online at www.kykernel.com
Video of DanceBlue, along with interviews and photos from the 24-hour dance marathon MARCH 8, 2010
MONDAY
WWW.KYKERNEL.COM
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KENTUCKY KERNEL CELEBRATING 39 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
Armed robbery occurs behind Cooperstown Apartments
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formation, but information was not available on the Web site until after 11:40 p.m. During the time between the original alert and the university Web site being updated, UK Police was flooded with calls, Monroe said. He was unable to estimate how many calls the agency received.
The difference in time between the UK Alert and posting information on the university’s Web site comes down to how much information is needed for each component, UK spokeswoman Kathy Johnson said. The UK Alert needs only the very basic information — in this instance, the initial report the armed robbery occurred — whereas small details such as location and descriptions of the suspects are
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Two UK students were held at gunpoint during an armed robbery at the corner of Oldham Court and Cooperstown Drive late Friday night, UK Police Chief Joe Monroe said.
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By Kenny Colston kcolston@kykernel.com
As of Sunday, the suspects had yet to be apprehended. On Friday, around 9:22 p.m., UK Police received a report of an armed robbery behind Cooperstown Apartments on UK’s campus. Two men brandishing pistols demanded the students’ personal belongings. After the victims handed over money and cell phones, the suspects fled toward Euclid Avenue. A UK Alert was issued around 10:20 p.m. The alert guided people to visit www.uky.edu for more in-
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Information on Web site delayed for more than an hour
Two students were robbed at gunpoint Friday, losing money and cellphones
KELLY WILEY | STAFF
FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING
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Greek affairs
Sigma Alpha Epsilon suspended House vacated for remainder of Spring semester
Hallie Lane, 6, dances with members of Delta Gamma during the fifth annual DanceBlue marathon at Memorial Coliseum on Friday and Saturday.
By Wesley Robinson wrobinson@kykernel.com
In response to an ongoing investigation, the UK Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter has been suspended from hosting and participating in fraternity-related events, effective immediately. UK Police responded to a call to investigate an incident at the fraternity house on 410 Rose Lane on Friday night. UK Police Chief Joe Monroe said UK student Sean Dunn was arrested and charged with first-degree arson, wanton endangerment and tampering with physical evidence. Dunn declined to comment on the incident. According to a letter sent by
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The Sigma Alpha Epsilon house was closed due to fire code violations and an ongoing investigation into an arson incident there.
PHOTO BY ALLIE GARZA STAFF
DANCING WITH THE STARS By Brandon Goodwin bgoodwin@kykernel.com
There’s only one place where more than 600 students, UK head coach John Calipari, cancer survivors and more come together to do the most famous dance in the Commonwealth. Hint: It’s not Rupp Arena. For 24 hours, all of the above tried their hands at line dancing, among other styles, but the John Wall dance was the most popular at Memorial Coliseum for DanceBlue. DanceBlue, a 24-hour dance marathon, set a new record Saturday by raising $636,638.58, a $35,000 increase over last year’s total. The money supports the UK Children’s Hospital Pediatric Oncology Clinic and the families whose children have been affected by cancer. Since its creation in 2006, DanceBlue has raised more than $2 million for the Golden Matrix fund. The clinic helps children like 7-year-old Jillian Smalley. In August of last year, Jillian was diagnosed with lung cancer. Jillian’s struggle is tough, but on Saturday, she stood on stage in front of more than 600 college students with a smile on her face, dancing
and spinning. Jillian’s father, Jerry, said he watched how this event offered support and encouragement, but the effects are felt year round. “It’s refreshing to know there is someone out there who really cares,” Jerry said. “And this money is helping hire new staff and support research, so it’s just great.” With appearances from UK head coaches and many athletes, as well as faculty, staff and administration, DanceBlue wasn’t short on star power — especially when it came to the small survivors who where there to dance. Just as it is crucial to prevent and to kill existing cancer cells, it’s important that children be served with long-term treatment, said Robert
KELLY WILEY | STAFF
Cats salute seniors in win
See DanceBlue on page 3
DanceBlue by the numbers Amount raised: $636,638.58 Number of participants: More than 600 Number of John Wall dances: Thousands
Largest donation: $15,000 from the UK Federal Credit Union
Golden Matrix Cup winners: Alpha Gamma Delta
Overall Spirit Award winners: Phi Sigma Kappa
UK hoops fall in SEC title
By Metz Camfield
By Ben Jones
mcamfield@kykernel.com.
bjones@kykernel.com
Its 44th Southeastern Conference Championship had been sealed before the game began, but UK (29-2, 14-2 SEC) still led their seniors and one of the fans’ alltime favorites out in style. A balanced UK scoring attack that saw five players reach double figures led UK over a resilient Florida squad which cut an 18-point UK lead to two. The Cats scored 12 of the game’s final 18 points and won 74-66 to put an exclamation point on their 44th SEC Championship. Still, after the game UK head coach John Calipari said he’s never coached a team that worried about a conference championship.
DULUTH, Ga. – The Cats found themselves on the wrong side of tradition and the tale of the tape against No. 4 Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship game on Sunday, falling 70-62 to the Lady Volunteers. UK’s starting lineup, which included only one player over 6 feet tall, gave up 26 total inches to the Volunteers’ starters. All five starters for Tennessee (30-2, 15-1 SEC) were over 6 feet tall, capped by 6-foot-6 sophomore Kelley Cain, a first team All-SEC selection. "It was pretty physical out there,” junior forward Victoria Dunlap said. “I think mentally we weren't ready to box them out and we weren't ready as a team in the first half, so they got a lot of put backs and boards. But I thought we did a good job of turning that around in the second half.” Tennessee used its size to their advantage early and often, and the Lady Vols scored 18 of their first 23 points in the paint, outrebounding the Cats
PHOTO BY BRITNEY MCINTOSH | STAFF
The UK men's basketball team celebrates at the end of the second half of UK's win over Florida at Rupp Arena on Sunday. “What happens is, instead of playing for that championship, you’re playing for something bigger,” Calipari said. “I’m not sure we’re
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quite there yet but we’ve done everything we were supposed to at this point. And you’re playing for a one seed See Basketball on page 6
See UK Hoops on page 2
PHOTO BY ADAM WOLFFBRANDT | STAFF
Junior forward Victoria Dunlap scored a game-high of 21 points in UK’s loss.
