John Clay's Sidelines

(AP photo/Mark Humphrey)

SEC links for Sunday:

• Tennessee beats Vanderbilt 24-10 to pull within one game of bowl eligibility, reports Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that a good dose of Vanderbilt keeps Tennessee rolling.
• Derek Dooley likes the win, but not much else, reports Mark Weidmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• LSU holds off Ole Miss 43-36, reports Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.
• Late fumble hurts Mississippi State in its two-overtime loss to visiting Arkansas, reports Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Arkansas answers the bell in its 38-31 win over MSU, reports Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.
• South Carolina doesn’t trip, and rips Troy 69-24, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Gamecocks take care of business, writes Josh Kendall of The State.
• Florida rolls over Appalachian State 48-10, reports Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• John Brantley has graciously endured Florida’s season of discontent, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.

I’m not in Portland, but I will be in my favorite blue chair, ready to talk Kentucky-Portland basketball tonight.

The SEC has suspended Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl for the first eight league games this season, after Pearl lied to NCAA investigators about rules violations, which included entertaining potential recruits in his home.

Pearl’s first game back will be the Tennessee at Kentucky game on Feb. 8.

The SEC statement on the suspension:

“The suspension from coaching duties has been imposed after a careful review of the facts established during the NCAA’s investigation and reported to the SEC office,” conference commissioner Mike Slive said Friday in a statement. “I am extremely disappointed in the nature of the violations involving Coach Pearl and the Tennessee men’s basketball program.

“The penalty applied to this circumstance is significant, which is consistent with the directive approved by the SEC membership in 2010 granting the commissioner authority to act in such cases.”

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Calipari thinks trip out west could be rough for Cats, writes Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Portland coach is worried about turnovers, writes Tipton.
• Portland guard predicts win over Kentucky, reports Diamond Leung of espn.com.
• Don’t sleep on Portland, says Calipari, according to Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Terrence Jones’ hometown trip is part of UK’s learning experience, writes Will Graves of the AP.
• Jones gets an early trip back home, reports the Oregonian.
• Mark Story of the Herald-Leader writes that Jacob Tamme has turned into a hot NFL commodity.
• Mike Hartline is one of the SEC’s top 10 step-up players, says Chris Low of espn.com.
• UK women’s coach Matthew Mitchell signs a 5-year extension, reports T.J. Walker of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Mitchell is now among the highest-paid women’s coaches in the SEC, reports Jennifer Smith of the H-L.

(AP photo/Dave Martin)

SEC links for Friday:

• As expected, Alabama crushes Bill Curry and Georgia State, 63-7, reports Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Georgia State humbled by big, bad Bama, writes Ken Sugiura of the AJC.
• Loss doesn’t diminish Georgia State’s season, says Jeff Schultz of the AJC.
• Bama’s focus turns to Auburn, writes A. Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• If the FBI can’t stop Auburn, can Alabama? asks Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel thinks Newton story provides more motivations than distractions.
• Winning out would put Tennessee in the Music City Bowl, writes David Climer of the Tennessean.
• Knile Davis answers the call for Arkansas, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• SEC offenses having their season to shine, writes Kurt Voight of the AP.
• Florida routs North Carolina A&T in hoops, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• Scott Hotard of The Advocate reports on LSU’s bounce-back win over UT-Martin.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Bleed Blue Kentucky reports that Randall Cobb’s High School will retire his jersey on Friday.
• Terrence Jones gets a trip home in second game of college career, writes Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Jones relishing his trip back home, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• B.W. Jones of the Kentucky Kernel on the Jones’ homecoming trip to Oregon.
• Portland pit stop is the highlight of Jones’ trip, writes Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches.
• Jones is ready for the return home to Portland, writes James Day of the Statesman-Journal.
• Jones wants to prove John Calipari wrong, says Mary Jo Perino of WLEX-TV.
• Enes Kanter giving UK’s big men tests in practice, writes Tipton.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Harrellson and Vargas are both benefiting from Kanter’s presence.
• UK’s Josh Harrellson says the Cats are looking forward to road trip:

Continue reading ‘BBL: Cobb’s jersey to be retired; Cats ready for trip’

(AP photo/David Tulis)

SEC links for Thursday:

• Alabama plays host to Bill Curry and Georgia State in a rare Thursday night game tonight, reports Izzy Gould of the Birmingham News.
• At Georgia State, Bill Curry is doing what he loves most, writes Tommy Deas of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Curry is busy building the Georgia State program, reports A. Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Georgia State is preparing for Goliath, writes Ken Sugiura of the AJC.
• ESPN reports that Bill Bell had outline of the Cameron Newton payment plan.
• Cameron Newton reports fire up again, reports the Anniston Star.
• Could TMZ report be a game-changer in Newton case? asks Tony Barnhart of the AJC.
• The Newton story has blown up again, writes John Pennington of Mr. SEC.
• Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal says it’s time to open the door on the SEC’s ethics policy.
• Tennessee makes the most of a (Trae) Golden opportunity, writes Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Bill Curry brings upstart back to Alabama’

Before Wednesday’s practice, UK freshman Terrence Jones talked about the team’s trip back to his hometown of Portland, Oregon to play the Portland Pilots on Friday.