"On the plus side, they have returned all money given to them by Jack Abramoff."
--Jon Stewart, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, January 26, 2006

13,689 on hand in Rupp Arena.

10:57 remaining and it's 48-44 Cats.
1:12 remaining and it's 62 all. Ormerod got a foul on a block. Sarah Elliott almost fouled out but the foul went to Carly Ormerod instead

32.6 remaining: 7 seconds between game and shot clock. 1 point game. Jenny Pfeiffer is blocked with 14.8 seconds remaining and she'll go to the line. Tied at 63 all. Now 64-63 UK. 14.8 seconds to go. GO CATS! UT SHOT NO GOOD! 2.9 AND IT'S CATS BALL!! CATS TO THE LINE! 65-63! 66-63! UK WINS! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

$5,000 FINE IF THE FANS STORM THE COURT! I DON'T CARE WHO PAYS IT BUT RUPP ARENA WILL BE STORMED ON THE COURT BY THE FANS!

This afternoon was definitely an interesting one. There's nothing like a Republican Congressman wanting to shake your hand because you're a prominent blogger within an hour or so of saying that there is no accountability in the blogosphere. I'm not spinning Congressman Geoff Davis' remarks because there are some blogs I stopped reading because they are no longer credible. I'm working on a piece about the Congressman but it won't be published until I get some more questions answered. I'm not going to spin things either way when that is published even if I am biased in favor of Democrats. But my readers will be priviledged enough to see this evening's quote of the day. Surprisingly enough, there was no press at the event. In fact, the Kentucky Post article was how I found out.

I'm watching the Lady Cats take in the Tennessee Volunteers. Apparently, Pat Summitt was almost hired as the Lady Cats Head Coach. The game is on the Fox Sports Network. The Cats knocked off Florida already this season and they are currently leading (4:04 remaining in the first half) a strong Tenessee team.

Now on to other news of the day. Judge Alito is likely to be confirmed.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay asks your thoughts on the Olympics.

I haven't had this confirmed and I can't remember who mentioned it today but they heard a rumor from sources in DC saying that John McCain and Hillary Clinton might leave their respective parties and run as independents, possibly on the same ticket.

Sorry, Dan but I've endorsed Eliot Spitzer already.

The Politicker has learned that Tom Suozzi's been talking to political consultant Dan Gerstein, a longtime advisor to Joe Lieberman with a reputation like his old boss's for crossing some of the traditional Democratic interest groups, notably the teachers' unions, and who is not a favorite of the people he likes to call the Democrats' "angry activist base."

"He’s given us some advice, but we don’t have a campaign at this time," Suozzi aide Kim Devlin said when asked if Gerstein was on the campaign.

The connection makes some sense. Suozzi, along with Shelly Silver (an odd couple), was one of the early, prominent supporters of Senator's 2004 presidential bid.

"Senator Lieberman is a big fan of Tom Suozzi’s and through my exposure to Tom under Sen. Lieberman I became a big fan as well," Gerstein says. "I’m interested in helping him advance his reform agenda in New York in any way I can."

New Hampshire State Representative Peter Sullivan has unveiled his reform plan for lobbyists and Congress.

It's official. Senator Joe Lieberman will vote against Judge Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court.

-- Connecticut Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman will vote against confirming Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, a senior Lieberman aide said Thursday.

Aide Rob Sawicki said Lieberman would have no further comment until he takes the floor of the Senate, where the confirmation debate continued Thursday.

Lieberman, whose vocal pro-war support for President Bush has rankled fellow Democrats, joins Connecticut's other senator, Democrat Christopher Dodd, who said Tuesday that he will vote against Alito because his judicial philosophy is "outside the mainstream."

Lieberman also said that Katrina's devastation was predicted over and over.

Democratic Senators voting in favor of Alito included Tim Johnson, Robert Byrd, and Ben Nelson.

Ohio State Senator Eric Fingerhut, a gubernatorial candidate, sent the following press release out the other day after Gov. Taft delivered the State of the State.

I just returned from Governor Taft's State of the State address, which was delivered in the chamber of the Ohio House of Representatives in Columbus. I am struck by the gap between the governor's overall theme, with which I largely agree, and his programs, which don't come close to meeting the urgent situation we face as a state.

Taft's theme was straightforward and correct: Ohio is facing the challenge of creating and attracting good jobs in an increasingly competitive global economy. The problem comes in addressing solutions. In this, his eighth and final speech, we once again see proposals that fall far short of what is needed to meet this competition.

