Weep. Weep for the sale of Rights

A coach rants up the sidelines. They’re seething. A game official has made a call they thinks is wrong. It’s an important call. A game changer. And he/she is voicing their lack of agreement.
The official looks onto the field, stoically. Clearly hearing the rant, and knowing in their own mind whether they are certain they made the right call, or whether that’s a call they should not have made. They don’t even turn around, as the coach spews up and down behind them. Listening intently for the mistake that will take this over the long time agreed upon edge. The remark that makes this personal. The coach has until the next play or so to vent. All goes well, and the coach returns to coaching his team…. OR, the coach finally goes too far and starts talking about family heritage. Personal Technical foul time. Will they make the point and put it completely over the edge? Or will they buckle down, satisfied that they made their point?

Later, in the locker room, there is a crowd of reporters around the coach, and he again gives a tirade in defense of his team. Reporters ask about the big call, and the coach tells his side of it. The reporters scribble furiously, and the next day the teams local papers describe the robbery in detail. The other teams papers reinforce their teams dominance in victory. And the national media throws in a few cliff notes and pronounces the winner, regardless of the smaller issues in the game.

Ahh.. Those were the good old days. Freedom of speech for everyone. Freedom of press for every journalist. Like looking back at a mural of american past, the sportsworld and all it’s fanfare and the fans, much like the nation. Its government. Its voters. And the political shoptalk that colored the men and women of America in barber shops and boutiques across the land.

Welcome to the new millennium. The enlightened era. The government seeks to censure opposing views. Seeks to blackball journalists who don’t carry the party line. And to eliminate opposition of government philosophy in a manner that speaks more of Mafiosi strong-arm tactics than any belief in the conviction that the righteousness of their position will undoubtedly prevail.

Look today at the SEC. A body grown rich and powerful by it’s monopolistic enterprises. A body once a partner of the institutions that shared in glory and shame, now turned tyrannical ruler of it’s participants in a way not seen since corrupt monarchies that once marked most all the world’s nations.

Today, the SEC has issued a decree. And Let’s be frank about what the decree is. It is a statement. “We own you.” That’s the beginning and end. Not “We are partners with you.” Not, “We are joint entities.” No, the message was clear. “We have examined the breadth and depth of the state of this conference and have determined we have the might-bestowed right to injure you for your speech, TRUTH NOT WITHSTANDING.” “It matters not if we murder in the streets. It matters not that we steal, lie, or cheat. We are the government of these institutions and we have decided that no grievance we legitimately visit upon you, trumps our right to dictate your freedoms.”

Weep. Weep for more of the fall of America.

Imagine, if you can, the effect this decree would have had on Bear Bryant, Adolph Rupp, and the many, many others of legendary coaches who have walked gridiron or hardwood. Think of the fiery personalities that made them the legendary leaders. The will they exuded. The many quotes and statements they made that were scribbled or taped into infamy. Peers of the game, they were. Think of the statement that Adolph Rupp made when he rebuked the, then not so powerful, sports governments will, and flatly refused to allow his team to participate in their invitational tournament, due to punitive actions they intended to impose that he found unworthy. A statement of strength. A statement of individuality. A Declaration of Independence, if you will.

Where would you find such a will, today? Institutions have sold their rights for profit. And those profits now make them slaves incapable of asserting the rights they willfully squandered, and are now irrevocably beyond recall.

So, where does this last step leave a coach? Where does this leave a program? Where does this leave a fan base? We have no voice. The program surrendered it’s voice. And the coach has had his voice stolen at career knifepoint. Where does this leave us? What’s next for this family run by the controlling Don? He has silenced the critique of players with threats to their career, education, and lives. He has silenced the coaches in a single fell blow with the same. He has created Judas like disciples of the thirteen member institutions with the promise of empty silver.

What will he do next? It seems impossible that he could exclude journalists from media conferences, after they perhaps wrote an unfavorable piece on official conduct, game outcomes, or league maneuvering, doesn’t it? It seems impossible to think that he would reach through his puppeteer institutions and ensure that no contradictory opinion or conclusions can be uttered, doesn’t it?

