Daniel Orton backfills massive hole dug with UK fans

Daniel Orton has been the point of much criticism over the last few months, many of those points coming from the people that once praised him at Kentucky. However his actions and statements with the Kentucky fans and even with the NBA scouts soured a few opinions of him.

Orton was drafted #29 to the Orlando Magic in this months NBA Draft and many former Kentucky fans would have liked to have seen him fall further after his behavior. But Orton spent few minutes on Twitter apologizing for his failure to finish his spring semester and the quotes attributed to him concerning his desire to play at Kansas.

"Okay there are some things that I've been needing to address, but I was trying to focus my attention elsewhere. As far as the classes I want to apologize for not doing what I said I would. I messed up bigtime and hope I can be somewhat forgiven. I messed up on a few due dates on my online class and I just lost focus in school. I apologize. Then the thing about the Kansas comment. I was more so set up on that question; we all know the media and how they like to get people but i was asked was there any other school that I would have gone to. At first I said no because I loved UK and I loved my experience and my teammates there. Then he proceeded to say I know Kansas was recruiting you hard, you never had any thoughts of maybe you should have gone there? Of course I thought that at times I won't lie about that I'm sure at least two players on every college team this year question their decision but in the end I am happy that I went to UK. As far as leavin early. I can't really justify myself there. So sorry UK fans love yall and yall are the best Ima miss it!"

While it won't be enough to sweeten every fan on him, it will win over some that soured. Those extra fans will be much needed while riding the pine behind Dwight Howard.

Knicks Night Live

So as the admin of the site, I occasionally receive some SPAM from other sports sites. Occasionally, these SPAM include articles and occasionally these articles are of some humor/use. Today is one of those days.

The Knicks are in a dead heat for the Summer of 2010 Free Agency Class and simply dead in the water if they fail to land anyone of major stature. They could also kill the franchise if they end up over paying for one of the Max deal players.

Thus, New York is pulling out all the stops, including gimmicks (Knicks Night Live), celebrities (Alick Baldwin), mayors (Michael Bloomburg), governors , and other everything else but Randolph Morris (Yes I know he's in Atlanta, that's probably why they didn't use him to get Lebron!) and Tiger Woods' Eliot Spitzer's girlfriends. It's become a late night infomercial and with statements like these (per my SPAM) it's hard to say they are not marketing their team as anything less than... well a product:

"I'm confident because we've got a great product. New York is very unique and we're selling the best place in the world to come and live and play!" - NY Knicks Coach Mike D'Antoni on Free Agency

So if your cable network has the MSG Network, here's some information for you to watch Lebron choose someone else and the Knicks pay Carlos Boozer and Joe Johnson WAY TOO MUCH money:

One day left until the free agency period begins and NY Knicks fans are remaining at the edge of their seat in anticipation of who will move into the Big Apple and become the next Knickerbocker! MSG Network celebrates the start of the free agency with the debut of* "Knicks Night Live," *a special 30-minute live presentation *late Wednesday night (Thursday, July 1 at 12:00 a.m.)*, the first minute of the NBA's free-agency period.


"Knicks Night Live," a one-hour long program scheduled for Thursday evenings @ 8PM throughout the summer in support of "Knicks Thursdays," is a part of MSG Network's Summer Block Party nightly themed programming blocks. The show will then return to it's regularly scheduled time and length on Thursday evenings throughout the summer. MSG Network is giving NY Knicks fans first-access to the latest off-season coverage and breaking news surrounding the NBA, free-agent signings, press conferences, exclusive interviews, and more on "Knicks Night Live," which will be hosted by Al Trautwig. Fans will receive instant, inside access and expert analysis only on "Knicks Night Live" and online at http://www.msg.com/knicks

Cheers Roger Federer!

Everybody Knows Your Name Roger... but its being followed with "Finished"

In the USA, Cheers means either a bar in Boston or is a toast when drinking. OK, so the bar in Boston was named after the toast. BUT STILL, Cheers in most other countries is said at the end of a meeting and simply means "Farewell and all the best"... in this case its a bit of both.

Roger Federer is saying goodbye to Wimbledon in the quarterfinals. His second straight early exit from a Grand Slam after setting a record by reaching 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals.

Federer, a 16-time Grand Slam singles champion, was seemingly unstoppable and has now stopped cold in his tracks and slammed into the wall.

Other tennis greats, such as Pete Sampras have had the same sudden decline of dominance. Is this the beginning of the end or simply a hickup in the career of arguably the best tennis player of all time?

The Bulls are primed to make a move on James and Bosh

With yesterday's story of the big summit between the three best free agents of the off season, LeBron James, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh, all discussing the possibility of going to the Heat, the Chicago Bulls do not want to be left out of the discussion.

According to this report the Bulls will make a move to land Chris Bosh as the clock strikes midnight in order to lure LeBron James. The main factor in getting James to come is the team that wants him must get him help. This is why the Bulls are making a go at Bosh. With a potential line-up of Chris Bosh, Derek Rose and Joakim Noah, it would be difficult for James to turn this down. One of the best young point guards in the league teamed with the most underrated player in the league (because he was stuck in Toronto) and a solid 4 man (hate to give Noah props but he is good) would give James security and free him up in the game to truly dazzle.

This is great strategy by the Bulls and will put the heat on Miami (pun intended) to make a fast move, securing Wade and Bosh to get James. What baffles me about all of this is the total inactivity by the Cavaliers. They have made zero moves so far in getting into any free agent discussions or trade talks. The team still lacks a head coach as it looks like they were putting all of their eggs into the Tom Izzo basket. They need to do something to secure their star. Loyalty only goes so far in the NBA for a player looking to become the best player in the league and looking to start a dynasty.

If Cleveland fails to act then this will be viewed as an epic fail on their part. The town is already stinking up professional sports with the Indians and the Browns. Their lone bright spot is about to get very dark indeed.

Joker is already Gam3Day Ready in the Ville

As the dog days of summer are approaching and the only sports that we really have to focus on right now are baseball, golf, NASCAR, tennis and the ever-boring World Cup, it is nice to have a positive college football story to hold us over until late August.

New Kentucky football head coach Joker Phillips made a stop at Shawnee park in Louisville, Ky yesterday as a part of his Gam3Day Ready tour in which he talks to local youth about focus, determination, leadership and the importance of academics. He lead the local kids in warm-up exercises before turning it over to his assistant coaches to lead them in drills.

UK all purpose All American Randall Cobb was in attendance and was bursting at the seams to get the season going. He talked about how the new strength and conditioning coach Ray "Rock" Oliver has been pushing the team in the weight room in preparation for the upcoming pivotal season.

In case you don't know the season starts for the Cats on September 4th at Papa John's Stadium against Charlie Strong and the new look Cardinals. This game is already surrounded with buzz and is becoming as anticipated as the game in 2007 when the Cards came to Lexington with Brian Brohm and were stunned by the home team thanks to a last minute hook up between Andre Woodson and Stevie "Birdman" Johnson.

This has the makings of a showdown for the ages. Two friends, both first year head coaches, both African-American, both leading passionate fan bases, pitted against each other in one of the most heated rivalries in the nation. September can't get here soon enough.

Perry Ellis Talks Duke Hate/UK Like

Perry Ellis, the player not the fashion line/fragrance, is Kansas' high school player of the year. He grew up a Duke fan but has lost his love for the Blue Devils. He has UK as one of his final schools for consideration. It sounds like the kid gets smarter the older he gets. Here is a link that has more information and a pretty cool video that showcases his skills from Nationofblue.com.

Band Aid to Gunshot Wound: Fuller Hired to Stop Louisville Losing Recruits to Calipari

Luckily Louisville players knowing alot about guns.

Losing recruits left and right, but mainly East to Lexington, Rick Pitino announced a few coaching staff changes yesterday, including the hiring of Tim Fuller. Fuller was an NBA marketing field rep for Nike over the last two years. He was also the director of basketball operations with Wake Forest for two seasons, leaving in 2006 to become a Fairfield assistant, where he stayed one year.