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PAGE A2 | Monday, March 8, 2010
UK HOOPS Continued from page 1
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Will 'The Hurt Locker' be grossly overlooked? Director Kathryn Bigelow's new movie "The Hurt Locker" is the first narrative feature to make full, unnerving dramatic sense of the war in Iraq. PHOTO BY MICHAEL TERCHA MCT
No one ever said a movie about a bomb squad in Iraq would do booming business. And it hasn't. If Kathryn Bigelow's war drama, "The Hurt Locker," wins the best picture Oscar Sunday night, not only will its producers earn some gold statuettes, they'll have the dubious distinction of having made the lowest-grossing film to nail the academy's top honor in more than 50 years. To date, "The Hurt Locker" has grossed a mere $12.6 million domestically, according to BoxOffice Mojo.com. Even with foreign grosses of $7.3 million tossed in for good measure, "The Hurt Locker's" worldwide box office is still hurting. The last time a best picture winner made less was in 1955, when "Marty" grossed $3 million domestically. Adjust "Marty's" grosses for inflation, however, and they translate to $23.77 million, which still tops "The Hurt Locker." Not that academy members have been looking at dollar signs in recent years when marking
the best picture box on their Oscar ballots. The 2005 drama "Crash," which grossed only $54.6 million domestically, was the lowest-grossing best picture winner since "The Last Emperor" in 1987 (its U.S. take was only $44 million). And "No Country for Old Men," which won two years ago, topped out at $74.3 million. Even 2004's "Million Dollar Baby" just barely tipped the $100-million mark. Of course, a win for "The Hurt Locker" is hardly a lock. It faces stiff competition from "Avatar," whose victory, ironically, would make it the highest-grossing best picture winner of all time. Although Scarlett O'Hara might say "fiddle-dee-dee" to that. Adjust the previous 81 winners' grosses for inflation, and "Gone With the Wind" is still the all-time champ with a domestic gross of $1.537 billion. Even Rhett Butler would give a damn about that. MCT
51-32. But when the No. 19 Cats (25-7, 11-5 SEC) could keep the ball from going inside, they were finally able to slow the Volunteers’ attack and took a 25-23 lead after being down by 10 points early in the game. UK took the lead when Dunlap made a layup in transition and was fouled, converting on the freebie. The Volunteers knew how to respond. The two teams traded the lead until UK junior guard Amber Smith picked up her third foul in the first half, sending her to the bench. Smith had a slow start on the night scoring, but paced UK offensively and defensively with five assists and three turnovers. With her sitting out, the Vols were able to close the half strong and took a 35-29 lead into the locker room. "They're a very good basketball team," UK head coach Matthew Mitchell said. "They have a lot of experience in this situation so I was not surprised by (Tennessee's ability to respond after falling behind). I was more encouraged by how we responded. Things were not looking good at times in the first half and I thought we responded.” But when Smith came back, so did the Cats. Smith made a basket, assisted on a 3pointer and made another layup to tie the game at 38 before picking up her fourth foul and going to the bench again. She would reenter the game before too long, but once the Volunteers finally heated up, there was little any UK player could do to stop them. With UK up 48-46, Tennessee ripped off an 11-2 run and didn’t look back. No Cat did more to lead the UK offense than Dunlap, particularly when Smith was out. Dunlap finished with 21 points and six
ROBBERY Continued from page 1 needed to put something on the university’s Web site, Johnson said. As for Friday’s instance, the UK Alert was sent out before all the information was given to public relations officials to put on the Web site, causing the lapse between the initial report and information being put on the Web site. In order to get information on the university’s Web site, UK Police must first give all the details of the incident to the public relations person in charge. That person may possibly rewrite the information and get it approved by Monroe for accuracy before posting it on the Web site. Such a process takes time, Johnson said.
Horoscope To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 6 — Obsess early in the day. Get it out of your system. Then accept a challenge to change the way others view your work. They don't need to understand your motivation. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Logic compels you to demand substance from your co-workers. They have little desire for anything but fantasy. Try not to demand compliance today. Gemini (May 21-June 21) — Today is a 6 — Social contacts obsess over tiny details. Create a different perspective in which minutiae blend into the bigger picture. Agreement will follow. Cancer (June 22-July 22) —
PHOTO BY ADAM WOLFFBRANDT | STAFF
Tennessee celebrates winning the SEC Tournament Championship. It was Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt’s 14th SEC Tournament Championship. rebounds, providing UK with most of its punch inside. In the end, the Vols’ poise that comes with 14 SEC tournament championships and their 44 inside points were too much for the Cats to overcome. UK missed out on the chance to win just its second-ever SEC tournament championship. The Cats’ only other such title came in 1982."We have made tremendous progress. Tennessee has a great program and we have a lot of respect for their program. We talked today about what Kentucky is about and what we want to be about and I think you see out there players that play very aggressively, players that are willing to make some sacrifices for each other and play hard together, and I think we just need to continue to do that ... I'm really encouraged with what the team is doing right now. "We have a long way to go this year, this season is not over, but the SEC portion is and it is time to look back and they performed well."
Because of the longer time frame, Johnson said a discussion will take place this week about changing the message in the UK Alert system so those who receive the e-mails, text messages or phone calls will not be immediately directed to the UK Web site. Johnson said the message may be changed to point alert recipients toward the Web site within an hour or so. “We do the best we can as quickly as we can,” Johnson said. “We take crime bulletins very seriously. But the time discrepancy is because we use UK Alert to let people know of information immediately and the extra information comes later on the Web site.” DanceBlue, a dance marathon with more than 600 students participating as a fundraiser for UK Hospital’s oncology clinic, was Today is a 5 — Don't fuss when associates continue to brainstorm and you prefer action. You can't do it all today anyway. Plan it for tomorrow. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 6 — You worry about the plan that was made long ago. Can everyone attend? Go ahead, even if someone calls in sick. You don't want to delay. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 6 — Your partner is out thinking up ways to spend the money. Hopefully you've established a budget beforehand. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Circumstances allow you to either fall in love, increase the power of a current relationship, or direct your passion into growing your beauty. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Although you obsess about creative elements in the design, the overall project holds together nicely. Associates
on-going during this time. Monroe said public relations spokespeople were at the event and had made the participants aware of the situation. Monroe said those in participation at DanceBlue were not in immediate danger. The suspects are around 5-foot-11 in height with medium builds, wearing black or gray masks and dark long-sleeved clothing, Monroe said. He asked anyone with information to contact UK Police with tips at (859) 257-1616. While campus was not in immediate danger, Monroe still encouraged people on campus to travel in groups. “Always be aware of your surroundings,” Monroe said. “Travel in groups of friends and well-lit areas. Use the escort services on campus, just like any other night on campus.” polish up the appearance.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — You want it all: love, recognition and responsibility. Well, maybe not so much responsibility. Take every action necessary to move it forward.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — It's a good thing that you enjoy your work, because today the pressure's on to get more done in less time. Relax in order to get into the flow. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Although the ball's in your court, there's a lot of action on the other side. Take care of your responsibilities and leave others to theirs. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — If your feelings aren't already pinned to your sleeve, wear them proudly. You can't hide them anyway. Earlier efforts bear fruit. (C) 2010 MCT
Monday March 8, 2010 | PAGE A3
WRFL expands radio reach, celebrates 22 years By Emily-Kate Cardwell news@kykernel.com
After 22 years, UK’s student-run radio station is revving up its power dial and reaching out to a wider audience. Next week, while students enjoy rest and relaxation on Spring Break, WRFL’s current 250-watt tower, which rests atop the Patterson Office Tower, will be replaced with a 7,900-watt tower. WRFL — or Radio Free Lexington — was created in 1988 by a handful of UK students and administrators. Since its beginning, only listeners in Lexington have been able to tune in, but the new tower has a four bay antenna that will enable the station to reach a larger area of Central Kentucky, including Frankfort, Shelbyville and Lawrenceburg. This power tower did not come without hard work, though. Interior design senior Ainsley Wagoner is the station’s general manager. Wagoner said Radio Free Lexington has been raising funds for the new tower ever since it got the permit to upgrade three years ago. “In 2008, we planned FreeKY Fest,” Wagoner said. “Which was a one-day music festival. Admission was free, and in exchange, we encouraged people to donate as much as possible.” In just three years, WRFL has raised the estimated $150,000 cost for the tower and structural engineering. To celebrate its 22nd anniversary, WRFL is throwing a free concert downtown called “Baby Let Me Upgrade Ya: A Celebration of WRFL’s 7,900 watts.” “I want it to be a celebration for everyone who is involved with WRFL and Lexington,” Wagoner said. “The band No Age will be headlining and I’m working with Kakie Urch to set up a media project for people to record their memories, thoughts and feelings about WRFL over the years.” Urch is an assistant professor of new media at UK. Urch co-founded WRFL when she was a UK under-
Board of Trustees PHOTO COURTESY OF KAKIE URCH
A ticket to the first fundraising concert held to start WRFL 88.1. The local bands listed on the ticket donated their services for a show in the Student Center Ballroom called Radio Aid.
