John Clay's Sidelines

(H-L photo)

Check out the Herald-Leader fans gallery from the UK-Florida game.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Players stepping up as Cats are clicking, writes Aaron Smith of Kernel.
• Kidd-Gilchrist a virtuoso again, writes Matt May of Cats Pause.
• MKG excelling in all areas, writes Jordan Schultz of Huffington Post.
• Davis making case to be nation’s No. 1, says Jake Curtis of Chronicle.
• This is Calipari’s best team, says my notes column.
• After flattening Florida, UK looks for challenge, writes Jerry Tipton of H-L.
• Basketball stats to get ready for Vandy, from Herald-Leader.
• Kidd-Gilchrist gives Davis a soothing feeling, says Sun’s Keith Taylor.
• Teague now knows UK is “my” team, writes Larry Vaught of A-M.
• Teague keeps improving, writes Jon Hale of KyForward.

At the post-game press conference last night, Florida’s Billy Donovan was asked about Kentucky and the rest of the league. Now 10-0, the Cats still have two games with Vanderbilt and one each with Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Florida remaining.

Florida coach Billy Donovan was asked last night to size up Kentucky against Syracuse and Ohio State, two teams the Gators played earlier in the year. Florida lost at Ohio State 81-74 on Nov. 15. The Gators lost at Syracuse 72-68 on Dec. 2.

Florida coach Billy Donovan meets with the media after his team’s 78-58 loss to UK.

Audio from today’s SEC basketball teleconference:

• Florida’s Billy Donovan talks about Tuesday’s game at Kentucky.
• Kentucky’s John Calipari talks about this week’s games against Florida and Vanderbilt.

SEC links for Thursday:

• NCAA ends investigation into Newton recruitment, reports Advertiser’s Jay Tate.
• NCAA closure vindicates Auburn, says Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News.
• Joe Medley of Anniston Star says that proof beat perception.
• Not sure how you can fault the NCAA, says Jeff AJC’s Jeff Schultz.
• Many share blame in Garcia saga, writes Ron Morris of The State.
• Press Association objects to Spurrier, reports Post and Courier.
• Florida’s Murphy and Larson thankful for return, reports Sun’s Kevin Brockway.
• Donovan close to signing contract extension, reports Rachel George of Sentinel.
• Lopsided games have dominated early SEC schedule, says Brett Martel of AP.
• Chavis downplays return to Tennessee, reports Times-Picayune’s Jim Kleinpeter.
• Don Kausler of the Birmingham News goes inside an Alabama football halftime.
• Bama’s Jones takes pie to the face, reports Chase Goodbread of Tuscaloosa News.
• Ole Miss knows upsets can happen, writes Hugh Kellenberger of C-L.
• No decision on Vandy quarterback, reports Jeff Lockridge of Tennessean.
• Florida linebacker will transfer, reports Matt Watts of Miami Herald.
• Chip Towers of AJC writes on realities of Georgia’s Dream Team recruiting.

Samford athletic director Martin Newton (Southern Conference photo)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• As new athletic director at Samford, Martin Newton has negotiated a deal with Kentucky for basketball games over the next three seasons, with the final game to be played in Birmingham, reports Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• Florida’s Billy Donovan beats out Kentucky’s John Calipari for best basketball coach in SEC, according to a media poll Knoxville radio talk show host Jimmy Hyams conducted at the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin last week.
• Joker Phillips sees the perception of Kentucky football changing, reports ESPN’s Edward Aschoff.
• My H-L column says Kentucky fans have been no doubt amused by the mess on Rocky Top, which brought Mike Hamilton’s resignation on Tuesday.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK to play Samford in basketball next 3 seasons’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Five most interesting people at SEC tourney, from Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley.
• Renardo Sidney admits to a bad attitude, reports Brandon Marcello of the C-L.
• Donovan, Parsons take SEC honors, reports Kevin Brockway of the Sun.
• Donovan says don’t fall in love with Gators, reports Sentinel’s Rachel George.
• Vandy’s Jenkins misses out on big award, reports Jeff Lockridge of Tennessean.
• Tennessee’s threes at a low point, writes Mike Griffith of the News-Sentinel.
• Green’s suspension helped turn Tide, writes Anniston Star’s Michael Casagrande.
• NCAA Committee needs more basketball people, says Kevin Scarbinsky.
• Ohio State case has an Alabama precedent, by Cecil Hurt of Tuscaloosa News.
• Guess we won’t be hearing those Newton tapes, says Mr. SEC.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Getting ready for SEC basketball tournament’

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Mississippi State hitting the third season in stride, writes Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Billy Donovan cautions his streaking Gators, writes Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• Brian Williams is still sore, but ready to play for Tennessee, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Alabama’s NCAA tourney hopes are still up in the air, reports Michael Casagrande of the Anniston Star.
• Auburn’s performance down the stretch has drawn praise, writes Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Erratic Ole Miss seeking answers, writes Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.
• LSU braces for a grumpy Vanderbilt, writes Scott Rabalais of the The Advocate.
• John Pennington of Mr. SEC does some blind tournament comparisons.
• Cam Newton with still plenty to prove as Auburn holds Pro Day, reports Andy Bitter of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.
• Georgia outfielder involved in collision has surgery, reports Seth Emerson of the Macon Telegraph.

(AP photo)

SEC links for Friday:

- Tennessee holds off South Carolina 73-69, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel. The Vols are now 8-7 in the SEC, with Kentucky coming to Knoxville on Sunday.

- Road games aren’t the problem for Tennessee, points out Mike Strange of the News-Sentinel. Tennessee finished 5-3 in SEC play on the road. The Vols are 3-4 at home.

- Tobias Harris scored a career-high 25 points in the Tennessee win, reports Patrick Brown of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. ”Tobias finished around the basket,” said UT coach Bruce Pearl afterward. “Tobias rebounded the ball in traffic. He was the only guy in there that had any kind of size – any kind of physical presence. That’s one of his best games. I played him at a lot of center. And as a freshman he’s a winner.”

- Shell-shocked Gamecocks can’t dig out of hole, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier. Sam Muldrow did score a career-high 24 points on his Senior Night for South Carolina.

- Auburn lost more than $600,000 on its BCS championship game appearance, reports Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News. That’s the dirty little secret about bowl games. For the teams, the game itself is not a money-making proposition.

- John Bond says the Cam Newton tape is a fake, reports Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News. I’m not sure I care much about this, or know who to believe.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Tennessee tunes up for UK with win in Columbia’