Pope Update

Tyran Stokes, the number one player in the Class of 2026, just announced that he was going to attend Kansas University in the fall.

For reasons that I cannot fathom, there were people in the Lexington media who thought Stokes was heading to the University of Kentucky.  In other words, they thought he would pick a coach who's never been to the Sweet 16 over one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history.

They were disappointed.

Like the man says in Citizen Kane:  "You're going to need more than one lesson.  And you're going to get more than one lesson."

On this Day in 1976

The Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association played their last game.  They were beaten by the Denver Nuggets four games to three in the semifinals of the ABA playoffs.

The Colonels played nine seasons in the ABA, from 1967-68 to 1975-76.  They finished with a regular season record of 448 wins and 296 losses, for a winning percentage of .602.  They went to the ABA finals in 1970-71, 1972-73, and 1974-75 -- winning in all in 1974-75.

The Denver Nuggets, New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs, and Indiana Pacers were all invited to join the NBA when the ABA collapsed, and they are all still going strong.  But the Colonels disappeared, and Louisville hasn't come close to getting a major pro sports team since.

Pennant Fever

On Saturday, Arsenal beat Newcastle United, while Manchester City won its semi-final match in the F.A. Cup.  Man City advances to the F.A. Cup final, where they will play Chelsea on Saturday, May 16.  Meanwhile, the top of the English Premier League looks like this:

1.  Arsenal:  22-5-7 (73 points)

2.  Manchester City:  21-5-7 (70)

In Scotland, Heart of Midlothian won at Hibernian 2-1, Rangers lost at home to Motherwell, and Celtic defeated Falkirk 3-1.  So with four games left in the season, the top of the Scottish Premier League looks like this:

1.  Heart of Midlothian:  22-5-7 (73 points)

2.  Celtic:  22-8-4 (70)

3.  Rangers:  19-3-12 (69)

I can't remember another season where both countries had such exciting pennant races.  Hearts will host Rangers on Monday, May 4 in the biggest game played in Edinburgh in many years.

The Scottish F.A. Cup Final will feature Celtic and Dunfermline Athletic.  It will take place on Saturday, May 23.

Meanwhile, and most important of all, the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League start this week.  The quarter-finals (played over two legs) went like this:

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 4 - 0 Liverpool (ENG)

Real Madrid (ESP) 4 - 6 Bayern Munich (GER)

Barcelona (ESP) 2 - 3 Atletico Madrid (ESP)

Sporting CP (POR) 0 - 1 Arsenal (ENG)

It's pretty rare to see both Real Madrid and Barcelona eliminated before the semi-finals.  Anyway, here are the semi-finalists:

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) v. Bayern Munich (GER)

Atletico Madrid (ESP) v. Arsenal (ENG)

Pennant Fever

With five games left in the season, the top of the English Premier League looks like this:

1.  Manchester City:  21-5-7 (70 points) (goal differential of 37) (66 total goals)

2.  Arsenal:  21-5-7 (70 points) (goal differential of 37) (63 total goals)

So it's really close.

Pope Update

Matt Jones on Saturday, April 18:

Kentucky will have (absent a major change) either Freeman or Rancik by tomorrow.

Still think UK needs to find another shooter and another Big.

In fact, Freeman just announced that he is going to St. John's.  Rancik has announced he's going to Florida State.  Neither of them is coming to Kentucky.

Matt Jones now:

Kentucky essentially passed on Rancik because they were sure they were getting Freeman.  They got neither.

Mismanagement by a staff that insisted they didn't need a GM.  Fairly impossible to defend.

The Two Mitches!

Remember:  this is what everyone in the Bluegrass wanted.  We warned them and warned them.  They wouldn't listen.  They didn't care.  Now let's see how much they like it.