Oh how the dog days of summer have taken hold.

While Major League Baseball takes hold of the American sports scene and most get ready to head to the lake for Fourth of July festivities, let’s take a look at what has become of the Summer of 2009.

Party Points

•Oklahoma senior J.T. Wise won the 2009 Johnny Bench Award. Given to the nation’s top collegiate catcher, the award is named after the Hall of Fame catcher and native Oklahoman. Wise is the first Sooner to collect the award, and the second catcher in the history of the Big 12 Conference (Kelly Shoppach, Baylor, 2001). Wise, selected in the MLB draft in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, led the Sooners in 2009 with a .359 batting average, 17 home runs and a .665 slugging percentage and was tied for a team lead with 62 RBIs.

• Oklahoma freshman Will Claye won the triple jump title at the U.S. Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. After claiming the U.S. Junior National record holder in the event, Claye earned an additional pot on the U.S. Junior National Team for the Pan American Championships after finishing second in the long jump. He won the triple jump by over five feet with a 56-3.00 (17.14) on his third attempt.

Party Fouls

Tuesday night rumors swirled in Oklahoma City about Xavier Henry, the nation’s No. 8 ranked basketball player according to Rivals.com. After committing to Kansas after an already interesting and long, drawn-out recruiting process, it was reported that Henry was having second thoughts.

This came after his father, Carl, was interviewed on a Kansas City radio station.

“If it wasn’t for his momma saying that ‘I would not go to Kentucky,’ Xavier would have been at Kentucky,” Carl Henry said on radio station 610 AM in Kansas City. “So Xavier says, ‘I’m going to go to Kansas,’ even though what he wanted to do is go to Kentucky to play under Coach Cal. That’s what he wanted to do. I expressed this to [Kansas] coach [Bill] Self.”

Xavier Henry and brother C.J. both announced in April they would both be attending Kansas.

Then came an Xavier Henry text Tuesday night stating he had decided to stay with Kentucky.

“I don’t have a problem with the rethinking of schools,” Henry said.

Henry made it clear he has a great relationship with new Kentucky head man John Calipari, whom C.J. previously played under as a walk-on at Memphis last season. Then there is the obvious tie between him and former Bishop McGuiness standout Daniel Orton, who is attending Kentucky.

Final Thoughts

My problem with this scenario is that Henry will be staying in Oklahoma City to work out.

Having not played college athletics, but knowing a few who have, I would say working out with your teammates during the summer is key to building relationships.

It is during these times when he can mold and tone with a team that will already be a preseason favorite and most peoples’ preseason No. 1-ranked team. With him or without him, Kansas is going to be good.

Really good.

Eddie Radosevich/The Daily