I'm holding out for a hero to show up and rescue this year's team. I know Brandon Knight, John Wall, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are not walking through that door, but maybe one of these guys will rise up, grab the bull by the horns, and drag us to the finish line.

Tweet(s) of the Morning:

OMG. A buddy of mine just told me he turned down tix to a regional final when we were in college because he didn't want to go w/ the girl...

— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) March 6, 2013

The game he decided to pass on? Duke-Kentucky in 1992. LOLOLOLOLOLOL

— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) March 6, 2013

Heh. A lifetime of regret follows that decision.

Your Quickies:

Kentucky football

• MSU to play Kentucky on Thursday night in 2013 season // For Whom the Cowbell Tolls

  I think this was linked yesterday, but here is more. Remember when we used to mock Louisville for Thursday night games?

Kentucky basketball

• John Clay notes: Magazine can't find room for Cats // Kentucky.com

  Kentucky fans upset about the way Arkansas students treated Archie Goodwin on Saturday forget the "Walsh is gay!" chants directed at Florida's Matt Walsh when he used to come to Rupp.

  He's absolutely right. Pot, meet kettle.

• Caldwell-Pope a force for Georgia as Bulldogs await Kentucky // Kentucky.com

  You don't have to be James Naismith to figure out the player Kentucky must contain at Georgia on Thursday. You don't even have to be a coach or, as UK Coach John Calipari likes to say dismissively, a "Basketball Bennie."

  Gonna be tough. This kid was a five-star out of high school for a reason.

• UK's SEC Tournament seeding scenarios (as of March 6) // Cat Scratches

  Bottom line: Win tomorrow, and we are guaranteed a double-bye. If we lose, all bets are off.

• Julius Randle added to McDonald's game

  I have been hearing that we should expect this. He's definitely worthy of the honor.

• Antoine Poythress knows what son can do if he is always aggressive // vaughtsviews

  But who is the real Alex Poythress? Is it the player who scored 20 or more points in four straight games early in the season and had 21 against Missouri or is it the player who managed just 29 points in a five-game SEC stretch and went 1-for-9 at Florida and scored only four points at Tennessee?

  The question we would all like to know the answer to.

• How tie-breakers work in the SEC

Other UK sports

• Baseball Writers Tab Reed National Hitter of the Week // UKAthletics.com

Links posts

• Tom Leach // Wednesday Links
• The Morning Mix // CollegeBasketballTalk

College football

• Antonio Smith says Houston Texans locker room would laugh at Manti Te’o

  Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith was asked on Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network how Manti Te’o would be greeted if he were to be drafted by the Houston Texans and Smith said that he would be laughed at.

  Heh. Reminds me of how submariners treat new guys in their department. You have to learn to have thick skin, or endure a lot of practical jokes at your expense.

  Seems the NFL is that way, too (Via Hank).

College basketball

• Notre Dame, St. John's fight at end of game // Yardbarker.com

  Abject stupidity. Get used to the bench, guys, because that’s mostly what you’ll be seeing for the rest of the year. (Hank)

• Missouri’s Frank Haith goes after Arkansas’ Mike Anderson // John Clay's Sidelines

  Uh, okay, guys. Pilot to bombardier… WTF, over?

• Ohio State spoils Indiana's night // ESPN

  One thing’s for sure: This wasn’t the ending Indiana envisioned. There would have been few better things than hanging a singular conference title banner for the first time in 20 years on senior night; the party was going to be rocking.

  Am I wrong for loving it when Indiana loses? Even if so, I don’t care – without a little schadenfreude, sports is just not as much fun.

• 3-point shot: Strange turn in search at USC // ESPN

  The USC coaching search story has to be one of the more bizarre this season. I can’t see how the Trojans could hire Tim Floyd back after an NCAA probationary period, regardless if Floyd wasn’t named in the violations. He was still the head coach at the time. Also, Floyd did return to UTEP to carry on the legacy of his mentor, the late Don Haskins. USC is a plumb [sic] job and Floyd had the Trojans in the upper echelon. But this would be one of the more stunning decisions.

  It is bizarre, but honestly, if the NCAA didn’t sanction Floyd, USC is within USC’s rights to rehire him. It does look bad, no doubt, but apparently optics has no impact on the Trojans these days. Otherwise, they never would have hired Lane Kiffin.

• Bracketology: A 64 factor carnival of stupidity // SBNation.com

  Yeah, you know it's funny. The really bad thing is, some of these things I have done as well. No, I'm not saying which.

• Crashing the Dance // Distance to each site for all teams in the S-Curve

  Wow, this is pretty cool.

• Ben Howland: "I can’t control Bill Walton" // John Clay's Sidelines

  Bill Walton has become the second-most annoying color commentator to me, right behind Dick Vitale.

Other sports news

• The 10 least powerful people in sports // SI.com

  NCAA investigator: They have no formal role in the legal system and no subpoena power. What they do have of late is a trail of spectacular bad PR after violating many of its own procedures during the University of Miami investigation. If offenders don't outright admit their crimes, NCAA investigators are cooked. Self-reporting is more effective.

  Heh.

• Ex-Cat Harrellson signs with Puerto Rican team // Kentucky.com

  Harrellson will play for Brujos de Guayama of the Puerto Rican basketball league. He was expected to join the team for practice on Wednesday.

  Honestly, this is pretty much what I expected for Josh. He had a good run, he had a year or so in the NBA, and now he moves on to where he probably was always going to wind up.

  It's a good life, though, and you never know. Good luck, Josh, we'll be following your career with interest.

• John Wall being branded as ‘JW2′ // Washington Post

Other news

• 20 Things That Are Statistically Safer Than You Think // Kenney Myers

  I don't know if this qualifies as "news you can use," but it's interesting.