I’m talking Barnhart. Not McConnell.

He spoke to a local men’s group the other night here in Louisville.

He sung the praises of his latest hire — John Calipari — and advised his audience that indeed Coach Cal would have been earning more, had he stayed at Memphis, than he is at UK. Speaking of UK’s recently departed coach, Billy Clyde Gillispie, Barnhart said “when Gillispie was hired, he was the best coach available.”

He understated the recent hoops recruiting haul, saying the Cats “had a pretty good year.” At which point, one of the assembled asked, “You mean we’re not # 1?”

He also stated that there was another recruiting announcement to come. Which all there figured means the Cats are closing in on a deal with superprep PG, John Wall. Barnhart couldn’t and didn’t add any more details.

Mitch mentioned how the SEC’s sweetheart deal with ESPN was inked just in time, that “it would never get done” in today’s economic climate. He talked about how it helped UK, with a smaller budget, keep pace with some conference brethren with athletics budgets half again as big as Kentucky’s.

– Seedy K