I will obviously give Taft's proposals a fair hearing, and support them when I can. I have always tried to do this, and I hope the legislature will do the same for me next year. I have promised to consider good ideas, wherever they come from. That's what I have done in the Ohio Senate, and that's what I will do as governor!

Some areas that Fingerhut believes Taft failed to address:
1. Create the best business climate in the world to create and grow businesses that create jobs for Ohio.
2. Train the workforce of the future.
3. Bring down health care costs for businesses and workers.
4. Protect and build up our communities.
5. The cost of corruption.

Jon Stewart was interviewed by SoccerAmerica.com. Apparently, he will expand The Late Show to 90 minutes when David Letterman retires.

Do you think your soccer background would give you the edge over the competition to take over for David Letterman when he quits The Late Show?
JS: Yeah, I'm going to do a 90-minute show. Then if the show's still not good we're going to go into two overtimes, and then a joke-out. One joke after another until one team wins.

Hey, whatever happened to The Rembrandts?

Jill Hennessy, an actress on Crossing Jordan, only has time for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart when it comes to watching TV.

Read Ehud Olmert's speech at the Herzliya Conference from this past Tuesday.

Zeev Jabotinsky defined the importance of a Jewish majority in his insightful and sharp way: “The term ‘Jewish country’ is certainly clear: it means a Jewish majority. With this, Zionism began, and it is the basis of its existence, in that it will continue to operate until its realization, or it will be ruined”.

The existence of a Jewish majority in the State of Israel cannot coexist with the continued control over the Palestinian population in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza strip. We firmly stand by the historic right of the Jewish people to the entire Land of Israel. Every hill in Samaria and every valley in Judea is part of our historic homeland. We do not forget this, not even for one moment. However, the choice between the desire to allow every Jew to live anywhere in the Land of Israel to the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish country obligates relinquishing parts of the Land of Israel. This is not a relinquishing of the Zionist idea, rather the essential realization of the Zionist goal – ensuring the existence of a Jewish and democratic state in the Land of Israel.

In order to ensure the existence of a Jewish national home, we will not be able to continue ruling over the territories in which the majority of the Palestinian population lives. We must create a clear boundary as soon as possible, one which will reflect the demographic reality on the ground. Israel will maintain the security zones, the Jewish settlement blocs, and those places which have supreme national importance to the Jewish people, headed by a united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty. There can be no Jewish state without the capital of Jerusalem at its center.

This is the path Prime Minister Sharon announced several years ago. We – who were his partners in its shaping – mobilized with him in order to establish a new public movement, which will realize our path in the coming years, and which will propel Israel forward.

The existence of two nations, one Jewish and one Palestinian, is the complete solution to all the aspirations and national problems of each of the peoples, including the issue of refugees who will be absorbed solely in the Palestinian state. We will not allow the entry of Palestinian refugees into the State of Israel. This is our clear stance, which is backed by the unequivocal American position expressed in George Bush’s letter of April 2004.

The only way to achieve this is the full implementation of the Road Map, and of the American President’s vision of June 2004.

Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia has made a statement against divestment. This is good news.

Yesterday, gubernatorial candidate Eric Fingerhut said the following about Ted Strickland's selection of a runningmate:

"Lee Fisher is a good friend, who has served with great distinction in public office. I wish him the best in this campaign. However, this campaign is about the future, not the past. And it's about which candidate --- Eric Fingerhut or Ted Strickland --- has the ability, knowledge and plan to move Ohio forward and create the good jobs that all Ohioans need today and in the future. I know I'm that candidate and I look forward to this contest."

The rise and fall of Woody Allen...

Will the International Holocaust Day help in the fight against anti-Semitism? I honestly don't know. Acting Israeli PM Ehud Olmert has hope.

Israel’s acting prime minister chaired a special Cabinet session at Yad Vashem on Thursday before the U.N.-declared global memorial day.

"From this year, International Holocaust Remembrance Day will be marked annually in most countries around the world. This is the result of an Israeli initiative that was approved by a great majority of the United Nations General Assembly," Olmert told fellow ministers. "I hope that this step will lead to the awareness of the Holocaust being instilled in many publics around the world, which for years tried to evade the need to deal with the Holocaust in all its aspects. I also hope that this step will lead to a reduction in anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, which in recent years, to my regret, we have witnessed with concern."

International Holocaust Day is tomorrow.

Norm Coleman is concerned about legislation dealing with lobbyist reform proposals.

Speaking at a hearing Wednesday of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Republican Norm Coleman said the American Israel Public Affairs Committee provides a service by sending lawmakers to Israel to meet its leaders.