Fuller is specifically in charge of "Rebranding" Louisville in the eyes of recruits. This rebranding by an assistant coach sounds like a mere band-aid, to a bleeding festering wound, caused by the Wildcats - but hey, you have to have some lime-light right?  Why not let it be the guy who was an assistant at Fairfield. Fuller says his focus will be to get Louisville to stop losing recruits to Kentucky.

Louisville has also hired former player David "Mr Glass" Padgett. Padgett will not be part of the physical training team, with which he grew accustomed to during his two knee surgeries and various other injuries, but will be assistant strength coach.

During the conference, Pitino also said senior-to-be guard Preston Knowles is in his doghouse. Without getting into details, Pitino said that it doesn't have anything to do with Knowles' altercation with his girlfriend's stepfather in May.

"He's not in my good graces right now. He has to do certain things to get back on this basketball team and prove he's worthy enough to be a Cardinal. ... Right now he's sort of in limbo."

Pitino also talked about signee Justin Coleman's academically eligibility issues and how he may not be able to play this fall.

Both guard issues making Roburt Sallie crucial for Pitino.

Field of 68, What are the options?

It was decided this spring that the field of 64 65 teams that made the NCAA tournament would be expanded to 68 teams going forward. The only decision that had not been made was how the additional 3 teams would fit into the bracket.

This week, the NCAA tournament committee is meeting to discuss that very issue and is weighing three options. While ESPN has some long, technical names and descriptions for them, let's break each down:

1) 4 Play-In Games for #16 seed: While the NCAA doesn't like that term, it's the most probably solution. In years past, the automatic qualifier was paired with another equally bad automatic qualifier. The winner played one of the four #1 seeds. The only difference now is that all four #1's would play a play-in winner and they would seed them as #16 and #17 with the winner playing the #1. Bracket Impact: Minimal. Currently, there has never been a #16 to beat a #1 seed. The Play-In games are often overlooked and usually not even picked on a bracket.

2) 4 Play-In Games for 10-13 seeds: The last at-large teams would be matched up against each other where each team would vie for the right to be the #10, #11, #12 and #13 seed. Two #10s would play with the winner playing the #7 seed. Two #12s would play and the winner would play the #5 seed. Bracket Impact: Maximum. This would mean that not only would you need to pick the #10 vs #10 seed, but then decide if your #10 can beat the #7. Upsets would be tougher to predict, teams would have a tougher chance of even making it to play the #5 seed - so predicting that 12 over 5 upset just became twice as hard.

3) #1 and #2 Hybrid: This combines #1 and #2. It takes the four #17 seeds and pits them against each other. The winner would play the #1 seed. The final four at-large teams would play in a series of play-in games for the right to go on. The #10 v #13, #11 vs #12. The winner moves into the higher seeded spot on the bracket (if #12 wins, the team moves to a #11 position). Bracket Impact: Moderate. As this solution is a combination of both, it will be overlooked when pitting the #16s vs #1s and have maximum impact when comparing the #10s to #7s.

You'll find out what is picked come the middle of July but which method do you like the most?

Kenny Perry Gives Back

In a week dominated by Lebron-Wade-Bosh, Cubs Meltdowns, and Longoria Tongue Lashings a little positive news creeped out of the golf world. Kentucky's own Kenny Perry committed on Monday to playing The Greenbrier Classic next month, a PGA tour even held in West Virginia. When Perry announced that he will be playing in the tournament, he also said he would be dedicating that week to the 29 families affected by the April mining disaster in West Virginia and pledged to donate $2,000 for every birdie he scores during the tournament.

Per PGATour.com Perry said:

"Growing up in Kentucky as a neighbor to West Virginia, I feel a close connection to the area. Miners work so hard to provide for their families, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for what they do," said Perry. "I want to show that respect by dedicating my week at The Greenbrier Classic to the 29 men who lost their lives in April. The Greenbrier Classic will be a great event, and I'm hoping that others will join me to make it a special week for these families too."

Greenbrier owner James Justice joined him in the cause by pledging to match Perry's donation for every birdie he scores.

Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh could all end up in Miami

NBA superstars meet in a scene that reminds us of the meeting of the Five Families.

Remember about a month and a half ago when it was reported that Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh were going to meet to discuss their futures as free agents, then it was said that the meeting was not going to happen? Well, it happened.

The three met in Miami to discuss the possibility that they all could end up playing for the Heat. This would be the biggest thing to happen in the history of the NBA and that is not Coach Calipari hyperbole. This could potentially be the greatest collection of talent ever. This is the Big Three on steroids.

Bosh has already made it clear that he is out of Toronto as soon as the clock strikes midnight on Thursday morning. James has not made it clear exactly what he wants to do but all of a sudden Miami looks like the front runner. Money does not seem to be an issue with these three players, rings are what are important.

James also still seems intrigued by Chicago. Cleveland needs to make a move and quick if they want to keep their superstar.

• Hothead Carlos Zambrano got a little bit of good news yesterday. The Cubs pitcher recently threw a giant hissy fit, as he is prone to do, in the dugout because he was getting rocked out on the mound. Manager Lou Pinella sent him home from the game and he was suspended without pay. He was upped from the suspended list to the restricted list. He will now be able to collect as money as long as he goes to a treatment program. He is not expected to return anytime soon and it is thought that Chicago is going to try to get rid of him.
• Stephen Strasburgh is human after all. He allowed three runs, a career high, last night against the division leading Atlanta Braves. Strasburgh is 2-2 so far in five starts as a major league pitcher. Not too shabby for a Rookie. It does need to be said that in his past 3 starts the Nationals have scored one run.
• Andy Roddick was bounced from Wimbledon early yesterday. He was defeated by unranked Yen-Hsun Lu from Taipei (get out your atlas!). The press conference afterwards was classic. The American press was giving Roddick all kinds of hell. The final question to Roddick was, "How are you going to feel when you wake up in the morning? Mad, disappointed, pissed?" Roddick then fired back, "No I'm going to be really happy."

Another NFL Head Ache: Chris Henry Latest Concussion Victim

A report today issued by researchers of the Brain Injury Research Institute, an organization affiliated with West Virginia University, suggest former Bengals WR Chris Henry suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CRE).

CRE is said to be caused by repeated trauma to the brain and is thought to cause emotional disturbances, depression, failed personal relationships and businesses, suicidal thoughts, and sometimes alcohol or drug use.

The most common way to diagnose the disease before death tends to be the analysis of the individuals behavior. Once deceased, the brain is studied and threaded, clumpy sections of the examined brain can be found to clearly indicate the disease.

Henry reported jumped or fell from the back of a truck his girlfriend was driving during an altercation between the two. Neighbors report that Henry had previously stated that if she left he would jump from the truck, killing himself.

Charlie Strong to get O.J. Simpson out of Jail and on to the Field

Darned glove! I just...can't...seem...to...get it...on!

Charlie Strong is a man that likes to give second chances as is evident by him accepting players/criminals Jordan Campbell and Demar Dorsey on the team. Strong has one more jail bird he wants to add to the puzzle and this one may be a little more tricky since he is currently encarcerated...O.J. Simpson.

When asked about this highly unorthodox move, Strong had this to say, "Well, as a man of integrity and principle, I believe in second chances. I think O.J. can really give us a chance to win. Besides, I honestly think he is misunderstood and he was a victim of circumstance. After all, the glove didn't fit. And if some guys were selling my stuff you best believe I would hold them hostage in a casino and get my stuff back. It's the natural reaction."

Coach Strong was then asked about how this would effect the image of the program. "Are you serious? You do know this is the University of Louisville, right? Two words: Willy Williams, Rod Council and Donte Spillman." I tried to correct the coach by saying that he said more than two words and he got really mad at me. "How dare you correct me? I am "Strong" when it comes to the subject of vocabulary, grammar and counting. You can take that to the bank." Yeah, I'll take that to the bank. As long as I know there is not a UofL football player there trying to rob it before I walk inside.

