pitch to them in the MLB Home Run hitting contest ?

2. After spending the past month and a half on the AAU and KHSAA team camp trail evaluating H.S. basketball players I never heard the word tall used at any point by any coach or recruiting service guru in describing a player , all of a sudden players are only long . What do they do now lay them down and measure them with a yard stick ? Do we really have to change the most basic terminology of each sport ?

3. Do you think Richie Farmer in his wildest dreams ever thought the news media in this state would turn on him the way it has ?

4. Has their ever been a more popular BASKETBALL coach than John Calipari at this juncture in his career at UK who hasn’t won an NCAA championship ?

5. There has been a lot of talk by Big Blue Nation about not spending money on UK football at the same rate as UK basketball which flames the question , will the new scoreboards & renovations at Commonwealth Stadium enhance the so called fan experience enough to give “Joker” Phillips and Mitch Barnhart a pass if they have a 2nd losing season in a row ? Oh yes , don’t forget the new uniforms .

6. Will the new UK president and his wife escourt those stellar academic award winners onto the field at Commonwealth Stadium at the end of the 1st quarter and during the 1st TV time out at Rupp this coming year ? It literally sucks the life right out of the fan base at both sites especially Rupp Arena .

7. Will there ever be a sporting event in this state to annually rival the Ky. Derby ? I don’t think so , forget it NASCAR fans . Basketball & Horses are a way of life in Kentucky , has been for many years and I don’t see it changing .

8. Will the Louisville Sports Authority and the folks at the KFC Yum Center make a pitch to the KHSAA to bring the popular Sweet 16 State Tourney to the River City ?

9. How did Vanderbilt’s new football coach and staff reap commitments from two 4 star recruits ( Josh Dawson & Brian Kimbro ) at the impact positions of running back and defensive end and beat schools like Georgia , Notre Dame , LSU , Nebraska , Va. Tech and South Carolina in the process who had all offered ?

10. Will the City of Richmond and the EKU administration with it’s new synthetic tartan surface at Roy Kidd Stadium ever get off their ??? and make a serious bid to host the KHSAA Football State Finals ? A lot of H.S sports fans across central , northern , and eastern ky. are getting tired of traveling across the state to Bowling Green .

Eddie Ford’s Ky. Hoopfest

Spent last weekend in Louisville and got to see a lot of good high school basketball players in several age groups from across the Commonwealth and the entire nation at Eddie Ford’s 30th Annual Ky. Hoopfest in the Ky. Fair & Exposition Center’s South Wing . Ford’s event is the oldest of it’s kind in the nation and annually attracts well over 300 college coaches and recruiters . Also , if you want to know anything about or pick up any breaking news on Kentucky high school hoops whether it be coaching changes , player transfers , etc. it’s a must event to attend each July .

Their were at least a couple high profile players playing on one of the all star AAU teams from in state representing all 16 KHSAA regions . Seems to be a lot of good young players in the 8th , 9th, and 10th grade getting ready to come on the scene .  Listed below are some names that you may or may not have seen or heard of at this point that I predict will be hot players in the next couple years :

Braxton Beverly – Perry Central – 8th

Cameron Justice – Knott Central (Formerly East Ridge) 9th

Evan Hall – Knott Central – 9th

Charles Johnson – Lafayette – 10th

Shane Hall – Johnson Central – 10th

Justin Johnson – Sheldon Clark – 10th

Tyler Black – Mason Co. – 10th

Jackson Davis – Lafayette – 10th

Wesley Noble – Breathitt Co. – 10th

( all of these players above were varsity starters on their respective teams last year )

Several older players who have already committed to a Div. 1 – A team and will be entering their senior year this fall were on display as well :

Derek Willis – Bullitt East – ( Purdue commitment )

Adam Wing – Rowan Co. – ( Oklahoma State commitment )

Two players who have went under the radar with out of state college coaches and recruiters in the past but seem to have gained some respect this summer were 6′ 6″ Matt Day – Buckhorn and 6′ 4″ Taylor Barnette – Lex. Christian

Has Transfers Or Early Entries To NBA Cost UK NCAA Championships

Pre Season Football Magazines Out On News Stands

By – Ira D. Combs

Syndicated Columnist

Tri State Sports Media Service Inc.

As we drift thru the lazy hazy hot days of summertime I find myself occasionally drifting into the past dreaming of lost chances at UK championships .

You could debate that the greed of a dollar bill or more playing time have both cost the Cats another banner or two , but then again if one has never had even the necessities of everyday life is it really greed .

So in hindsight you could give a soft mulligan for those who left for money and the NBA , right , well maybe , most of those who left UK really had their own individual agenda .

Regardless of the reason what if this player or that player or especially a certain small group of players from the many early entrants UK has put into the NBA draft stayed for another year or sometimes two or three more years would these ex Cats have produced Kentucky basketball with more than the present (7) NCAA Championships which has them in 2nd place all time behind UCLA and Coach John Wooden and his 11 NCAA championships .

Early entries into the NBA didn’t really come into the main stream picture until the late 80′s and early 90′s so the question is did past transfers who left the program cost the Cats more realistic opportunities  to capture that coveted NCAA crown thru the years .

When did it all begin ? Much earlier than you might think .

After a few hours of research and the help of my brother Oscar who has a few years of knowledge and more importantly personal memory of Kentucky basketball I found out that the transfer scenarios really started in the early 40′s .

Anybody remember Bob Brannum from the 1943 – 44 Cats , well , it seems as though he is the first noteworthy Wildcat who left Adolph Rupp’s flock .

