97i& Gate'
OSCAR L. COMBS
CATS' PAUSE EDITOR/PUBLISHER
If Rebels can do it, 'Cats can, too: UK 14-13
Having two full weeks to lick their wounds, Kentucky's Wildcats prepare to journey south to Baton Rouge Saturday in hopes of pulling off the upset they failed to produce against Alabama.
It won't come any easier.
True, LSU could be caught napping a bit after its exciting come-from-behind victory over Auburn Saturday, but this LSU squad is far superior to the Alabama team which was exploited last Saturday by Ole Miss.
As has happened so often over the years, LSU has a problem with prosperity. They have trouble understanding that you have to play every play every week.
After demolishing Texas A&M, the Tigers were cruising past Ohio State late in the fourth period, then suddenly began their premature celebrating.
What followed was a tragic last-minute upset loss to State. A loss so emotional that they were unable to get their act together over the next seven days and then lost again to Florida.
Well, LSU came back against Auburn so now it's Kentucky, a team which almost always gives LSU fits, but almost always comes up just a tad short at the end of the game.
All nightmares come to an end; somewhere, sometime. If you don't believe me, talk to those die-hard Ole Miss fans who braved the mighty Crimson Tide tradition at Alabama's homecoming last Saturday.
If that doesn't convince you, then think about the fact that just prior to the game, Alabama officials dedicated the Paul "Bear" Bryant Museum. And to think Ole Miss would even consider trying to pull an upset on this particular day. The Bear probably rolled over in his grave.
Nevertheless, the Rebels won.
If Ole Miss can beat Alabama on Homecoming Day in Tuscaloosa, then my friends, Kentucky does indeed have hope.
Kentucky 14-13.
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That's it for the good news this week. Now it's to the bad.
Most of you have heard or read about the Sunday meeting of the UK Board of Trustees where president David Roselle gave a first-hand report to the board concerning the ongoing investigation of the basketball program.
Also, independent investigator James Park gave his report to the board and, according to UK spokesman Bernie Vonderheide, Park's portion of the session lasted some two hours.
The board went into executive session shortly after 2 p.m. to discuss matters which could involve personnel decisions relating to employees and/or student-athletes.
After the three-hour session behind closed doors, the board reconvened in open session and gave unanimous support to a resolution which approved president Roselle's handling of the situation.
By the time you receive this edition of TCP, the NCAA most likely will have
UK president David Roselle called an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees last Sunday
issued its long-awaited report of any additional accusations concerning the UK basketball program.
UK officials said Sunday the report could be received by UK just any day.
The Sunday board meeting was the first time Roselle had summoned all the board members together for a single meeting, one which was intended to brief the trustees on what information UK and its independent investigator had come up with.
UK assistant Dwane Casey and his attorney, Joe Bill Campbell, were outside the board room during the closed session, but were not asked to speak. They did go inside the room when the session was reopened to the media. Also present were lawyers representing UK basketball player Eric Manuel. They were not questioned, either.
Missing were UK athletics director Cliff Hagan, who later said he was not invited to attend, and UK basketball coach Eddie Sutton, who was reportedly out of town.
Two of the trustees had agreed to be on a public affairs television program after the meeting on WLEX-TV, Channel 18, but the two cancelled out after UK told them subject material during the meeting would be very sensitive and should not be made public. The trustees said they were not forced to stay off the show.
It's almost impossible to try and read anything from the Sunday meeting. Obviously, the board members know a great deal more than anyone in the media.
It's also obvious that president Roselle and his close university advisers probably know a great deal more than what was told to the trustees.
So it's still a wait-and-see game. The only difference is that the wait won't be near as long as it has been.
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Friday night will bring some refreshing good times to the UK basketball program as the new season officially tips off at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
The only question is: Which players
will be in uniform? If all players on the UK roster are in uniform that night, you might be able to read some good news in that.
Before the season's first official practice, the school's athletics director must certify each player's eligibility. If Hagan should certify Manuel, it should mean Eric is here to stay.
Although I'll be surprised if much of the unknown about the NCAA investigation isn't cleared up by Friday.
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Another topic which is likely to attract attention around the UK athletics program in the not-so-distant future is a new radio rights contract for UK football and basketball games.
The current three-year deal with The Kentucky Network expires at the end of the current school year. Kentucky Network currently pays UKAA $616,000 per year for radio rights as compared to $319,000 per year it paid under its first three-year contract.
Business First, a Louisville business newspaper, reported last week that Kentucky Network could face challenges from Radio Station WHAS and Host Communications when the bidding goes up sometime soon.
Usually, the bidding is held at this time of the year, but those close to the UK scene said the NCAA investigaiton has caused the university to be backed up on several items of routine business.
The Louisville publication quoted WHAS vice-president and general manager Bob Scherer as saying, "the cost is impressive. It would be very expensive. We would have to look at the expense and see what kind of payback we could get," in reference to the station's interest in UK broadcasts.
WHAS currendy holds rights to UL games to 1992 and the contract calls for Louisville games to have preference over any other school.
Host Communications of Lexington, which once owned the rights to UK football and basketball, is considered a top
contender, along with Kentucky Network, but chief executive officer Jim Host told the Louisville weekly he isn't positive his firm will bid.
"Three or six years ago, I would have said we are interested," Host was quoted in the story. "Today, I'm not so sure."
Host says the big reason is economics.
"The marketplace is all together different," said Host. "It is more diverse. It's a buyers' market."
Both Host and Tom Stevens, vice-president of operations for the Kentucky Network, say the current NCAA investigation could have an impact.
Host noted that sponsors have expressed concern with UK. Host is involved with UK basketball telecasts. Host also said the days of advertisers clamoring for spots in a college radio broadcast are gone.
Networks enjoy a sizeable chunk of profits from games played in postseason tournaments and if UK should be placed on probation, that could affect the money pie.
On the other hand, if the NCAA should put UK on probation and part of the penalty should be a ban on all live television, it could actually be a boost for the radio network since it would have 100 percent of the audience instead of being relegated to just those driving along in an automobile.
Privately, most observers believe the rights fees will be up again, but not like the jump of three years ago when the fees almost doubled.
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FIRST AND TENS ... If you were upset after Kentucky's heartbreaking loss to Alabama a couple weeks ago, think how the Crimson Tide followers feel after their 22-12 upset loss to Ole Miss last week. It all goes to show just how weak the SEC really is this season. And can you believe Florida getting beat by Memphis State? . . . According to sources at the league headquarters in Birmingham, there's a pretty good chance the Kentucky-Vanderbilt game will be chosen for "The SEC Game of the Week" over Superstation WTBS in Atlanta. If it is, the contest will be moved to 12:30 p.m. Currently, the game is set for an unusual 6 p.m. kickoff at Commonwealth Stadium to avoid a conflict with horse racing's Breeder's Cup in Louisville. Don't ask me what that has to do with UK football when it'll be tough enough to get fans to come out in November at night . . . Speaking of a little criticism, let's turn to the UK sports information department which has now pulled its all-time doozy. You're more than familiar with those large posters published by UK each season to promote the various sports programs and athletes. Well, for this year's basketball poster UK decided to go outside the basketball family and came up with a male model who used to be a basketball player at another college in Kentucky. One UK official told The Lexington Herald-Leader that the [Continued on page 23]