Dicky Lyons

MEMPHIS -- Kentucky offensive coordinator Joker Phillips says head coach Rich Brooks has a knack for knowing how to prepare a team for a bowl game. "The reason we've done so well in bowl games is coach Brooks does a good job keeping players fresh. You've got to make it fun," Phillips said as the Cats finished their preparations for Friday's Liberty Bowl matchup with East Carolina here. Kentucky beat Clemson in 2006 and Florida State in 2007 in the Music City Bowl. Phillips says Brooks continued his philosophy this year of not making bowl practices long.

LEXINGTON - Elaine Hammonds was looking for something a little different to help draw attention to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass. She found just what she needed, too, in Kentucky senior receiver Dicky Lyons. Hammonds, Regional Development and Recruitment Manager for Big Brothers, knew she would be taping a segment with WKYT-TV with children here on the waiting list for a Big Brother or Big Sister. She thought maybe going to UK and having a UK player involved would not only be a thrill for the four boys ages 7 to 11, but would also enhance the chances of more people paying attention to the plea for help.

LEXINGTON - Patrick Patterson is averaging almost a double-double per game and shooting 71.4 percent - the nation's third best mark. But those are not the reasons why the Kentucky sophomore has been named to the early watch list for the Naismith Trophy. The Atlanta Tip-Off Club announced its watch list of 51 players Thursday. The list was compiled by the Atlanta Tip-off Club's Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for this season.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - In the grand scheme of things, it's the big picture that counts. Never mind the fact that Kentucky closed out the regular season with three consecutive losses, including Saturday's 28-10 loss at Tennessee and won just two games in the Southeastern Conference. Granted, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks isn't pleased with his team's finish, he will gladly take six wins and a third consecutive bowl appearance. "Am I happy with six wins?" Brooks said Saturday night.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Kentucky ended the season with three straight losses and will stumble into posteason play with a 6-6 record. Yet after his Wildcats were humbled 28-10 by Tennessee here Saturday, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks emphasized that this was not a lost season when he was asked if this could be termed a successful season. "Let me tell you this. It's the second time in school history we have gone to three straight bowls," said Brooks. "The season was not a success. We should have won more games.

After spending most of last week at the Southeastern Conference Basketball Media Days, it's time to clear out the e-mail bag from last week and share some of the best comments/questions I had from readers. Richie Lyons of Danville wanted to share his thoughts on Ken Snowden, who recently passed away. "Like many, I was saddened by Mr. Snowden's passing. He and Alex Stevens were my eighth-grade basketball coaches (at Bate Middle School) and they made it my favorite year of basketball.

LEXINGTON - His team rallied for a dramatic win last week against Arkansas, but Kentucky coach Rich Brooks knows what lies ahead for his Wildcats. "Florida has probably the best offensive talent and defensive speed in the league. They are as good as anybody, and maybe better as far as playmakers and speed," Brooks said. The Wildcats play at Florida on Saturday, and if they had any reason to be encouraged about this game after Mississippi won 31-30 in Gainesvile recently, they have even more reasons to be leery because of the Gators' 51-21 romp over LSU two weeks ago. "They exploded on LSU. It is almost incomprehensible to think anybody can score 51 on LSU. It is scary," Brooks said.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky won't have its leading rusher and second leading receiver the rest of the season. Sophomore running back Derrick Locke has torn both the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his knee and will have season-ending surgery in the next week. Kentucky's top receiver, Dicky Lyons, had injured his knee a week earlier and is set to have surgery Tuesday. "Obviously, he is out for the year and that really hurts us," said Kentucky coach Rich Brooks.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) ? Mike Hartline threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Randall Cobb to help Kentucky beat Arkansas 21-20 Saturday, handing Bobby Petrino his first loss to the Wildcats. Kentucky spent much of the game struggling to find a playmaker to replace Dicky Lyons Jr., out for the season because of torn ligaments in his right knee. But Cobb, wearing Lyons' No. 12 as a tribute, did his best impersonation of the senior receiver when it mattered. Kentucky (5-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference)