John Clay's Sidelines

Thought you might be interested in the results from recent poll asking for who you think is ESPN’s best college basketball analyst.

The winner: Jimmy Dykes.

The results:

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader reports on the league coaches’ reactions to the SEC firings.
• Herald-Leader columnist Mark Story writes that South Carolina coach Darrin Horn is coming home to Lexington as the visitor.
• In audio from the SEC teleconference, Billy Gillispie talks about playing South Carolina on Saturday.
• Also from the SEC teleconference, Horn talks about taking on the Wildcats.
• Seth Emerson of The State writes that South Carolina is ready to take its SEC success on the road.
• James Pennington of the Kentucky Kernel writes that Horn has gone from the Creek to Columbia.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes about the SEC coaches who have run out of time.
• At Yahoo Sports, Jason King writes that Kentucky fans are wishing Tubby Smith well. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Kernel columnist Jon Hale writes that UK’s hopes will fall on Gillispie’s young guns.
• Kentucky Sports Report says UK has a commitment from a junior college running back.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Horn’s return and SEC hoops turmoil’

SEC links for Friday:

• Bob Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette writes that Arkansas broke the ice with its win over Bama.
• Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register reports on Alabama’s loss at Arkansas in Philip Pearson’s debut.
• In the Tuscaloosa News, Cecil Hurt reports that Arkansas freshman ripped the Tide.
• Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on the nail-biter that was Pat Summitt’s 999th win at Tennessee.
• In the AJC, columnist Terence Moore writes that Georgia should give Tubby Smith a call about replacing Dennis Felton.
• Also in the AJC, Chip Towers gets the player reaction to Felton’s firing.
• In the Athens Banner-Herald, David Ching writes that Felton’s firing was a necessity.
• Now former Alabama basketball coach Mark Gottfried tells Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News that he still loves his alma mater.
• News columnist Ray Melick writes that AD Mal Moore has a chance to define expectations for Alabama basketball.
• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that the chairs have been pulled from SEC hot seats.
• David Climer of the Tennessean checks in on the lack of security for SEC basketball coaches.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Arkansas breaks the ice’

Hoop links for Thursday:

• In the AJC, Mark Bradley writes that the now-fired Dennis Felton was the right hire who produced the wrong results: Bradley: “Dennis Felton was the right man to follow the disgraced Jim Harrick. He was tough and uncompromising, and having a coach who was willing to cut corners was what led the Bulldogs to jerk maybe the best team in school history clean out of the 2003 postseason. Under Felton, the same school wouldn’t fall into the same swamp. Instead it fell into a different one. Harrick compromised, but he also won. Felton didn’t bend but didn’t win, There is, as we know, a happier medium. Perhaps the next man will strike that balance.”

• At FoxSports.com, Jeff Goodman writes that the Felton firing was no surprise. Goodman: “A year ago, the rumors were swirling that Georgia coach Dennis Felton was going to be fired by athletic director Damon Evans. Then Felton pulled out of miracle when his Bulldogs  won the SEC tournament. Evans was going to make sure there wasn’t another miracle this time – and he fired Felton after a 9-11 start and an 0-5 mark in SEC play.”

• At espn.com, Pat Forde writes on the wacky play that gave Wake Forest its win over top-ranked Duke. Forde: “Timeout in a tense Lawrence Joel Coliseum, 2.6 seconds on the clock. Time to draw up the play that perfectly symbolizes this wonderfully silly season in college basketball. Wake Forest had given away every bit of a 13-point lead against a Duke team that was badly beaten but too stubbornly tough to admit it. After trailing for 35 minutes and 41 seconds of continuous action, the Blue Devils had scored with 11 seconds left to tie the game at 68. The crumbling Demon Deacons had a last chance to salvage a game it had dominated, inbounding under Duke’s basket.”

• In the Raleigh News and Observer, columnist Caulton Tudor writes that Duke’s inside game failed in loss at Wake Forest. Tudor: “The Blue Devils, who were ranked No. 1 nationally entering the game at Joel Coliseum, didn’t have enough talent and court presence to overcome the plenty-juiced Demon Deacons. But the Blue Devils — in the words of that now long-forgotten movie — did have game on a night they were forced far outside their comfort zone of long-range shooting and points off turnovers.”

Continue reading ‘HL: The Felton firing, Wake’s win and Pitt’s fall’

Here’s what I’ve heard from the local radio call-in shows for Thursday, Jan. 29:

• WLXG-1300: I’m on with Chris Cross and Mike Cameron at 6:06 p.m. Courier-Journal columnist Eric Crawford and UK associate athletics director John Cropp are also on the program.

• WLAP-630: At 6 p.m., Dick Gabriel will have formere Wildcat quarterback Derrick Ramsey, who played in two Super Bowls, winning one with the Oakland Raiders.

• WVLK-590: Sports Illustrated’s Luke Winn will be Larry Glover’s guest at 7:05 p.m.

College basketball on the tube for Thursday, Jan. 29:

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• In the Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton writes that UK laments its SEC perfection lost.
• Also in the Herald-Leader, here’s my column on the Billy Gillispie-Jeannine Edwards flap.
• The Herald-Leader’s Jennifer Smith writes on Brittany Edelen, who was nearly cut from the UK women’s team at one time.
• In the Kentucky Kernel, B.W. Jones writes that the UK women are fighting to stay competitive.
• In his Yahoo Sports blog, Eamon Brennan says that Gillispie is not known as an affable sort.
• Deadspin says that Gillispie only likes good questions.
• The AOL FanHouse checks in on the Gillispie halftime interview.
• In the Courier-Journal, Eric Crawford writes that UK did not follow ESPN’s script.
• At CBS Sportsline, Gary Parrish writes that Ole Miss upset rejuvenates a bumpy season.
• At A Sea of Blue, Ken Howlett examines UK’s second-half meltdown at Ole Miss.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK fall out from Ole Miss loss’

SEC links for Thursday:

• In the Baton Rouge Advocate, Dave Link reports on LSU’s road win at Tennessee.
• In the Tennessean, Bryan Mullen writes that Tennessee couldn’t complete its comeback against the Tigers.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Mike Strange writes that a homecourt Tennessee loss is no longer a stunner.
• Also in the News-Sentinel, Mike Griffith reports on UT’s mounting losses.
• In the Gainesville Sun, Kevin Brockway reports on Nick Calathes’ triple-double that lead Florida past Georgia.
• Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley writes that Gator Nation warily watches Florida hoops.
• Seth Emerson of The State reports on South Carolina’s 86-76 win over visiting Vanderbilt.
• In the Birmingham News, Mike Bolton writes that Alabama interim coach Philip Pearson is lauded for his recruiting skills and devotion to family.
• In the Tuscaloosa News, Cecil Hurt writes that Pearson’s team will be a little different.
• Though Tubby Smith says he’s not a candidate for any other jobs, Tennessean columnist Joe Biddle writes that he would be a perfect fit for Alabama.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Home no longer sweet for Tennessee’

College basketball on the tube for Wednesday, Jan. 28:

* Will be shown by WKYT-TV in Lexington.

Local talk-show guests for Wednesday, Jan. 28:

• WVLK-590: I’m on as a guest with Larry Glover at 7:05.

• WLXG-1300: Mayor Jim Newberry is on at 4:05. Herald-Leader columnist Mark Story is on at 6:05 with Herald-Leader high school expert Mike Fields following Mark.