Kentucky Kernel: February 10, 2022

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Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

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CALIPARI TESTIFIES IN SUPPORT OF NIL | 16

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

news

Investigation continues into fatal accident near UK campus

By Audrey Fones news@kykernel.com

A 62-year-old man, Gary Weathers, was hit by a car and killed near the University of Kentucky hospital on the morning of Monday, Jan. 31.

Weathers was struck at around 6:30 a.m. near South Limestone and Conn Terrace and was not on the crosswalk when crossing the street. The driver of the car remained at the scene.

He was taken to the UK Hospital after being hit, and later died that morning around 11:55 a.m. Weathers was on his

way to work that morning, according to the Lexington Police Department.

“This investigation is still ongoing, but at this time impairment is not suspect,” Hannah Sloan, a media contact, at the Lexington Police Department, said.

The driver is not expected to face criminal charges, according to the Lexington Police Department.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Weathers in an effort to cover the expenses of the funeral. Emmaline Lofaro, Weathers’s manager, organized the GoFundMe and spoke to her coworker’s legacy during his time at the hospital.l “Gary was a permanent fixture in the halls of UK Hospital most notably for his hard work [and] dedication in the Emergency Department [and] the NICU,” Emmaline Lofaro said.

Weathers was a floor technician at the UK Hospital for 14 years.

“Gary was always smiling and never met a stranger,” Lofaro said. “He was very dedicated to his job, co-workers and staff. He always had a big contagious smile and always something witty to say. If you weren’t having a good day that would quickly turn after talking with Gary. He always reminded us that there was always someone far worse off than us. He will be missed.”

The fundraiser’s goal is $10,000. As of late Monday, Feb. 7, the GoFundMe page has raised $15,135. One donation was $2,345 and is noted as the top donation.

Friends, family and colleagues have been sharing the memories that they have of Weathers. Some even shared pictures of him on the NICU floor at the UK Hospital.

“A wonderful man, passionate about his job … was a joy to work with!! Gary made a difference everyday and will be hugely missed,” Judy Pelfrey said on the GoFundMe page.

Touching the hearts of those around him at work, Gary seemed to brighten the days of many colleagues, even sharing his family with them.

“Gary you will be so missed. You always made my day brighter. I will miss our chats and hearing stories about your grand babies. You were a wonderful person,” Ashley McAlister said on her donation to the fundraiser.

There is no further information about funeral services or who Weathers is survived by.

ON OT T O CRO N O D S S S S O D R C O T N O N O T DO 2 | kentucky kernel

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

Humans of UK:

kentuckykernel

Thoughts from August Grantt’s dorm room

By Sarah Michels features@kykernel.com

This is Humans of UK, inspired by the Humans of New York Instagram series by photographer and author Brandon Stanton. This series dives into the individuals of UK as well as their stories, strifes and passions.

When August Grantt found out his idol Mac Miller died from an accidental fentanyl overdose, he was high on the same drug that Miller mistakenly believed he was using.

It was one of many signs to stop. If Miller wasn’t invincible, neither was Grantt.

Nearly four years later, Grantt is an up-and-coming rapper trying to make music that connects with listeners in many of the same ways Miller’s does for him. He’s also a UK senior and psychology major who goes by Austin Woods in his day-today life.

Grantt takes signs seriously. When “August”

by Flipturn came on as Grantt was deciding whether to pursue music, he knew something in the universe was telling him to go for it. Since

KAITLYN SKAGGS | STAFF August Grantt poses for a portrait on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.

he didn’t want to make music under his real name, and August was close enough to Austin, he adopted the name from the song.

The “Grantt” also comes from a sign. Since Grantt was born on Feb. 2, 2000, which contains the angel number 222, he incorporates twos into many parts of his life, from the two “t”s at the end of his stage name to the date his

debut album dropped — June 22, 2021.

From ages 17 to 19, Grantt was involved with hard drugs, but they aren’t a part of his life anymore. He got tired of the negativity, he said, and he didn’t want to become “a forgotten overdose stat.”

While he doesn’t see himself as a role model, Grantt said he does want to be a positive example of someone who

let themselves fall into addiction but eventually got out.

“I didn't really enjoy that part of my life, but I still rap about it,” Grantt said. “I just want to work hard, and then be like, you can look at me and still be proud, even though I'm not this perfect, cookie cutter person.”

Grantt was sitting in his dorm room, trying to write a song called “Thoughts from my Dorm Room,” modeled after Miller’s “Thoughts from my Balcony,” when he decided to go all in on music. He called every studio in Lexington, asking to be an intern so he could be shown the ropes. They all said no, but Ekaman, an entertainer and event planner, called Grantt back to invite him to a show he was co-hosting at The Fishtank.

At the show, Grantt showed the audio engineer lyrics he’d written in his Notes app. The engineer took Grantt’s phone to show them to Ekaman. “[Ekaman’s] reading the lyrics and he's like, ‘You wrote this?’ and I'm like, ‘Yeah,’” Grantt said.

“He's like, ‘You never reSee GRANTT on page 19

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On the front cover:

MICHAEL CLUBB | STAFF Kentucky mens basketball head coach John Calipari testifies in front of the Senate Education Committee in favor of Senate Bill 6, which passed unanimously on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, at Kentucky State Capitol annex building in Frankfort, Kentucky.

On the back cover:

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats guard TyTy Washington Jr. (3) shoots the ball during the UK vs. Vanderbilt basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

spring 2022 | 3

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

news

The long road ahead:

Rebuilding and recovery in western Kentucky

By Corrie McCroskey news@kykernel.com

No one was prepared when the collection of storms on Dec. 11 took an undeviating path toward the UK Research and Education Building.

Home to various kinds of research, including horticulture, fruits and vegetables, cattle, tobacco, soybean, wheat and corn, the center was among the many structures in western Kentucky that were left devastated.

After finishing renovations on the center a few years ago in 2019, faculty members feel as if they are back to square one.

Grain crop specialist and managing director of the facility Carrie Knott echoed the faculty’s sobering emotions as the community begins to pick up the pieces.

“We can’t really put a monetary value on the loss of our research. We are going to be delayed at least one year, if not two, for the research that’s being done here,” Knott said. “Although we are very happy that no one got hurt and this is an opportunity for us to rebuild an efficient, modern facility, we are going to be impacted by the limited research and services we can provide.”

Almost all the vehicles and equipment that were on the property were destroyed, and debris was scattered along most of the land. Knott said that the first step is to pick up the pieces of metal and building materials that are too small to be removed by machines.

“We have 1,500 acres and pretty much every single acre

4 | kentucky kernel

MATT BARTON | UK AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS Aerial damage to the UK Grain and Forage Center of Excellence on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2021. The damage was caused by a tornado that struck western Kentucky on Dec. 10, 2021.

was affected by debris. Probably about 750 of that we have to go through by hand and pick up all this tornado damage because it’s not safe for the beef cattle,” Knott said.

Daniel Becker, a horticulture researcher who specializes in fruits and vegetables, lost his blueberry trial in the storm along with the equipment in the laboratory he used to study the fruit.

“We lost a whole lot of previous and current data that is necessary. We lost a blueberry container production trial,” Becker

said. “That’s blueberries grown in above ground container … some of them blew away and some of them had pieces of wood that were driven through them.”

Becker said it is likely that his work on vegetables will not be completed this year, and the fruit research is dependent upon being able to get the chemicals and testers that he needs. The tornado destroyed around 90% of the supplies he needs to collect data, he said.