I called O.J. to ask him if he would consider playing for the Cards if there was indeed a loophole and a way to get him out of the clink. "Sure I'd play! Remember when the juice was loose?" I told him I wasn 't old enough to watch him play football but I did see him in the Naked Gun movies. "That was the best time in my life, the Naked Gun era. I was making money, I was allowed in to white country clubs, I hadn't killed Nicole yet...I mean, that dirt bag hadn't killed Nicole yet. Now I'm here in jail because I'm a victim of circumstance and I'm misunderstood. I don't know, UofL football does have a bad reputation and I don't need that negative energy around me. I might be better off in here."

Coach Strong also expressed his interest in ex-Panther Rae Carruth. For those of you that don't remember, Carruth shot his pregnant girlfriend and then tried to flee police by hiding in the trunk of a car. He is now in jail.

Disclaimer: I never talked to Strong or O.J. This was all in good fun and poor taste. If you are easily offended then I feel sorry for you. God Bless.

Sallie Snatched by Pitino

The Louisville Basketball team added another member to their 2010 recruiting class. Rick Pitino announced in a press conference Monday that he picked-up Sallie from Memphis. Fortunately for Card fans it's simply former Memphis guard Roburt Sallie. UofL must apply for a waiver for him to be eligible to play for 2010-11 and Sallie will need to complete his bachelor's degree, but if he is available, it will add needed depth in the backcourt for the Cards.


Sallie, who was rumored to try to transfer to the Wildcats after coach John Calipari left the Tigers, averaged 10.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.9 assist last year under coach Josh Pastner.

Win at All Costs?

Charlie Strong is being viewed as the savior of Cardinal football. But are the players he is getting true to his promise of integrity?

Many University of Louisville football fans are becoming quite excited at the new recruits that head coach Charlie Strong is getting to commit to Louisville. His two biggest gets have been two defensive studs Demar Dorsey and Jordan Campbell. These two players are some of the biggest defensive names in college football defense. Demar Dorsey was originally committed to Michigan but was denied admission and Jordan Campbell was a member of the USC Trojans until USC was spanked with severe penalties due to the Reggie Bush scandal. But there is more to Jordan Campbell's story than that.

Demar Dorsey: Dorsey was the 12th ranked prospect in the country but was denied admissions by Michigan. The University will not release exactly why he was denied but one can assume the reasoning. Dorsey was arrested twice as a juvenile for burglary and one of those times he used a deadly weapon. Dorsey admitted his involvement but was not convicted due to the fact that he was a minor and his attorneys made a plea deal that involved community service and "alternative programs", whatever that means. Coach Strong's former team Florida stopped recruiting Dorsey because of his off the field trouble.

Jordan Campbell: Jordan Campbell was envisioned to be the next coming of Troy Polamalu and Rey Maliuga at USC. He is now transferring to the University of Louisville supposedly because of the sanctions handed down to the Trojans by the NCAA. But if you dig a little deeper, Campbell has had some trouble in Southern California. He was arrested in Nantucket, Massachusetts for "breach of the peace" in 2009. I am assuming that means he got drunk and was loud and disorderly. Perhaps a fight was involved, perhaps not. Besides, what the hell was a kid from California doing in MA? Also, Campbell was on the verge of being kicked off the team as recently as April 2010. He missed the early part of USC's spring practice because of missing classes, tutoring sessions and breaking team rules. Coach Lane Kiffin would not specify exactly how Campbell got to the point of almost being kicked off of the team. He was also just suspended again after spring practice due to the same mysterious reasons. There seems to be more reasons for Campbell leaving USC than just sanctions.

These are familiar waters for the Cardinal football program. Willie Williams is the first name that comes to mind. Williams was a huge recruit and landed in Miami until it was revealed that he had been arrested 11 times. The infamous U told him to take a hike. He then transferred to Louisville where he was later dismissed from the team for multiple reasons. Another Louisville football player, Rod Council, was arrested in 2008 for robbing a gas station in North Carolina. He was kicked off the team.

Bobby Petrino won at UofL and even brought an Orange Bowl victory to the school. He was known for getting these types of troubled players to come play for Louisville when other top tier programs would pass on them because of academic reasons or because of criminal records. The Petrino era was known for two things: winning and trouble off the field.

When Kragthorpe came in as coach the players were not getting in as much trouble but he was a loser, plain and simple. Gone were the days of winning bowl games and being ranked in the top 25. He ran a clean program but not a winning program. He was fired after 3 dismal seasons and rightfully so.

Louisville then hired Charlie Strong, a guy seen as someone that would right the sinking ship. He was the defensive coordinator for Urban Myer at Florida and was there when they won 2 national titles. He knows the SEC and is an expert recruiter. There is a difference between coaching at UofL and coaching at Florida: 1). Louisville plays in the Big (L)east not the SEC; 2). Your top recruits are not looking at UofL as a serious contender.

Strong has realized that he has to stoop to the levels that Petrino did in order to get the caliber players that it takes to win consistently. All of Strong's talk of integrity and doing it the right way may have to take a back seat for the first few seasons that it takes to establish the program to it's once brief but illustrious heights.

Cardinal fans find themselves in a similar situation that Kentucky fans were in when Bill G was fired. Many Cardinal faithful proclaimed that UK had sold their souls to the devil when John Calipari was hired. Many fans also said that Kentucky was a program that would "win at all costs" meaning that it didn't matter the integrity of the coach or the players as long as the program was winning.

Now it looks as if those words have come back to bite those Louisville fans that were so quick to criticize Kentucky. Those fans that cried about DeMarcus Cousins being a thug and that John Wall was a menace to society for going into a vacated home and receiving a citation. Those fans that called out Eric Bledsoe for being a hothead and that were the first to cry "I told you so" when there were questions about his eligibility.

So, Louisville fans, is it OK that Charlie Strong is bringing in two guys that have had run-ins on the wrong side of the law, one having had multiple suspensions from his other team, one player being told "no thanks" by two premier football schools due to his off the field behavior? Because if you are OK with this then I no longer want to hear about Calipari doing what it takes to win, not caring about the integrity of the kids he recruits. DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Beldsoe are saints compared to Strong's new players. Neither one of those kids have a blemish on their legal records, juvenile or otherwise.

Let's just call this what it is: As long as the program is winning then words like integrity, clean and fair go right out the window. And that goes for both teams. Win at all costs, baby. Just don't be a hypocrite while doing it.

Don't look now, but....

It appears that the Cardinal Express may be back sooner than later! Boogiewoogie commented in a post a couple weeks back about how Charlie Strong has not registered even a blip on the college football radar, despite what Cardinal fans think.

I beg to differ son.

In the past week, U of L has picked up two commitments that any team in the mighty SEC would love to have. First there was Demar Dorsey, the kid who originally committed to Michigan but was denied admission. In addition to the Cards, other teams waiting with open arms for this kid were Florida, USC, Tennessee, and Miami, among others. Dorsey was quoted as picking the Cards because,

"It's the beginning of a new era building up a program."

According to ESPN's rankings, Dorsey was the highest rated 2010 recruit not just in Michigan's class, but in the entire Big 10.

Then, news broke today that USC starting linebacker Jordan Campbell is transferring to U of L. Per his Twitter account, Campbell said,

"Coming 2 play ball at the university of louisville coach strong is about 2 bring back football in the state of kentucky."

Campbell was a 4 star inside linebacker in 2007, and was ranked 3rd at his position.

Both of these kids will be eligible to play for the Cards next season, and both will provide an immediate boost to the defense.

You wanna know what the best news is here? Coach Strong's just getting started. Give him a full year of coaching and recruiting, and I'm excited to see how high they can go.