Where does that leave us? The last bastion of hope. The last layer of desperation. A courtroom. Imagine it. You cannot achieve justice with written or spoken language. Perhaps the last thing we have is the presence of “evidence”. Why not? Each game is taped. Every game shown to thousands and thousands of witnesses. Are we now left to where, at the end of a season, a team like Arkansas, looks back to the bowl slot they were guaranteed barring the obvious misconduct or negligence. Might they then sue the SEC for the loss of revenues due to those issues? There will be ample video evidence. And little reason to think that justice will be achieved in the minds and hearts of men who, once upon a time, could be made to feel shame.

Then again, if you own billions of dollars of institutions, censure public figures, dictate arbitrary punishments to programs, coaches and player, you can probably buy your way into a courtroom as well.

Weep.

Wall Cleared to Play

A big worry for Cat fans is no longer a worry. The NCAA in what could be considered a record time for them cleared freshman John Wall to play.

He has to miss the first exhibition and the first regular games and pay $787.58 to the charity of his choice. He has picked the Hope Center a charity that provides food and shelter to the homeless in Lexington.

I was watching the W Va-USF game when they announced that Wall will miss the first 2 games because of some recruiting indiscretions. Leave it to the media to use the word indiscretions which generally means when used by the media that he knowingly did something. Seems like half the time anymore I smell something on my slippers after ESPN says something about the Cats.

Blue White Game

Boy was that fun. The blue white game just finished and a Realtor came to show the house I’m in to a nice couple. She is from Louisville and we had fun dissing each other. Next to the game and her nose ring it made my day.

How do you start to describe the potential this team has. I haven’t seen the final stats yet but #8 could happen this year if things go right.

Start with Patrick Patterson. If he isn’t first team All American this year there should be a lynching at some news outlet. He did everything in this game. Faced the basket, made the outside shot, rebounded, played with his back to the basket, ran the break and dunked for a total of 24 points.

The competition between Wall and Bledsoe was fun to watch. Both look to score or make sure someone scores every time they touch the ball. The only person thats gonna stop them is themselves.

Josh Harrellson prove again that the coach with no name was out of his frickin head not to use the kid. He made 3′s, rebounded on both boards and proved hes going to be an asset to this team. He simply plays the game the right way considering his physical abilities. He finished the game with 13 points and 14 rebounds and wont have to sit in the bathroom this year.

Darnell Dodson showed us he can shoot, run the floor and will thrive in coaches offense with 23 points. He needs to work a little more on his penetration but hes gonna score the points outside to keep teams honest.

Darius Miller was quiet in the first half but showed he will do what is needed on defense. He came alive at the start of the second half using his shot game well.

Jon Hood missed most of his 3′s but he sure has a beautiful floater on the drive and is gonna be hard to keep on the bench.

Harris shot his 3′s with confidence and played good defense. He still looks a little clumsy on his drives but will see some playing time.

Cousins and Orton can clog up the middle against big teams, have the ability to score on both the run and on the drive. They combined for 30 points and several nice passes. Both their weaknesses seem to be stopping Wall and Bledsoe on the drive but who’s gonna do that.

Mark Krebs showed he can shoot and looked a lot more comfortable than he did at midnight madness. Did Perry Stevenson play?

And finally DeAndre Liggins had to have fouled out twice but looked a lot more in control than last year.

Defensively this team is going to be real good with the press. The starting Blue team showed they will be the same in the half court game.

The second half showed that these players are able to play togeather no matter who is in the game.

John Wall and Eric Bledsoe are gonna be important to this team but the key player is still Patrick Patterson.

ENVY OUR PAST, FEAR OUR FUTURE

Much appreciation to HawaiiBill~ for giving me the opportunity to bring ya’ll a weekly piece. It’s my hope that you will enjoy reading it half as much as I will enjoy writing it.

Roars My Fellow Felines!

