Scott Brown's SportsBytes on WKDZ

Tom Leach gives his take on UK's mysterious black uniforms and juggling between UK football and hoops

Tom Leach, the voice of the University of Kentucky Wildcats, was the guest speaker at the annual Christian County UK Alumni Club dinner Tuesday night in Hopkinsville.

You can hear Leach's comments in their entirity on the Saturday Morning Sports Report at 8:10am on WKDZ 106.5 FM.

Tom Leach on this week's game with Mississippi State

 

Tom Leach gives his opinions on UK's mysterious black uniforms

 

Tom Leach talks about juggling his duties between calling UK football and basketball games

 

ESPN reporting John Wall's eligibility at UK in question

ESPN.com is reporting that SEC Commissioner Mike Slive has confirmed there could be some eligibility issues regarding Kentucky freshman John Wall and Mississippi State freshman Renardo Sydney.

Something to do with contact with his AAU coach also being an agent.

HERE IS THE STORY FROM ESPN.com

Malcolm McDuffen commits to Kentucky

Christian County defensive standout Malcolm McDuffen has committed to play football for the University of Kentucky.

Jody Demling of the Louisville Courier-Journal reported on his blog Saturday that McDuffen was at the Kentucky/Louisville game and told Joker Phillips of his commitment following the 31-27 WIldcat win.

Tom Leach in Cadiz to discuss new book on Rich Brooks

University of Kentucky radio announcer Tom Leach was in Cadiz today to speak to the Cadiz Rotary Club about the upcoming football season and to discuss his new book on Wildcat football coach Rich Books entitled "Rich Tradition."

Leach said the inspiration for the book came following UK's 2007 win over top-ranked LSU

You can purchase the book by visting www.tomleachky.com

My interview with Leach and his comments to the Rotary Club can be heard on the Saturday Morning Sports Report at 8:10am this week.

 

Mitch Barnhart: Calipari 'gets it' as 'CEO of Kentucky Basketball'

Mitch Barnhart's job is a little easier these days. 

The questions he gets these days are about rising expectations and the good things his basketball coach is doing.  In just a short time on the job, new UK coach John Calipari seems to be pushing all of the right buttons, which in turn takes some of the heat off Barnhart, who hired Billy Gillispie away from Texas A & M after Tubby Smith left for Minnesota.

We all know how Gillispie's two seasons went in Lexington.

Mitch Barnhart:

"He embraces the opportunity to take on the job and understands what it means.  He is the CEO of basketball at Kentucky, and he understands it."

CLICK HERE for more audio from Mitch Barnhart on John Calipari

Kentucky and Western Kentucky sign 4-year football deal

The University of the Kentucky and Western Kentucky University have signed a four-year football deal that will begin in the 2010 season.

The details were announced at a press conference today at LP Field in Nashville.

Here are some of the details announced at the press conference:

• Commonwealth Stadium will host the games in 2010 and 2012

• LP Field will host the games on Labor Day Weekend in 2011 and 2013

• Kentucky will pay WKU $500,000 to play at Commonwealth Stadium because of ticket allocation.  UK will get a split of the profits of the games played at LP Field

• WKU A.D. Wood Selig said he has been pursuing a deal with UK for while, even joking about camping out on UK A.D. Mitch Barnhart's door to get the deal done.

• Everyone involved said the deal makes sense.

• Each school will get a 30,000 ticket allotment at LP Field.

• Selig estimates the Nashville area has over 10,000 WKU Alumni

• With the addition of Kentucky to their schedule, WKU head coach David Elson joked that Selig had petitioned WKU for entrance into the SEC.  The Hilltoppers open the 2009 season at Tennessee.  Last year, Kentucky beat WKU 41-3.  The Hilltoppers lost to Florida in 2007, Georgia in 2006, and Auburn in 2003 and 2005.

• Nashville Sports Council president Scott Ramsay said the possibility exists down the road for the city to host a neutral site game involving the UK basketball team and the football series could help make that happen.