However, there may be a way to start research again before the

structure is rebuilt by utilizing temporary laboratories. According to Knott, there are companies that specialize in disaster relief and may be able to provide faculty with these short-term solutions.

“We are being resilient, but we have a long way to go,” Knott said. “This is a very important facility to Kentucky, and it was started 100 years ago because producers said they wanted it …

There was never a question that there would not be a rebuild.”

Another faculty member

grappling with the changes that the tornado has brought to his research is professor of plant pathology Carl Bradley.

“We lost our lab completely.

We lost some of the cultures and samples that we would’ve collected from the field and different soil samples that we collected last season,” Bradley said.

Bradley works in the field, as well as the laboratory researching disease management in crops such as soybean, wheat, barley and rye, utilizing fungal pathogens to research how farmers can control plant diseases.

Without a physical building to continue research, Bradley and his team have had to adapt and work out of their own garages and apartments.

“Everything is pushed back, there’s a lot of logistical challenges right now as far as how to plant out research trials this coming season and how to harvest them,” Bradley said. “We’re probably going to do some contracting out to different groups to come in and plant our trials.”

Fortunately, an ultra-freezer containing fungal cultures was able to be salvaged from the wreckage.

“That freezer, although banged up, was still intact. The items inside were still there. We were able to get those to a minus 80 [degree] freezer on campus,” Bradley said. “Those are things that we’ve been collecting and working on over the last 20 years.

A lot of my career was in that freezer.”

See REBUILDING on page 5

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

news

Kentuckians tap into syrup industry at Kentucky Maple Day

By Sophia Shoemaker news@kykernel.com

On Saturday, Feb. 5, the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Office partnered with the Kentucky Maple Syrup Association to sponsor the third annual Kentucky Maple Day. The event gave the public an opportunity to learn more about maple syrup production, visit Kentucky farms and buy local products. Local producers offered tours of their trees and operations.

Farms all over the Commonwealth planned to participate in the event, although some had to reschedule due to the dangerous accumulations of snow and ice. Among those is Blues End Farm of Shelbyville, which moved their Kentucky Maple Day events to Feb. 12.

“Our driveway is a quar-

ter-mile long and was covered in ice, so we just didn’t feel it was safe,” Doug Welch, Blues End Farm owner, said. “We [chose to reschedule] because we have been producing maple syrup for 13 years and taking part in Maple Day since it began.”

Farms like Blues End take this opportunity to serve samples of their goods and sell them.

“We serve samples of our maple syrup and maple desserts with our blueberries that we grew and froze over the summer. One of the crowd favorites is always when we pour the syrup over shaved ice, like a syrup snow-cone,” Welch said.

According to the UK Forestry and Natural Resources Department’s website, “In 1930 sugar was rationed, it was hard to get and expensive. Many rural

REBUILDING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

One of the larger parts of Bradley’s work that is missing is the equipment that he acquired through grants and raising funds.

“I had four pickup trucks that I purchased for my program, all of those were totaled. Some of the pickups ended up into the trees across the streets,” he said.

“It’s one of those things where you have to walk around and see it to completely grasp how powerful these tornadoes can be.”

Kentuckians made their own maple syrup and maple sugar in response to the difficult times using primitive, inefficient methods. Since then each generation wanted their children to have it easier than the previous. As a result we almost lost the fading memory of making sugar in Kentucky.”

In recent years, maple syrup production has increased in Kentucky, due to the ample amount of maple trees across the state and the demand for the product.

In a Youtube video with the UK College of Agriculture, Letcher County maple syrup producers Seth and Cheryl Long said that the syrup industry is booming.

“It takes work to cook it down and to get everything set up, but there’s a lot of people who are interested in the product. You don’t have to worry about trying to sell this [product],”

Moving forward, the university is working with insurance companies to purchase new equipment, but there are difficulties getting it because of the widespread delay with supply. Bradley said that dealing with tornado devastation in the midst of supply chain problems caused by COVID is a “challenging” combination.

Though most physical damage to the facility will likely be recouped in the coming years, the animal lives that were lost in the storm are unrecoverable.

Katie VanValin, a specialist in beef cattle nutrition, explained how the herd of cattle at the facility was affected. She said that she and her team had started a tri-

Photo from ky-maplesyrup.ca.uky.edu

Cheryl Long said. “If you make it and you make it well, people want it.”

Farms use plastic tubing around the maple trees.

It then runs down the hill through the tubes and is collected and cooked down into the syrup. Seth Long said that this makes hilly land an asset in the industry.

“People will say, that’s

hillside property, it’s worthless, there’s nothing here.

But there’s maple trees all over these hills, and we can tap into an untapped resource,” Seth Long said.

Kentucky Maple Syrup Day gave Kentuckians the chance to learn about production and maybe even try to tap into the growing maple market themselves.

“Kentucky is not gener-

al the morning that the tornado hit, which resulted in several cattle deaths and injuries. Thanks to the tornado, she is unable to continue the study.

With cattle research being a seasonal operation, VanValin expressed that the loss and change within the herd will be a missed opportunity this year. However, she acknowledged that the damage could have been much worse, saying that she knew of producers who lost entire herds of cattle.

“We’re really fortunate given the damage that was all around these cattle that we didn’t lose more of them. We’re still learning what the ultimate impacts are going to be,” VanValin said. “We will be back, but

ally known to be a maple producing state,” Welch said. “[Kentuckians] can learn all about production and how to do it themselves. I know people who have started producing their own maple sugar now.”

More information on Kentucky Maple Day and the Kentucky maple syrup industry can be found on UK’s website.

over this next year it’s going to be a matter of assessing where the herd is at and making changes to some of our facilities and fences.”

Hopeful for the future, VanValin feels like the destruction has given faculty members a chance they were not expecting to create a brand-new facility.

“We have an opportunity to rebuild it better than it was. That’s the view that I’m choosing to take,” she said. “It’s not something that we ever hoped for but it’s our reality and it’s what we’re dealing with so we’re trying to make the best of it and build back better than what we had before.”

spring 2022 | 5

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

news

UK Patterson School of Diplomacy discusses Russia-Ukraine crisis

By Emily Girard news@kykernel.com

On Wednesday, Feb. 9, UK hosted a talk aimed at explaining current political and military tensions in Russia and Ukraine to the campus community.

Titled “How Could This Happen? Explaining the Russia-Ukraine Crisis,” the talk was a collaboration between UK’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce and its Russian studies program. The goal of the talk, according to Gregory Hall, a presenter and associate professor in the Patterson School, was to provide more perspective to the current crisis to observers across the Atlantic.

Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby, a professor of Russian studies, began the discussion by detailing how legends contributed to the crisis. She discussed urban legends in Russia about supposed U.S. anti-Russian actions, including the U.S. creating AIDS to send to Russia, the U.S. attempting to control poppy crops in Afghanistan in order to get Russians addicted to heroin and the U.S. sending contaminated chicken as food aid.

“This may seem extreme … [but] this reveals a Russia that is really concerned about what America does … and a Russia that is afraid of being weak,” she said.

“They see America as potentially a manipulator because they are seeing themselves to be weak.”

Rouhier-Willoughby explained that Ukraine is experiencing the same fear, holding the same legends of sabotage and subtle action on the part of Russia and Vladimir Putin. She said these legends are exacerbated by pro-Ukrainian nationalism and Ukrainian government policies such as the 1989 decision to make Ukrainian, not Russian, the official language of Ukraine.

