It’s the greatest day of the year in Big Blue Nation.  The first day of basketball practice at most schools is a small event with only players and coaches involved.  But in Kentucky, the home of the greatest college basketball program in history, we do things a lot different.  No where else will you find people camping out days in advance to get tickets to a free event that basically is an introduction of a bunch of college kids, maybe a slam dunk showcase and then a raw scrimmage.  There are tickets on ebay for up to $170 for two.  No doubt, someone will buy them.  We are Kentuckians and we love our basketball, probably more than humanly possible.  Here are three things I can’t wait to see on Friday night in Rupp.

1. The size of this year’s team is remarkably better than years past.  There is not one player on the roster under 6′3″.  That is a big plus because we’ve heard it before that you can’t teach height and length.  I can’t wait to see that height displayed in Rupp.  Athletes tend to find ways to impress and I’m going in to Rupp expecting to be impressed.

2. What kind of tribute will be done for Mr. Wildcat?  I know something will be done, I just hope it is something no one has thought of yet.  I have seen early pictures of the new jerseys honoring him with the first K in Kentucky blacked out.  The ceremony at Big Blue Madness will hopefully be one that doesn’t leave a dry eye in the house.

3. How will we impress the recruits?  In the past few years, madness has dropped it’s intensity and sense of awe.  I don’t know if the move to Rupp has caused this or what but I expect the crowd to bring that intensity back to show the recruits in attendance that we are the Roman Empire of college basketball.  I hope chants are made to each and every recruit to make them know we want them to be in Kentucky blue next year and the future for some.  Here are some of the guys expected to be at Madness:  Five UK commitments are expected at the event, including Scott County’s Dakotah Euton, Clark County’s Vinny Zollo, Madisonville’s Jon Hood, Indianapolis forward Dominique Ferguson and Texas guard G.J. Vilarino.

Uncommitted guys expected to attend are senior Daniel Orton, juniors Russell Byrd, Ian Miller, Brandon Mobley and Ricardo Johnson, sophomores George Fant, Jordan Shanklin, Ryan Taylor and Michael Chandler.

Rock the house Cat fans.  Remember, USCjr  is probably staying at the Hyatt so make as much noise outside as you do inside and maybe we will help out the football Cats while getting to know our basketball Cats.  It may have helped the Cats beat LSU last year so more of the same caouldn’t hurt the cause.

Festivities start with a pep rally at 10 pm and then intros and a little practice before wrapping up at 12 am.  Word is that former Cat Ravi Moss will be hosting the event so make sure you give him some love too.  Feel free to share where you’ll be at, whether in Rupp or watching with some friends at home.  Sound off Cat fans! 

Here is a list of days where Coach Gillispie and the UK basketball staff decided to take up from recruiting.

Now that I’ve gotten that tedious list out of the way, let me tell you about this new player for the Wildcats. His name is Jarvis Walker. Do not confuse him with the football recruit from Louisiana named Jarvis Walker He is from Chicago. He is a 6’4” shooting guard that was originally a *** recruit coming out of high school in 2005. He originally committed to Ole Miss, then reneged on that deal and supposedly committed to Louisville according to Scout. Does the name ring a bell? It should, because Jarvis Walker is the younger brother of former UK superstar Antoine Walker. How about them apples? Is that not a cool piece of news?

Walker was at last weekend’s open gym extravaganza. It was just that none of the people who went to the thing knew who he was. Now that the mystery player has been identified as Walker, it sounds like he’s definitely going to play this season, and he might even be a pretty good one. According to Jerry Tipton, he is just a candidate to be one of the walk-ons, but from the looks of things, he’ll play. Let’s take a look at the short-term ramifications first. Here is another player in the 6’4”-6’7” range that Coach Gillispie has to use at his disposal. By my count, Ramon Harris, Jodie Meeks, Kevin Galloway, Deandre Liggins, Darius Miller, Donald Williams and Jarvis Walker make SEVEN (7) guys of similar stature that can be used at various positions on the court. That is some serious length and depth that Coach can throw out there in various combinations. Length creates havoc on defense, which means turnovers and fast break opportunities. And if that wasn’t enough icing on the cake, how often do you get to have a *** recruit walk on for your team for two years?

The biggest feather in the cap with this situation is that this is Antoine Walker’s brother. Antoine was an absolute beast in his two years with the Wildcats, but I always got the impression that he was a lot like Tony Delk or Walter McCarty, in that he was more loyal to Rick Pitino than the school. Today, McCarty is an assistant coach at Louisville and Delk’s nephew Reginald will play for the Cards this season. I never saw Walker attending UK home games on TV, even though many of our NBA alumni have been able to make it since 1996. I’ve always felt like using former players is an excellent recruiting tool, and something that Tubby Smith never used to his advantage. Look at North Carolina, for example. It isn’t like Roy Williams needs a lot of help recruiting, but I’ve heard stories of Michael Jordan, James Worthy or that prick Vince Carter coincidentally being on campus when a stud recruit was making his visit. Is it possible that the signing of Jarvis Walker is an omen that things are beginning to turn in Kentucky’s favor in this department? NBA alumni are an outstanding resource.