CLICK HERE for audio from WKU A.D. Wood Selig

CLICK HERE for audio from WKU head coach David Elson

CLICK HERE for audio from UK A.D. Mitch Barnhart

CLICK HERE for audio from U.K. head coach Rich Brooks

 

Follow Scott Brown on Twitter

Coach Cal's Twitter posts from the weekend

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari has nearly 190,000 fans following him on Twitter.  Just what was going on with the coach this weekend?  Here are some of his Tweets from the weekend:

Back in Lexington tomorrow afternoon to visit with folks from Central Bank and Luther Deaton. Thanks for following.about 7 hours ago from txt

    

I have a few things to take care of in NYC tomorrow. More on that later. Will go to St. Patrick's Cathedral in the morning...about 7 hours ago from txt

    

No word from Jodie...Made me run faster 2day around campus...Headed 2 Markey Cancer Fundraiser @ Ashford Farms...Gonna b in NYC 2niteabout 7 hours ago from txt

    

    

http://twitpic.com/7cglr - Here's the pic of Coach hall, two uk students tommy smendinger and tony clarke...Tommy's dad the pres of raceway9:27 PM Jun 13th from TwitPic

    

http://twitpic.com/7c8d7 - With Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson in owners box at KY Speedway.8:11 PM Jun 13th from TwitPic

    

http://twitpic.com/7c7xr - This is what the speedway looks like from the owners box.....anyone want to hear my favorite??? Freisen fire ...8:07 PM Jun 13th from TwitPic

    

Coach hall, two uk students tommy smendinger and tony clarke. Tommy's dad the pres of raceway. Good stuff.4:06 PM Jun 13th from txt

    

They will be out real soon (weeks). They are the first tapes I've ever done. Time to share...I'm getting old!!!1:16 PM Jun 13th from txt

    

Went 4 a run then previewed the new video tapes I did on the dribble drive motion. Watched 3 last night & watched the other 3 today.1:15 PM Jun 13th from txt

    

Let's all say a prayer for him and his family. This one is tough for all. For Bob... let's think about staying in the moment.12:16 PM Jun 13th from txt

    

Sad note.. Bob Frederick passed away. He was the AD @ KU. Great AD but a better person. Leaves behind Margy & 3 sons, Brad coaches @ Vandy.12:14 PM Jun 13th from txt

    

Can't say no to Coach so we are leaving at 3...11:33 AM Jun 13th from txt

    

Had a great meeting w/ coach hall yesterday. We talked basketball & about my team. He invited me 2 go 2 the nascar race @ kentucky speedway.11:32 AM Jun 13th from txt

Billy Gillispie files a federal lawsuit against Kentucky

Former Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie has filed a federal lawsuit in Texas asking for Kentucky to pay him the money he is owed.

But, because Gillispie never signed a contract with the university, he is claiming that Kentucky interferred with his re-negotiations with Texas A & M, which would have paid him around $7 million.

According to the lawsuit when Kentucky first contacted Gillispie about its basketball job he was in the process of negotiating a new seven-year contract with Texas A and M where he was employed at the time.

Here is part of the story from Fox TV 26 in Houston.

The lawsuit states that new deal would have paid Gillispie an annual salary of $1.75 million. The proposed deal was to run through 2015 and if Gillispie had stayed with the Aggies through 2012 he would have received an additional $1 million. If he had stayed through 2015 he would have received yet an additional $750,000. The contract with Texas A and M was never formalized.

In his lawsuit against UKAA Gillispie alleges "defendant intentionally interfered with Coach Gillispie's contract negotiations with Texas A and M through its fraud as well as fraudulent misrepresentation and inducement."

The lawsuit states had defendant not interfered during Gillispie's negotiations with Texas A and M, Gillispie would have gladly remained the head basketball coach with the Aggies.

If this goes to trial, there may be some skeletons in Gillispie's closet that surface that he may not want to become public.

Stay tuned.

CLICK HERE to read the story from My Fox Houston.com

Patrick Patterson to return to Kentucky

Patrick Patterson has taken his name out of the NBA Draft and will return to Kentucky for his junior season, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

“I have the chance to graduate in three years, which is important to me and my family,” Patterson said in a release. “I want to help Kentucky compete for a national title, and even more than that win its eighth national championship. I’m also really excited about playing for Coach (John Calipari) and developing my game in the dribble drive offense.”

CLICK HERE for the story

Kentucky to play UConn in the SEC/Big East Challenge

Kentucky will play UConn in the SEC/Big East Challenge Dec. 9 at Madison Square Garden, according to Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald-Leader.

The other half of the doubleheader has St. Johns playing Georgia.

Tipton said the other matchups in the event had Florida playing Syracuse and DePaul squaring off with Mississippi State.  Those games would be in Tampa.