“Each holds the other as holding the cards, to some extent,” Rouhier-Willoughby said.

6 | kentucky kernel

Sreenshot taken during Russia-Ukraine crisis discussion hosted by the Patterson School of Diplomacy on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022.

Robert Farley, a professor in the Patterson School, then discussed Russia’s military action in Europe, including deploying troops to the Russia-Ukraine border in what Farley described as a “World War IIstyle mechanized offensive.”

“Russia is acting like a country that wants to invade its neighbor,” Farley said.

Farley also brought up the possibility that this movement is just a bluff on Russia’s part intended more as a message to NATO, citing the difficulty of invading Ukraine by land in the spring due to the muddy terrain.

“It is not pleasant for anyone to fight along the Ukranian-Russian border in February,” Farley said. “If something’s going to happen, it’s going to happen before the middle of March.”

Farley also recalled his personal confusion as to whether or not Russia would

actually mobilize troops into Ukraine.

“I was as skeptical as anyone else that there was going to be a war … The consequences of a war at this point are really quite severe,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we won’t see a war.”

Chuck Ziegler, a professor of political science at the University of Louisville, also spoke on the panel. Ziegler, who attended the talk via Zoom, discussed political motivations to Russia’s possible action, including Georgia and Ukraine attempting to become members of NATO. “Certainly this issue of NATO membership … is a red line for the Kremlin,” Ziegler said.

Ziegler also gave more background to Russia’s involvement with other neighboring countries, discussing how Russia has collaborated politically with both Kazakhstan and China. In recent months, Russia

and Kazakhstan have conducted joint anti-militant troop exercises and signed a military cooperation agreement.

“Kazakhstan has been very close to the United States … but they are closer to Russia,” Ziegler said. “By this intervention, Russia demonstrated that they can be a security guarantor for the region.”

In regard to China, Ziegler described Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, Feb. 4, and how this could affect potential military action.

“I don’t think that Putin will make any moves while the Olympics is going on,” Ziegler said. “Mr. Putin would not want to give a black eye to his Chinese supporters.”

Hall said at the end of the talk that any additional questions about the conflict can be emailed to gregory.hall24@uky.edu.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

features

The reality of the college experience

By Abbey Cutrer features@kykernel.com

Throughout high school, students are told certain things about college life by teachers, mentors and parents. Not all this information is positive, and it has the potential to sway the expectations that students have going into college.

Negative expectations in high school sometimes turn into positive experiences in college. The reality is, college isn’t always as difficult as anticipated.

Current UK students had a wide range of emotions anticipating college, including excitement and anxiety.

“In high school, I thought college was scary,” junior biology major Jean Tabontabon said. “I was pretty nervous going into it, but once I got myself situated here, it was really fun. It’s easier to interact with people and make friends.”

Junior physics major Gabija Ziemyte said, “I expected college to be more isolating, but it’s not that way now; I made friends.”

Ziemyte also said she was excited for more specialized topics of study, as well as more opportunities. She added that she feels like her high school teachers' experiences in college were different than hers because of the lack of a pandemic.

Freshman Lane Jones, a business major, said he was excited to move away from

College is definitely easier than high school in the sense of going to class because I don't have to sit through eight hours of class, and I can have a little bit more freedom.

- Lane Jones

KAITLYN SKAGGS | STAFF Sophomores Jack Watson, left, and Elizabeth Oiler, right, work on homework at the William T. Young Library on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in Lexington, Kentucky.

his parents and said he has “made a new home.”

One expectation that Jones had about college came from his high school teachers.

“My teachers in high school said that professors would be so mean and super strict, and they’re almost the exact same as high school,” he said. “If anything, I’ve made more relationships with my teachers here than I did in high school.”

This experience is not unique to Jones.

Freshman Bella Hagan had a very similar interaction with her teachers in high school.

“My teachers in high school were like,

‘It’s going to be so hard, if you can’t do well now, then you’re going to struggle in college,’” she said.

Teachers in high school often set an oddly high standard for college in regards to class structure. According to freshman Ava Nissen, these expectations do not reflect reality.

“I thought it would be harder to never go to class, but last semester I passed all my classes and didn’t set foot in any of them for months,” Nissen said.

However, Nissen also provided a flipside for this.

Nissen said, “My freshman history teacher in high school was always talking

about the lectures in college, and so that’s how he taught. He taught his class like how the lectures are taught here.”

This insight showed that some teachers in high school used college preparation techniques, and not every teacher sets unrealistic expectations.

While these students were in high school, the general consensus would have been that college would be more difficult, but this is not their perspective anymore.

“College is definitely easier than high school in the sense of going to class because I don't have to sit through eight hours of class, and I can have a little bit more freedom,” Jones said.

spring 2022 | 7

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

opinions

Things to do in Lexington for Valentine’s Day

By Lindsey Davis opinions@kykernel.com

Feb. 14: the day that everyone either looks forward to or dreads.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things to do in Lexington the whole week leading up to Valentine’s Day, no matter your relationship status.

From Galentine’s Day to Valentine’s Day, Lexington has a lot to offer, and there’s no better way to celebrate the holidays than with heart-shaped food.

If you want to go a step beyond a box of chocolates, Mad Mushroom, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s and Donato’s all have heart-shaped pizzas available in honor of the holidays. Chick-Fil-A is also getting into the spirit of love by offering 3o-count chicken nuggets, ten Chick-n-Minis or six chocolate chunk cookies in a heart-shaped container. Insomnia Cookies will also be joining in on the heartshaped trend with their cookie cakes.

Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream has special Valentine’s Day flavors, which include Irish Cream Dreams, Chocolate Hazelnut, Non-Dairy Cherry Amaretto and vegan and dairy-free Raspberry Sorbet.

Old School Coffee is introducing three new flavors this month in honor of the holiday: The “raspberry love,” which is a raspberry white mocha, the “chocolate covered strawberry,” which is a strawberry mocha and the “rose chai latte.”

If you’re looking for a nice date night, Sedona Taphouse is offering Valentine’s Day specials, which include an appetizer to

8 | kentucky kernel

MICHAEL CLUBB I STAFF Cars drive down S Broadway on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Lexington, Kentucky.

share, two entrées and red velvet cake for dessert. The menu includes gluten-free and vegan options.

For fitness fanatics, Cyclebar has several classes available on Feb. 14 and 15 with themes of love or bitterness, depending on what you’re feeling this year.

They have a variety of titles that express the classes’ themes, such as “Break up with him,” “Lovey Dovey,” “Simp Season,” “Battle of the Exes” and “Valentine’s Day Eve (boys suck).” You can book your ride online, and your first one is free.

For those over 21, Tin Roof is throwing a Galentine’s Day Brunch with bottomless mimosas and live music from DJ Xaniti on Feb. 13 at 11 a.m.. They will also

have Rom-Com Trivia on Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. It’s free to play, and there will be prizes for the first, second and third place winners.

Pour Decisions will hold a Valentine’s Day Drag Brunch on Feb. 12 at 1 p.m.. “The Queens are coming to brunch and making some Pour Decisions!” the event description announces. This is a 21+ event, and tickets are $30.

Attendees will receive a brunch board to share with their table, which includes mini doughnuts, assorted cheeses, seasonal fruits, cured meat and crackers as well as one mimosa per person.

The Kentucky Castle is hosting events for both ends of the relationship spectrum. On Feb. 12, they will be celebrating Galentine’s Day with shopping and

cocktails, making this a 21+ event.

