Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Terrence Jones ARRESTED and Pleads Not Guilty



Former Wildcat and current Houston Rocket, Terrence Jones was arrested in Portland, Ore early Wednesday morning and charged with harassment after stomping on the leg of a homeless man who was sleeping outside of a night club. In court Wednesday afternoon Terrence Jones pleaded not guilty despite an eye witness being the cop who arrested him. After posting the $1,500 bail, Jones was released and is due back in court on September 6.

By looking at the mugshot above, it's obvious that Mr. Jones had too much to drink, but that is no excuse. Here's an idea Terrence, instead of stomping on a homeless man, how about taking some of your money, something you clearly have too much of (all professional athletes are extremely over paid in MY opinion) and try to help out this less fortunate person. Buy him something to eat, put him up in a hotel or buy him some new clothes.

Don't get me wrong, I like Terrence and I hope he recovers from this severe mistake, but if this turns out to be true,  I hope they make him learn his lesson the hard way as there's simply NO excuse for his actions.

John Wall Gets $80 Million in Contract Extenison



People all over the country get paid every Wednesday or every other Wednesday and former Wildcat John Wall is no different. Except for one tiny fact, I bet you didn't sign a five year contract extension worth $80 million dollars like John Wall did with the Washington Wizards.

A person affiliated with the Wizards broke the story to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the Wizards hasn't made the contract extension public yet. It had been rumored for the last couple of weeks that Wall was in the final stages of negotiations with the Wizards and the sum of $80 million was mentioned, but I didn't think he would end up with that, shows what I know.

Congratulations to John, well deserved...

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Time Change for Kentucky Alumni Game


PER MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...


Second Annual Alumni Charity Game Set

Men’s Basketball Exhibition set forSept. 9 at Rupp Arena

LEXINGTON, Ky. –On Monday, Sept. 9, the Big Blue Nation will have an opportunity to enjoy some of the top talent to come through the UK men’s basketball program since the 2009-10 season when Kentucky hosts the 2013 UK Alumni Charity Game at Rupp Arena.

Set to tip off Monday night at 7 p.m. ET, the game will only feature Wildcats currently or formerly playing professionally. Members of all four of UK’s John Calipari-coached teams (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013) will participate in the Alumni event.  Per NBA rules, the University of Kentucky cannot confirm individual players participating in the exhibition game.

Ticket information and additional game details will be released at a later date.

Kentucky 2nd Annual Alumni Game Set


PER A MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...


Second Annual Alumni Charity Game Set

Men’s Basketball Exhibition set forSept. 9 at Rupp Arena

LEXINGTON, Ky. –On Monday, Sept. 9, the Big Blue Nation will have an opportunity to enjoy some of the top talent to come through the UK men’s basketball program since the 2009-10 season when Kentucky hosts the 2013 UK Alumni Charity Game at Rupp Arena.

Set to tip off Monday night at 8 p.m. ET, the game will only feature Wildcats currently or formerly playing professionally. Members of all four of UK’s John Calipari-coached teams (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013) will participate in the Alumni event.  Per NBA rules, the University of Kentucky cannot confirm individual players participating in the exhibition game.

Ticket information and additional game details will be released at a later date.

Former Auburn Basketball Player Drowns in Florida



Former Auburn Basketball player, Korvotney Barber has been found dead in Panama City Beach, Florida. Apparently Barber and some friends ran into some trouble while swimming near the famous Panama City Beach restaurant Pineapple Willys around 7pm Saturday night. After an extensive search by the Coast Guard and the local police, Barber's body washed ashore on the beach even though the other two swimmers made it out of the water alive.

Follow THIS LINK for the entire story.

Barber played four seasons for the Auburn Tigers (2005-2009) and was a McDonald's high school All-American and in his senior year at Auburn, Barber earned All-SEC second team honors and was named to the All SEC Tournament Team.