By Kellie Doligale
UK students are familiar with the buy-one, get-one concept, but later this month Blake Mycoskie will be visiting campus to explain the benefits of buy-one, give-one. Mycoskie, the founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS Shoes, is coming to UK to spread the One for One mission, a business model in which the company gives a pair of shoes to an individual in need for every pair purchased. After a trip to Argentina in 2006, Mycoskie found that many children there were without proper footwear, making them vulnerable to injuries and disease, as well as preventing them from attending school, as shoes are often a uniform requirement. From there, Mycoskie founded TOMS and launched One for One initiative. To date, more than 400,000 pairs of shoes have been given away. Mycoskie has been recognized as a successful entrepreneur and humanitarian, having won numerous awards for his work. TOMS is also striving to donate 100,000 pairs of shoes to people in Haiti through the Clinton Global Initiative. Jill Baranowski, director of the Student Activities Board Engaging Issues Committee, said she met Mycoskie at a convention and he was
By Roy York ryork@kykernel.com
graduate. She wrote a Kernel column in 1985 that led to the founding of Radio Free Lexington, a grassroots non-profit group and student organization that built and operates WRFL-FM still today. Urch said when the station initially obtained a license for the 250-watt tower, Radio Free Lexington always hoped to increase that power, but it took many years for that to become possible. WRFL broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and the DJ staff is comprised of volunteers. “Imagine organizing volunteers to dance for 24 hours,” Urch said, “And then doing that all day, every day for 22 years. It’s the love and support of the community and of volunteers that has kept the station running for all these years.” Urch currently hosts a show on WRFL every other Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. Wagoner said WRFL aims to continue in the same direction it has been going. “With increased signal strength, we do have the opportunity to do even bigger things in Central Kentucky,” Wagoner said.
Good for the sole TOMS founder set to visit UK kdoligale@kykernel.com
Speaking changes highlight trustee committee meetings
enthusiastic about spreading his goals to campuses. Baranowski said she is excited to bring someone like Mycoskie to UK to spread an unheard of business tactic that proves anyone can make a difference, from the founder of a shoe company to your average non-profit.
“It’s really cool how different it is to have a business that isn’t just interested in its yearly salary.” EMILEE DOVER President, TOMS Campus Club
“It’s a good way to incorporate advice on owning your own business … ” Baranowski said. “But also how it’s possible to have your own business and give back to the community, because that’s what’s more important.” Emilee Dover, president of the TOMS Campus Club, thinks the event will be popular and worthwhile. “I was very surprised and extremely excited to hear that (Mycoskie) was coming,” Dover said. “UK is a university that’s … starting to care more about things not just in the local community, but the
If you go What: Blake Mycoskie speech When: Tuesday, March 30, at 8 p.m., followed by a reception at 9 p.m. Where: The lecture will be held in the Student Center Grand Ballroom, the reception will be in the Rasdall Gallery Admission: Free and open to the public
world itself. “It’s really cool how different it is to have a business that isn’t just interested in its yearly salary,” she said. “But more about investing themselves in something a little bit better. It’s always good to be reminded of what’s really important.” Mycoskie’s lecture will be held March 30 in the Student Center Grand Ballroom at 8 p.m., followed by a reception at 9 p.m. in the Rasdall Gallery. The event is free and open to the public. Tickets will be available in the Student Center Ticket Office beginning Monday up until the lecture. Visit www.uksab.org for more information. Staff writer Sarah Pickerel contributed to this story.
On Monday and Tuesday, the UK Board of Trustees will meet for the first time since Dec. 1 to discuss a myriad of campus issues. Student Government President Ryan Smith said the Student Affairs Committee will be covering housing issues, possible changes to the basketball ticket lottery and possible changes to the speaking procedure at board meetings. Smith said he has been meeting with other board members about these possible changes, and is hop-
ing to further the discussion during the upcoming meetings. On Oct. 27, the board met to vote on naming the new Wildcat Lodge the “Wildcat Coal Lodge.” Students attended the meeting to protest, but were told they did not follow procedure to speak during the meeting. “We want to see a fairer system where students will be able to express their views,” Smith said. In December, the board approved a contract with Ameresco, an energy service company out of Louisville to monitor and reduce energy consumption on campus. At that meeting, Smith also proposed a split-finals week. Smith said he will speak on the negotiations with Robert Mock Jr. for the vice president for Student Affairs position. “Student input was crucial to selecting the candidate,” he said. “I’m really excited about Mock. I think he’s a great guy.”
