John Clay's Sidelines

Clips from the post-game press conferences of Kentucky coach John Calipari and Georgia coach Mark Fox after UK’s 66-60 win over the Bulldogs.

(H-L photo)

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Jennifer Smith: Kentucky women’s road woes continue with loss at Arkansas.
• Jerry Tipton: Kentucky represents a reality check for Georgia basketball.
• Jeff Schultz: Mark Fox succeeding in changing the basketball culture at Georgia.
• Brett Dawson: Trey Thompkins is leading Georgia’s rise in hoops.
• Jeff Goodman: NCAA to rule on Enes Kanter’s appeal.
• Mike DeCourcy: The appeal on Kanter was scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday.
• Chip Cosby: Danny Trevathan is no longer able to avoid the spotlight.
• Mark Story: If Randall Cobb opts for NFL draft, then more competition awaits.
• Michael Grant: UK defense banking on Trevathan for key defensive stops.
• Matt May: Kentucky’s keys to beating Pittsburgh in BBVA Compass Bowl.
• Larry Vaught: Humble Morgan Newton seems ready for bowl game.
• Eric Lindsey: Suspended Mike Hartline shows his support at UK’s bowl game.
• Paul Ziese: Pittsburgh’s interim coach expected to become DC at Baylor.
• Bill Brink: Injuries create openings for several Pittsburgh players.
• Aaron Smith: A Kentucky-Georgia basketball preview.
• Keith Taylor: Georgia won’t be an easy task for Calipari’s Cats.
• Jeff Drummond: Joker Phillips pleased with Kentucky’s practices.
• Straitpinkie: Kentucky’s five keys in SEC basketball play.
• Nation of Blue: How is Darius Miller like Katy Perry?
• Wildcat Blue Nation: Will the Man-God Randall Cobb return to Kentucky?

SEC links for Friday:

• Johnny O’Bryant, power forward ranked No. 13 by ESPNU, commits to LSU basketball, reports Scott Hotard of The Advocate.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Auburn fans should thank Lane Kiffin.
• Urban Meyer deserves to be booed, not Steve Addazio, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Cameron Newton and Ryan Mallett square off in Auburn-Arkansas matchup, reports Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News.
• Chris Low of espn.com centers on the league’s five best offensive linemen.
• Having A.J. Green on the field has given Georgia a boost, writes David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Vanderbilt getting some of its stars back, reports Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Jeremiah Masoli has brought an Oregon style to Oxford, writes Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Mark Fox has Georgia basketball concentrating on defense, writes Roger Clarkson of the Athens Banner-Herald.

SEC links for Sunday:

• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes that SEC should drop Vanderbilt for Central Florida.
• Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher rips ex-Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
• Joe Biddle of the Tennessean writes about the internet problems at the SEC Media Days.
• South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia is primed for a breakout season, writes Ron Morris of The State.
• Touted quarterback Raymond Cotton has left Ole Miss, reports David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Ole Miss thin at quarterback after Cotton’s departure, writes Parrish Alford of the NE Mississippi Daily Journal.
• Mark Fox is taking Georgia basketball up a notch, writes Roger Clarkson of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• LSU excited about returning to the Georgia Dome, reports Scott Hotard of The Advocate.
• Mark McCarter of the Huntsville Times writes that Nick Saban has insulted pimps everywhere.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News thinks this will be Saban’s most important season.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Should conference give Vanderbilt the boot?’

SEC links for Monday:

• NCAA is investigating South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders, Steve Spurrier confirms, reports Joseph Person of The State.

• College football season ticket sales are slumping at some schools, reports Person of The State.

• The SEC has built a dynasty in college football, writes Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News.

• Georgia basketball coach Mark Fox has landed a top-flight recruit, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.

• Cameron Newton will heighten expectations at Auburn, writes Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.

• David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that it’s a new year, whole new ballgame for SEC.

• Twenty questions for SEC Football Media Days, asked by Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun.

• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that at Tennessee, it’s a hot hire or a hot seat.

• Vanderbilt must rebuild its offensive line, reports Jeremy Acre of the Tennessean.

• More on the Saunders investigation from Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Season ticket sales slumping at some schools’

SEC links for Tuesday:

• South Carolina just one win one away from NCAA baseball title, reports Neil White of The State.

• Top Tennessee basketball prospect cuts list to Florida, Alabama, Vandy and Memphis, reports Chip Cirillo of the Tennessean.

• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports that MSU guard Dee Bost is looking for slack from the NCAA.

• Ole Miss has released a list of new mascot ideas.

