KSR Today: Fast Cats, UK in Paris, Commitment Watch, Horns Down, and Summer Teambuilding
July, already? It’s hard to believe, but it’s already here. Soon, we will celebrate the 4th of July before disappearing into hibernation with the EA Sports College Football ’25 video game. The 2024 Summer Olympic Games are coming up, too.
Let’s start there because Kentucky shined in last night’s Olympic trials.
UK’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Masai Russell shined at the Olympic trials.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Masai Russell, a couple of Kentucky Wildcats, starred on the final night of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon, last night. The former set a new world record in the 400-meter hurdles, running a 50.65 to win the gold and secure her spot in Paris. It was the fifth time McLaughlin-Levrone set a new world record in the 400-meter hurdles.
Russell won her first U.S. Championship in the 100-meter hurdles to secure her first spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Russell’s 12.25 was her third straight personal best and a new record at the Olympic trials in Oregon.
Five former track and field Wildcats competing in the Olympics.
UK Athletics will send five Americans to Paris to compete in track and field in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games:
Alexis Holmes (’22) – 400m, relay pool
Masai Russell (’23) – 100mH
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone – 400m
Andrew Evans (’14) – Discus Throw
Daniel Roberts (’19) – 110mH
Watch the USMNT vs. Uruguay tonight.
If you want more American sports, you may be interested in the USMNT’s final group stage match at the 2024 Copa América. (We are talking about soccer.) The United States plays Uruguay tonight at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. You can watch from wherever you are at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, Univision, TUDN, and FDP Radio as the Americans play to emerge from group play into the quarterfinals.
The USMNT is in second place behind Uruguay in Copa América’s Group C. These are the scenarios to escape group play to reach the knockout round (via USSoccer.com):
- Win against Uruguay and win the goal-differential tiebreaker should Panama defeat Bolivia.
- Draw against Uruguay, combined with a Panama-Bolivia draw or a Panama loss.
- Lose against Uruguay, combined with a Bolivia win and a win in the goal differential tiebreaker. Current goal differentials are U.S. +1, Panama -1, and Bolivia -7.
God bless America.
Welcome to the SEC, Texas and Oklahoma.
It’s official: As of today, July 1, Texas and Oklahoma are members of the Southeastern Conference. Texas celebrated its move on Sunday with an all-day celebration in Austin, including a performance by Pitbull and fireworks on campus.
Oklahoma kicked off its late Sunday evening celebration in Norman with a 5K. Today, the party continues with a pep rally and more. You can follow along on SEC Network.
UK Basketball goes golfing and bowling.
Several of Mark Pope’s new Wildcats brought their golf clubs to campus when they moved in earlier this summer. Travis Perry and Kerr Kriisa were two of the basketball team’s golfers, and on Sunday, Perry shared a photo from their round at Keene Trace Golf Club, home of the ISCO Championship (formerly known as the Barbasol).
Across town, Lamont Butler and Brandon Garrison went bowling, according to Garrison’s Instagram story. It is summer team-building time in the Bluegrass.
Javeon Campbell set to announce his decision tomorrow
Javeon Campbell is the top-ranked high school football recruit in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Tomorrow, the Class of 2025 star will announce where he will play his college football. A four-star defensive lineman out of Western Hills High School in Frankfort, Campbell intends to announce his commitment at 11 a.m. on Tuesday via a live stream. He is considering staying home to play at the University of Kentucky or out-of-state opportunities at Alabama, Auburn, and Miami.
Campbell is the No. 167 overall class of 2025 recruit according to the On3 Industry Ranking. If he were to pick the Cats, he’d be the 15th commit in UK’s class and the second-highest-ranked.
Matt, Ryan, and Shannon left me with the radio show/
For the first time in Kentucky Sports Radio’s history, my three colleagues took simultaneous summer vacations, leaving me alone with KSR’s two-hour morning radio show. This was also done on short notice, but that is OK because big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. Today, Myron Medcalf will be in his usual place as the host of Mondays this summer. I’ll be with him. Then, we’ll have some fun on Tuesday and Wednesday while everyone is away.
I have the Avizion Glass Text Machine.
Before Ryan’s trip to Hilton Head, he left me with the Avizion Glass Text Machine. That way, I can stay in touch with the show listeners throughout the week. So, feel free to text me at 502-735-3680. Text me about the show, life, love, or the pursuit of happiness.
One more thing they left me with: the KSR Preshow. I am on with Billy Rutledge from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. from lovely downtown Lexington. I better get down there soon, actually. Go Cats.
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