Sports in Kentucky by Bob Watkins

Posted January 20, 2016 at 3:50 pm

Monday morning poll – CBS-Sports’ college hoops top 25-Plus One. Standing at attention from our Commonwealth: Louisville at 17.

Excuse me? Whoever’s running this CBS outfit has to be a Louisville grad!

America’s top 26 and Kentucky is Nowhere!

Shock and awe. Somebody better wake up Cawood Ledford. Never mind, he just rolled off his cloud and broke the news to Adolph Rupp. Nowhere. A UFO might have set down atop Rupp Arena.

Looks like time to turn down the volume on call-in radio. Lookin’ at the road ahead, might be time to circle the wagons too.

Among CBS’s top 26, are three future bad boy bunches ready to host John Calipari’s team – No. 2 Kansas, No. 12 Texas A&M, and No. 23 South Carolina.

Louisville? Number 17 Cardinals have established an enviable defensive plateau in time for a run against the ACC’s heavy artillery.

OH KENTUCKY

Following Kentucky’s stunning loss at Auburn last week, John Calipari praised Derek Willis almost grudgingly. When the coach added, “we really need to get Dom (Hawkins) back,” at least one of us in this state had to smile.

In last days of another January schedule all the ballyhoo and accolades tendered to big name recruits come to Lexington for seven months, and Kentucky’s coach looking for a boost from a pair of native sons. Kids from Madison and Bullitt counties who have mostly been best-seats-in-the-house window dressing.

Hawkins’ brilliant play against Louisville December 26, was result of opportunity. Chance to settle in rather than look over a shoulder. Chance to grow confidence, become a difference-maker.

Willis’ 31 minutes at Auburn was a simple amalgam of opportunity and reward.

Not new for a Kentucky kid (too short, too slow, too uncelebrated) gone to play in Lexington – under estimated, under valued – then, discovered. A few come-to-mind from a long list of those who, when opportunity came, made it pay for fans who buy tickets to see such things. We remember Thad Jaracz (Lexington), Jim Dinwiddie (Leitchfield), Larry Johnson (Sturgis), Travis Ford (Madisonville), John Pelphrey (Paintsville), Deron Feldhaus (Maysville) and Scott Padgett (Louisville), and you can name many more.

PITINO & UNLV?

Rick Pitino to UNLV? On Mondays some in national media herd toss out a What If or What Might Be that has nothing to do with What Is.

A week ago John Calipari was for sale. $120 million for 10 years, man from Yahoo wrote. Caused a huge frenzy among Kentucky fans and teevee talking heads. Forty-eight hours later … fizzle.

This Monday’s buzz (What If) – Rick Pitino to University Nevada at Las Vegas, and with son Richard in tow to become head coach in waiting.

Before logic is thrown out the window we ought ask ourselves: Why would a New York man made gaudy rich by University of Louisville and who has said UofL is his last stop even whisper the UNLV? Findings from an NCAA investigation maybe?

Looks from here as if owner of a prime job in a high profile conference east of the Mississippi, would laugh at the suggestion of taking a dead-end gig three time zones away in a desert that would deprive him of attention from eastern time zone media hubs of America.

PERFECT STORM

Kentucky loses to Auburn. Latest in category we can call Perfect Storm, and arguably head-scratcher of the 2016 season.

√ Auburn defied all the numbers. Kentucky tried 17 more shots, 55 to 72, scored four more field goals, 25-21, outrebounded the Tigers, 48-38, including 18 to seven offensive, and outscored Auburn 32-16 in the lane.

√ Kentucky had more assists, steals and fewer turnovers.

√ Individually, Jamal Murray shot 22 times, but had one free throw attempt. Marcus Lee and Alex Poythress tried eight shots, made three, combined for seven rebounds and left heavy lifting to Derek Willis.

√ Consolation.

• Calipari still has a lever the coach hasn’t pulled yet. It’s called The Bench, for those who don’t or won’t do the work.

• Kentucky extended its consecutive games with a 3-pointer to 956.

WORTH REPEATING DEPT.

Signing day for high school football prospects is two weeks away. Meantime, in day and age of the Tweet, Kentucky has a verbal commit for 2017. Never mind the grammar, Darius Lemons, a four star prospect in Clearwater, Florida changed his ‘lean’ last week from Ohio State. “Kentucky Wildcats is now the school I will be leaning to.”

PARTING SHOT

Kentucky coach John Calipari attended his son’s high school basketball game last week. During the action ESPN’s Jeff Goodman offered a tweet. “Brad Calipari drills a 3. Kentucky offer coming soon.”

Goodman was obviously not around when then-UK coach Eddie Sutton handed point guard duties to son Sean in 1989; and coach Tubby Smith did same with his son Saul in 1998.

And so it goes.

You can reach me at bob.Watkins24@aol.com