Vendors will include Kendra Scott, Maker’s Mark, Cyclebar Lexington, Scentsy, Blush Boutique and The Spark Collection Lexington.

Tickets are $25 and will be sold in two-hour increments. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For mystery buffs, the Kentucky Castle will also be having a Murder Mystery Dinner in the Grand Ballroom on Feb. 16 from 7-9 p.m. Customers will watch the mystery of “The Deadly Valentine!” unfold during dinner.

Country singer Blake Kirby is found dead in his hotel room the morning after winning a Grammy.

The cause of death is strangulation and it’s the audience’s job to figure out “whodunnit.” The menu contains gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-

free and vegan options. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased online.

If you’d like a new conversation piece for your home, Painting with a Twist is offering Valentine’s classes from Feb. 11-16. Couples can paint one half of the painting each and hang them together to make one complete piece. If you come alone or with friends, you can turn your canvas horizontally and do the entire painting on one canvas. You can book your class online and prices range from $39$50.

For those who would prefer to celebrate Valentine's weekend from home, there are several online events, from chocolate covered strawberry and cake pop-making workshops to the Valentine’s Day Singles Party.

You can also watch Valentine’s day themed episodes of your favorite shows. For Example, “Galentine’s Day” (“Parks and Recreation” season 2, episode 16), “Couple’s Discount” (“The Office” season 9, episode 16), “Valentine’s Day” (“New Girl” season 1, episode 13) or “The One with the Candy Hearts” (“Friends” season 1, episode 14).

If you prefer movies, there are plenty that fall into the category of love, heartbreak and all of the “situationships” in between, such as “Valentine’s Day,” “10 Things I Hate about You,” “The Notebook,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “The Wedding Singer” and “Bridesmaids.”

Whether you're celebrating the season of love with your partner, your friends or by yourself, there’s plenty to do in Lexington. Just follow your heart; there’s something out there for everyone.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

Perfectly imperfect:

opinions

Finding the beauty in real relationships

By Brooklyn Kelley opinions@kykernel.com

My immediate thoughts after watching a rom-com are too often along the lines of, “Wow, I wish my relationship was like that,” even though I’m in a great relationship. I’m sure many people today can relate.

Media portrays love in a way that isn’t feasible or realistic, making people search for all the wrong things and become discouraged when they can’t find a partner worthy of a young adult romance novel.

I have always loved love – watching it, reading about it, seeing it – but I have learned that media doesn’t give the whole picture. The messy parts aren’t deemed screen-worthy, but they are just as real as the photo-album moments in real life.

I grew up on Disney movies, and I still love them, but I would say that this is one of the first misrepresentations of love that I encountered through media. I grew up wishing to be swept off my feet by a prince, but not even real princesses live like Snow White or Belle.

Not only do movies and television have an effect on the way we form expectations about love, but books oftentimes do the

same. While John Green and Nicholas Sparks books filled many of my teenage days, I can’t help but see the connection between the relationships described in the novels I read and my expectations of my relationship now.

I want adventures, sweet gestures and, to an extent, mind reading, so that my significant other will know exactly what I want or need and respond to that accordingly. These ridiculously high expectations are too much of a burden to put on anyone, though.

I don’t believe in settling for someone who does not treat me well, but I also try to keep in mind the feasibility of my standards and what drives them. Often, it’s simply the idea that the subjects of books and films have something better than I do.

My relationship with my now-fiancé is amazing.

We argue sometimes, but we do so respectfully and remember that we’re on the same team. We also dance in the aisles of grocery stores, but we remember that it’s the work that we put in that leads us to have so much fun together.

He is the kind of man who never lets me go without a bouquet of flowers, surprises me with the sweetest gestures and texts

STAFF FILE PHOTO A stack of Valentine's Day cards made by UK students.

me “I love you” and “I miss you” more times than I can keep track of. He is the type of person novels could be written about, but that doesn’t change the fact that we still disagree and mess up sometimes. Our relationship isn’t perfect, no matter how much we both try. That’s what makes it beautiful, though.

Our relationship is a balance, and that is what I wish

media would teach people about love. It is sacrificial, fun, difficult, adventurous and a mix of it all. There are ups and downs, no matter how excellent your significant other is.

Sure, I do not have what Noah and Allie do in “The Notebook” or what Chandler and Monica have in “Friends.” Our fights are not always resolved by kissing in the rain or some

romantic gesture, but I wouldn’t trade what I do have for anything.

If I had exactly what media told me to have, I’d be wishing for something deeper. My relationship has seen pain, resolution, guidance, brokenness and genuine care. It is weathered with time and seasoned with the reality of the difficulty of love. It couldn’t be fit into a single movie,

and that’s the way I like it.

I know our love will endure because it is based on effort and choices rather than emotions.

Perfection is unattainable, and some things are better left in fictional stories. My advice is to write your own love story, making it genuine and breaking away from the relationships you’ve come to idolize. For me, it’s been worth it.

spring 2022 |9

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

Story by Sarah Michels Simidele Adeagbo should be in Beijing right now. Instead, she’s watching the Winter Olympics on her couch as the first one out.

University of Kentucky alumna Adeagbo needed to place 20th to secure her spot as a two-time Olympian representing Nigeria. After the complex Olympic qualification process, she ended up 21st in the monobob world rankings.

The narrow disappointment is a taste of déjà vu for Adeagbo. Before qualifying and competing in the 2018 Sochi Olympics in skeleton, Adeagbo barely missed qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the triple jump, the event in which she competed while a member of the UK track and field team.

A decade later, Adeagbo became Nigeria’s first Winter Olympian, as well as the first African and Black woman to compete in skeleton, a sliding sport in which athletes race down an icy track headfirst, laying on their stomachs, at upwards of 80 miles an hour. She decided to pursue the event 100 days before the Sochi Games after her tryout for the Nigerian women’s bobsled failed to land her a spot on the team.

That’s not much time to go from a former triple jumper to an Olympian, but Adeagbo wasn’t fazed by the challenge.

This Olympic cycle, Adeagbo again

10 | kentucky kernel

Photo courtesy of Kevin Jairaj/USA Today.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022 decided to try something new.

She chose the monobob, one of several events debuting this year.

Monobob is essentially the solo version of bobsledding, and it’s exclusively open to women as part of the International Olympic Committee’s push for gender equity at the Games, which also includes extra qualifying spots for women in many events and the addition of new mixed events.

During the 2021-22 regular season, Adeagbo competed in 10 races in the U.S. and Europe, placing in the top 10 seven times, competing twice in the top tier world cup circuit and winning her final race in Winterberg, Germany. The win in Winterberg crowned Adeagbo as the first African athlete to win an international bobsled race. Adeagbo improved with each successive race, but it wasn’t quite enough to make the team.

In 2008, all Adeagbo could feel after the Trials was devastation and heartbreak. Now, she’s more mature, she said.

“I am honoring a promise that I made to myself before I got on the plane to come back for those last three races in Europe,” Adeagbo said. “I said regardless of the outcome, I'm still going to choose to be proud and choose to celebrate anyways, and that is a promise that I am staying committed to even when it doesn't feel easy to do.”

Her absence from the Winter Olympics doesn’t make Adeagbo any less busy, though. Throughout the past weeks and months, she’s been accepting opportunities to share her perspective on several conversations surrounding this

year’s Olympics, including the importance of representation.