"That would be prohibited if we take the approach that’s been articulated here," Coleman said. "So I don’t think that helps us be better senators." Several congressional leaders and outside groups have proposed lobbying reforms that would curtail all private travel by members of Congress.

Other suggested reforms would allow non-profit groups to take legislators on trips.

Former Michigan Gov. John Engler, a Republican who now is president of the National Association of Manufacturers, praised AIPAC’s engagement.

"They’re far better than anybody else that could lobby on that issue when they have an opportunity," Engler told the committee. "They don’t lobby, but they are powerfully persuasive on a point of view."

Paul Mecurio writes some hilarious captions for Golf Digest about Tiger Woods' latest trip to New York.

NH Insider

Please go here and vote for Peter Sullivan in this poll. He is running in NH-1 for Congress.

Thank you for your time.

As you know, I was strongly against the selection of Jerry Lundergan as chairman back in January 2005. But unlike Mark at the Bluegrass Report, I gave him a second chance. Now, I was not at the State of the Party speech last night and wish that I was. Anyway, I've met the Chairman and he came off as a nice person. Now, I don't know what all is going on behind the doors but I have met a lot of people that work there.

I'm not a fan of Democrats speaking ill of other Democrats and I never plan to too. It goes back to the Golden rule: if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it...or is it treat others the way you wish to be treated.

In 2004, when the DNC was voting on a new chair, Kos posted the contact info for ALL the DNC members, something I thought was wrong and uncalled for since it included phone numbers. Of course, all the Dean supporters called the DNC members trying to get them to vote for Dean. Some DNC members were so pissed, if I recall, that they changed their phone numbers because of all this.

It seems that when I logged on to the Bluegrass Report this morning, it looked like Mark pulled a Kos. Here's a question: how many of those addresses are private addresses? Or why did Mark post them to where they can get more spam than they already have? I'm not referring to party members emailing but actual spammers which is why I've had to change the HTML on this blog already with regards to the "Contact Me" on top.

I think I've said my two cents but I would never go around posting someone's contact information because of privacy reasons.

Back to this paper...

Oh, and Geoff Davis is heading to NKU today at 4 PM to unveil a new political fellowship.

Moving on to other, hopefully better, news...

Danielle Panabaker, last seen in Yours, Mine and Ours and Sky High, will next been seen in Solstice, which will be one of the few films she's made that I will not see. I don't watch horror movies.

Congressman Ben Chandler will continue to fight for higher education.

With the U.S. Senate's approval of a series of bills to cut funding for federal student loans, students and parents are facing possible increase in interest rates. The measure may raise federal interest rates from 7.9 percent to 8.5 percent and cut $14 billion in funding for student financial aid programs.

Congress voted on the budget plan on Dec. 21. Vice president Dick Cheney cast the final vote in favor of the measure.

Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Ky., was the state's only representative to oppose the measure. In a statement, he vowed to continue the fight for higher education funds.

"Cuts to programs that help students attend college are truly unconscionable," he said. "Ensuring that the people of Kentucky receive a quality education must be a priority of our state."

Thank you, Congressman Chandler.

All you IMAX movie-goers, there is another film headed to IMAX: Natalie Portman's V for Vendetta. The film is coming this March.

Second City Tour Co. is heading to the University of Iowa.

Yes, Jewish shtick still has kick. You may want to give that a read. Second City may be doing a late spring run of Sheldon Patinkin's Jewsical! A Second City Musical somewhere in Chicago.

"Since we announced we were doing this, we've got a ton of calls from Jewish groups," said Kelly Leonard, the head of Second City Theatricals, one of the company's outreach programs. The hope is to do a late spring run in Chicago, possibly at the Black Orchid nightclub, then tour the country.

"Jews in general have a great sense of humor," reported Joyce Sloane. "Irony lives," added Bernie Sahlins.

Both Jewish, they were in on the start of The Second City. But it was younger humorist Aaron Freeman who had the last laugh.

When he converted to Judaism in 1994, he said he went through most of the process on a Sunday and a Monday. But on the Friday before, two full days before he had even entered the religion, he got a fundraising call from the Jewish United Fund.

"Jews understand why that is funny," Freeman said. "It's like the JUF gets faxes from G-d."

Uh, Glory Road has some inaccuracies not relating to Kentucky. Eastern New Mexico University, then Eastern New Mexico State College. If this is an inaccuracy, I'm rethinking my choices for Best Picture next year because of all the controversy.

Tonight, make sure to watch the Lady Kats tonight!

Headlines across the world are saying Hamas Sweeps Palestinian Elections. Do the citizens know what they just did? They just elected a TERRORIST government!! This means that Syria, Iran and the Palestinians now have terrorist governments. This can not be good. Most, if not all, of them want Israel out of the Middle East. I can't wait to see what Jon Stewart says about this but with Hamas in power, there can be no peace talks at all. Israel does not negotiate with terrorists and neither do these United States of America. I'm in disbelief just like the rest of the world.

The Islamic militant Hamas group swept to victory over the long-dominant Fatah party on Thursday in Palestinian parliamentary polls, a political earthquake that could bury any hope for reviving peace talks with Israel soon.

The shock outcome, acknowledged by Fatah ahead of official results, does not automatically unseat President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate elected last year after Yasser Arafat's death. But he has said he might resign if unable to pursue a peace policy.

"Today we woke up and the sky was a different color. We have entered a new era," Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said after Hamas announced it had won more than 70 seats in the 132-member parliament in Wednesday's election.[...]

With peace negotiations stalled since 2000 and Israel and Hamas bitter enemies, Israeli interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert could opt for more unilateral moves, following last year's Gaza pullout, to shape borders on land Palestinians want for a state.

Olmert, who took over from Ariel Sharon after the 77-year-old leader's January 4 stroke, suggested as much in a speech this week in which he repeated peace talks could not resume unless the Palestinian Authority disarmed militants.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Washington's view of Hamas as a terrorist group was unchanged after the poll. Hamas has carried out nearly 60 suicide bombings in Israel since a Palestinian uprising began more than five years ago.

"As we have said, you cannot have one foot in politics and the other in terror," Rice said in broadcast remarks from the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

Rice telephoned Abbas to voice continued U.S. support, an Abbas spokesman said. Earlier, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie of Fatah and his cabinet quit in the face of the Hamas victory. Abbas asked him to stay on in a caretaker capacity.

The United States is the main sponsor of a long-stalled "road map" peace plan that charts mutual steps toward the creation of a Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.[...]

Leaders of the European Union, the biggest aid donor to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority, said Hamas must renounce violence and recognize Israel or risk international isolation.

Under Palestinian law, the biggest party in the 132-member parliament can veto the president's choice of a prime minister, effectively enabling Hamas to shape the next cabinet.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev declined comment amid reports that Olmert had told cabinet ministers not to speak out before top-level consultations on the Hamas win.[...]

U.S. President George W. Bush said on Wednesday he would not deal with Hamas unless it accepted Israel's existence.

I'm glad George won't deal with them. Knowing what I do about them already, if they don't accept Israel's existence, we could have a world war on our hands very sooner than we'd like.

"He and I will discuss the craft of acting. I, of course, the fourth male lead in Death to Smoochie."
--Jon Stewart, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, January 25, 2006

On another note, apparently, just referring to Bush draws a laugh these days...

Judge James Keller is a candidate against Alice Forgy Kerr for the State Senate.

I'm not too positive yet but Joshua C. Hall has delcared his intentions to run for Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District against longtime Congressman Hal Rogers. Here is the comment he left at Mark's site.

I am going to run against Hal Rogers in the 2005 election come wednesday. I am a democrat from Floyd county I am a school teacher and a school bus driver. I don't see alot Hal has done for the people of eastern Ky he has been in office for 25 years and it is the same now as it was then. You may say no one can beat Hal, I say if you will suport me then we can win, we will win.

Posted by: joshua clinis hall | Monday, January 16, 2006 at 12:23 AM

I have updated the rumor mill with declared candidates to this point.

The merger of the WB and UPN into the new CW has a major effect on local stations.

"I'd love it if we got to be the new joint network," said WDRB/WFTE general manager Bill Lamb, acknowledging that he didn't know which Louisville station would be the eventual CW network affiliate.

"It's a new game, and I always relish the challenge and think we have a lot to bring to the table," said Carol LaFever, CEO of Cascade Broadcasting, which owns WBKI. She thinks the eventual CW affiliate in Louisville will emerge with a much greater value than either of the current affiliates.[...]

"WHAS11 News @ 10 p.m. on the WB" will remain on WBKI regardless of the merger, since the newscast contract is between the two local stations and not the national network. WFTE's Lamb said he wouldn't broadcast the WHAS news in any case, because it would compete with sister station WDRB's "News @ 10."

Both WB and UPN executives and local station owners were stunned by yesterday's surprise announcement.

Lamb said he talked with a UPN executive who told him he first saw it on CNN. LaFever said she was awakened at 6 a.m. by someone who'd just heard. In an industry that leaks everything, the months of top-level negotiations never seeped out.

The 16 stations operated by the Tribune Company and the 12 UPN outlets owned by CBS would form the core CW affiliate group. Warner Bros. and CBS will each own 50 percent of the new network. The rest of the CW network stations will be chosen in negotiations conducted in the cities, like Louisville, where both UPN and WB stations operate.

Both the President and Vice President have pledged to protect Israel in the event that Iran attacks the Promised Land.

"I’m concerned" when the president of Iran "announces his desire to see that Israel gets destroyed," Bush said Monday in a speech on terrorism at Kansas State University. "Israel’s our ally. We’re committed to the safety of Israel, and it’s a commitment we will keep." It was just the latest reassurance from U.S. officials in the wake of a recent war of words between Israel and Iran over the prospects of an Iranian nuclear bomb.

Earlier, Cheney said on CNBC: "Obviously, we would support our friends in Israel under those circumstances were they attacked."

Guri Weinberg feels some closure as he played his late father, Moshe Weinberg in the movie, Munich, about the 1972 terrorist attack.

"All my life I heard stories about Dad, but it was just words. In acting it out, everything suddenly became real," Guri Weinberg told the Israeli Ynet Web site Tuesday in an interview from Los Angeles.

In Munich, Weinberg depicts his father, Moshe, a weightlifter who was the first of 11 athletes killed as he tried to fend off Palestinian hostage-takers at the Olympic Village. "For many years I was angry with him, thinking to myself that had he not put up a struggle, maybe I would still have a dad," Weinberg said. "When we made the film, I understood for the first time that he had to do what he did, and that he didn’t have any chance of getting out of there alive." According to Weinberg, Arab actors who played the terrorists voiced outrage at the Munich attack.

The Jewish community is saddened at the loss of philantropist Andrea Bronfman. May she rest in peace.

Both Eric Fingerhut and Ted Strickland are running even in the latest Zogby poll against potential Republican opponents. When I say Finger, you say Hut! Yes, I do support former Congressman and current State Senator Eric Fingerhut for Governor of Ohio.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has asked State Senator David Paterson to be his running mate as Spitzer runs for Governor. Spitzer has my support as well.

Not that I'll be watching but FOX now has a new show on Saturday nights after MAD TV: Talk Show with Spike Feresten. No air date has been announced at this point.

I commend Senator Bayh on the latest legislation that he will introduce. I'm a cell phone user. I don't want someone accessing my records without my permission. It's a violation of privacy.

.S. Senator Evan Bayh today co-sponsored a bipartisan bill, introduced by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), which will help protect private cell phone records by making it a crime to purchase cell phone records without the owner's consent. Currently, anyone with a cell phone number and approximately $100 can easily obtain private cell phone records from the Internet.

"Right now, all you need to get someone's personal call log is their cell phone number and about $100," Senator Bayh said. "This legislation will help stop the illegal buying and selling of private cell phone records."

The legislation that Bayh co-sponsored would upgrade the stealing and selling of telephone records to a criminal offense, clearing the way for criminal action against online companies who sell such information. Recent news reports have revealed that numerous online companies are fraudulently acquiring cell phone records and selling them at affordable prices to anyone willing to pay for them.

"Hoosiers have demonstrated their overwhelming support for telephone privacy with the state's Do-Not-Call Law, and they deserve protections on their personal cell phone logs as well," Senator Bayh said.

Paul McCartney has 6 months to appeal a decision by the Rother District Council to tear down a log cabin on his estate.

Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles, will lead up a Katrina Benefit.

Former Eagles guitarist-singer-songwriter Don Felder will bring a group of musical pals — including Stephen Stills, Alice Cooper and members of Green Day and No Doubt — for a Feb. 1 concert at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Comic Cheech Marin will host a bill that also includes actor Dennis Quaid, comedian D.L. Hughley, producer-composer David Foster, Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw, Green Day drummer Tré Cool and No Doubt drummer Adrian Young.

Turfway hires a lobbyist.

Tomorrow is the Norse Festival from 12-4 PM. I have class from 9:00-11:50 AM. Therefore, I don't know when I will be blogging tomorrow. This is an open thread.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
State of the Party speech will be delievered by Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Lundergan tomorrow around 6 PM. I'd be interested in a recap of this event as I have a night class. I'd also like I transcript if that is possible.

Also, I've gotten a few more interviews lined up.

"Let's all begin tonight with a question: Have you driven a Ford lately?"
--Jon Stewart, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, January 24, 2006

"But the real question on everybody's mind is: can we stil stitch their flag on our backbacks to get through Europe?"
--Jon Stewart, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, January 24, 2006

Amy Shir has filed for the Democratic nomination. Dr. Bob DeWeese is the GOP incumbent.

Personally, I'm glad to hear that he finally has opposition.

The University of Kentucky Wildcats head down to Alabama to take on the Auburn University Tigers. The Cats are 12-6 with an even 2-2 SEC record while the Tigers are 8-7 with a 0-4 SEC record. UK leads the series 79-17. The Wildcats have won 20 of the last 21 games against the Tigers. Tubby Smith is 10-2 against the Tigers and has a 9-1 record while coaching the Cats.

In SEC play, both Patrick Sparks and Ravi Moss are .500 or above when shooting from beyond the arc. Both rank in the top five for best three-point percentage in conference play. If Tubby Smith is smart, he'll continue to play Sparks at the point guard position. Tonight will mark the 100th game that Central City native Patrick Sparks has started. Under the current lineup, the Cats are 2-0. The Cats have continued their streak of consecutive games with a three pointer. They currently have 593 games in a row.

ESPN airs the game on TV while the Big Blue Sports Network will take care of coverage on the radio with pregame coverage starting at 5:30. Dave Baker believes the Cats can take care of business if with guard the perimeter. Dave has no email access tonight.

Dave Baker was over in Frankfort today. After they did what they did with legislation, everyone was talking about the jump shots. What's up with the game time recipes? One caller said that Sparks has his confidence back. Dave wants Tubby to hire him and Oscar to be communication specialists. Dave has been very impressed with Joe Crawford and Oscar thinks he is the example of why the NCAA needs to institute the freshman rule. I definitely think that the Cats have improved since the return of Randolph Morris.

Tom Leach is now talking to Coach Tubby Smith about Auburn. The Cats have gotten better and Tubby says that matchups could be a problem. The Cats should make up for that in the inside. Morris is not much of a passer but it will be worked on. Chuck Hayes did score a double-double with the Houston Rockets. Tubby belives Chuck is deserving of what he did and he didn't coach anyone harder than Chuck. Seniors have been a leader on and off the courts. Ravi Moss has a lot of pride in the program and has been one of the top three-point shooters. Keys to the game: defense and rebound. We have to guard them since they don't go small. Play smart, no gambling. Dave and Oscar have left the building. The crowd is far less than capacity. The building is half full right now (5:56 PM)

ESPN Commentators: Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, and Heather Cox:
Big Blue Sports Network: Tom Leach, Mike Pratt, Dave Baker, Oscar Combs

Starters:
Kentucky
F - Bobby Perry
F - Joe Crawford
C - Randolph Morris
G - Rajon Rondo
G - Patrick Sparks

Auburn
F - Korvotney Barber
F - Joey Cameron
G - Ronny LeMelle
G - Frank Tolbert
G - Quantez Robertson

First Half Score Reports
AU takes the tip. Rondo lost the rebound. Charge. Good job, Bobby Perry. Sparks at the point. Crawford misses 3. AU Turnover. Morris for 2! AU Turnover. Morris loses it to a steal. Bad defense. Perry for 2 on the Morris miss. Cats turnover. Come on Cats! Perry fouls. Auburn fouls on their own side of the court so we'll have a TV timeout.
15:53 (TV Timeout) UK 4, AU 4
Perry for 2! Airball. Crawford fouls on the shot. Cats rebound the free throw. Morris and 2. Makes 1 of 2. Barber has two quick ones. AU Turnover. Sparks for 3! AU Turnover. Rondo for 2! Bad possession for the Cats. Charge on AU. UK has been drawing the charges and forcing AU turnovers. That's at least 7 right now for AU. Perry for 3! The Cats are on fire. Rondo misses 3, Cats rebound. Moss in for someone.
11:48 (TV Timeout) UK 15, AU 10
Bradley in. Woo in. Thomas in and gets called for a blocking foul. Rondo still in. Cats turnover. Bradley steal. Moss for 3! AU Turnover. Ravi misses 2. AU has 5 field goals and 9 TO. Jump ball. UK ball. Sparks back in. Rondo out. Woo and 2. 9:36 remaining. Makes 1 of 2. Morris in for Woo. 19-11 UK. Morris picks up a foul. Wake up, defense. Sparks to Morris for 2. Auburn getting hot. Morris answers with 2. Bradley rebound. Bradley for 2 and 1!
7:42 (TV Timeout) UK 25, AU 18
Morris and Perry with 7. Sparks with 4 assists. Bradley makes the shot. AU has 10 TO. AU T0. Morris misses. Starters back in. Morris picks up his second. Crawford for 3! Cats rebound. Crawford with 3 more. Sims in for Perry. Thomas in. Sims fouls. Cats fell asleep on defense. Sparks misses 2. Rindo rebound. Thomas for 3, misses, Sims rebounds and goes for 2 and gets fouled. Free throw after this break.
3:42 (TV Timeout) UK 34, AU 24
Misses the shot. Rondo misses. AU getting on a run here.
2:46 (UK Timeout) UK 34, AU 28
Moss misses 3. Moss, Perry, Bradley, Rondo, Crawford in for the Cats. Cats rebound. Bradley double dribbled. Sparks in for Bradley. Rondo rebound. Crawford adds up for 3 more. Charge and that's another AU TO. Sparks for 2 with a jumper.
42.2. (AU Timeout) UK 39, AU 28
Lebo wanted a time out. Sparks fouls. Tubby sends Bradley in for Sparks and you can see the eyes right now on TV. The coat just came off in the time out. Cats rebound.
HALFTIME UK 39, AU 28

Looking great for this to be a nice evening. The Cats just need to hold on to the lead that they have.

Second Half Score Reports
It's time to start the second half. The Tigers have possession at the start. The Cats lead 54%-50%. Morris picks up his 3rd foul. He'll sit for a long time. AU TO. Perry miss, Crawford rebounds and gets fouled for 2 and makes both. Another turnover for AU. Sparks misses 3 and Perry keeps it alive. Crawford is perfect with 3 more. Perry fouls underneath. That's his 2nd. AU misses both shots and the rebound went out of bounds. Thomas gets charged with another blocking foul. Crawford misses 3. Rondo misses 3 - That's not your shot!! Rondo rebound. Sparks misses 3. Woo rebound. Thomas for 2. Woo saves but AU steals and hits a 3. 46-37 UK. Push on the baseline.
15:02 (TV Timeout) UK 46, AU 37
Bradley got fouled. He'll shoot 2. Makes 1 of 2. UK steals the in-bounds pass only to lose it. Foul on the other end. AU TO on a travel. Bradley walked. Sims' shot rejected. 47-40 UK. Rondo and 2. Makes both. Crawford in for Rondo. AU TO on the shot. Sparks misses 3. 49-43 UK. AU on fire.
12:41 (UK Timeout) UK 49, AU 43
Tubby wants a quick time-out. Let's hope our defense wakes up. Morris's third foul definitely did not help. He'll come back in after this timeout or the next. Morris still out. Perry misses 3 and AU airballs. UK ball. Morris coming in now. Moss in. AU fouls on what I thought was a charge. TV Timeout.
11:40 (TV Timeout) UK 49, AU 43
Over the back on Auburn. Crawford makes both. Defense fell asleep there. Morris for 2 and he lossed it. Crawford shoots 2 and he gets fouled. Back to the line for Joe. He missed. Moss rebounds and gets fouled. Moss makes both. 55-45 UK. Crawford rebound. Morris loses it but it's off of AU so Cats get it back. Rondo blocked by AU. Jump ball. UK ball. AU fouls Morris. Morris makes 1 of 2. No rebounds for Morris yet. Darn it! Morris gets his 4th so Perry comes back in at the 9:07 mark. Cats can't defend the 3. 56-48 UK. Rondo for 2. These are Tubby's Runts right now. Barber gets his 4th after going over the back on the rebound so the Cats are heading back to the line.
7:45 (TV Timeout) UK 58, AU 48
Moss at the line. Makes both of them. Perry rebound. Rondo palmed the ball. Rondo rebound. Rondo lays it up for 2. Rondo rebound. Rondo for 2 and 1. Crawford rebounds Rondo's missed shot. Rondo misses. UK steals and Rondo gets 2 more. 66-48 UK. Crawford rebound. Sparks loses the ball on a bad pass. Foul on the shot. Morris on the bench. Under four on the AU defelections.
3:57 (TV Timeout) UK 66, AU 50
Crawford to the line for 2. Makes both of them. Rondo loses it out of bounds. No reason for fouls from here on out. Sparks fouls. 3:19 remaining.
3:10 (UK Timeout) UK 68, AU 54
UK has 2 time-out's left and Auburn has 4. This game should be over by 9 PM.
2:58 (UK Timeout) UK 68, AU 54
Sparks got trapped and G-d willing, this game will be over by 9 PM. I'd like to watch Commander-in-Chief tonight. Foul on the in-bounds pass. Crawford makes 2 more for 22 points. He's having a great game.
2:38 (AU Timeout) UK 70, AU 54
This game is clearly over.
2:25 (AU Timeout) UK 70, AU 56
Clearly over...why call a time-out? Crawford hits another free throw and misses the other. Ravi misses 3.
1:20 (AU Timeout) UK 71 , AU 58
Not a big lead but a comfortable one. Rondo misses a lay-up. Less than a minute. Perry fouls. Sparks misses a free throw.
END OF REGULATION
Kentucky 71, Auburn 62