• Carolina pitcher Blake Cooper finds way to ruin the Bruins, writes Ron Morris of The State.

• UCLA digs itself a hole in CWS final, reports Shandel Richardson of the Los Angeles Times.

• Cooper strikes out 10 in eight innings, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.

• Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger thinks its puzzling how Phil Turner and Rick Stansbury failed to connect.

• SEC basketball coaches pondering early scholarship offers, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.

• Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News reports that Anthony Grant is comfortable with current Bama basketball roster.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: South Carolina one win away from NCAA title’

SEC links for Thursday:

• Former Kentucky commitment K.C. Ross-Miller signs with LSU, reports Gary Laney of The Advocate.

• Matt Sims grew up after leaving Louisville, not a punk anymore, reports Dave Hooker of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

• Mike Griffith of the News-Sentinel reports that Bruce Pearl has been taking some shots at Vanderbilt.

• Having lost out on Brandon Knight and Ray McCallum, Florida turns its attention to other guard prospects, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.

• Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel thinks Knight would have been a good fit with the Gators.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Ex-UK commitment Miller signs with LSU’

Mark Fox

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader reports that John Calipari isn’t saying slump: “So when does Kentucky’s poor three-point shooting – 12-for-73 in the last four games and next to last among Southeastern Conference teams through 14 league games – go from a “spell” to a “slump” to a “problem?” ‘It becomes a problem if you’re losing a bunch of games in a row because of it,’ Calipari said.”

Mark Bradley of the AJC thinks Georgia’s Mark Fox is the SEC Coach of the Year: “Coach of the year awards don’t always go to those who win their conferences, but seldom are they bestowed on someone who enters the final days of the regular season tied for last in a division. I speak here of Mark Fox, and he should be the exception. He should be the SEC’s coach of the year.”

John Gasaway of Basketball Prospectus thinks Fox should get national honors: “Now that it’s March you’ll see a flurry of awards being bestowed and disputed. I decided to get in on the ground floor. First-year Georgia head coach Mark Fox is my choice as 2010 national coach of the year. Over the past four years no unit, offense or defense, has improved year-to-year as much in major-conference play as the Georgia offense has this year.”

Jennifer Smith of the H-L on UK women’s post-season awards sweep: “But after the program swept all of the major SEC awards on Tuesday afternoon, it’s probably safe to say that won’t happen again next season. In a vote of conference coaches announced by the league on Tuesday, UK Coach Matthew Mitchell claimed coach of the year, and junior Victoria Dunlap was named player of the year. A’dia Mathies was honored as freshman of the year.”

Tim Tucker of the AJC writes that Kentucky will test Georgia’s home streak: “The Bulldogs wrap up their home schedule Wednesday night against Kentucky in Stegeman Coliseum, which has turned into quite the home-court advantage this season. Georgia is 12-3 in Stegeman, including victories over three nationally ranked opponents (Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Vanderbilt) and all four SEC East opponents to visit thus far (Tennessee, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Florida).”

Meanwhile, here’s more video of John Calipari talking to the media on Tuesday:

Continue reading ‘BBL: Is Georgia’s Mark Fox the coach of the year?’

(AP photo/Tricia Spaulding)

SEC links for Friday:

• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports from Fayetteville on Florida’s victory over the Razorbacks.
• Chris Low of espn.com reports that Mississippi State acknowledges strip club visit.
• Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports from Athens on Lady Vols loss to Georgia.
• Ivan Maisel of espn.com names Urban Meyer the coach of the decade.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Lane Kiffin was a good fit for bad SEC hire.
• Deadspin gets in on the Kiffin sewage plant story.
• Jeff Schultz of the AJC writes that if you don’t believe in Mark Fox, get out of the way.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Tommy Hicks writes that Tim Tebow must prove himself again at the Senior Bowl.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Georgia women take first place in SEC’

Lane Kiffin

SEC links for Friday:

• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Lane Kiffin needs zero tolerance.
• Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Fress Press writes about the Tennessee robbery.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Jack Lall writes that Tennessee’s building process is arrested for the moment.
• Kelly Whiteside of USA Today writes on the relationship between Alabama’s Mark Ingram and his imprisioned father.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun reports that Florida still has concern for the Spurrier factor.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports that Gators will wear futuristic football uniforms.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC writes that it’s showtime for Mark Fox’s Georgia basketball Bulldogs.
• Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News writes that a new lineup tips off Auburn basketball.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate looks at LSU’s post-season football picture.
• Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that status quo is always in SEC danger.