Cat fans, are you scared yet?

My 2 Cents

The University of Kentucky made history on Tuesday night by having 5 players drafted in the 1st round of the NBA Draft. In addition, the Cats had the #1 pick for the first time in school history!

Congrats to them. As a Cardinal fan, I was excited for both T-Will and Earl Clark last year as they both got drafted in the lottery.

However, the responses I heard from non-Card fans revolved around how neither would succeed in the league, as well as how U of L severely underachieved by not making it to the Final Four with two lottery picks.

So, here I am, asking this question: If U of L severely underachieved last year with two lottery picks, how bad did UK blow it with FIVE 1st round draft picks?

Additionally, there are not 5 guys on UK's roster next year that will match this year's draft night success, so how does UK expect to improve on last year's early flame-out?

2010 FIFA World Cup: Ghana put-down style Guide - be offensive without being ignorant

Be on GOOOOAL with some Ghana put downs during the round of 16 in FIFA World Cup 2010.

When you're cheering for the Americans this afternoon (2:30PM EST is Kickoff), you can either blow your vuvuzela obnoxiously and insistently or shout hurtful obscenities towards your opponent - SportsThat wants you to make a better offensive statement.


I'm not condoning inappropriate ethnic slurs or other behavior that is known to European soccer, this is American - we are creative when we are insulting. Here are a few insults you can use when staring down your Ghanaian opponents that won't be counter with the "You're ignorant" response:

1) In Ghana, textiles are very important. Kente is a very famous horizontal woven cloth. It's used in various religious and other important occasions. As you find yourself staring at a deficit and a half empty bottle of beer, turn to your obnoxious Ghana fan and say "Sir, your mother can't weave a Kente if her life depended on it. That might as well be a houndstooth." This will surely upset them to the point they leave in tears.

2) A Ghana loss will knock the last team from Africa out of the only World Cup to ever be held in Africa. A drought to surely extend another few decades. Bamaya is a native dance used to remember drought and celebrate the rich times. When the US has a solid 1-0 lead in stoppage time, you may feel free to turn to your rival and ask them "So are you going to start doing the Bamaya dance for their World Cup drought"... point-set-match!

3) The adult literacy rate in Ghana is 65%, that's slightly lower than that of Valley Station in Louisville, KY. When Tim Howard blocks that penalty kick and points to the scoreboard to show the Ghana player his unsuccessful try give that Ghana fan a "SCOREBOARD, oh do you need me to read it to you?"

4) Ghana was a British colony until 1957 when they became the first African sub-Saharan country to gain their independence. After a dominating performance, ask them "how does it feel to now be owned by another former British colony"... SNAP!!!

5) Ghana is known as a leader in the growth of cannabis which is also known as marijuana, weed, grass, etc. So you can add a little spice to that typical put down and say "What are you smoking? ... oh wait, some Ghana ganja!"

BONUS -- Apparently, the Ghana government paid for 1,000 citizens to go to the World Cup and support their team. Well, funds ran out and all of the fans were forced to return home. The National Government is now being criticized to find out where the money came from and people are asking for full disclosure. So simply see if they participated in possibly illegal activities and ask "Show me the MONEY!"

Saturday Morning Bummer: The Eric Bledsoe Story is Sill Here

A teenage Eric Bledsoe sporting his Birmingham jersey. Is this the face of a cheater? Let's hope not!

What a beautiful day! I'm drinking my coffee, eating some Eggo's and reading the news on the interwebs when my mood all of a sudden turns sour. According to the Courier-Journnal, the Alabama school board is bringing in some help to investigate Eric Bledsoe's GPA leap from 1.9 to 2.5 his junior year.

The school board has hired a retired federal judge and his law firm to do the investigation. I am hoping that this thorough investigation comes out on the right side of things and then that will be the end of things. I'm not so sure that the hiring of this judge bodes well for the Cats. There might be something to this if the school board is using money in order to bring in an entire law firm to research the problem.

All of this could have been avoided if Pat Forde, as I honestly believe this douche-bag is one of the primary leaks, didn't have a personal vendetta against the University of Kentucky. Typing his name makes me want to vomit.

On a lighter note, Card fans are trying to find anything negative about the NBA draft on Thursday night as is evident in the post by the always sad and entertaining Cardchronicle. The sour grapes are irresistibly fantastic.

Well, hopefully team USA can get a win against Ghana today. I am actually going to a bar to watch a soccer match for the first time in my life. I honestly don't know how to feel about that. If they win I will be posting about how great of an experience it was and how patriotic I feel. If they lose I will post how dumb soccer is and how it's not even our game. Stay tuned for the reaction.

Coach Cal in Da Ville

Fresh from being in NYC at last night's draft, the ever tireless John Calipari is in Louisville, KY for his sattelite camp. This is a picutre of Cal with one of Boogiewoogie's friends here. Pretty awesome if you ask me.

Final Draft Musings: John Wall Edition

David Stern, meet your newest super star: John Wall

Here are some final thoughts on last night's draft:

• George Tennet's "Slam Dunk" Pick- For those of you who are not history or political buffs like me, George Tennet was the director of the CIA while W. was in office. He proclaimed that intel that there were WMD's in Iraq was a slam dunk. How did that work out for ya Georgie boy? But the slam dunk last night was Wall going #1 to the Wizards. He is already a household name in DC, he is Reebok's poster boy, and he is already a media darling. All he has to do now is play.


• Jay Bilas will be dead wrong on...-DeMarcus Cousins. Bilas has been dogging Boogie nonstop for about 2 weeks citing his "attitude" problem. Well Jay, what about his on-court performance? The Bil-Dog does praise Cousins' athletic prowess but always ends his praise with criticisms. Proving the ex-Dukie wrong will be a beautiful thing.


• Token White Boy that will suck it up-Gordon Hayward. Hayward was not on any one's radar this time last year. When the Jazz took him in the first year he was greeted with boos. He has taken advantage of his school's Cinderella story and cashed in. Jazz play-by-play announcer David Locke said, "I can't see his obvious NBA skills." Neither can I. Let's call this dude Adam Morrison, Jr.


• The foreign player trend may officially be over- For the past couple of years foreign players seemed to be en vogue. The only foreigner selected in the draft last night was France's Kevin Saraphin at #17 to the Bulls. This compares to 4 drafted in the first round in 2009, 4 in 2008, 5 in 2007, you see the trend right? I guess this has to do with guys like Darko Millicic, Marco Bellinelli, and Victor Claver completely flopping. Not to mention Ricky Rubio not even showing up to play for the TWolves.


• WTF moment-Paul George from Fresno State drafted at #10 by the Pacers. Patrick Patterson had been rumored to be a favorite of the Pacers, but I was baffled when Larry Bird selected this dude. Maybe he's a great player but people in Indiana may be getting a little tired of Larry Legend's draft selections and the overall performance of the team. Indiana used to be a team that was seen as a power in the East but has been a cream puff since Larry took over a s GM. Will the organization fire the living legend? Only time will tell.


• What pissed me off the most- Freaking vuvuzelas in the audience! I am so sick of those things I could puke. They have ruined my viewing enjoyment of the World Cup and they have now infiltrated the draft. I propose on sight shooting of anyone possessing one of these things at American sporting events. If you think this punishment is too harsh then you are clearly stupid and anti-American.


• The constant booing of David Stern was- Confusing. What has David Stern done to garner such hatred?

All Cat's Land on Their Feet in NBA Draft

The NBA Draft took 30 players in the first round last night. Of those 30, 5 were from the University of Kentucky. The Wildcat's broke the record of the most players from one school being drafted. Kentucky also broke into the record books with their first overall #1 draft pick. All 5 Cats were underclassmen with Jr. Patrick Patterson being considered the "Old Man" of the group.


While I was unable to participate in the Jay Bilas drinking game, I personally counted 12 drinks aka instances where Bilas said "Length", "Size", or "Athleticism." But let's take a look at the Draft Cats, where they will play, and see if it was worth coming out when they did.

