we're halfway through the season and it's time to update our All-Area team, where we pick the top five players, regardless of position.

just as a reminder, here was the pre-season team:
Chane Behanan, UofL
Anthony Davis, UK
Terrence Jones, UK
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, UK
Cody Zeller, IU

and now that 20 or so games have been played, here's my new list (as always, in alphabetical order):
Isaiah Canaan, Murray St
Anthony Davis, UK
Gorgui Deing, UofL
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, UK
Cody Zeller, IU

you may be surprised not to see Terrence Jones make the list, but Dieng averages only a point less per game and has more rebounds, blocks and steals, plus he's a better shooter from the field and the FT line, so he gets the nod. and how can you leave Murray's Canaan off the list?

disagree with any of my picks? feel free to make comments below...

each year the Lexington Herald-Leader asks statewide media to list their "Kentucky Sportsman of the Year".

here was my ballot for this year:

Obviously Rick Pitino has his strengths and his weaknesses as a coach. Where does "player development" fall on the spectrum? Those who say it is a weakness point to the regression of Edgar Sosa and Jerry Smith, who seemed to get worse the longer they were in the program. Those who say it is a strength point to players like Ellis Myles and Kyle Kuric. I'd like to discuss Kuric.


photo courtesy www.CardChronicle.com

My fellow Clear Channel host Drew Deener ("The Early Birds", weekdays 7-10am on 790WKRD) has referenced Kuric multiple times as an example of Pitino's player development skills. In fact this morning, he sent out a tweet that said "U can call and tell me this team is underperforming. But if u call and tell me Kyle Kuric hasn't developed, I'm definitely gonna unload on u". That got me thinking... what exactly about Kuric's game has developed? He came in with the reputation of a decent shooter and good rebounder for his size with sneaky athleticism, but had trouble creating his own shot and couldn't really get to the rim. What has changed from that description? How is his game different from when he arrived?

I realize that Kuric has gone from borderline walk-on to potential all-Big East player, but is that about DEVELOPMENT? Or is it simply about getting more PLAYING TIME? I decided to break down some numbers. The chart below ranks Kyle on 10 statistical categories over the course of his college career. Most importantly, I broke down the major stats on per-minute basis, to see if there was a noticeable improvement in performance during his time at UofL.

As you can tell, Kyle's numbers on a per-minute basis have NOT noticeably improved throughout the course of his college career. In fact, there isn't a statistical category other than minutes where he's at his best as a senior... and only two where he was at his best as a junior. More troubling, in both rebounds-per-minute and 3-point percentage, he's having his **worst** season as a senior.

Certainly Kyle passes the "eye test" when it comes to improvement -- he definitely LOOKS like he's a better player than when he arrived and he's a more confident one as well. But the numbers call into question exactly what about his game has developed since he became a Cardinal. It appears the gains in his numbers are just a function of being on the court more.

I'm not making the case that Rick can't develop players... only that perhaps using Kuric as an example might not be the best way to go. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section.

I got a TON of emails on Tuesday night after the UofL loss to Providence. I read many of them on the air but not all. so I'm reprinting every email I received, unedited and in the order I got them. enjoy!

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Every year we name our annual All-Area team, the five best players REGARDLESS OF POSITION. Then we update the list at mid-season and at the end of the year. This year a few games had been played before we compiled the list so it's technically not a "pre-season" list, but it's close enough:

(Names in alphabetical order)
Chane Behanan, UofL
Anthony Davis, UK
Terrence Jones, UK
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, UK
Cody Zeller, IU

Other contenders who just missed out included UK's Marquis Teague and Doron Lamb, UofL's Peyton Siva and Murray State's Isaiah Canaan.

Do you have objections to the list? Did we leave someone out? Make your case in the comments section below.

