John Clay’s Sidelines

Andy Kennedy

SEC links for Tuesday:

• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger reports that Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy gets to keep his job after entering guility plea in Cincinnati.
• Gainesville Sun reports that Florida has finalized the hire of Richard Pitino as basketball assistant.
• Joe Biddle of the Tennessean writes that Vols show spring in their step heading into fall camp.
• Drew Edwards of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Tennessee fans are developing a feel for Lane Kiffin.
• Darren Epps of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Kiffin shows confidence on caravan.
• Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register writes that Auburn still has questions after spring practice.
• Also in the Press-Register, Paul Finebaum writes that Auburn has a tough year in store.
• In the AJC, Tony Barnhart tells Georgia fans not to forget about Arkansas.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Kennedy gets to keep his job’

SEC links for Monday:

• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger reports that Ole Miss basketball coach Andy Kennedy is expected to plead guilty today in a Cincinnati court.
• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun writes that the hard part starts now for Florida football.
• Mark Schlabach of espn.com writes that Florida is focused on a repeat.
• Gentry Estes of the Huntsville Times reviews Alabama’s spring game.
• News columnist Kevin Scarbinsky writes that first start is a good start for Bama’s new quarterback.
• Aaron Suttles of the Tuscaloosa News writes that Greg McElroy made a convincing case.
• Tuscaloosa News columnist Cecil Hurt writes there were no big surprises in Bama’s spring game.
• Birmingham News columnist Ray Melick writes that Auburn coach Gene Chizik gives them something to talk about.
• Montgomery Advertiser’s Josh Moon writes that Auburn made big plays in its spring game.
• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that eager Tennessee fans got a grip on Lane Kiffin.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Kennedy to plead guilty; Spring wrap-ups’

Updated at 8:20 a.m. with Kevin Brockway link with Donovan’s thoughts on Knight.

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Georgia would be foolish to hire Bob Knight.
• Also in the AJC, others say Knight would be a good fit in Athens.
• At CBS Sportsline, Gary Parrish writes that Georgia should avoid bad recruiter Knight.
• Dick “Hoops” Weiss  of the New York Daily News believes Georgia should pass on The General.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun has Billy Donovan’s thoughts on Knight.
• In the Tennessean, Bryan Mullen reports that Bruce Pearl believes now that Tennessee’s non-conference schedule was too tough.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Dan Fleser reports on Oklahoma’s win over the Lady Vols, denying Pat Summitt her 1,000th win. For now.
• The Clarion-Ledger reports on a video that shows the arrest of Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy.
• In The State, Ron Morris writes that confidence is helping South Carolina basketball.
• Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register reports on the Alabama coaching search.
• In his SEC blog for ESPN, Chris Low reports that LSU is atop the national football recruiting rankings.
• In the Birmingham News, Ray Melick writes that nothing is certain in recruiting until the name is on the dotted line.
• In the Gainesville Sun, Robbie Andreu writes that Florida needs a strong finish to secure a Top 10 class.

SEC links for Monday:

• Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean writes on Pat Summitt, who goes for her 1,000th win tonight.
• Also in the Tennessean, Mike Organ reports on the Vandy women’s win over Alabama.
• In the Birmingham News, Charles Goldberg writes on the Auburn women, who bounced back from their first loss.
• In the Gainesville Sun, Florida’s women race past Arkansas.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Mike Griffith writes that Scotty Hopson has emerged for Tennessee in the nick of time.
• Gary Laney writes in the Baton Rouge Advocate that LSU’s starters are logging plenty of minutes.
• In the Northwest Arkansas Times, Nate Allen reports that John Pelphrey cuts Arkansas no slack for play at LSU.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger writes that State fans cut Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy some slack.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Dave Hooker reports that it was not good news for Tennessee football’s recruiting weekend.
• In the Montgomery Advertiser, Mike Gayle reports on Alabama’s recruiting.

Update: David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger reports on hearing in the Kennedy/cab driver case.

From the strange but true department, WLW-TV in Cincinnati is reporting that the wife of Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy has sued the Cincinnati cab driver and his company over the now infamous December altercation between the parties.

