Kentucky
Friday Headlines: Major Weekend for Transfer Visits
Kentucky basketball head coach Mark Pope has had quite the busy start in Lexington.
After a monumental introductory press conference and landing Amari Williams — one of the top targets in the transfer portal — Pope has yet another full weekend of recruiting.
Pope and his staff are hosting Aidan Mahaney, Andrej Stojakovic, Andrew Carr, Deivon Smith and Otega Oweh.
Smith, a fifth-year player, has played for Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and most recently Utah. He really found his groove with the Utes, averaging over 13 points and seven assists per game.
Carr, similar to Smith, has one year of eligibility remaining. The former Delaware and Wake Forest big man had a career-best season last year, averaging over 13 points and six rebounds.
Oweh, a former Oklahoma Sooners guard, is coming off a much-improved sophomore season where he averaged over 11 points per game and saw an increase in both his field goal as well as three-point shooting percentages.
Mahaney, a former Saint Mary’s guard, is also entering his third year of college basketball. He averaged just under 14 points per game each of the last two seasons and started every game this past year.
Stojakovic is the youngest of the group, opting to transfer from Stanford after just one season. He averaged over seven points per game and has the potential to be a multi-year player that could excel in Pope’s offensive system.
While this group is rather guard-heavy, that’s okay. Kentucky is unlikely to land all of them, but if Pope can secure Carr and two or three of the guards then his roster will be in much better shape than it currently sits.
Tweet of the Day
No surprise here.
Headlines
Cats in the NFL Draft – UK Athletics
A number of former Wildcats are expected to be taken in this week’s NFL Draft.
Brian Robinson Passes More Than Just The SEC Look Test – Vaught’s Views
He has such a high ceiling.
Alvin Brooks III Joins Kentucky Men’s Basketball Staff – UK Athletics
Alvin Brooks III, regarded as one of the nation’s best assistant coaches, has joined the Kentucky men’s basketball coaching staff as associate head coach it was announced on Thursday.
Bears select QB Caleb Williams with No. 1 pick in NFL draft – ESPN
Like we expected.
Reed Sheppard Has What NBA Teams Like And Want – Vaught’s Views
Will really miss him wearing Kentucky blue.
59 Wildcats on SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll – UK Athletics
A total of 59 University of Kentucky student-athletes earned a place on the 2023-24 Winter Sports Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
Vikings trade up with Jets, get J.J. McCarthy 10th at NFL draft – ESPN
Again, like we expected.
Amari Williams “like a man among boys on court” – Vaught’s Views
Appears to be a home run.
Michael Penix Jr. taken by Falcons in NFL draft surprise – ESPN
Surprise of the draft.
Bio Blast: Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh – KSR
Everything you need to know.
Broncos make Bo Nix sixth QB picked in first round of NFL draft – ESPN
Former Auburn Tiger heads to Denver.
Kentucky
Kentucky Derby 2024: Stewards call Gaffalione to video review
Tyler Gaffalione
has been ordered to a video session with stewards Thursday to review his
homestretch ride on runner-up Sierra Leone and the contact he made with third-place
finisher Forever Young near the finish of Kentucky Derby 2024.
“Following
the race, the stewards ordered Tyler Gaffalione, jockey aboard Sierra Leone, to
film review on (Thursday),” a Kentucky Horse Racing Commission spokesperson
said in a written statement. “The stewards conduct film reviews routinely to
review the conduct of jockeys during a race. The stewards in their discretion
can take disciplinary action against a jockey following the review.”
“This is
routine practice,” Gaffalione’s agent Matt Muzikar said Monday afternoon. “They
do this all the time.”
Head-on video
of the finish showed Gaffalione to the outside on Sierra Leone reaching to his
left and maintaining contact for about two seconds with jockey Ryusei Sakai on
Forever Young. According to agent Matt Muzikar, Gaffalione lost his balance as
he tried to keep Sierra Leone from drifting inward as they approached the
finish line.
The two
horses finished a nose apart chasing Mystik Dan, who was racing along the rail
to the inside en route to winning by a nose over Sierra Leone. Mystik Dan,
ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., was not involved since he made no contact with either horse as his lead
was dwindling.
Stewards routinely
took nearly four minutes to examine the finish-line photo and post the order of
finish and then, not so routinely, another seven minutes to declare the race
official. There were no objections and no inquiry.
“The stewards
review every race in Kentucky live and by video replay before posting it
official, and they followed the same procedure for the 150th running of the
Kentucky Derby,” the KHRC spokesperson’s statement said. “After conducting
their standard review of the race, determining no further review or
investigation was necessary to conclude there were no incidents that altered
the finish of the race, and seeing there were no objections filed, the stewards
posted the Kentucky Derby official.”
Muzikar said Monday
a closer review of the video showed Sakai initiated contact with Gaffalione’s left
boot, knocking him off balance. Forever Young’s racing manager conceded the
two horses were in a physical battle the length of the homestretch.
“They were
fighting together all the way, not just at that moment,” Hiroshi Ando said
Sunday. “When they got to the top of the straight, they were fighting all the
way to the wire. This is racing.”
The KHRC
statement did not say whether Sakai also was summoned for a video review. The commission
spokesperson was asked about that but had not yet responded Monday afternoon. Even
though he was on his way back to Japan on Sunday, Sakai could have been asked for
his input directly or through a representative.
Kentucky
Jim Caldwell's Forecast | Severe storms set to sweep into Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT)—Some pretty decent storms will develop today, but our best chance doesn’t get going until Tuesday.
Scattered thunderstorms move through the region today. I don’t think we see many significant storms, just some general ones. Any of these might bring heavy rain and gusty winds. I wouldn’t be shocked if one or two of these popped to severe levels. It just isn’t a widespread concern of mine for your Monday.
Thunderstorms will roll together on Tuesday. This round brings high winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes to the commonwealth. The chances of severe weather will climb in the afternoon and evening hours. There will be some other rounds, but the best severe chance happens at that time.
On Wednesday, these chances are all a little higher. A very intense cluster of storms will develop during the afternoon hours. Some of that might kick off some early severe weather concerns. I think the best chance will come together later in the day. Those storms have a better chance of producing all severe elements. Damaging winds in excess of 70 MPH, very large hail, and a few tornadoes are all in the cards.
Today is the day to prepare for what could be a very tough period in weather.
Take care of each other!
Copyright 2024 WKYT. All rights reserved.
Kentucky
Kentucky Derby's thrilling finish draws 16.7 million viewers. It's the biggest audience since 1989
STAMFORD, Conn. — Mystik Dan’s nose victory in the 150th Kentucky Derby drew 16.7 million viewers, the biggest audience for the race since 1989.
Viewership peaked at 20.1 million from 7 to 7:15 p.m. EDT on Saturday, when 18-1 shot Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone and Forever Young hit the wire together in the Derby’s first three-horse photo finish since 1947. That marked the biggest peak audience ever for the Derby on NBC.
The 16.7 million viewers was up 13% from last year’s 14.8 million.
NBC Sports said Sunday it was the biggest Derby audience since 18.5 million watched Sunday Silence win in 1989, when the race was shown on ABC.
NBC Sports and Churchill Downs Inc. have agreed to a multiyear contract extension that will keep the Derby on the network through 2032.
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