Bowl scouts paying attention to Cats already
October 29th, 2009 | 
Author: By LARRY VAUGHT
Considering Kentucky was playing Louisiana-Monroe, it was a little surprising to see a scout from the Capital One Bowl at the game.
However, Lex Veech, a Kentucky native, says the bowl — which has the first pick of any Southeastern Conference team after the BCS choices — likes to stay informed on every team and had a scout at every SEC game last week.
“If Kentucky runs the table, they would be a contender, so we want to see what Kentucky is doing and we always build relationships. Whether it is this year, next year or five years down the road, the Capital One Bowl is here for the long run and we build relationships,” he said.
“Kentucky travels well. We would love to have Kentucky there one day.”
So bowl officials do pay attention to how fans travel?
“Heavens yes. When it gets down to the end of the year, travel is most important. SEC teams travel well. Some travel better than others, but with Kentucky’s participation in the Music City Bowl and Liberty Bowl, they travel well and folks notice. The bowl community knows how Kentucky fans travel and anyone who won’t admit that is not telling you the truth,” Veech said.
He also says bowl officials are paying more attention to the Kentucky program and that the Cats are considered a “rising team” among bowl officials.
“They have made tremendous strides in recent years and coach Brooks has done a heck of a job up here. It is a team of notice not just by us, but by everyone,” he said.
He also told me a couple of things I didn’t know. His group has over 1,000 members — all volunteers.
“We have to go to scout school before we are eligible to go scout a game, but any member can scout. We do that on our own accord and you pay your own way. The bowl doesn’t pay. It is a volunteer organization and a labor of love for all of us,” he said.
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Chick-fil-A Bowl representative Mark Zimmerman will visit Commonwealth Stadium Saturday to scout the Mississippi State-Kentucky game. The two teams are being scouted as potential representatives in the 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31.
He will be on the WLAP (630 AM) pregame show with Dick Gabriel, Leland Conway and myself between 4:30 and 5 p.m.
Posted in UK Football
Tomorrow’s game is huge if Ky is going to a bowl bigger than Music City and Liberty. Don’t win tomorrow and I see a repeat of last year’s record. I don’t see Ky beating either Ga or Tn with the current offense.
But if they can win and get to 6-3, who knows what might happen with the pressure off. The good news is that Georgia’s defense does give up a lot of points and the Tennessee offense is not consistently good. But you are right, Barry. If they don’t beat State, 6-6 would look the best they could possibly do
This will be a HUGE game for both teams. I believe the Cats will win by 7 or better. An Atlanta bowl game would be a great gift for the family. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. GO BLUE OR GO HOME