Brannum averaged 12.1 ppg and lead UK to a 19 – 2 record that year and was a consensus 1st team All American at UK his freshman year by the Sporting News , Pic Magazine , and Converse Inc. then went off to defend the Red , White , & Blue in WW 2 for two years then returned for the 1946 – 47 season and found a few new recruits by the name of Ralph Beard , Alex Groza , Wah Wah Jones , and Kenny Rollins had made the scene and his average dropped to 4.9 . Ole Bob was off to Michigan State to finish up his collegiate career but we can’t blame him for costing the Cats any championships because Adolph faired pretty well in the late 40′s and early 50′s .

Later in the 50′s one of Rupp’s most talented recruits from eastern ky. Bob Tallent left the Bluegrass after falling out with Rupp for George Washington University but again you can’t blame Tallent because by this time and during this era UK was the premier basketball program in the USA . You could rap up today’s Duke , NC , and Kansas all into one and you would have Kentucky of the 50′s , they were the Yankees of college basketball during this decade .

This takes us into the modern age of the late 60′s or even closer to the 70′s . Remember Danny Hall from eastern ky. or Randy Noll of northern ky. or big burly 6′ 11″ Chuck Aleksenis or one of the states most high profile basketball recruits ever Todd May of Virgie who left because Kenny Walker and company was just too much to contend for playing time with . Did Dwight Anderson’s transfer to USC cost Coach Hall a shot at another championship . What about more recent transfers like Chris Mills , Leron Ellis , Rashaad Carruth , Roderick Rhodes , or one of Tubby’s first mistakes at UK in the recruiting process when he brought Jason Parker on campus only to constantly have discipline problems with Parker until he and “Tubby” finally separated ways .

Would any of these players have given UK the edge to get over the hump had they stuck it out to reach that perch atop the NCAA throne ? We’ll never know .

Personally , I think there is a better case to be made for those who left the campus life for the bright lights and deep pockets of the NBA .

Would Rex Chapman had he stayed a full four years earned UK another title ?  It’s highly doubtful , but it sure would have been an entertaining couple of years , I wonder what Rex & Rick Pitino would have been like together at Rupp Arena . Now their would have been a popularity contest like this state has never seen .

Would either of the following players Jamal Mashburn , Ron Mercer , or Antwan Walker have helped Rick Pitino produce another NCAA crown had they completed their eligibility . Even more interestingly would Rick Pitino himself have produced more NCAA hardware for his own throne room had he not left UK for the NBA , but that’s a whole other story in itself .

Would Kaleena Azubuike , Rajon Rondo , or Randolph Morris have helped “Tubby” garner another championship and more importantly sedated the restless commonwealth to stay off his back and henceforth would he still be at the Joe Craft Center if any of these three would have finished out their eligibility .

Let’s skip the next two year era and blame it on Mitch Barnhart , ah heck , let’s give our A.D. a mulligan on that one too because he did recover nicely with John Calipari .

Which brings us up to date with the most recent two year scenario .

Would Jodie Meeks perimeter shooting had he stayed at UK his senior year been enough against West Virginia to put Calipari and the Cats in the Final Four for a shot at a championship in Cal’s initial season . I don’t think anyone would argue that had the Fab Five Wildcats of John Wall & company stayed just one more year we would have banner # 8 hanging in Rupp Arena at present day .

So there it is you make the decision did past transfers or early NBA entries cost UK . Personally , I doubt UK would have 11 championships today like Wooden and UCLA had all the above players fell UK’s way in those years but I don’t think there is any question they would be a lot closer than they are now with 7 championships .

Then again what about the positive transfers , yeah that’s right , we’ve had a few to flock to Lexington as well . Think Kyle Macy , Derek Anderson , and Travis Ford to name a few . I doubt seriously that UK would have won the 1978 championship without Kyle Macy on the floor nor would Rick Pitino of won in 1996 without Derek Anderson coming on board from Ohio State nor would have the Cats launched themselves into the 1993 Final Four without Travis Ford’s perimeter shooting skills .

Listed below is my all transfer in and transfer out and early entry into the NBA teams of all time for UK basketball , match them up with yours as we wait patiently on UK football :

UK All Transfer In Team                                              UK All Transfer Out Team                                        UK Early Entry To NBA

1st Team                                                                                            1st Team                                                                                         1st Team

Guard – Travis Ford – Missouri                                                          Guard – Dwight Anderson – USC                                                   Guard – John Wall

Guard – Kyle Macy – Purdue                                                              Guard – Bob Tallent – George Washington                                   Guard – Rex Chapman

Wing – Derek Anderson – Ohio State                                               Wing – Chris Mills – Arizona                                                             Wing – Ron Mercer

Forward – Heshimu Evans – Manhattan  College                             Forward – Bob Brannum – Michigan State                                     Forward – Jamal Mashburn

Center – Mark Pope – Washington                                                    Center – Chuck Aleksenis – U Conn                                                Center – Demarcus Cousins

Honorable Mention                                                                          2nd Team                                                                                          2nd Team

Guard – Patrick Sparks – WKU                                                          Guard – Derrick Jasper – UNLV                                                       Guard – Rajon Rondo

Guard – Dale Brown – Mississippi JC                                               Guard – Rashaad Carruth – Oklahoma                                            Guard – Jodie Meeks

Center – Josh Harrellson – Missouri JC                                            Wing – Roderick Rhodes – USC                                                       Wing – Antwan Walker

Forward – Todd May – Wake Forest                                                 Forward – Patrick Patterson

Center – Leron Ellis – Syracuse                                                          Center – Nazi Mohammad

Honorable Mention -                                                                        3rd Team

Marvin Stone – Louisville ; Michael Bradley -                                    Guard – Eric Bledsoe

Villanova ; Jason Parker – Quit / Injury ; Randy                                  Guard – Kaleena Azebuike

Noll – Marshall Univ. ; Danny Hall – Marshall Univ.                             Wing – DeAndre Liggins

Oliver Simmons – Florida State ; Irving Thomas -                             F/C – Randolph Morris

Florida State ; Eric Manuel – NAIA ; Alex Legion -                           Center – Daniel Orton

Michigan ; Mike Ballenger – WKU

Pre Season Football Magazines Out

Most all of the 2011 pre season football magazines are out on the magazine racks across the nation especially in the SEC towns as of this date .

