Cats ‘grinding’ it out
Kentucky coach John Calipari has noticed a difference in his team’s approach once Kentucky gets a lead on the opposition.
Calipari said Friday that his team is simply “grinding” it out and taking possessions away from a respective opponent.
“One of the things that’s happening when we’ve got a pretty good lead so we’re grinding it out at the end and that gives that other team, probably, six less possessions which is what we’re trying to do,” he said. “That’s helping us. I always say, teams that lead the nation in defensive least amount of point, when you watch them offensively they hold the ball. So that other team has way less opportunity. What’s happened to us is seven minutes to go, six minutes to go, we’re pulling it back and grinding out the ball.”
Kentucky has won 13 in a row and will be looking for its 14th straight victory today at South Carolina. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. in Columbia.
Game Preview: Cats not changing approach despite past success against South Carolina.
Super Bowl has Winchester connection
Earlier this week, I met with Kevin Hopkins, who won a pair of tickets to the Super Bowl when his name was drawn from 18,000 entries in a contest sponsored by WLEX-TV Channel 18 in Lexington. I was excited for Hopkins for being the one that received the prize package worth $9,000. The following is a link to the story I did on Hopkins.
Winchester man wins two tickets, trip to Super Bowl.
Calipari: Horn needs time at S. Carolina
Kentucky coach John Calipari knows it takes time to build a program. He also hopes South Carolina gives coach and Tates Creek graduate Darrin Horn time to build his program at South Carolina. Going into Saturday’s game against top-ranked Kentucky, the Gamecocks own a 9-12 record and are just 1-6 against Southeastern Conference foes.
“He’s been doing fine,” Calipari said Friday. “It’s a hard job. He’s set the stage for where he wants this to go, he went from man to zone. He’s not afraid to try things. I think he’s doing a fine job. It’s just, South Carolina is hard. It’s a hard deal to get going and that’s why you have to stick with a guy and give him seven or eight years and give him something to get going.
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Super Bowl pick: New York Giants
Eli Manning was named Super Bowl MVP in 2007 and will go for his second title Sunday. Photo by The Associated Press
The New York Giants’ quarterback – Eli Manning – played at Ole Miss. That’s the one and only deciding factor in this case. If Manning played for New England, I would go with the Patriots.
Despite my pick, there are plenty of reasons to root for the Patriots. The following is a list of factors that favor both teams.
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‘Souper Bowl Party’ targets homeless
Filed under: UK sports, Uncategorized, Winchester sports
This is a wonderful community service event. Why not try this in our communities?
By Mark Maynard,The Ashland Daily-Independent
The City of Ashland is hoping the combination of the Super Bowl and reaching out to the community is a winner on Sunday.
The inaugural Community Souper Bowl Party will take place at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Bus Depot.
City Commissioner Marty Gute participated in a similar activity in Lexington last year and wondered to himself, “Why not Ashland?”
So with the help of churches, outreach groups and businesses, he has put together an event to benefit the homeless and disadvantaged in the area.
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Marquis Teague catching on
Kentucky guard Marquis Teague is grasping what it takes to be a point guard under John Calipari.
Teague has transitioned into thinking of his teammates first instead of himself. Teague putting his teammates first.
Kentucky football signee list
Players who signed with the University of Kentucky on National Signing Day Wednesday:
Daron Blaylock, DB, 6-1, 215, Fr-HS, Marietta, Ga. (Walton) – Played both safety and linebacker in high school … Second-team all-state in Class AAAAA by the Georgia Sports Writers Association … Played at Walton HS in Marietta, Ga. … Helped Walton to a 14-1 record and state runnerup finish in Class AAAAA … Ranked as the No. 31 inside linebacker in the nation by 24/7 Sports … One of the nation’s top-100 linebackers by Scout.com … Posted 75 tackles and an interception during his junior season … Has been timed in the 4.5-second range in the 40-yard dash, an excellent time for a linebacker … Coached by Rocky Hidalgo … Son of Mookie Blaylock, who played 13 years in the NBA with New Jersey, Atlanta and Golden State … Twin brother of fellow UK signee Zack Blaylock … Name pronounced same as “Darren.”
