Egypt re-inforces border

Out of fear that there will be another break-in, Egypt is re-inforcing its border.

Egypt reinforced its border with the Gaza Strip out of concern Palestinians could try to break through again.

The hundreds of Egyptian troops posted along the Sinai-Gaza frontier performed bolstering work on the border wall Thursday in response to hints from Hamas that Palestinians could force their way across.

Jewish leaders defend Hagee

JTA notes that Jewish leaders defended Rev. John Hagee in the New York Times:

A letter from U.S. Jewish leaders to The New York Times offers support for the Rev. John Hagee.

The letter to the editor, signed by some former chairmen of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, is in response to criticism leveled at the evangelical leader and staunch supporter of Israel by Rabbi Eric Yoffie, the president of the Union of Reform Judaism.

In a major speech April 2, Yoffie called on Jews to dissociate themselves from Hagee and the organization he founded, Christians United for Israel, asserting that the pastor did not respect other faiths or the right of Israeli leaders to make territorial concessions.

"Pastor Hagee has been a true friend of Israel for many years," said the letter in Thursday's Times signed by seven former Presidents Conference leaders, including James Tisch, Mort Zuckerman and Shoshana Cardin. "Christians United for Israel is among the strongest supporters of Israel in the United States."

Here is the text of the letter:

Pastor Hagee and Israel
To the Editor:

Re “For McCain, Little Talk of a Controversial Endorsement” (news article, April 8), about the Rev. John C. Hagee and the organization he founded, Christians United for Israel, and the reaction to his efforts on behalf of Israel:

Pastor Hagee has been a true friend of Israel for many years. Christians United for Israel is among the strongest supporters of Israel in the United States.

The signers of this letter have been chairmen of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and we appreciate and respect Pastor Hagee’s dedicated efforts and those of Christians United for Israel.

Harold Tanner
James Tisch
Mort Zuckerman
Mel Salberg
Lester Pollack
Shoshana Cardin
Ken Bialkin
New York, April 8, 2008

This date in Big Blue History

The University of Kentucky football program was launched on April 10, 1891, as they defeated Georgetown College with a final score of 8-2. Happy Birthday to the Kentucky Football program!

This is a program that has given us:

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
George "The Fossil" Blanda (placekicker and quarterback, NFL 1949–1975, HOF 1981)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
Paul "Bear" Bryant (Head Coach, 1946-53, HOF 1986)
Jerry Claiborne (Head Coach, 1982-89, HOF 1999)
Bob Gain (Guard,Tackle, 1947-1950, HOF 1980, Outland Trophy Winner 1950)
Lou Michaels (Tackle, 1955-57, HOF 1992)
Babe Parilli (Quarterback, 1949-51, HOF 1982)

Hat tip: KSR

Judd Apatow honored at Just For Laughs

Just For Laughs has honored comedic genius Judd Apatow.

"Knocked Up" helmer Judd Apatow will be honored as comedy person of the year at the inaugural Just Comedy confab, part of Montreal's Just for Laughs Comedy Festival.

"We are very proud to honor someone who started his career in standup and has become one of the most important and dynamic forces in comedy," Just for Laughs chief operating officer Bruce Hills said Tuesday.

The conference, also announced Tuesday, will gather key players from the comedy industry, provide one-on-one meeting opportunities and include panel discussions, master classes and "In Conversation With ..." sessions featuring comedy heavyweights. The conference runs July 17-18, while the festival runs July 10-20.

Multihyphenate Apatow's company Apatow Prods. releases the Jason Segal comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" on April 18, with Seth Rogen starrer "Pineapple Express" slated for August.

Katie Couric and CBS parting ways?

The Wall Street Journal reports that CBS News anchor Katie Couric could be departing.

After two years of record-low ratings, both CBS News executives and people close to Katie Couric say that the "CBS Evening News" anchor is likely to leave the network well before her contract expires in 2011 -- possibly soon after the presidential inauguration early next year.

Ms. Couric isn't even halfway through her five-year contract with CBS, which began in June 2006 and pays an annual salary of around $15 million. But CBS executives are under pressure to cut costs and improve ratings for the broadcast, which trails rival newscasts on ABC and NBC by wide margins.

Her departure would cap a difficult episode for CBS, which brought Ms. Couric to the network with considerable fanfare in a bid to catapult "Evening News" back into first place. Excluding several weeks of her tenure, Ms. Couric never bested the ratings of interim anchor Bob Schieffer, who was named to host the broadcast temporarily after "Evening News" anchor Dan Rather left the newscast in the wake of a discredited report on George W. Bush's National Guard service.

Mourning Roundup: Travis Ford Edition

There's a lot of talk in Travis Ford taking the Providence job after saying no to LSU. Providence, in my opinion, would be a big step up from UMass as they are in the Big East. But this is the Big East where teams must be competitive in order to win. The last final four they saw was in 1987 when Billy Donovan was playing under Rick Pitino.

Boston Globe:

On Tuesday, University of Massachusetts men's basketball coach Travis Ford said in a statement he was not a candidate for the opening at LSU and he was looking forward to coaching the Minutemen in 2008-09.

more stories like thisYesterday, Ford and his wife, Heather, met with Providence College athletic director Bob Driscoll in Providence and toured the campus and the Dunkin' Donuts Center, where the Friars play home games.

Tonight, Ford presumably will be at the UMass team dinner, celebrating a 25-11 season and an NIT runner-up finish. Whether he'll also be saying goodbye remains the question. According to sources at Providence and UMass, Ford is the main contender for the PC job and could have an offer he will consider over the next 24 hours.

UMass AD John McCutcheon declined to comment when asked about the status of his coach, who last year signed a contract extension through 2015. "I never comment on speculation," said McCutcheon.

Driscoll was unavailable for comment, but he talked to Ford at the Final Four in San Antonio last weekend and set up the campus tour and a meeting with PC officials yesterday.

Providence Journal:

Ford, 38, is PC’s latest choice to fill its vacant men’s basketball coaching position. He fits several of the parameters the Friars are looking for in a coach. He’s a winner, a creative recruiter and possesses lots of drive.

Perhaps most importantly, he’s a Rick Pitino disciple who lived his dream of playing for the former Friar coach at the University of Kentucky and followed Pitino’s advice to take the reins at his alma mater in Amherst three years ago.

Pitino helped get Ford involved in the Providence search after the Friars’ initial choice, George Mason’s Jim Larranaga, turned down an offer April 2. As of late last night, PC and Ford had not reached a deal on a contract. The job is certainly his to turn down and the Friar community would clearly welcome this resolution to the four-week search to replace Tim Welsh.[...]

Here are some of the issues Ford must be weighing. First, of course, is money. Last April he signed an extension at UMass through 2015 on a deal that offers a base salary of a reported $400,000. He would clearly be able to double his money at Providence and would likely sign a deal for five or six years. It is not known what the buyout figure in his UMass contract may be.

Besides wealth, the issue coaches worry about most is the ability to recruit and win games. He’s clearly proven he can do big things at UMass, although winning 25 and 24 games the last two seasons as an Atlantic 10 member and not gaining access to the NCAA’s must be frustrating.[...]

Ford is a basketball-lifer who has stars in his eyes. He averaged more than 30 points a game as a high school senior but when he wasn’t recruited by Kentucky coach Eddie Sutton, Ford signed with Missouri. He made the Big Eight all-freshman team but quickly transferred when Pitino was hired to replace Sutton.

At UK, Ford helped Pitino revitalize the great Wildcat program by starting on the 1993 Final Four team and sharing MVP honors as a senior with future NBA guard Tony Delk.

Jeff Goodman reports that there is already an offer on the table.

Ford interviews with Providence

Perhaps this is why Travis Ford turned down the chance to go to Louisiana State?

UMass coach Travis Ford, one day removed from issuing a statement that he wasn't interested in LSU, was on campus at Providence interviewing for the open job Wednesday, UMass confirmed.

Ford played for Rick Pitino at Kentucky. Pitino was a former Providence coach.

Ford led UMass to the NIT title game, losing to Ohio State. Ford wanted to make it clear that he wasn't going to LSU in the statement issued by the school, but it didn't say he was not going to look at other jobs.

"I would like to make clear that I do not want to be considered for the head job at LSU," he said. "There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about me and the job at LSU. I feel that it is necessary to state that I do not want to be considered for the job.

Painful

This was painful to read but it must be read.

Trent Johnson headed to LSU

Trent Johnson is the newest basketball coach in the SEC.

Trent Johnson is leaving Stanford after four seasons to become the new coach at LSU, according to reports in the Louisiana media and online.

Johnson, who led Stanford to three NCAA tournaments and a trip to this year's Sweet 16, has reached a verbal agreement with the Tigers. Former coach John Brady was fired during the 2007-08 season.[...]

Johnson, who had one year left on his contract, was 81-48 with the Cardinal after replacing Mike Montgomery as coach. Montgomery, who spent 18 seasons in Palo Alto, rejoined the Pac-10 last week when he was hired across the Bay at Cal.

At Stanford, Johnson also lost twins Brook and Robin Lopez; the sophomores announced March 31 that they would hire agents and thus forgo their remaining two years of college eligibility.

McCain plays 20 Questions

John McCain, the eldest of the presidential candidates, played twenty questions recently with the LA Jewish Journal.

I spoke to the senator, now the presumptive Republican candidate for president, March 26, while he was in Los Angeles for a full schedule of speeches and fundraisers. One of his local supporters arranged the interview, the only one he's given to the Jewish press since clinching the nomination early last month, and the McCain campaign agreed to talk because they understand something uncommon is happening in this election: The Jewish vote is in play.

A higher percentage of Jews than usual are expected to take a second look at the Republican candidate for president this year. It doesn't happen often, but it's not unprecedented. In 1980, when Ronald Reagan ran for president, he got 38 percent of the Jewish vote. Once again, Republicans believe, this could be their year.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, Jews are like most Democrats, only more so.

"A sizable proportion of Democrats would vote for John McCain next November if he is matched against the candidate they do not support for the Democratic nomination," according to a recent Gallup poll of all Democrats. "This is particularly true for Hillary Clinton supporters, more than a quarter of whom currently say they would vote for McCain if Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee."

On issues of foreign policy, the Middle East and Israel, Jews will be weighing the candidates carefully.

So as pollster Peter Hart told Maureen Dowd last week, the question voters will ask about Sen. Hilary Clinton, is, "Is she honest?" Of Obama they will ask, "Is he safe?"

As for Jews, I suspect the McCain question will be just as simple: "Is he Bush?"[...]

In an election season with a very unpopular war as its backdrop, McCain's serious ideas about Iraq are bound to be demeaned and caricatured, as they already have been, everywhere from YouTube to The Huffington Post. (In fact, McCain has gotten a fairer and more insightful hearing on Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show," where he has made 11 appearances, than he has on HuffPost.)[...]

I started with Israel, asking the senator to compare his policies toward Israel to those of Clinton and Obama. I told him my sense is that over the years a bipartisan consensus has developed on the major Israeli-Palestinian issues, no matter who occupies the Oval Office. McCain deflected.

"Well I don't know what their support is, so it's hard for me to compare it," he said.

He reiterated an often-told story he's made to Jewish groups, about flying to Israel for the first time with the late Sen. Henry "Scoop" Jackson, and landing at the airport, and witnessing Jackson being greeted by Soviet refuseniks he'd helped rescue.

"I'll never forget that one as long as I live," he said.

"Look," he added, "like on other national security issues, it's a matter of knowledge, background, experience and judgment. That's all."

McCain answered comments made quite a while back by those who endorsed him.

There also has been a "Battle of the Advisers" going on, with Republican Jews singling out Obama military adviser General Merrill A. "Tony" McPeak for statements that suggest American Jews wield too much influence over America's Middle East policy. I asked McCain if he puts much stock in such critiques, given that his adviser, former Secretary of State James Baker, has said the same and worse (There was, for instance, Baker's "F--- the Jews," although I didn't cite this example).

"Former Secretary Baker is not a quote 'adviser' of mine," McCain replied. "It was only recently that former Sec. Baker endorsed me. It was just before some of the later primaries. But look, I in no way distance myself from Secretary Baker and my respect for what he's done for the country. We just may not agree on every issue that affects the state of Israel, or other issues."

McCain also defended his support of the controversial Rev. John Hagee, a staunchly pro-Israel evangelical who has been criticized for his anti-Catholic comments. I asked the senator how he would get pro-Israel evangelicals, who have been staunchly opposed to Israel giving up territory or compromising on the status of Jerusalem, to support any peace agreement.

"You can't jump ahead here," he said. "I know they favor a peace process. I know they favor that because of my close relations with them, and pastor John Hagee ... is one of the leaders of the pro-Israel-evangelical movement in America."

I started to correct him -- Hagee and other evangelicals most certainly don't support compromise on territory or Jerusalem, and McCain must know this. That's when I got my first taste of the famous McCain technique: I'll-talk-so-you-can't.

"Look," he cut me off, "I just have to tell you that we should be so grateful for the support of the evangelical movement for the state of Israel, given the influence that they have, beneficial influence that they have over millions of Americans, and then we'll worry about a peace process later on, but I know that they are committed to peace between Palestinians and Israelis as well."

On the Supreme Court:

Then I turned to judicial nominations: McCain is opposed to legalized abortion, and the idea that he could appoint members of the Supreme Court who would overturn Roe v. Wade would be a deal breaker for many otherwise-McCain-leaning Jews. What would he say to them?

"I have no litmus issues, nor is it proper to do so," he said, "but I will nominate judges who will strictly interpret the Constitution of the United States. And if that's the most important issue, that I nominate those people who strictly interpret the constitution of the United States, then I respect [their] priorities."

Is President Jimmy Carter insane?!?

Longtime readers already know that I'm not a fan. I'd have voted for Ronald Reagan in 1980 if I were alive then. Or Ted Kennedy.

But Jimmy Carter wants to meet with a head of a terrorist organization. He's lost any credibility in my book.

Jimmy Carter is planning to meet with the head of Hamas.[...]

Carter's press secretary told FOX News in an e-mail that Carter would visit the Middle East this month. She did not say whether or not he would meet with Meshal.

The United States has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization and the Bush administration has attempted to isolate it diplomatically and through sanctions.

In related news, Richard Falk is being blacklisted following reported that he compared a crackdown to the Holocaust.

Israel is blacklisting a U.N. official who compared its crackdown on the Gaza Strip to the Nazis.

The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said this week it will refuse an entry permit to Richard Falk, who will become the new U.N. rapporteur on human rights in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in June, over a fierce critique of Israeli policies he made last year.[...]

Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 and imposed sanctions after Hamas, an Islamist group sworn to its destruction, took over the territory and launched hundreds of cross-border rocket salvos.

The Foreign Ministry said it wants Falk to retract his Holocaust comparison and ensure that any report he issues on Israeli-Palestinian human rights violations include censure of the Gazan rocket attacks.

Israel and France hold meetings.

High School Musical 4

I think that four is one to many but this is from TV Guide:

This fall's big-screen debut of High School Musical 3 may not be the most anticipated chapter in the franchise anymore. Of course, that's only because there is already the promise of a High School Musical 4.

Disney Channel Worldwide president Rich Ross on Tuesday confirmed that a script is currently being drafted, adding that — at least for now — the newest film would be a TV-movie rather than a theatrical release. Although casting at this point is still up in the air, Ross hopes to retain some of the original ensemble, which is currently gearing up to shoot HSM 3 in Utah.

They have definitely jumped the shark...

Don't count on Ashley Tisdale returning.

No 'HSM4' For Tisdale?: The announcement that Disney is already planning a fourth installment of the "High School Musical" series has fans wondering if Troy, Gabriella, and Sharpay will be back for more singing and dancing. But don't count in Ashley Tisdale just yet. The actress told Us Weekly, "It will always be a part of us that we loved to do. All of us have gone through so much together, like winning the Billboard Award and an Emmy and an American Music Award! That's something that we'll always remember!" So what's next for her? "I'd love to do more romantic comedies in the future.," she added, calling Kate Hudson an inspiration. A "HSM" without Sharpay is not something we're going to be able to handle.

Travis Ford will not budge for LSU

Former Kentucky Wildcat Travis Ford has made it clear that he will not jump to Louisiana State.

Massachusetts coach Travis Ford doesn't want to be considered for the coaching job vacancy at LSU.

"I would like to make clear that I do not want to be considered for the head job at LSU," Ford said in a statement released Tuesday night by UMass.

"There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about me and the job at LSU. I feel that it is necessary to state that I do not want to be considered for the job."

On a related note, Tony Bennett won't be singing in the bayou any time soon.

Tony Bennett will remain the basketball coach at Washington State University.

Bennett is the only coach to take the Cougars to two consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, and he has become a hot commodity among schools looking for coaches.

Contrary to reports, Kevin Love and Darren Collison of UCLA have yet to make their decision on whether they will go pro or not.

Kansas Jayhawk coach Bill Self has made his intentions clear on the Oklahoma State matter.

As he has for a week, Self said he plans to meet with Kansas officials soon about a contract extension.

"What I'd like to have is like everybody'd like to have," Self said. "I'd like to have some security. I don't know what even Kansas would remotely be talking [about]. We haven't even talked about that. When I say security, I mean years, so hopefully that'll happen."

Citing factors such as Kansas' rich hoops tradition, Self said, "I'm not looking for more than what Kansas provides on a daily basis."

The school gave Self a five-year contract extension last season, increasing his annual compensation to more than $1.3 million with a chance to make another $350,000 each year if he meets incentives.

Clinton ads in Pennsylvania

Ed Rendell:


Scranton:

Bayh appears in Clinton ad

Evan Bayh recently appeared in an Indiana advertisement for the next president, Senator Hillary Clinton.

Clinton's first Indiana campaign ad, which began airing this week, features Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind.

Bayh says Clinton has a "spine of steel" and the nation needs a leader who'll fight for good jobs, for changes to trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, and for tax cuts for middle-class families.

Watch:

Bat Cats win with walk-off home run in 12th inning

The University of Kentucky Bat Cats knocked off the Louisville Cardinals in the bottom of the 12th inning with a walk-off home run by Keenan Wiley. The final score from Cliff hagan Stadium was 7-6. To give you an idea of how long it was, it started at 6:30 PM and finished at nearly 11:00 PM.

Recap from the Herald-Leader:

It had all of the elements of any good rivalry game.

Extra innings.

A school-record crowd of 4,009 on hand.

A coach tossed.

And a game-winning hero.

Joe Crawford threw out the first pitch. It was a strike in the bottom lower corner on strike zone.

Coach Billy Gillispie was in attendence although there is no telling as to when he left the game.

As far as rivalry games go, this ending is up there with the 2007 football game on September 15, 2007 where Andre Woodson through a 57-yard touchdown pass to wide reciever Steve Johnson, and the 2004-05 basketball game on December 18, 2004 with Patrick Sparks being fouled while he attempted a three point shot.