Board of Trustees schedule March 8 University Health Care Committee n 4:00 p.m. n Wethington Building, Room 317A
March 9 Student Affairs Committee n 8:00 a.m. n 18th Floor, Patterson Office Tower, Room A Audit Subcommittee n 8:00 a.m. n 18th Floor, Patterson Office Tower, Room C Investment Overview Session n 8:30 a.m. n 18th Floor, Patterson Office Tower, Board Room
SAE Continued from page 1 Steve Priepke, SAE national executive director to the UK chapter, the suspension is a “result of the recent and potentially serious risk management violations … also in response to the recent fire-code violations and potential violation of university probation.” UK spokesman Jimmy Stanton said the university fire marshal has closed the SAE house and its residents will be offered housing in the other UK residence halls for the remainder of the semester. UK administrators, including Greg Williamson, university fire marshal, and Anthony Beatty, assis-
Investment Committee n 10:00 a.m. n 18th Floor, Patterson Office Tower, Board Room Academic Affairs Committee n 10:30 a.m. n 18th Floor, Patterson Office Tower, Room A Finance Committee n 11:15 a.m. n 18th Floor, Patterson Office Tower, Board Room Lunch n Noon n 18th Floor, Patterson Office Tower, Rooms F&G Board Meeting n 1:00 pm n 18th Floor, Patterson Office Tower, Board Room
tant vice president for public safety, met with residents of the SAE house Saturday to inform them the house would be closed for “life and fire safety reasons.” The Dean of Students will review the alleged violations of the Student Code this week after it receives the police and fire marshal's report, which will be released Monday. The national fraternity suspended the UK fraternity Saturday until their investigation is complete. The national organization and UK Police are conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident. The UK chapter will remain suspended until the investigation is complete. A spokesman for the UK SAE chapter could not be reached for comment.
DANCEBLUE Continued from page 1 Carr. His son, Gavin, was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia. Carr listed staggering numbers of long-term problems associated with treating cancer, including heart disease, stroke and even new cancers. The problems arise when cancer patients are too old to be served by pediatric clinics and they are turned over to family physicians who aren’t trained to recognize those problems, Carr said. That’s not the case at UK. “(UK) offers follow-up clinics to all of their pediatric cancer patients,” Carr said. “So these kids can have support for the rest of their lives. “DanceBlue offers a lot of funding for that to happen,” Carr said. Kathy Bennett and her husband have been attending DanceBlue since the beginning. Their daughter, Katy, was one of the original dancers back in 2006. Bennett said DanceBlue is special because so many people are touched by cancer, including her. Bennett’s mother had three different types of cancer in her lifetime: ovarian, stomach and colon cancer. With so many connections to the organization, Bennett volunteers her time and money to make sure the dancers are well fed during the marathon. “I stay until about eight,” Bennett said. “Then, I come back around one or two with treats for the dancers. What they are doing is just amazing.” Jimmy Gilles came all the way from Owensboro, Ky., to support his sons Jim and Brandon. “I just hope they see the importance of this and they try to get others involved,” Gilles said. “I’m proud that they are good community leaders.” Nursing sophomore Madeline Neel volunteered to work because of her future career goals. “Since I’m going into nursing, I’m interested in helping kids,” Neel said. “I feel like I’m doing something for them already.” No matter how many times parents, spectators, families and speakers praise the students for dancing, in the end, the students always look toward the kids and chant, “We dance for YOU, we dance for YOU, we dance for YOU, all night long!”
PHOTO BY BRANDON GOODWIN | STAFF
Participants of DanceBlue play with a light jumprope during the rave segment at Memorial Coliseum.
“
It’s refreshing to know there is someone out there who really cares. And this money is helping hire new staff and supports research, so it’s just great.” — Jerry Smalley, Jillian’s father
OPINIONS Monday, March 8, 2010
Page A4
KERNEL EDITORIAL BOARD Kenny Colston, editor in chief Wesley Robinson, opinions editor Melissa Vessels, managing editor Ben Jones, sports editor Allie Garza, managing editor Matt Murray, features editor The opinions page provides a forum for the exchange of ideas. Unlike news stories, the Kernel’s unsigned editorials represent the views of a majority of the editorial board. Letters to the editor, columns, cartoons and other features on the opinions page reflect the views of their authors and not necessarily those of the Kernel.
KERNEL EDITORIALS
Alert system’s notifications too little, too late In an emergency, time is the most important factor. A matter of seconds can be the difference between a positive result and a situation ending poorly, and when hours pass by, results will not end up positively. Late Friday night, one of those emergency situations occurred and valuable time was lost between the incident and notifying the public. According to a March 8 Kernel article, UK Police received a report of an armed robbery around 9:22 p.m. behind Cooperstown Apartments on UK’s campus. Two men brandishing pistols demanded the personal belongings of two students. After the victims handed over money and cell phones, the suspects fled toward Euclid Avenue. The suspects are still on the loose. A UK Alert was sent around 10:20 p.m. Despite the alert guiding people to visit to www.uky.edu for more information, nothing was available on the Web site until after 11:40 p.m. Between the hour separating the original alert and the university Web site being updated, UK Police was flooded with calls, Monroe said. He was unable to estimate how many calls the agency received. It cannot be stressed enough how important safety should be on a college campus. Too often in the past, safety has not received the high-priority attention it deserves. Recently, UK has made a visible effort to make campus a safer place, ranging from hiring Joe Monroe as the permanent police chief, to working to institute safety plans to individual campus buildings and even UK Alert. This has all streamlined the process to help inform campus and make it a safer place. UK spokeswoman Kathy Johnson said UK Alerts only need very basic of information, which the initial alert contained, whereas details such as location and descriptions of the suspects are needed to put something on the university’s Web site. As for Friday’s instance, the UK Alert was sent out before all the information was given to public relations officials to put on the Web site, causing the lapse between the initial report and the information being put on the Web site. UK’s alert system is a great idea, and getting the facts straight definitely is the goal, but if the lines of communication are so crossed when things happen the way they did Friday, the process needs work. At this point in the game, UK Alert needs to be more than a good idea or a service that tells you information you already know. Even more importantly, it shouldn’t refer campus to a Web site that lacks information. In the 24/7 instant information age we live in, such notifications and information transfers have to be seamless, especially within an organization like UK. The last thing criminals need is more time to flee the scene.
Simulation shows commitment to innovation Last Friday, an international incident occurred which could have nearly caused World War III — but if you weren’t on the inside, you probably didn’t know about it. “Diplomats” from Iran, Israel, the U.S. and other delegations met in the Patterson Office Tower to solve the crisis, after Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to a March 1 Kernel article. Over a 24-hour period, graduate students from the Patterson School participated in the simulated crisis for the seventh year. Through this simulation, students learn the ins and outs of handling a major crisis, including writing memos, dealing with media and all things in between, all in a high-stress situation. Undergraduate journalism students also participated in the simulations as correspondents for the International News Network and Gulf News, adding to the realistic feel. “Going to school is not at all like being in a bureaucracy in Washington,” said John Stempel, senior professor of international relations. “Our kids will go from here straight to the foreign service, to Congress, the CIA or the Defense Department.” It may only be a one-time deal, but with simulations like this as a component curriculum, the Patterson School continues to prepare students for the strains of diplomacy. In the increasingly competitive job market, anything done to help students learn beyond traditional methods only improves upon the overall quality education of the program. Additionally, it could only benefit UK if more individual schools within the university employed such tactics and sought to find a realistic setting in which to train students. A large part of pushing this institution to the level it wants to be depends on creating programs which students compete to attend. Adding the element of simulated reality only helps and ensures that some of the brightest minds not only consider UK, but rank it at the top of their lists for potential institutions. Crisis averted.