R.I.P. Korvotney Barber, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this tragic time.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Catching Up On This Weeks News


Jeff Shepperd set Big Blue Nation a buzz when a video surfaced with some harsh comments he made while speaking to a group of UK fans in Northern Ohio. It was bad enough that he said too much emphasis was being put on draft picks, but when he referred to John Calipari as "THE ENEMY" and went on to say that he felt more comfortable going into the Louisville Basketball offices' (because of Pitino) versus going into the Kentucky offices with John Calipari. Now in Jeff's defense, he no doubt feels more comfortable around coach Pitino than he does around Cal, but to say he felt more comfortable going into LOUISVILLE offices'  instead of Kentucky's was over the line and something I'm sure he regrets saying. Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio had Jeff on his radio show this week to give him a chance to clarify some of his comments and he did, somewhat. When Matt asked him directly if he thought John Calipari talked too much about draft picks, Jeff claimed that Matt was trying to "set him up" and seemed to get a bit agitated. I agreed with Matt when he told Jeff, "I'm not trying to set you up, you made the comment". Now in all fairness it was a great, friendly interview and everyone ended it on a friendly note, but I still think Jeff has some fence mending to do with Kentucky fans in the future.


Louisville's National Championship team visited the White House and President Obama this week and as you can see, Chane Behanan was just jumping with anticipation to meet the Prez. Way to represent the state boys.

Speaking of the 'Dirty Birds', their championship team received their championship rings this week which bear a striking resemblance to something you would find in a bubblegum machine, but hey, at least Pitino had the decency to have the university buy the guys rings unlike his '96 Kentucky team, but no worries, Cal made things right.
(The Championship ring the '96 team never received)



The number 11 ranked player in the class of 2015, Derrick Jones has said he plans to visit Kentucky in the next few weeks and it will more than likely take place on the same day as the 2010 vs. 2012 Alumni Game. I couldn't think of a better day to have one of the best players in the class of 2015 to visit because it's not every day that you have that many former and current NBA players in the same building at one time.




There has been some MAJOR concern amongst fans about the Harrison Twins and James Young not being ruled academically eligible, yet. This is nothing new when it comes to top players in the class, especially when they attend elite schools like Kentucky. If folks only knew how many guys each year had to wait until a couple of weeks before the start of the season to find out if they were eligible or not they would panic each and every year. Well I'm telling you now, everyone I have talked to has told me there are no problems expected when it comes to the guys gaining eligibility and ALL players are expected to be on campus and enrolled in classes by next month, but only time will tell.




John Calipari caught up with former Cats MKG, John Wall, Demarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis out in Las Vegas during the Team USA mini camp. It's a known fact that John Calipari keeps in touch with his former players better than ANY coach in the country and judging from the picture above, the players love it.


News is slow during the summer months when it comes to basketball, aside from recruiting there's not much else to talk about during the off season. But, when there is some news we'll do our best to bring it to you. Thanks to my shift change at work, it makes things a little more difficult when it comes to the site, but we will continue trying our best to get you up to date information as soon as we receive it.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Justise Winslow Talks About His Recent Offer From Kentucky



Zagsblog.com has another great article on 2014 UK recruit, Justise Winslow. Winslow is a five star small forward thats ranked number 16 in the class of 2014 and he recently picked up an offer from John Calipari. Since then, college coaches have been taking notice and showing up to see what Winslow has to offer. 

Tom Izzo, Bill Self and a couple of Duke assistants was in attendance to see Winslow's AAU Houston Hoops team defeat Atlanta Express 89-56 and after the game, Winslow talked about his recent Kentucky offer.

“For me it would mean the same as playing for any other coach,” Winslow said. “Whatever coach I end up playing for is going to be a person that I will look up to for guidance. [Kentucky coach John Calipari] is a good coach, but there are a lot of other good coaches out there.”

Not really the gushing comments about Calipari like we have heard from players in the past when they received an offer from Kentucky, but you can never count Calipari out when comes to getting players he really wants. Visit Zagsblog.com to read the entire story.



Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Doron Lamb posts a picture of trash


Doron Lamb posted this picture of a trash bag containing letters that he received during his recruiting process in high school from other colleges on twitter. 


If you look closely, you'll notice there are several in the TRASH bag from Louisville, good to see them in the garbage where they belong. 

Saturday, July 20, 2013

2014's 16th Best Player Earns A Scholarship Offer From Kentucky



ZagsBlog.com is reporting that the class of 2014's 16th ranked player Justise Winslow has earned a scholarship offer from John Calipari according to his AAU coach Tim Schumacher. 