Athlon’s and Lindy’s led the charge beating most everyone to press and have been on most news stands for at least two weeks now but neither paints much of a bright picture for the Cats although Athlon’s did project in one article that the Cats would keep their bowl streak alive with another 6 – 6 season and predicted they would be matched up with South Florida in the BBVA Compass Bowl again .

Sr. LB Danny Trevathan and Jr. OL Larry Warford have garnered the only love thrown UK’s way with the sports writers and recruiting gurus with both being projected as anywhere from 1st or 2nd team All SEC to as high as 3rd team All American by Sporting News .

However , there have been some kudos thrown the Cats way with a few of their incoming recruits by several of the veteran SEC writers and recruiting services . One recruit that caught my attention last Feb. on signing day but he hasn’t been mentioned much until just recently is WR Darryl Collins of Gadsden , Ala. who according to sources close to me is turning a few heads in 7 on 7 workouts over at the Nutter Training Center .

Here is a quote by veteran SEC Gainesville Sun staff writer Kevin Brockway while he was doing a column on five freshman recruits who could make an impact in the SEC in 2011 ;

” Gadsden , Ala. wide receiver Darryl Collins should get plenty of opportunities to make plays in Kentucky coach “Joker” Phillips high scoring offense . After former Wildcat WR and all purpose threat Randall Cobb decided to leave college early for the NFL draft Collins changed his original commitment from Alabama to the Wildcats ” .

Also , both incoming Georgia running backs Josh Clemons & Marcus Caffey have received some ink in various publications as making an impact as freshman . Caffey was rated as the 27th best prospect in Georgia and 37th best running back prospect in the entire nation by www.rivals.com one of the top 3 recruiting services in college football circles . One incoming recruits name that has been mysteriously missing from most publications as far as making an immediate contribution is SS Glenn Faulkner who actually was the Cats only four start recruit on signing day last Feb.

My favorite pre season football publication is published Darryl Bird and the guys over at the  Cats Pause and yes it is out as well just visit your local Wal Mart magazine rack or your local pharmacies magazine rack and I’m sure you will be able to pick one up .

Keep the faith folks SEC football is just around the corner and the 2011 version of Wildcat Football media day is coming up in about four weeks on the first friday in August and then we will be back on a weekly basis with this column and all other coverage of UK athletics .

You can go online to www.combsbrothersonkysports.com for more coverage of UK football and basketball as well as KHSAA football and basketball .

UK Football Not As Bleak For 2011 As National Media Suggest

By – Ira D. Combs

Syndicated Columnist

Tri State Sports Media Service Inc.

While I am on record in recent days myself in suggesting that this coming fall may not be one of UK’s most memorable pigskin seasons I’ll also be the first to take a stand for “Joker” Phillips and “Operation Win” in season # 2 in that the picture that several national media members and outlets are painting isn’t near as bleak as some think .

This team still has a decent shot at pulling out 6 wins and remaining bowl eligible to keep the one positive streak going they have .

However , Chris Low from ESPN.COM who by the way presently resides in Knoxville , Tenn. doesn’t see a very bright future this fall especially for the Cats offense .

Low arrived in K-town a couple years ago after spending 10 years in Nashville , Tenn. where he covered UT & SEC football for The (Nashville) Tennessean and to add to Mr. Low’s ugly history of witnessing UK football he was born and raised in South Carolina . So , he does have a rather one sided opinion of witnessing UK quarterbacks and teams over the past few years having seen for the most part the UT game and a few scattered South Carolina games in recent years which is probably clouding up his observations a tad but in all reality what he has seen is all he has to go on .

Low has jump started the national charge once again by stating that UK football is headed into those deep SEC waters with a quarterback Morgan Newton that he says is 10th on a list of ……………… yes 10 and if that’s not a bad omen don’t forget unless commissioner Mike Slive has thrown two SEC teams under the bus to the NCAA to keep The Vols out of the NCAA jailhouse there are still 12 teams in the SEC .

Upon first hearing this I immediately thought something don’t click here , so I did some research and realized this isn’t as bad as it appears in Low’s ESPN.COM column . No , I’m not the eternal optimist for UK football but there are some items that need to be addressed before we all start throwing rope to both Newton & Phillips to keep Operation Win a float .

# 1 – First and foremost two of the bottom five quarterbacks on Low’s list play for the same school , LSU , ( surely Newton is better than a backup ) and  two of the others reside in Gainesville and Tuscaloosa then Newton at # 10 . Now , real quick tell me the last time you can remember going into an SEC football season that Alabama , Florida , and LSU didn’t have a quarterback rated in the Top 5 of the SEC . I can’t remember that year personally …………….. this may be the year that quarterback play in the SEC isn’t a weekly feature .

# 2 – This point has no effect on Newton or his competence or skill level as a college quarterback but it may be a hidden asset for UK’s defense . Did anyone notice that Ole Miss , Vanderbilt , and Auburn didn’t even rate a qb on Low’s list . UK has Ole Miss & Miss. State at home this year and Vanderbilt is also on the schedule as always but in Nashville . That’s three pivotal SEC opponents that won’t throw tremendous quarterback fear into the face of Rick Minters new defensive schemes if Low is correct in his assessment .

# 3 – Low made no mention of the valuable experience that Newton got year before last when he lead UK to those big road wins against Georgia and Auburn . Yes , I’m aware Newton’s passing stats in those two wins weren’t sterling but he does have some success and experience in his past to build on .

