Continue reading »]]> It seemed like a normal day at the office on Wednesday morning. That was until our internet, servers and wire went down sometime early Wednesday morning. Not sure what caused the blackout, but the outage was restored by Thursday morning thanks to our awesome IT team at ACI.

I always pack around the Nokia Lumia 822_4847, a device that keeps me connected in the most of dire circumstances. Such was the case earlier this week.

Thanks to the mobile hot spot, I tapped into internet sharing and had internet access on my laptop. The connection allowed me to finished my two sports pages and connected to the Associated Press Exchange online in order to get wire copy to finish the pages and produce a shortened agate page. I didn’t lose the connection and had enough battery supply to last me through the rest of the day.

I knew the hot spot kept me in touch with the outside world via cyberspace when I’m in a high school gymnasium, football stadium or the baseball or softball diamond, but discovered it comes in handy in other instances, too.

It sure came in handy during an unusual situation in the office.

Continue reading »]]> At one time in his career, Willie Cauley-Stein didn’t like college. In fact, he ‘hated’ attending classes. After two semesters, Cauley-Stein quickly changed his mind.

Kentucky coach John Calipari knows how bad Cauley-Stein disliked college courses and added Cauley-Stein wasn’t afraid to admit it at the time.

“He hated school,” he said. “He’d have told you, ‘I hate school.’ And I appreciate an honest guy. You know what he said by the end of the year? ‘I’m kind of loving this. I’m good now. The school part of it I’m liking.’

What led to Cauley-Stein’s transformation and his desire to return next season?

“Well, part of what we have to do is not only the love of basketball — you’ve got to find out who loves playing the sport,” Calipari said. “They’re just big so they were supposed to play, so they play. When you find those guys, you run from them. But believe me, they’re at every level of basketball.

“The second thing is you’re trying to create a love of learning. Reading books. The things that Willie, because he did not like school, he and I had books that we read together. I’d get him a book. He’d read it and I’d read it and I’d ask him questions about it. These kids are young kids. They’re 18. It’s your own child learning to crawl, learning to walk, learning to talk right, learning to mannered, socially learning their way. What makes these kids different? ‘Well, they’re bigger.’ Really? So now a kids’ 6-10 so he’s different than your own child? That’s why I say the patience of this, the galvanizing process that we have to do, keeping people away from them because the people in their ear truly only care about that person, not our team or the other guys. They like the other guys, but they don’t like them as much as they like you. So, that stuff is going to be part of this, too.”

Going into his second season with the Wildcats, Calipari said the sky is the limit.

“Willie Cauley has a chance at being one of the better players that I’ve ever coached,” the Kentucky coach said. “(He) is not delusional at all (if you) understood how far he had come, understood how far he needed to go, understood he could have been a first-round draft pick. He knew, but he came back anyway because he wasn’t delusional.”

Continue reading »]]> Kentucky coach John Calipari and his staff begin a ‘two-day’ retreat scheduled to start today. The point of emphasis is to plan ahead for next season.

“What we’re primarily going to be doing is (figuring out), ‘What do each of these kids need from us?’ Because every one of these kids we’re bringing in need to be coached and they need something from us. I’ll give you an example: We had Michael (Kidd-)Gilchrist. Michael needed something from us that was different than what Anthony Davis needed from us. Marquis Teague needed us in a different way. Terrence Jones needed something different than Doron Lamb needed or Darius Miller – ‘Be more aggressive!’ I mean, every one of those kids needed us in different ways because it is about them. It is about players first. Well, this team we’re coaching now with eight new players, four or five returning players, each of these guys are going to need us in different ways.”

Calipari added that it will take time for the staff and players, both returning and new, to come together.