This comes on the heals of Stanley Johnson saying that it meant a lot to him that he was the only wing player who had a scholarship offer from Kentucky. What position does Winslow play you ask, you guessed it, he is also a wing player. It will be interesting to see if this has any affect on Johnson's feeling towards Kentucky moving forward. But one things for sure, Calipari isn't just offering the top five players and hoping for the best in 2014, he's casting a very wide net and seeing what he can pull in.


Winslow holds offers from Kansas, Duke, Florida, Kentucky and North Carolina just to name a few, got to Rivals.com to view his entire recruiting profile.

Stanley Johnson Shows Why He Is One of 2014's Best

(Photo USA Today)
USA West won the Nike Global Challenge defeating USA South 98-95 and Stanley Johnson who just happens to be the number eight ranked player in the class of 2014 had a lot to do with it. Johnson's stat line of 23 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists was enough to earn him co-MVP honors along with Ohio State commitment D'Angleo Russell.

According to ZagsBlog.com, a veteran NBA scout had this to say about Stanley Johnson; "If Stanley Johnson is the eighth-best player in the country, I need to see the first seven, He’s a special performer. He did it when it counted.”

Why should Kentucky fans care about Stanley Johnson? Because he will be attending Big Blue Madness on a recruiting visit along with the best point guard in the class Emmanuel Mudiay. As of right now, Kentucky has only one commitment in the class of 2014 (Karl Towns Jr. #9 overall in 2014) and adding commitments from these two would be almost guarantee Kentucky another top 5 recruiting class. 

Only time will tell where Stanley Johnson will end up, but I have heard that it will take some work to get him away from Arizona. However, one thing Kentucky fans have learned about recruiting the past couple of years is as long as Calipari is at Kentucky, anything is possible.

Stanley holds offer from Arizona, Kentucky, Florida and Kansas just to name a few, but visit Rivals.com to take a look at his entire recruiting profile.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Calipari Sends Wilter a Message



John Calipari takes the time to send a message to Kyle Wiltjer about his decision to transfer...

I’m saddened that (Kyle Wiltjer) is leaving the program, but if he thinks it’s in his best interest to go somewhere else, I support his decision.  Here is what I sent Kyle after he told me of his final decision: “All’s good. Mrs. Cal & I are sad and disappointed but accept your decision. Thank you for helping us win a national title and working so hard for me the last two years. Go prove me right! You can play!! I will be here for you if you need me. Love you, kid.” (Kyle Wiltjer) will always be a part of the #BBN.

It's not often to see a coach say something like this to a player who is transferring out of their program. Most coaches usually try to block the transfer or put so many restrictions on their choices that they end up staying where they are or end up going to a school they really don't want to be at, but is left with no other option NONE of which happened during Kyles decision making process. If anything, John Calipari helped Kyle with his list of options and helped inform him where he would best be suited. 

And people wonder why kids want to play for John Calipari......

Kyle Wiltjer Will Transfer To Gonzaga


It is being reported that Kyle Wiltjer has made his decision to transfer to Gonzaga, something we kinda expected all along. Apparently, Kyle moved out of Wildcat Lodge last night and is ready to leave Lexington. 

I'm not going to lie, I hate to see Kyle leave as I think he could have ended up having a very good career at Kentucky, but I understand him wanting to transfer versus taking a redshirt season. 


Good luck Kyle....

Thursday, July 18, 2013

UK Basketball GPA Still Earning Praise


UK Among Inaugural Team Academic Honorees

NABC announces inaugural team academic excellence awards, UK only SEC team honored

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kentucky men’s basketball team was among the inaugural Team Academic Excellence Award winners, created by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) it was announced Thursday. These awards recognize outstanding academic achievement by a team with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better for the 2012-13 season.

 

The Wildcats boasted a 3.23 team grade point average in the spring of 2013 which was a team record. Twelve UK players accumulated a 3.0 GPA or higher in the spring semester including Twany Beckham and Jarrod Polson who were honored individually by the NABC for academic excellence.

 

Under coach John Calipari, the Wildcats have tallied a 3.0 or higher cumulative team GPA during the spring semester in each of the last three seasons including during the 2012 National Championship run.

 

Since Calipari’s arrival, all seven players who have exhausted their athletic eligibility have graduated from UK including: Beckham, Josh Harrellson, Ramon Harris, Mark Krebs, Darius Miller, Perry Stevenson and Eloy Vargas. Additionally, Patrick Patterson and Polson completed degrees in just three years. Current senior Jon Hood has also received a bachelor’s degree and will have another year of athletic eligibility.

