Billy G is committing Kentucky to hysteria

Scott Stricklin is the basketball contact at Kentucky.

Which means he is contacted often.

Patrick Patterson, shooting over Kansas State recruit Michael Beasley, will be a Kentucky Wildcat. (Getty Images)

Local reporters call. National reporters e-mail. He's a pseudo traffic director for one of the country's most-followed programs, and that requires Stricklin to forever gauge the pulse of the famously rabid fan base, to always know what they are thinking, what they're saying, what they're posting about on any given day.

For that, he has a friend.

He spoke with him just last week.

"I talked to the guy, and he described the fans as giddy," Stricklin said. "He said that's the best way to describe them right now. That they're just giddy."

What have you been doing this summer?

Following the NBA Draft?

Watching Barry Bonds?

Loving Paris Hilton?

If you're focused on something other than college basketball, I understand. It's natural this time of year because there's not much going on in the sport.

Outside of Kentucky, that is.

Inside Kentucky, a lot is going on.