“So the process, this galvanizing process, the patience we’re going to need, we’re starting on Monday. We need to say, ‘OK, where are we going to go with this? What do each of these kids need?’ because let me just say this folks: They’re a talented crew, we’ll have a talented team, (but) they need (to be) coached. Each individual player needs (to be) coached. They need direction. They need to be taught the level of commitment, the intensity. The will to win has to come out. The alpha males that we didn’t have a year ago I think we have, but those guys got to do that. They can lead, but they got to lead us in the way we need to be led. Michael Gilchrist, how did he lead us? Breakfast club. What did he do in practice? Was unbelievable in his work ethic. What did that mean? Two years ago, we did not have one bad practice. Not one. Last year we had about five good practices that I would say in my mind over the years would be the kind of practices I felt comfortable with.

“So those are some things to throw out.”

Continue reading »]]> Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari considered last season a learning curve.

Even though Calipari won his first national title as a coach two years ago, he experienced more growing pains as a coach last season. What did he learn?

“First of all, you have to have more than eight scholarship players. You may ask why I did that. Because I was trying to protect players in the program. What you learn is you can’t protect the players. You can’t protect them from competition. You bring in your group, and the guys that understand competition, that brings out the best. They strive and they get better. They don’t have to play 30 minutes a game to reach their dreams. And so why I did it, if I had to do it over again, we probably would have had a couple more players. By not having a couple more players, guys were put in positions that you have to play, and it’s hard to change guys when they’re in that mode.”

Despite the team’s shortcomings last season, Calipari offered no regrets on giving his players a chance to succeed.

“My wife and I talked about it,” he said. “I don’t have any regrets where I gave guys more than one chance to make it and it hurt our team. Like, ‘Why didn’t you leave this guy there and why didn’t you just tell him beat it? You’re not good enough. We’re going to put you in.’ Because it’s about each individual player, and I can tell you that guys got the full season to prove themselves and do what they were going to do. I told my staff, if I’m going err, it’s going to be on the side of the player. ‘Well, the program’s got to go (first) and this kid’s got to go.’ That’s all good, but if it were your son, what would you want me to do? So if I err, it’ll be on the side of the player, which sometimes hurts the program. Now, it’s not how we’ve all been brought up to do this; it’s how I do it. And so, there were some things that went on that I should have changed this and this, but I was giving guys that opportunity. And Ellen and I said it: You can live without regrets. It may have hurt you for a season, but what’s it doing to you? Nothing. But that young man had every chance to do what he was supposed to do to change it and do it. If he wasn’t willing or wasn’t able, now we know and we move on, but he got that full shot.

“I will tell you again, can you imagine if all four guys put their names in the draft. We would have had four first-rounders. Do you know what that means? This is about the players. This is about them getting better. Can you imagine that? Now you might say however you want to say why, but that’s a fact. The guys coming back should have come back. The guys that put their name in the draft, I’m going to do everything in my power to help them. We’re not changing how we do that.”

Continue reading »]]> Kentucky coach John Calipari talked about Madiso Central senior Dominique Hawkins during his press conference Wednesday. Calipari watched three of four games during Madison Central’s successful run in the boys state tournament in March.

Hawkins was named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball after leading the Indians to a 32-5 record and the school’s first state title last month. The Wildcats began showing interest in Hawkins during the boys Sweet Sixteen at Rupp Arena. Kentucky coach John Calipari attended three games, while assistant coach Orlando Antigua watched all four of Central’s games in the five-day state tournament.

During the Indians’ successful run in the state event, Hawkins tallied 107 points in four games for an average of 26.4 points per game, and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. The senior guard scored 21 points and had 10 rebounds in the Indians’ exciting 65-64 triumph over Ballard in the state finals.

He also was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 20.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game during his senior campaign.

“A young man from in state that just kind of blew me away with his will to win, his temperament on the court, his demeanor in helping his team win a championship,” Calipari said. “You always want to coach guys who understand. By winning a state championship and being down 16 two games, it shows what a tough mentality (Hawkins has). What I just went through, I wanted a tough point guard. I wanted one more tough, physical (guard). How about this? Not just fighting, physically tough.

How about mentally tough? How about not break down? How about ‘I’m bringing it and I’m not afraid to be 16 down, it has no effect on me?’ That’s what I saw in Dominique and why we recruited him.”

