Burton to stay at Kentucky

A source painfully close to the situation in Lexington says Keenan Burton said by phone today that he would stay on with Rich Brooks and the Wildcats for one more year. We found out just after 5 PM today.

Many people are e-mailing me saying that his dad and other people close to Burton keep saying that he still HAS NOT made up his mind.

To that I would answer two ways:
1. If he hasn't made a decision, then why would he schedule a press conference?
AND
2. If you were going to have a press conference like this, wouldn't you ask your close friends and relatives to tell a little "white lie" so that you yourself can reveal the news at YOUR press conference? It's only logical people.

In fact, it should be noted that Keenan DID NOT even mention to the University his plans. And maybe not even Rich Brooks, who is out of town coaching in the North-South All-Star Game.

So Cats fans, just sit back, relax, and know that the remaining piece of your offensive puzzle is staying at the University of Kentucky next year.

EZ MONEY: College Hoops
Record going in: 10-5-1

Nevada (-8) vs. SAN JOSE STATE ** WIN **

Record going out: 11-5-1

"The Legend of Kragthorpe"

Well, first off, let me get this off my chest... Mr. Petrino, you are forgiven! I forgive you! I know you didn't necessarily tell the thurth. But I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing in the same situation, if the NFL was THE GOAL! So, you are forgiven, and I will root for you at the Falcons. But you better win, because given your lack of "savvy" with the media, they'll crush you if you don't win. They're not as nice as us here in Louisville.

OK, that being said... many listeners have e-mailed to talk about how they weren't quite happy with the lack of name recognition in Jurich's new football hire.

Well, we've decided that his name was very well recognized, just not in football. We've started a ficticious "Legend of Kragthorpe." And the word on the street... there are a lot of great things that Kragthorpe has done. The following fables are from today's show (by me, or producer Nasty Nate, or callers and e-mailers):

• "Kragthorpe once scored 100 points in a basketball game... with a broken leg... in the first half."
• "Kragthorpe once drove a car 300 miles an hour... without stepping on the gas pedal."
• "Kragthorpe regularly gives Hugh Hefner advice on women."
• "Kragthorpe invented the iPod."
• "Kragthorpe started the fad of wearing a headband, which was then copied by former Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, and hey, McMahon won a Super Bowl."
• "Kragthorpe once caught five touchdown passes in one quarter... two of which were thrown by Kragthorpe."

Check back for more on Wednesday. It's all done in fun. We'll continue the "Legend of Kragthorpe" so everyone knows that name recognition is no problem.

Petrino to NFL: Should've seen it coming

Why is it that no matter how many times we see a coach 'fib' to their local media (whether it be Saban, Petrino, or anyone else) and say their "committed" to where they're at and this and that and whatever, that we continue to believe them?

And don't say you saw this one coming. The contract and the comments from Petrino gave us that warm and fuzzy feeling... especially when he just got done telling us at the Orange Bowl that he hadn't been contacted by Alabama. Hell, I doubt Bobby's wife even knew.

Well, I vow never to be fooled by college coaches again. If Pitino and his constant 'spin' of seemingly everything wasn't enough, the departure of Petrino was the last straw. I vow never to be fooled again.

I understand that for most college coaches, the NFL is the pinnacle. I understand why Bobby left. But no more patronizing will I accept from any coach that they are truly "committed" to anything, or anyone, while at the University of Louisville (and many other colleges around the country).

The NFL is it. If the right offer comes along, 95% of all college coaches are gone. That's just the nature of the beast. Believe no one. The NFL is it. I'll never be fooled again.

Now, go take a look at some Petrino-based voting from ESPN SportsNation.

NEW SHOW TIME, and other stuff

I'm waiting in the airport terminal here in Miami for my flight. And was thinking I would pass the time with a little blog post. Here's some things on my mind.

1. Thanks a lot for the support of the move from middays to 3-to-6 in the afternoon. I know a lot of people are fans of the Underdogs, and they are personal friends of mine. So I do it with a heavy heart. But the goal for me remains the same... and that's to get better at my job every day.
2. Special shout out to WQAM, the top-rated sports radio station in Miami for letting me shack up down there and do my show the morning after the Orange Bowl. They've got an absolutely beautiful workspace and were so accomodating. And that says a lot considering that we just happened to be doing the show from there the same morning as former Dolphins coach Nick Saban decided to go to Alabama AND Heat coach Pat Riley decided it was time to take a break. It was pandemonium there and they still treated Keith Conrad and I fantastic! Visit them and listen to their feed online at wqam.com.
3. The Orange Bowl was a big win for the program. But let's be honest... in the grand scheme of things, it didn't do a whole lot for the program since the opponent they beat is not a prestigious program in ANY sense of the word. That hurts for Louisville fans, but most of the feedback since my day-after-the-bowl show have agreed.