Underclassmen declaring NBA Draft intentions

Ah...the offseason chatter. SI tells us who is declaring to go pro or mulling their options.

ARIZONA WILDCATS:
Chase Budinger (sophomore) 17.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG
Jerryd Bayless (freshman) 19.7 PPG

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Ronald Steele

LOUISIANA STATE TIGERS
Anthony Randolph (freshman) 15.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 2.3 BPG

FLORIDA GATORS
Marreese Speights (sophomore) 14.5 PPG and 8.1 RPG

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
Earl Clark (sophomore) 11.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 1.7 BPG

CALIFORNIA
Ryan Anderson (sophomore)

NEVADA
Javale McGee (sophomore) 2.8 BPG, 14 PPG and 7.4 RPG

CBS honors Mr. Wildcat

Bill Keightley is about 35 seconds in and is featured during "in all those years" of the lyrics. The clip is from a game at Freedom Hall

Oh wow...

After an entry was posted earlier today, I find word that I'm quitting. Now if there's anything I know...I am not a quitter. There's a motto from the late basketball coach Jim Valvano that I appreciate:

Don't give up, don't ever give up.

Bluto:

Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it ovr when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Now the different direction that this blog will be going in has yet to be determined...you will just have to wait and see. But if there is one thing I know...I don't quit at anything. I may get distracted from time to time but I certainly don't quit!

Bloggers tour Israel

JTA:

A think-tank affiliated with Jewish Democrats led a U.S. bloggers tour of Israel.

Influential progressive bloggers on the Solomon Project tour of Israel this week include writers for Daily Kos, MyDD and the Huffington Post.

"It is important that progressive bloggers and leaders of progressive organizations learn first-hand about the current situation in Israel," said a statement from the Solomon Project, which is affiliated with the National Jewish Democratic Council. "We also want to provide them with an eye-opening experience that will help them better understand the complexity of the Arab-Israeli conflict."

The tour will meet with Israeli bloggers and journalists, as well as senior Israeli and Palestinian lawmakers and officials.

Republicans have in recent elections depicted such Web sites as anti-Israel, although most of the hostile comments cited in such critiques appear in the comments sections of the blogs.

I have noticed such anti-Israeli comments.

Williams criticized for sporting Kansas sticker

Can someone please tell me why people are debating over North Carolina coach Roy Williams' decision to wear a Kansas sticker last night? It's a non-issue to me. Roy Williams served as a Kansas coach for over a decade and he owes it to his former players to root for Kansas last night.

I read this first. Don't know why this person didn't watch the game but why is wearing a Kansas sticker worth debating.

Some tidbits:

North Carolina coach Roy Williams sat about 10 rows behind KU’s bench with his wife, Wanda, and daughter Kimberly. The former KU coach was wearing a black shirt with a big Jayhawk sticker on it. UNC assistant Joe Holladay, a former KU aide, also was in the area.

Other former KU head coaches in the KU section were Larry Brown and Ted Owens. In other words, all of KU’s former head coaches who are alive attended the title game.

Here's a quote from Williams.

I've got at least nine former (KU) players here pulling for their school. Even if I hadn't given them 15 years, with those relationships, I'm pulling for the Jayhawks.

Previewing next season

Mark Story has a preview of the 2008-09 college basketball season. Here's the UK related ones:

10. A doctor in the house? Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks are the only two proven scorers on the Kentucky roster heading into Billy Gillispie's second year. They were also relegated to the UK bench by the end of this past season because of injuries. It may well be that UK's fate in March 2009 will be determined in the summer of '08 in how Patterson (surgery for a stress fracture in an ankle) and Meeks (a sports hernia) recover from their ailments.[...]

5. King Darius the First. Coming off the ultimate dream season (signing with UK; state championship; Mr. Basketball; meet and greet with George Clooney) for a Kentucky high school player, Mason County's Darius Miller could have more big things immediately ahead. With only two proven scorers (see No. 10) returning on the UK roster, Miller has a chance to emerge as UK's third scoring option as a true freshman.[...]

3. Jasper the friendly point. With Ramel Bradley gone and the eligibility status of prized point guard recruit DeAndre Liggins still to be determined, junior-to-be Derrick Jasper may (re)inherit the Kentucky point guard role. The 6-6 Jasper showed late this past season what a valuable all-around player (rebounding, defending multiple positions) he can be. He has not yet shown that he can run a team against elite-level quickness. If he can't make the point, the current Kentucky roster has no one who can.

2. Lofton redux? While at Tennessee, Maysville's Chris Lofton was a persistent tormentor of his home-state university. Lofton will finally be gone in '08-09. But another Kentucky high school product, McDonald's All-American Scotty Hopson of University Heights, has committed to UT. As a prospect, Hopson was far more hyped nationally than Lofton, but as a high school player he did not have nearly the in-state impact that the ex-Mason County star did. So even if Hopson tears it up in Knoxville, I don't think it will be quite the knife to the heart of Kentucky basketball fans that Lofton was.

1. Complicating life for Billy G.? When Rick Pitino took the Louisville job, it made coaching at Kentucky more vexing for Tubby Smith. Pitino at Louisville is old hat now, but Billy Gillispie's special challenge is shaping up inside the Southeastern Conference. If Travis Ford were to land the Louisiana State job, you would have two former UK players (Ford and John Pelphrey at Arkansas) and a former Lexington high school standout (Darrin Horn at South Carolina) all coaching in the same league as Kentucky. For a UK coach, matchups against guys with such strong Bluegrass State pedigrees become must-wins.

Only 190 days until Oct. 15.

Big Blue Madness cannot come sooner.

The following players will return:

JUNIORS
Jared Carter

SOPHOMORES
Mark Coury, Ramon Harris, Derrick Jasper, Mark Krebs, Jodie Meeks, Dwight Perry, Michael Porter, Matt Scherbenske

FRESHMAN
Patrick Patterson, A.J. Stewart, Mike Williams

RECRUITS
DeAndre Liggins (5 star PG)
Darius Miller (4 star SF)
Joey Galloway (3 star SF, not yet signed)
Landon Slone (walk-on)
Adam Delph (walk-on)

A sign of things to come:
There is still hope that a real deep NCAA tournament run is in our future. Jasper, Meeks, and Stevenson were all four stars. Patterson is a five star. GJ Vilarino, who committed already, is a three star out of Texas and a guard. He's made a verbal for 2009.

As far as 2010 goes, these two players have committed but not signed: Dakotah Euton (PF), and K.C. Ross-Miller (PG)

For Immediate Release

Following the May 2008 primary, I've decided that I will take this blog in a different direction. Same name but different direction. I've been at this since the middle of 2004 (or the end of 2004 depending on whether or not you count the extended hiatus) and blogging about politics has burnt me out completely. Maybe not completely, but with this election who could you kidding?!?

I'm going to keep blogging but only time will tell what this new direction will be...

Will Self stay or will he go?

The college basketball season came to a thrilling in last night and Bill Self commented on the reports out there that Oklahoma State is about to offer millions upon millions to lure Bill Self away from Kansas to coach his alma mater.

ESPN reported that Bill Self prefers to stay at Kansas and hopes that it doesn't get to the point that he will have to listen to what Mike Holder and Oklahoma State has to say.

"That's my alma mater," Self said as he left the interview room after Kansas' 75-68 overtime victory over Memphis on Monday night. "I know people down there. But they haven't contacted me.

"I've said this last week," said Self, a 1985 graduate. "I would recommend they go in a different direction. I still feel that. I'm not going to say that couldn't potentially happen, because I guess it potentially can."

Self said he hopes to meet soon with Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins.

"I want to visit with my athletic director," said Self, who is 142-32 in five seasons at Lawrence. "To be real honest with you, I love Kansas. I love my job here, and hopefully it will be a situation where I can spend a long time here. I'm certainly not looking to leave, but Lew and I got to visit. I'm sure that'll happen in the next couple days."

I said it before and I'll say it again. There are four jobs in college basketball that you just don't walk away from or turn down: Kentucky, Kansas, UCLA, and UNC. Those are, without the shadow of a doubt, the four most storied programs in all of college basketball. Indiana is up there. Duke is up there. Yes, even Louisville would be in my top ten, thanks to the likes of Denny Crum and Rick Pitino. Say what you will about Louisville, but they have great basketball coaches.

What I am trying to say is that Bill Self or Billy Gillispie would be crazy to leave their current jobs for Oklahoma State...it would be a demotion. If this were about presidential candidates, OSU would be a third tier candidate compared to the best of the best. You don't just do that. This isn't like Tubby Smith when he left Kentucky for Minnesota last year because it's a different animal. Tubby wanted to leave the pressure from the fan base.

Gene Wojciechowski chimes in.

Don't do it, Bill Self.

Don't take billionaire T. Boone Pickens' money, even if it means you could walk from Lawrence, Kan., to Stillwater, Okla., on a road paved with his cash.

Don't become Dollar Bill, the guy who gets money whipped into leaving hoops heaven for what has become a hoops graveyard.

Don't leave Kansas for Oklahoma State. Not now. Not ever. And especially not after you just won one of the greatest Final Four championship games of all time.

This, by far, has to be one of the best quotes of the evening:

"All I want to say is I thought we were the national champions," said Memphis coach John Calipari, who was in full zombie mode after the stunning loss. "And that's the great thing about college basketball and sports. Within 30 seconds they make a play and it's OT, and it's on again."