This staff never stops recruiting. Between Walker, Donald Williams and Matthew Pilgrim, Coach Gillispie has signed three players since I started working for this site in June, and two of them will play in this upcoming season. That is tireless recruiting. That is the kind of recruiting the program needs to move back to it’s place among the modern day elite.

I’m Seth Stogsdill. Is it Madness time yet?

Don Haskins died yesterday at age 78. He was one of the biggest social pioneers in the history of college basketball. I’m writing about him because of his obvious link to Kentucky basketball. In 1966, Haskins led Texas Western to the national championship game against Kentucky. It was five black players vs. five white players. I could go all day about the myth of Adolph Rupp being a vehement racist and the context of the game, but that would be inappropriate. I could talk about how uneducated East Coast sportswriters refer to the game as the Brown v. Board of Education of college sports, but once again, this is about Don Haskins, and in the end, his team beat Kentucky. That game opened a lot of doors socially for black athletes and gave them opportunities across the country that they hadn’t enjoyed before, and Haskins deserves credit for that. He deserves credit for looking for the very best players available, regardless of race. It wasn’t like Texas was a squeaky clean and tolerant culture in the 1960s either. It was a risky move, and Haskins pulled it off.

Something else I can admire about Don Haskins was his longevity at Texas Western, later UTEP. Haskins stayed in El Paso for 38 seasons, which is phenomenal. In those 38 seasons, Haskins won 719 games, which is also phenomenal. It isn’t like UTEP ever became a program like Kentucky or Kansas or North Carolina, but the Miners did become a serious mid-major threat in March. His last tournament appearance was in 1992, and I actually have it on tape. The 9-seed Miners beat Evansville in the first round, then shocked top seed Kansas in typical Haskins fashion: hard-nosed defense and physical play. That’s the game I have on tape, and in that game, UTEP made the heavily favored Jayhawks look soft as pillows.

I bring up the style of play for a reason. The second successor to Haskins at UTEP was Billy Gillispie, who led El Paso to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004. Hard-nosed defense and physical play – does it sound familiar? It’s clear that Haskins influenced all of the men who followed him as head coach of the Miners. Check out these quotes from Coach Gillispie from the piece that Andy Katz wrote on Haskins today.

In 2004, Gillispie was the first coach to take the Miners to the NCAAs since Haskins in 1992.
“I was blessed to be a first-time head coach in El Paso because Coach Haskins loved and cared so much about the university and the city,” Gillispie said of his two-year stint at UTEP before he left for Texas A&M and then last season for Kentucky, where he remains the head coach. “He wanted to help, but he never wanted to intrude. He gave me unbelievable help. He was a great sounding board. He was a great friend and mentor.”

“Coach cast such a bright rainbow around the university and the city,” Gillispie said. “It didn’t seem like a day went by that someone didn’t mention the 1966 championship. I can’t imagine any person being more beloved to a university and a city than him. That’s always been his school and his city and it always will be.”

Don Haskins might not be the greatest coach in the history of the game, but he certainly was great. However, I think it’s easy to make the argument that Don Haskins is the most important coach in the history of the game because of 1966.

He will definitely be missed.

This has been a boring week so far. The most significant piece of news was that Midnight Madness was moved up a week to Friday, October 10. This coincides with the time that John Wall is supposed to be visiting Kentucky. I have never thought Kentucky stood a chance with this kid, and I still don’t, but I applaud Coach Gillispie and his staff for throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Wall. He’s worth every effort, and you truly never know what will happen in college basketball recruiting, so keep those fingers crossed.

Another good thing about bumping Madness up one week is that I think there’s a good chance that Coach Gillispie will bring back the Blue/White scrimmage, which I actually enjoy more than Madness. If you recall last year, Coach Gillispie decided not to have the Blue/White game because he needed more time to install his system. Of course, based on November and December, he needed a lot more time than what he was given, so I don’t think having the Blue/White game would have mattered much in the grand scheme. Still, this year players don’t have to adjust to different systems anymore. I don’t think any of the remaining players recruited and coached by Tubby Smith are as firmly entrenched in Smith’s ways as they were last year, so the transition should be a lot easier for newcomers and upperclassmen alike.

