UK's Burton ready for a show of hands

[Radiated]

UK's Burton ready for a show of hands
RONDO'S SUCCESS INSPIRES PASS-CATCHING PAL

By Mark Story
HERALD-LEADER SPORTS COLUMNIST

Keenan BurtonKeenan Burton watched the NBA Draft Wednesday night with a mixture of wistfulness and frustration.

The frustration came from the wait to hear his buddy, Rajon Rondo, have his name called by David Stern.

A pair of Louisvillians who left the big city to become Kentucky Wildcats, Burton and Rondo have known each other since they used to cross paths in youth football and baseball.

When the now former UK guard became the 21st pick of the 2006 NBA Draft, the frustration of his old little league pal melted.

--more--- (http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/sports/colleges/university_of_kentucky/14950810.htm)

[poodoo]

Thanks for the link, Radiated. This one is a good read. It's nice to get some positive football coverage from the LHL.

Too, Keenan Burton surely deserves some good luck this season, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him. He is a special young man and football player and surely deserves it. If he can stay healthy, I really do believe he has a future in the NFL. I am pulling for this young man with all my heart.

[GoBgBlu37]

Can one of you guys who lives in Lex please go buy Burton a helmet and stick it on his head.:shock:

[RV]

GoBgBlu37 wrote: Can one of you guys who lives in Lex please go buy Burton a helmet and stick it on his head.:shock:
That would be an NCAA violation wouldn't it? :?

[johnkyblue]

I don't think it would if you bought it for yourself but accidentally left it on his head...

[trublue4life]

Man, I want to see what a full, healthy year of Keenan Burton looks like! I believe he could put up some awesome numbers and be a real difference maker (as in the difference between a few wins & losses). Here's a question. It's obvious that Keenan has a huge stake in who the QB is and seems to personally hold out hope that Andre will get it together. How much does the need to get the ball in Burton's hands weigh on Joker's & Brooks' decision as to who starts at QB?

[bleedbluelady]

poodoo wrote: Thanks for the link, Radiated. This one is a good read. It's nice to get some positive football coverage from the LHL.

Too, Keenan Burton surely deserves some good luck this season, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him. He is a special young man and football player and surely deserves it. If he can stay healthy, I really do believe he has a future in the NFL. I am pulling for this young man with all my heart.

I agree poodoo. Keenan certainly deserves some luck and I am pulling for him. Now, could someone please go confiscate his scooter before he gets hurt on it. :wildcatface;)

[RV]

Story made it up according to those that know Burton. This is posted on another site:

"Hey fellas, me and Keenan discussed this in depth, he did not say he wants Andre to be the starter. The interviewer flipped his words and made it seem like he said that. He is really bothered by the article, the interview was supposed to be about Rondo and Bush and how they all grew up together and what he thought about Rondo going to the NBA. He is not thinking about the NFL, he is only thinking about this season, once again he is not thinking about the NFL he is thinking about this season."

Mark Story strikes again. If he doesn't have a story or like the one he has , he'll just make one up. Typical.



http://kentucky.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=1430&tid=75417116&sid=&style=2

[poodoo]

When I had originally read the piece, I had thought that Keenan might not really like the quote about the team's going as far as Andre Woodson could take them. I'm just basing that on everything I have read and heard about Keenan. I wish Story had not included that quote (and I'm only assuming those were Keenan's exact words), for I strongly suspect that Keenan is indeed a "team" player who only wants the guy who will bring the most wins to start. At the veryleast,Keenan would most likely not want the perception out there that he prefers Woodson to Pulley (even though Woodson's being the starter might mean morepotential catches for him).

Also, since Keenan is Rondo's friend, I'm sure he knows how many basketball fans have reacted negatively to Rondo the past season, partly because of his NBA aspirations. I can understand his having concerns there, too. Sure, he hopes to make the NFL someday. Yet, he is very much a "team" player, and I surely hope no fans react negatively to him because of those NFL aspirations. Actually, most players with exceptional talent have professional aspirations. It's normal and does not mean that those guys' first goal is not to win games at the college level.

Again, I am not at all surprised that Keenan was upset about the article (and I am alsoassuming that poster on the other site was being truthful). His past comments have revealed him to be a sensitive young man, and I mean that in a very good sense. Perhaps it's the "momma" in me, but Ifeel for him. :(

[RV]

FCFS82 wrote: RV wrote: Story made it up according to those that know Burton. This is posted on another site:

"Hey fellas, me and Keenan discussed this in depth, he did not say he wants Andre to be the starter. The interviewer flipped his words and made it seem like he said that. He is really bothered by the article, the interview was supposed to be about Rondo and Bush and how they all grew up together and what he thought about Rondo going to the NBA. He is not thinking about the NFL, he is only thinking about this season, once again he is not thinking about the NFL he is thinking about this season."