#1) John Wall, Washington Wizards - Wall came from a broken home. He lived in an apartment with his mom and sister. He often went to bed hungry despite his mom working two jobs to make ends meet. Those days are long gone now. Wall signed his Reebok deal two weeks ago and with the Rookie Salary Scale, he is set to make:

Year 1: 4,286.9 Year 2: 4,608.4 Option Year 3: 4,929.9

That's a total of 13.7 million dollars in the next 3 years. While Wall has won the hearts of D.C., he has said his first purchase will be a new home for his mom.

#5) Demarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings. Marred by rumors and concerns with his attitude, Boogie broke into the league with the Kings. While his personality is his calling card and he is likely to get into a little trouble here and there - he's a good guy that just happens to wear his emotions on his sleeve and in a game of basketball there's a lot of emotions. Cousins reminds me of Chris Webber, tall, athletic, quick for his size, and can find himself in a bit of trouble every now and then. Overall, he'll be a great addition for a team in need of more talent. If everything pans out for Cousins, he's the steal of the draft.

Year 1: 2,812.2 Year 2: 3,023.1 Option Year 3: 3,234.0

Total amount for going to college for one year: 9 million dollars in three years.

#14) Patrick Patterson, Houston Rockets. The rockets already have Chuck Hayes, an undrafted, undersized player from Kentucky. Hayes was known at UK for being high character, his leadership, and his heart. Each one Patrick Patterson has heart a hundred times - just from Jay Bilas' commentary last night. Patterson will come in and play a small 4. The Rockets have a staple of guys now with high integrity and big heart for the game. They are definitely making a push for my fandom.

Year 1: 1,519.4 Year 2: 1,633.3 Option Year 3: 1,747.3

Total amount for going to college for three years: 4.9 million dollars in three years. By coming back for his Junior year, he increased his stock from a 20 something to 14, which made him at least 1.2 million more dollars for his first contract.

#18) Eric Bledsoe, Los Angeles Clippers (via Oklahoma City Thunder) Bledsoe was immediately traded from the land of Kevin Durant to backup status in LA. He'll immediately come in and challenge the incumbent PG Barron Davis who is said to be about 260 lbs right now (Bledsoe comes in around 6% body fat). He is a project at the point, but showed streaks of greatness handling the ball. He seems to get out of control, but for a team that is used to a point guard that runs faster to the doughnuts than the rock, it'll be a welcomed change. I look for Bledsoe to force Davis into a shape other than round and eventually take the starting spot. If Davis doesn't do well with the competition, Bledsoe will be a starter by the end of the season.

Year 1: 1,237.5 Year 2: 1,330.3 Option Year 3: 1,423.1

College Experience Nets: 4 million dollars over the next 3 years. Not a shabby tab for a kid that was living in a $400/month apartment with 3 other people just over a year ago.

#29) Daniel Orton, Orlando Magic. All looked lost after Orton's "promised" land of Oklahoma City stood him up and went a different direction. If Orton fell to the second round, his money would not be guaranteed. Then swooped in the Eastern Conference runners up, Magic. Orton moved from the bench, well, to the bench. By dropping so far in the draft, he will now be behind an even larger shadow in Dwight Howard. Orton should learn a lot from Howard and could always be used as a bit of trade-bait. If Orton sticks around in the Magic, he needs to pick up a few pointers from the perennial All-Star instead of complaining about floor time.

Year 1: 857.0 Year 2: 921.3 Option Year 3: 985.5

What does 3.3 points per game and 13 minutes buy you for 3 years: $2.8 million. Not chump change, but it certainly shines a light on Orton that makes him look like a chump. In three years, he will have made just slightly more than half of what Wall will make next season.

Other Notable Players: Samardo Samuels didn't get drafted last night. As one Cardinal website wrote

Once upon a time, Samuels was among the top three college prospects by every analyst. But when this draft is over, he’s still waiting for his name to be called.

All alone.

Now the former University of Louisville basketball player is off to see the world, taking those talents to who knows where.

Overall the Cats performed in the draft as they did on the court last season - like superstars. The only person that should be happier is John Calipari. This is the type of exposure that last night brought in - you couldn't pay for and is worth more than anything else in the minds of an 16-17 year old high school kid.

Coach Cal and the Draft Cats

John Calipari was present at last nights NBA draft and was once again using his famous hyperbole by claiming that it was the biggest night in the history of the illustrious program. Hold your horses there Cal! No doubt it was a huge night, but the biggest in the program's history? I would say notching 2,000 wins was much bigger as was winning that 7th national championship, or any of them.

I do think it was a HUGE night as far as recruiting and national image is concerned. High school kids were watching other kids not far removed from their age reaching their dreams of becoming professional basketball players and earning millions of dollars. No other school in the history of professional or college basketball has sent 5 guys in the first round of the draft in one night. Kentucky has once again set itself apart from the pack.

Cal was understandably excited when he made his giant proclamation. He was at the draft sitting with DeMarcus Cousins' family, as a father figure. He made this update on his Facebook status during the draft: "Sacramento took a former player of mine, Tyreke Evans, last year with the fourth pick and this year they take my BIG son with the fifth...Demarcus Cousins!"

Cousins was not the only player to receive Calipari Facebook love. He updated his status after every player was drafted. His final post proclaimed "Players 1st at this program! Players first!" There is no doubt that the best interest of his pupils is what is first in his mind. Helping kids into the NBA draft is a part of his job that he takes seriously and that he achieves with astounding results.

His critics and detractors like to point this out as a flaw and the main reason why he hasn't and may never win a title. He gets one and done players and is unable to build a sustainable team. Now all Cal has to do is prove them wrong. And last night's draft will go a long way in getting the proper players to ensure getting that title.

Good luck to all of the "Draft Cats". Make the University and the Big Blue Nation proud. I am now a huge Wizards, Kings, Rockets and Clippers fan. Not a big fan of Daniel Orton but I hope he does well in Orlando.

Sidenote: Universty of Louisville softy Samardo Samuels was not drafted last night. Best of luck to him. There was promising news that he was impressive in workouts but scouts must have watched tape in which he was totally outplayed by any talented big man he ever faced. DeMarcus Cousins included. Too bad 2 Sam cannot come back to the Cards and get abused by Enes Kanter. I was really looking forward to that meeting.

NBA Draft Lottery Analysis

It came, we saw, UK Conqurer. The Draft Cats took the first spot in the 2010 NBA Draft, when John Wall, unsurprisingly, went to the Washington Wizards. Wall managed to sneak his way in between the 4th and 5th spot too with his Reebok commercial (featuring the John Wall Dance).

Evan Turner soon left for Philly at #2 and Derrick Favors went to the Russian New Jersey Nets. Wesley Johnson was paired up with former 'Cuse star Johnny Flynn.

The next Cat went off the board at #5 to the Sacramento. While Demarcus was a King at Kentucky, he'll now be with the Kings of California. Wearing a purple shirt and tie, Boogie seemingly knew he was perfectly suited for the Kings. Jay Bilas praised him highly, which was a surprise, and Jeff Van Gundy said it plainly that he doesn't know about any off-court issues, but Cousins can rebound and any good coach can get him in shape. He'll be playing with Cal's #4 pick Tyreke Evans next season.

The Warriors chose Ekpe Udoh from Baylor with the 6th pick. Udoh was the highest pick from Baylor in school history.

The Detroit Pistons took Greg Monroe out of Georgetown at #7. The 6'10" PF is another big man from a school known to send size to the NBA. The only question is, will Monroe turn into a Patrick Ewing or a Hasheem Thabeet

For the #8 pick, the LA Clippers selected Al'Farouq Aminu from Wake Forest. "Al-Farouq" meaning "The King has Arrived", Stewart Scott says Aminu comes from a line of Nigerian Kings.