In football news, *** OL/TE Ed Hazelett had an interesting quote recently. He said, “I got it down to Kentucky, Cincinnati and Louisville. In watching Louisville, though, I’m not too sure about them.” It sounds like Ed is down to Kentucky and Cincinnati. UC is a rising program with Brian Kelly at the helm, but I could definitely see Kelly taking a job in the Big Ten should one come available. Kelly is one of those hot commodity coaches, a lot like Urban Meyer when he was at Utah, where it’s just a matter of time before a huge program scoops him up. Kentucky, on the other hand, has publicized continuity with its staff. I think the biggest benefit of naming Joker Phillips as the coach in waiting will happen in recruiting. Joker’s the primary recruiter anyway, so guys will know what to expect. A commitment from Ed Hazelett would be huge.

The comments by Ed Hazelett are just a sign of the times when it comes to the recruiting war between Kentucky and Louisville. Let me put it in historical terms. If the battle between Kentucky and Louisville in recruiting was World War II, the game-winning touchdown by Steve Johnson was the moment Hitler decided to attack the Soviet Union. In other words, the tables have turned. Morgan Newton attended last season’s UK/UL game on a visit with Louisville (probably because most of Louisville’s home games were on school nights), and that played a big role in his decision to come to Kentucky. *** linebacker Ridge Wilson from Louisville Central HS attended Sunday’s game and committed to Kentucky shortly after it was over. That’s especially surprising, considering how many Louisville people are on the Central staff. Kentucky is winning the battle on the homefront.

The good guys were lucky to escape Louisville without any major injures, but there was one significant minor injury. Garry Williams has had some swelling in his knee and will undergo an MRI to see what the problem is. As of today, he is doubtful for Saturday’s game against Norfolk State, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be out much longer than that. As long as he’s back by the Alabama game, I think Mike Hartline will be okay.

I’m Seth Stogsdill, and we’re one month away from Madness.

If there was one major concern I had about Coach Gillispie, it might be that he wants to win so badly this season that the recruiting for this season might make landing players in future seasons more difficult. Last week, Donald Williams committed to Kentucky and officially became the 13th and final scholarship player on the UK roster. While I have no problem with Williams (or any of the 2008 recruits, for that matter), I was worried that there would be a problem with having all 13 scholarships filled. With no seniors on the team, Coach Gillispie is either counting on a transfer or somebody going to the NBA to open up an additional scholarship for 2009. The 2009 class will already have Jon Hood, Matthew Pilgrim and GJ Vilarino, but everybody knows how badly Kentucky needs Daniel Orton, the ***** center from Oklahoma City. Counting on a transfer or a pro declaration is risky beyond belief. I think it’s definitely possible that Patrick Patterson will go to the NBA after this season, but what if his stress fracture severely limits his play, or what if he gets hurt again?

Well, it appears that there might be a solution to that problem. The story comes from Marc Maggard. I am neutral on Maggard. While I think he’s really been on the ball in tracking the decisions of this staff, I worry about how he can do what he does as an unofficial recruiting guru. Still, I like believing people when they post good news because it’s pretty easy to accept. Here is the blurb from Maggard regarding Donald Williams.

The most amazing part of this story is that Williams has already agreed that this will be a one year deal. Yes, that’s right. He is on scholarship for 2008, but will NOT be on scholarship in any subsequent years. Donald Williams passed up four year offers from Marquette and St. Johns for a one year deal to the University of Kentucky!

This does not mean that Williams will be transferring after one year. His intentions are to make as big an impact in 2008 as possible and remains as a key member of this squad as a non scholarship player.

Talk about a U-turn. On Friday, the rumor (posted by Matt Jones – echo my thoughts on Maggard, then add the fact that I don’t like him) was that Williams was going to redshirt, which would make his recruitment by Coach Gillispie incredibly stupid in my humble opinion. In fact, the thought of Williams being a redshirt violates every lick of common sense in the world. Why would you recruit a guy that can contribute this season, but then make him sit out this season and tie up a ride for a player like Orton for the next season? Now it turns out that Williams will play this season, which makes all kinds of sense. The best part about all of this (if true) is that he’ll be walking on his last three years. That might make him the best walk-on in college basketball since Christian Moody.

I’m Seth Stogsdill, and Tennessee embarrassed the SEC last night.

I didn’t want to write about basketball this week. It should be the last thing on my mind. It’s Louisville week. That should take precedence over everything in life besides food, water and breathing. I even promised you people that I wouldn’t have anything to say about basketball until after the Louisville game. Because of Billy Gillispie, I am now officially a liar.

