John Clay's Sidelines

SEC links for Monday:

• Expansion delayed, not dead, writes Cecil Hurt of Tuscaloosa News.
• A Q&A on SEC expansion, from Mr. SEC.
• SEC waiting on a Texas A&M-Big 12 divorce, says Dr. Saturday.
• Will decision deter Aggies? asks ESPN’s Ivan Maisel.
• Ellington making seamless transition, writes Andrew Miller of Post-Courier.
• Underrated feels just fine to Auburn fans, says Anniston Star’s Joe Medley.
• Rick Cleveland of C-L writes on Ole Miss’ $150 million athletics fund drive.
• Former MSU athlete dealing with broken neck, reports Brad Locke of Daily Journal.
• David Climer of Tennessean writes on Derek Dooley and Old School English.

Continue reading ‘SEC: League expansion not dead yet, just delayed’

SEC links for Friday:

• SEC predictions not getting Auburn down
• Auburn football keeps winning while others keep wondering
• Rumors keep swirling around Auburn
• Chizik is going to have to keep hearing the stories
• There are some harsh realities with NCAA’s no-man’s land
• Chizik cool under fire at SEC Media Days
• One columnist thought Chizik was chairman of the bored

Continue reading ‘SEC: Rumors continue to follow Auburn football’

Steve Spurrier (AP photo)

Around here, the big news out of the SEC Spring Meetings was the coaches’ recommendation to scrap division formats.

But in Destin, site of the meetings, the intriguing news was produced by Steve Spurrier’s proposal to pay players $300 a game.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive was cool to the idea, and NCAA president Mark Emmertt labeled it a non-starter. Still, especially in light of what is going on at Ohio State, expect to hear a lot more on the issue.

Click on the continue line for today’s SEC links:

Continue reading ‘SEC: Spurrier’s pay-the-players idea spurs debate’

SEC links for Monday:

• Tennessee donors lashed out at Tennessee administration leading up to Bruce Pearl firing, reports Megan Boehnke of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Warrants issued in Georgia locker room thefts, reports Howard Pousner of the AJC.
• After taking two of three from Vandy, South Carolina baseball may be back to No. 1, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Florida beats Georgia 14-7 to take rubber game of series, reports Roger Clarkson of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• LSU salvages third game of baseball series with Auburn with 3-2 win, reports Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Mississippi State gets one win over Arkansas, reports the Clarion-Ledger.
• Arkansas can’t get the sweep over the Bulldogs, writes Bobby Swofford of the Arkansas News.
• It has been a tough spring for the followers of LSU sports, writes Scott Hotard of The Advocate.
• Alabama’s defense is back to its old ways, writes Michael Casagrande of the Anniston Star.
• Georgia’s Hutson Mason faces a sticky situation, writes Seth Emerson of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Tennessee donors lashed out at administration’

(AP photo/Wade Payne)

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Tennessee loses its third straight, this time to Kevin O’Neill and Southern Cal, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Tennessee left looking for answers, writes Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Vols see their skid extended, writes Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Renardo Sidney suspended by Mississippi State, reports Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Three-point barrage helps Alabama beat Lipscomb 71-51, reports Tommy Deas of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Frankie Sullivan leads Auburn past USC-Upstate 68-54, reports Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Vanderbilt heats up to beat Middle Tennessee, writes Tom Kraeger for the Tennessean.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Tennessee basketball is free falling’

SEC links for Thursday:

• Cramps put a damper on Renardo Sidney’s debut at Mississippi State, reports Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Arkansas hands Mississippi Valley State another loss, reports Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.
• South Florida knocks off Auburn 61-49 at the Sun Dome, reports Adam Adkins of the Tampa Tribune.
• Alabama whips SE Louisiana 59-38, reports Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Maryland supporters wonder what James Franklin is thinking with regards to Vandy job, writes Jeff Barker of the Baltimore Sun.
• Georgia tight end chosen as lone student commencement speaker, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC.
• Derek Dooley tweaks Luke Stocker’s bowl prep plan, writes Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Auburn OC Gus Malzahn waiting for right time, right place to be a head coach, reports John Zenor of the AP.
• LSU looks to rebound from its loss to Coastal Carolina, reports Scott Rabalais of The Advocate.
• Lady Vols to undergo some lineup changes after loss, reports Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Cramps hamper Sidney’s debut at Miss St’

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Lexington Herald-Leader photo gallery from Saturday’s game.

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Missed chances lead Kentucky to fall to Tennessee for 26th straight year, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• My column saying the Cats flubbed a season for the taking.
• Tennessee’s hold on Kentucky remains unbreakable, writes Mark Story of the H-L.
• The Vols make it 26 and counting, writes Matt May of the Cats Pause.
• Goal-line fumble gave Tennessee new life, writes Michael Grant of the Courier-Journal.
• Tennessee again plays Orange crush with the Cats, writes Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Tom Leach says it was a case of lost opportunity for the Cats.
• Randall Cobb faces big decision on future, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• A familiar feeling for the Cats, writes Jeff Drummond of Big Blue 247.
• Might Danny Trevathan be thinking about the NFL? wonders Tailgate Review.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Knocked down in Knoxville once again’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes that Urban Meyer should have sent a loud message about domestic violence.
• If Chris Rainey is cleared to play, he could be a focal point, writes Mike McCall of the Miami Herald.
• The Rainey situation reveals priorities, writes David Ching of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• Florida tinkering with its struggling offense, reports Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• This is the week Georgia’s defense needs to step up, writes Jeff Schultz of the AJC.
• Derek Dooley was in one foul mood after Tuesday’s practice, reports Andrew Gribble of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Steve Spurrier has backed off his play-calling duties, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Alabama’s Julio Jones is not letting pain affect the way he plays, reports Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Ole Miss gets the next shot at slowing Cameron Newton, writes Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger.
• But that will be a tough task for the Rebels, reports Parrish Alford of the NE Mississippi Daily News.

Roy Skinner and Adolph Rupp (Photo Vanderbilt athletics)

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Roy Skinner, a Paducah native and the winningest basketball coach in Vanderbilt history, has died, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Derek Dooley compares Tennessee to Germans awaiting American invasion, reports Andrew Gribble of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Auburn not ready to say its defensive problems are fixed, writes Charles Bennett of the Anniston Star.
• Gus Malzahn making most of his shot at Auburn, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• Alabama-Auburn could be a historic Iron Bowl, writes Paul Finebaum for the Mobile Press-Register.
• Better practice, better performance in games, says Urban Meyer, reports Edward Aschoff of the Gainesville Sun.
• Jeff Schultz of the AJC has an early Georgia-Florida primer.
• Ole Miss looking for a stretch run just like 2008, reports Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Vanderbilt changing offensive coordinators, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• LSU turns focus to Alabama, writes Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.

(AP photo/Wade Payne)

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Reality is a bummer for Tennessee fans, writes John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• After seven years together, Nick Saban and Derek Dooley face off Saturday, reports Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Alabama players are feeling their SEC schedule, writes Michael Casagrande of the Anniston Star.
• Les Miles calls Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton “one of a kind,” reports Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• LSU is sticking with its two-quarterback system, writes Scott Rabalais of The Advocate.
• Urban Meyer is missing Dan Mullen, writes Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Mullen has Mississippi State on the fast track, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• The fall of the Gators starts with Urban Meyer, writes George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel.
• It’s back to the drawing board for South Carolina, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is improving, reports Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.