National Custodial Workers Day's Wednesday News and Views

Let me be the first to wish all of you a big, warm Happy National Custodial Workers Day! Oh, you didn't know? This is awkward. I thought everyone knew. Wednesday is National Custodial Workers Day. The "holiday" is set aside each year on October 2 to recognize the many men and women who work behind the scenes in our offices, schools, restaurants, and other places of business to keep it squeaky clean and free of filth. These people are overlooked 364 days out of the year by most of the people dirtying everything up, but not today. Today, we all take time out to thank the hardworking, under-appreciated people who keep things so fresh and so clean. So thank you, custodial workers of America. I work from home so I probably won't see any of you, but I, and everyone else in America, appreciate all you do. Enjoy your big day. Welp, let's do this...  After listening to Mark Stoops following Tuesday's practice, it sounds like UK has its starting quarterback and that guy will get most of the snaps. The problem for fans is, the UK staff is not going to tell us who it is prior to Saturday's game. Stoops admitted that one quarterback is getting more work with the first team in practice, but they're going to keep it hush in the days leading up to the game to force Steve Spurrier to prepare for both QBs. My guess is Jalen Whitlow will be the starter because his mobility will be needed to escape South Carolina's pass rush. Max Smith is like a statue in the pocket and that'll get him killed against Jadeveon Clowney and the Gamecocks' front four. Whitlow may not have the deep ball, but Max hasn't shown us much of anything through the air, either. Roll with Whitlow's athleticism and hope for the best. Or give it to Mansour.  Some quarterback news from the other sideline: Steve Spurrier said Conner Shaw could suit up against the Wildcats. Shaw, ranked fourth in the conference in pass efficiency, injured his shoulder Saturday night against Central Florida and the initial report was he would likely miss the next two or three games. But now the Ol' Ball Coach is a little more confident in the status of his starting quarterback after watching him throw the ball in Monday's practice. The injury is not as significant as originally thought, apparently.  Spurrier also took a jab at Kentucky on Tuesday, just as he has always done in the past. After complimenting the South Carolina fan base for selling out another game, he said he won't criticize the crowd if they decide to leave early Saturday. Hear it for yourself: Spurrier did have good things to say about Mark Stoops, though. He said, "(Kentucky has) struggled a bit this year, got a new coach, Mark Stoops, who I think eventually is going to do an excellent job there at Kentucky. They've struggled a little bit offensively; their defense has played well most of the year; struggled ocassionally, but they've been tough. They'll come in here and give us all we can handle, I'm sure."  Kentucky is currently a 21-point underdog to the Gamecocks.  We're about six hours away from the mayhem that is Tent City, although I'm told the mayhem is already getting underway across the street. The campout officially begins at 5:00 a.m. Wednesday morning when UK allows campers to set up around Memorial Coliseum. UK asks campers to be courteous to others -- play nice, everybody -- and public safety officials will be on hand to aid and assist a safe move-in. I plan to catch a quick 2:00 am - 4:00 am nap and join the party for the race across Euclid before sunrise, so I'll be around to lend a hand too. Tweet me if you want breakfast. Also, KSR will be around Tent City Thursday night and Friday morning. We'll be doing Friday morning's radio show live from someone's tent.  Got questions about parking?  We got answers, via UK:

Campers are encouraged to come prepared with their tents and other belongings prior to arriving at Memorial Coliseum. Unloading may occur in the Wildcat Plaza inset (directly across from the frontage of Memorial Coliseum) for a maximum of 5 minutes or in the metered spaces directly North of the Joe Craft Center. Campers should not park in employee or residential parking lots and streets near Memorial Coliseum, both of which require valid UK parking permits until 5:30pm on Friday, October 4th. Campus safety officials request campers not block bike lanes and/or sidewalks with their vehicles at any time. Vehicles left unattended or creating traffic congestion will be cited and/or towed. After unloading, campers must relocate their vehicles to the E/K overflow parking lot, located across from Commonwealth Stadium off Alumni Drive. Parking in the E/K overflow parking lot will be free. Bus service will be available to transport fans back to Memorial Coliseum. Lextran buses serve this parking lot from 7 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Beginning at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, the gates of Parking Structure #5 (also known as the Limestone Garage) next to Kennedy’s Bookstore will be open and the structure will be available for free parking. The garage will remain open overnight; however no camping or sleeping in vehicles is permitted. Cars must be removed by 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5.

I hope that helped. If it didn't, I don't know what to tell you.  Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably seen a lot of new content from the various media outlets that cover Kentucky basketball. It's all hitting the web at once now that it's no longer embargoed from last month's interviews, and most of it is the same, but one thing is very clear: this team is good, probably better than we originally expected. Cal is back to his trash-talking ways; the players won't stop raving about the competition in practice; Aaron Harrison may be better than Andrew; Dakari is giving Willie all he can handle; and the chemistry is exactly what it needs to be at this point in the season. There is still a whole season of college basketball to be played, but the hype is real, folks. Say what you will about preseason expectations -- they're often too high, I know -- but this year, Kentucky basketball is the real deal. Sleep on that and I'll see you at Tent City at 5:00 a.m. Cats.