Kentucky back at No. 1 in coaches' poll
MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Kentucky returns to the top spot of the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, which was updated Monday, in unanimous fashion.
The Wildcats (19-1) were No. 1 for two weeks earlier this season but a 1-point a loss to Indiana dropped them out of the top spot in favor of Syracuse. However, the Orange had their run as No. 1 end after six weeks because of a loss to Notre Dame.
Last week, Syracuse was the unanimous choice for No. 1 and Kentucky was the near unanimous pick at No. 2. This week, the Wildcats pulled in all 31 first-place votes. Syracuse slips to fourth in the rankings.
With 11 ranked teams losing -- including Syracuse and Baylor falling from the ranks of the unbeaten -- the only team in the Top 25 that retains its same position as last week is No. 8 North Carolina.
Missouri (18-1) jumps to No. 2 from fifth after being one of two teams to beat Baylor last week. Ohio State (17-3) is up three spots to third ahead of Syracuse (20-1). Kansas (16-3), the other winner over Baylor, is fifth.
Duke (16-3) drops from fourth to sixth with Baylor (17-2) seventh and North Carolina (16-3) eighth. Murray State (20-0), the lone unbeaten, comes in at No. 9 while Georgetown (16-3) is 10th.
Michigan State (16-4) is 11th this week ahead of, in order, San Diego State (17-2), Florida (15-4), Creighton (18-2) and Nevada-Las Vegas (18-3).
Mississippi State (16-4) is down one place to 16th while Indiana (16-4) is No. 17. Marquette (16-4) is 18th, with Connecticut (14-5) down eight places to 19th and St. Mary's (Calif.) (19-2) 20th.
Virginia (15-3) goes from 17th to 21st, with Michigan (15-5) at 22nd and Harvard up one place to 23rd. Kansas State (14-4) re-enters the poll at 24th and Louisville (15-5) and Wisconsin (16-5) tied for 25th.
Kelly says thanks, but no thanks to Bucs
TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Oregon football Coach Chip Kelly said Monday he has decided not to pursue the head coaching job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kelly confirmed he had met with the NFL club's management but decided to stay in the college coaching ranks.
"I am flattered by the interest of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' organization. I enjoyed meeting with the [owner Malcolm] Glazer family and General Manager Mark Dominik, but after numerous discussions, I concluded that I have some unfinished business to complete at the University of Oregon," Kelly said in a release posted on the school's Web site.
Kelly has produced a 34-6 record with the Ducks, including a win in this year's Rose Bowl.
Oregon Athletic Director Rob Mullens said the success of the Ducks' football program makes it "no surprise the NFL is interested in our personnel."
Tampa Bay has been in need of a coach since Raheem Morris was fired after the Bucs went 4-12.
Patrick skipping Indy 500
CONCORD, N.C., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Race driver Danica Patrick said Monday she won't compete in this year's Indianapolis 500, opting for a Sprint Cup Series race in North Carolina instead.
"It was just something that didn't quite work out on the business side of things," she said.
It will be the first time in eight years Patrick has missed the Indy 500. She has six Top-10 finishes in the past seven years, with a third-place finish in 2009 her best effort.
The Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 -- NASCAR's longest race of the season -- are both to be run May 27.
Patrick said she may return to the Brickyard some day.
"I hope to do it [Indy 500] in the future," she told reporters. "At this point, after a lot of conversations, it's just going to be the Coke 600. I think it's going to be a big challenge, but I'm looking forward to it."
Posada, Yanks to make retirement official
NEW YORK, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Catcher Jorge Posada will make his retirement official at a news conference Tuesday in New York, the Yankees said.
Posada, 40, played 17 years in the major leagues, all with New York, helping the Yankees win the World Series in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. A career .273 hitter with 275 homers and 1,065 RBI, Posada hit just .235 with 14 homers and 44 RBI last season when he was used as a designated hitter.
Posada earned all-star status five times during his career. Only Hall of Famers Bill Dickey (1,708) and Yogi Berra (1,695) have caught more games for the Yankees than Posada's 1,574.
Word of Posada's impending retirement got out early this month when it was learned he had told his teammates of his intentions after the Yankees showed little interest in re-signing him.