I have studied & studied on what a good introductory piece would be and thought …ya know, why not at the beginning– to coincide with our Nation’s theme this season.
So, let’s get right down to the heart of the matter shall we.
We’ve all pondered, debated & reminisced throughout our life & board tenure about what makes KY BB the most storied, traditional enigma of the ages. For us,  here in the Big Blue Nation that is a fairly simple question to answer, but yet capturing it’s mystique is entirely all together a different matter. There aren’t words big or bold enough to actually capture the visionary essence or our legendary culture. But I think most  will agree when I say that it delivers Hope, Family & an overwhelming sense of  Identity– unifying a fan base like no other team in sports history has ever achieved let alone maintained. It’s filled with memories of a simpler, better time on the court as well as off weaving in through colorful, clear voices of yesterday…. Hello Everybody, this is Cawood Ledford to visual treasures from Lee’s dunk  to Woods’s shot. We’ve laughed, cried, preached, and willed our Wildcats on & with every falling leaf of the new season arises a  Hope & Determination to climb the insurmountable NCAA mountain and once again be heralded as KINGS of College Basketball.
Yet, with all these attributes a sense of entitlement was born. The very qualities that made us who we are & what we are turned to faults rearing their ugly heads in ways that were unimaginable & unforeseeable. Yes, the fall of the Mighty Roman Empire of basketball came to be through losses on & off the court, violations, laziness & finally to desperation.  The mighty basketball Gods punished & humbled us, stole our pride and left us for dead in basketball oblivion . Let us learn from our mistakes & go forth into battle once more on a UNITED  front with a Warrior King hungry for battle & victory. The time has come to Embrace, Energize & ENJOY our basketball birth rite. Let us learn from our mistakes and become the better for it. Let us NOT be that brilliant team of 1978… a season w/o celebration for that is the very thing that led to our fall. Never take for granted again the coveted banners and rare trophies of victory. It’s time to evolve with the game and join forces with the 1 & done’s because in the end, from the ArmChair Point Guards to the 1 & Done’s of the hardwood, we are all 1! 1 Thought, 1 Heartbeat, 1 Body, 1 Team, 1 Nation!! Only together can we make our stand & annihilate the enemies seeking to destroy this family, this nation we love.
The opportunity has presented itself as unification has been established once again. Now what we need is to find that voice that will deliver, uplift & display our BIG BLUE NATION & who better qualified to for that title than each & every on of us TOGETHER?!  It’s time to learn from our mistakes of yesteryear & evolve with the sport that we arrogantly portray as our own.  For evolution has been one of our biggest rivals throughout the years & it’s high time we conquered it. Texas Western taught us that lesson in the coming of the African American Athlete.  We tried to  invite, develop & incorporate  their talent but were prohibited from doing so by a league that was stuck in the slave era mentality culture which ultimately led to our defeat.  Yet, we moved forward & acceptance prevailed with rewards of  banners and titles.  Our past provides us with the power to make history rather than learn from it.  I know many of you, are disenchanted with the concept of the 1 & done. Don’t be!  Accept it for what it is… the game has changed and in order to survive & conquer  we must  change with it.  These 1 & Done’s are the present, the here & now and with the superior coaching that we are getting ready to witness this season, we not only have the honor of watching  history being made, but becoming it!  The example, case in point to the rest of the NCAA that YES YOU CAN with a 1 & Done ingredient & YES WE WILL be the Masters of the new Era in College Basketball!

If  we choose to learn from our past,  the NCAA will indeed FEAR OUR FUTURE  and follow 2 steps behind in our footsteps!
We’re back & this time I call on all of you to make the best of it & to guard it with every passionate bone in our big blue bodies!
And so let their beatings begin!
WE ARE KENTUCKY BABY, HEAR US ROAR!

Top 25 Week 8

Sorry to be a day late,  but have been in the mountains of SE Ky for a High School Reunion,  got to see friend that I have not seen since 1964.

1	Alabama	8-0
2	Florida	7-0
3	Texas	7-0
4	Boise State	7-0
5	Cincinnati	7-0
6	TCU	7-0
7	Iowa	8-0
8	USC	6-1
9	LSU	6-1
10	Oregon	6-1
11	Georgia Tech	7-1
12	Penn State	7-1
13	Virginia Tech	5-2
14	Oklahoma State	6-1
15	Pittsburgh	7-1
16	Houston	6-1
17	Miami (FL)	5-2
18	Ohio State	6-2
19	Utah	6-1
20	West Virginia	6-1
21	Oklahoma	4-3
22	Arizona	5-2
23	South Carolina	6-2
24	Mississippi	5-2
25	Notre Dame	5-2

BBR’s Weekly SEC Rankings

How about that Alabama and Florida are both still unbeaten but neither looked like the best team in the country Saturday. You can say its because of SEC defenses but its because neither team has a championship offense. This week I have them both #1 in the SEC.