 

Kentucky is the only team from the Southeastern Conference to earn recognition to the NABC’s inaugural team academic excellence award. The honor is even more impressive considering UK is among six BCS level institutions to earn recognition.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Beckham, Polson Honored by NABC


PER A MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...


Beckham, Polson Honored by NABC


 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kentucky men’s basketball players Twany Beckham and Jarrod Polson were honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for excellence in the classroom during the 2012-13 academic school year. Both players were tabbed to the NABC’s Honors Court.

 

In order to earn recognition on the Honors Court, a student-athlete must be academically a junior or senior, own a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher at the conclusion of the 2012-13 academic year and must have matriculated at least one year at their current institution.

 

Beckham earned a degree in communications in May while possessing a cumulative GPA of 3.391. He was a national finalist for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar award, while also being a member of the Southeastern Conference’s Academic Honor Roll twice at Kentucky. Beckham appeared in 21 games as a Wildcat after transferring from Mississippi State.

 

Polson graduated in three years with a degree in Business-Finance and earned a 3.457 GPA. He has earned SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades three times. Polson will return to the court in 2013-14, after turning in a career-best season as a junior. He averaged 3.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per game while appearing in all 33 contests a season ago.

 

Beckham and Polson were two of 12 Kentucky players who tallied a 3.0 GPA or higher during the spring 2013 semester.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

McDonald's UK Football Schedule Posters Are Back




PER A MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...
I'm a little late to the party on posting this one, but better late than never I suppose



UK Athletics and McDonald’s Release 2013 Football Posters
2013 Kentucky football schedule poster available for fans

LEXINGTON, Ky. –UK Athletics and McDonald’s have once again teamed up to distribute the 2013 University of Kentucky football schedule poster. This poster, which will be a must-have piece for all UK football fans, highlights Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops’ attitude of “Attack Every Play.”

These posters are being distributed at McDonald’s locations across Central Kentucky beginning Tuesday, July 16 as well as at the Joe Craft Center. More information on ordering UK posters can be found here:http://www.ukathletics.com/athletic-dept/posters-pocket-schedules.html.

“As we look forward to the 2013 University of Kentucky football season, we at McDonald’s could not be more excited about this year’s Wildcats,” said Kelly Healy, local McDonald’s owner operator. “This is going to be a fantastic year for UK Football, Coach Stoops, his staff, and the entire team. To commemorate this new season and continue to support UK Athletics, McDonald’s is proud to unveil this season’s football poster.  Stop by any Bluegrass area McDonald’s restaurant to get your Official 2013 Football Schedule Poster.”

McDonald’s is the original Corporate Partner of UK Athletics and will also be producing UK Basketball schedule posters in October


UK's TV Schedule For First Three Football Games


PER MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...

TV Schedule Announced for First Three UK Football Games

LEXINGTON, Ky. –The Southeastern Conference has announced the early season television schedule for the first three weeks of the 2013 college football season, with the University of Kentucky football team to play two games on the ESPN Family of Networks and one on Fox Sports Network, it was announced Tuesday.

Kentucky will start the season with a 7 p.m. ET kickoff against WKU at LP Field in Nashville on ESPNews, while its home opener against Miami (Ohio)on Saturday, Sept. 7will be at Noon ET on Fox Sports Network. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 3-1 against WKU, including a 1-0 record in games played at LP Field. UK and Miami (Ohio) have met 12 times in school history with the Wildcats claiming a 7-4-1 series lead.

The Wildcats will continue non-conference play on Saturday, Sept. 14against Louisville as it plays host to the in-state foe with a Noon ET start on ESPN. It will mark the 26th meeting between the intrastate rivals, the 20th matchup since the teams renewed its rivalry in 1994. UK leads the overall series 14-11, including an 8-7 advantage in Lexington.

For the remainder of the schedule, beginning with the Florida game on Sept. 28, game times and television assignments will be announced 12 days in advance of the game date.

Tickets for the UK-WKU game remain available through the UK ticket office at a cost of $63 for club level, $43 for lower sideline and $38 for end zone. Fans desiring to sit in the UK sections should buy through UK. Fans may purchase tickets atwww.ukathletics.com/tickets, call 800-928-2287, or visit the Joe Craft Center Ticket Office.