About to board. Thanks for checking in. We'll be back on Monday from 3-to-6.

ORANGE BOWL GAMEDAY

ON-AIR FROM 3-6 PM TODAY: ESPN LOUISVILLE 1570-1600.

We'll post on here from time to time until I leave midway through the 4th quarter to go down to the field.

We're already here. Got here around 12:30 PM to set up for our broadcast and hang out and check out the lights here at Dolphin Stadium. It's a nice place, but it does need a makeover. It's getting one soon, and the pictures I've seen look real nice.

OFFICIAL PREDICTION: Louisville 27, Wake Forest 21

So let the gameday blog begin:

12:51 PM - Set up and ready to go. We're broadcasting from one of the press boxes. Nice place... but undoubtedly the smallest of any pro football press box I've been in.

1:30 PM - Cece Winans is going to sing the national anthem. She's practicing right now, and it's BEAUTIFUL. This is a great rendition. Viewers and fans will get a good version tonight!

2:17 PM - An unbelievable storm going through right now. It's insane. Stadium personnel tell us that the field is designed to be able to "completely drain and be dry" within 30 minutes of the end of the rain. I'm not so sure right now. The field, which looked great early, is a pond at the moment. The picture you see is what it looks like. It's from my phone though. Sorry about the quality.

4:45 PM - Craig Swabek, color man for the U of L Radio Network joins us and tells us he's got NOTHING on whether Brohm or Bush or Petrino are leaving 'The Ville'. Truth is, I honestly believe him, which may mean he is a good secret-keeper.

5:10 PM - Rich Bozich, sports columnist for the C-J, comes by and tells us that he thinks media members will be surrounding the Louisville buses coming into the stadium to ask Petrino about Alabama.

6:15 PM - Off the air now. And damned if we find out AFTER THE FACT that they gave us our own damn radio booth. We broadcasted from an ordinary press row first time around. Wish we would've seen a seating chart before we went on the air. But we couldn't find one.

7:03 PM - Starting to fill up now. We've got a great seat for the game. Rain is gone, and the field held up very well. Jody Demling of the C-J is messing with us from one booth over, and damned if Kent Taylor from WAVE-TV is sitting right next to us in the next booth. Bobby Petrino loves Kent Taylor kinda like Rick Pitino loves me.

7:08 - Louisville players enter the field for the first time. And fans are pumped. So far the stadium is about 1/3 of the way full, and it's VERY PRO-LOUISVILLE!

7:10 - Art Carmody, our favorite player, is kicking. Here's his pregame stats:

• 25-yarder, right hash: good
• 25-yarder, left hash: good
• 28-yarder, right hash: good
• 28-yarder, middle: good
• 35-yarder, middle: good
• 40- yarder, left hash: good
• 40-yarder, left hash: off the upright
• 44-yarder, right hash: good
• 44-yarder, right hash: good
• 48-yarder, left hash: wide left
• 48-yarder, left hash: good
• 50-yarder, left hash: good
• 32-yarder, middle: good
• 32-yarder, middle: good

12-of-14... pretty good for our award-winner.

8:03 PM - Both bands have taken the field and they are finishing up. I'm guessing the marching bands may not get a halftime shot, since Taylor Hicks and Gladys Knight (we can do better than Gladys Knight, can't we? She's been nothing since the end of the Psychic Friends Network.) got the halftime honors. A cheerleading group is out right now, and we should be ready for Ali, Palmer, and Wade and the coin toss before too long.

8:25 PM - The entrance of "The Greatest" was exceptional. Unbelievable. Enjoy the game everyone!

8:47 PM - Well, we're just over eight minutes in. Brock Bolen has fumbled the ball. Wake Forest will take over on their own 39-yard line. Wake Forest will be close to penetrating Louisville territory for the first time potentially.

9:00 PM - Louisville goes three-and-out deep in their own territory, and the punter Corey Goettsche botches his punt in fear of a quickly-coming Deacon defender. Wake with a score opportunity now with the ball on the Louisville 28.