Here's our list from the Pre-Season, in alphabetical order:

Demarlo Belcher, IU WR
Bobby Rainey, WKU RB
Hakeem Smith, UL S
Danny Trevathan, UK LB
Larry Warford, UK OL

Now that the Regular Season is over, it's time to update (again in alphabetical order):

Winston Guy, UK LB
Dexter Heyman, UofL LB
Bobby Rainey, WKU RB
Danny Trevathan, UK LB
Ryan Tydlacka, UK P

The first four names on the list were no-brainers to me but there was some controversy on the show when I announced Ryan as the final member... but I think he did his job as well as any player in our area. Other finalists for that last spot included Teddy Bridgewater (UofL QB), Matt Denham (EKU RB) and Hakeem Smith (UofL S). If you want to make a case for one of those guys or someone else, do it in the comments section below. If you're compelling enough, I will change the list!

you think our state loves basketball?
this ESPN poll was taken on November 15 when the network was showing 24 hours of college hoops

meanwhile how 'bout dumb North Carolina?

and one more highlighting the greatness of Kentucky

love this sign!

this fan is awesome
interviewing drunk fans in a bar after a game on live TV is always a good idea right? I love the expressions of pure frustration on his face. (H/T to SI.com's "Extra Mustard" section)

how to make Oobleck
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/books/blog/2011/11/oobleck_green_slime_from_the_m.html

GREAT idea
Bowling Green University raised a bunch of money to build a new basketball arena and wanted to recognize the donors. what better way than a rap video?!?! this is awesome! (H/T to www.cardchronicle.com)

got this joke from a listener
A man got on the bus with both of his front trouser pockets full of golf balls and sat down next to a beautiful woman. The puzzled woman kept looking at him and his bulging pockets.

Finally, after many glances from her, he said, "It's golf balls."

She continued to look at him for a very long time... thinking deeply about what he had said.

After several minutes, not being able to contain her curiosity any longer, she asked, "Does it hurt as much as tennis elbow ?"

here's a job description from a Raleigh radio station

POSITION: Sports Radio Producer

DIVISION/DEPARTMENT:   WCMC-FM

99.9 The Fan and 620 The Buzz in Raleigh is looking for our next Super Producer.   This is an opportunity to create content in a college sports Mecca.  

Yeah… You have to know all the basics like Audio Vault and News Boss and how to run a tight board.  If that’s all you do, we have that job posted too, but this one is not for you.

We need someone that is going to eat, drink, live and breathe every aspect of their show.  You will be managing the show both on and off the air.  You will be bringing ideas to the table that will turn into radio gold, you’ll be running the daily production meeting, you’ll be digging up sound for the hosts to use as exclamation points, and you will book compelling guests and not just guests for the sake of having a guest.  Then you’ll will take all this work and put together a show.  

Once the show is on the air, you will be charged with keeping the show on track.  Make sure the hosts do their teases.  Make sure they deliver on their teases.  Make sure they use sound.  Make sure the show stays on course.  You need to be able to produce on the fly.  Was there a killer sound byte from the first hour?  You need to pull that sound so the host can use it later in the show.  Did a topic catch fire, but you have a guest booked for the next segment?  Do you have the intestinal fortitude to tell that guest that we will have to re-book him?

When the show is over, you’ll be pulling the best audio to make sure a killer promo is produced, and then you will be in the PD’s office telling him why he needs to run the heck out of it.  Then you’ll start to work on the next show.

Can you play social media like a fiddle?

Are your hosts booked for remotes or appearances?  You will be the point person.  You need to be on top of everything that happens with your show.  You’ll also be asked to cover games and contribute to the region’s top website WRALSportsFan.com.

Does reading this gets you fired up?  Are you the type of person that loves making great radio?  Do you live for seeing those PPM numbers pop up on the screen?  If so, you have a shot to be our next producer.

All candidates must apply online at www.cbc-raleigh.com.

NOTE: the "Rant Line" is taking a temporary break. it will return soon!

the Sports Talk 84 Rant Line is up and running! it's your chance to comment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on local and national sports issues. if you read, see or hear something that bothers you but I'm not on the air, call 571-RANT.

then tune in nightly when I play the best messages... maybe you'll be one of them!