If this wasn’t enough karma from Low just days after the quarterback fiasco brought Big Blue Nation gloom and doom the “Guru of SEC sports writers”  followed up with a bashing of the UK running backs predicting them as 12th best in the 12 team SEC for this upcoming season . So I’m guessing UK will bottom out the SEC in most all offensive statistics based on Chris Low’s evaluation skills .

For my money Morgan Newton may not put up Tim Couch or Jared Lorenson numbers but he won’t be last in the SEC with Randy Sanders schooling him .

As for the running back bashing those guys simply haven’t been on the field yet because the depth chart is now stocked full of incoming true freshmen , a raw talent in red shirt freshman Brandon Gainer , and one shifty sophomore Raymond Sanders who can tote the mail and Mike Summers offensive line will see that the running game doesn’t finish last in their statistical category .

The bottom line is at the end of the day or in this case UK’s upcoming football season we will all look back and see that these two positions won’t be the lone reason this UK team succeeds or fails or treads in water all fall .

SEC games are won in the trenches on both sides of the ball , always has , always will .

Does It Really Matter When UK & UL Play Football

Here we go again for the umpteenth time in the last 15 years or so . Either the media or U of L or both are complaining again about how or if the UK – U of L game is televised .

When will the sports fans and media in this state understand that it’s not a hot topic to UK when the Louisville game is played in football nor if it’s the 1st or 3rd weekend of the season or how and when it’s televised .

For the last time UK is not responsible for getting U of L football national recognition .

The new SEC TV contract with ESPN and CBS provides UK football all the publicity it needs to grow it’s program , ( one game a year does not make or break a Div. 1 football program especially an SEC program ) .

Had UK not agreed to start the series in the early 90′s U of L would not have Papa Johns Stadium and without the stadium do you really believe Louisville would have been invited into even the Big East . Yes , UK football in the early 90′s was in one of it’s darkest hours and needed the Louisville game to jump start ticket sales but it always had the SEC to fall back on financially and would have eventually survived the Bill Curry era . Louisville football on the other hand was treading water and having moderate success at the time but was at the crossroads as far as growing their program into solid Div. 1-A status and sorely needed the UK series to provide fodder that they could compete and needed a new stadium to do so .

UK obliged and has been rewarded with Louisville being nothing but a thorn in UK’s side in the publicity department when discussing the particulars of the series when contracts have been drawn up every four years .

By the way for all those who stated that by UK – UL starting a football series it would drastically improve high school football in the state take a look at the items I researched below :

# 1 – The Commonwealth’s high schools were producing annually anywhere from 12 to 18 Div. 1-A college football players in the early 90′s yet still after almost 20 years of UK – UL football the state is still producing 12 to 18 Div. 1-A college football players each year .

# 2 – If it’s still that important that these two universities must play football for the high school programs to grow and prosper then someone explain to me how we had 284 high schools playing football in 1993 yet today we have only 205 high schools playing football although school consolidation and KERA must take their fair share of blame in this department .

# 3 – This item is a bad reflection on both UK and UL . If both schools who from the get go said they wanted this series to help grow high school football then why hasn’t either hosted the high school football state finals for the past two years and it appears won’t for coming years either .

Playing this series has done nothing for high school football nor has it enhanced UK football in the least but it jump started Louisville football squarely into solid Div. 1 – A status and for that what has Louisville done over the years .

Nothing but throw up anything and everything it can think of negatively toward UK football .

Personally , I wish UK would drop Louisville and look seriously into starting a series with a Va. Tech or Penn State or Miami of Florida , at least on the years they would play a team with this type tradition and national recognition it would mean something if a win was produced and in the years of a loss it would come without a complete dismantling of the program by the media which is what happened when a Louisville loss produced negative fodder from all angles since the series started in the early 90′s .

I’m betting that these type schools wouldn’t cry over a date to play either or if it’s on ESPNU , ESPN 2 , or The Disney Channel .

Louisville and the local media are most likely going to be a constant thorn in your side UK no matter what direction you go in , it’s time you do something in the scheduling department that will enhance UK football even if it’s a gamble of sorts in getting bowl eligible .

You’ve now got the TV money from the SEC contract to fall back on let the Big East and Louisville carry their own weight for a few seasons .

Piecoro On 2011 UK Football Team

On a recent visit to cover a Reds home stand at Great American Ball Park I had a chance to spend some time with one of my favorite UK personalities Jeff Piecoro who has a summer gig with Fox Sports Ohio where he host their pre and post game shows for the the Reds TV Network . Piecoro of course played football at UK back in the day and presently is Tom Leach’s side kick on UK’s radio team . He paints a little better picture for UK football that does Chris Low of ESPN.COM although he was reluctant to speculate on an actual record for this fall Piecoro seemed somewhat excitied about UK’s defensive possibilities saying he can see this team as being similar to a couple teams he played on when the defense started the year out holding the fort down and keeping the Cats competitive in games with a chance to win in the 2nd half of games early in the year while the offense and their young backs and receivers gain valuable confidence and game experience for the SEC stretch run in late October and November where the Cats should have a few SEC games winnable at home .

Piecoro got the opportunity to see the spring game and a couple other practices and was impressed with the change Rick Minter made by moving Winston Guy up closer to the line for more run coverage and blitz packages and away from a few pass coverage responsibilities . Piecoro also mentioned that he expects the Cats defensive line to be stronger than the last two years with Mister Cobble and Donte Rumph with one year of game experience under their belt and Collins Ukwu and Mark Crawford seasoned veterans now .

Kick Off or not to Kick Off

That quaint little tidbit that Georgia’s coach Mark Richt and Rutgers coach got started a few days ago about dropping kick offs in college football will never make it to the rules committee to be voted on . CBS and ESPN will nix that thought process and probably already have . Got to have time after a TD is scored for those two and three minute million dollar commercials to run and specialty teams meeting with their coaches and lining up for the kickoffs provide the time not to mention time for those networks to showcase their own little Queen’s of the Gridiron for those ridiculous 15 second coach interviews during the same time span of the game broadcast .

