Sports Update 11.3.11

KENTUCKY SPORTS RADIO REPORTS ON ITS WEBSITE FRESHMAN MAX SMITH WILL START AT QUARTERBACK FOR KENTUCKY AGAINST OLE MISS SATURDAY.  COACH JOKER PHILLIPS MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWING PRACTICE TODAY AND SAID BOOKIE COBBINS WILL BE SMITH'S BACKUP IF MORGAN NEWTON CANNOT PLAY SATURDAY.  NEWTON HAS BEEN DAY TO DAY THIS WEEK FOLLOWING AN ANKLE INJURY SUFFERED IN LAST WEEK'S LOSS TO MISSISSIPPI STATE.  YOU CAN HEAR SATURDAY'S GAME BEGINNING AT ONE P-M ON LITE 98.7.

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS ARE HOLDING A LATE AFTERNOON NEWS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE SIGNING OF GOALIE PEKKA RINNE.  RINNE ON HIS 29TH BIRTHDAY TODAY HAS SIGNED A SEVEN YEAR CONTRACT WORTH 49 MILLION DOLLARS.  RINNE, ALONG WITH RYAN SUTER AND SHEA WEBER ARE TO BECOME FREE AGENTS FOLLOWING THIS SEASON.  THE PREDATORS ARE IN PHOENIX THIS EVENING TO MEET THE COYOTES, WITH COVERAGE BEGINNING AT NINE ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

Sports Headlines 11.3.11

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

THE CLASS FIVE A COMMONWEALTH GRIDIRON BOWL BEGINS FRIDAY NIGHT AS CHRISTIAN COUNTY HOSTS BARREN COUNTY.  THE WINNER OF THIS GAME WILL MEET THE WINNER OF THE WARREN CENTRAL-GRAVES COUNTY GAME NEXT WEEK. KICKOFF AT SEVEN FROM THE STADIUM OF CHAMPIONS, WITH THE HERITAGE BANK PRE GAME SHOW FROM THE APPLEBEE’S BROADCAST BOOTH AT 6:30 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

FORT CAMPBELL BEGINS PLAY IN THE THREE A PLAYOFFS HOSTING SOUTH WARREN, WHILE TRIGG COUNTY TRAVELS TO MONROE COUNTY. IN TWO A ACTION, CALDWELL COUNTY WELCOMES BUTLER COUNTY AND IN CLASS FOUR A, MADISONVILLE HOSTS ALLEN COUNTY SCOTTSVILLE.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

PRE SEASON RANKED NUMBER TWO KENTUCKY OPENED EXHIBITION PLAY WITH A 97-53 WIN OVER TRANSYLVANIA AT RUPP ARENA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. TERRRENCE JONES HAD A DOUBLE-DOUBLE WITH 22 POINTS AND 12 REBOUNDS TO LEAD THE WILDCATS, WITH FRESHMAN MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST ADDING 19 AND FELLOW ROOKIE ANTHONY DAVIS BLOCKING EIGHT SHOTS.  THE WILDCATS MEET MOREHOUSE COLLEGE IN THEIR FINAL PRE SEASON TUNEUP MONDAY EVENING AT SIX, WITH PRE GAME COVERAGE AT 4:30 ON LITE 98.7.

TONIGHT’S GAMES: AUSTIN PEAY PLAYS ITS FIRST EXHIBITION GAME HOSTING CENTRAL MISSOURI AT SEVEN IN THE DUNN CENTER, TENNESSEE HOSTS CARSON NEWMAN AT THOMPSON BOILING ARENA AND LOUISVILLE ENTERTAINS BELLARMINE IN ITS FINAL PRE SEASON GAME AT THE K-F-C/YUM CENTER.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS ARE BACK IN ACTION TONIGHT AT PHOENIX. FORWARD MIKE FISHER IS EXPECTED BACK FOR NASHVILLE AFTER SUFFERING AN UPPER BODY INJURY AGAINST ANAHEIM LAST SATURDAY. COVERAGE OF THE GAME BEGINS AT NINE ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

Sports Headlines 11.2.11

SPORTS WEEKLY PRESENTED BY TOYOTA OF HOPKINSVILLE IS ON THE AIR AT 5:08 THIS EVENING ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP. TODD HAMILTON WILL VISIT WITH HERITAGE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY VOLLEYBALL COACH ELDRIDGE ROGERS, A PREVIEW OF THE CHRISTIAN COUNTY-BARREN COUNTY FOOTBALL GAME WITH COACH STEVE LOVELACE AND TAYLOR SPARKS, GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH AT UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS ACADEMY.

