Big Blue Madness 2020 Tonight at 8 pm CST on SEC Network: Streaming on ESPN: Played at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky After tonight’s Big Blue Madness event, the first regularly scheduled ballgame is Wednesday, November 25 against Morehead State at Rupp Arena. To add to the excitement, Kentucky will play again on Friday and Sunday. What a ‘slam dunk’ for Kentucky fans and a great beginning to the holiday season. Fans won’t be in attendance since COVID-19 is sweeping through Kentucky and the nation but Big Blue Nation will be able to watch it ‘live’ on the SEC Network for a 90 minute telecast.
One of Kentucky’s local fans, Zac Willis and sports writer for WKY Community Living shared his take on the 20-21 Kentucky Wildcat season in an informative Q&A. What do you think about this year’s Kentucky team potential? Willis: Every year I believe in the Cats and this year’s team is no different. Gonzaga, Kansas, Baylor, Villanova and Duke will be good too. You can’t deny the Kentucky roster. The majority of the team is young but the Cats have some excellent transferred players suiting up this year. I’m excited to see what the 7’0 Olivier Sarr brings to the table. We weren’t sure if he would be eligible to play, but once approved, the players, Kentucky fans (myself included) were ecstatic! What can you tell us about the players? Willis: Kentucky has one returning player, Keion Brooks. I believe Brooks has leadership qualities that will be showcased this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if two or three of the freshmen are part of the starting five or at least get a lot of minutes. B.J. Boston, Terrance Clarke, and Devon Askew are a few notable freshmen. Davion Mintz is a graduate transfer student that is eligible to play this season after missing last season at Creighton due to an ankle injury. Olivier Sarr is a transfer from Wake Forest. He put up great numbers against Duke in the ACC last year. He and Jacob Toppin were both recently announced as being eligible to play. Toppin is a sophomore transfer from Rhode Island. His brother Obi was named 2019-2020 National Player of the Year. What will the competition be like in the SEC? Willis: Tennessee will be really good. LSU, Florida, Alabama and Auburn will be in the mix. It would be nice to see Kentucky win this year. They haven’t won since 2018. However, they do have 31 SEC Championship titles. Alabama is second with six. What do you think about Kenny Payne’s replacements? Willis: Kenny Payne will be missed. Bruiser Flint was an assistant coach with Calipari at UMAS. He’s known for his college recruiting and player development. I’m excited about assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Jai Lucas. He’s a former McDonald’s High School All American and the new recruits will really connect on his level. He’s already been successful with some big recruit signings over the next two seasons. What do you think about Coach Calipari’s connection with the players? Willis: Coach Cal is a player’s coach. He cares about the success of the players before the university. He wants to see them succeed in life, make it to the NBA, and then, win a National Title. Coach Cal’s been a head coach for 23 years and he’s seen it all. He knows how players should live their lives on and off the court. This year, Calapari made sure all of his players were registered to vote. He stood by their side as they stood for racial equality. Like I said, he’s a player’s coach. Big Blue Nation will be waving banners, chanting 'Go Big Blue', and proudly wearing royal blue apparel. And the venue will be at home, in front of a big screen tv, with family or a close friend or two. 'That which does not kill us makes us stronger.' The fans may not be able to cheer in person but I have no doubt they’ll be cheering all the same.
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Not this tweet but that tweet. Not this Four Seasons but Four Seasons Total Landscaping The story about the Four Seasons Total Landscaping presidential press conference is still the rage today. Reporters from the bigger news organizations are still writing about the bazaar event that happened on Saturday as the networks were announcing that Biden was the president-elect.
If you're in the dark about this story, you're not alone. For a recap...A tweet went out on Saturday morning from President Trump about a press conference taking place that morning at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia. Everyone assumed it was the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. Shortly after, another tweet followed with a clarification. 'No, no, not the hotel but the Four Seasons Total Landscaping.' The Four Seasons Total Landscaping is a gardening business, in an industrial area, on the outskirts of Philly. The Washington Post quoted the owner - Sean Middleton, "I have no idea why (the campaign) wanted to do it here. I don't know how the government works. Maybe they saw on satellite images that we have a big back lot and proximity to Interstate 65." The Trump campaign made its decision and set up in the yard. It was a low key affair with some signage, a podium, reporters, Trump supporters and Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. The press conference held at the Four Seasons was a few doors down from a sex shop and across the street from a local crematorium. And it was at the event that Giuliani heard the news that the race had been called. He made some remarks like 'Oh, the networks called the race. Don't mind the attorneys and the law.' (something to that affect). All of this attention has made the Four Seasons Total Landscaping famous...and they've taken advantage of it. In today's article from NPR, it goes on to explain how the landscaping business is 'cashing in' and possibly changing political parties. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported how other businesses were dealing with all the attention. They reported that a 78 year old employee manning the counter at the Fantasy Island sex shop said the phone has been ringing off the hook since Saturday with callers asking, 'Is Rudy Giuliani there?' On the Facebook page of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping it said they would proudly host ANY presidential campaign at their business. Maybe the Four Seasons will become a fixture in Pennsylvania in politics. |
Written byLiz Latta Archives
March 2021
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