Without Adeagbo, there are no African athletes represented in the sliding events — bobsled, skeleton and luge — and only five African nations represented at the Games, a drop from the record eight nations in 2018. Among the six African competitors, there is only one woman: Madagascar’s alpine skier, Mialitiana Clerc.

Representing a continent of over a billion people is a lot of pressure to put on one woman’s shoulders, Adeagbo said.

“I know that feeling whenever I am doing my sport,” she said. “I feel that I'm representing a whole continent because we just are so underrepresented. So everywhere that I go, I'm carrying the Nigerian flag proudly, but with that comes the weight of carrying the rest of the continent as well.”

As an African woman, Adeagbo is at the intersection of the conversations about gender equity and continental representation at the Olympics, particularly at the Winter Games. The purpose of the Olympics is clearly defined in the Olympic Charter, she said.

According to rule 8, the Olympic symbol “represents the union of the five continents” – (North America and South America are combined into one continent, the Americas).

But while diversity and inclusion of all countries is embraced and celebrated as part of the culture and policy of the Summer Olympics Games, that’s not necessarily the case for the Winter Games, which does not currently include continental quotas to ensure that every continent is repre-

I know that feeling whenever I am doing my sport. I feel that I'm representing a whole continent because we just are so underrepresented. So everywhere that I go, I'm carrying the Nigerian flag proudly, but with that comes the weight of carrying the rest of the continent as well.

- Simidele Adeagbo

Photo courtesy of Candice Ward.

sented in each event.

“I can think back to different [Summer] Olympics I've watched, and you watch competitors who are very far away from leading the pack, but they're still there,” Adeagbo said. “People really celebrate that and smile when they see those stories and know that that person, that athlete, is there representing the best of their country.”

Adeagbo thinks the policy of the Winter Games should also reflect diversity and inclusion values and wants to use her voice to drive change through conversation and action through engagement of the necessary stakeholders. She said she’s not exactly sure what that looks like yet, but she plans to continue working in whatever ways she can to align the current state of play with the Olympic values.

The fundamental principles of the Olympic charter also prohibit discrimination of any kind, including discrimination based on sex. However, Adeagbo said that women in the bobsled events still face challenges for Olympic representation their male counterparts do not. While there are 30 available spots for men between

the two-person and four-person bobsledding events, there are only 20 spots for women in the traditional two-person bobsled and the monobob.

“So I have to work twice as hard to qualify for the Olympic Games just because of my gender,” Adeagbo said. “We shouldn't be in 2022, about to watch an Olympic Games in bobsled where 73% of the participants will be men. That is not even close to an even split. A fifth grader can pick up that math.”

Female representation is of utmost importance to Adeagbo; it’s so urgent that she is creating the Simi Sleighs Foundation to address it. The non-profit will be a place where female athletes can go for support, empowerment and the resources they need to reach their goals, inside and outside of elite athletics.

Representation and visibility at the Olympics are powerful and inspiring, but the Olympics only come once every four years, Adeagbo said. The importance of investing in athlete development in Africa and in other emerging countries where winter sports are not as common is just as crucial in the off years.

“I think what we need to look at is how we can sustain and support athletes for the long term,” she said. “There's no good if you just have one Olympics, and then you never see that athlete again.”

Not everyone believes in Adeagbo’s mission or potential on the ice, but she prefers to ignore the naysayers. After four years in the sport, Adeagbo finally feels that she is not just a participant but a worthy competitor. She came to this realization not after competing at the 2018 Olympics, but after spending three weeks at the International Training Period in Beijing in October 2021, where she cultivated a sense of belonging through her interactions with her fellow competitors in the dining hall every day.

While Adeagbo hasn’t confirmed her plans for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics in Italy, she feels fitter and more confident than ever after her most recent season. Just like this Winter Olympics, whether Adeagbo competes or not, she said she will continue to use her voice for change, her head held high, crown intact as “Africa’s original Sleigh Queen.”

spring 2022 |11

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

opinions

BBN: A culture of diehard fandom

By Hunter Shelton sports@kykernel.com

Sports bring out the best and the worst in people.

Oftentimes, diehard fans meet both ends of the spectrum. A sports fanatic will happily talk to you about why their team is the best for hours and hours, as emotion gushes out with each statistic being given as a reason backing up their claim.

That same fan will hurl obscenities at their television after that same team fails to win the game in crunch time hours later.

Despite not personally knowing anyone on the team, that fan knows each player’s height, weight, number and hometown by heart, all because those players wear the same jersey on the field that the fan wears on the couch.

The excitement of rooting for a team or player goes much deeper than having an interest in sports. The rush that comes with the thrill and agony of victory and defeat is both agitating and exhilarating.

There is a hint of thespianism that accompanies athletes squaring off against one another, inside a stadium, to the amusement of thousands of spectators at the venue and millions more watching at home.

Gaggles of fans cheer and jeer every play, living vicariously through the players on the field or court.

No group of fans fits this bill better than Big Blue Nation.

One would find it difficult to traverse through Lexington for more than five minutes without seeing Kentucky basketball merchandise or advertising plastered across a billboard, car or article of clothing.

Sports teams tend to engulf the identity of their surrounding area, and Kentucky basketball is just as synonymous with the Bluegrass as horses and bourbon.

Many Kentuckians are quick to dish out their latest take on what UK basketball head coach John Calipari is doing wrong, who needs more playing time and why Louisville and Tennessee don’t stand a chance this season. BBN is a loud, proud,

12 | kentucky kernel

MICHAEL CLUBB | STAFF UK fans get excited during ESPN’s SEC Nation pregame show before the UK vs. Florida football game on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.

often contentious ensemble that makes its voice heard.

Caleb Hill, a senior mechanical engineering major at the University of Kentucky and self-proclaimed lover of Kentucky athletics, is one of hundreds of thousands of members of Big Blue Nation.

Born in Lexington, Hill’s roots as a UK fan stem from his family, a common theme amongst fans around the world.

“I just grew up watching the games, going to Kentucky football games and it just kind of evolved from me going, to me actually caring once I got old enough to kind of know what was happening,” Hill said.

The atmosphere of a large-scale sporting event is unique. Fans are provided with the opportunity to immerse themselves in

an experience, escaping from real-world troubles for an hour or two. It’s accepted and expected to roar, boo and nearly anything in between.

“It's a community that all cheers for one team, and then you can get behind the players and support them,” Hill said. “It's just fun to have the Big Blue Nation and everybody that cheers for them. Good to be a part of that.”

Hill, like many, often catches himself animated and engrossed in Kentucky’s games.

“It depends on the game, but if I'm not there I usually start standing. If it's a big game, I won't sit down, I’ll just stand in my room. Sometimes I pace, especially towards the end of games,” he said.

Win or lose, the feelings that come pouring out the players are often mirrored by their biggest of fans. Whether those sentiments are filled with warmth or disdain, they all stem from a place of passion and love.

While it seems much less stressful to be a fan of the winningest program in college hoops, that wouldn’t stop Hill from going to extreme lengths to ensure his Wildcats reign supreme once again come the end of March Madness.

When asked what he would do for a UK championship this season, Hill mulled it over: “I don't think I'd lose any major limbs … but maybe like a pinky toe, or my ring finger, something like that,” he said.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

sports

No. 5 Kentucky looks to continue impressive win stretch against Florida

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

No. 5 Kentucky looks to continue to keep its impressive winning stretch alive against another potential NCAA Tournament team in the Florida Gators.