Mrs. Kennedy is suing because . . . well, you know.

Kennedy’s wife sued that cab driver and a valet driver who backed his claims to police and the media, saying their accusations had harmed the couple’s sex life.

SEC links for Sunday:

• 

  Tyler Smith drives on the way to 23 points.

  In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Drew Edwards reports that Lane Kiffin is ready to take on his critics, including Steve Spurrier.

• Also in the News-Sentinel, Mike Griffith reports on Tennessee’s close win over visiting Belmont.
• Tennessean columnist David Climer writes on how Belmont almost upset the mighty Vols.
• In the Baton Rouge Advocate, Gary Laney reports on LSU’s first hoops loss of the season, as Tigers tumble to Texas A&M in Houston.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports on Florida’s easy win over Central Florida.
• Joe Person of The State reports that South Carolina faces an uphill task trying to sell Outback Bowl tickets.
• Also in The State, Seth Emerson writes on Carolina’s win over The Citadel in basketball.
• Tommy Stinson in the AJC reports on Georgia’s close-shave win over Wofford.
• Tennessean columnist Joe Biddle revisits the Auburn coaching search.
• In the Huntsville Times, Mark McCarter admits that Charles Barkley’s words make you ponder.
• In the Birmingham News, Charles Goldberg reports that Iowa State returns the favor to Auburn, hiring defensive coordinator as new ISU head coach.
• In the Tennessean, Maurice Patton writes that Vandy could add some cherished bowl memories.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Kiffin takes on critics, Spurrier’

SEC links for Friday:

• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports on Mississippi’s tough trip to Cincinnati, with Andy Kennedy’s arrest, a loss to Louisville, and Chris Warren’s injury.

• Doing double duty, Veazey also reports on Cincinnati’s win over Mississippi State.

• Ian Rapoport of the Birmingham News reports that Bama guard Ronald Steele claims he and coach Mark Gottfried are on the same page after Steele did not start against Tennessee State, just the second non-start of Steele’s 98-game college career.

• Christopher Walsh of the Tuscaloosa News reports that Bama’s Terrence Cody will return for his senior year, but Andre Smith will test the NFL waters.

• Terry Wood of the NW Arkansas Times writes that the Arkansas basketball team is getting better all the time.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Rough night for the Mississippis’

Update: Ole Miss AD Pete Boone says Kennedy will be cleared on all charges, reports David Brandt in the Clarion-Ledger.

Kennedy's mug shot.

Andy Katz is reporting that Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy has been charged with assault after an altercation with a cab driver in downtown Cincinnati, but will still coach the Rebels against Louisville tonight in Cincy as part of the SEC/Big East Invitational.

Kennedy did release a statement saying, “”I regret this situation,” Kennedy said in a statement. “The focus should be on the players and the game, not on me. I vehemently deny the charges levied against me, and am completely confident that I will be fully exonerated of all charges.”

Kennedy was a long-time assistant at the University of Cincinnati under Bob Huggins and served as interim coach of the Bearcats for a year before going to Oxford.

SEC links for Wednesday:

• A discerning reader sent along this link to an Orlando Sentinel blog that contends SEC football in 2008 stinks like an Alabama pig farm. You’ll love the accompanying art.

• In the Huntsville Times, Gentry Estes writes that Alabama’s defense carries a long to-do list into Saturday’s SEC title game with Florida. It’s what makes this tilt so interesting: Bama’s rock’em-sock ‘em defense against Florida’s speed-oriented offense.

• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun points out the size difference between Alabama’s Terrence Cody and Florida’s Jeff Demps. There’s even a chart.

• In the AJC, via AP, comes the report on Georgia’s 67-63 loss to Western Kentucky in men’s hoops. Has been quite a week for the Hilltoppers. First the win over Louisville on Sunday. Now a beating of the Bulldogs.

• Can’t get enough Lane Kiffin news? Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean writes that the new Tennessee coach’s record doesn’t quite tell it all.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: SEC stinks like an Alabama pig farm’