Using New York's 2010 first round pick, Utah selected #9 and took Gordon Hayward from Butler. I think this would have been a good spot for Kentucky's Patrick Patterson, but playing for Jerry Sloan and the Jazz should be a good fit for both the player and the team. Bilas says Gordon Hayward reminds him of Luke Jackson... Jackson averaged 3.3 ppg in his 4 years in the NBA.

The Pacers bypassed Ringo and John and picked the other pair of Beetles with Paul George from Fresno State at #10.

Kansas' Cole Aldrich went to New Orleans as the #11 overall pick. Aldrich reminds me of a Greg Ostertag - other than Ostertag had all of his teeth. If he's going to make it in the league, Chris Paul will need to teach him a thing or two - mainly to bend his hat bill.

#12 the Memphis Grizzlies take Xavier (remember it's Zaa-vee-yay) Henry of almost Kentucky fame, but instead he was KU's second in a row. Henry planned to go to Memphis last year, but he'll get paid to play there now.

The only remaining Canadian team, the Toronto Raptors, selected Ed Davis from North Carolina at #13. Davis missed 13 games of 2010 during his sophomore year due to a broken wrist, but managed to lead his team to the NIT finals. That must count for something, as the Raptors selected him over Patrick Patterson - a leader and player with more points, skills, maturity, etc. etc.

The Rockets, having Yao Ming injured this year, started Chuck Hayes in every game at Center. Hayes a high quality, high caliber guy, is a mirror image of the #14 pick Patrick Patterson. Patterson comes in with leadership, attitude, and effort and sneaks into the lottery as Kentucky's third selection.
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That wraps up the lottery analysis. I'll be back on late tonight or in the morning to wrap-up the rest of the 1st round and let you know where the rest of the Cats and if any Cards went! Follow me on twitter (http://www.twitter.com/sportsthat) for up-to-date live results!

John Wall Reebok Commercial

Since John Wall signed with Reebok, I've heard that name more in the last two weeks than the last 10 years.

Here's Walls first commercial.

Rick Pitino Sex Survey

In a classic David Vs. Goliath match, who will come out on top? Insert joke here:

I'm on a roll today so why not just go with it? The potential jurors in the Rick Pitino vs. Karen Sypher extortion trial were given a survey that asked many questions, which included views on extramarital affairs and their ties to the University of Louisville. I wasn't able to obtain a copy of the survey because of anti-UK bias at the Courier-Journal and various amounts of red tape. But if I were to imagine the questions I think they would look something like this...

• Do you like Basketball? A). Yes B). No


• Do you think Rick Pitino is a good coach? A).Yes B).No


• Why if you chose A: A). Because he is all we got B).I like being let down on a consistant basis C). I admire his way with the fairer sex D). I want to be him


• Have you ever fantasized about having sex in a public place like Golden Corral, Porcini's, Arby's? A). Yes B).No


• Do you fancy yourself a swinger? You know, a person that owns a lot of robes, oils, wears silk underpants that can be seen through white pants on national TV, has sex in random public places and in front of people? A). Yes B). No C). Only on the weekends


• Are you a fan of Louisville athletics? A). Yes B). No


• If you chose "A", please explain yourself as to why you are a Louisville fan and then provide your IQ.


• Do you think forced marriages are acceptable? And when we say forced marriages, we aren't talking about cultural arranged marriages, we mean like, "hey man would you marry this crazy bimbo I knocked up to keep her quiet? I'll raise your salary 50%" kind of forced marriages. A). Yes B).No


• If Rick Pitino had sex with your wife would you: A). Be honored B). Seek out a hit man to take the both of them out C). Immediately get yourself and her tested for AIDS and VD D).Extort Rick Pitino for millions of dollars and then go to the Derby and do the John Wall Dance


• What do you think the score for the Louisville vs. Kentucky basketball game will be in 2010: A). 100-57 Cats B). 100-32 Cats C). 1,000,000-0 Cats


• Do you think infidelity is "cool"? A). Only if she is hot B.) Only if abortion is part of the pregnancy question C).Yes D). Only if it is committed on the floor of a restaurant in front of people.

Feel free to leave your answers in the comments section and I will be sure to notify you if you are a good potential juror. Happy surveying!!!

Anti-USA Conspiracy at the World Cup? It Would Appear So

Ok, I hate soccer but what happened today is a pretty damn big deal. The USA advanced to the second round of the World Cup for the first time since 1930 off of a goal by Landon Donovan during extra time. It's the equivalent to hitting a last second three point shot to win by 1 and advance in the NCAA tournament.

A few things:

• Props to the US team for not being down early and not having to fight back for the first time in the World Cup.
• Soccer has now been elevated to front page news in the USA.
• Landon Donovan has finally reached expectations and has solidified himself as the best current US born soccer player and maybe the best US soccer player of all time. Not only did he kick the winning goal against Algeria but he also scored the first goal to rally the US to tie Slovenia. The guy is en fuego.
• Is there an anti-USA conspiracy going on in the World Cup?

I'd like to focus on the last made point. The US could have been up comfortably 1-0 against Algeria in the first 21 minutes of play when Clint Dempsey appeared to have made a goal. The refs called the goal off because of an offsides call. After further review, Dempsey was clearly onside, thus making this the second time in as many games that the U.S. almost got completely Effed in the A at the World Cup.

The first time happened against Slovenia when team USA had a goal called back on a phantom call and had to settle for a tie. If the US would have beaten Slovenia, then the drama today would have been lost.

This begs the question, is the rest of the world out to get us in the World Cup? I'm no expert in soccer but I think that the blown calls were pretty bad and that is the consensus of the continuous talking heads on the 24/7 coverage of the World Cup on ESPN.

We are arguably the most hated nation on the planet. We dominate in just about every sport imaginable and have some of the best athletes in the world living within our borders. We treat soccer like it's the plague when it comes to national interest and I am sure that it sticks in the crawl of the rest of the soccer loving world that we are doing well in the tournament that they live and die for.

I'm not going to blame them for the contempt in which they hold us. When it comes to soccer we don't care. That would be like England throwing together a football team and coming over here and beating the New Orleans Saints. It is unfathomable for that to happen because: A). England doesn't care about football and B). We treat football like they treat soccer. It's our national sport.

I don't put it out of the realm of possibility that the US is being treated unfairly in this tournament. It seems that we are not only playing the world but we are also playing the refs out there on the pitch. But in Donovan we trust. Welcome to icon status Landon.

Terrence Jones Has Landed

The Cats look to be unstoppable with Jones and Kanter in the middle.

Nationofblue.com has reported that Terrence Jones has landed in Lex Vegas. I am hoping that Jones' arrival leaves out any doubt that he will flop back to UDub. The Istanbull, BK, and Stacey Poole are already on campus breaking necks and cashing checks. Doron Lamb and Eloy Vargas need to hurry up and catch the next train to UK so they can start practicing as a team.

Doron Lamb missed his flight to UK according to Jones' Twitter account. That's ok, we still love you Doron! Back to Jones: Other than Enes, I am most excited to see Jones play. I have watched loads of clips of this kid on YouTube and I am thoroughly amazed. There was one clip where Jones dribbles, breaks a kid's ankles, the kid falls down, Jones backs off, motions for the kid to get back up, the kid gets up, Jones then proceeds to take the kid to the rim for a dunk. An OMG actually escaped my lips.

This year we do big things.

The Final Kentucky Wildcat NBA Pre-Draft Analysis

A little over 24 hours from now John Wall will be named the #1 draft pick to the Wizards and will become rich beyond his wildest dreams. The fact that Wall will be the top guy has been no secret ever since the Wizards won the lottery. He is already an instant celebrity in the DC area, he signed a record shoe deal with Reebok (?) and has the skill set to become a premier point guard in the League. Now the question is how long until the John Wall/Stephen Strasburg buddy cop movie comes out. I would pay top dollar to see that.