Continue reading »]]> ATLANTA (AP) — The Southeastern Conference and ESPN have announced a 20-year agreement to operate a SEC network that is scheduled to debut in August, 2014. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said Thursday the SEC network will produce 1,000 live events each year, including 450 televised on the network and 550 distributed digitally. Slive says the network will carry approximately 45 SEC football games “and a depth of content across all sports” each year. No financial terms were released for the deal, which continues through 2034. The announcement came at a news conference attended by Slive, ESPN President John Skipper, 32 SEC coaches and each of the league’s 14 athletic directors. ESPN senior vice president Justin Connolly says AT&T U-Verse has signed on as the network’s first distributor.

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Cincinnati Bengals photo

Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead was drafted as the 190th overall pick in the sixth round of the NFL Draft Saturday. Burkhead, son of former George Rogers Clark and Eastern Kentucky University standout Rick Burkhead, has ties to Winchester. His mom Robyn, also is a graduate of GRCHS and his grandparents still reside in Winchester. The following is an excerpt from the Cincinnati Bengals website.

REX BURKHEAD

It looks like you had some success in college against teams from Ohio:
RB: “(Laughs) A little bit.”

How does it feel to come to the Bengals?
RB: “It’s awesome. It’s a dream come true. Growing up and wanting to play in the NFL, then getting that call today. It’s unbelievable. The Bengals have a great organization. I really respect Coach (Marvin) Lewis and a bunch of the players on the team. I’m just excited for the future and excited to play for them.”

Have you had any contact with them throughout the pre-draft process?
RB: “I have, yes. I met with them at the combine, at my pro day as well, and I talked with them on the phone a little bit, too. So I knew they were interested. I had some connections with coach Ron Brown, my position coach at Nebraska. He knew some of the coaches on the staff as well, so he was giving me feedback throughout the process. So now I’m a part of it.”

Most descriptions of you say that you’re a ‘jack of all trades’ running back. Is that true?
RB: “(Laughs) Yeah, I think I’m a versatile guy. I think I can bring a lot to the table, whether it’s catching balls out of the backfield, pass protecting, run the ball or split out as a wide receiver. So yeah, I think my versatility is something they were interested in and felt like I could bring to the team.”

You were hampered a little by an injury last year. How is your health right now?
RB: “Yeah, 100 percent. Feeling good.”

A story that has gained national notoriety in recent weeks is the one of Jack Hoffman, a seven year old who is battling brain cancer, running for a touchdown in the Nebraska spring game. Were you at the spring game for that?
RB: “Yes sir, I was.”

What was that like?
RB: “It was unbelievable. It’s been great working with Jack and his family, meeting with them and getting to know them more. To see him out there on the football field like he was a Husker football player, it was a very emotional time and a very exciting time. It was really inspiring for not only me, but the fans that were there and how it has spread across the nation. It was just an awesome experience.”

Were you on the sideline for it? And how long have you known Jack and his family?
RB: “I met Jack my junior year. We had lunch together at the stadium one day, and I gave him a tour around there as well. We just kept in touch ever since then. And yeah, I was on the sideline at the game, videotaping it.”

When did you, the players and the staff come up with that plan?
RB: “I got a call the night before from Coach (Jeff) Jamrog. He had sat down with Coach Bo (Pelini) and T.J. Zimmer, a fullback on the team, had talked about putting Jack in. He asked me what I thought, and I told him ‘absolutely.’ I said he’d love to do it. I ended up calling him and letting him know that he was going to do it. So it started the night before. Kind of spontaneous.”

Were you surprised with all of the national notoriety it has received in recent weeks?
RB: “Yeah. It’s been unreal. It’s been great though, just to bring that awareness to pediatric brain cancer, which is what Jack has right now. The football team has an Uplifting Athletes chapter that raises awareness and donations for that disease. So that’s helped out tremendously.”