The 13th scholarship for the 2008-09 roster has now been filled. The player’s name is Donald Williams. He is a *** recruit, but I believe that if the 2008 class rankings were allowed to have one more revision, he’d be in the **** range. Williams is from Temple Hills, Maryland, and if you believe recruiting analysts Bob Gibbons and Jerry Meyer, this kid is a classic example of a late bloomer. He’s between 6’4” and 6’7”, depending on which convenience store he’s leaving (This is not a true statement – it is a Ron White joke). Unlike every player on this roster of similar stature not named Jodie Meeks, Williams has a reputation as a scorer. Check out this blurb from ESPN.

Six-foot-6 Donald Williams, the 17-Under Select MVP, was one of the major surprise players this past weekend, leading his New Orleans Jazz team to the 17-Under Select championship. Williams finished in the top 10 in scoring and was No. 1 in made field goals with 55 in six games. He uses his extraordinary athleticism to slash to the rim and finish in traffic. Williams will need to improve his perimeter stroke to reach his full potential at the next level. However, he is a definite high-major college prospect with a bright future.

The recruiting just never stops. Look at the length this team will have on the perimeter. I’m splitting the difference on Williams and saying he’s 6’6”.

Ramon Harris – 6’6”
Jodie Meeks – 6’4”
DeAndre Liggins – 6’6”
Kevin Galloway – 6’6”
Darius Miller – 6’7”
Donald Williams – 6’6”

Throw in Patrick Patterson and Perry Stevenson inside and you’ve got yourself one of the longest Kentucky teams in recorded history. These guys should be able to cause the kind of havoc on defense that we haven’t seen at UK since 2003. This should just be a NASTY defensive squad at every single position. All of the guys in the 6’4”-6’7” range have special skills. Meeks and Williams can score. Liggins and Galloway are supposed to be great point guards. Harris is a defensive specialist. Miller is incredibly versatile and coachable.

Kentucky has had a pretty good history with late bloomers. There have been two UK players in recent memory that I think we can label as such. Both guys played in the NBA. Remember Gerald Fitch? How about Kelenna Azubuike? According to the recruiting services, Donald Williams originally had offers from Marquette and St. John’s, but that was before he played in the 17-Under Select tournament. After that, Kentucky and Oklahoma State became interested, and the good guys beat Travis Ford to the punch. I’m ready for both seasons to start. I can’t wait.

I’m Seth Stogsdill, and tomorrow’s column will be about football.

KC already posted on this, but I felt compelled to share my opinion on the matter as well. The University of Kentucky has varied between vague and bipolar when discussing the eligibility of UK point guard prospects Deandre Liggins and Kevin Galloway.

First they’re eligible. Then they might not be eligible.

Now they’re probably eligible, but nobody knows enough information to come up with a good concrete answer.

Then this week, Kentucky released its season prospectus and both guys were on the roster.

Then later that day they went back to not knowing.

I think Coach Gillispie did a smart thing when he told everybody to just assume that Liggins and Galloway would be on the roster unless somebody said otherwise. Since then, nobody has said otherwise.

In fact, Kevin Galloway somehow leaked to some press outlet that he knew he had made it and would definitely be on the roster. Now all that’s left is Liggins.

Which brings me to Baghdad Bob.

For those of you who don’t recognize the nickname, Baghdad Bob was Mohammed Said el-Sahhaf, the Information Minister of Iraq at the time of the US invasion in 2003. In the first month of the conflict, Baghdad Bob made appearances on television every day and gave facetious accounts of what was going on. He said that Americans were killing themselves by the hundreds when American tanks were storming Baghdad and taking it down.

It made for good laughs, but it was painfully obvious that Baghdad Bob either had no idea what was going on or was trying to divert the supporters of Saddam Hussein from what really was happening.

So what does Baghdad Bob have to do with the UK PR department’s handling of the Liggins and Galloway situations?

Basically, both parties have mishandled their respective situations. The only difference is that UK probably didn’t have to deal with death threats from Lee Todd.

Why would you keep countering your previous statements when nobody knows anything? Why would you include both guys in the prospectus, only to go back and say that you don’t have enough information before the end of that day? The Sporting News and other publications are going to be releasing their college basketball previews in about a month, and they will probably be using prospectuses (prospecti?) to compile their rosters.

Other than Jason Parker in 2002, I can’t think of a player who made the prospectus, made the preseason preview magazines and didn’t end up playing, and Parker’s case was a disciplinary one that happened after the release of the prospectus and magazines.

In the case of Deandre Liggins and Kevin Galloway, no news is good news. There is no need to have a press conference and announce that these players are eligible. You expect them to be eligible. I fully expect both guys to be eligible for the 2009 season, and the words of Galloway and Coach Gillispie have made me feel comfortable about this assessment. UK doesn’t have to announce any press conferences about this situation unless there is bad news.

I’m Seth Stogsdill, and I’m ready for this to be over.