1. Alabama: Two blocked field goals by a overweight long haired gnome kept Alabama alive at the top. Next up the LSU defense against the Alabama offense????

1. Florida: Another closer than expected game for Florida. If they are gonna paddle like that they better hold on to their oars because the seas are gonna get a little rough with hungry Georgia team next weekend.

3. LSU: Their defense shut down Auburn 31-10 and their offense tied their season high with 31 points. Next up Tulane while hoping either Alabama or Florida stumble.

4. Tennessee: A loss to Alabama still moves Tennessee way up. Questionable calls by Kiffin might have cost them the game. Up this weekend S Carolina in a game that can go either way depending on how the SC offense plays.

5. Ole Miss: A spanking of Arkansas and the re-emergence of Sneads arm Have Mississippi looking better. Next up at Auburn against a team thats going to be desperate for a win.

6. Arkansas: The Arkansas defense and offense both lacked the beef to win this one.

7. South Carolina: Mr Hyde showed up for SC at Vanderbilt but he still managed to wimp his way to a win. They Get a SEC break with winless Eastern Michigan this weekend.

8. Georgia: After a week off Georgia Plays Florida. How much pride they show will determine how the game goes.

9. Kentucky: The Cats played a lackluster game after the first quarter but still won 36-13. Next up a improving Mississippi St in Lexington.

10. Auburn: Fans are still yelling wheres the beef after both the offense and defense faltered in the loss to LSU. This weekend they are at Mississippi so they better finally bring the beef or their season is well done.

11. Mississippi State: Would’a should’a beat Florida if they had SEC offense. In Lexington this weekend in what could be a interesting game.

12. Vanderbilt: With an offense they would have won. 10 points isn’t gonna get it done in the sec. This weekend they will be an a train wreck against Georgia Tech.

Hump Day

This was worth posting from the forums by ukn96.

Every Wednesday, we go over the hump. We have to cross the hump to get to the weekend.

Last Saturday, we had our Hump Day. Our Cats went into Auburn, and in front of 84,000 fans (20,000 by the end) used two inexperienced QB’s, and a great team effort to shut down the Tigers.

We are over the Hump and headed for the weekend. Today we will not come out flat. This team is led by Cobb, and he won’t let that happen. The FidNewton offense gets about 450 yards and both QB’s get valuable experience. UK runs early and often, disappointing a fairly cute group of Warhawk Cheerleaders. (this is for you TONE)

We will then face a MSU team that loses a closer than expected game to Urban Legend and his Gaytards. They are so demoralized by having 8 TD’s called back, and being flagged for personal fouls every time they stop TBone on 3rd down, we beat them by 20.

EKU’s home grown cuties abandon their boyfriends by the end of the first quarter and the FidNewton’s have new followers on Twitter.

We head to Commonwealth South to face the Commodes in front of 25,000 UK fans, 1 cute girl, and one that looks like the lion from the Wizard Of Oz. Our Nashville homecoming is a success, and The FidNewtons are 7-3 headed to Athens.

My crystal ball will not see any further right now, so I am going to rake some leaves.

So Wall might not be fully eligible?

This is important. The SEC and the NCAA need to be all over this. This can’t be tolerated. Boy, I sure wish we had a clean program. I just envision a day when UK finally cleans up it’s act and starts behaving like the many other schools in other conferences with scintillating records of conduct. Like USC, for example.

Then again… USC does make the PAC 10 a lot of money… and they ARE sort of the premier West Coast program. But, that has nothing to do with it. The PAC 10 and the NCAA have thoroughly investigated the matters and I have it at the highest confidence that several people will be receive probationary imaginary hand slaps that will clear this all up so that NCAA can get it’s attention back to the really important violators, like UK and the infamous JOHN WALL!!!

