Assistant cruise director Song Eunmee bundle of energy trying to help guests feel like they are in “heaven” onboard Princess

Eunmee Song

By LARRY VAUGHT

As much fun as I’ve always had on a cruise, my enjoyment level doesn’t get close to how much Crown Princess assistant cruise director Son Eunmee of South Korea likes what she does.

“I am always happy and I really like this job. It’s a really, really good job and I have fun doing it,” said Eunmee when she took a rare break during our recent 11-day cruise in the Caribbean.

She was seemingly everywhere doing a little bit of everything from instructing line dancing to getting contestant to audition for the “The Voice” to just greeting you going into a show.  Read more... (972 words, 2 images, estimated 3:53 mins reading time)

Gunnar Hoak’s “main goal” is to graduate

Gunnar Hoak

By LARRY VAUGHT

He’s played sparingly during his time at Kentucky and has not had many chances to showcase his talent in front of Kentucky fans.

Friday night redshirt sophomore quarterback Gunnar Hoak completed 14 of 15 passes for 174 yards and two scores for the Blue team and went 9-for-15 for 88 yards with the White team in UK’s Blue-White Game.

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops praised Hoak, who backed up Terry Wilson last year, often during spring practice.  Read more... (320 words, 1 image, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)

Offense puts up big numbers but Mark Stoops not overly happy with Blue-White results

Mark Stoops (Vicky Graff Photo)

By LARRY VAUGHT

Kentucky got an 87-yard touchdown run from Kavosiey Smoke and 42-yard scoring catch by Lynn Bowden, quarterbacks Terry Wilson and Gunnar Hoak were both sharp and accurate, and running back A.J. Rose had a 42-yard run and three touchdowns.

But Kentucky coach Mark Stoops was not overly happy about the overall results from Friday’s Blue-White Game.

“Obviously good for one side (offense) of the ball,” said Stoops. “I don’t know what I put myself through. In the spring, you get a little bit thin. You’re thin in general. Your roster is low. Then when you split the teams up like that, you could leave one team shorthanded.  Read more... (495 words, 1 image, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)

Baalman, Humes Combine in Circle to Take Opener at No. 5 LSU

BATON ROUGE, La. – The No. 23 Kentucky softball team captured its first top-10 win of the season on Friday night in a 3-2 win at No. 5 LSU. The Kentucky pitching staff of Grace Baalman and Autumn Humes combined to quiet one of the best offenses in the country, limiting the Tigers to just four hits in the game.

Baalman got the win in the circle as she ups her season record to 6-8. Tigers’ starting pitcher Maribeth Gorsuch suffered her first loss of the season, as she fell to 10-1.  Read more... (395 words, estimated 1:35 mins reading time)

Tyler Herro declaring for 2019 NBA Draft; Eligible to Return to UK

Tyler Herro (Jeff Houchin Photo)

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky men’s basketball freshman guard Tyler Herro announced Friday that he plans to submit his name for the 2019 NBA Draft and hire an agent. Under new NCAA rules, Herro can sign with an NCAA-certified agent, receive feedback and still return to school.

Herro will have until May 29 (10 days after the NBA Draft Combine) to make a final decision as to whether he wishes to remain in the draft or return to Kentucky.  Read more... (1159 words, 1 image, estimated 4:38 mins reading time)

Recruiting writer explains why players “love and respect” John Calipari

Tyrese Maxey with UK coach John Calipari

By LARRY VAUGHT

Rivals.com recruiting writer Krysten Peek talks to the top high school players nationally every year. She says there is always one common them any time she talks to a top recruit or his parents about Kentucky.

“It’s coach Cal and what he gets done for players and the team, the whole university,” Peek said. “He is a legend for sure and now you see it even more with that lifetime contract. He’s a player’s coach and kids like that.”  Read more... (179 words, 1 image, estimated 43 secs reading time)

Kash Daniel appreciates how Mark Stoops lets players “be who we are” on the field

Kash Daniel. (Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics)

By LARRY VAUGHT

Don’t expect Kentucky linebacker Kash Daniel to have anything bad to say about coach Mark Stoops.

He appreciates the way Stoops lets him and others “be who we are” on the football field without harnessing their personalities too much.

“He has been a player’s coach and a dream to play for,” Daniel said. “He will always have your back and let you be you are. You have got to know when to play and when to be serious.  Read more... (252 words, 1 image, estimated 1:00 mins reading time)

Great food, great entertainment, great scenery make cruising a lot of fun

By LARRY VAUGHT

Again it’s almost impossible to explain why spending time on a Princess Cruise is fun, educational and refreshing all at the same time.

We are a little over halfway through our 11-night Caribbean cruise aboard Crown Princess and I could not be happier.

I have had fresh shrimp every day — and a lot of it. I had a lobster cake for the first time and fish stew that had clams, scallops, grouper and, of course, shrimp. I had a 16-ounce New York strip steak that almost melted in my mouth. Then there was the Mongolian dish that was cooked to my specifications that had spices I loved.  Read more... (759 words, 2 images, estimated 3:02 mins reading time)

Father believes God still has “work to do” in Zion Harmon’s life at Marshall County

Zion Harmon, right, with UK signee Tyrese Maxey at Marshall County in December. (Larry Vaught/Verizon Photo)

By LARRY VAUGHT

The season didn’t go the way that Zion Harmon had planned when he transferred from Adair County to Marshall County for his sophomore season.

He had helped Bowling Green win the 2017 state title as an eighth-grader and then led the state in scoring after transferring to Adair for one season. His father, Mike, said he wanted to challenge his son, one of the nation’s top players in the 2021 recruiting class nationally, in different ways — academically, culturally and socially. Yet most thought Zion Harmon moved to Marshall County only for athletics even though the point guard had many options to transfer to schools with more talent.  Read more... (504 words, 1 image, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)

Life-long UK fan Rachel Waters has enjoyed time in Europe, China but would love work opportunity to return to U.S. to work

Rachel Waters, a die-hard UK basketball fan, gave up a chance to play volleyball at UK before eventually playing professionally in Europe. She now works in China.

By LARRY VAUGHT

She once had a chance to attend the University of Kentucky and play volleyball but Rachel Waters admits she was a “stubborn teenager” who wouldn’t accept anything less than a full athletic scholarship, so even though she grew up a UK fan she ended up going to Coker University in South Carolina where she played volleyball.  Read more... (1340 words, 3 images, estimated 5:22 mins reading time)