Weekend Entertainment Guide

If you're a Cincinnati Reds fan depressed as I am right now, fear not, I'm about to provide you with a weekend entertainment guide to get your mind off tonight's monumental collapse and Wednesday's no hit performance.

Movies: "Secretariat" and "Social Network"

"Secretariat" should be a must see for any Kentuckian. Much of the movie was filmed right here in Kentucky, at various locations including Keeneland and Churchill Downs. I also include "Social Network" as a must see film in the coming weeks simply because of the impact Facebook and other social networking sites have had on all of our daily lives. Whether we want to admit it or not, it has impacted our lives more than any invention since the development of the Internet itself. Speaking of Keeneland and horses in general, if you're in Lexington, go ahead and add Keeneland and/or the World Equestrian Games to your entertainment schedule this weekend. I'd recommend heading out to Keeneland on Saturday morning before embarking over to Commonwealth for some tailgating in the afternoon. If you're a UK student, you can also check out the World Equestrian Games for free on Saturday with your student ID.

Books: "Beyond a Dream" by Mark Krebs

(visit http://www.beyondadreambook.com/ for more information)

I purchased this book yesterday afternoon and started reading it last night. I stayed up until 2:30 am last night, finishing the entire book without being able to put it down. That's saying a lot, because I've never read a book all at once like that in my entire life, or even in just a few days.

It starts from Krebs' very early childhood and goes through high school, his mom's battle with cancer, his freshman year at lowly Division III Thomas More College, and into his improbable career at UK. It started with a letter to Tubby and the odds he went through to just make the team, and stay on the team under three coaches, are incredible. It goes into great deal of everything behind the scenes from the day Tubby left to the first team meeting with Gillispie. It's VERY eye opening. Then of course it touches on the uncertainty of Calipari coming in with all the new recruits and another huge challenge to just make the team and then actually earn
a scholarship. There's a ton of info addressing "boot camp" and everything that went on under Gillispie and a deep look into all 3 coaches in a roller coaster ride from a walk-on redshirt, to a walk-on reserve player in the NIT, and culminating as a scholarship player on the #1 ranked team in the country.

Most importantly, the book chronicles the fight of Krebs' mother, Terri Krebs, to stay alive through the excruciating pain of Breast Cancer treatments for nine years to live to see a daughter get married, all three of her kids graduate from high school and go on to college, and to be able to be at center court of Rupp Arena with her son Mark on Senior Day at UK. I won't go into any more detail than that because you should really read it yourself...it's a MUST read for any UK fan. Scratch that, it's a must read for anyone.

College Football: SEC Matchups and how they pertain to UK

• Tennessee at Georgia: This should be interesting as it involves two traditional powerhouses going at it in a down year for both teams and desperately needing a win to stay out of the SEC East cellar. As a UK fan, you're intrigued at how this game plays out because you're actually expecting to beat both of these teams. The opportunity of beating Georgia for a third time in five years is exciting and, of course, Kentucky fans are feeling desperate to finally end that streak in late November in Knoxville. This game will tell us a lot about both teams.


• Alabama at South Carolina: Cats fans will be rooting for the Crimson Tide in this one. UK has the advantage of uneven scheduling in the SEC this season with South Carolina and Florida having much tougher inter-divisional games. The is a game that the Gamecocks need to lose and UK needs them to lose in hope of finishing high in the final SEC East standings.


• LSU at Florida: The Tigers are 5-0 but have won very unconvincingly and ugly. Florida has one loss and a second straight loss would make climbing that SEC East ladder to the top a POSSIBLE task for Kentucky, although still highly unlikely with 2 losses already and a very tough game tomorrow with Auburn.


• Then of course, there is Auburn at Kentucky: Auburn is 5-0 and Kentucky is 3-2. Last year, Auburn was 5-1 and Kentucky was 3-4 when they met at Auburn. The Cats REALLY needed a win to get the season turned around and they got it last year on the road and banged up with injuries. Here's hoping for a similar win tomorrow at Commonwealth.

That should be enough to get you through the weekend or at least until Sunday, when the Reds come back to Cincy with their backs against the wall at Great American Ballpark. I'll be in attendance cheering on the Reds, but it's depressing to think about the momentum this team would have coming back home if they had held on tonight and tied up the series. Instead, they're facing an elimination game and playing for a chance to face Roy Halladay again. Stranger things have happened, but it's not looking good.

21 points off 3 turnovers doom the Cats

The title said it all. The Cats were the better team. They out gained Ole Miss by over 100 yards.