Mark Story strikes again. If he doesn't have a story or like the one he has , he'll just make one up. Typical.



http://kentucky.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=1430&tid=75417116&sid=&style=2



Read the board where its posted, then re-read the article. He backs Woodson as the passer who can tear up defenses and that he will take (UK) as far as they want to go.

Where is the problem? What, Keenan isn't thinking about the NFL? Give me a break. If your an athlete worth anything, your thinking about the pros.

Good try. Makes me wonder who's worse, the LHL or the fans who read how they want to read articles from certain journalists.

If the above quote isn't an endorsement for Woodson as the starter, I don't know what is, however, truly I think it is nothing more than Burton rallying behind the incumbent starter trying to boost his confidence.

:rolleyes::thumbdown

You don't have to wonder - I'm worse - in your opinion. Yeah - I just made all this up and Story is a choir boy. :rolleyes:What's written in the lhl must be gospel.

[poodoo]

You don't have to wonder - I'm worse - in your opinion. Yeah - I just made all this up and Story is a choir boy. :rolleyes:What's written in the lhl must be gospel. QUOTE by RV

_______

FWIW, there's no doubt who is worse in MY opinion, and it's definitely NOT RV. :)

Anyway, thanks for sharing what you read on another site, RV, and, again, I do not find Keenan's being upset surprising. I hope Keenan is no longer bothered by the Story piece.

Regardless, while I would never vouch for Story, IamcertainYOU did NOT make "all this up." :)Actually, in this particular case Story could have simply shared Keenan's answers to his questionsin a way that let readers be somewhat misled.

Regardless, again, I feel for Keenan and hope that this seemingly sensitive young man (and that's a goodquality, in my opinion)is no longer upset. By the way, I do agree with FCF that Keenan may have been merely trying to instill more confidence in Andre, something that young man seems to need. As long as Curtis and Keenan's teammates are convinced that Keenan trusts the coaches to pick the quarterback who will lead the team to more wins, everything will be all right. If Story actually misquoted Keenan,though, that is something thatabsolutely must be addressed. Just my humble opinion on the matter.

[Caveman Catfan]

Talking about his limited action in the spring:

"I feel like I got a lot of good work in, even though I couldn't do everything. I have a good feel for the offense and what we're trying to do. I've got a good feel for Andre' and Curtis, both of them, so that's good."

I don't thinkJoker blows smoke when he says that Burton is one of the best people (not player) that he has ever coached. Whenever the kid is interviewed, I am wowed at how gracious and big-hearted he seems to be, constantly praising others and giving credit to his family and his friends. I doubt Burton would announce to a reporter that he favored one of his teammates over another. That is my opinion.

[RedandBlackATTACK]

Mark Story strikes again. If he doesn't have a story or like the one he has , he'll just make one up. Typical.

Those $#%$ sportswriters.

I was just over on one of the UL Boards where Eric Crawford (UL Football Beat Writer) is being accused of everything from being a member of Al Queda to a being a “sleeper agent” for UK.

It’s a common thread on every fan page you visit, the belief that local beat writers - columnist have an ax to grind with the local team/program.

When in reality the vast majority of “beat writers” do whatever they can to foster and maintain good relationships with the players and coaches because it makes their jobs a helluva a lot easier. With a few notable exceptions, it’s an unwritten reciprocal agreement between both parties.

I offer two examples that would pertain to beat writers. UK’s loss to OU and UL’s loss to South Florida. Both teams not only failed to show up but quit as well. How in the world could anyone write anything but, that the teams didn’t show up and quit?



I will concede that many “columnist” appear to search out more negative columns than positive. However, no columnist worth his salt wants to be labeled a “homer” and believe me they are out there. Theoretically speaking many columnists in an attempt to avoid that label may in fact look for more mud than sunshine.

Rick

C-Bus

[Doug Hardin]

RedandBlackATTACK wrote: I will concede that many “columnist” appear to search out more negative columns than positive. However, no columnist worth his salt wants to be labeled a “homer” and believe me they are out there. Theoretically speaking many columnists in an attempt to avoid that label may in fact look for more mud than sunshine.


