Kentucky’s Size Next Season Will Be Massive

Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

With the return of Alex Poythress and Dakari Johnson, Kentucky will, once again, have an incredible size advantage over its opponents, a fact that should scare opposing coaches. Eamonn Brennan at espn.com writes:

"“The size was what got you. That’s what coaches said about Kentucky as the Wildcats made their redemptive run through the 2014 NCAA tournament: You could gin up a genius game plan, but they were always going to be taller than you at just about every position. In other words: Good luck!Here’s something horrifying: Next season, Kentucky is going to be even taller.”"

Alex Poythress has showed flashes of athletic brilliance but he has yet to really demonstrate an ability to consistently play at a high level. No one doubts the talent is there, it’s the execution that Poythress needs to develop. Rob Dauster at NBCSports writes:

"“Poythress averaged 5.9 points and 4.5 rebounds as a sophomore, and while he showed flashes of being the kind of electrifying talent that he was expected to be entering the program — particularly during Kentucky’s run to the national title game — Poythress was known more for his inconsistency than anything else this season.That’s why it was a smart decision for Poythress to return to school. He has all the athleticism that he needs, but he’s still a tweener with a reputation that’s less than flattering.”"

Spring football practice couldn’t end any sooner for the Kentucky receiving corps, who find themselves a little thin these days due to injuries and transfers. Kyle Tucker, at the Louisville Courier-Journal writes:

"“But upon closer inspection, the more important takeaway from Wednesday’s practice was the people who were missing, including wide receivers Jeff Badet and A.J. Legree. Afterward, Stoops confirmed that Badet suffered a broken fibula in Monday’s practice in a ‘freaky accident’ and that Legree plans to transfer.But UK is hardly fine at wide receiver these days. With Javess Blue (shoulder) and Alexander Montgomery (knee) already missing spring practice with injuries and freshman Thaddeus Snodgrass limping around Wednesday with a bad hamstring, the Cats were down to just four scholarship wide receivers and three walk-ons practicing at the position.”"

Jayson Tatum, the #4 ranked player in the Class of 2016, is a name Kentucky fans will want to pay attention to but Kentucky will have to beat out several other programs to land a commitment. Jack LeGwin, at Zags Blog, writes:

"“The top schools in the nation are trying to convince Jayson Tatum that their program is right for him.‘Illinois watched me last week,’ Tatum told SNY.tv. ‘Coach K from Duke will watch me on Wednesday. He calls to check in on me frequently.’Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari will also watch Tatum Wednesday..Tatum says that seven schools are working the hardest, keeping in touch the most at the moment.‘Duke, UNC, Illinois, St. Louis, Kentucky, Wake Forest and Michigan State are showing the most interest,’ Tatum said.”"

In England (and most of the world) soccer has traditionally been the game of the working class. But as more and more money comes pouring into Premier League (England’s top professional league) and players demand higher and higher wages, the game is becoming out of reach for the “common” fan. Kris Hofmann at the New York Times writes:

"“Yet the wealth that has poured into the competition, resulting in large part from lucrative TV deals, does not trickle down to the fans… Ticket prices have risen to levels so high that many of the fans can no longer afford them. For example, a ticket to an Arsenal game can cost £126, or about $200.”"