John Clay's Sidelines

SEC links for Monday:

• Wise-cracking Vanderbilt coach Robbie Caldwell does have a serious side, writes Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.

• Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News catches up with ex-Auburn coach Pat Dye.

• UT tight end Luke Stocker is hitting his stride, contends Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

• Tennessee’s quarterback commitment shines for national television audience, reports Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

• LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis is not afraid to think outside the box, reports Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.

• Positions begin to finalize as game week arrives for Alabama, writes Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Vanderbilt coach shows his serious side’

This is senior running back Derrick Locke after Saturday’s scrimmage:

This is after Saturday’s scrimmage.

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Portland forward Kyle Wiltjer commits to play basketball at Kentucky, reports the Herald-Leader.
• Wiltjer says John Calipari is best coach to get him where he wants to go, reports the Contra Costa Times. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Josh Herwitt of Fox Sports on the Wiltjer commitment to the Cats.
• Zagsblog on the Wiltjer commitment.
• My column saying that schedule predicts Kentucky football will finish 9-3 in a banner season.
• Check out the Herald-Leader’s college football preview.
• New UK assistant Greg Nord should know all of Louisville’s tricks, writes Mark Story of the Herald-Leader.
• Katrina memories still haunt UK players from New Orleans, writes Story.
• State’s three African-American coaches ready to put race in the rearview, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Reaction to Kyle Wiltjer’s UK commitment’

SEC links for Sunday:

• Phil Simms wary of giving his son, Matt, advice at Tennessee, writes Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Ron Morris of The State thinks that Stephen Garcia should be starting quarterback at South Carolina.
• Ellis Johnson’s defense fuels South Carolina’s success, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Armand Williams has blossomed at LSU since Katrina, writes Glenn Guilbeau of the Shreveport Times.
• LSU got the opener it wanted, writes Scott Hotard of The Baton Rouge Advocate.
• Ryan Mallett is the no-doubt leader at Arkansas, writes Robbie Nieswanger of the Arkansas News.
• Auburn football has a window of opportunity, writes Evan Woodbery of the Huntsville Times.
• More players and a familiar system has Auburn optimistic, writes Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News.
• “Repeat” and “Defending” are two words Nick Saban does not want to hear, writes Mark McCarter of the Huntsville Times.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Phil Simms wary of giving advice to son’

(H-L photo)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Adonis Thomas to cut his list down to five schools, reports Jason Smith of the Memphis Edge. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Bryan Floyd of SB Nation Seattle on UK target Kyle Wiltjer reportedly making his announcement tonight.
• DeAndre Daniels will enroll at the IMG Academy, reports Zagsblog.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes that the Kentucky football team is rallying behind Mike Hartline.
• Judge throws the book at Ed Davender, sentencing ex-UK basketball star to eight years in jail, reports Jennifer Hewlett of the Herald-Leader.
• Eloy Vargas has been cleared to play basketball at UK, says H-L staff report.
• Joe Mansour is getting a kick out of Kentucky, writes Ray Glier for the AJC.
• Ex-Boyle County star Jordan Aumiller has moved to No. 1 at tight end, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Future Cat football player Daylen Hall has a huge game for St. Xavier, writes Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal.
• Signing players is only half the battle, writes Rick Bozich of the Courier-Journal.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Adonis Thomas to cut list; Kyle Wiltjer to announce’

SEC links for Saturday:

• Georgia suspends leading rusher, Washaun Ealey, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• An embarrassing arrest for Georgia, but not humiliating, writes Mark Bradley of the AJC.
• Suspended Gamecock Weslye Saunders calls into a radio show, reports Neil White of The State.
• Lots of depth chart questions for South Carolina, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Has the South Carolina hotel story been overblown? a reader asks Chris Low of espn.com.
• Mr. SEC breaks down the money league schools made in football and basketball.
• Vanderbilt coach Robbie Caldwell brings his sense of humor to Twitter, writes Mike Organ of the Tennessean.
• Texas guard Varez Ward is transferring to Auburn, reports Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Dogs suspends Ealey; Saunders calls radio station’

Here’s the latest from Michael Gilchrist, who has produced a bit of a late-night drama:

Update: Rush The Court also noticed Gilchrist’s tweet.

On his Twitter site tonight, UK commitment Michael Gilchrist tweeted that he thinks he’s going to make three official visits.

Gilchrist, who at one time was rated as the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2011, committed to UK back in the spring.

Was he just fooling around?

Or is he just bored?

It has been brought to my attention that our good friends at Kentucky Sports Radio claimed earlier today that Herald-Leader personnel are not appearing on KSR’s radio show “because of comments made on the site about Jerry Tipton and John Clay over the past few months.”

That’s incorrect.

Our editor, Peter Baniak, relayed to site moderator Matt Jones the reason behind the Herald-Leader’s decision.

I’m posting it here:

“At this time, the Herald-Leader is choosing not to provide free content, including the expertise of its reporters, to Kentucky Sports Radio, which, as you know, has throughout the past two years repeatedly chosen to use copyrighted Herald-Leader photographs without permission – and despite repeated requests from the Herald-Leader to cease this practice.”

Just wanted to set the record straight.