Since losing to then No. 21 LSU 65-60 on Jan. 4, Kentucky has gone on to win 10 of its last 11 games, quickly emerging as a potential National Championship contender.

While the Wildcats knocked off Alabama 66-55 in one of their biggest remaining tests of the season on Feb. 5, the team won’t be able take its foot off the gas if it hopes to maintain its reputation as a part of the upper echelon of college basketball this season.

While another home SEC game against an unranked opponent, the Cats’ upcoming game against Florida will be a pivotal opportunity for Kentucky to prove that it belongs with the big dogs.

UF, despite its 15-8 record, is no stranger to facing ranked opponents, as the Gators even found themselves inside the top-25 early in the season.

Florida boasts victories over the likes of then No. 20 Florida State, current No. 16 Ohio State and Oklahoma State.

On the other side of that coin, the Gators have also suffered losses to the likes of Texas Southern, Maryland and Ole Miss.

While Kentucky is ranked in the top five, Florida has proven in the past that it has what it takes to beat good basketball teams,

MICHAEL CLUBB | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiebwe gestures to the crowd during the UK vs. Central Michigan mens basketball game on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

and it will not hesitate to strike at a Wildcat team that could get caught looking ahead to next week’s matchup against No. 19 Tennessee in Knoxville.

The Gators currently check in at No. 49 in KENPOM with an adjusted efficiency margin of plus-14.23. Unlike Alabama before them, UF is consistent in offensive and defensive efficiency, checking in around the mid-fifties in both metrics.

On the other hand, Kentucky is currently No. 2 in KENPOM with an adjusted efficiency margin of plus-28.56, second to only AP No. 2 Gonzaga. The Cats are

also fourth in the country in offensive efficiency and 13th in defensive efficiency.

Matching up each team’s season leaders, Oscar Tshiebwe leads Kentucky in points and rebounds. Tshiebwe is currently averaging 15.9 points per game and 15.1 rebounds per game, while UF’s Tyree Appleby averages 10.8 points per game, and Anthony Duruji averages 4.3 rebounds per game.

Overall, the Cats average 10 points more per game than Florida, with 81.4, and seven more rebounds per game with 41.2.

One thing Florida does have

in its favor is that, despite the lower defensive efficiency, it has allowed fewer points per game than Kentucky, averaging just 64 points allowed per game.

Both teams, barring an upset loss earlier in the week, will enter Saturday’s game with a win streak of at least four, with Florida having knocked off Oklahoma State, Missouri and Ole Miss to head into the week, and being favored against a 6-17 Georgia squad on Wednesday.

For Kentucky’s part, since falling short on the road against No. 1 Auburn, the Cats beat Mississippi State, then No. 5 Kansas

in Allen Fieldhouse, Vanderbilt, Alabama in Tuscaloosa and earned a gritty road win over South Carolina.

The biggest factor Kentucky will have to consider entering the matchup against UF is the necessity of the win for each team.

While the Cats are looking to bolster an already strong résumé and prove they belong in the championship conversation, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi currently projects the Gators as the last team into the field of 68 teams for the NCAA Tournament.

Florida’s back is to the ropes entering Saturday’s clash, and the Gators know a bad loss could be all it takes to put them on the outside looking in. UF will be hungry to steal one in Lexington, desperate to put themselves in a more comfortable position as March draws near.

Kentucky has every piece necessary to secure a strong win over a possible NCAA Tournament bubble team, proving to the college basketball world that it deserves to be a title contender, but if it makes the mistake of not bringing its best game or overlooking its opponent on Saturday, Florida is ripe with upset potential.

While not as big of a test as traveling to Tuscaloosa, the Gators will be critical in gauging this Kentucky’s team mentality as the tournament season draws near.

No. 5 Kentucky takes on Florida this Saturday, Feb. 12, inside Rupp Arena. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 4 p.m. E.S.T. and will air on ESPN.

fall 2021 | 13

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

sports

Across the (By)Line: Florida Gators Richardson: I think Tshiebwe and Castleton is going to be the heavyweight matchup of the night for sure. Other than that, I think if Florida can find that rhythm from downtown I think that that's going to be the other key, because Florida has a pick and pop offense which works pretty well, it's pretty simple, it's pretty basic, but they always get the open look from three. The thing is, there’s just not exactly a sharpshooter for Florida.

By Hunter Shelton sports@kykernel.com

The “Across the (By)Line” series will give Kentucky basketball fans an in-depth look at their opponent for this week — from the mind of the opposing school’s sports editor.

This week: Jesse Richardson, The Alligator, The University of Florida.

What do you make of Florida’s season thus far?

Richardson: So imagine the craziest roller coaster that you've ever been on, and times that by 10. At the start of the season, I feel like the Florida fan base was kind of on top of the world.

Tyree Appleby hit a buzzer-beater against Ohio State, and then they beat Florida State, who was at the time ranked, by about 13 points. I feel like after that, there was a lot of hope for the season. But after that, everything just kind of went on a downward spiral. A loss to Oklahoma kind of triggered the unforeseen 16-point upset from the winless Texas Southern … that was just embarrassing. I feel like that first stretch of games has really been a pretty solid summary for what the season has been so far.

How important is star big man Colin Castleton down low for UF on Saturday?

Richardson:

Castleton

14 | kentucky kernel

is

Does Florida need to play a perfect game on Saturday to defeat the Wildcats? What is your score prediction?

MICHAEL CLUBB I STAFF Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiebwe, left, drives the ball to the basket during the UK vs. Auburn mens basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Alabama.

going to be an interesting story.

His first game back was on Saturday (Feb. 5) versus Ole Miss; he had some kind of undisclosed left shoulder injury, we were never really told exactly what it was. But he came back and he did pretty well, he scored a teamhigh 17 points and then got three blocks. For his first game back from some kind of left shoulder injury, he didn't really play like it, he played like his old self. He was chattering from the sideline and on the floor, and I think that that's going to be a huge part of this weekend, because I mean

even though they were able to get a couple wins without him, I feel like that this offense really plays around him and they really need that presence down low as well.

Where is one area that you see Florida being able to outperform Kentucky?

Richardson: Here’s the thing; Kentucky is very good, I will gladly admit that. They are much better than Florida in a lot of categories. 3-point [shooting], rebounds, offensive rebounds, et cetera. So, the matchup I'm really

going to look at is honestly Castleton’s matchup with Tshiebwe.

The matchup is probably going to make or break this game. I think that’s what made the game versus Ole miss, was having castleton down low, being able to get those boards. Tshiebwe is a rebound machine, from what I've seen. So, I think if Castleton can shut down Tshiebwe, I think it's going to come down to a shootout.

Is Castleton versus Tshiebwe the most intriguing matchup of the game to you?

Richardson: I don't think they're going to have to play a perfect game, I just think that they'll just have to contain Kentucky’s offense. Florida can win a slugfest, I don’t think they can win a shootout. If it comes down to a shootout, then Kentucky is definitely going to win this game. If I were Mike White [UF head coach], I would try and run the offense through Castleton.

If Tshiebwe shuts it down, then obviously you gotta make that adjustment and trust your shooters. If Castleton can penetrate that frontcourt, then it could go to Florida’s favor, but I think that on Saturday it probably will be a slugfest. I think that Kentucky will probably win this game; I think it'll probably be by at least nine or 12 points. I’ll go 67-58 to the Wildcats.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

sports

No. 20 Kentucky softball kicks off 2022 season in tournament

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

No. 20 Kentucky softball is set to kick-off its 2022 season on Thursday, Feb. 10, in the Northern Lights Southern Lights Tournament in Leesburg, Florida.