What about the rest of the Cats? Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton are all set to go in the first round. Or are they? Let's look at some draft projections:

• NBAdraft.net: Wall #1 to the Wiz; Boogie at #5 to the Kings; PPat #12 to the Griz; Daniel Orton #19 to the C's; Eric Bledsoe #28 to the Griz. Interesting to see Patterson and Bledsoe going to the Grizzlies. A good young team that would fit both prospects well.
• Draftexpress.com: Wall #1 to the Wiz; Boogie #5 to the Kings; PPat #13 to the Raptors; Eric Bledsoe #19 to the Celtics; Daniel Orton #21 to the Thunder. I really hope Patterson does not end up in the No Man's Land that is Toronto. Interesting prospect for Orton to be on THE young and up and coming team that is OKC. They were missing a big man to counter the Lakers in the playoffs. That is an ideal situation for him in my estimation.
• Collegehoops.net: Wall #1; Boogie #4 to the TWolves; Eric Bledsoe #14 to the Rockets; Patterson #16 to the TWolves; Daniel Orton #17 to the Bulls. I was surprised at this mock draft by seeing Bledsoe so high and Patterson so low. This seems to go against the grain and the reporting as Patterson has been impressive in work outs and many analysts see him going in the top 15. Although it would be good for Cousins to have a familiar friend on the team with him.
• Hoopshype.com: Wall #1 again!; Boogie #5 to the Kings; Patterson to the Raptors at #13; Eric Bledsoe #19 to the C's; Daniel Orton #21 to the Thunder.

It seems to me that most of these projections are in agreement that Cousins is going in the 4-5 range. He could be higher if it wasn't for that nagging question about his attitude, behavior, maturity, etc... A GM is either going to be a dope for passing on him or a dope for taking him. Cousins is easily the most intriguing and puzzling prospect in the draft.

Patterson is most likely landing in the top 15. There is an outside shot that he ends up at #10 with the Pacers. GM Larry Bird is into character guys and there is no player in the draft with a higher caliber character than Pat. His talent level is being overlooked. Whoever lands Patterson is going to land a gold mine.

Orton and Bledsoe seem to be locks for the first round. It would be advantageous to both players for them to land on young teams rather than established teams. They could get lost in the shuffle on a team like Boston. I feel like they benefit more if they go to younger teams, not necessarily bad teams, but young, talented teams looking for some pieces to add. Memphis and Oklahoma City would be prime spots for both.

Any way you look at it, it is going to a big day for the University of Kentucky. The draft will add fuel to the fire as far as prospects are concerned. It already seems like everybody wants to be Wildcat.

NBA Draft opinions are like(d) and made by...

Jeff Goodman and Jay Bilas of course

Jay Bilas is an ESPN commentator on college basketball. Bilas, like many ESPN analyst, is paid to be opinionated and sometimes thinks people care about his opinions on things outside of his sport. A writer for the Free Press quoted some things Bilas said on a conference call the other day:  

Bilas respects Cousins’ talent, rating him the sixth-best prospect, and saying, “If it were talent alone, then he would be the first or second pick.” But make no mistake: If Bilas were an NBA GM, he would let somebody else gamble on him. Cousins “is a good kid, just immature,” Bilas said. Bilas said NBA front-office types are the guardians of their franchises, and it’s their responsibility to keep away potential negative influences.

Bilas has given his GM opinion for the last few years, making picks like Greg Oden over Kevin Durant in 2007, Hasheem Thabeet, Greg Oden, Ricky Rubio, and Jordan Hill over Tyreke Evans in 2009. The only year he got the #1 pick right was in 2008 and he picked Rose and Beasley. So, in my opinion, Bilas would be fired as anyones GM and his opinion is like - well lets just say its liked by no one. Yet Bilas will still be there Thursday for the draft and still offering his thoughts.

But some people disagree and actually like and respect Bilas's commentating. Jeff Goodman of Foxsports.com came out on Twitter and wrote:

The only guy whose opinion I respect more than mine (just kidding), Jay Bilas, says he wouldn't touch DeMarcus Cousins

With all that said, I will be watching a listening to Bilas Draft analysis. Not so much for his thoughts, but his words. Apparently, there is an underground drinking game revolving around Bilas and his mentioning of Long and Upside. So tune in Thursday on ESPN and stay tuned for the Jay Bilas Drinking Game results! This could turn into a night of Boogiewoogie loses and Demarcus Cousins wins.

The Top 10 Reasons Why I Love Ron Artest

I was quite upset when the Lakers claimed their 16th NBA championship last Thursday night. I was disgusted to see rapist, I mean basketball star Kobe Bryant running around the arena. And then Ron Artest saved the day. How did he do that? I will get to that in my countdown. Ron-Ron became one of sport's most infamous figures in history and was once reviled by fans all over the world. My take is that Ron has a few screws loose, grew up in abject poverty, but ultimately means well. He has become my favorite player in the NBA and here are the top 10 reasons why:

10: Ron-Ron drank hennessey in the Bulls locker room during half-time of games. The former Chicago Bull admitted to drinking "halftime henney" during games. The Bulls stunk awfully bad at the time and I can't blame him for it. Who hasn't wanted to get hammered on the job in the midst of a horribly bad day?

9: He recorded his agent telling him about the deal with the Lakers and the particulars of the contract and posted it on Youtube. Artest received a large sum of money to play with the Lake Show. Artest revealed to the camera after he hung up the phone that he would have played for the Lakers for free. His agent was not happy.

8: Ever feel like bowling with your favorite athlete? Ron Artest made the dreams of his fans in L.A. come true when he Tweeted the location of a bowling alley and invited anyone that could come bowl to come and do so. When a couple of hundred people showed up, Ron threw up the cash for the entire crowd and treated them to food and drinks as well.

7: Another dream is to maybe have your favorite athlete for dinner. One time Ron-Ron was listening to a local sports radio station when he heard a Latina fan of his express her love for him and her wish that he would come over for dinner. He contacted the radio station, got her information and showed up that night. He had a family dinner with her and her children and frequently visits for more meals during the off-season.

6: Ron Artest has interesting hair-do's. But the one that took the cake was when he shaved the Houston Rockets emblem into the side of his head. Dennis Rodman used to color his hair, but Ron-Ron makes his a work of art.

5: There are multiple reasons why players choose the numbers that they wear. The best explanation for the significance of a number has to be the reason why Ron Artest chose the #37 as his number for the Lakers. It signifies the 37 weeks that Michael Jackson's album Thriller stayed in the #1 spot on the Billboard charts.

4: Many people hate Ron Artest because of the Malice at the Palace. I, for one, like him for it. True, he was showing off by laying on the scorers table in protest of a technical foul call, but when he was hit with that beer, it was on. How many of you have ever been splashed with an alcoholic beverage? I have and it is infuriating. Ron-Ron's inner hood came out on full blast and he regulated on some punks. He just did what all of us wish we could do.

3: Ron Artest is a shameless self-promoter and he is proud of it. He never shy's away from an opportunity to talk about his record label, artists on his record label or songs that he is releasing. After the Lakers won game 7, he looked into the camera and started shouting, among other things, "I've got a single coming out tomorrow called 'Champion'! Check out my new single!" Artest also showed up on the Today show after the fight in Detroit, refused to apologized, instead pushing his record. You have to give a guy props for being a good promoter and business man. I haven't heard "Champion" yet but I am looking forward to it.

2: Ron-Ron never leaves an opportunity out to say that he is from the hood. It's the base of who he is as a person and it is an important piece to understanding the puzzle that is Ron Artest. While discussing rough play in an interview Ron described watching one of his friends get stabbed in the chest with a table leg. This happened when Artest was a youngster living in Queens New York. After winning game one of this post season Artest exclaimed "Queens Bridge is in the house!" after an interview with Hannah Storm.