BUT they turned the ball over 3 times setting up an easy 21 points for the Rebels, late hits and unnecessary roughness calls set up a 4th easy touchdown for Ole Miss, and when given the opportunity to get the ball back and tie up the game, the defense couldn't hold the Rebels on 3rd and 19.

Some fans want to blame Mike Hartline, but only one of the three turnovers was on him. His phenomenal play in the 4th quarter brought us back into the game. He gives us the best chance to win. There's plenty of blame to be given all around the team on this loss and Mike Hartline doesn't deserve any more blame than Randall Cobb or Chris Mathews do for their fumbles. Mike Hartline is our quarterback.

Okay, now here is the good news: all 5 teams in the SEC East lost today and the Cats STILL have a lot more to play for and a lot to achieve. They STILL have an opportunity to finish high in the East and get to a better bowl game. With the loss to Ole Miss, these next two games are much bigger than before, however. An unexpected win over Auburn or South Carolina would essentially cancel out the unexpected loss to Ole Miss. If the Cats win one of these next two they could honestly win out the rest of the way and finish off the season better than they have in ages. If they lose these next two, they're right in the same position they were a year ago with an easier schedule the rest of the way with still a great chance at finishing as high as 2nd.

Don't give up on this team. They certainly didn't give up yesterday in the 4th quarter and they won't give up on this season. Remember when they were 2-3 last year? Then they won 5 of their last 7 including wins on the road at Auburn and at Georgia. The schedule allows a similar run this year. How many people will really be disappointed with an 8 win season and wins over Georgia and Tennessee? I think it's more likely than not to happen, but the turnovers and mistakes have to stop. The talent is there for the Cats to compete, but the mediocre competition has not prepared them for the first few SEC games. I expect a much sharper Kentucky team against Auburn on Saturday night.

I'm going to cheer up now. Big Blue Madness is less than 2 weeks away and the Cincinnati Reds are in the playoffs!!

Bigger than Last Season?

Today marked the first day that fans were permitted to set up tents to campout for Big Blue Madness tickets, which will be distributed Saturday morning. I was in shock to hear that there are way more fans than there were a year ago on the first day. Based on pictures and various testimonies, there might even already be more people there than there was on Friday night last season. I'm shocked. Of course I expected a great turnout, like always. However, I really didn't think the excitement of last year's team could be topped.

Perhaps, more people came out this year because of how great of an experience the campout was last season with Calipari and the players coming out and meeting the fans, bringing them breakfast, playing pick up games, and playing cornhole. Through word of mouth, KSR, Youtube, facebook pictures, and many other mediums, the amazing experience that fans had a year ago has brought out even more fans to experience the campout for themselves. The event has grown even bigger than a year ago, which I didn't think was possible. The Big Blue Nation never ceases to amaze me.

(Photo Courtesy of UKathletics.com)

P.S- CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2010 N.L. CENTRAL DIVISION CHAMPION, CINCINNATI REDS!

I experienced the victory celebration at Fountain Square last night and it was incredible and long overdue for a city that and region that loves their Reds dearly. Let's hope for a couple of more celebrations throughout October and into November.I look forward to covering the Reds some on this site throughout the Playoffs.

Remember, it's also still football season Cats fans, and we'll break down the UK/Ole Miss game for you this weekend as well. It should be a fairly evenly matched game and will be a hard fought road win, but I think the Cats will get back on track with a win

October: the best month in sports?

We're officially less than a month away from Big Blue Madness and about 2 weeks away from the month of October. In this state, nearly everyone would agree that March is usually the best month in sports around here. March Madness in the bluegrass and the excitement of baseball season to come, nicer weather, and horses running at Keeneland is a great time of year. Some fans may argue that Christmas, New Years, college basketball, and the Bowl season of late December and early January is the "most wonderful time of the year". But I'm here to argue today in favor of the month of October, as the best month in sports.

As I sit here today watching the Reds play an afternoon game with the Diamondbacks, up 8 games on the Cardinals and gearing up towards an October playoff run, I've never been more excited about this month. Not only do you have the Reds in the postseason making a World Series run, but you have four great Kentucky football matchups against Ole Miss, Auburn, South Carolina, and Georgia. Those four games will make or break Kentucky's hopes for an SEC Eastern Division championship, and three of those games happen to be home games at Commonwealth. The month of October is the one month of the year where virtually every sport is playing. College football and the NFL is in full swing, MLB is winding down through the playoffs and heading into the World Series, the NBA and Hockey is just starting, Keeneland is running, and Big Blue Madness kicks off the always anticipated and unofficial start of the college basketball season in the Bluegrass.