But one wonders would watching a football game without kickoffs be like watching a basketball game without all those jump balls we had to deal with until the possession arrows were established , I don’t think so kickoffs produce points and points produce excitement .

What are they going to do to start the contest just lay the football on the 50 yard line before each game and have a scrum to decide possession henceforth the old southern phrase made famous years ago when you had two bad teams playing on the same football field ………… ” looks like a bunch of mules fighting over the last turnip in the garden ” .

I can’t see football without kickoffs in my lifetime but I never thought I would have to pay for a drink of water or watch a man marry another man on TV either .

You can go online to www.combsbrothersonkysports.com

By – Ira D. Combs * Director / Syndicated Columnist * Tri State Sports Media Service Inc.

Another spring football season is behind the gridiron Cats yet very few questions were answered concerning this falls edition of UK football , at least that’s what most of the vast Diehard UK football fan base thinks according to the responses posted on most internet sites , chat lines , etc. the 24 hours after the spring game .

You can add yours truly to that list as well .

However , UK football coach “Joker” Phillips stood tall and straight faced in the Wildcat Den minutes after the Cats spring football Blue – White game concluded and was quoted as saying ” I expect this team to stay in the SEC football title chase this coming fall longer than it’s ever been since he’s been at UK when he come on board with Rich Brooks several years ago ” .

With that being said I understand that todays college football coach must use the media at times to build confidence in his troops .

But that’s a mighty bold statement for a head coach to make in his second year when he just posted the schools first losing season in five years , graduated it’s best quarterback and running back and lost it’s best overall football player thru an early entry to the NFL .

All that , then looking straight ahead at a 2011 schedule that has his first three SEC games against Florida , LSU , and South Carolina with the latter two being in Tiger Stadium and Williams Brice Stadium .

I’m thinking exactly how does he meet that ( staying in the SEC race longer objective )  ahh , it just hit me he was thinking the Cats will run the table with the three non conference games in September to build confidence then slip by their SEC lower level brothers in Mississippi since they are both at home this year and then in what has become the annual ( Remember November Campaign ) whip Vanderbilt and it’s new sacrificial coach then sneek up on another overhyped Georgia team then ………….. ( Dare I say it ) yes break the Vol Streak .

Sounds like a plan , a familiar plan , but when will it ever come true . Not this fall .

More on Coach Phillips and football in general in my next off season column .

Other Football News & Notes

I didn’t see any of red shirt freshman phenom Brandon Gainer during the Blue – White Scrimmage . Gainer came on campus last year as a prized recruit out of the extremely talented south Florida area with glowing stats as a RB but was ask to set out due to Derrick Locke being set to be the feature back and Fr. all purpose back Raymond Sanders being groomed for backup duty responsibilities for Locke .

One would think with his reputation coming on campus and Locke graduating that his name would surface in some capacity by the end of the spring .

No one I talked to saturday in the media who has been around Nutter Center all spring had a clue . Hopefully this column will bring a response from someone inside the program .

Reportedly “Joker’s” former UK teammate and close friend Mark Higgs who was Gainer’s asst. coach in Florida hand delivered Gainer to Phillips and UK thru a tough and lengthy recruiting process . I’m betting Gainer nor Higgs expected the present scenario coming out of his red shirt season and his first spring game .

Since our last column the UK – WKU game scenario has been finalized . Official date is (Thurs.) September 1st and kickoff is set for 7:00 P.M.  with ESPNU providing live national TV coverage and according to the new contract that UK signed with WKU the Hilltoppers will host the game in Nashville at LP Field which is the home of the NFL Tennessee Titans .

With the change in date from saturday to a week night thursday I’m wondering how much that will affect the travel plans of Big Blue Nation and WKU’s fan base as well . Not to mention UK will play Vanderbilt later on in the season in Nashville and let’s not forget the fact that UK has played at LP Field for a couple bowl games in recent years as well .

Throw in the economy and a live TV telecast to overcome . Ouch !!!!

It will be the season opener but I’m betting that WKU would be thrilled with a crowd of 40,000 to 45,000 .

Coach Cal & BBN Waiting On NBA Decisions

Let’s give Coach Cal a high five for swaying Doron Lamb back to the Joe B. Hall Wildcat Lodge and Rupp Arena for another year . Can’t help but think it’s a win win situation for both individuals .

Now on to step two with Brandon Knight , Terrence Jones , and Deandre Liggins yes Deandre Liggins officially entering their name into the pool for NBA evaluations .

It says here that step three will result in Knight and Jones ending up as two NBA lottery picks in the June draft , sure hope they don’t get burnt later on with an extended lockout .

That leaves us with the final step of what has become the annual UK basketball off season delimma on who will wear the Blue and White next season .

Where does Liggins career path go ? That’s a bigger mystery to me than any scenario you can paint for Knight , Jones , or Josh Harrellson for that matter

Don’t know who Liggins is taking advice from these days but then again how many out there thought Daniel Orton would be drafted in the 1st round last year when the season ended .

Not me .

Don’t go the defensive route either trying to explain or defend his NBA aspirations . Name me one defensive player that any NBA franchise has drafted in past years for that sole reason who was under 7′ tall .

If Liggins is truly wanting to earn money for his new fatherhood responsibilities my advice is head to Europe , otherwise stay in school for your senior year . Something tells me he nor his new baby will want for food or clothing this coming winter .

That corner / wing shot he hit inside the last minute against North Carolina that put UK in this years Final Four should provide many opportunities for him to curb any hunger pains for many years . Now don’t go down that road of UK players getting free meals from Lexington restaurants . I’m thinking coupons you know those type that the students occasionally obtain thru various advertising sources .