2008 NCAA Tournament Results

NCAA OPENING ROUND
Mt. St. Mary's 69, Coppin State 60

EAST REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
North Carolina 113, Mount St. Mary's 74
Arkansas 86, Indiana 72
Notre Dame 68, George Mason 50
Washington State 71, Winthrop 40
Oklahoma 72, Saint Joseph's 64
Louisville 79, Boise State 61
Tennessee 72, American 57
Butler 81, South Alabama 61

SECOND ROUND
North Carolina 108, Arkansas 77
Washington State 61, Notre Dame 41
Louisville 78, Oklahoma 48
Tennessee 76, Butler 71 (OT)

REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
North Carolina 68, Washington State 47
Louisville 79, Tennessee 60

REGIONAL FINALS
North Carolina 83, Louisville 73

MIDWEST REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Kansas 85, Portland State 61
UNLV 71, Kent State 58
Villanova 75, Clemson 69
Siena 83, Vanderbilt 62
Wisconsin 71, Cal State Fullerton 56
Kansas State 80, Southern California 67
Georgetown 66, UMBC 47
Davidson 82, Gonzaga 76

SECOND ROUND
Kansas 75, UNLV 56
Villanova 84, Siena 72
Wisconsin 72, Kansas State 55
Davidson 74, Georgetown 70

REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
Kansas 72, Villanova 57
Davidson 73, Wisconsin 56

REGIONAL FINALS
Kansas 59, Davidson 57

SOUTH REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Memphis 87, Texas Arlington 63
Mississippi State 76, Oregon 69
Michigan State 72, Temple 61
Pitt 82, Oral Roberts 63
Stanford 77, Cornell 53
Marquette 74, Kentucky 66
Texas 74, Austin Peay 54
Miami (Fla.) 78, Saint Mary's 64

SECOND ROUND
Memphis 77, Mississippi State 74
Michigan State 65, Pittsburgh 54
Stanford 82, Marquette 81
Texas 75, Miami 72

REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
Memphis 92, Michigan State 74
Texas 82, Stanford 62

REGIONAL FINALS
Memphis 85, Texas 67

WEST REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
UCLA 70, Mississippi Valley State 29
Texas A&M 67, BYU 62
Western Kentucky 101, Drake 99 (OT)
San Diego 70, Connecticut 69 (OT)
Xavier 73, Georgia 61
Purdue 90, Baylor 79
Duke 71, Belmont 70
West Virginia 75, Arizona 65

SECOND ROUND
UCLA 51, Texas A&M 49
Western Kentucky 72, San Diego 63
West Virginia 73, Duke 67
Xavier 85, Purdue 78

REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
UCLA 88, Western Kentucky 78
Xavier 79, West Virginia 75 (OT)

REGIONAL FINALS
UCLA 76, Xavier 57

NATIONAL SEMIFINALS
Memphis 78, UCLA 63
Kansas 84, North Carolina 66

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Kansas 75, Memphis 68 (OT)

NCAA Championship Game

Kansas 75, Memphis 68 (OT)

Congratulations to Bill Self and the Kansas University Jayhawks. Rock chalk championship, baby!

Is Mike Holder crazy?!?

Bill Self will not step down as head coach of Kansas to go to Oklahoma State, a team ALSO in the Big 12. Self would be insane to walk away from a good job.

ESPN reports on the ludicrous activity from Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Tulsa World reported Monday that Oklahoma State officials are ready to offer Self, who will coach the Jayhawks in Monday night's national championship game against Memphis, a contract potentially worth at least $3.5 million per season.

The World also reported that the university would consider a $6 million signing bonus for Self if he agreed to a $3.5 million-per deal.

A source close to Oklahoma State told ESPN Radio's Doug Gottlieb that the university has not and will not contact Self or his representatives at any point before his season is complete, including postseason exit meetings with his team and staff, before approaching him about the job.[...]

Following Sean Sutton's resignation under pressure April 1 after two seasons as Oklahoma State's coach, Self was asked if we would consider filling the opening.

"I do care deeply about my alma mater," Self said a few days after reaching his first Final Four and first as the Jayhawks' coach. "I spent 11 years of my life at OSU and everything, but nobody there has contacted me from there. If they were to ask me what they should do, I would suggest they move in a different direction."

According to the World's report, Oklahoma State's ace in its wooing of Self could be supporter Boone Pickens, a Texas billionaire who is extremely fond of the coach's track record.

A financial agreement was reached with former coach Sean Sutton.

Oklahoma State will pay Sean Sutton $2.7 million over 10 years as part of a settlement reached between the university and the former basketball coach who resigned under pressure last week.

The details of the agreement were released Monday by the university. Oklahoma State will pay Sutton $300,000 immediately and the remaining $2.4 million during the next 10 years at $20,000 per month, starting July 1. Sutton will receive the money even if he accepts another coaching position.

University spokesman Gary Shutt says all of the settlement money will come from athletic department funds and not from state appropriations.

Keightley's Korner?

I was reading Jerry Tipton's column and I think that this is a very fitting tribute to the longtime equipment manager.

A Ledford-like laurel. The dedication of a portion of the court to the late, great Cawood Ledford inspired Greg Wilder, a security guard at Rupp Arena. That's the designation of "Cawood's Court" near the spot Ledford sat as he made the play-by-play radio call.

"I would very much like to see the area of the Wildcat bench where Mr. Keightley sat to be made into 'Keightley's Korner,' " Wilder wrote in an e-mail message. "After all, he sat here in this corner for many, many years. It will ALWAYS, ALWAYS be Mr. Keightley's corner.

"I only knew him from my work at Rupp during the UK practices and games, but I can tell you that he was one of the most kind, considerate and gentle human beings that God ever put on this earth."

This was, the tributes to Coach Rupp, Cawood Ledford, and Bill Keightley would all be remembered at the same venue.

Morning Roundup

Congressman Ben Chandler pens an op-ed.

It's of little wonder that Benjamin Franklin is on the $100 bill. His guidance on financial matters remains significant today, even as the bill itself continues to lose value. In an uncertain economy, it is more important than ever to make wise financial decisions. Unfortunately, our federal government has not always followed this sound approach.

Outside my office in Washington sits a sign displaying America's rapidly increasing national debt, much of which is owed to foreign governments. I see this staggering number of $30,000 per citizen every day as I walk into my office - a daily reminder that over the past decade we have not been good stewards of taxpayers' money. America's debt problem translates to personal budgets as well, with Americans averaging over $9,000 per person in credit card debt.

Thinking of these numbers, I am drawn to Franklin's advice: "But, ah, think what you do when you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty." This statement is as true today as it was in his time. I believe that it is imperative that we return to this fiscally sound principle both as individuals and as a nation.

Although today's financial markets look quite different, Franklin's warning, "Remember that credit is money," is still relevant. Indeed, a credit card can be deceptive. It gives us instant access to cash without the feeling that we are spending actual money - that is, until we get the credit card statement. We are met not only with our balances, but often unexpectedly high interest rates and new fees.

An election year can only mean one thing...comedians have plenty of fodder from politics. Need proof? Here you go.

Vice President Tony Rezko is asked: How did you get into office so fast? A day ago he was in prison, and already the new commander-in-chief has granted him a pardon, muscled out the elected VP and installed Rezko in the Obama administration.

"Obama's wanted to pardon me his whole life," the Chicago influence-peddler explains. "He just couldn't do it till he was president."[...]

In an election year when Clinton tries to score debate points by citing a gag from "Saturday Night Live," the hot topic in humor is humor that's topical. The appetite for satire has "never been higher than right now," Second City vice president Kelly Leonard says.[...]

With Second City's shows still in flux, the casts there are having fun dropping in timely references that may or may not stick for the long haul. An impromptu gag about Eliot Spitzer the other day "brought the house down," Leonard says. "Now, I don't know that that will stay in the show. Three weeks from now it maybe will. But six weeks? Probably not."

A Second City show can become static after opening night, when the scenes usually are locked into place for the next several months. But Leonard has urged his directors to keep the references timely, because updates can be made later without rattling the ensembles. "That's the great thing about having improvisational-based performers," he says.

Another way to keep a Second City show fresh is with loosely structured segments that allow for some variation from night to night. The cast of the upcoming mainstage show, "No Country for Old White Men," has been experimenting with one such bit, about British House of Commons members commenting on the doings of the U.S. Congress. It may or may not end up in the final lineup.

This next one is a great read as a Rabbi explores the archeology behind Sodom and Gommorah. It's very detailed and one that appears to be accurate.

You can watch Nick Stoller and Judd Apatow talk to Access Hollywood about Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Could OSU hire Larry Brown as next coach?

Money wouldn't be a problem for Oklahoma State if they do hire Larry Brown--that's a fact.

ESPN has picked up on a Philadelphia Inquirer report that Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown wants to return to coaching.

Larry Brown hasn't officially coached a basketball game in nearly two years, but his head and heart remain in the game, and he said yesterday he hoped to land a head coaching job, either in the NBA or in college, for next season.
"I've got to figure out if I can get a coaching job," Brown said. "I want to get back so bad. I'm so bored."

In January 2007, the 76ers hired Brown as their executive vice president, and he has assisted head coach Maurice Cheeks in evaluating players. Brown also has been a mainstay at Villanova practices, offering Jay Wright support and suggestions on offensive sets.

Although he has had coaching offers since he was fired after one tumultuous season with the New York Knicks in 2005-06, Brown has not found the right opportunity. Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers offered him an assistant job last year, as did Marquette coach Tom Crean, now the head coach at Indiana. Brown also interviewed for the Princeton job.

Brown coached the Sixers for six seasons, leading them to the 2001 NBA Finals. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Here's this tidbit from Yahoo.

