David Banner's Thursday News and Views

    Y'all, the pickings for April 11th birthdays were slim. Slim indeed. Like, the top search result was Jeremy Clarkson, whom I had never heard of, followed by Stephanie Pratt of The Hills, whom I have unfortunately heard of. So, I went with David Banner, aka Lavell William Crump (phenomenal name) of Jackson, Mississippi. He seemed a happy medium. The rapper and record producer graduated from Southern University and studied to get his Masters of Education at University of Maryland before putting that off to release his 2000 solo album Them Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1. His fame really took off in 2003, when Banner (stage name chosen after The Incredible Hulk's alter ego) produced T.I.'s hit single "Rubberband Man." Since then, Banner has been best known for his song "Get Like Me" featuring Chris Brown and Young Joc. In this inspiring rap number, Banner encourages his listeners to "stunt" like he does, hinting that doing so will get them material wealth and possessions, i.e., "a Chevy with the butterfly doors."    Blogging is a habit. Get like me. Let's hit these news and notes.   -BBN got an extra-special toy in their cereal box this morning when Dominique Hawkins of Madison Central High School committed to playing basketball at the University of Kentucky. Hawkins, who cites Keith Bogans as his favorite player, will attend UK with a full-ride scholarship. The Rivals three-star player describes himself as a "tough-nosed point guard" and dropped 29 against the Harrison twins when their teams competed earlier this season. On the emotional side, the commitment shows that Calipari can get elite recruits on both a national and state level, giving local kids with talent and dedication the chance to play for the team they grew up rooting for. For video of the event, click here. For the lowdown on Hawkins, click here. Welcome to BBN, Dom! -Hawkins follows in the footsteps of many beloved Mr. Kentucky high school ballers who went on to attend UK, including Jack Givens, Dirk Minniefield, Rex Chapman, and, most recently, Darius Miller and Jon Hood. Not a bad group of names to be associated with. Not bad at all. -Elsewhere on the basketball front, the UK-North Carolina game will take place on Saturday, December 14th in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I'm already excited to see our clique run circles around Kennedy Meeks. Literally. Run circles. -Now that basketball has officially wrapped up, everyone in Lexington (including Kyle Wiltjer, Alex Poythress, Jarrod Polson, and Tod Lanter) is ready for some football. Luckily, there's only one practice left before the spring game this Saturday. Coach Stoops told the press today that it'll be simple to make him happy at the Blue/White game: “I just want to see good football on either side of the ball." Stoops wants both teams to be competitive and avoid one side blowing out the other. -Stoops has been most impressed so far with the great attitude he's witnessed over the past month. "I see them doing things right, I see their attitude being good, and their effort, that’s what I’m most pleased about.” -And he's not done yet. Stoops alluded to the possibility of adding one more player to the class of 2013, probably a JUCO LB or WR. Stoops happens. -As for what to look for in the game itself, Nick Roush has a handy list of Who's Who to prep your football brain. Highlights include Khalid Henderson (OLB), Donte Rumph's replacement at DT (although he's expected to be at full strength by fall), and tight ends. We'll have more tomorrow. -Safeties and Special Teams Coach Bradley Dale Peveto, he of "Dye your eggs!" fame, was mic'd up today at practice. Enjoy his antics here. -And finally, for some quick Cats in the NBA notes: John Wall was one rebound shy of a triple-double with 17 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds in a loss to the Heat, and Doron Lamb (who has been suspiciously silent on Twitter lately) had a career night for the Magic, playing 35 minutes and scoring 16 points (4-6 from three-goggle land).   That'll do it for me, kids. Get a good night's sleep, and don't forget to pre-set the coffee machine. You'll thank yourself in the morning.   Tweeting is a habit, get like me. @KristenGeilKSR