John Clay’s Sidelines

Clark Kellogg

Media Approval Ratings switches networks and dials up Clark Kellogg, now in his second season as CBS’ lead college basketball color man. Mr. Spurtability was the network’s top studio analyst until Billy Packer was sent to the rocking chair after the 2008 Final Four. Kellogg took his place.

What say you on Clark Kellogg, thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Previously: Bill Raftery, Jimmy Dykes, Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale

Tennessee is 4-0 since the infamous weapons charges that cost Tyler Smith the remainder of his college career. The Vols travel to Alabama for a 7 p.m. game on ESPN.

Coming off a win at North Carolina, Gerogia Tech plays host to Vlemson on ESPN2. Meanwhile, Purdue hopes to stop its slide when it travels to Illinois, 9 p.m. on ESPN.

Bill Raftery

Media Approval Ratings return with ESPN college hoops analyst Bill Raftery, the former coach of the Seton Hall whose schtick is to point out in an exagerrated way what defense a team happens to be playing at the start of the game.

What say you on Bill Raftery, thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Previously: Jimmy Dykes, Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale

If I were to pick a Final Four right now, Syracuse, would be included. After Saturday’s win at West Virginia, the Orangemen are on the road again tonight at Notre Dame, 7 p.m. on ESPN. Following that, top-ranked Texas could get a test at Kansas State.

Jimmy Dykes

Media Approval Ratings today offers up ex-Kentucky assistant coach Jimmy Dykes, now a top color analyst on ESPN. Dykes is assigned a lot of SEC games, and thus a lot of Kentucky games. He is also the owner of the phrase “violent cuts,” which has grabbed the attention of a lot of viewers. A lot of UK viewers.

What say you on Jimmy Dykes, thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Previously: Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale

Jon Solomon  of the Birmingham News examines the TV ratings for the 2009-10 bowl games. Overall, the ratings were up 8 percent from the year before. The BCS bowls were up five percent. The TCU-Boise State matchup in the Fiesta Bowl outdrew the Georgia Tech-Iowa matchup in the Orange Bowl.

But the UK-Clemson matchup in the Music City Bowl was not a big draw. The game drew a 1.7 rating, down 29 percent from last year’s Boston College-Vanderbilt matchup. It ended up as the 28th most-watched bowl out of the 34 games, according to Nielsen Media Research.

To be fair, this year’s Music City Bowl was on directly opposite the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins NFL game on CBS. The Cowboys are always a popular TV draw.

Jay Bilas

After a two-day absence, back to the Media Approval Ratings. We’re currently judging ESPN’s basketball personalities. The attorney Jay Bilas is on the docket today. He’s a former Dookie. Played on the 1986 team that lost to Louisville in the NCAA final. He’s smart. And open-minded. Jay took up for John Calipari in the Derrick Rose mess. He has come down hard on coaches, as well. So you decide.

What say you on Jay Bilas, thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

Previously: Dick Vitale

Pair of SEC battles on the tube tonight. You can scout Auburn. The Tigers play host to Kentucky on Saturday. But first, Jeff Lebo’s team must take on Bruce Pearl and Tennessee, in Knoxville, to boot. Game is at 7 on ESPN2. Not sure if there will be much crowd there, however. Isn’t the Tennessee student body on its way to Los Angeles to lynch Lane Kiffin? Arkansas at Mississippi State is on ESPNU at 7. John Pelphrey’s team has looked a bit better with Courtney Fortson in the lineup. But beating Rick Stansbury and Co. in the Hump will be a tall order.

Pittsburgh at Connecticut, 7 p.m. on ESPN, is probably the game of the night. Jamie Dixon has done a terrific job with the Panthers thus far, but the tip to UConn should be a huge test. Louisville travels to Pitt on Saturday.

The SEC Network (WKYT locally) has LSU at South Carolina. Good chance that last year’s league champ, LSU, will drop to 0-2 in conference. South Carolina got 33 points from Devan Downey in its win at Auburn last weekend.

Kentucky-Florida is the game of local interest, of course. Brad Nessler, Dick Vitale and Erin Andrews are the broadcast team for ESPN.

But the lead-in game is not too shabby, either. Ohio State is at Purdue at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Purdue will try to rebound from Saturday’s loss at Wisconsin. That defeat dropped the previously unbeaten Boilermakers to sixth in the polls.