John Clay's Sidelines

SEC links for Friday:

• Texas A&M is still eyeing possibility of coming to SEC, reports Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Expansion is at the SEC’s doorstep, writes Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• Steve Spurrier is no fan of expansion, reports Joe Person of The State.
• Virginia Tech not thinking about the SEC, reports Mark Berman of the Roanoke Times. (Hat tip to Mr. SEC.)
• Lane Kiffin is stuck with a diminished return, writes John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Tennessee broadcaster Bob Bell dies of cancer, reports Larry Taft of the Tennessean.
• Mississippi State’s former center Jarvis Varnado is trying to conform to NBA style, reports Brad Locke of the NE Mississippi Daily Journal.
• AP will not revote on 2004 national title after USC hit by penalties, reports Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• That 2004 Auburn team deserved better, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• The price for new Georgia football season tickets has fallen, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• John Wall has reached a $25 million deal with Reebok, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
• The Windsor Lancers claim they will play UK basketball in August, reports CIS.
• Kentucky and Rutgers are front-runners for the “Nigerain Xavier Henry,” reports Zagsblog.
• Kentucky teams show well in latest APR numbers, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Jon Hood and Josh Harrellson receive a confidence boost in China, reports Tipton.
• UK will play Notre Dame in Louisville as part of the Big East challenge, reports Tipton.
• ESPN determined the site as Freedom Hall, not the new Yum Center, reports Michael Grant of the Courier-Journal.
• Terrell Mitchell has re-committed to Kentucky, reports Aaron’s UK Football Blog.
• DeMarcus Cousins’ mother says her son is prepared for everything, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Cousins will work out for the Philadelphia 76ers, reports Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Wall reaches $25 million deal; Cats to Canada?’

Ryan Mallett

SEC links for Thursday:

• Ex-Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin will start with two-year bowl ban and major scholarship reductions at USC, reports Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times.
• Tennessee will play Pittsburgh in the SEC/Big East Invitational, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is on crutches, but still on track, says ESPN’s Chris Low.
• Both Rutgers and Seton Hall will play SEC teams, reports Brendan Prunty of the Newark Star-Ledger.
• Ole Miss football improves its APR scores and avoids penalty, reports David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger.
• South Carolina linebacker is granted sixth year by NCAA, reports Joe Person of The State.
• South Carolina will face SEC’s toughest football schedule, says John Pennington of Mr. SEC.
• Alabama baseball names its starter for opening game of Super Regional, reports Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Relievers throw Vanderbilt pitching rotation a curve, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Florida’s APR number pass with flying colors, reports Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• Georgia’s football APR numbers are second in SEC behind Vanderbilt, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.

The media met this morning with UK basketball players, Jon Hood and Josh Harrellson, who talked about their recent trip to China as part of the Sports Reach program. The two said the refs were, well, not good, the food was interesting, the experience should be beneficial for next season, and that the Great Wall is really, really big.

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Four UK baseball players are drafted in the first eight rounds, says a Herald-Leader staff report.
• That Alabama high school meeting over Eric Bledsoe has been postponed, blogs Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Daniel Orton has been unimpressive in workouts, says Hoops World.
• DeMarcus Cousins could drop out of the top four NBA picks, says the Detroit Free Press.
• Patrick Patterson is one of six to workout for the Utah Jazz, reports Chris Buckley of the Deseret News.
• John Calipari had nothing to do with those 7-foot twins ending up in Pennsylvania, says Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports.
• Ex-UK star Walter McCarty is about to join the Indiana Pacers’ staff, tweets Goodman.
• Tubby Smith’s name mentioned for Cavaliers post, or at least by Peter Vecsey of the New York Post.
• John Wooden and Adolph Rupp were a lot alike, reports Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun.
• Evan Daniels of Scout on Quincy Miller:

Continue reading ‘BBL: Daniel Orton’s NBA stock may be dropping’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• John Pennington of Mr. SEC looks at the academics of conference expansion.
• Georgia coaches are praising quarterback Aaron Murray, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• Mark Richt thinks expansion is a serious subject, writes Tim Tucker of the AJC.
• LSU’s top quarterback signee has enrolled for summer classes, reports Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.
• Alabama baseball has seen stronger stuff than Clemson can throw at it, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• Vanderbilt makes the most of smarts and hearts, writes Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Florida will play host to Miami in Super Regional, reports the Gainesville Sun.
• Alabama and Clemson are no strangers, writes Aaron Suttles of the Tuscaloosa News.
• South Carolina and Coastal Carolina have not always gotten along, writes Ron Morris of The State.
• South Carolina will be the Super Regional underdog, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Doug Smith of the Toronto Sun reports on a good deed done by ex-UK center Jamal Magloire.
• Chip Cosby and Beth Musgrave of the H-L report that UK is addressing grad assistant case.
• Frank Dell’Apa of the Boston Globe on Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen meshing for success.
• Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post writes that Rondo has seized his time to shine.
• Mitch Lawerence of the New York Daily News writes that the Lakers have to slow down Rondo.
• Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun writes that Rondo has been putting on a clinic.
• Eamonn Brennan of espn.com writes that schools are ultimately responsible for eligibility.

(Hat tip to Cat Scratches.)

Continue reading ‘BBL: Jamal Magloire does a good deed’

(AP photo)

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Arkansas and South Carolina have been a drag on the SEC, according to Paul Finebaum of the Mobile Press-Register.
• The SEC is content to wait and watch concerning expansion, writes Joe Person of The State.
• Vanderbilt knocks off Louisville in 10 innings to reach Super Regional, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Alabama knocks off Georgia Tech 10-8 to reach Super Regional, reports Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Arkansas advances with win over Washington State, reports Maz Farrell of Arkansas360.com.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Columnist says Arkansas, USC drag on league’

Daily Randoms for a Monday:

I haven’t plunked down my cold hard cash yet for the pre-season football yearbooks, so thought maybe I’d get some recommendations from the faithful as to your favorites.

In my youth, I couldn’t wait to purchase my Street and Smith’s Yearbooks, be they baseball, football or college football and basketball. I still have some Street and Smith Pro Football and Baseball yearbooks dating back to the early 1970s. Of course, now we have Athlon, Lindy’s, Sporting News, Phil Steele, etc., etc.

Which is your favorite?

Alert reader Tim of Lexington pointed out that I committed a turnover in my Saturday front-page column chronicling Joe B. Hall and John Wooden’s friendship, which started after UCLA beat UK 92-85 in the 1975 NCAA Tournament final, which turned out to be Wooden’s final game.

Wrote Tim:

This is not accurate. At that point in the game a technical foul was given to the UCLA player Dave Myers. When this foul was given John Wooden ran onto the court shouting “You crook”. The game was delayed while the officials talked to Coach Wooden and escorted him back to the bench. A technical foul was not called on Wooden. Following Wooden’s actions Kevin Grevey missed the technical free shots. It is worth noting that in the 1974 NCAA championship Al McGuire received a technical foul for walking onto the floor to object to a call and this call was considered a turning point in his losing the game to NC State.

As a follow-up story, the next UK season, 75-76, one of the officiating crew from the UCLA-UK game was assigned to work the a UK game at Memorial Coliseum. In the game he called a technical foul on Joe Hall. Hall shouted “you didn’t call one on Wooden” and the official said “Joe, you just got his”.

Continue reading ‘Which is your favorite pre-season magazine?’

So much for John Calipari donning the wine-and-gold, or whatever the Cavalier’s fashion statement of the moment happens to be, in an effort to keep LeBron James in Cleveland. Seems the Cavs have targeted another college coach, the best one in the business right now.

There are now at least a couple of reports that Cleveland has casts its net toward Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.

Izzo told a blogger that the report is baloney.

Meanwhile, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports claims the offer has not been made, but that Izzo knows he is high on the Cleveland list.

An interesting side note is that Cavs’ owner Daniel Gilbert is a graduate of Michigan State.