KSR Today: The Best Two Words in Sports

Summer has slightly slowed things down for Kentucky fans across the Big Blue Nation, but the rest of the sports world still has plenty to offer. While the NBA playoffs have briefly pressed pause, the NHL is giving us not one, not two, but THREE game sevens in one day. You don’t have to be a hockey fan to enjoy the exhilarating thrill ride of elimination playoff hockey.

All of the exciting action starts at 4:30 pm when Carolina hosts Boston on ESPN. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning will face elimination when they travel to Toronto at 7 pm on TNT. The nightcap is between the Kings and Oilers at 10 pm on ESPN.

If you don’t get enough game sevens in your system today, there are FOUR more tomorrow: two hockey games and a two NBA games. It doesn’t get much better than that. Enough hockey talk, onto news from around the BBN.

Weird Friday for Chris Rodriguez

Kentucky’s star running back had a tumultuous Friday afternoon. A warrant was issued for his arrest after failing to appear in court. It was a real head-scratcher. Chris Rodriguez is by all accounts a stand-up dude, both in public and behind closed doors. It didn’t make much sense. After a few hours, we received some clarity surrounding the strange situation.

Defendants do not have to physically be present in court for arraignments on misdemeanors. Rodriguez’s attorney told him they would appear on his behalf. Then, the attorney was a no-show. For a few hours nobody could reach Rodriguez’s representation. Finally around 6:30 pm we received clarity from UK, citing a scheduling issue for the attorney’s absence. Chris must still face the music for last Sunday’s arrest, but it’s unlikely that Friday’s mishap will lead to further consequences.

Kentucky Adds Another Defensive Back Transfer

The Wildcats went back to the transfer portal well to add another versatile athlete to the secondary. Zion Childress announced his commitment to Kentucky shortly after officially visiting Lexington, picking the Cats over Washington and TCU. A two-year starter at multiple positions for Texas State, Childress can seamlessly slide into the void left by Vito Tisdale at nickel. The third transfer portal addition to the secondary this offseason, he has four years to play three seasons of college football.

“We are excited to have Zion be a part of our program,” Mark Stoops said in a statement. “He played two years at Texas State and he was a proven defensive starter in the Sun Belt Conference. He has the chance to come in and really contribute to our team because he’s so versatile. He can play multiple spots on our defense and with his background of being a former quarterback, he really understands the game. He’s young, athletic and talented, and we can’t wait to help develop him here.” 

Keidron Smith has Arrived on Campus

The Wildcats are on break in the month of May without any formal team activities, but there are still a few working out around campus. The first transfer portal addition to the secondary, Keidron Smith, shared on social media that he’s made the move to Lexington. A complete look at this offseason’s transfer portal additions in chronological order:

• WR Tayvion Robinson (Virginia Tech)
• IOL Tashawn Manning (Auburn)
• DL Darrion Henry-Young (Ohio State)
• QB Deuce Hogan (Iowa)
• WR Javon Baker (Alabama)
• DB Keidron Smith (Ole Miss)
• DB Jordan Robinson (Livingstone College)
• DB Zion Childress (Texas State)

NFL Cats have New Threads

Rookie minicamps are underway, providing the BBN a sneak peak of what numbers they’ll be rocking on Sundays next fall. There’s no change for Luke Fortner, but it will be strange seeing double digits on Josh Paschal‘s uniform.

Kentucky Baseball in Action

Firmly on the bubble, the Bat Cats got did not help their NCAA Tournament case Friday night. South Carolina took the Cats to the cleaners, defeating Kentucky 11-3 in game one. An important game two will air on the SEC Network at noon.

UK Tennis in Postseason Play

The No. 8 Kentucky men’s tennis team is hosting a super regional this Saturday at the Hilary Boone Tennis Complex. They’ll take on No. 9 Wake Forest at 2 pm ET. A win today over the Demon Deacons will put the Cats back in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2011.

Track and Field SEC Championships Underway

Abby Steiner has accomplished just about everything throughout her illustrious career. An NCAA record holder in the 200 and 300-meter indoor competitions, this weekend she can check one final box: an SEC outdoor championship. A few athletes have already earned medals, but most of the early meet has simply been qualifiers. The four-day meet continues today in Oxford with the Wildcats in action at 1:30 pm ET.