Season tickets are still available for UK’s seven-game home slate. Tickets start at just $242 for end zone seats and $277 for sidelines. Lower level seats require a donation to the K Fund ranging from $100 to $300 per seat. Upper level K Fund tickets are also available in various areas. 

Visitwww.ukathletics.com/tickets to choose your specific seat locations using the new interactive seat map. Tickets are also available at the Joe Craft Center Ticket Office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Monday-Friday or by calling the UK Ticket Office at 800-928-2287. Single-game tickets for home games are not on sale at this time.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Keith Bogans Announced as a Celtic


The Boston Celtics introduced Keith Bogans as their newest member and I for one am excited. This puts two former Cats (Rajon Rondo), at least for now, on my favorite NBA team. 

Bogans was an All-American his senior year at Kentucky averaging 15.7ppg, 3.8rpg, 2.7apg and 1.2spg. By the time his career had ended at Kentucky, Keith found himself setting at #4 on UK's all time scoring list with 1923 total points in four years, putting him in some pretty elite company with (#3)Jack "Goose" Givens, (#2) Kenny Walker and (#1) Dan Issel, not too shabby in my book. 
In MY opinion, Bogans never really got the credit that he deserved for his time at Kentucky, what he managed to do through-out his college career was pretty damn impressive. Seeing him succeed in the NBA is great and something he has worked for and deserves.

Now the next step is to get his, Tony Delk and Tubby Smith's jerseys retired and hanging from the rafters of Rupp, it's time, actually, it's past time. 
Congratulations Keith...

Pre Season Love Continues for UK Linebacker


PER MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...

Avery Williamson Named to Butkus Award Watch List
Kentucky senior named to preseason watch list that honors nation’s best linebacker

LEXINGTON, Ky. –University of Kentucky senior linebacker Avery Williamson, who finished second in the Southeastern Conference and seventh nationally in tackles last season, has been named to the 2013 Butkus Award Preseason Watch List, which annually honors the nation’s best linebacker, the Butkus Foundation announced Monday.

The watch list contains 51 collegiate players from 37 universities, honoring the now-retired professional football jersey number of Dick Butkus, who is regarded by NFL Films as the best defensive player in football history. The selection panel is comprised of 51 coaches, evaluators and journalists.  Players who do not appear on the watch list may be considered for the award.

C.J. Mosley of Alabama is the only returning finalist, along with returning semifinalists Jonathan Brown of Illinois, Max Bullough of Michigan State and Trent Murphy of Stanford. Williamson is one of nine SEC players on the prestigious list.

The 29th annual Butkus Award,www.thebutkusaward.com orwww.facebook.com/51.butkus, is presented by the Butkus Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. The Butkus Award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which includes the 21 most prestigious awards in college football with 678 years of selection excellence. Visitwww.NCFAA.org for more information.

Already this preseason, Williamson has been named a preseason second-team All-SEC honoree by Phil Steele’s College Football andCollegeSportsMadness.com, while he was listed on the 2013 College Football Performance Awards Defensive Awards Watch List.

Williamson had a breakout junior season in 2012, earning All-SEC honors from Phil Steele's College Football andCollegeSportsMadness.com. The native of Milan, Tenn., is the returning starter at middle linebacker after finishing second in the SEC and seventh nationally in tackles last season. Williamson, who has played in 37 career games, started all 12 games for UK last season, posting eight double-digit tackle games, including a career-best 20 against Vanderbilt. The physical linebacker had a streak of four games with a least 13 tackles, becoming the first Wildcat to do so since Randy Holleran in 1990. Williamson also had 4.5 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, four pass breakups, two fumbles caused, one fumble recovery and an interception last season.

Season tickets for the 2013 Kentucky football season are on sale now. For more information, fans can visitukfootballtix.com or call 1-800-928-2287.

Josh Clemons to miss 2013 Football Season


PER MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...

Clemons Sustains InjuryExpected to Miss 2013 Season

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Additional evaluation has confirmed that Kentucky sophomore running back Josh Clemons has incurred an Achilles tendon injury. He will undergo surgery and is expected to miss the 2013 season.

“We are extremely disappointed for Josh because he has worked so hard and come so far,” Coach Mark Stoops said. “He ran well during the spring and was eager to contribute this season. We are hopeful for a full recovery and look forward to his return to the field.”