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BRETT HATFIELD, Kernel cartoonist
Reagan years’ roles have reversed The date was Oct. 28, 1980. A tense election season had just unfolded between President Jimmy Carter and Republican Party nominee Ronald Reagan, culminating SEAN in the sole TAYLOR Contributing presidential debate becolumnist fore the election. Carter, determined to baffle the newcomer in this debate, unleashed a barrage of criticisms against Reagan. Undaunted and boasting a grin, Regan replied to Carter’s charge in a line that would resonate in American politics for a generation: “There you go again.” As you might imagine, as a liberal I’m not too big of a fan of the Reagan presidency. But in reading yet another far right-wing critique of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as published in the Kernel last week, I could not help but recall Reagan’s words to Carter in that debate. The columnist suggested that President Barack Obama has failed in “cutting wasteful government spending through a comprehensive analysis of the budget.” So let’s analyze the budget. Social Security and Medicare accounts for 34 percent of the budget, with 22 percent spent on national defense. Twenty percent is spent on Medicaid, unemployment insurance and the Children’s Health Insurance program, while 9 percent is
allocated toward interest on the national debt. This totals 85 percent of the budget for the U.S. That leaves 15 percent which is spent on keeping the government running. It pays for the entire legislative and executive branches. This money, for example, pays the Environmental Protection Agency inspector who makes sure you’re bathing in fruity shower gel you bought on sale at Kroger instead of toxic waste from a chemical plant. Pay careful attention when conservatives talk about government waste. They never tell you which government waste they want cut. Looking at the summary of the budget below, it’s easy to see why. The vast majority of every single tax dollar pays for a vital service to the American people. Another charge is that Obama’s efforts on the ARRA — passed by Con-
gress and signed by the president at the very dawn of his administration — did not save any jobs. It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and I think I’ll let that old adage speak for itself in this matter, with the accompanying graph. What you are seeing here isn’t the boogeyman of conservative punditry: the welfare queen, the unemployed bum laying around waiting for a check. You are seeing hundreds of thousands of people able to feed their families, pay for their homes and bills, and live their lives thanks to the ARRA. Finally, calling the rise in unemployment from 7 to 10 percent over the last couple years the fault of the president, is like yelling at a firefighter for letting your kitchen burn down when he could have let the flames take the whole house. It makes no sense.
This economic downturn has not been named the “Great Recession” for nothing. We are enduring an economic uncertainty the likes of which we haven’t seen since the Great Depression, when unemployment hit 25 percent. The only reason our nation’s joblessness hasn’t gotten anywhere near the levels found in the Depression was due to quick thinking by this administration when things started to head south. It’s time for conservatives to stop maliciously lying about the successes of the Obama presidency. It’s time for them to join the rest of the nation in helping to rebuild from the ravages of this financial meltdown. And, for goodness sake, it’s time for me to read a conservative opinion without smiling to myself and thinking, “There you go again.” Sean Taylor is a chemistry junior. E-mail opinions@kykernel.com.
GRAPH COURTESY OF U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Paul’s campaign based on real issues I’m writing in response to the letter to the editor in the Kernel on March 2 bashing Rand Paul. The letter may have a pro-Grayson headline, but like most of Grayson’s campaigning, is more accurately described as anti-Paul. The establishment can’t help but attack a defender of liberty. Paul is definitely the U.S. Senate candidate drawing the most attention. Even his key opponent can’t seem to stop talking about this ophthalmologist from Bowling Green. Who can blame him? Paul knows how to back up his stances with more than attacks and complaints. A political ad by Paul’s campaign is the major instance where dissenters may beg to differ. In response to the Grayson letter to the editor, the commercial, when seen at face value, could
allow a superficial viewer to conclude that Grayson is an opponent of coal and a supporter of President Barack Obama. However, an even remotely informed voter will recognize the ad as an obvious replica of Grayson’s own commercial, which attacks Paul by taking his words out of context in the same way. This is clearly noted, since Paul’s ad begins with a clip of Grayson’s commercial. It is extremely deceptive to claim this kind of campaigning is original to Paul. With solid dedication to fiscal responsibility, Paul’s first move once in office will be the proposal of term limits, which will cut down on special interest influence and pork barrel spending. He will support financial security
by offering amendments to balance every bill that calls for deficit spending. Contrary to false claims made by his opponent, he is firmly pro-life, with endorsements from Concerned Women for America and Sarah Palin. Paul strongly believes in constitutional conservatism and in returning the states their constitutional rights. Kentuckians should be represented by someone who is not afraid to think outside the establishment’s box. His opponent can do nothing but slander because he simply has nothing else to talk about. A standout leader in the Tea Party movement, Paul will fight for liberty and make the voices of Kentuckians heard. Nathanael Reis chemical engineering junior
Submissions Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer and guest columns should be no more than 600 words. Be sure to include your full name, class, major and telephone number with all submissions. Telephone numbers will only be used to verify identity.
E-mail opinions@kykernel.com
Monday, March 8, 2010 | PAGE A5
The Kentucky Kernel
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3 Bedrooms - 2 blocks to UK! Starting at $1,155.00. Pets, a/c, some w/d, 523-2363 or www.touchstonerentals.com
For Rent Best Buy. Assigned, safe parking, one block UK. 368-9775, 1BR close to Med school. On-site parking $485/month + electric. Avail. Aug 1. 859-351-8591 Studio Apts. 422 Aylesford at Rose Lane. New Appliances, Clean! $470/MO water included. August. 509-2227. 1BR available NOW!!!! Near UK Med center. $425/mo. All Utilities paid, parking. Call 489-3371. 1BR Apt. in Historic House. 398 Linden Walk. $565/mo. Clean! Laundry. Utilities included. Available May. 509-2227 HARDIN PROPERTIES.NET now leasing Studios, 1,2BR apts. Also, three 4/5-BR Houses remaining for August. 509-2227
4 Bedrooms - 2 blocks to UK! Starting at $1,580.00. Pets, a/c, some w/d, 523-2363 or www.touchstonerentals.com 5 Bedrooms - 2 blocks to UK! Starting at $2,025.00. Pets, a/c, w/d, 523-2363 or www.touchstonerentals.com 2 Bedroom Center Court - 2 min walk to campus! Starting at $1,500.00 plus elec. Heat, parking, w/d. NO PETS, 523-2363 or www.touchstonerentals.com 2BR duplex, 10 min drive to UK campus. $600/mo. Call for details 859-351-3000 2BR 1BA 305 E Maxwell. Central AC, hardwood, balcony 2nd flr, off street parking. $550/mo + utilities (approx $70/month). www.harryjonesjrproperties.com. 859-396-3822 2BR avail 08/01/10. Near UK all utilities pd, parking. $575/mo. 859-489-3371..