USA Today has ranked Big Blue Madness (a glorified PRACTICE session) as one of the top 10 "must see live" sporting events in the World. But the week long campout, which brings out thousands of UK fans to campus for a chance at Madness tickets, is probably an even greater experience. In addition to Keeneland, you also have the World Equestrian Games in Lexington this year, of which I have no interest in. The event will, however, bring in tourists throughout the World to see the Bluegrass in a beautful time of the year as the leaves turn colors, the fall semester is at its peek at UK, and basketball season is near. This year October will particularly be special with not only the World Equestrian Games, but also playoff baseball in Cincinnati, which Reds fans have waited to happen for 15 years.

Just to get you a little excited, here's some videos from last year's campout! You gotta love October, go ahead and vote in our poll as well. What's the best part of October?

Cardinal Killin' Weekend

On Friday morning, I'll be heading to St. Louis to watch the Reds face the Cardinals. When I purchased the tickets about a month ago, I had hoped that the Reds would simply still be in the race for the N.L Central Division crown and that these would be meaningful games. It turns out the Reds have an 8 game lead. I had faith that the Reds could have the lead at this point, but I never in my wildest dreams thought that they'd be in control as they are now to be cruising into the playoffs like this.

This series isn't as important as I thought it would be when I planned the trip, but it feels even better with a large lead and the chance to bury the Cardinals even further. Especially after the big brawl that happened at Great American Ballpark a few weeks ago, it's going to be bittersweet walking into Busch Stadium with an 8 game lead over the Cardinals, whether they win or not....at this point it doesn't look like it really matters, and will be a fun trip regardless.

I will NOT be attending the Saturday afternoon Reds/Cards game because I'll be in my hotel room watching the Cats beat up on those other Cardinals in Louisville. I will not; however, have a computer with me. I'm hoping to have someone else break down the game for you and the rest of this weekend's college football action, either a previous contributor of Wildcat Wrap (like Mike Brown), or perhaps a newcomer, maybe even a little female perspective will be provided on this Saturday's game? Either way, I'll be back by Labor Day to give you my insight on the Governor's Cup as well as my baseball trip to St. Louis.

When I get back, I'll also explain to you why the Reds have a better chance at winning the World Series (not just the NL Pennant), than Ohio State does of beating Alabama or any SEC school in the BCS National Championship game. It's not rocket science, but many Ohioans don't understand. I'll also make the case for October (playoff baseball, college football, start of Big Blue Madness) to be the greatest month in sports, perhaps even better than March. October is just one month away, folks.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend, everybody!

Basketball in August: Cats invade Canada.

Never has August been more fun around these parts. The Cincinnati Reds are tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for 1st place in a very wild and incredibly tight NL Central race, Terrell Owens has joined fellow endzone diva Chad Ochocinco with the Bengals, and Sports Illustrated has picked Joker's first UK football team to finish 2nd place in the SEC East, tied with Georgia and just behind Florida.

If all of that wasn't enough to excite local sports fans, John Calipari has brought his Kentucky basketball squad to Canada for Big Blue basketball...in August! In the middle of all of this madness of football season approaching and the Reds fighting for their first playoff birth in 15 years, we will get to see a very early summer's glimpse of the Cats' upcoming basketball team for 3 straight days this Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The games can be seen on FSN South and FSN Ohio in 14 states, or online anywhere in the world at http://www.ukathletics.com/. They can also be heard on the radio on any of the flagship stations of the Big Blue Network. Basketball in August. This is fun, isn't it?

Unfortunately, freshman Center Enes Kanter will not make the trip as UK is still waiting for a word back from the NCAA regarding his amateur eligibility status after his participation with "Club teams" in his home-nation of Turkey. But fans will get to see a good look at returning players Josh Harrelson and DeAndre Liggins. Harrelson and Liggins have shown a marked improvement according to Calipari and he looks for the two to step up in starting roles, along with fellow returnee Darius Miller. Besides Kanter, the other freshman who will play big roles this year that WILL be making the trip to Canada are Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb, and Terrence Jones.

I appologize for a slow summer here on the site, but I'm ready for football season to begin and I'm equally excited for these summer basketball games in Canada. The site will pick things up right where we left off last March and will grow to be even bigger with more features than ever before.

Tomorrow will be a fun day. The Reds look to sweep the Marlins tomorrow afternoon and the Bengals will be playing their home preseason opener. But, of course, I won't be watching the Bengals because at 7:00 the Cats will tip it off vs. Windsor University and we'll wrap up all the action right here at Wildcat Wrap!