It's about color of money, not power of coal

By John Clay / Herald-Leader Sports Columnist

John Clay

Random notes:

■ If you are uncomfortable about Wildcat Coal Lodge replacing Joe B. Hall Wildcat Lodge — and you should be — then wait until Rupp Arena is replaced by the Yum's Pizza Hut, or the Lexmark Center, or the Fazoli's Forum.

Deep-pocket donors have the University of Kentucky, and most institutions, over a money-green barrel, and they know it. The school needs cold, hard cash to feed its facilities addiction, and it'll agree to just about any transaction condition to support its habit.

It's not about sports, or fossil fuels or future energy. It's certainly not about honoring the past. It's business.

■ A history lesson: Back in the 1980s, UK claimed an indoor football practice facility was the final piece of the puzzle it needed to be competitive in the Southeastern Conference.

Then-football coach Jerry Claiborne worked tirelessly to raise the funds necessary to construct the building next to Commonwealth Stadium.

But when it came time to name the facility, the man who poured his blood, sweat and tears into the program was bypassed for the man, Ervin Nutter, who wrote the biggest check.

Ah, not to worry, while the football team plays on "C.M. Newton Field," at least the coach has his own street, "Jerry Claiborne Way."

I look forward to squeezing my car down "Joe B. Hall Alley."

■ SEC Commissioner Mike Slive is earning the numerals on his paycheck dealing with all his whiny, loudmouth football coaches, and John Calipari and Bruce Pearl haven't even faced off on the basketball court yet.

You could excuse the publicly reprimanded Bobby Petrino and the publicly reprimanded Dan Mullen for throwing salvos at officials after Arkansas and Mississippi State, respectively, suffered bad calls and non-calls on the way to losing nail-biters to defending BCS champion Florida.

But there's little doubt Tennessee's punkish Lane Kiffin has purposely pushed some sort of conspiracy theory, claiming Florida and Alabama always get the calls, then taking a slap at Slive by saying, "I'm sure we'll get one of those letters that means nothing."

First, Kiffin's sour-grapes complaint about Alabama's Terrence Cody removing his helmet after blocking Tennessee's field goal at the end of the game was incorrect. (That's an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that is assessed on the next play, and there was not one Saturday.) Moreover, it was a cry-baby move by a coach who, to this point, has made one really smart move. He convinced his father to join him as defensive coordinator.

■ As for Halloween grid attire, a slouching-toward-traditionalist such as myself stands firmly with the "old traditionalist" Rich Brooks. I say no to black uniforms. These days, they are much too cliché.

■ Am I the only one who believes that the reduction in race dates is good for a struggling sport?

Part of Thoroughbred racing's problem is that the product has been spread much too thin. Too many races. Too many dates.

The reason Churchill Downs' night racing was a hit was because it was new, different and rare.

Same thing for Keeneland. It's long-standing success is built on atmosphere, professionalism and the feeling that the meet is an event worth attending. After all, the meets happen only twice a year.

■ The Kentucky football followers bellyaching about the quarterback rotation are the same Kentucky football followers who wanted Rich Brooks to bench Mike Hartline in favor of either Morgan Newton or Will Fidler. Remember when Brooks said Hartline gave the Cats their best chance at winning?

He was right, then. He's right, now.

■ More fans in need of a chill pill: Tennessee Titans backers who were upset that Jeff Fisher wore a Peyton Manning Colts jersey to a Nashville fund-raiser, saying he wanted to feel like a winner. What was that old Mick Jagger line about "If you can't take a joke ... "?

■ While we're on a fan-reaction rant, yes, Kentucky could have finished with more aplomb last Saturday in that 36-13 win over Louisiana-Monroe. But coming off that keepsake win at Auburn the previous week, the Cats didn't suffer the feared letdown. They scored touchdowns on four of their six first-half possessions and led 28-7 at intermission. And, folks, Monroe is not a bad team.

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.