I totally agree, and also, writing about the "mud" gets more of a reader reaction, and therefore, more readers. How many times a year does it happen that we all get mad at Brewer/Bozich/Forde/Clay/Story/Tipton, claim they hate UK sports, and claim we're going to boycott the LHL or C-J? When this happens, people are clicking on their websites and buying their papers, and since this happens over and over again, obviously the calls for boycotts go unanswered.

That said, though, I think the constant ripping of Barnhart got a little old, and it only started to slow down once the women's basketball and baseball teams put together good seasons last year. There were plenty of good things to say about what Barnhart had done before then, but you never read about it in the local media, which is why I think there could have been something personal there.

[poodoo]

I offer two examples that would pertain to beat writers. UK’s loss to OU and UL’s loss to South Florida. Both teams not only failed to show up but quit as well. How in the world could anyone write anything but, that the teams didn’t show up and quit? QUOTE by R&B Attack

_____

Ironically, one CJ columnist chose to write NOTHING at all for weeks after the Louisville team failed to show up, though. Too, his name was not Jerry Brewer.:ggrin:That one columnist is one who has also been seemingly anti-Barnhart (something Doug mentions he has noticed in some of the local columnists), along with Story, Tipton, and Clay of the LHL.

FWIW, when UK did not show up against teams while Coach Morris was the coach, the negative reaction was limited. After Barnhart hired Coach Brooks, though, the times the football team did not show up, the negativity was at a high level and, actually, through most of Barnhart's hire's (Coach Brooks, of course)first three years. Thankfully, though, as Doug just mentioned, that negativity seems to be waning with the improvement in women's basketball and baseball under Barnhart's hires. That is long overdue and pleases me. I am stillwaiting for a positive Barnhart column from the unnamed CJ columnist. Jerry Brewer has given him some positive press.

Personally, I have seen Jerry Breweras a columist who isnot a "homer," but a columnist who seems to want both local teams to win (which they cannot do when they play each other, of course) :)and fairly calls both teams out when they should be. That's just how I see it, anyway, and I like that.

Now back to the discussionof Keenan Burton. :)

[poodoo]

Caveman Catfan wrote: Talking about his limited action in the spring:

"I feel like I got a lot of good work in, even though I couldn't do everything. I have a good feel for the offense and what we're trying to do. I've got a good feel for Andre' and Curtis, both of them, so that's good."

I don't thinkJoker blows smoke when he says that Burton is one of the best people (not player) that he has ever coached. Whenever the kid is interviewed, I am wowed at how gracious and big-hearted he seems to be, constantly praising others and giving credit to his family and his friends. I doubt Burton would announce to a reporter that he favored one of his teammates over another. That is my opinion.



You have probably noticed that I am a HUGE Keenan Burton fan, Caveman, more because of his graciousness and big heart that you mention than because of his talent on the football field (which I also love, of course). Anyway, regardless of Keenan's exact words, I do not think he meant that he favored one quarterbackover the other. How words can be interpreted and thenused in a column can be an entirely different matter. Again, I really feel for Keenan that he was bothered by the Story piece. :(

[RedandBlackATTACK]

I am stillwaiting for a positive Barnhart column from the unnamed CJ columnist.
Maybe he's waiting for Barnhart to do something positive:ggrin:

Just kidding Poo.

Now back to the Keenan thread.

Rick

[poodoo]

RedandBlackATTACK wrote: I am stillwaiting for a positive Barnhart column from the unnamed CJ columnist.
Maybe he's waiting for Barnhart to do something positive:ggrin:

Just kidding Poo.

Now back to the Keenan thread.

Rick




While I know that you're just kidding, R&B, what you say surely serves to support my point. Those obvious Barnhart positives, such as his successful hires in women's basketball and baseball, are totally ignored by that columnist not named Jerry Brewer, justas he also ignored Louisville's embarassing performance against South Florida. Too, I don't mean that as an insult to Louisville, as UK has surely had more than itsshare of those, but that certain columnist not named Brewernever fails to writeone "dig" after another aboutsuch performancesby the Barnhart football hire.

I prefer "fair and balanced reporting," and I fail to see it in that particular CJ columnist, FWIW. Too, it has been noted that many of the local media (including both Story and that CJ columnist not named Jerry Brewer) were really peeved at Mitch Barnhart for keeping them "in the dark" during the UK football coaching search. Doug mentions that he thinks there may be something personal there, and I agree.

Now back to the Keenan thread. :)