John Clay's Sidelines

Dan Werner

SEC links:

• Former Florida Gator basketball player Dan Werner offered a plea deal, reports Rachel George of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Georgia and Georgia Tech are battling over hoops prospect, reports Michael Carvell of the AJC.
• Stephen Garcia has a chance at being back at South Carolina, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Arkansas’ Marshawn Powell undergoes surgery on left foot, reports Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.
• LSU to unveil bronze statue of Shaquille O’Neal, reports Jim Kleinpeter of the Times-Picayune.
• Auburn’s Gene Chizik has a book on the horizon, reports Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News.
• Auburn AD says he’s confident in Cam Newton case, reports John Zenor of the Associated Press.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Werner offered plea; Garcia may be back at USC’

Mark Richt (AP photo)

Normally, Georgia football coach Mark Richt is calm, laid-back guy. But a speaking appearance on Thursday in Macon, the head coach grew a little hot under the collar after a question/complaint from a fan.

The fan was critical of Georgia’s running game and the play-calling of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.

An excerpt from Michael A. Lough’s story in the Macon Telegraph:

“I’ll tell you this, and you’re certainly close to an expert in football, I’m sure you are,” Georgia’s head football coach said as the 250-plus fans at the Macon stop of the Bulldog Club tour Thursday night at the Walnut Creek Shooting Preserve began to create a buzz.
And he dissected all of the elements that lead to a good running game, and then he noted that a team has to do more than just run the ball to win.

“I’ve seen teams throw the ball and win the national championship; I’ve seen teams run the ball and win the national championship,” Richt said. “Believe me, you can win the SEC doing it more than one way. Steve Spurrier, when he was at Florida, he chunked the ball, and he won how many SECs?”

And then the temperature rose a little bit more.

“I see your frustration, I understand your frustration,” Richt said, politely but sternly. “I wasn’t born yesterday, I’ve coached football for 25 years, so I know what the hell I’m doing, OK?”

Richt later apologized for using the word “hell” in his response.

(AP photo)

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Pelphrey answers growing criticism, reports Robbie Neiswanger of Arkansas News.
• Florida could be without Parsons at LSU, reports Kevin Brockway of Gainesville Sun.
• Parsons could be out indefinitely, reports Mike DiRocco of the Florida Times-Union.
• South Carolina wins on Clowney Day, reports Barry Byers of the Rock Hill Herald.
• South Carolina students thrilled with choice, writes Jason Chisari of Rock Hill Herald.
• Clowney avoids father’s obstacles, writes Ron Morris of The State.
• Does South Carolina now own SEC East? asks Jeff Schultz of the AJC.
• Clowney exposes recruiting process, reports Thayer Evans for Fox Sports.
• Clowney’s impact stretches beyond field, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• UT safety allegedly tried to strangle woman, reports Austin Ward of News-Sentinel.
• Defense wins close ones in SEC, says Mike Herndon of Mobile Press-Register.
• Injury keeps Goins out at Tennessee, reports Mike Griffith of the News-Sentinel.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Pelphrey answers growing criticism at Arkansas’

Around the SEC on a Friday morning:

Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on Tennessee’s 69-56 win at Auburn. The Vols did not have Scotty Hopson, out with a sprained ankle. But that was no problem. Griffith: “Tennessee showed its resiliency once again. The Auburn men’s basketball team continued to exhibit ineptitude. The Vols, missing their head coach and leading scorer, dominated from start to finish in a 69-56 men’s basketball victory Thursday night before a crowd of 6,274 at Auburn Arena.”

Mike Strange of the News-Sentinel writes that Tennessee threw it weights around on the road. Strange: “For the second consecutive game the Vols steamrolled an SEC West opponent on the road. The margin was 17 points at Ole Miss on Saturday. Both were welcome developments for Tony Jones, whose job filling in for suspended Bruce Pearl has grown progressively less ulcer-inducing.”

The Vols are now 5-2 in the SEC, second behind first-place Florida at 6-2. Kentucky is 4-3.

The AP reports that an SEC school complained to commissioner Mike Slive about Alabama’s signing day webcam. “Web photos on what Alabama calls its “Fax Cam” showed an unidentified female student in a short, slitted skirt standing next to the fax machine and a board where names of each confirmed signee were posted as they arrived. The student is a Crimson Cabaret dancer who works in the football offices and was wearing her uniform. The dance team performed at halftime of the men’s basketball game Wednesday night, which tipped off some seven hours after the signing day Web cam went offline.”

