Our boy Spam’s wife had her photo taken with Demarcus Cousins at an autograph signing in Pikeville. If you haven’t heard of him, check his site out www.spams-ukbasketball.com and click on the image for more photos from the signing.
This is normally where I would post something outrageous about the NY Post or the NCAA’s communist ways, but instead I would like to talk about real heroes. Sites like the one you are reading now normally help in removing you from REAL life’s tragedies and the world’s troubles, if for only a few minutes a day. We write about basketball, football, and whatever other sports or entertainment personalities like they are gods. We discuss and cover our favorite teams as if their success determines our livelihoods and basic way of life.
The thing is, there is a team that does determine our freedom, our way of life, and the types of lives we lead. They have protected the American way of life for around 250 years, quite a bit longer than the University of Kentucky has been playing basketball. The men and women of our armed forces risk life and limb every single day of the year so that folks like us can sit back on a Saturday with a cooler full of cold beer with our closest friends to enjoy what we love the most, the Big Blue and our freedom.
ON behalf of the TGR I would like to thank all of those who have served in our beautiful nations military and a special shout out to those of you serving our country over seas right now. We, as Americans, take your services for granted and sometimes lose track of the fact so many of you are representing us and the fight for freedom. On this beautiful Kentucky Memorial day here in the Bluegrass, we thank you all, and can’t wait for you all to get home.
We get plenty of visits from Iraq and Afghanistan on our site each day, if any of you guys and gals would like to post anything right here on this site, you all have an open invite. Email anything you would like to say about any subject you would like to robpedigo@yahoo.com
Courtesy UK Athletics
Despite having a decent RPI during the regular season, Coach Gary Henderson and the UK baseball team suffered the news that they did not make the NCAA tournament today during the selection show.
The SEC stretch of the season proved to be too tough for the Cats and rightfully so, SEC baseball is king among conferences, with 8 teams making the field of 64.
The Cats finished the year with a 31-25 record (Home: 20-10, Away: 8-15, Neutral: 3-0, SEC: 13-17).
Today we honor those that have and are serving our country. The very reason we are free. We appreciate everything you do for us.
Let’s all celebrate, honor and remember, fire up the grill, head to the pool and forget about sports for one day. Here are the morning links:
- The Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals are set, ESPN takes a look the seasoned past between these two teams
- Remember Heshimu Evans? He’s about to play in the title game in Portugal
- Since we haven’t heard enough on the Bledsoe ordeal, here’s some Q&A on the subject from the Herald Leader’s John Clay
- Rick Bozich at the Courier Journal talks about the new Kentucky and “Teflon” John
- Even with the Reds loss they still maintain a 1 game lead in the NL Central
According to Dana O’neil at ESPN.com, UK could be penalized if Eric Bledsoe is ruled ineligible (which would not make a whole lot of sense because he was already ruled eligible) which could lead to forfeited games or even result in the Cats vacating the entire season.
The source (here we go again), with knowledge of NCAA rules was quoted in the article as “depending on the specific facts that come out.”
The moral of the article is that with the recently changed rules, the NCAA now includes people associated with a particular prospect, that Bledsoe’s rent payment could now be construed as an extra benefit, which in turn could make Bledsoe ineligible under NCAA rules.
At this point UK stated that they had no knowledge of Bledsoe’s “illicit benefits prior to enrolling” and that Bledsoe had undergone rigorous review during the enrollment process for his grades.
Again, I am sticking to my guns on this one. Just because Memphis, USC, and Mississippi State had similar issues it doesn’t mean this instance is the same. Right now everyone is citing sources, the University has no knowledge of an investigation, and the facts are still yet to be exposed.
All we can do is wait at this point and play the cards we are dealt. Of course Coach Cal’s name is going to be plastered all over this and we will have to take the heat while we sit. The NCAA is slow as Christmas in their investigations and reprimands so it very well could be the end of next season before we learn our fate….
Dario Franchitti won his 2nd Indy 500 in a row. Somewhere in Indiana Ashely Judd is very happy. Congrats to the Judds (?).
ESPN: “In one of car racing’s most popular spectacles, Dario Franchitti emerged victorious at the Indianapolis 500 Sunday. Franchitti, who is married to actress Ashley Judd, dominated the race with a near-flawless performance, leading for almost 160 of the 200 total laps. Dan Wheldon took second place. There was no shortage in drama in the event, as the race kicked off with a crash on the very first lap; the first half alone saw four crashes total, including one involving 28-year-old Brazilian Raphael Matos. This is Franchitti’s second taking of the checkered flag—he won the race in 2007 as well.”
I plan on playing in the yard and possibly going to the pool. So should you…. Enjoy some links for now:
Demarcus Cousins attracted over 2,000 fans to an autograph signing at the Town Mall in Elizabethtown
LZ Granderson of ESPN says Big Cuz is Fat, and that’s a problem he needs to overcome
Antoine Walker recently filed for bankruptcy and was foreclosed on, then reached out to Rick Pitino to help him get back in the league
The Los Angeles Lakers closed out the Suns to move on to the NBA Finals against the Celtics
Jerry Tipton catches us up with Harrelson and Hood’s trip to China
In what really shouldn’t matter one way or the other, Derrick Rose tells Cal to stay at UK
John Clay of the Herald Leader wonders how many times Calipari can claim he had no clue
Another Jerry Tipton masterpiece, States that Bledsoe’s coach in high school was no fan of UK
UK released a statement today following the investigation into Eric Bledsoe’s eligibility last season by the New York Times. UK stated that the NCAA Eligibility Center cleared Bledsoe to play after extensive review. Here the actual statement:
“Often high profile student-athletes are selected for an extensive prospective student-athlete (PSA) review…. Eric Bledsoe participated in the normal academic review process and also an extensive PSA review by the NCAA Eligibility Center and was cleared academically.”
Keep digging NY Times…