He is a student – athlete at least that’s what our friends from the NCAA calls them .

Personal Note

This column officially ends our fifth year of covering UK basketball & football as well as KHSAA football and basketball for our Tri State Sports Media Service . It’s been a blast and Harold and I  are already making plans for some additions to our website as well as maybe taking a crack at a new yearbook type publication on basketball .

While it’s possibly been the best five years of my adult life I have my 40th high school reunion coming up in a few weeks before our next column and I’m dreading it immensely .

Yes , 40 years ago , remember when Dan Issel , Mike Pratt , and Mike Casey had the Cats # 1 and were finishing up their sterling careers under the leadership of Adolph Rupp and when Pete Rose & Johnny Bench were starting a dynasty called The Big Red Machine and yours truly was a svelt 169 lb. 5′ 10″ point guard for the Dilce Combs “Panthers” .

Yes , I know what some of you who haven’t known me all those years are thinking but I do have a high school yearbook and a few photos to prove it .

Life’s been a ball I have no complaints , I’ve been blessed more than I deserve . Hopefully , we’ll all have a few more special Wildcat victories going down that glory road that Coach Rupp started back in the 40′s .

You can go online to www.combsbrothersonkysports.com for more coverage of UK basketball and football as well as KHSAA basketball and football .

Cats Punch Final Four Ticket In Spite Of NCAA  Return To Texas For Another Championship Run  
 
It appears that the NCAA selection committee and the NCAA branch that oversees rules and regulations come from the same cloth . One of weak intelligence & accountability .
 
Ah heck , let’s let that lay for a while and celebrate a little .
 
In the Big Blue history books your not worthy of a nickname unless you reach a Final Four .
 
This team needs a name badly and since no one else will step up to the plate I’ll do it but it’s real easy because there is only one nickname for this team .
 
The Underdog Cats
 
Oh by the way , take that NCAA we didn’t need Big Enes after all at least not on game day but don’t ever underestimate Josh Harrellson’s development coming directly from playing day in and day out against Enes Kanter . Regardless of who is responsible for “Jorts” turnaround at the end of the day in my mind you can have all the athleticism , length , and all the lateral quickness in a basketball player you want  .
 
I’ll take players with big hearts like “Jorts” and Deandre Liggins and those who can shoot the basketball like Brandon Knight & Doron Lamb and those who have some home grown basketball skills with some heart that knows what it means to wear those eight letters KENTUCKY across their chest like Darius Miller .
 
I’m especially fond of the smooth shooting perimeter players like Knight and Lamb . Maybe I’m crazy and by myself but I think both are better at this point in their careers than John Wall and Eric Bledsoe were in their first college year last year .
 
Nothing can correct a turnover on one possession like a three pointer on the next and last years team couldn’t do that .
 
Just minutes after the final horn went off the East regional clocks in New Jersey the most famous Los Angeles Laker of all time and basketball Hall of Famer Earvin “Majic” Johnson tweeted on his twitter account and posted on his website that if he had to make a call for an NBA franchise it would be a no brainer for him to select one Brandon Knight as this years # 1 overall selection for the NBA draft .
 
Enjoy the upcoming weekend folks I got a feeling “Majic” ain’t to far off base but never fear Ole Cal has another calvary coming over the hill that ain’t to shabby themselves .
 
Second Anniversary Produces Different Mood
 
Don’t ever forget that old time honored saying , ” Life is never as bad as it seems at times nor is it ever as rosy as it appears because when all is said and done most days fall somewhere in the middle ” . That’s true in sports as well as life . Our friends in Knoxville mind want to take solace in this old time saying today as well .
 
Remember the feeling across the Bluegrass exactly two years ago to the day . It was March 27th , 2008 and a day of gloom and doom for a very proud UK basketball program . It was the day that Lee Todd and Mitch Barnhart finally admitted they had made a mistake and pulled the trigger on firing Billy “Clyde” Gillispie .
 
Now exactly two years to the day later Coach Cal has lead the proud program back to the promise land of the Final Four and another shot at an NCAA championship .
 
It was an expensive mistake to start with and an expensive hire that bailed Todd and Barnhart out but it could end up being a bargain in todays high stakes big time college basketball world if Coach Cal keeps bringing in the talent he has the last two years . Only time will tell but you have to admit the future looks about as bright as it ever has .
 
To be blunt there has never been 3.7 million spent on anything over at the state capital in Frankfort (ESPECIALLY ON KERA) like the 3.7 million spent on Coach Cal by the UKAA  , I’ve said it many times in the past there is nothing that uplifts this state like a UK championship run .
 
We as Kentuckians have been unjustly berated , chastised , and constantly ridiculed on the national media scene for our way of life for many years to the point that it makes most of Kentucky feel inferior to the rest of America but when the Blue and White are hitting on all cylinders we all feel like were equal to anyone because we can identify with our state university and nobody can deny us those precious moments in time .
 
NCAA Final Four On CBS
 
Now that we are past the total confusion of the first two weekends impact of the new television package that had college basketball fans scurrying between four different networks to find where there team was playing we can all settle down to what we are used to seeing over the past 10 – 15 years a Final Four on CBS ending with the “One Shining Moment Anthem ” to finish off championship monday .
 
The Final Four pre game show will start around 4:00 p.m. with the VCU – Butler game tip off set for around 6:10 followed by a brief between game session and then the UK – Conneticut  game set for an approximate 8:45 tip off .
 
It will be interesting to see if CBS brings Coach Rick Pitino to the panel for Final Four weekend .
 
You can go online to www.combsbrothersonkysports.com for more coverage of UK basketball and football as well as KHSAA basketball and football .

Cats Head To New Jersey In Unique Underdog Role
( UK vs. Ohio State In Late Game at 9:45 On CBS ) 
 
Now that this UK team has reached the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament let’s all step back and take a long hard look at the situation Coach Cal and his thin but growingly impressive Super Seven man rotation are in .
 