1-2 BR apts across for B&E bldg. Best on campus, only a few left. Above Wildcat text & Pizza Hut. 6213128 1 BLOCK FROM CAMPUS: 1 & 2BR, a/c , parking. $395 & up. 269-4129, 608-2751. *****PRE-LEASING FALL 2010**** 1 & 2BR apts. Red Mile Rd. Walk, bus or pedal to class. $385 $445. Short term leases ok. No Individual leases. Small pet ok. W/D connections + on-site laundry 24 hr ER maintenance. Landlord on-site. $200 deposit, $25.00 App fee. 255-2765 or www.ballhomes.com/rental. Look for Brookstone Apts. EHO.
3BR 2BA, large apt, Walk to class, all elec. W/D, dish included. GOING FAST. Call Adam 859-338-8243. 3 BR, 2 BA. WALK TO campus. $850/mo. Large master w/ Bath & walk-in closet, a/c, All appliances incl washer/dryer. Low util. No smoking/pets. 510-6087676, Greg 859-225-3334 x. 101 3 BR 2.5 BA Luxury Townhome, Richmond Rd. All electric, custom kitchen, washer/dryer, dishwasher, hardwood, security system, 2- car garage. Available Aug. $1000.00. 288-5601.
Luxury Heatherwood Town home, Chevy Chase(near UK) 3BR, 3.5 BA, 2054 sq. ft. living rm, deck, loft, washer/dryer, 1 car garage. 859-983-8377. $1350/mo. + Deposit. 208 Conn Terr. 4BR 2 BA updated Kitchen. 859-3614811.
4BR 2.5BA Townhome in Historic South Hill. Short walk to UK campus. Off street parking. $1,400./month + Utilities.. Call 859-338-6778
3,4,5,6 BR Houses on campus. 859-433-2692. garymiel@aol All size houses. 3,4,5,6 BR. Walk to campus. State, Waller, University Ave. area. Lease begins 08/01/2010. Won’t last! SIGN EARLY FOR BEST HOUSES.. Bob 859-539-5502.
1,2,3,4,5,6 +7 BR Houses & 1BR Apts. Walking Distance to Uk. Visit our website for showing timer. www.wildcatproperties.com. Or call 859-255-4188. 1BR renovated unit across from law/grad school. Close to UK hospital. Refinished Hardwood, new kitchen, updated baths. $450. +, 396-9022.
222 University A. 3BR, Porch, Hardwood floors, basement. $1050.00 +, Call 619-8988 or 619-9462. WALK TO CAMPUS. Campus Downs 3BR, 2BA. All appliances including w/d. 3rd floor cathedral ceilings. 859-433-5966
Preleasing Now! 1-5BR houses. www.waynemichaelproperties.com. 859-513-1206.
3BR homes. All appliances, off street parking. Close to campus. $960.00 - $1150.00/month. 859-351-9473. www.burtonproperties.net
!!!Are you an upper classman or Grad Student? Are you looking for a house in a nice quiet neighborhood close to campus? Call 859-559-7594.
3 Bed/2 Bath Condo. Walking distance to campus. Off street and visitor parking. $1250/month plus utilities. Available August 8. 419-344-1246
1BR across from campus (2 keys apts.) Hardwood,
3BR apts. DW, W/D. Close to campus. E. High St and
4BR 2BA homes. All appliances, off street parking. Walking distance to campus. $1,280.00 – 1,400.00/month. 859-351-9473. www.burtonproperties.net. 4 BR, 3 BA, all electric. FP, 2 miles from campus. 2973 Candlelight, $900.00. 229-8515 4 BR 2.5 BA Red Mile Sq. Townhouse, New Construction, All Electric, Large BR, Washer/Dryer, Dishwasher, Hardwood. Close to campus. 12 month lease available May & Aug. $385.00/BR. 4BR/2BA Cute House. 125 Westwood Dr. Electric Heat. 2 Kitchens, Large L,R, Clean, Nice! $360/ea. 509-2227. 4 BR 2 BA new homes by campus. Huge rooms, awesome yards/deck, ample parking, all appliances, all electric. Won’t Last. $325.00/person/month. 859-559-7594.
Summer Lease Available. New home by campus. Huge rooms, awesome yard/deck, ample parking, all appliances, all electric. Won’t Last. $310.00/person/month. 859-559-7594. 6BR 3BA house off Rose St. August lease, $1,600 + utilities. 859-948-5000. FOR RENT. Next school term available July/Aug. 6BR University Ave. 4 BR Oldham Ave. 2-4 BR units Transylvania Pk. Call 859-797-8850. J & S Properties 7BR, 3BA $357.00 each, + utilities. www.patriotrentalsllc.com. 859-433-0996. 9BR 3BA house off Rose St. August lease, $2,000 + utilities. 859-948-5000.
Help Wanted Leasing Consultant – Part-time. Are you a star performer? Are you results oriented? Would you like to determine your own income potential? We are seeking a driven Leasing Consultant to join our team of professionals. We offer a respectful, friendly and team-oriented environment with a competitive base pay of $8/hour, plus excellent commission opportunities. Hours needed are Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, averaging 20 hours per week. Previous sales experience, reliability and an outgoing personality are most successful in this position. Please send resume to Sharon@AndersonCommunities.com, and visit our website www.MyHomeKy.com.
RAMSEY’S DINER now hiring servers and cooks. Apply in person M-F 2-4pm. Lifeguards and Pool Managers Needed. PPM is hiring for clubs and waterparks in Lex, Lou and Richmond. $8 – 15.00/hour. Email brad40965@aol.com for application. Lexington Lawn & Landscape is hiring for Seasonal work. Go to www.lexlawnky.com and scroll down to SEASONAL CREWS and apply on-line. Now Hiring Baskin Robbins Richmond Rd. Must be available nights & Weekends. Starting at $7.25/hr. 266-9305.
