The Great Bambino's Saturday News and Views

One hundred years ago today, Babe Ruth made his major league debut for the Boston Red Sox. George Herman Ruth began his career as a left-handed pitcher before being traded to the Yankees for $100,000 in 1919 where he solidified his reputation as the league most potent offensive threat. For me, Babe Ruth solidified himself as a legend in the 1992 movie, "The Sandlot" when he came to Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez during a dream and inspired Benny to "pickle the beast". Fictitious Babe's advice was timeless: "Remember kid, there's heroes and there's legends. Heroes get remembered but legends never die." If any professional athlete has developed into an actual legend it is Babe Ruth. Say what you will about baseball (I bash the sport relentlessly and believe it's relevance is fading), but few athletes in any sport conjure up the intrigue that Babe Ruth does; even 100 years after his debut and 66 years after his death. From the Called Shot, to the Curse of the Bambino, Babe Ruth truly is a legend that will never die. The guy even has a candy bar named after him. On to a few notes from a slow Saturday around the Big Blue Nation. -John Calipari turned down a mega-offer from the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. You know the story. I keep hearing people talk about how Cal will follow LeBron to Cleveland next season. Am I missing something? I don't see the Cavaliers failing next season; they have really good players, a solid head coach, and judging by the tone of LeBron's letter, they also have realistic expectations. While the NBA has eccentricities that I admittedly have a hard time following (or maybe just a hard time accepting), I expect that it won't be a championship-or-bust type of situation for the Cavs next year (though I think they could win one with their current roster). LeBron James and Dan Gilbert know this team is young--albeit talented--and that the Cavs might be one piece away from being the surefire representative out of the East. If David Blatt is able to lead the Cavs to an Eastern Conference finals appearance, his job his safe in my opinion. Considering how awful the East is, LeBron surrounded by a bunch of no name jabronies is likely enough to do that.  Luckily for LeBron, he is surrounded by serious talent, better than the roster he took to the finals in Cleveland perviously. Also, while Blatt may not have the name recognition of a Coach Cal, he is highly respected as an X's and O's guy that guys like to play for--especially on the offensive end. It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that Cal could be at Cleveland next year, but count me as one who thinks it is unlikely that the Cavs have a year that merits David Blatt's exit after one year. -While Louisville fans cross their fingers, legs, swords and all things in between that Cal will head to Cleveland after this year, our coach is busy at the LeBron James Skills Academy preparing for the future. 247 Sports reported that Cal was in Vegas watching Charles Matthews, Cheick Diallo, and Jayson Tatum as they competed at The King's Camp earlier today. Go get 'em coach. -Don't look now, but Kentucky may be surging again for Damien Harris after the star running back struck up a tight bond with Kentucky commit CJ Conrad at The Opening. Kentucky has an excellent chance to give Harris even more to think about next weekend at their Friday Night Lights camp where he and Conrad will both be in attendance. In other news from The Opening, CJ Conrad apparently was outstanding. I love you Coach Stoops. -Drake, my personal favorite UK celebrity fan, gave some love the his Wildcats today. Drake, who apparently gets trashed for being a bandwagon fan, assured Complex Magazine that this is not true in the case of his beloved Kentucky Wildcats: "In the past I’ve always supported the player and not the institution–unless we’re talking about the Kentucky Wildcats and the Toronto Raptors; I will never stray from them." While I love having any person with name recognition cheering on the Cats, the 'cruits' just don't care much about Ashley Judd or Steve Zahn. When a rap superstar like Drake promises to never stray from his loyalty to the Kentucky Wildcats, this is just another weapon in already stocked arsenal--even when Cal's day at UK are over. -I think the World Cup is over. I'm not sure who won. Have an excellent Sunday.