There’s dirt here. We might find that he’s being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by an agent while attending USC.. err UK and that can’t be tolerated!! This is serious. He may have taken trips, had some clothing bought for him…!! The list goes on. The next thing you know he might be out shoplifting while he’s attending FSU….errr UK! And that can’t be allowed!! He might be out driving drunk and literally putting people LIVES at risk while he’s here at Michig….er UK. And that CAN’T happen!! Hell, this kind of criminal might be hanging out robbing people while he’s here at USC…errr Texas A&… I mean UK, and damn if that can stand!

There are big issues facing the sporting world of college athletics. Crime. Embezzelment. Dirty dealings. And there is no better place to look for those things than at UK! Yesssirree! I sure do look forward to the day we have a program that is run as cleanly and with the kind of clear cut classical American patriots that these other programs recruit, endorse, and employ.

BBR’s Weekly SEC Rankings

The rankings are a little late due to computer problems. Alabama and Florida remain at the top for another week but after that its hard to sort the rest of the teams out.

1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide with the help of Mark Ingram demolished SC 20-6 last weekend. Ingram by the way is now sitting at the top of the Heisman list on ESPN. Up next a tough Tennessee defense at home.

2. Florida: Florida held on to win 23-20 over Arkansas thanks to a couple of to put it mildly lousy calls in the last few min. of the game. And a little walking on water by Tim Tebow. This weekend they travel to Miss St where they might get another scare from a SEC West team.

3. LSU: After a week off the Tigers get Auburn for their defense to practice on. This might be a harder practice than they are expecting but at least their offense will have a weak defense to play against.

4. South Carolina: Why have I got SC ranked 4th? I don’t have any idea other than the other 8 teams in the league don’t measure up to them. This weekend they get Vandy who has beat them the last two times they have played.

5. Ole Miss: After last weekends tune up with UAB they get a chance to righten their sinking program when Arkansas comes to town.

6. Arkansas: Arkansas was a couple of bad calls away from beating the #1 team in the nation. This weekend they travel to ole Miss in a pivotal game for both teams.

7. Tennessee: Can Monte Kiffen and the Tennessee defense find a way to stifle Ingram and the Alabama offense. Can the Tennessee offense rise to the occasion. Its doubtful but stranger things have happened in the SEC.

8. Georgia: They got by Vandy to keep from loosing three in a row. Off this week end to prepare for Florida.

9. Kentucky: The Cats played a perrrfect game in defeating Auburn 21-14. Next up La. Monroe in Lexington.

10. Auburn: Fans are still yelling wheres the beef after both the offense and defense faltered in the loss to Kentucky. This weekend they are at LSU so they better bring the beef.

11. Mississippi State: They got the chance to get a win at Middle Tenn. but dont expect another one this weekend at Florida.

12. Vanderbilt: Georgia put up 34 on Vandy. After scoring 59 points all year there isn’t much hope that Vandy is going to score much against SC.

Week 7 top 25

1   ALABAMA     I think that Bama is the best team in the nation,  Period.
2   Florida    What a game Arkansas did on Florida
3   Texas    Lucky to have won against Oklahoma
4   Boise St   Not a lot to comment on with the schedule they play.
5   Cincinnati   all they have doing is just winning
6   Southern Cal  they usually only lose 1 pac-10 game a year
7   Iowa  in the Big 10 drivers seat.
8   Miami   making a great return to College Football World.
9   LSU  I just wish that college football had a playoff.
10   Oregon  has lost only to Boise St.
11   TCU  I just wonder what they could do in a real conference
12   Georgia Tech   still leading their division in the ACC
13   Penn St   a very weak conference,  and non-conference schedule
14   Ohio St   Would the real Ohio St.  please stand up.
15   Va Tech  Lost 2 games already to two very good programs.
16   Oklahoma St   still marching along,  I think they will hurt some Big-12 teams
17   Houston   how did they lose to UTEP
18   BYU   
19   Utah
20   Nebraska   this team reminds me of UK Basketball over the last 12 years
21   Kansas   not sure about this team yet
22   Oklahoma   having bad luck with their QB
23   Ole Miss   playing in the strongest conference and division in NCAA football
24   Pittsburgh   Playing in that strong Big-East Conference,  (yea right)
25   Notre Dame   lost 2 heartbreakers  this season.

I am just wondering  what the next 6 weeks will bring to college football,

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