John Clay's Sidelines

This just in from the PR arm at the WWL.

SEC Weekly Debuts on ESPNU on Thursday, Aug. 27

On Thursday, Aug. 27, ESPNU will debut its new studio show SEC Weekly. The one-hour program will air Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. throughout the academic year and will cover SEC sports, including sport-by-sport previews, reviews, specials and features on student-athletes. The show will be hosted by Cara Capuano, who will anchor, and new analyst Matt Stinchcomb, a former University of Georgia All-America and NFL player.

The first edition of SEC Weekly will preview the SEC Eastern Division and showcase the defending national champion Florida Gators and their senior quarterback Tim Tebow. The inaugural show will also take a look at first-year coach Lane Kiffin and his Tennessee Volunteers, and the Georgia Bulldogs’ fifth-year senior quarterback Joe Cox. The show will also feature a profile on Georgia football legend Herschel Walker and women’s soccer player Carrie Patterson.

SEC Weekly is a product of ESPN’s landmark 15-year agreement with the Southeastern Conference. ESPNU will complement the show with SEC game telecasts, including football, basketball, Olympic sports and select conference championships.

Am I really going to have to spring for ESPNU?

Or as this said from Twitter: bamagrad01: Will it be SEC weekly or Tim Tebow weekly? RT @SECSportsUpdate ESPNU will debut its new studio show SEC Weekly on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks is asked about fact that, despite three straight bowl wins, his team did not receive a single vote for the first AP College Football Top 25 this season.

Jeannine Edwards

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• UK Athletics says Jeannine Edwards will be at the UK Women’s Basketball Clinic, Oct. 7.
• Tom Leach calls that another shrewd PR move by UK.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader previews the UK secondary.
• Cosby reports that a foot injury has put E.J. Fields’ season in jeopardy.
• UK Football Fan did a Q&A with Chip about UK’s football fortunes.
• Jennifer Smith of the H-L writes about the new UK women’s basketball schedule.
• Mark Story of the H-L writes on former UK receiver Steve Johnson, now learning from T.O.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal reports on Kentucky’s tight ends.
• Gary Bedore of the Lawrence Journal World reports that Brandon Knight will visit Kansas. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Zagsblog reports that UK will make an in-home visit to Tobias Harris on Sept. 7.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Jeannine Edwards to appear at UK women’s clinic’

Jonathan Crompton

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Jonathan Crompton has been named Tennessee’s starting quarterback, but he may lose his starting center.
• Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports on Crompton’s return to No. 1 at UT.
• John Adams of the News-Sentinel writes that handicapping Vols start with their foes.
• Mark Bradley of the AJC gives five reasons Georgia fans should be worried about new starting quarterback Joe Cox.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun lists what was learned at Florida’s fall camp.
• Joe Person of The State reports that South Carolina defensive end Clifton Geathers has been suspended while officials look into weekend fight.
• Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser writes that Auburn receivers expect to play a big role.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Crompton named Tennessee’s quarterback’

On his blog today, Dick Vitale latches on to the NCAA Clearing House — or is it clearinghouse? — issue in defending new UK coach John Calipari.

Excerpt:

Here is a simple question: Which Division I coach would keep Rose out of the lineup after the NCAA declared him eligible to play? There is an NCAA clearinghouse that determines player eligibility and they told Memphis that Rose could play.

I don’t believe there is a coach in America who wouldn’t play him after the clearinghouse declared him eligible.

Why shouldn’t they play the No. 1 point guard when the governing body, on two occasions, declared him eligible.

The University of Memphis and then-coach John Calipari followed the rules and regulations. Compliance people did the best they could in finding out what the player’s status was. The determination was simple: play him.

Hat tip to Kentucky Sports Radio.

By the way, I received a message from someone who says the NCAA no longer calls it the Clearing House. It’s now known as the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Mary Jo Perino

With it being Monday, we pick back up our Media Approval Ratings feature, this week with the local TV sports anchors.

We’ll start with WLEX-TV’s Mary Jo Perino, who is on her second stint with the local NBC affiliate. Mary Jo came to Lexington in 2002, left for a short stint at CNN, then returned to WLEX where she is the sports anchor.

So what say you on Mary Jo, thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Previously: Mike Cameron – Chris Cross – Dick Gabriel – Larry Glover.

(Photo by John Clay)

Mike Hartline the quarterback owned some doubters last season, but this year Mike Hartline’s mustache has a growing group of fans.

In fact, the hair above the junior quarterback’s lip has gained its own group on Facebook: “Mike Hartline’s Mustache.”

Creator Robert Rogers and administrator Matt Powell write on the site:

This group is dedicated to the mustache proudly worn by University of Kentucky Quarterback Mike Hartline. Say what you will about his play on the field, but you have to respect a man with a mustache. Burt Reynolds in the Longest yard? Mike Hartline at UK? Cooincidence? I think not. #5 is bout do do big things! KEEP THE MUSTACHE!!

Corey Maggette

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• The Herald-Leader’s Chip Cosby writes about Sam Maxwell and the UK linebackers.
• Cosby also previews Kentucky’s defensive line.
• Chip’s report on Kentucky’s second football scrimmage of fall camp.
• Jerry Tipton’s UK basketball notebook talks about John Calipari’s new book.
• Tipton has a report on Eloy Vargas and Marquis Teague.
• My Sunday column asking why is there an NCAA Clearing House?
• Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal writes that it’s no surprise the NCAA isn’t even-handed.
• Gary Parrish of CBS Sportsline also brings up the way the NCAA treated Duke as to the way it treated Calipari.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Coach K skates while Calipari pays?’

ESPN’s Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit preview the SEC:

SEC links for Monday:

• Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean reports that Kevin Stallings’ “raise” helped fund Vandy basketball’s trip to Australia.
• Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Tennessee receiver Gerald Jones could be out 4-6 weeks.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that ex-UT coach Phil Fulmer may use TV spotlight to return to coaching.
• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel says Urban Meyer needs to lay off Ron Zook.
• David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Steve Spurrier is quiet about South Carolina’s prospects.
• Joe Person of The State reports that a couple of South Carolina players face legal issues.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Stallings helped pay Vandy’s trip to Australia’

Matt Pilgrim

Brandon Chatmon of the Oklahoman reports that the ex-Wildcat who never got to be a Wildcat, in a game that is, Matt Pilgrim, has been cleared to play immediately for Oklahoma State.

The NCAA waived the transfer rule that would have required Pilgrim to sit out a year before playing for the Cowboys.

Pilgrim sat out at UK last season after transferring from to Hampton. But his scholarship was not renewed when former coach Billy Gillispie was replaced by John Calipari.

Excerpt from Chatmon’s story:

“He will make an immediate impact on this team with his abilities and experience,” OSU coach Travis Ford said in a release. “He will help make us a better team and brings a toughness with him.”