9:07 PM - Wake Forest hits the scoreboard first with a 44-yard FG. They lead 3-0 with 14:17 left in the first half.

WAKE FOREST 3, LOUISVILLE 0

9:19 PM - Noticing a lot of overloads to one side of the field for Louisville's offense. Interesting.

9:20 PM - HUGE fourth-down conversion on a pass from Brohm-to-Barnidge for the Cards to get deep into Wake territory. Carmody FG follows.

LOUISVILLE 3, WAKE FOREST 3

9:31 PM - 6:31 left to go in the first half. I'm going to make a PREDICTION SURE TO GO WRONG. I predict that the next time Louisville has to punt out of deep in their own territory, they are going to fake the punt. Just a gut feeling.

9:35 PM - Trick play. Brohm with a wide receiver screen pass (backward) to Pat Carter, then Urrutia back across the field to Anthony Allen waiting in the end zone. TOUCHDOWN LOUISVILLE.

LOUISVILLE 10, WAKE FOREST 3

HALFTIME: Taylor Hicks and Gladys Knight do a pretty good performance. I went down to hang out with my 'wntourage' for the halftime show. They are all having a pretty good time. No doubt about that. The performance was okay. The lights and other things were more fun.

10:28 PM - Wake scores on a wide-open 30-yard pass play to tie things up. I'm starting to like my prediction a little.

LOUISVILLE 10, WAKE FOREST 10

10:39 PM - Wake's first big break on the game, which to me looked like Urrutia was down on the completion from Brohm. Second turnover for the Cards.

10:52 PM - I've got to be honest... Louisville and their fans are eerily quiet. I haven't had a good feeling about them since the first half. Wake looking good at times, but then having to punt, almost inexplicably.

10:57 PM - Fumble by Wake. This one looks like a fumble to me, but this booth has been wrong on every review thus far... seriously. But we are right this time as the ref "confirms the call on the field." HUGE CALL for Louisville as their defense has been "bailed out" on a couple occasions.

11:02 PM - Carmody misses a 35-yard FG attempt. Wake seems like they are getting a lot of pressure on every special teams play. Then Kenneth Moore breaks it open with a sick move that breaks the ankles of William Gay. Wake now driving. I'm telling you, it just doesn't feel right tonight for the Cards... at least not yet.

11:11 PM - Three plays into the fourth quarter, Swank adds three for the Demon Deacons to retake the lead. 14:46 left in the game.

WAKE FOREST 13, LOUISVILLE 10

11:19 PM - Louisville goes right down the field there and looks like the team that got them here for, arguably, the first time tonight. Hell of a golline run for Anthony Allen, who proves with this rush that he can gain two yards pretty much any time you need it... as long as he doesn't fumble.

LOUISVILLE 17, WAKE FOREST 13

11:26 PM - Great three-and-out for the Louisville defense. This drive right here for Louisville will make or break the game.

11:35 PM - Louisville driving for the game-winner basically. I'm heading downstairs to watch the rest of the game on the sidelines. Talk to you tomorrow from 11-1 live here in Miami.

Musings from Miami

Keith Conrad and I are nestled up (not like that though) in our hotel room in Miami prepping for our show from Dolphins Stadium tomorrow (3-6 PM) for the Orange Bowl. Let me be honest, we partied pretty hard.

The most productive things we did today were go to pick up our media credentials, and then go to Radio Shack to pick up a piece of equipment. That was about it. Other than that, we've been cat-napping here and there, and watching all the great football on TV.

Some things we've chatted about today, just food for thought for the loyal blog readers:

• Art Carmody's butt-cut hairdo.
• West Virginia's comeback against Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl.
• A lot of "will Bush go pro?" talk.
• A lot of NFL draft talk altogether (quick shoutout for The Huddle Report)
• Our cab driver last night, who tried to hijack my girlfriend's purse on the way home
• Ice cream, and how the only ice cream place we've seen in Miami is boarded up. They must not eat that stuff here. They're too healthy here.
• Boise State football, and their apparent team tattoo artist.
• We're going to miss the IU basketball game against Ohio State.

ALSO, BE PREPARED FOR SOME BIG NEWS. NEW MANAGEMENT AT ESPN LOUISVILLE HAS ME DOING SOME 'U-HAULING'. NO, NOT LEAVING. SORRY! WE'LL ANNOUNCE TOMORROW ON THE ORANGE BOWL PREGAME SHOW!