22.1.12

Peyton Manning Will Not Return To The Colts?

Actor Rob Lowe created a firestorm Wednesday on the social network Twitter when he posted "my people are saying" Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is about to announce his retirement from football. Manning, 35, missed the 2011 season because of a neck injury.

According to @RobLowe: "Hearing my fave, #18 Peyton Manning will not return to #NFL. Wow. #Colts," later adding, "#Colts fans, let's hope my info is wrong. Don't like to be wrong, but this time. . .I'm hoping. #NFL #Manning".

The 47-year-old actor, who stars on the television series Parks and Recreation, which is set in Indiana, is a longtime fan of the Colts and Manning, and is friends with team owner Jim Irsay.

Rob Lowe didn’t know anything about Peyton Manning, it turns out. And though the speculation on the Colt’s fate will build in the coming weeks, it's quite likely we won’t know anything for a while, either. So let’s all take a Twitter break and examine the factors at play:

It all hinges on his health. If the future Hall of Famer continues to have trouble with his neck, on which he had three surgeries this year, then yes, he might call it quits, capping a career that includes eight Pro Bowl appearances, four NFL MVP awards, a Super Bowl ring, and a guest voice appearance on “The Simpsons.”

It’s a career that leaves little to be desired, and if Manning walked away now, he’d be quitting on top.

His exit from the pros, too, would be perversely welcome news for the Colts organization. The team is in the middle of an expansive reorganization. In the wake of Manning’s season-canceling neck trouble, the Colts failed to find an adequate replacement at quarterback and finished the season 2-14. In the past few weeks, Vice Chairman Bill Polian (the man responsible for picking Manning first overall in the 1998 NFL Draft), General Manager Chris Polian, and head coach Jim Caldwell have all been sacked.

The prevailing wisdom suggests that Manning will probably be next. His exit would make room for the Colts to draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, the most highly coveted quarterback prospect in years.

Ironically, Manning’s injury, and the Colts’ subsequent bumbling season, unmasked flaws in the team that his masterful play and management had been covering up for years. And those flaws will probably cost him his job.

Manning’s retirement would save the Colts front office the inevitable backlash of forcing out the greatest player in their history. It would also save them the $27 million due to Manning by March, if they don’t cut him loose. Furthermore, they’d be spared the awkwardness (and potential embarrassment) of facing him as a quarterback for another team.

Manning is 35 years old – well into elder statesman territory in the NFL. But he’s still an elite quarterback, and likely one with a few good years left in him. For one, he’s a pocket passer who takes relatively few hits. If his neck issues clear up, he has a lower chance of getting injured than your average player (he played 208 consecutive games over 12 years before his injury, second only to Brett Favre). Even at 35, he’d be a prize at quarterback for a slew of NFL teams. The New York Jets and Washington Redskins have already expressed interest.

Furthermore, 35 isn’t so old for NFL quarterback these days, especially pocket guys like Manning. Brett Favre played until he was literally a grandpa, at 41. Kurt Warner led the Arizona Cardinals to a Super Bowl at age 37, and Steve Young played until 38. The NFL Hall of Fame website list dozens of players who remained active well into their forties. The oldest? George Blanda, the Raiders quarterback/kicker who played until the ripe old age of 48.

Yes, he’d be well past his peak. But a past-peak Peyton Manning is still incredibly dangerous. Indianapolis can’t afford to keep him, especially if they need to rebuild. But other teams may not be able to afford to pass him up.

1.1.12

Inside The Hall Reports Sullinger Impressed by Zeller’s

Jared Sullinger might have won the statistical battle with Cody Zeller on Saturday night in Assembly Hall, but it was Indiana who walked off Branch McCracken Court with a 74-70 victory over Ohio State.

Sullinger, the heavy preseason favorite to win the Big Ten Player of the Year, finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, but was limited in the first half with two fouls.

And a big part of that foul trouble was the presence and craftiness of Zeller, who bounced back from what he called a “bad game” on Wednesday at Michigan State.

“He’s a good basketball player. Very creative around the rim. He’s strong,” Sullinger said of IU’s prized freshman. “A lot of freshmen don’t come in strong and ready to play in Big Ten basketball. It’s a very physical conference as you can see today. There was a lot of banging, a lot of physicality down low and even on the perimeter.”

Zeller finished with 14 points and four rebounds before fouling out with 2:24 remaining.