The Wildcats first square off with Wisconsin on Thursday before playing two games apiece on Friday and Saturday against Michigan State, Liberty, Iowa and No. 13 Virginia Tech.

“We are so excited to get going,” Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson said on Tuesday. “We’re playing a ton of Big 10 teams, and the teams that aren’t in the Big 10 were all in the postseason last year. It’s going to be an awesome weekend to really show where we’re at and show what kind of team we have.”

After wrapping up the Northern Lights Southern Lights Tournament, the road stint continues for Kentucky the following Friday, in the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Arizona.

In Tucson, Kentucky will face the likes of UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount and Arizona.

Following the Invitational, Kentucky has one more road tournament in the FAU Strikeout Cancer Classic, starting on Feb. 24, featuring Jaksonville, Michigan State, FAU, Long Island and Columbia, before returning to Kentucky for its home opener.

MICHAEL CLUBB | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats junior Kayla Kowalik runs for her home run during the UK vs. University of Georgia softball game on Monday, April 12, 2021, at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.

“When you’re on a road trip, you’re on the bus, you’re on a plane, and you’re leaving the airport at six in the morning which means you’ve got to be up by three,” Lawson said. “When you’re together that much, it is ei-

ther going to really bring a team together or it’s going to make them fall apart, and fortunately I have good personalities on my team that understand that value and respect each other.”

Finally returning to Lexington

on March 3, inside John Cropp Stadium, Kentucky hosts the John Cropp Classic, first dueling Michigan before subsequently taking on Drake, Kent State and Michigan again over the next two days.

In their fifth and final tourna-

ment of the year, Kentucky hosts the Bluegrass Classic on March 11-13 which will feature Buffalo, Central Michigan and Valparaiso.

The Cats’ first non-tournament See SOFTBALL on page 17

fall 2021 | 15

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

sports

Calipari and Barnhart testify before Kentucky General Assembly, support NIL bill

By Hunter Shelton sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart and mens basketball head coach John Calipari testified in favor of name, image and likeness (NIL) legislation for student athletes in Kentucky on Wednesday.

According to the Kentucky General Assembly’s website, Senate Bill 6, which passed out of the Senate Education Committee unanimously 10-0, was introduced to: • Provide protections for student athletes seeking compensation through NIL agreements or seeking an athlete agent • Establish prohibitions, conditions, and limitations on athletes earning compensation through NIL agreements • Prohibit NIL compensation as an inducement • Prohibit institutions, associations, or affiliated organizations from providing compensation for NIL of a student athlete and other similar activities “I want to lend my support for a state law that codifies and allows opportunities for student athletics,” Barnhart said.

Following an executive order signed by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in June 2021, colleges in the state

16 | kentucky kernel

are required to allow their student-athletes to make money while still in school.

Since the order was passed, 800 NIL transactions have been made by 250 UK athletes, according to Barnhart.

“That would clearly indicate that not every student-athlete has a desire to be in that space, but those that want to be in that space, it’s really important that we protect them in that space,” he said.

With the lack of understanding that accompanies NIL, Barnhart mentioned the importance of treading lightly.

“Something that's really important to understand is the intention of everyone who's involved,” he said.

“Some people do it for competitive equity for other institutions. Some people do it for the welfare and the ability of student athletes to exist in the space. Some do it for their own personal financial gain at the expense of the student athletes. Some of them want to leverage relationships for future gain, whether that might be something to agent representation and those kinds of things.”

Barnhart noted that the bill would protect both the athletes and the universities, as they traverse through the ever-changing landscape of NIL. “We’re seven months

MICHAEL CLUBB | STAFF UK mens basketball head coach John Calipari testifies in front of the Senate Education Committee in favor of Senate Bill 6 on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, at Kentucky State Capitol Annex Building in Frankfort, Kentucky.

into [NIL] and we know so little about it,” he said. “We know a lot about it on one hand, and we don’t know where it goes from here. I think this bill gives flexibility to grow in that space.”

Calipari echoed Barnhart’s sentiments, citing the importance of balancing opportunities for the players and schools.

“I’m confident with your interest, as well as mine, we will share in creating the best opportunities for players, while at the

same time allowing mens basketball at UK to remain the gold standard,” he said.

That “gold standard” has drawn the attention of potential suitors for NIL deals, prompting Calipari to become invested in newfound territory surrounding his team.

“My focus is my 12 [players], and this affects my 12. I just want to make sure that my voice is heard because I'm in the middle of this,” he said. “I’ve done this a long time and my per-

spective would be one that may be able to help somebody if they're not sure.”

While Calipari’s priority lies in Lexington, he stressed the gravity of all of the universities in the Commonwealth taking part.

“It’s up to the universities to do their part, and I think every one of them are going to step up and do what’s right for these kids, and that’s what we should all be about,” he said.

Barnhart and Calipari emphasized their commit-

ment to putting student-athletes first, regardless of the contingencies that could come with the world of NIL. “I continue to believe in the transformative power of college athletics. It is essential to who we are and what we do,” Barnhart said.

“Developing student athletes toward their after-college career is at the core of what we do.”

SB6 will now move to the full Senate for a vote at a time to be determined.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

By Alec Anstine

UK womens golf records best score in team history

sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky womens golf recorded its highest score in team history, finishing second in the UCF Challenge at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.

The Wildcats finished with three players in the top four, setting multiple records across the tournament. The Cats shot 833, 31 strokes under par.

“What a tremendous week we have had.

I am just amazed and so proud of this team.

They kept their poise, stayed calm and kept their foot on the gas for the entire 54 holes,” UK head coach Golda Borst said.

“As a group, they got out of their comfort zone, and to see them shatter our previous 54-hole low score like this — it gives me chills. There is no challenge they can’t face and it’s a beautiful way to kick off the spring season.”

Jensen Castle led the way, finishing 15 shots under par, including six shots under par in the third round, matching the best score of her career. She broke the previous

record of 208 with a score of 201, overtaking Leonie Bettel’s record.

Close behind, Laney Frye finished nine strokes under par. She too found consistency in Orlando, shooting four under in round one, two under in round two and three under in the final round, finishing tied for fourth place.

Also tied for fourth was Rikke Svejgaard, who also finished at nine under.

Her weekend was highlighted by a stellar six-under second round.

“I am beyond excited for Jensen, Laney and Rikke. To have three girls in the top four is very special. They all kept pushing themselves and each other, and it shows their individual growth as players,” said Borst.

Rounding it out for the Cats was Maria Villenueva, who finished tied for 57th, shooting three shots over par.

Overall, Kentucky shot 12 under par in round one, nine under in round two and 10 under in round three, good for one the best performance in school history at 31 shots under par.

SOFTBALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

game will take place on the road against Miami Ohio on March 16 before Kentucky will play one of its most compelling series of the year, at Alabama.

The series is a personal one for Kentucky, having been knocked out of the SEC tournament and swept in the NCAA Super Regionals by the Tide last year, which ended the Cats’ season.

“There are a lot of us [on the team] who are returners, and there’s a lot of returners on [Alabama] as well,” Fifth year infielder and outfielder Lauren Johnson said. “They’re always really exciting to play. They’re a great team to play, and with them having gone to the World Series last year, it’s exciting, there’s no other feeling to describe playing teams like that.”

