Random notes: What if Tim Couch’s NFL career had started with Andy Reid?

Random notes:

▪ This year’s Super Bowl is the Andy Reid Bowl. Reid coached the Philadelphia Eagles for 14 years before becoming the Chiefs coach in 2013.

Back in 1999, as the Eagles’ new coach with the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, Reid visited UK to check out a young quarterback named Tim Couch. I remember vividly Hal Mumme and his staff raving about how much they enjoyed Reid’s visit. Alas, the Cleveland Browns made Couch the No. 1 overall selection. The Eagles drafted Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb.

If Couch had wound up with Reid instead of the expansion Browns, his NFL career might have been much different. Check that. It would have been much different.

▪ Blame the officials all you want, but the Bengals twice failed to score on fourth-quarter possessions with last Sunday’s AFC title game tied 20-20. Kansas City eventually won 23-20.

▪ Injuries on Cincinnati’s offensive line caught up with the Bengals. Zac Taylor’s makeshift line couldn’t block Kansas City defensive lineman Chris Jones.

▪ Longtime college basketball analyst Billy Packer passed away last week at the age of 82. Packer was as opinionated off the air as he was on the air. I remember talking to him at Rupp Arena where he had come to watch a Tubby Smith team practice before a Kentucky-Louisville game. When I explained the premise of the story I was working on, Packer quickly informed me my premise couldn’t be more wrong. That was Billy Packer.

▪ Just as Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe swept the various national player of the year awards last season, Purdue’s Zach Edey could do the same this season. The 7-foot-4 junior center from Toronto is averaging 22.1 points and 13.0 rebounds a game for the No. 1-ranked Boilermakers.

Edey scored 38 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Purdue’s 77-61 win over Michigan State on Sunday. At 21-1, Purdue plays host to Penn State at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on the Big Ten Network.

▪ Tshiebwe is one of 20 players listed on this year’s Wooden Award “watch list” for the best player in college basketball. Alabama freshman Brandon Miller is the only other SEC player among the finalists.

▪ After Monday night’s games, Tennessee had moved into the No. 1 spot of Ken Pomeroy’s advanced analytics rankings. According to kenpom’s adjusted defensive efficiency rankings, the Vols are the nation’s best defensive team, allowing 84.2 points per 100 possessions. At second-best, Rutgers is allowing 87.8 points per 100 possessions.

▪ The New England Patriots have signed former UK star Lynn Bowden to a “future contract.” Bowden spent the 2022 season on the Patriots’ practice squad after spending the 2021 campaign on injured reserve with the Miami Dolphins before being released and signed by the Pats on Sept. 1.

▪ The Cincinnati Reds’ 2023 telecasts could be up in the air with Bloomberg reporting that Diamond Sports Group is headed toward bankruptcy. Diamond Sports Group owns Bally Sports Ohio, which telecasts Reds’ games. Cincinnati pitchers and catchers are to report for spring training on Feb. 15. The season opener is March 30.

▪ There is no escaping Bob Baffert. Never mind that horse racing’s most famous trainer is banned from this year’s Kentucky Derby, Baffert swept both Derby preps last weekend. The impressive Arabian Knight won the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday before Havnameltdown won the San Vicente at Santa Anita on Sunday.

▪ The Tennis Recruiting Network has ranked the Kentucky 2023 men’s freshman class No. 3 in the nation. Matt Rankin of Scotland, Jack Loutit of New Zealand and Eli Stephenson from St. Xavier High School in Louisville comprise the class. Last year’s NCAA Tournament runners-up are off to a 6-0 start this season heading into a national championship rematch with No. 1 Virginia on Friday.

▪ On a recent GM Shuffle podcast, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi relayed a story about his days as an “NFL Insider” for CBS Sports. Lombardi was talking about who might fill the general manager openings in the league when Jim Nantz put his hand on Lombardi’s arm and offered some advice.

“I know you’re interested in all that and I understand why it’s important to you,” Nantz told Lombardi, “But the little old lady in Des Moines wants to know three things, who the coach is, who the quarterback is and can her team win.”

It’s welcome to the NCAA Tournament bubble for this Kentucky basketball team

Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s loss to Kansas in SEC/Big 12 Challenge

Why transfers Marques Cox, Tanner Bowles know they can’t fix Kentucky offensive line alone

Will Devin Leary and Marques Cox be 100 percent for Kentucky football spring practice?