Clemons played in the first six games of the 2011 season and was leading the team in rushing when he had a knee injury that ended that season. He rushed for 279 yards and two touchdowns that year, with both TDs marking game-winning scores. He opened the season with a 14-yard touchdown run that was the go-ahead score in the win over WKU.  His top game came against Central Michigan, when he rushed for 126 yards, including an 87-yard dash that put the Wildcats ahead for good. The 87-yard TD run was the longest by a Wildcat since 1970, the fourth-longest in UK history, the longest ever by a UK freshman and the longest in Commonwealth Stadium history. He was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week for that performance.

The necessity of rehabilitation from the knee injury kept him on the sidelines during the 2012 season. He was able to return for 2013 spring practice andlooked much like the form he showed during his freshman year.  He rushed 10 times for 56 yards and caught two passes during the Blue/White Game.

Kentucky vs. WKU Game Selected for TV; Will Be Shown on ESPNews


PER MEDIA RELEASE FROMTHE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...

Kentucky vs. WKU Game Selected for TV
2013 Season Opener Will be Shown on ESPNews

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The season-opening football game between the University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University has been selected for live telecast and will be shown on ESPNews, the Sun Belt Conference has announced.

The game will be played on Sat. Aug. 31 at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn. Game time remains unchanged at 7 p.m. EDT6 p.m. CDT in Nashville. 

Tickets for the game remain available through the UK ticket office at a cost of$63 for club level, $43 for lower sideline and $38 for end zone.  Fans desiring to sit in the UK sections should buy through UK. Fans may purchase atwww.UKathletics.com/tickets, call 800-928-2287, or visit the Joe Craft Center Ticket Office.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Noel FINALLY a member of the 76ers



Nerlens Noel posted the above picture on his instagram account moments ago. It's finally official, Noel is a member of the Philadelphia 76ers after waiting for the NBA to approve the draft day trade from New Orleans. 

Congratulations Nerlens...

Friday, July 12, 2013

2013 UK Football Kickoff Luncheon Information



PER MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...

2013 Kentucky Football Kickoff Luncheon Information
Annual kickoff luncheon set forFriday, Aug. 2 at Noon at Hyatt Regency’s Patterson Ballroom

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The annual University of Kentucky Football Kickoff Luncheon has been set forFriday, Aug. 2, at Noon ET inside the Hyatt Regency’s Patterson Ballroom. The event is presented by Kroger.

During the luncheon, fans will hear first-year head coach Mark Stoops’ plans for the upcoming season. Fans also will have the opportunity to ask questions of the head coach. The event is capped by the always-popular highlight video, which displays the excitement surrounding UK football heading into the 2013 season.

Fans interested in attending should make their reservations now as seating is limited. For reservations, contact Elizabeth Briggs atelizabeth.briggs@uky.edu. The deadline to reserve tables or seats is Wednesday, July 24.

Additional information includes:
-          Individual tickets cost $40 each and a table for 10 costs $400.
-          The event ison August 2 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. ET and will be in the Hyatt Regency’s Patterson Ballroom.
-          Parking is complimentary in the High Street lot.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Kentucky Football Fan Day Set; INFO



PER MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY...

Kentucky Football Fan Day Set forFriday, August 9
Kentucky football team to sign autographs and hold open practice for fans

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The annual Kentucky Football Fan Day has been slated for Friday, Aug. 9 at Commonwealth Stadium at 6 p.m. ET, when the Kentucky football team will hold an autograph session, followed by an open practice along with a fireworks show. Admission and parking to the event is free of charge.

Gates for the event will open at 6 p.m.(gates 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 will be open) with 2013 posters and schedules cards available at gates 1, 4, 9 and 12 beginning at approximately 5:30 p.m. The 2013 Wildcats will be available for autographs on the main concourse with C.M. Newton Field accessible for fans to take photos. The autograph session will conclude at 7:15 p.m. with the team hitting the field for open practice at 7:30 p.m. All times are Eastern.

A fireworks show will close the event following the conclusion of the open practice, which is scheduled to end at approximately9:45 p.m.

Parking will be available in the green, red or blue lots surrounding Commonwealth Stadium.