BUD HUDSON YOUTH FOOTBALL WILL HAVE ITS CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES SATURDAY AT THE STADIUM OF CHAMPIONS. ACTIVITIES BEGIN AT 9:00 A-M AND WILL INCLUDE SIX FOOTBALL GAMES AND A SILENT AUCTION.   INCLUDED IN THE AUCTION ARE ITEMS FROM THE TENNESSEE TITANS AND INDIANAPOLIS COLTS, ALONG WITH TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS TO THE FRANKLIN AMERICAN MUSIC CITY BOWL.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY PLAYS ITS FIRST EXHIBITION GAME THIS EVENING AGAINST TRANSYLVANIA AT RUPP ARENA. PRE GAME COVERAGE BEGINS AT 4:30 ON LITE 98.7.

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS THE FATHER OF KENTUCKY’S STACEY POOLE SAYS HE WILL COME TO LEXINGTON THIS WEEKEND TO DISCUSS WITH HIS SON ABOUT WHETHER HE WILL STAY AT KENTUCKY. THE SENIOR POOLE IS UPSET OVER HIS SON’S LACK OF PLAYING TIME AND SAYS HE HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING HIS SON TO LEAVE BECAUSE OF THE TALENT COACH JOHN CALIPARI HAS STOCKPILED. CALIPARI SAYS THERE’S NOTHING TO COMMENT ON.

LOUISVILLE COACH RICK PITINO TELLS THE COURIER JOURNAL FRESHMAN WAYNE BLACKSHEAR COULD PLAY THIS SEASON AFTER ALL. THE CHICAGO NATIVE TORE THE LABRUM IN HIS RIGHT SHOULDER IN PRACTICE RECENTLY. BLACKSHEAR HAD SURGERY TUESDAY, WITH PITINO SAYING IF ALL GOES WELL, HE COULD BE BACK IN SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS.  MEANWHILE, GUARD PEYTON SIVA IS SUFFERING FROM A CONCUSSION AND WILL NOT PLAY IN THURSDAY NIGHT’S EXHIBITION AGAINST BELLARMINE.

THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS TENNESSEE COACH CUONZO MARTIN SAYS THE STARTING LINEUP FOR THE VOLS FIRST PRE SEASON TUNEUP WITH CARSON NEWMAN THURSDAY NIGHT WILL BE A GAME TIME DECISION. MARTIN SAYS HIS PLAYERS HAVE BEEN BATTLING FOR POSITIONS AND HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE IN PRACTICE BEFORE ANNOUNCING HIS LINEUP.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

TENNESSEE COACH DEREK DOOLEY SAYS JUSTIN WORLEY WILL START AS QUARTERBACK SATURDAY WHEN THE VOLS FACE MIDDLE TENNESSEE IN KNOXVILLE. WORLEY GOT THE START OVER SENIOR MATT SIMMS IN LAST WEEK’S LOSS TO SOUTH CAROLINA.

WESTERN KENTUCKY COACH WILLIE TAGGART SAYS THE HILLTOPPERS HAVE TO KEEP IMPROVING DEPSITE A FOUR GAME WIN STREAK. THE HILLTOPPERS LOOK FOR THEIR FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN SATURDAY WHEN THEY HOST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL.

Sports Headlines 11.1.11

FORT CAMPBELL HAS A NEW TRACK COACH. THE KENTUCKY NEW ERA REPORTS JOSH MCKILLUP—WHO LED THE FALCONS TO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2008 AND 2009—HAS STEPPED DOWN. FORT CAMPBELL ATHLETICS DIRECTOR KEN JANIKOWSKI SAYS MCKILLUP IS LEAVING TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HIS FAMILY. MCKILLUP’S REPLACEMENT IS TYRONE JOHNSON.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS RELEASED ITS FINAL POLLS OF THE REGULAR SEASON.

CLASS 5A:   CHRISTIAN COUNTY HEADS INTO THE PLAYOFFS RANKED 6^TH, WITH BOWLING GREEN FIRST, WARREN CENTRAL 3^RD AND OHIO COUNTY 7^TH.

CLASS 4A: FRANKLIN SIMPSON 5^TH, MADISONVILLE 8^TH AND LONE OAK 10^TH, WITH HIGHLANDS NUMBER ONE.

CLASS 3A: FORT CAMPBELL 8^TH, PADUCAH TILGHMAN 5^TH, WITH BELL COUNTY THE NEW NUMBER ONE THIS WEEK.

CLASS 2A: MURRAY HIGH 4^TH, GLASGOW 2^ND, WITH OWENSBORO CATHOLIC ON TOP THIS WEEK.

CLASS A: MAYFIELD IS FIRST THIS WEEK. CLASS 6A: HENDERSON COUNTY 9^TH, WITH TRINITY NUMBER ONE.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

KENTUCKY HAS TO WIN THREE OF ITS LAST FOUR GAMES TO BECOME BOWL ELIGIBLE THIS SEASON. COACH JOKER PHILLIPS SAID MONDAY AT HIS WEEKLY NEWS CONFERENCE HIS TEAM’S ATTITUDE HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM THIS SEASON AS THE WILDCATS HAVE COME TO PLAY IN EVERY GAME. HOWEVER, PHILLIPS ADMITTED SATURDAY’S GAME WITH OLE MISS IS A MUST WIN.