Perhaps the Cowboys are getting the hint. News surfaced Sunday that they’ve discussed the opening with former Kansas, UCLA and NBA coach Larry Brown. The hire would be a great one – and, heck, the Cowboys may not have to shell out as much money to get him.

Brown is already a multimillionaire.

RIP: Charlton Heston (1923-2008)

Screen legend Charlton Heston died at the age of 84. May he rest in peace. In my opinion, he's best known as Moshe.

Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing "Ben-Hur" and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the '50s and '60s, has died. He was 84.

The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said.

Powers declined to comment on the cause of death or provide further details.

"Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life. He was known for his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders and resonating voice, and, of course, for the roles he played," Heston's family said in a statement. "No one could ask for a fuller life than his. No man could have given more to his family, to his profession, and to his country."

Heston revealed in 2002 that he had symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease, saying, "I must reconcile courage and surrender in equal measure."

With his large, muscular build, well-boned face and sonorous voice, Heston proved the ideal star during the period when Hollywood was filling movie screens with panoramas depicting the religious and historical past. "I have a face that belongs in another century," he often remarked.

Publicist Michael Levine, who represented Heston for about 20 years, said the actor's passing represented the end of an iconic era for cinema.

"If Hollywood had a Mt. Rushmore, Heston's face would be on it," Levine said. "He was a heroic figure that I don't think exists to the same degree in Hollywood today."

The actor assumed the role of leader offscreen as well. He served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and chairman of the American Film Institute and marched in the civil rights movement of the 1950s. With age, he grew more conservative and campaigned for conservative candidates.

NCAA Final Four

2:00 p.m., LifeLock's Coast to Coast: College Basketball Year in Review (CBS HD)
3:00 p.m., The State Farm Coaches' All-America Team Special (CBS HD)
3:30 p.m., Road to the Final Four "Outside the Games" (CBS HD)
4:00 p.m., The Final Four Show (CBS HD)

Memphis 78, UCLA 63
Kansas 84, North Carolina 66

Some top ten humor...

Top Ten Signs You are Sitting Next to the Pope in Synagogue

10. When he tells you his last name is Ratzinger, you ask if he is related to the Ratzingers in Boro Park
9. Asks who won the Cardinals Game last night
8. Two Words: Yarmulke Envy
7. Finally have the perfect audience for your "A priest, a rabbi walk into a bar" joke
6. You hand him a Hertz Chumash because you think he'll appreciate the Roman numerals
5. Says the 2 seats next to him are reserved for his Father and his Son
4. At Kiddush club, Pope makes b-line to communion wafers a.k.a. TamTams
3. Torah reading describes Ark of Covenant, Pope whispers "Sounds like something I have in my basement"
2. During moment of silence for the Holocaust, you whisper "Guess you guys are used to this"
1. When rabbi speech goes on for more than 30 minutes, he mumbles "Jesus..."

Top Ten Jewish April Fools Day Pranks

10. Change status on Facebook to Engaged (kudos kustanowitz!)
9. Untie 1 knot of tzitzit - when friend puts them on, Bracha Lvatala!
8. Announce that all Subway restaurants have gone kosher
7. Post room on Bangitout.com, unsubtlely forward to roommate
6. Two words: Superglue Shaitel
5. Post birth on onlysimchas.com (you and your boyrfiend's)..extra points if baby picture is not caucasian....or circumcised
4. Start rumor that Matisyahu is not religious anymore
3. Subscribe your irreligious friend up for every torah email list on earth
2. Tell husband you're a Niddah
1. Freak out Rabbi ...show up for minyan on time

And a list of movies coming to a theatre near you.

NIT over, what does Travis do?

The NIT is finished and that means that the University of Massachusetts Minutemen have finished playing their season. This means that the rumors of UMass Coach Travis Ford and a possible departure to Louisiana State University will only get stronger unless both parties involved say that it is out of the picture.

Here's one take on things:

"We've made great strides with UMass basketball, and I'm looking forward to coaching these guys, absolutely," Ford said, while standing on the court at Madison Square Garden after his Minutemen lost to Ohio State in the National Invitation Tournament championship game.

"I've heard everything you guys have been hearing," he continued. "It's been kind of interesting actually to hear everything. It makes me question everything, because I haven't talked to anybody."

The Boston Globe actually has more of the quote:

"I'm excited about the strides UMass basketball made this year and I'm looking forward to coaching these guys," Ford said. "I've heard everything you guys are hearing, but it makes me question some things because I haven't talked to anybody. When you watch something, is it true?

"Well, I haven't talked to anybody."

Asked if he planned on coaching UMass next season, Ford said, "Absolutely. We need to build on this, there's no question."

If someone calls, though, will he listen? "Hey, I haven't even thought about it," Ford said. "But no one has called. That [attention] just goes with success, that goes with winning. That goes when you take over a situation that wasn't doing very well and all of a sudden you get it back very quickly; if they're even talking about that, it's a tribute to this basketball team."

This next one begs to differ:

year after taking over the Final Four without playing in it, shadowing Billy Donovan, Kentucky is taking over SEC basketball without winning the division, the league or a single game in the SEC and NCAA tournaments.

One way or another, Kentucky always wins.

If two sources close to the process are correct, Travis Ford will be the next head coach at LSU. One source who's talked to Ford said there's already been back-channel communication between the two sides.

Ford finished his third season at UMass in the NIT championship game Thursday night. It's no coincidence that LSU has yet to fill the opening created when it fired John Brady in February.

LSU will be the second SEC school to hire a new coach, following South Carolina's decision earlier this week to promote mid-major up-and-comer Darrin Horn.

What do Ford and Horn have in common?

Ford's a Kentucky native who played at Kentucky and coached at Eastern Kentucky. Horn's a Kentucky native who played and coached at Western Kentucky.[...]

Gillispie's unique in another way that highlights a major difference between SEC basketball and SEC football. If LSU hires Ford, he'll be the ninth basketball coach to join the league from a mid-major. Then there's Stansbury, who was promoted from within at Mississippi State.

Only Gillispie (Texas A&M to UK) and Andy Kennedy (Cincinnati to Ole Miss) moved from one power conference to another, and Kennedy was merely the interim head coach at UC.

SEC basketball programs hire coaches who have to prove themselves at this level. SEC football programs don't have the time or the patience for on-the-job training.

Ford, for example, has been a Division I head coach for eight years, but has yet to lead a team to a victory in the NCAA Tournament. He's only had one chance. At Eastern Kentucky. Lost in the first round. To Kentucky.

Arizona hires Kentucky Coach

The Arizona Wildcats women's basketball program has hired a new basketball coach: Kentucky Lady Cats Associate Coach Niya Butts.

The University of Arizona has announced that Niya Butts will take over as the new head coach of the Arizona Wildcats.

Butts comes via the other Wildcats program, that of the University of Kentucky, where Butts served as an associate coach in Kentucky. Butts is a former 2-time NCAA champion player at Tennessee. The 30-year-old coached at Michigan State for one year, Tennessee Technological for two seasons and joined the Kentucky staff in 2003.

Butts is replacing former University of Arizona Head Coach Joan Bonvicini, who coached the Wildcats for 17 seasons.

Well said, Coach Pitino

I've been watching the memorial service to Bill Keightley but there's something that I want to say. I forgive former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino for taking the position with the University of Lousville Cardinals. Here's the video:


I echo Matt's comments at KSR.

Kentucky fans, please--for our sake--forgive Coach Pitino for going to Louisville. You don't have to root for the Cardinals but appreciate what the guy did for us.

UK Athletics has the transcripts available. Here is Coach Pitino's speech in it's entirety:

I look around and so many great thoughts go through all of our minds. When I met Mr. Bill I said, ‘Where do you sit at the games?’ I knew where he sat though, but I wasn’t sure if it was the last seat or a seat behind it. He said, ‘I sit toward the end of the bench.’ Then I said, ‘Sit next to me. Because I have a bad temper and I don’t want to get technical fouls. I don’t think these people in the south trust northerners.’ He said, ‘Coach, I don’t belong up there. That is for coaches.’ I said, ‘From this point on, you are a coach. You make sure every time I get up and cross that box, you stop me and don’t let me get a technical foul.’ So, he sat there, thinking he had a new job on the horizon. The second game of the season, he put his arms up and said, ‘Don’t take a step forward coach.’ I said, ‘If you don’t sit down, you’re going to be one dead man.’ That was the last time he tried to stop me from getting a technical foul.

I look around here with so many great memories and I think the greatest accomplishment I had here was moving him to his rightful place, from the foot of the bench to the head of the bench. We all cry and we all laugh, and for Karen and Hazel, they will go home with the longest memories of all of us.

I learned a long time ago, experiencing certain tragedies, that it was different for me. My side of the family is Italian and my wife is half Irish. I went to wakes and learned it was very different for the Italian side of the family. It was crying hysterically and almost jumping into the grave site. On the Irish side of the family, all they were doing was telling stories, drinking beer and having a great time. After experiencing both sides of the family on numerous occasions, I wanted to be Irish for the first time in my life. Today, I really want to be Irish because I cry and hurt inside for a great friend.

