News and commentary from around the Big Blue Internet. Kelsey Nunley honored for her WCWS efforts. James Young to work out for legendary team. Bruce Pearl returns to controversy. SEC Media Days schedule announced. More.
In case you somehow missed it on the front page of A Sea of Blue yesterday, Kentucky Baseball's A.J. Reed is a finalist for the Golden Spikes award for the best player in college baseball. There is really no objective doubt that he is the best, but fan votes count, so be sure to vote early, and often.
Tweet of the Morning
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— SB Nation (@SBNation) June 4, 2014
Embrace the hate.
Your Quickies:
Kentucky football
2015 quarterback Justin King has drawn some interest from Kentucky. SB Nation Recruiting spoke to king after the Elite 11 in Columbus. Check out the interview.
Brent Bielma and Mark Stoops face similar situations {via Hank}.
Interview with Lexington (Ky) Catholic quarterback Reese Ryan about his recruitment. He'll be attending the Kentucky camp. {Via Hank.}
Nice interview with UK JUCO recruit Martinas Rankin. Jimmy Brumbaugh is our lead recruiter. He's a Rivals (5.5) 3* offensive lineman. {Hank}
Looks like Louisville has found another castoff player with issues to join their team. Perfect Bobby Petrino guy. They'll probably go after these two as well. {Via Hank}
Mark Stoops talks about the early signing period. He had some very astute comments on this proposal. Consider:
“There are a lot of points you’ve got to take into consideration,” the UK coach said. “I’m not in favor of trying to sign guys in August. That would be just moving up the recruiting calendar a whole year and it’s already very early. We have to make early evaluations now as it is.”
Read the whole thing. I agree that August is just way too early.
Kentucky basketball
I like the idea that Calipari believes that his veterans will challenge and "coach" the newcomers.
Good luck, James!
Looking forward for this lakers workout tomorrow! #blessed
— James young (@realjamesyoung) June 4, 2014
Other Kentucky sports
Kelsey Nunley named to 2014 WCWS All-Tournament team.
Congrats to @kelsjn33, who has been named to the 2014 Women's College World Series All-Tournament Team! #WeAreUK #WCWS
— UK softball (@UKsoftball) June 4, 2014
Links posts
John Clay's Big Blue Links
College football
SEC Media Days schedule announced.
Bruce Pearl steals a transfer away from Orlando Antigua. Hey, that's recruiting for you.
Nick Saban gets a contract extension and raise. He's now at $6.5 million per season. SB Nation explains how you can understand all this. I had no need for that help, though — Saban wins, and he wins huge.
Dr. Saturday looks at the worst trophies in college football. #5 is the Telephone Trophy (Iowa St. vs. Missouri). That is one strange trophy. #4 is the Iron Skillet between TCU and SMU. That's substantially less weird, but a skillet? Really?
The Keg of Nails has got to be in here somewhere. Too bad the UK series with Indiana for the Bourbon Barrel had to die, but it became politically incorrect as well as unsustainable for program reasons.
College basketball
Tony Bennett signs a 7-year deal with Virginia. Good for him, he's a fine coach.
A look at the Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball team for next season. Nebraska had a really good season for them last year, and more could be coming next year.
Bruins Nation continues it's continuing dump on Steve Alford.
Other sports news
Valhalla to allow cell phones at PGA championship. That's sure to go well. I'm going, so what I want to know is will they allow Four Roses Single Barrel?
This was really inevitable. Geno Auriemma has it right:
Auriemma also disdains the sense of entitlement he believes has become pervasive in the sport. "There are a lot of women's basketball coaches whose teams don't win a lot of games who feel like they're entitled to that job because of Title IX," he says. "I don't think the track coach feels that way. I don't think the baseball coach feels that way." Dykes, for one, is determined not to fall into that trap. "I've gotten lots of praise and I've gotten lots of criticism. Both of those are poison to me," he says. "The only thing I can do is control what I can control, because ultimately I'm going to judged four or five years from now on, did I get the job done or did I not?"
SEC baseball has stumbled badly in the NCAA Tournament. That's an understatement.
Florida claims the Women's College World Series over Alabama. Congratulations to the Gators.
Indiana fans lament a tough season. Wipe that smug grin off your face and have a little sympathy, willya? Okay, never mind.
Other news
Red-Tailed Hawks attack a woman in Pittsburgh. Those are pretty big birds, and they can do a lot of damage.
The new Star Wars movie has begun filming.