Continue reading »]]> INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Midnight Madness could begin earlier than usual this fall after the NCAA’s Legislative Council approved a new rule. One change would allow teams to hold up to 30 days of practice in the six weeks leading up to their first regular-season game. Previously, teams had only four weeks to get those practices in. Another change would eliminate the starting time for the first permissible workouts. Currently, teams are not allowed to begin until 5 p.m. on the Friday closest to Oct. 15. The new rule would allow schools to make their own judgment about the starting time when practice begins. Unless the NCAA’s board of directors rejects the proposal at its May 2 meeting, the rule will go into effect this fall. The rules would not apply to women’s teams.

Continue reading »]]> Before he decided to take the men’s basketball job at Louisville in 2000, he had accepted the Michigan job, which also was vacant at the time. Pitino revisited the path that led him back to Kentucky during a press conference at the Georgia Dome Sunday. The Cardinals will take on Michigan for the NCAA title tonight in Atlanta

“It was kind of a funny story because I agreed to be the Michigan coach.  I lived in Boston right on Com Avenue.  We visited Las Vegas.  I love Las Vegas.  My wife doesn’t like Las Vegas.  We had young children at the time.  She said,  Look, if we were all ‘let’s go,’ we have young kids.  I just don’t want to go out west.  I don’t want to go to a different time zone.  I want to stay near our family.  It wasn’t Las Vegas as a town, it was the fact that it was west of the Mississippi.  I’ll go to any job, but want to stay closer to home. 

So I took the Michigan job.  That morning I agreed.  I forget what the name was, I think it was ‘Outright,’ which when I called the Michigan AD, he didn’t want me to use my real name to get through to him.  My wife came up and, as I said, I’m on the third floor, putting together all the things together with the Michigan contract.
She had a book.  There was an expression in the book that, I’d rather live one day as a lion than a thousand as a Lamb.  My wife doesn’t swear.  She didn’t want to go to Michigan because I’ve never visited there, I didn’t know anybody there.  She wanted to go back to Kentucky where she saw the family so happy for eight years.
I said to her, You don’t understand, the Kentucky coach can’t coach at Louisville.  You’re just not getting it.  She said, It’s one game every year, and every other year you have to visit.  What’s the big deal?
I said, It’s a big deal.  We don’t want to do that.  We’ll be miserable.  You don’t want to put yourself in that situation.
She said, You know what, that line you’re always using, I’d rather live one day as a lion than a thousand as a lamb, you’re an F‑ing Lamb, then walked downstair.
I said, Think about it.  There’s half a million Kentucky fans in our town.  It’s not like living in Lexington where if you wear red, you get shot.  It doesn’t work that way.
She said, I don’t care, your family is going to be happy.  Now I have to call the AD.  It’s 12:00.  He had a thing between 12:00 and 1:30.  I think it was squash or racquetball, where he can never be disturbed unless it’s a matter of life and death.  His assistant said, Is it a matter of life and death?
I said, No, it’s really, really important.  It’s a matter of life and death, because I changed my mind.
I’m sorry, I can’t put him through to you, do you want his voice mail?
So now I’m leaving this long voice mail.  I rambled on saying it’s one of the greatest jobs in the world, but I have to go back home where my family grew up, my children grew up.  I gave a long‑winded story.  Never till the NIT when I got a chance to speak to him in person about it.  I went to Louisville.  It was the right move not necessarily for me.  But it was the right move for my family.”

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Rick Pitino/AP photo

Louisville is the only No. 1 seed to advance to this week’s Final Four.

The Cardinals defeated N.C A&T and Colorado State, followed by wins over Oregon and Duke to make a return trip to the national semifinals in the NCAA Tournament. Louisville coach Rick Pitino, whose team lost to eventual national champion Kentucky in last year’s national semifinals, said his team’s march back to the end of the road in the prestigious tournament wasn’t an easy task.

“Our bracket was a death bracket,” the Louisville coach said. “I’ve experienced quite a few NCAAs. I’ve never played the likes of a Colorado State in the second round. They’re a team that was very much capable of getting to a Final Four. Then Oregon was just absolutely terrific. Then certainly Coach K and Duke, you know, Mike is a special guy.  He called me this morning. He tried to get to me to see how Kevin was doing.  He’s just a special man, special coach. To play Duke in an Elite 8, never mind a Final Four, it was a death bracket.”