Last week I sat outside some place called ‘Boardwalk Billy’s’ in Charlotte, N.C., very nervous for the basketball game. Vinny Tatum told me that Bill was coming to the game and I couldn’t fathom it or believe it. As I sat outside, I saw Bill walking across the bridge to ‘Boardwalk Billy’s’. It was the strangest thing because he was the last person I thought I’d see at a Louisville NCAA game. I know first hand, it doesn’t matter where I work, that he hated Louisville. The most difficult thing I had to do when I came back was call the players and get their approval. The last phone call I had to make was to Mr. Bill. I said, ‘Mr. Bill, you’re not going to believe this. But, I think I’m going to come back to the state and coach at Louisville.” There was dead silence on the phone and he said, ‘Have you damn lost your mind son?’ I said, ‘No, Mr. Bill, I really miss the state and things haven’t gone well for me in Boston.’ He said again, ‘Son, have you damn lost your mind?’ I did. When Mr. Bill was walking across the bridge, I thought about that phone call. He gave me a big hug and he said, ‘You’re going to beat Tennessee, then you’re going to get even with North Carolina for that Kansas game that first year. You’re going to win it all.’ He pointed to his 1996 Championship ring and said, ‘I want another one of these.’ I walked back to my room, fully knowing that Mr. Bill wanted a Louisville championship ring, but not really. He was just telling me that he cared for me, loved me and wanted me to win that championship as a coach, because that’s what he was all about.

He is the ambassador of Kentucky and he loved the University of Kentucky more than life itself. He knew about loyalty and he knew about friendships. Karen was the apple of his eye, and Hazel the woman he was in love with. Kentucky was the most important thing in his life.

It’s always been tough coming into Rupp Arena because of the great memories I have. But I don’t think it will ever be as tough as it is today. Because, not only was he someone we all looked up to, he was a great friend and a great person. When Cawood Ledford left, we lost a soul at the University of Kentucky and now we have lost a heart. For me, it was the last link I had with this great place.

For all of us, we need to be Irish tonight. All of us need to think of Mr. Bill and celebrate his life. Because, after all, when you describe a great athlete and basketball player, it’s someone that not only statistically shows his greatness, it’s someone who makes everybody better with their presence on the court. The power forward becomes a better rebounder, the point guard becomes a better passer, all because of that great athlete on the court, because their presence makes everyone better. Just think about that great athlete, making others better in life, making others better on the court. Who better than Mr. Bill? I don’t think I would have ever had the fun or the joy, if it wasn’t for that man sitting to my right. He is a true God-send and we will miss him terribly.

Tonight I will wipe away the tears, and though I’m not a big drinker and I could never drink bourbon, I’m going to start drinking bourbon, for the rest of my life in your honor. I don’t know what you liked about it because I tried it once, but I’m going to start trying a small bit of it. I’ll truly celebrate Mr. Bill. We’re all the luckiest people on earth because we got to hang around a treasure for a short period of time. Karen and Hazel, you’re the luckiest of us all. You got to spend the most time with him. We all got cheated and you got the gift of a lifetime. Thank you.

Show Rick some love

If Bill Keightley could still be friends with him after former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino decided to coach Louisville, then you should give Coach Pitino a break.

John Clay shares some advice.

There has been much discussion the past couple of days about what Kentucky basketball could do to honor Bill Keightley's memory next basketball season.

Here's a suggestion:

Show Rick Pitino some love.[...]

Many disowned Ricky P. after that, but not Keightley. He remembered the good times and all Pitino had done for him personally. Keightley wasn't about to turn his back just because his friend was now coaching the archrival. That's why he was in Charlotte.

"You learn about the game of life when you do come back, because you learn about guys like Bill Keightley," said Pitino the next day. "He's never going to like Louisville, it's just not in his makeup. But he understands what friendships and people are all about. And I really appreciate that, because guys like Billy Keightley, they're your friends for life, and a lot of guys I thought were my friends back in those days haven't been my friends."

There's plenty of irony in all this. As ironic as it was that a U of L game turned out to be the last basketball game Keightley witnessed in person, it was also ironic that he died while on his way to attend the Cincinnati Reds baseball opener, during which that franchise was honoring a similar figure.

Joe Nuxhall, the longtime Reds player and broadcaster, as beloved to Reds fans as Keightley was to Wildcats fans, passed away last November. On Monday, the team unveiled a Nuxhall banner in Great American Ball Park, and each of the Reds wore a jersey with "Nuxhall" and the No. 41 on the back during pre-game introductions.

In his blog yesterday, Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty wrote, "To honor Nux, I'm going to try a very simple thing that for whatever reason most of us find very hard to do: Be nice to someone. Go out of my way. A word, an action, a gesture. One a day, in memory of a guy who made being nice a way of life."

Not a bad thought.

It's been seven years now since Pitino took the Louisville job. Oh, he's whined a little since then about the treatment he's received from some UK fans. Pitino is Pitino, after all. But to my knowledge, he's never said anything derogatory or hurtful about his former employer.

On the flip side, for that national title and three Final Fours he brought to Lexington, Pitino has received little more than thundering boos.[...]

Leaving Bill Keightley's chair open at Rupp next season, or naming something after Kentucky's beloved equipment manager might be a fitting administrative tribute to Mr. Wildcat.

But if you want to do something personally to honor Keightley's memory, do as Bill did: Give Rick Pitino a break.

Show him a little love.

Thank you, John Clay.

Andrew Horne to endorse Lunsford

As far as the blogosphere impact goes, this is a big deal. Mark Hebert reports that former Senate candidate Andrew Horne is expected to endorse Bruce Lunsford's candidacy.

This will likely have an impact on all the former Horne supporters who switched their support to Fischer after Horne quit the race. What sort of impact is hard to tell at the moment.

Clinton campaign statement on seating the Florida delegation

The campaign released the following statement after the DNC met with the Florida delegation about seating them.

"We have long maintained that pretending the voters of Florida and Michigan don’t exist is not fair in principle and unwise in practice. This morning’s Quinnipiac poll out of Florida reflects the urgent need for Democrats to get behind our effort to count Florida’s voters and seat its delegation. Chairman Dean is clearly committed to seating the Florida delegation and we urge Senator Obama to join us in calling on the rules and bylaws committee to make this a reality."

Here's the poll results:

FLORIDA:
Clinton 44 - McCain 42
McCain 46 - Obama 37

OHIO:
Clinton 48 - McCain 39
Obama 43 - McCain 42

Jerry Seinfeld not hurt in Hamptons car wreck

AP:

Jerry Seinfeld was in a harrowing rollover wreck but was unhurt after the brakes on one of his vintage cars failed.

Seinfeld was driving alone when the brakes on his 1967 Fiat BTM stopped working Saturday evening, East Hampton Town Police Chief Todd Sarris told the New York Post. Seinfeld tried the emergency brake, to no avail, and then swerved to keep the car from careering into an intersection, Sarris said.

The two-door sedan flipped over and came to a stop just yards from the highway, Sarris said, adding that the comic's maneuver "probably avoided a very serious accident."

The wreck was attributed to mechanical failure, and no summonses were issued, Sarris said. Seinfeld, 53, did not require medical attention and returned to his East Hampton home.[...]

The comedian took the crash in snide.

"Because I know there are kids out there, I want to make sure they all know that driving without braking is not something I recommend, unless you have professional clown training or a comedy background, as I do," the Post quoted him as saying. "It is not something I plan to make a habit of."

The sitcom star, who co-wrote, co-produced and starred in last year's animated "Bee Movie," is also an auto aficionado. He told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in November that his favorite car in his collection is a 1955 Porsche Spyder.

We are pleased that the comedian came out of this without injury.

NBC announced schedule for 2008-2009 season

Variety has some of the highlights but here's a general rundown of things.

NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2008 - 09
*New programs in UPPER CASE (with the exception of "ER")

MONDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "Chuck"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Heroes"
10 - 11 p.m.: "MY OWN WORST ENEMY"

TUESDAY
8 - 9:30 p.m. "The Biggest Loser: Families"
9:30 - 10 p.m. "KATH & KIM"
10 - 11 p.m.: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "KNIGHT RIDER"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Deal or No Deal"
10 - 11 p.m.: "Lipstick Jungle"

THURSDAY
8 - 8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
8:30 - 9 p.m. "30 Rock"
9 - 9:30 p.m. "The Office"
9:30 - 10 p.m. "The Office"/ "SNL THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE"
10 - 11 p.m.: "ER"

FRIDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "CRUSOE"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Deal or No Deal"
10 - 11 p.m.: "Life"

SATURDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "Dateline NBC"
9 - 10 p.m.: "KNIGHT RIDER" (Encores)
10 - 11 p.m.: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Encores)

SUNDAY
7 - 8:20 p.m.: "Football Night in America"
8:20 - 11 p.m.: "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR WINTER 2009
(*New programs in UPPER CASE (with the exception of "ER")

MONDAY
8 - 9 p.m . "Chuck"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Heroes"
10 - 11 p.m.: "THE PHILANTHROPIST"

TUESDAY
8 - 9:30 p.m. "The Biggest Loser: Couples"
9:30 - 10 p.m. "KATH & KIM"
10 - 11 p.m.: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "KNIGHT RIDER"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Deal or No Deal"
10 - 11 p.m.: "Law & Order"

THURSDAY
8 - 8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
8:30 - 9 p.m. "30 Rock"
9 - 9:30 p.m. "The Office"
9:30 - 10 p.m. "THE OFFICE SPINOFF"
10 - 11 p.m.: "ER"/"The Celebrity Apprentice"

FRIDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "Deal or No Deal"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Friday Night Lights"
10 - 11 p.m.: "Life"

SATURDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "Dateline NBC"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Encores)
10 - 11 p.m.: "Law & Order" (Encores)

SUNDAY
7 - 8 p.m. Specials/"Dateline NBC"
8 - 9 p.m.: Specials/"MERLIN"
9 - 10 p.m.: Specials/"Medium"
10 - 11 p.m.: Specials/"KINGS"

NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR SUMMER 2009
(*New programs in UPPER CASE)

MONDAY (January)
8 - 9 p.m.: "American Gladiators"
9 - 10 p.m.: "AMERICA'S TOUGHEST JOBS"
10 - 11 p.m.: "Dateline NBC"

TUESDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: Most Outrageous Moments
9 - 10 p.m.: "America's Got Talent"
10 - 11 p.m.: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Encores)

WEDNESDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "SHARK TAGGERS"
9 - 10 p.m.: "America's Got Talent" (Results Show)
10 - 11 p.m.: "Law & Order" (Encores)

THURSDAY
8 - 8:30 p.m. "The Office"
8:30 - 9 p.m. "THE OFFICE SPINOFF"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Last Comic Standing"
10 - 11 p.m.: "THE LISTENER"

FRIDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: "CHOPPING BLOCK"
9 - 11 p.m.: "Dateline NBC"

SATURDAY
8 - 9 p.m.: Drama Encores
9 - 10 p.m.: Drama Encores
10 - 11 p.m.: Drama Encores

SUNDAY
7 - 8 p.m.: "Dateline NBC"
8 - 9 p.m.: "Monk"
9 - 10 p.m.: "Nashville Star"
10 - 11 p.m.: "KINGS" (Encores)

Beshear talks about proposed budget

Statement:

Governor Beshear issues statement on proposed budget
FRANKFORT, KY – The following statement was issued today by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear in response to the House and Senate budget conferees reaching an apparent agreement on a new biennial budget.

“Like the rest of the state we are only slowly learning the details of the General Assembly’s proposed compromise budget. As the entire document becomes public, we will take time to analyze its various aspects and weigh them against the needs of the state.

“However, I can say I’m disappointed that the proposed budget does not include any plan for additional, recurring revenue so desperately needed by Kentucky.

“As you recall I proposed not one but two plans for recurring revenue -- namely expanded gaming and an increase in the state’s low cigarette tax -- in an effort to move the state forward in the areas of education, health care, public safety and economic development.

“The House of Representatives made its own proposal for additional revenue. However, the Senate majority has refused to consider any new revenue options.

“Without much needed recurring revenues, these and other vital services will not be adequately funded.”

Oklahoma State forces Sean Sutton out

I feel like the administration, from everything that I have read on the subject, forced him to resign. That said, there's no way that Oklahoma State hires Bill Self or Billy Gillispie. If there are four jobs that you would not walk away from, they would be Kentucky, Kansas, UCLA, and North Carolina. These are powerhouses. Obviously, Tubby Smith felt it was in his best interests to walk away because of the pressure. And Rick Pitino wanted to try the NBA but he realized far too late that there was a good thing going on at UK. Roy Williams played for Dean Smith at North Carolina and when UNC called him home, he went back. I realize Bill Self is an OSU alumnus but he's at Kansas, one of the premier jobs in all of college basketball.

AP:

"I think Sean was probably a victim of those expectations," Holder said. "He was put in a tough situation. It's hard enough to follow a legend. But when that legend is your father, that's probably tough to the third power. Perhaps, in a different set of circumstances, he would have enjoyed more success.

"Life is not fair. Athletics is not fair," he said. "At the end of the day, I feel like it's the right decision."

Holder said he and Sutton agreed on Sutton's decision to resign. Sutton did not attend a news conference at the university Tuesday and did not return messages left by The Associated Press on his cell phone.

"It has been a great experience and I have loved every minute of my time here at OSU," Sutton said in a statement released by the university.[...]

Holder said he has not contacted any other schools to ask to speak with their coaches. Two prominent coaches with connections to either Oklahoma State or the state of Oklahoma, Bill Self of Kansas and Billy Gillispie of Kentucky, have indicated they would not leave their current jobs.

"I do care deeply about my alma mater," Self said Tuesday. "I spent 11 years of my life at OSU and everything, but nobody there has contacted me from there. If they were to ask me what they should do, I would suggest they go a different direction. I'm not being remotely disrespectful to my alma mater.

"My intentions are to be here at Kansas, period."

Gillispie, a former assistant under Self at Tulsa, coached at Oklahoma State's Big 12 Conference rival, Texas A&M, until this past season, when he went 18-13 at Kentucky. He never has signed a contract at Kentucky, instead working under a two-page memorandum of understanding that details his compensation package.

Coaching, smoaching: Marquette coach Tom Crean to Indiana University?

That's the word according to ESPN.

Trying to put a tumultuous few months behind it, Indiana University is on the verge of naming a new coach, Tom Crean of Marquette, a source with the school told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday.

The Hoosiers have to hope that the hiring goes more smoothly than the awkward parting with former coach Kelvin Sampson.

Indiana is awaiting a signed letter of agreement from Crean before a deal is finalized, and a tentative news conference has been scheduled for Wednesday to make an announcement.[...]

Crean, who took the Dwyane Wade-led Golden Eagles to the Final Four in 2003, just completed a 25-10 season. Marquette lost to Stanford in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Crean is 190-96 in nine seasons at Marquette and has taken the Golden Eagles to the NCAA tournament five times. Before that, he was an assistant at Michigan State, Pittsburgh and Western Kentucky.

In September 2006, Marquette gave Crean an extension running through the 2016-17 season. The contract makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball.

We think that Indiana made a great choice in Tom Crean...if this is official.

Ken Shulz to retire from WHAS 11

Ken Shulz announced that he will be retiring from WHAS 11 on May 21, 2008. Here's the story from WHAS 11:

Not many people survive three decades in this business, let alone three decades in one market at one station, but that is the legacy of Ken Schulz. Not only did he survive, he thrived and he made WHAS the place to turn for weather for many years.

But after 30 years on the radio and on TV Ken has decided to retire.

Ken joins the list of many well known, broadcast veterans in Louisville. He is an excellent meteorologist and a true professional. Ken Schulz will be greatly missed.

Ken’s last day will be May 21st, which will give us all some time to look back and share with our viewers highlights of his career.

Chief Meteorologist Ken Schulz started his career as a TV weatherman as an experiment. He’s painfully shy and didn’t think he could last 2 ½ minutes in front of a camera giving detailed weather forecast. Ken swears his debut was horrible. So bad that he literally burned all his first show tapes. Now, it takes him 2 ½ minutes just to say his name. He also doesn’t burn his tapes anymore, he microwaves them.

When he was just six years old, living in New Jersey, Ken knew he wanted to be a meteorologist. He was terrified of thunderstorms and needed to know more.

But he says his father’s reaction to the TV weatherman cinched the deal for him. Ken’s dad would yell at the TV nightly and ask, “What other job can you be wrong 50% of the time and still get paid?” Ken thought, “That sounds great to me….I need to look into this!”

He’s a graduate of Parks College of Aeronautical Technology at Saint Louis University. His parents never could believe he graduated with honors! He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Meteorology in 1974, and then entered the work force as an industrial meteorologist in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He moved back to St. Louis as an industrial meteorologist in 1976 before deciding to go into broadcasting and moving to Louisville and WHAS in September 1978.

He might have graduated in 1974 but his education never ends. If it isn’t Mother Nature teaching him new tricks, it’s all the advancements in technology that has occurred over the course of his career.

Tom Dorsey informs us that there will be more turnover at the station but in the meantime, Ken tells us that we are under a flood watch this weekend.

Cards fan site reports Pitino speaking with Indiana

Card Chronicle is reporting that Louisville coach Rick Pitino is in talks with Indiana. I feel like I just got punk'd, especially since there isn't any link.

Apparently there's some truth to the message board chatter that Louisville fans have been brushing off for the last couple of weeks, as ESPN's Pat Forde is reporting that Rick Pitino met with Indiana athletic director Rick Greenspan in Bloomington on Monday afternoon, and cites a source close to Pitino as saying that he is "leaning towards" taking the job.

This news comes just two days after Washington State head coach Tony Bennett turned down the IU job, and just three days after Pitino's Cardinals lost to North Carolina in the Elite Eight.

Even at age 55, it's easy to see why a program like Indiana would view Pitino as an appealing choice. Not only is he the only coach in NCAA history to take three different schools to the Final Four, but he's thrived in rebuilding situations, and revived a Kentucky program mired in probation (a situation whoever takes the Indiana job will likely inherit).

What's less clear to me is why Pitino would view Indiana as an appealing choice. Sure, it'd be another opportunity to prove his genius, but it's unlikely that he'd see a significant increase in pay, he'd be going from the Big East to the Big Ten, and he'd be moving away from his horses and the state that his family loves. The whole thing just doesn't make any sense to me.

This has to be some sort of joke, right?

RIP: Marvin Stone

KSR is reporting that former Louisville and Kentucky center Marvin Stone passed away of a heart attack at the age of 27. This on top of Keightley makes it an even sadder day for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The site says that he passed away during a game against a team called Ohod, which seems to be team of former Cat Jules Camara. The site reports that he had a heart attack during the game and passed away soon after.

My condolences to the Stone family.

This has been posted in two blogs but nothing has been made of it with regards to the general media. I'm awaiting confirmation from University of Louisville's athletic office.

It appears that this has been confirmed now.

This is an outrage!

No, Jimmy, there will not be Tam Tams this year. So the weight loss estimate will be dropped from ten pounds, as was previously estimated by Bear Stearns, to twelve pounds.

What's worse...I had to find out this shocking and outrageous news from a comedian, no less. Not that I mind, I do, but there goes one of my favorite Pesach menu items! Getting rid of the hard as a rock donuts that were kosher for Pesach was the best move ever. But this?!? It's an outrage!