1: Ron-Ron is the most genuine, honest player in the NBA. He will tell you what is on his mind at all times. What won me over once and for all was when he thanked his psychiatrist on national T.V. after winning the championship. Ron was admitting to the world that he has mental problems, he was admitting that he has screwed up in the past, he was admitting that he is seeking help and he was showing people that he overcame huge obstacles to be at the pinnacle of his profession.

Well, there you have it. I am expecting to get hate thrown at me in the comments section for this but I really don't care. I like Ron Artest. He's funny, engaging and he gives the best interviews in all of sports. He is the only guy that has the guts to call out Kobe by saying, "Kobe finally passed me the ball! Kobe never passes me the ball!" Good for you Ron-Ron, good for you.

Breaking and Entering News: Demar Dorsey to Louisville

Louisville is set to accept one-time Michigan one-time Florida recruit Demar Dorsey. Dorsey, a four/five star guy, was originally set to go to Florida, until Charlie Strong went to Candy Mountain Louisville and was signed and sealed to Rich Rodriguez and Michigan until he was denied entry.

Why denied entry? Because Dorsey has been arrested and charged with robbery with a deadly weapon and burglary. Dorsey was acquited on the robbery charge and the burglary count was dismissed.

Louisville fans remember when they signed their last shady recruit - Willy Williams. But hey, that was then this is now. That was former new coach Steve Kraigthorpe. This is current new coach Charlie Strong. Totally different guy, totally different situation.

Hopefully for the Cards, this one doesn't end with Dorsey eating a bag-o-pot at a traffic stop.

So Far - no Fargo

I'm stuck in the airport waiting on standby to get to Fargo, North Dakota and since the invention of the PDA-to-Net app is the best thing since the malaria vaccination, I figured - what better to do when waiting on standby than research the place I will be going.

Fargo, ND - famous for well, the movie Fargo. Anyone that has asked me my destination, has said that exact thing. It makes me wonder why the movie Elizabethtown didn't put E-Town on the map like the Coen brothers film did for the largest town in North Dakota. Where is Fargo? According to the film cover "the middle of nowhere"...

Anways, this is a Sports blog so the great city of Fargo must be relevant and have history surrouding sport, right? Here's a list of the famous citizens born in Fargo and their accomplishments in sport.

Jeff Boschee: North Dakota Mr Basketball of 1998, Boschee went on to play for the University of Kansas from 1998-2002. He averaged 11 points/game under Roy Williams including a career night against Kentucky in March of 1999 when he hit 6, 3-pointers, Boschee did attempt 18 (another career record) 3's for a mere 33% - that's slightly below Rajon Rondo's average.

Dale Brown: The winningest coach in LSU men's basketball history, Brown led the Tigers to Final Four appearances in 1981 and 1986. Brown's 1987 Tigers were also responsible for the Wildcat's worst loss in Rupp Arena (at the time),76-41

Roger Maris: While Steroids later swept Maris' record away - he still claims the most homeruns by a player to not be accused/admit to steroid use. The legendary baseball player is actually from across the river in Minnesota but Fargo call's him their hometown hero. Maris is honored with a 72-foot long glassed-in exhibit at the West Acres Shopping Mall that includes some of the home run balls from 1961, the year he broke Babe Ruth's record with 61 home runs.

Phil Jackson: Jackson is from North Dakota, but not Fargo. He grew up closer to the Sioux Falls region... so really he doesn't fit this list at all.

A Kentucky/NBA Draft Update

So the draft is just a few days away and there are question marks a-plenty surrounding the Kentucky underclassmen. Outside of John Wall at #1, we could see 5 UK players in the first 15 or we could see 2 in the top 10 and the rest scattered towards the end of the round. Let's take a look at the Kentucky class and another local player to make the big-board of possible draftees.

Demarcus Cousins - made his case last week during a mutual workout with Derrick Favors. He'll have another chance today when he goes mano-a-mano with the big man from Georgia Tech. Cousins has made a case for #2 and could also be seen as trouble and drop as far as #7.

Patrick Patterson - has ventured from Utah to Oklahoma to Sacramento to Memphis. He's being looked at by teams with picks from 7-17 and by my predictions, any team that drafts this guy gets an immediate leader, standup guy, and a player that will be around for a long time. Patterson won't carry the stat line but can step-up and in when asked. At his stop in Memphis he was visited by a former Memphis coach that cheered him on.

Daniel Orton - has ceased workouts and cancelled his remaining 6 after what people are suspecting was a promise by the OK-Thunder that they will take him with one of their late first rounders if he is still on the board. Orton is Oklahoma grown and he would certainly favor a chance to stay near his family. OK needs the size inside and could use some good PR in the instance they might lose Chris Paul to NJ.

Eric Bledsoe - was ranked last week as the #3 point guard in the draft by DraftExpress.com. He is still thought to be a mid-to-late first round selection.

Samardo Samuels - the lone Louisville prospect has seen increased highlights and has seen his stock soar. While earlier in the spring he was projected to be a Jamaican League Draftee, he has now been rumored to be in the mid 2nd round and rumors are floating in Cardinal message boards of Samuels even impressing at the t-wolves workouts to be mentioned in the late first.

A Happy Father's Day News and Notes

New Zealand took their first ever World Cup lead this morning and it was against the defending World Cup champion Italian team. Shortly there after, the Italians scored and New Zealand went back to only being known for Kiwi hats and the home of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

But this is Father's Day, while I'm not a dad, I have one... and I actually know who he is - or at least who my mom says he is. So in honor of fathers day, here are some horrible videos for your viewing pleasure:

1.) Apparently, a little known fact to becoming a dad is that you get to be punched in the junk - without someone saying "blow me"... be warned 2hot2handle... be warned


2.) I've seen this guy before and I didn't like him then, now I really don't like him.


3.) Potty Mouth...


4.) A baby Boogiewoogie!!!


5.) Psycho Dad! It's a shame Al Bundy is now on that 'modern family' show... he was such a better parent in the 90's.

Lebron Syndrome's News and Notes

I'd like to thank my psychologist... and Kobe for passing me the ball. Kobe never passes me the ball!

Kobe pulled it off last night. While it looked iffy heading into the 4th Quarter and Kobe's game was definitely not at 100% his team rallied around him and managed to look like players that can support him, versus weighing him down (aka Lebron Syndrome). His off night left room for Pau Gasol and Ron Artest to step in and make some crucial shots. He sneaks into the company of Magic Johnson with 5 rings and now only trails the other MJ (Michael Jordan) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by 1 (6 a piece).

But here are your afternoon notes:

• Phil Jackson left Ron Artest in the game last night with under 1:00 to go in Game 7. He got the ball from Kobe, and a similar feeling must have struck the Zen master when he watched Artest put up a three early in the shot clock. Unlike earlier in the series, he made it, closing the window on Kobe's 5th ring, Phils 11th ring, and Ron's 1st.

• Walter McCarty will be leaving the Cardinal coop and will head north to the Indiana Pacers where he has taken an assistant coaching position.

• The Pacers are also considering adding another UK alumni to their Hoosier mix by selecting Daniel Orton #10 in the NBA draft. Orton has been slotted everywhere from 7-28 and remains the largest mystery of the draft.

• The USA soccer team found themselves in another travesty of soccer - they tied Slovenia 2-2. The amazing part is that the team managed to come from a 2-0 halftime deficit to get the crucial point and keep hopes of advancing alive. The Americans scored a third goal but it was voided by a bad call - a common statement in the game.

• Dick Vitale ranks Kentucky #6 and the Cardinals a surprisingly high #30 in his BDI (I think that's the Bald Dome Index).

6. Kentucky: John Calipari won't rebuild; he will simply reload. Brandon Knight is the latest diaper dandy to have an immediate impact on a Calipari-led program.

30. Louisville: Samardo Samuels left early, but Rick Pitino has a lot of young weapons. Watch for bigger things from Terrence Jennings and Rakeem Buckles."