RUNNER POSITIONS AVAILABLE in large downtown Lexington Law office. Start dates will be in June 2010. Part-time and possible full- time. Email resume to jlr@gdm.com or fax to 859/367-3827. JOIN LEX”S MOST EXCITING CHILDREN’S RECRE-
Are you suffering from Adult ADHD? Do you smoke tobacco cigarettes? Do you have difficulty paying attention, focusing or organizing? Are you easily distracted? Do you sometimes feel fidgety and restless or act on impulse without thinking? Do these symptoms interfere with completion of your daily activities? Are you NOT currently taking medications to treat these symptoms? If you answered yes to some of these questions, you may be eligible to participate in a research study. Researchers with the University of Kentucky departments of Behavioral Science and Psychiatry are conducting an outpatient study examining the behavioral effects of FDA-approved medications. If you are between the ages of 18 and 50, smoke and have some of these symptoms, call 859-257-5388 or toll free at 1-866-232-0038 for a confidential interview and for more information about this study. Qualified volunteers will be compensated for their time. You may be reimbursed for travel. ALCOHOL RESEARCH at the University of Kentucky. Health social drinkers between 21 to 35 years of age are needed for studies on the effects of alcohol on behavior. Participants will be financially compensated for their time. Movies, a hot meal, and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided after the study in a comfortable setting. Call 257-3137 for more information
Roommates Wanted Brand New – Roommates wanted. 859-455-8208. PT teachers & gymnastics instructors needed. Apply in person @ 3500 Arbor Dr. Car Wash hiring responsible, dependable, enthusiastic team members. No experience needed, flexible scheduling, submit resume & contact info to Soapyjoescarwash@gmail.com
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Lost & Found
Atomic Café Now Hiring server. Apply in person 265 N Limestone. Tue – Sat 10 – 4.
Self Defense. Good exercise. Life long friendships. The UK Karate club accepting beginners Monday’s 6:30 - 8:30pm. Buell Armory. Email: uk.shao.lym@gmail.com. Call 421-4335
4BR, 2BA, WALLER AVE: All elec., off-st. parking, w/d, new carpet. $1000/mo. 859-288-5601.
4/5BR 2BA House, 1430 Elizabeth St. New tile bathrooms, Big closets, sundeck, W/D, Nice! $350/ea. 509-2227.
Tony Roma’s Now Hiring hostesses and servers. Apply in person, Mon – Thur 2-4 pm. 859-272-7526. 161 Lexington Green Cir.
Personals
4BR - $1260-1500/mo. W/D, hardwood floors, off-st. parking. 859-351-9473. www.burtonproperties.net
Wanted VOLUNTEERS PAID TO Participate in multiple studies. Researchers at the University of Kentucky are recruiting participants diagnosed with ADHD and for studies concerning the effects of alcohol. Looking for M & F social drinkers between 21-35 years of age. All participants are compensated for their time. Please call 257-5794
Dance and Fitness Instructors needed for summer camps. Please email contact info to dancealley@hotmail.com
4 BR, 3 BA, all electric. FP, 2 miles from campus. 2973 Candlelight, $900.00. 229-8515.
the entire 6-Week class. WWW.Luv2wingDance.com; 859-420-2426; info@luv2SwingDance.com
BARTENDING! UP TO $250 a day. No exp. Necessary. Training provided. 800-965-6520 x-132
5BR 2BA house, all appliances, all electric, water paid. Walking distance to campus. $1,625/month. 859-351-9473. www.burtonproperties.com.
BRAND NEW 4 BR: VERY ENERGY EFFICIENT. New & nearly new homes close to campus. 2 car garage, very, very nice. Showing daily. Call James McKee 859-221-7082. View at www.lexingtonhomeconsultants.com.
Available May, Downtown, close to arts and science center. Nice 4BR 2BA hardwood, fenced yard, appliances, AC, W/D. $1,600 + utilities. 859-272-8568.
ATIONAL BUSINESS. Monkey Joe’s is looking for high energy, enthusiastic employees. Flexible hrs + good pay. Apply in person at 1850 Bryant Rd. Call 859-264-0405
Available Aug, 5BR 2BA, 224 Forest Park Rd. AC, appliances, W/D, parking, No Pets. $1,600.00 + utilities. 859-272-8568.
6 Bedroom House available August. Park Ave. DW, W&D. Dennis 859-983-0726
2BR 1 BA Lexington Ave. Dishwasher, hardwood, off street parking, Avail may $750.00/month. 288-5601
3,2,1 BR 1 BA new homes by campus. Huge rooms, awesome yards/deck, ample parking, all appliances, all electric. Won’t Last. $300.00/person/month. 859-229-4991
5 BR 3 BA new homes by campus. Huge rooms, awesome yards/deck, ample parking, all appliances, all electric. Won’t Last. $350.00/person/month. 859-559-7594.
3 BR 1 BA. All appliances, off street parking. Close to campus. $1000.00/month. 859-351-9473. www.burtonproperties.net
Spring Break Specials – sign a lease before spring break and get cash for spring break and flat panel TVs, www.wildcatproperties.com or call 255-4188.
2 & 4BR apts. Large, NICE, 339 Aylesford. $370/person. 523-1066, 299-1386
5BR 2BA house, all appliances, all electric, water paid. Walking distance to campus. $1,625/month. 859-351-9473. www.burtonproperties.com.
Summer Special. 6 Bedroom Houses available May. Park Ave & Westwood. DW, W&D. Dennis 859-9830726
2BR 1.5BA Townhome Richmond Rd. All electric, hardwood, washer/dryer, security system. $825.00/month. 288-5601
2-3-4 BR, 5-10 min to campus, Tates Creek area, garage/off street parking, avail. April-Aug., all electric, $699 – 875/mo. www.JMG123.com or call 859219-0184
Rentals available. Walk to UK. 4-6 BR. Call Kevin @ 859-619-3232. www.myUK4rent.com
3 BR (2 Keys apts.) Across from UK. Hardwood, laundry room, security, on-site mgmt. $1,200.00/month, includes all utilities. 859-230-3072
2 BR, 1.5 BA TOWNHOME in Tates Creek area for rent. $650/mo. Please call Amber at 492-1122
Walk to campus. Newly renovated 3BR 2BA 1st Flr condo. New Paint, new carpet.,. Washer/Dryer included. $895.00/month. Short term available. 502593-7421.
1 - 6 Bedroom Apartment/Houses available in May and August. Dennis (859) 983-0726 www.sillsbrothers.com.
3 BR, complete interior renovation. New Kitchen, new bath, new lighting, refinished hardwood, yard, garage. Short term lease avail. if needed. $695 + Util. 859-396-9022.