The New York Times reports (and FOX doesn't decide):

Why is this Passover different from all other Passovers — or at least the last 68 of them?

No Tam Tams.

It’s true. Manischewitz, which manufactures the bite-size matzos, says it has temporarily stopped making them at its plant in Newark, leaving many Jews puzzled and disappointed, and officials of the kosher food company scrambling to explain what went wrong.

“What we did was put a brand new oven in our Newark facility,” David Rossi, a spokesman for Manischewitz, said on Thursday. “Much higher speeds, all computer-controlled, a state-of-the-art baking line. That was something we were hoping to have up and running well prior to the Passover baking season. Due to some engineering delays, we missed the window.”

Unfortunately, the plant in Newark is the only one in the world that produces Manischewitz matzos and Tam Tam crackers, Mr. Rossi explained, because the company recently consolidated its operations, which were once in two other New Jersey cities, Jersey City and Vineland.

The news was first reported in The New Jersey Jewish News.

See. There is our problem. It was reported in Jersey's papers. No one reads Jersey's papers. At least I don't. But could one of our friends from Jersey have forwarded it on? Well, it would have been nice.

In December, Mr. Rossi said, company officials were forced to make a difficult decision: temporarily eliminate some of their products or make less of all them. They went with the former, which included halting production of some less popular products like Passover Thin Tea Matzo, Yolk Free Egg Matzo, White Grape Matzo, Concord Grape Matzo and Spelt Matzo.

“Man-Oh-Manischewitz!” sighed Avi Friede, owner of Kosher Nosh Delicatessen in Glen Rock, N.J., invoking a longtime company slogan. “That’s right, I don’t have any Tam Tams on my shelf.”

We mean no offense to the great state of New Jersey.

The LSU opening...does it belong to Travis Ford?

If I were a betting man, I'd say that the Louisiana State men's basketball head coach position would go to Travis Ford. You already saw my post here on the Kentucky ties all over the Southeastern Conference when it comes to the head coaching position in men's basketball.

The Daily Advertiser reports on the current search for a new head coach. It won't be Sean Miller of Xavier. The university requires a $2 million buyout.

The coaches on that list include Virginia Commonwealth's Anthony Grant, who is at the top of the list and is the surest bet to become the next LSU coach. The others, not necessarily in this order, are Travis Ford of Massachusetts, Sean Miller of Xavier, Tony Bennett of Washington State, Jamie Dixon of Pittsburgh, Scott Drew of Baylor, Brian Gregory of Dayton, Chris Lowery of Southern Illinois and Jim Christian of Kent State.

Southern California coach Tim Floyd is not anywhere close on the list but it's been said that he's not interested in the position.

Mark Story writes of the hotbed of SEC coaches and their Kentucky ties.

An overlooked sub-theme of March Madness 2008 has been the prominent role that products of Kentucky high school basketball have played as head coaches.

Western Kentucky's Cinderella run to the NCAA Tournament round of 16 has made Darrin Horn (Tates Creek High class of 1991) one of the nation's hot names in the ranks of coaching up-and-comers -- and the new head man at South Carolina.

In his first season at Arkansas, John Pelphrey (Paintsville class of '87) inherited an underachieving nucleus from Stan Heath and produced a Southeastern Conference tourney upset of Tennessee and an NCAA victory over Indiana.

At Massachusetts, Travis Ford (Madisonville-North Hopkins class of '89) has ridden a March roller coaster as undulating as The Beast. His Minutemen most likely blew an NCAA bid when they lost an 18-point lead in the second half and fell to Charlotte in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament.

Relegated to the NIT, UMass went to Syracuse and erased a 22-point lead in the second half to earn a stirring win that propelled the Minutemen to New York City for a semifinal matchup Tuesday opposite Florida.

Henry Clay High School grads are central to the basketball coaching narrative in Oklahoma. Scott Sutton (class of '89) led Oral Roberts University to its third straight NCAA tourney appearance. Yet his older brother, Sean (HC class of '87), may actually have been more prominent in this year's coaching story line.

Back to Travis Ford. Here's this tidbit as to why he should be the leading candidate for the job.

In theory, Ford should have a leg up for the much-coveted opening at Louisiana State. John V. Lombardi was chancellor at UMass when Ford was hired to coach the Minutemen in 2005. He's now the president of the LSU system.

But can you sell Ford to the public for a job like LSU since he's yet to lead UMass to the NCAA tourney?

The ex-UK point guard does have one thing that seems to qualify a person to be a head basketball coach in the Southeastern Conference. Consider:

Gillispie is head coach at Kentucky; Billy Donovan (Florida) is a former assistant at UK; Dennis Felton (Georgia) is the former head man at Western; Rick Stansbury (Mississippi State) played his high school basketball at Meade County and went to college at Campbellsville; Pelphrey is at Arkansas; and Mark Gott-fried (Alabama) is an ex-coach at Murray State.

With Horn taking the South Carolina job, it means that seven of the 11 SEC head coaches (with LSU still vacant) share one thing in common:

Some significant tie to the place where coaching careers take flight, the state of Kentucky.

Now, tonight is going to be very tough for Kentucky fans. Do we root for our fellow SEC team, Florida, or do we root for UMass since Travis is a coach? Both teams are coached by those with ties to Kentucky and all you have to do is read above. Here's what Florida coach Billy Donovan had to say about Travis.

For the second straight NIT game, Donovan will face a coach with which he has personal ties. Ford played at Kentucky when Donovan worked as a graduate assistant there.

Donovan helped Ford develop when Ford sat out a year after transferring from Missouri. The two often played full-court pickup games deep into the afternoon.

"Back then, I was in much better shape," Donovan said. "He's done a terrific job, first at Eastern Kentucky and now at UMass. My bond with him is probably a little bit different because we were both point guards in similar situations. I really took great interest in him."

And Ford on Donovan:

"He was a great influence on my career and someone I could always turn to for a different perspective," Ford said.

Ford, 61-34 in three seasons at UMass, said Donovan's influence extends into his coaching.

"Just his work ethic," Ford said. "Usually as a coaching staff we divide scouting reports. One year at Kentucky, he did every scouting report that season. No one is going out-work him."

DNC to cancel convention...nominate John McCain

In a shocking press conference yesterday morning, DNC Chairman Howard Dean announced that he made the sole decision to cancel the rest of the primary election season as well as the 2008 Democratic National Committee Convention in Denver.

Citing the flattering attempts by President Bush to broker a deal between the three candidates and increased pressure from the Democratic Party's major donors, Chairman Dean said he finally gave in and told John McCain that the DNC had unanimously approved an endorsement for his presidential election. Here's his full statement to the press:

"It was with heavy regret and much sadness that the DNC has had to come to this decision. After much bickering during the ten year primary campaign between Senators Clinton and Obama, we decided that it is in the best interest of this party to cancel the remaining primary elections and the convention in Denver. I have had private meetings with John McCain, and he has safely assured me that 'we're going to South Carolina and Oklahoma and Arizona and North Dakota and New Mexico, and we're going to California and Texas and New York … And we're going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and Michigan, and then we're going to Washington, D.C., to take back the White House! YeaAHah!!!' He cleary repeated what I told America in Iowa during the 2004 campaign but that's alright because it is his America now. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, it is my pleasure to introduce to you, the next president of the United States of America, my good friend, a true Veteran who needs no introduction, the distinguished Senator of Arizona, John McCain."

McCain appeared on stage with him at that time. "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Members of the press corps, I am as stunned and shocked as you are that we are standing on the stage together. This is America's best interest and I thank you for allowing me to become the president of the United States of Canada."

The press in attendence did a spit-take at that comment. "I mean the United States of America," McCain quickly corrected. "It's early. I haven't had my coffee yet.

When Illinois Senator Barack Obama was told of this, all he could do was weep and say, "Yes, he can win the presidency. Yes, we can agree that John McCain is the change that we seek."

Asked for comments, all New York Senator Hillary Clinton could do was say, "I'm so saddened by this but I'll be back in 2012. The Las Vegas line looks great."

Television commentators were some of the first to chime in.

Hardball's Chris Matthews said that "This is unprecedented. Never in America's history has such an historic election become more historic. This makes the debates a moot point now. The press was just starting to let you know about Barack Obama, the real Obama, and then this happens. I'm astonished. Maybe I should run for president as an independent?"

CNN's Wolf Blitzer couldn't believe it. "It's a cold, wet Tuesday morning but if you were in DC this morning you would have thought that there was a downpoor with all the tears and wet eyes. John McCain is the Democratic and Republican nominee. Is this a good thing for America? I don't know."

Anderson Cooper wanted to get his two cents in. "I don't believe what I just saw. It's amazing. It's different. It's unbelievable. It's now our job to keep them honest."

It was only a matter of hours before The Daily Show with Jon Stewart got word of this. Opening up the show, Jon cancelled his usual monologue and clips and replaced them with a statement, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Democratic Party has jumped the shark! If you missed it this morning, Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic Party, decided to forgo the Pennsylvania primary as well as the other remaining primaries in wanting to avoid a floor fight at this summer's convention. Roll the clip!" The clip of the earlier comments were shown. "If you had your money on John McCain being elected in November, you were on the money. The Democrats gave up before the swiftboating even began!"

Not wanting to be outdone, Stephen Colbert in last night's show decided that the word of the day was to be mockery. "You made a mockery out of the electoral process, Howard Dean. You should be ashamed of yourself. This is a bad move. I, I don't want to have anything to do with you. Forget being placed on notice, Chairman Dean, you are dead to me! Go f*** yourself!" Colbert swore to the audience.

We'll have more as the story develops...