Shawn Blaylock, DB, 5-10, 166, Fr-HS, Lithonia, Ga. (Stephenson) – Two-way player in high school, seeing action as a wide receiver and cornerback at Stephenson HS in Stone Mountain, Ga. … Projects as a defensive back as a collegian … Broke the school record with three interceptions in a game … Team posted a 9-2 record and advanced to the state playoffs both his seasons at Stephenson … Also played corner his sophomore season at Shiloh HS in Snellville, Ga. … The nation’s No. 77 corner by Scout.com … Has been timed under 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash … Coached at Stephenson by Ron Gartrell … Teammate of current UK signee DeMarcus Sweat … Will join former Stephenson products Jabari Johnson, Raymond Sanders and Ronnie Shields at UK.
Zack Blaylock, DB, 6-0, 188, Fr-HS, Marietta, Ga. (Walton) – Big-play performer from his safety position … Intercepted 11 passes as a senior, returning five for touchdowns … First-team all-state in Class AAAAA by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Georgia Sports Writers Association … Played at Walton HS in Marietta, Ga. … Helped Walton to a 14-1 record and state runnerup finish in Class AAAAA … Cobb County Defensive Player of the Year … Rated the No. 34 safety in the nation by Rivals.com … Rated No. 52 nationally by Scout.com … One of the top-40 prospects in Georgia by SuperPrep … Coached by Rocky Hidalgo … Son of Mookie Blaylock, who played 13 years in the NBA with New Jersey, Atlanta and Golden State … Twin brother of fellow UK signee Daron Blaylock.
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George Rogers Clark football signees
George Rogers Clark senior running back Pokey Harris signed a national letter-of-intent with Murray State this morning and will have a ceremonial signing at 2:15 p.m. Friday at the high school library.
Matt Hisle will sign with Kentucky Christian University this afternoon and Connor Shoebrooks will sign paper work to play football at Lindsey Wilson College.
Harris will compete against former teammate Corey Rogers, who is at Tennessee-Martin and will be a redshirt freshman next season. arris rushed for 1,940 yards and 20 touchdowns and a leader on offense for the Cardinals this past season.
Bio on Harris:
Pokey Harris, RB, 5-10, 165, Winchester, Ky. (George Rogers Clark)
Played for head coach Paul Columbia at George Rogers Clark High School…rushed 250 times for 1,943 yards and 18 touchdowns…led Kentucky Class 6A in rushing…earned third-team all-state honors from the Courier Journal…honorable mention all-state honoree from the Associated Press…named the District 8-6A Player of the Year by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association…played in the 2011 Best of the Bluegrass All-Star game.
Murray State coach Chris Hatcher on his 2012 class:
“We are real excited about this year’s signing class. We feel we were able to get the players that we were targeting and fill the needs we have heading into next season. This group has the potential to make an immediate impact as we push for a conference championship in 2012.”
Task force recommends renovating Rupp Arena
LEXINGTON (AP) — A task force says building a new Rupp Arena would not be economically feasible but recommends a substantial renovation to the existing 35-year-old home of the Kentucky Wildcats to make it the center of an expanded downtown Lexington.
The Rupp Arena Arts and Entertainment District Task Force’s final report was issued Tuesday morning. It proposes a $250 million to $300 million overhaul of the Lexington Center, including Rupp Arena, the Lexington Convention Center, the Civic Center Shoppes and the area around it, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
There’s no specific plan for paying for the project although the report does offer general guidelines for financing it, involving a mix of local, state and private funding.
National signing day, all the hype without the scoreboard, pigskin
Th the second biggest day in college football besides the national championship, has become an event that doesn’t involve a football, uniforms, head sets or a scoreboard, but rather a pen and a piece of paper.
National Signing Day, always the first Wednesday in February, will take place tomorrow. Like all major universities across the nation, the University of Kentucky will unveil its recruits for the upcoming season. Although the Wildcats haven’t stocked their roster with five-star recruits such as Southeastern Conference counterparts Alabama, LSU, South Carolina and others have done in the past few years, Kentucky has managed to grab some little-known players and turn them into superstars. The most recent gem of signing day as Randall Cobb, now with the Green Bay Packers. Of course you can eventually place Danny Trevathan in the same category.
Aside from learning new names of new players on the roster and where they are from, watching them blossom as college players also is a treat.
As Forrest Gump says, signing day is “like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”