4 bedroom 4 bath house Available May or August — sign a leave beginning in May and get $1000 cash for spring break. For details call 255-4188 or see our website www.wildcatproperties.com
NEWLY REMOLDED 2&3BR student condo’s along with 4 – 6BR houses. All appliances, W/D included. Please call 859-621-1339. 1 BR/efficiency, renovated. Refinished hardwood, new kitchen, new bath, new lighting. $375 + Util. short term lease avail. if needed. 859-396-9022
Richmond Ave. Dennis 859-983-0726
Going out of town? Your dog deserves a vacation @ Uptown Hounds. 7 Days Private Hounds Room, 3 playdates, ice cream treats, & daycare evaluation only $299. Close to UK – www.uptownhounds.com. 859-255-BARK(2275)
MISSING: Toshiba Laptop U205. REWARD, NO QUESTIONS ASKED… Taken from car in the UK Hospital Parking Garage on 2/24/2010. Call George 502-376-6205.
Travel BAHAMAS SPRING BREAK: $189 – 5 days or $239 – 7 days. All prices include round trip luxury cruise with food, accommodations on the island at your choice of thirteen resorts. Appalachia Travel 1-800867-5018, www.BahamaSun.com
LEARN TO SWING DANCE WITH THE HEPCATS. Great way to meet people, plus good exercise. Beginner class starts March 15th. Only $30.00 for
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PAGE A6 | Monday, March 8, 2010
Unlike other schools, UK’s ride doesn’t stop with conference title In most college towns, any day in which the home team staples down a conference championship, clinching an undefeated home season in the process, is a pretty good day. At the very least, it should yield some sort of celebration. Not in Lexington. JAMES In Lexington, PENNINGTON who has time to celeKernel brate a hard-earned columnist Southeastern Conference title? The Cats have won 43 before this game. In Lexington, why waste time wrapping your head around a season in which UK won every game at Rupp Arena? Since the building opened in 1976, the Cats have posted an undefeated home season about once every four years. What matters comes in a few weeks. Sure, the accomplishments look nice. And yes, UK head coach John Calipari has earned a $50,000 incentive for winning the regular season SEC title. But what makes Calipari fit so well at UK is that league titles and nice regular seasons aren’t the goal. The goal, this year, is Indianapolis. Next year, it’ll be Houston. The Final Four will always be the goal. Conference titles, gaudy records and even conference tournament championships are just byproducts of crosshairs aimed high. “The conference tournaments, and my teams have had success historically — we don’t worry about them,”
Calipari said. “We just want to get a high seed (in the NCAA Tournament). And I know people get mad, ‘Oh, we’re Kentucky, we don’t do it that way.’ You hired me and that’s how I do it.” Not to say that this unit doesn’t want to win these titles. Any competitive person in any discipline (sports included) wants to win everything. That’s why bar fights break out. That’s why people get road rage. Everybody wants
In Lexington, who has time to celebrate a hard-earned Southeastern Conference title? The Cats have won 43 before this game ... What matters comes in a few weeks. to be first at whatever it is they do, whether that’s picking up a girl, winning the race to the next stop light or winning a basketball game. Right now, UK is No. 3 in the country. After a new poll Monday, it will likely move to No. 2. Either way, that’s not No. 1. That’s one reason why the Cats will compete as hard as they can in Nashville next week, even though they’ve already likely sealed a top-line seed in the NCAA Tournament. Not because they need to play hard and win to get in — remember last year? — but because they’re not No. 1. They have work to do.
After strangling Florida early on Sunday, using a 14-0 run to open up an 18-point lead, the Cats characteristically let up. Over the span of the next 19 minutes, the Gators worked their way back into the game, down by just two points with 5:23 left to play. Over the course of the year, the Cats have adopted the pattern of leading big, idling for significant chunks of time and holding on to win. “We get leads on teams and we always find ways to let them come back,” said John Wall, who scored four straight points to thwart Florida’s final push. “When we look up at the scoreboard and see that we’re up 18, we don’t have that aggressiveness anymore. We don’t play defense with the same passion that we did earlier.” In the regular season, a team’s endurance may catch up with its ability to come back from an 18-, 19- or 20-point deficit. But in the NCAA Tournament, if you don’t come back, what is there left to save energy for? When UK faces an all-out blitz in the final minutes, it needs to know how to respond. And that response will have to contradict the status quo. After Sunday’s game, Wall, Patrick Patterson and Darius Miller all separately provided the same answer: Just focus. Each admitted the solution is easier said than done, but that’s what they need to do between now and March Madness to make this team as upset-proof as any other in the field. Because in Lexington — fair or not — what’s been won so far is great. But it’s not enough. James Pennington is a journalism senior. E-mail jpennington@kykernel.com.
PHOTO BY SCOTT HANNIGAN | STAFF
Junior forward Patrick Patterson holds up his jersey as he gets honored during Senior Day at Rupp Arena on Sunday. Patterson was honored, despite only being a junior, because he will earn his degree in three years.
BASKETBALL Continued from page 1 (in the NCAA Tournament).” After each team traded baskets for the first part of the opening half, the Cats went on a 14-0 run to give themselves a comfortable lead. The Gators then used a 10-3 run to close out the half, and cut the once 18-point lead to 10. “You just sit there and you tell them, these are things we cannot do,” Calipari said. “I thought Florida outworked us at individual positions which gave them a chance, and I just keep coming back to, our goal has got to be we’re going to play harder than that other team. We have
to. If not, we’re going to disappoint ourselves somewhere along the way.” The Florida comeback continued as the second half progressed, cutting the UK lead to three points. “They fought their way back into the game, we know we have that killer instinct, we just have to develop it more and use it more,” Patterson said. After a dunk by Erik Murphy with 5:23 to play cut the lead to two points, freshman guard John Wall rose to the occasion. One game after saying he may not be the best shooter in the country, but he knows how to score in crunch time, Wall hit a 3-pointer with just under five minutes to play which pushed the Cats’ lead
to five points. Florida scored six points in the remaining minutes and the Cats closed the game and the regular season on a 12-6 run and a season sweep of the Gators. “What I like is that someone would say that and then go into the game and back it up. Wow,” Calipari said. “ … He is a great kid and is taking on leadership and talking in huddles and being aggressive with guys. We need it.” The win capped off a perfect home record for the Cats. Calipari becomes the first head coach since Eddie Sutton in the 1985-86 season to go undefeated at home in his inaugural season at the helm. When the final buzzer sounded though, the Cats didn’t celebrate their 44th SEC
Championship with fireworks and pyrotechnics like other teams might. Instead, the Cats kept everything the same, singing “My Old Kentucky Home” with the fans in attendance and cheerleaders, and went back into the locker room. Patterson said the reason for no excess celebration was because the team’s No. 1 goal was to win a national championship. “Winning the SEC, winning the SEC Tournament (are) just other accomplishments on the road to our main objective, our main goal,” Patterson said. “We believe that since we have the weapons and the coaches and the players, we have a strong opportunity to achieve that goal. That’s our main focus.”