MEANWHILE, COACH PHILLIPS SAYS THE STARTING QUARTERBACK FOR SATURDAY’S GAME WITH OLE MISS MAY BE A GAME TIME DECISION. BOTH MORGAN NEWTON AND MAX SMITH WILL COMPETE FOR THE POSITION THIS WEEK. PRE GAME COVERAGE FOR SATURDAY’S GAME BEGINS AT ONE P-M ON LITE 98.7.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE LOST ITS THIRD PLAYER TO A SEASON ENDING INJURY MONDAY. STRONG SAFETY BRENT BREWER HAS TORN CARTILAGE IN HIS LEFT KNEE. BREWER HAD 24 TOTAL TACKLES THIS SEASON AND A QUARTERBACK SACK.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY’S TERRENCE JONES WAS ONE OF FOUR SOPHOMORES NAMED TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PRE SEASON ALL AMERICA FIRST TEAM. THE SIX-NINE FORWARD AVERAGED ALMOST 16 POINTS AND NINE REBOUNDS IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON.

KENTUCKY ALSO GOT ITS SECOND VERBAL COMMITMENT FOR 2012 MONDAY. SEVEN FOOT CENTER WILLIE CAULEY FROM OLATHE NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL IN KANSAS IS THE 39^TH RANKED PLAYER IN THE NATION ACCORDING TO RIVALS.COM. CAULEY CHOSE KENTUCKY OVER KANSAS STATE, ALABAMA AND FLORIDA.

KENTUCKY PLAYS ITS FIRST EXHIBITION GAME TOMORROW NIGHT HOSTING TRANSYLVANIA, WITH PRE GAME COVERAGE BEGINNING FROM RUPP ARENA AT 4:30 ON LITE 98.7.

NFL

CINCINNATI BENGALS DEFENSIVE BACK ADAM “PACMAN” JONES—WHO ONCE PLAYED FOR THE TENNESSEE TITANS—TELLS THE TENNESSEAN HE WAS AN IMMATURE KID WHEN HE PLAYED FOR THE TITANS. JONES SAYS HE ALMOST THREW AWAY HIS N-F-L CAREER AND HOLDS NO GRUDGES AGAINST THE TITANS.

JONES WAS ARRESTED SIX TIMES WHILE HE WAS IN NASHVILLE. JONES SAYS FORMER TITANS COACH JEFF FISHER NEVER TURNED HIS BACK ON HIM, WHILE THE FRONT OFFICE DID.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS FELL TO THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 5-4 IN OVERTIME MONDAY NIGHT. THE PREDS PLAY AT PHOENIX THURSDAY NIGHT. YOU CAN HEAR THE GAME AT NINE ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP

Sports Update 10.31.11

KENTUCKY BASKETBALL RECEIVES ITS SECOND VERBAL COMMITMENT FOR 2012.  WILLIE CAULEY--A SEVEN FOOT CENTER FROM OLATHE, KANSAS NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL--PICKED U-K TODAY OVER KANSAS STATE, ALABAMA AND FLORIDA.  CAULEY IS THE 39TH RANKED PLAYER IN THE COUNTRY BY RIVALS. COM, 32ND BY ESPN AND 28TH BEST BY SCOUT.COM.   CAULEY JOINS GUARD ARCHIE GOODWIN AS THE TWO MEMBERS OF THE 2012 CLASS.

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE STARTING STRONG SAFETY BRENT BREWER HAS TORN CARTLIAGE IN HIS LEFT KNEE AND WILL MISS THE REMAINDER OF THE FOOTBALL SEASON.  THE SOPHOMORE FROM TYRONE, GEORGIA IS THE THIRD VOL TO SUFFER A MAJOR INJURY THIS SEASON JOINING TOP WIDE RECEIVER JUSTIN HUNTER, OUT WITH A TORN A-C-L AND QUARTERBACK TYLER BRAY, WHO HAS A BROKEN THUMB.  THE VOLS RETURN TO ACTION SATURDAY HOSTING MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS WILL HAVE A NEW MANAGER IN THE 2012 SEASON.  THREE DAYS AFTER WINNING THE WORLD SERIES, SKIPPER TONY LA RUSSA IS ENDING HIS 16 YEAR RUN WITH THE REDBIRDS.  LA RUSSA IS ONE OF ONLY TWO MANAGERS TO WIN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BOTH LEAGUES AND IS SECOND IN CAREER WINS BEHIND LEGENDARY MANAGER CONNIE MACK.