While the Cats are looking to continue where they left

sports

DARREN CARROLL | USGA Jensen Castle and her caddie, Tom Moylan, discuss strategy during the championship match of the U.S. Women's Amateur on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2021. Castle became the first University of Kentucky golfer to win the event.

The Cats will look to build off the strong showing in Orlando, resuming action on

off in 2021, finishing the season 43-16 before the Super Regional loss, the team has several question marks heading into the season, most notably surrounding the pitching.

Kentucky only has two seniors listed as pitchers on the current roster, one being a transfer, and their junior pitcher Miranda Stoddard will be splitting reps between the mound and third base.

Coach Lawson marked the pitching as a point of emphasis heading into the Northern Lights Southern Lights tournament.

“I like our pitchers and I think we’re very good,” Lawson said. “But our biggest question mark is our lack of experience on the mound. [Our pitching] was a little slow at the beginning [of training], because they were trying so hard to be perfect that nothing was moving and they weren’t getting batters out. In the last couple of weeks we’ve been working on getting it together and developing their ‘out’ pitch.”

While Kentucky lost some veterans on their pitching staff, one star it didn’t lose was Kentucky Sports Figure of

Feb. 28 in Hilton Head, South Carolina, for the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.

the Year nominee, senior catcher Kayla Kowalik.

Kowalik set the world of college softball on fire in 2021, with a batting average of just under .500 in 202 at-bats. She accumulated 100 hits with 12 home runs, 37 RBIs and finished with a slugging percentage of .787.

While it would be near impossible to repeat those numbers two years in a row, coach Lawson is optimistic that Kowalik will be a pivotal leader for this Kentucky team.

“I want everyone to perform like Kayla,” Lawson said.

“I think to expect somebody to bat .500 through the year with the schedule we have is unrealistic. The thing I like the most about Kayla is watching her. I like watching her at-bats, I like watching how her mind works, so my expectation for her is never that she hits .500, but that she just stays the person she is, and my hope is the other people around her will take her qualities and characteristics. She certainly leads us.”

Kentucky’s matchup against Wisconsin in the season opener is set for this Thursday, Feb. 10, and will begin at 6 p.m. E.S.T.

fall 2021 | 17

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

sports

No. 5 Kentucky trounces South Carolina 86-76 in Columbia

By Hunter Shelton sports@kykernel.com

No. 5 Kentucky extended its winning streak to five games on Tuesday, defeating South Carolina 86-76 in Columbia.

The victory brings UK’s record to 20-4 (9-2 SEC) while dropping the Gamecocks to 1310 (4-7 SEC) on the year.

Six Wildcats would reach double-figures inside Colonial Life Arena, led by 18 points from Player of the Year candidate Oscar Tshiebwe.

Tshiebwe still maintains his average of over 15 points and 15 rebounds per game. His secret to pulling away from the Gamecocks in the second half was simple, just keep running.

“If you’re not running, then you can’t stop me,” Tshiebwe said after the win. “In the second half, I did a lot of running, and that’s what made the game a little bit easy.”

Tshiebwe’s efficiency led the Wildcats on Tuesday, as he made nine of 12 attempts to go along with 14 rebounds. He would dominate the Gamecocks in the second half, collecting a dozen points and boards in 19 minutes played.

On the other end of the spectrum, point guard Sahvir Wheeler would once again fail to record a made field goal, the third consecutive game that the Georgia transfer struggled shooting the ball.

Despite the lack of shot making, Wheeler would dish out 11

18 | kentucky kernel

assists, just four less than Arkansas’ total as a team. It was a topsy-turvy night for Wheeler, as he would also pick up three fouls and five turnovers to go along with his high assist total.

UK head coach John Calipari can live with Wheeler’s miniscule point totals if he continues to pass the rock like he did in Columbia.

“There was a stretch that Sahvir did not play well,” Calipari said. “I put him back in and guess what, he goes assist, assist, free throw, all of a sudden it changes the game.”

Kentucky forward Jacob Toppin led the Cats at halftime with 10 points, but would exit the game toward the end of the half after suffering an ankle injury and would not return. Calipari did not provide any update on Toppin’s status.

While the Cats never trailed in the final 38 minutes of the game, some of the statistics in the final box score would suggest otherwise.

The Gamecocks would edge out the rebound battle, winning 41-40. Where SC made a living on Tuesday was the offensive glass.

Over half of South Carolina’s rebounds came from the offensive side, as it demolished the Cats 22-8 in second-chance boards.

Keyshawn Bryant led the Gamecocks in rebounds with 14, while also pouring in a team-high 18 points.

Kentucky would also falter in

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats forward Jacob Toppin, left, celebrates on the bench during the UK vs. Vanderbilt basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

the turnover department, recording 16 of its own to SC’s 11.

“At halftime, we walk in, we have 11 offensive rebounds, and we have 10 turnovers,” Calipari said. “That’s 23 points, we can’t win games doing that.”

While the game felt tough and rugged, even finding itself tied at 43 in the second half, the Wildcats would pull away late thanks to lights-out shooting.

The second 20 minutes saw UK shoot 62.1% from the floor, connecting on 18 of 29 shots.

Keion Brooks Jr. made all four of his second half attempts

to help the junior finish with 15 points.

Calipari applauded Brooks’ play as of late, admiring his decision to even return to Kentucky for a third season in the first place.

“The decision he made to come back is a man’s decision,” he said. “How he’s playing right now, that’s what he should be.”

While better late than never, Brooks is blossoming into the player that many suspected he would be for Kentucky a year ago. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native is now a vital role in the

success of Kentucky’s offense.

The team will look to continue its hot streak on Saturday, returning home to Rupp Arena to welcome the streaky Florida Gators.

With Selection Sunday inching closer, Calipari is seeing his team’s hard work come to fruition.

“It’s going in the blink of an eye,” Calipari said about the season. “We got to enjoy this. We got to know that this is what we are ...

Kentucky basketball.”

The Wildcats and Gators are set to tip-off on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 4 p.m. E.S.T.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

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corded before?’ I said no, and then he was like, ‘You're gonna.’”

And he did. Grantt shadowed Ekaman at his studio to learn about mixing and recording music, and after COVID shut that down, he worked until he could afford his own recording equipment. He put out upwards of 30 songs on SoundCloud from his LEX apartment’s walk-in-closet, but he eventually realized he wanted to focus on concepts, not singles, and see if he could create a fluid album.

That album — “Disoriented Wonderland” — came out last summer and is intended to sound like the feeling of being lost in one’s head. Last week, on the eve of his birthday, Grantt performed part of it with a live audience for the first time.

“There's a huge difference between seeing numbers on your screen next to your name, and then seeing people you don't know come from the back

of the room to come up to you and start vibing with your music,” Grantt said. “There's no drug that could get me higher than that.”

Grantt said he’s already ready for his second, third and 50th performances. He’s got several months’ worth of unreleased music prepped and continues to write verses daily. He’s also getting better at “painting emotion” with his music, he said. But he doesn’t want to get caught up in attention or feedback, positive or negative. His goal isn’t to appeal to the masses, but rather to make art for the 50 or 50,000 people that happen to relate to him.

“I don't like to think about the future,” Grantt said. “You think about like, ‘Oh it'd be great to be a famous rapper or something.’

Sure, but I can almost guarantee you on the way to that point is probably just as fun, if not more fun, than that point itself. So, I don't really want to get lost in where I could go. I'd rather just get lost in where I'm at.” fall 2021 | 19