The Cats set at 27 – 8 with several wins against top 20 competition and an SEC tournament championship and one hard earned revenge game reward on it’s resume .
 
Has it reached it’s pinnacle for the season or has it merely reached the crossroads game of a possible Final Four destination ?
 
One things for sure their opponent The Ohio State Buckeyes the team that according to the nations college basketball gurus of print have been anointed # 1 status for most of the season a team that based on Americas leader in sports programming the ESPN Network has stamped decidedly better than the Cats lies waiting on the Cats . Add to this scenario the fact that the Kentucky Wildcats college basketballs all time leader in wins and one of it’s most storied programs that many follow and revere but many across the nation also dislike for various reasons , the team that has had many battles with it’s own governing organization the NCAA . The team that is now lead by arguably the biggest thorn in the NCAA’s side in recent years Coach John Calipari .
 
That team is treading for a change in unchartered waters . The Kentucky Wildcats enter a big time college basketball game as decided Underdogs .
 
Nothing to lose but plenty to gain .
 
Don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to seeing how the Cats perform in this setting and especially with a week to prepare .
 
So far the NCAA selection process has put UK up against the Albert Einstein’s from the Ivy League . No problem , although it was dangerous at times , in the end UK used it’s athleticism to overcome the intelligence of the Princeton Tigers . Next , the Big Boys from the Big East over at West Virginia who had bullied teams around all year with their physical toughness was the obstacle laying in front of the Cats . Again , no problem “Jorts” Harrellson and Deandre Liggins along with their teammates more than held their own in the toughness department and again weathered the storm to give Coach Cal his second win against his ole buddy Bob “Huggy Bear” Huggins .
 
Now , The Ohio State Buckeyes set at 34 – 2 as a team that was anointed # 1 status many weeks ago in college basketball as the next hurdle that UK must jump to get another shot at the coveted Final Four prize . The Buckeyes are a team that has it’s own possible one and done freshman phenom in Jared Sullinger who patrols the paint area of a basketball court very similar to UK’s Demarcus Cousins of 2009 – 2010 except Sullinger plays a much more intelligent game and is not as foul prone as Cousins which results in 28 – 32 minutes of playing time instead of Cousins usual 18 – 20 minutes .
 
No question the key matchup in the game will be how creative and effective “Jorts” Harrellson can be against Sullinger . It would help if Eloy Vargas could give 5 – 7 minutes of quality defense in the first half and get UK into the second half with a shot of getting the game to the 10:00 minute mark with no more than a five point difference .
 
Both teams rely on freshman for a major portion of their offensive out put with UK relying a little more than Ohio State on their fuzzy faced phenoms . UK has three players averaging double figures in a six man rotation with a seventh man in Eloy Vargas slowly gaining confidence each game to add a few more quality minutes . Ohio State has five players averaging double figures in their seven man rotation with the 6th and 7th men averaging around 15 – 18 minutes a game . 
 
Both teams average around 76.0 to 77.0 points per game
 
Bottom line Ohio State is the better team but they are beatable .
 
But more than anything it will be very interesting to see how Ohio State carries the weight and pressure of being # 1 on their shoulders and the Cats play with nothing to lose .
 
NCAA Coaching Carousel Begins
 
Let’s give yours truly a pat on the back for predicting the Billy Gillispie and Texas Tech hookup over five weeks ago . This is the first of several coaching moves on the NCAA Div. 1-A level that annually takes place each spring . Listed below is a list of known openings across college basketball and who the rumor mill has as possible candidates :
 
School                                 Possible Candidates
 
N.C. State                            Shaka Smart (VCU) , Chris Mooney (Richmond)
Georgia Tech                     “Tubby” Smith , Shaka Smart (VCU) , Chris Mooney (Richmond)
Arkansas                             Mike Anderson (Missouri) , “Tubby” Smith , Chris Mooney (Richmond)
Oklahoma                           “Tubby” Smith , Shaka Smart (VCU)
Providence                          Chris Mooney (Richmond)
Bradley
Florida Gulf Coast              Kyle Macy , Ricky Pitino Jr.
Manhattan Univ.                  Steve Massiello ( UofL Asst.)
 
At the press deadline for this column the Bruce Pearl delimma at Tennessee had not been decided but most everyone in and around UT sports in Knoxville and around the SEC expects Pearl to get his pink slip sometime this week and don’t be surprised if the UT athletic director Mike Hamilton isn’t escourted off campus eventually as well .
 
You can go online to www.combsbrothersonkysports.com for more coverage of UK basketball and football as well as KHSAA basketball and football .

By – Ira D. Combs – Director / Syndicated Columnist – Tri State Sports Media Services Inc. 
 
Remember those times when you were growing up and you literally hated to hear that dreaded remark from Mom and / or Dad that you knew was eventually coming , those certain times when you thought you knew more about life in general than they did , remember that stern and painfully correct response of ” I told you what was going to happen ” . Then you just had to hump up like an elderly Monk and turn your face downward with an I know , I know .
 
Well , I love it when I can say I told you so to my critics when I’ve made a rare correct assessment and prediction of the Wildcats .
 
I told you this particular UK team would finish strong down the stretch when it played four of it’s last six games in the friendly confines of Rupp Arena . I told you UK would play more comfortable and confident on a neutral court than most other teams when March Madness rolled around . I told you Darius Miller and Josh Harrellson had not hit their ceilings at mid season yet and would be much more consistent down the stretch when needed most .
 
Now , barring the injury bug throwing a cloud over March Madness UK is set to make a deeper run into the Big Dance than many ever imagined back in October with or without Big Enes and I’ll include myself into that group .
 
UK’s first round opponent will be Princeton University of the Ivy League and the game site will be at The Times Forum  in Tampa , Florida on thursday ( time of tipoff will be announced on monday by the NCAA ) .
 
Having developed a friendship with a few NCAA Div. 1 coaches in the past I can share a story I’ve heard many times in the past with you . The unwritten word around the college coaching fraternity come this time of year when Pete Carrill was the coach at Princeton you could privately ask any top 25 NCAA coach on the eve of the selection process who they would hate to be matched up with and the quick answer was always Pete Carrill and Princeton University .
 
Thank God ole crafty Pete has retired . Princeton’s new coach is Sydney Johnson .
 
Could The Bluegrass Have The NCAA’s Top Two Basketball Coaches
 
I admit I am a tad biased but I feel very confident and qualified in evaluating basketball players and coaches with a 40 year career behind me in basketball as a player , high school coach , and administrator .
 
I think the two best coaching jobs in college basketball for the 2010 – 2011 season have unfolded right here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in front of our own eyes . John Calipari and Rick Pitino have in my opinion done a splendid job with their respective teams and situations . They have squeezed every ounce of talent and energy out of their players and every win possible out of their teams .
 
Also , let’s not leave out another exceptional job of basketball coaching done over in northeastern kentucky at Morehead State University by one Donnie Tyndall . I suspect he will be leading another higher profile NCAA Div. 1-A  level program in the near future and making much more than the chump change you get at an Ohio Valley conference school like MSU .
 
Now , back to Coach Cal and Coach P . , both coaches would have privately told you back on October 15th that with the rosters they had returning and the demands and schedule that laid in front of them were just to much to overcome at schools with such lofty expectations . I just don’t think 25 wins and a constant weekly spot in the  top 25 along with an appearance in each schools conference championship game would have been a realistic expectation , neither coach would have or could have had those goals realistically in mind .
 
Not to mention the constant scrutiny by Coach Cal of Big Blue Nation or the off the court problems of Coach P .
 
But they have both once again conquered the odds and lead their respective teams to quality seasons and are on the brink of another deep run in the Big Dance
 
 NCAA Always Gets Last Say
 
The NCAA has once again pierced and gouged Kentucky Basketball  ( pick your english language posion ) in the selection process by placing them as a # 4 seed in the toughest bracket of the tournament with Ohio State , North Carolina , and Syracuse . Not to mention another possible appearance with Bob Huggins and West Virginia .
 
Anybody out there think the folks up in Indianapolis have forgot about all those nasty e-mails and the internet chat line abuse that was addressed at the NCAA headquarters on the Enes Kanter case , also let’s not forget our A.D Mitch Barnhart and President Lee Todd’s public remarks toward the NCAA in the matter . UK and Coach Cal closed the book and moved on after The Kanter Ruling nobody will ever convince me that the NCAA didn’t file all the abuse they took away .
 
I’ve expressed many times my opinion on the NCAA and it remains firm . They have been and it appears always will be one of the most vindictive organizations in America .
 
To certain member schools .
 
Don’t give me that story about the everyday operations of the NCAA has nothing to do with the NCAA basketball selection committee .
 
Who oversees them and places them on the committee and isn’t anything that comes out of the main office a direct reflection of the man in charge . Coach Cal is responsible for Kentucky basketball and Mark Emmert is the President of the NCAA and responsible for the management of NCAA events  . The man in charge is a direct reflection of the company or organization that he is responsible for .
 
Since I’m in sermon form can anyone explain to me why you would match up two in state schools like Louisville and MSU then send them to Denver , Colorado instead of five different 1st round sites that could have been sold out with the states passionate fan base and history for following college basketball in March .
 
I agree with the Mouth of the South Dick Vitale it’s time that the NCAA steps up to the plate and creates a new selection committee for the NCAA Div. 1 – A basketball tournament with one basic criteria to be able to serve on the committee . You must have been a former Div. 1 basketball head coach who has been retired for a minimum of four years . The four years takes out of play the fact you still have players on a team that you coached still being involved in the tournament .
 
Presently , the NCAA is letting a bunch of A.D.’s and a few of them female I might add make these delicate decisions .
 
If your going to host the nations most elite college basketball tournament then let the nations most intelligent and experienced basketball people oversee it .
 
Coach Cal’s Luck Finally Runs Out
 
That rabbits foot and buckeye that Coach Cal has been lugging around in his left pants pocket since the season started  may have finally ran it’s course for the season . Last week I talked about how tired UK looked at the end of the Vanderbilt and Tennessee games in the last week of the regular season .
 
Could that be the reason that Liggins and Lamb went down at the end of the Alabama semi final game in last weekends SEC tournament ? It’s definitely something to think about .
 
Yes , both injuries were related to accidentally stepping on an opponents foot but could their lack of energy have caused their response or reflexes to fail them and ultimately result in injury . That reason alone would be enough for most coaches to consider substituting for starters or front line players when only days away from the most important part of the season .
 
Personally , I can’t buy the opponents full court pressing ways as an excuse Coach Cal .
 
You just simply rolled the dice one to many times and lost . Remember your opening statement to the Commonwealth two years ago , ” I can’t walk on water , I’m not the second coming , I will make mistakes ” . You just made one big one . But it appears you have overcome the mistake albeit with a great effort from your training staff saturday night . Having seen Liggins and Lamb in sundays championship game I can see all Cats ready for the tipoff this thursday in the NCAA tournament .
 
But most of all I hope you can swallow your pride and ego and learn from it just like your players learn the game from you .
 
It looked as though you did by playing the four lonely subs all of 35 seconds in sundays SEC championship game dangerously guarding a 16 point lead .
 
You can go online at www.combsbrothersonkysports.com for more info on UK basketball and football as well as KHSAA basketball and football .

Cats Hope To Build Momentum At Home Down The Stretch For NCAA