“After seeing the crowd and enthusiasm in Commonwealth Stadium for the Blue/White Game a few months ago we are very anxious to get back in front of the Big Blue Nation,” said UK head coach Mark Stoops. “Fan Day is not only an opportunity for our players to interact with our great fans, but for us to get on the Commonwealth Stadium field and get some work in. We are very excited to get the players here for fall camp and get this season going.”

The event will complete the opening week of fall camp for the 2013 Kentucky Wildcats, who are scheduled to report for fall camp on Saturday, Aug. 3 and Sunday, August 4. Kentucky’s season opener this season is Saturday, Aug. 31 at LP Field in Nashville against Western Kentucky University at 7 p.m. ET.

Season tickets for the 2013 Kentucky football season are on sale now. For more information, fans can go online atukfootballtix.com or call 1-800-928-2287

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

UK Football Sophomore receives pre-season honor



Per media release from the University of Kentucky...

Landon Foster On 2013 Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List

Kentucky sophomore punter receives preseason honor after strong rookie campaign

 

LEXINGTON, Ky. –On the heels of the best freshman season a Wildcat punter has ever had, University of Kentucky sophomore punter Landon Foster has been named as one of 25 players nationally to the 2013 Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List, which annual honors the nation’s top collegiate punter, the Augusta Sports Council announced Wednesday.

 

The 25 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) punters. Returning Ray Guy Award semifinalists from 2012 include Kyle Christy (Florida), Steven Clark (Auburn) Tyler Williams (Marshall) and Kirby Van Der Kamp (Iowa State). Foster is one of five sophomore punters to make the list this season and one of three Southeastern Conference punters on the 2013 watch list. A full list of preseason nominees is below.

 

Foster’s naming to the prestigious list marks the third time in the last four seasons that Kentucky has had a punter listed on the preseason watch list. Former UK punter Ryan Tydlacka made the preseason watch list for the award in 2010 and 2011.

 

The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens for nominations in September. The complete list of candidates will be released on Oct. 25. In early November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the 10 semifinalists who will be announced on Nov. 8. A national body of FBS sports information directors, coaches, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists, to be announced on Nov. 25. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter. The winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awardsairing on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 12.

 

Foster had an immediate impact for the Wildcats last season as a true freshman handling all of the punting responsibilities and posting a 42.9 yards-per-punt average – the best mark ever by a UK freshman punter. The strong season led Foster to Freshman All-America honors byScout.com andCollegeFootballNews.com, while SEC coaches tabbed Foster a Freshman All-SEC performer. The native of Franklin, Tenn., averaged a season-high 50.7 yards in UK’s win over Kent State, while his longest punt was a 58-yard blast against Arkansas. In all, Foster trapped UK’s opponents inside their own 20-yardline an impressive 13 times last season.

 

Season tickets for the 2013 Kentucky football season are on sale now. For more information, fans can visitukfootballtix.com or call 1-800-928-2287





Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Calipari named to NABC Board Of Directors



JOHN CALIPARI, CY ALEXANDER AND RICK COOPER
JOIN NABC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Head coaches John Calipari of the University of Kentucky, Cy Alexander of North Carolina A&T University and Rick Cooper of West Texas A&M University have been elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). 

Calipari guided Kentucky to the NCAA championship in 2012 and the Wildcats have reached the NCAA Final Four in two of his four seasons in Lexington. He is one of only two coaches to lead three different programs to a Final Four, having done it with UMass in 1996 and with Memphis in 2008 in addition to his record at Kentucky. He left the college ranks to become head coach of the NBA’s New Jersey Nets for three seasons from 1996-99. 

Alexander, in his first season as head coach at North Carolina A&T in 2012-2013, led the Aggies to an NCAA tournament berth, losing to eventual champion Louisville. He is a three-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference coach of the year, having earned those awards when he was the head coach at South Carolina State for 16 seasons. Alexander was also the head coach at Tennessee State for six seasons and has a career coaching record of 364-326 in 23 seasons. 

Cooper just completed his 20th season as head coach at West Texas A&M and is the winningest coach in the Buffaloes’ history with a 387-191 record. His teams have reached the NCAA Division II tournament 10 times, including five in the last nine seasons. In 1997-98, Cooper guided the Buffs to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time. He coached previously at his alma mater, Wayland Baptist University, for six seasons and has an overall won-lost record of 539-298. 

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "Phog" Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized the coaches into this selective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC has nearly 5,000 members, consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found atwww.nabc.org.