“Give him all of his respect. He played one hell of a game,” Sullinger added.

CROWD A FACTOR SANS STUDENTS

The decibel levels didn’t measure up to IU’s 73-72 thriller over No. 1 Kentucky on Dec. 10, but the home court advantage of Assembly Hall was still fully in tact.

“They were responsible not only for some baskets, but also for some stops. The building was electric,” Tom Crean said. “The Hoosier Nation is so incredible. To have that kind of energy in the building without the student here obviously due to break was awesome.”

The atmosphere was a factor in the eyes of Sullinger, too, who compared it favorably to “Phog” Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Ks.

“It had the same effect as Kansas,” the Ohio State sophomore said. “Even though I was sitting on the sideline. You walk off the floor, they hang a L on you and your ears are ringing because the fans are so loud. Hoosier Nation was very loud today and they gave a very good home court advantage.”

CREAN PLEASED WITH ELSTON’S PERFORMANCE

With Zeller and Tom Pritchard saddled with foul trouble, Derek Elston played 16 pivotal minutes in his second game back following surgery to repair a nose fracture.

“If there was a most improved player of the week award in the Big Ten, I don’t know who would get it besides Derek Elston,” Crean said. “Because he had a tough night the other night. He came back, he knew it and he practiced with an edge the last couple of days.”

Elston, who is wearing a protective mask, scored four points (2-of-6 shooting), pulled down four rebounds and had a block and a steal. He admitted that the adjustment to wearing the mask has been difficult.

“Out there when I shoot [in practice], it’s not too bad,” he said. “But when I’ve got defense on me like that, things happen that when I’m shooting by myself don’t. I’m still trying to get used to it, but I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job.”

OTHER NOTES

Saturday’s win gave the Hoosiers a win of No. 1 and No. 2 in the same season for the first time in program history. Indiana is just the ninth team nationally since the 1996-1997 season to accomplish that feat. … Verdell Jones moved into the No. 28 spot on IU’s all-time scoring list with 14 points. … Christian Watford was honored before the game for joining the 1,000 point club during Wednesday’s game at Michigan State and with his 10 points on Saturday, passed Jared Jeffries for No. 42 on the Hoosiers’ all-time scoring list. … While no injury update was provided on Will Sheehey, the sophomore wing walked around without crutches, but still wearing a boot on his left foot. “We have really missed him the last couple of games. Will is a guy who can guard positions one through five,” Crean said.

31.12.11

No. 3 Lexington No. 4 Louisville equal 7 for Kentucky

Kidd-Gilchrist scores 24, gets 19 rebounds to lead No. 3 Kentucky over No. 4 Louisville 69-62

Louisville’s roster

A few notes on Louisville players in preparation for Saturday’s game:

Peyton Siva, averaging 9.5 points and 6.4 assists per game, is the engine of the team. Last year, head coach John Calipari put DeAndre Liggins on Siva to slow the Cardinals’ offense. It’s likely Michael Kidd-Gilchrist draws the Siva assignment this year to prevent him from dribbling into the lane. “I think he’s as good a guard as there is in the country,” head coach John Calipari said. “He makes them go. I felt that a year ago. I think he’s an NBA player, I really do. He’s a difference-maker for their team.”

Kyle Kuric,Evansville Memorial Grad. averaging a team-leading 13.5 points with 4.5 rebounds per game, is an outside threat. He’s attempted 71 3-pointers, 23 more than the next-highest figure.

Gorgui Dieng, averaging 10.5 points and 10 rebounds per game, is the post player. Louisville is grabbing almost 40 percent of all available offensive rebounds, and Dieng will have to crash the boards hard against UK. “Their big center has gotten better,” Calipari said.

Chane Behanan, averaging 8.7 points and 8 rebounds per game, is another inside threat, although less of a true post player than Dieng. Calipari recruited him and said he would have been a solid 3/4 flex option in UK’s system. “He’s a long, physical, player who could play inside and out,” Calipari said. “Can shoot it, score, physical around the basket, can finish. Really liked his game.”

Russ Smith, averaging 10.8 points in 20.3 minutes off the bench, is the spark plug. When he’s on the floor, he’s dominating the ball, taking up almost 30 percent of available possessions.

Chris Smith, averaging 9.9 points on a team-leading 39.6 3-point percentage, is a solid player. “The two Smiths both do different things, but what they do, they do well,” Calipari said.

Freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist hesitantly accepted a leadership role at first as the youngest member on No. 3 Kentucky's prospect-laden roster. Comfortable with his status, there's no telling just how far he can carry the Wildcats.

"I'm very shy, but I'm getting better," the 18-year-old forward said. "I just relax on the basketball court."

Kidd-Gilchrist had season-highs with 24 points and 19 rebounds to lead Kentucky in a rough-and-tumble 69-62 victory over No. 4 Louisville on Saturday to extend the nation's longest home winning streak.

"This is what I live for right here. Why? Because I've always been that way," Kidd-Gilchrist said of the physical play that at times turned it into more like a free throw shooting contest with 52 fouls called. "I'm built for this."

And Kentucky (13-1) seems built for a long NCAA tournament run after fellow freshman Anthony Davis added 18 points, all in the second half, as well as 10 rebounds and six blocks in the annual in-state rivalry game.

The Cardinals (12-2) only led at 2-0, but gave Kentucky all it could handle after rallying from an early 15-point deficit before tying it in the second half thanks to Russ Smith, who had a career-high 30 points.

14.12.11

IU UK 4 Days Earlier

It has only been four days now that the Indiana Hoosiers and fan finally feel like they have started a new leaf buy defeating number one John Calipari and his one and done Kentucky Wildcats.Above has to be one of the top moments of the game with exception to.Tom Crean.

21.11.11

Indiana’s Cody Zeller Impression Freeshman of the week

Impression of the week: Indiana’s Cody Zeller was worthy of the hype. Last week, the highly touted Hoosier took home the season’s first Freshman of the Week honors. Expect a repeat when the conference releases its honors Monday, because Zeller only got better in his second week of college ball. The big man averaged 18.5 points and eight rebounds, including a 23-point, 13-rebound effort in 23 minutes against Savannah State, and he’s giving Indiana the inside presence it’s lacked since D.J. White left town. Best of all, the kid plays all out all the time, evidenced by his 13 steals in four games. And now for the second consecutive week, Indiana native big man Cody Zeller has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week. The Washington High School product averaged 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in a pair of IU wins over Evansville and Savannah State. Zeller shared the honor last week with Iowa’s Aaron White. Through four games, Zeller is averaging 15 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game. He’s shooting 82.6 percent from the field and 75.9 percent from the foul line.

1.11.11

Willie Cauley commits To UK

Kentucky Coach John Calipari watched big man Willie Cauley play Friday night. He watched him play football.It worked.Cauley, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound basketball center, who plays wide receiver and cornerback for Northwest High School in Olathe, Kan., said Monday that he has committed to play basketball at Kentucky.

Long, lean forward Willie Cauley of Olathe, Kan., will play in college for one of those big basketball schools whose name starts with a “Kentucky”, but not the one you might expect.
Cauley decided late Sunday he will become a Kentucky Wildcat in the fall of 2012, choosing UK over Kansas State, Alabama and Florida according to Rivals.com’s Eric Bossi. Cauley joins top-20 wing Archie Goodwin as UK recruits in the current prep senior class.
Cauley was scouted by the Kansas Jayhawks during the summer, but KU reportedly never offered a scholarship and was not among the final four schools Cauley considered.
Cauley, who is 7-0, 225 pounds, is rated the No. 39 prospect in his class by Rivals. He is mobile and aggressive and has been a terrific rebounder at the high school level, but he’ll need strength to continue controlling the boards as a collegian and to develop his ball skills in order to become a great all-around player.

Cauley has spent the fall playing football as a wide receiver for Olathe Northwest High and caught four touchdown passes in one game.

20.10.11

Wayman Tisdale Award

The United States Basketball Writers Association announced on Thursday its 12 preseason candidates for the Wayman Tisdale Award that annually honors the nation's top freshman. Three of the 12 -- Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague -- play at Kentucky.

The full list is as follows:

Brad Beal (Florida)
Chane Behanan (Louisville)
Khem Birch (Pittsburgh)
Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
Andre Drummond (Connecticut)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky)
Le'Bryan Nash (Oklahoma State)
Austin Rivers (Duke)
Marquis Teague (Kentucky)
Adonis Thomas (Memphis)
Josiah Turner (Arizona)
Cody Zeller (Indiana)

Ohio State's Jared Sullinger won the Wayman Tisdale Award last season.

Sullinger is the CBSSports.com Preseason National Player of the Year this season.