After losing the first two conference games, the Cats move on to 3-2 in the conference and 13-6 overall. Auburn moves to 8-8 overall and still looking for a conference win as they move to 0-5 in the conference. Next up is Arkansas on Saturday.

CBS and Time Warner are ending the WB and UPN networks this year and will start a joint network this fall. I don't know what this means for shows like Everwood, Everybody Hates Chris, Gilmore Girls, Smallville, What I Like About You, Reba, Twins, Related, etc. It will be interesting to see what becomes of this action.

CBS Corp. and Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Bros. said Tuesday they will close their respective UPN and WB networks, and jointly launch a new channel in fall 2006.

The new CW network will be a 50-50 joint venture of the two companies.

The companies expect the station to reach 95 percent of the country.

Tribune Co. said its 16 UPN broadcast stations signed 10-year affiliate agreements with the new network. Similarly, CBS said its 12 UPN stations signed 10-year affiliate deals.

The two station groups reach 48 percent of the country. The companies expect the remainder of the affiliates to come from a combination of WB and UPN stations.

The CW will use The WB’s current scheduling model, which consists of Monday through Friday nights from 8-10 p.m. ET; Sundays from 7-10 p.m. ET; Sunday from 5-7 p.m. ET outside of primetime. It will also include a Monday through Friday afternoon block from 3-5 p.m. ET and a 5-hour Saturday morning animation block.

Currently, the WB serves as the JP Sports affiliate in Northern Kentucky.

I've been nominated for wider recognition.

When votes are open, please vote for this blog

Should Roberto Clemente's jersey #21 be retired like Jackie Robinson's #42? Sharon Robinson, the daughter of the late baseball player, is not too happy with this idea.

The Hispanics Across America advocacy group wants Clemente's number set aside the way the late Robinson's No. 42 was nine years ago. But Sharon Robinson said that honor should remain for her father only.

"To my understanding, the purpose of retiring my father's number is that what he did changed all of baseball, not only for African-Americans but also for Latinos, so I think that purpose has been met," Robinson told the newspaper at a birthday celebration for her father in Times Square. "When you start retiring numbers across the board, for all different groups, you're kind of diluting the original purpose."

In September, Washington Nationals manager Frank Robinson made similar comments, saying baseball should find another way to honor Clemente.

I have to say that I agree with the Robinson family on this one. What Jackie Robinson did was break a barrier. With no offense to the late Roberto Clemente, he set the standard for the number of hits one must have to get into the Hall of Fame with 3,000. The MLB should find another way. The Pirates have a statue for him outside of PNC Park. I know because I have a picture of it or with it.

While nothing is official, it's looking like St. Louis University may be host of the CDA convention. Washington University was set to host it but that fell through due to unknown political pressures.

Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor may have made her last vote on the Supreme Court this week as we should know soon as to whether Judge Alito will be filibustered or not.

Maryland Congressman Ben Cardin, a Senate candidate, would vote against Samuel Alito if he were in the Senate.

Matthew Leach answers your questions about the St. Louis Cardinals.

UK's student government is in the news again...as usual.

Iowa Democrats have endorsed Senator Bayh's IN Education incentive, a big plan from when he was Indiana Governor. This plays well in Iowa, I hope. Maybe Chris or Drew could share their opinions? Before I forget, belated birthday wishes to Drew (Thank facebook!).

Bayh has praised Wisconsin and Iowa for their legislation similar to the 21st Century Scholars program that was initiated in Indiana.

The hiring scandal is worse than we thought. One witness said she used the RNC website to screen applicants.

Seven of the school board members are up for appointment. Looks like education will go back 50 years if Fletcher appoints who he wants.

For those of you wondering about Pat Crowley's blog, there's been so many "vile posts" that they are "we’re blocking posts for awhile until we decide how to handle posts." Fair enough. I can understand personal attacks on politicians and their families.