John Clay: Wall another reason for UK fans to smile

By John Clay / Herald-Leader Sports Columnist

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Random notes:

■ The best part of the John Wall news conference Wednesday was the point guard's smile when asked about the "stellar" recruiting class joining him at Kentucky.

■ OK, that "two or three years" comment from Wall about how long he might stay at Kentucky might be looked upon by opposing coaches as someone yelling fire in a crowded theater.

■ Just when you thought it was only the young people who knew how to use Twitter, Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin is in hot water after sending out a tweet publicizing a football commitment. As 50-year-old John Calipari would tell the 34-year-old Kiffin, you can't do that. If you do, better use code.

■ The best fun now is listening to new Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen rib new Auburn coach Gene Chizik over limos, and ex-Florida coach Steve Spurrier rib current Florida coach Urban Meyer over Notre Dame rumors, and ex-Florida quarterback Shane Matthews getting under Meyer's skin with some criticisms of the current Gators.

■ Speaking of Meyer and skin, it's apparently pretty thin. Meyer: "If you want to be critical of a player on our team or a coach on our team, you can buy a ticket for seat 37F, you're not welcome back in the football office. You're either a Gator or you're not a Gator."

■ Even as a huge Tony Kornheiser fan, I'm not sorry to see him exit Monday Night Football. He was too forced and contrived in that venue. It never seemed smooth. Looking forward to Jon Gruden's take.

■ The Reds need Joey Votto back. A healthy Joey Votto. And please don't mention Nick Esasky, the power-hitting Reds first baseman of the mid-1980s who had his career sidetracked by vertigo.

■ The crowd of just 77,850 at Pimlico on Saturday had more to do with the alcohol ban, the deteriorating track and the weather reports than the state of racing. The TV numbers proved that.

■ Eric Bledsoe's high school coach, Maurice Ford, told the Birmingham News' Kevin Scarbinsky, "Me personally, I think he would've blossomed better at Memphis or Cincinnati, where he could walk in and be the point guard from day one." He's a coach looking out for his player. Nothing wrong with that.

■ How times change: Minnesota is spending $600,000 for a new floor at "The Barn," where Tubby Smith has executed a Golden Gophers revival. When the facility was built in 1928, the entire construction cost of the building was $650,000.

■ You know the economy is bad when even Louisiana State football coach Les Miles might have to take a university-wide furlough. Unlike most college professors, however, the furlough would cost Miles $62,000 a week.

■ Rachel Alexandra's new owner, Jess Jackson, said after the Preakness he would not have run Rachel in the Kentucky Derby. Twenty horses is too many for a filly, he said. Too much of a cavalry charge.

■ There should be a rule that if the Los Angeles Clippers win the NBA Draft Lottery, all those who have declared for the draft may return to college. Even if they've signed with an agent.

■ Even Michael Vick deserves a second chance.

Reach John Clay at (859) 231-3226 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3226, or jclay@herald-leader.com. Read his blog at Kentucky.com.

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John Clay: Wall another reason for UK fans to smile

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