Brad Locke of the NE Mississippi Daily Journal reports on the continuing circus that is Mississippi State basketball. Locke: “Rick Stansbury is muting his players’ voices on the social network. Mississippi State’s basketball coach announced Thursday that all players have been banned from using Twitter, the micro-blogging site that senior Ravern Johnson used to express his frustration after the Bulldogs’ 75-61 loss to Alabama on Wednesday. On his Twitter page, Johnson wrote that he understood why players transfer – a reference to the departures of Elgin Bailey and Twany Beckham – and criticized Stansbury’s coaching.”

The guess here would be that after everything that has happened this year in Starkville, Stansbury is on very thin ice.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Tennessee picks up win; Trouble at Alabama, MSU’

Charlie Weis taking his schematic advantage to Florida. (AP photo)

SEC links for Monday:

• Jeff Lockridge: Vanderbilt men overcome injuries to demolish Davidson 80-52.
• Kyle Veazey: Ole Miss escapes SE Louisiana’s upset bid, 68-59.
• AP: Virginia beats LSU men’s basketball team 64-50.
• Kevin Brockway: Billy Donovan and Gators determined to avoid letdown vs. Rutgers.
• Dan Fleser: Tennessee women use depth to win at LSU, 73-65.
• Tom Dienhart: D could still be the key in BCS title game.
• Ron Higgins: Arkansas defense wants to shut down Terrelle Pryor.
• Mike Bianchi: So long Urban Meyer, wish we could say we will miss you.
• David Jones: Will Muschamp’s first Florida staff starting to take shape.
• Jason Lieser: Chiefs confirm that Charlie Weis will join Florida coaching staff.
• Matt Hinton: Now Weis has the keys to the Florida offense.
• Post and Courier: Tori Gurley says he is leaving South Carolina for NFL draft.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Weis headed to Florida; Vandy, Ole Miss men win’

(Hat tip All Kentucky Hoops)

MSU players Renardo Sidney and Elgin Bailey fight in stands in Hawaii. (AP photo)

SEC links for Friday:

• MSU teammates Renardo Sidney and Elgin Bailey fight in stands, reports the AP.
• Sidney scores 19 in Mississippi State’s win over San Diego, reports the Clarion-Ledger.
• Scotty Hopson’s drive gives Tennessee a 66-65 win over Belmont, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Some timely holiday cheer just what Tennessee needed, writes Mike Strange of the News-Sentinel.
• Georgia hangs on to beat Mercer 56-53, reports Michael Lough of the Macon Telegraph.
• Colorado State holds off Ole Miss 68-61, reports the AP.
• Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News writes that Ohio State ruling by NCAA makes no sense.
• NCAA meets world, and world laughs again, writes Joe Medley of the Anniston Star.
• LSU awaiting NCAA’s response on Ridley, reports Scott Rabalais of The Advocate.
• Mark Richt on the hot seat at Georgia, writes Iliana Limon of the Orlando Sentinel.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Video of Mississippi St players fighting in stands’

(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 Monday:

• Auburn takes No. 1 BCS rankings spot from Oregon, reports Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Regsiter.
• Two SEC division winners were not the picks at the beginning, writes Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
• Auburn hopes playing South Carolina again will turn out twice as nice, writes Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• South Carolina playing some of its best football going into title game, reports Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Florida knocks off Florida State in basketball, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that bowl trips can sometimes go bad.
• Urban Meyer says Florida’s rebuilding project begins now, writes Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• Houston Nutt denies reports linking him to Colorado job, reports the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
• Mark Richt says he has no interest in Miami opening, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC.
• For every Iron Bowl winner there is a loser, writes Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Tennessee

SEC links for Thursday:

• Scotty Hopson scores 18 to send Tennessee to NIT final, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• LSU basketball whips Centenary 78-36, reports Scott Rabalais of The Advocate.
• John Pelphrey must overcome attedance apathy at Arkansas, says John Pennington of Mr. SEC.
• Mark Bradley of the AJC takes his annual look at Georgia and Georgia Tech fans.
• Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal gives thanks for a plate of SEC treats.
• Auburn is undefeated, and the underdog, writes Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Mississippi State leader has a vocal critic in his wife, writes Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Gus Malzahn’s main focus is perfecting the Auburn offense, reports Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Florida quarterback visits his namesake baby in hospital, reports Rachel George of the Orlando Sentinel.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Vols play big in Big Apple; Pelphrey problems’

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Thayer Evans of Fox Sports reports that Cameron Newton left Florida after an academic cheating scandal.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News says there are holes in earlier Newton scandal story.
• Tennessee basketball loses to Indianapolis in exhibition basketball game, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Alabama basketball has to go double overtime to beat Alabama-Huntsville in an exhibition game, reports Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that Georgia and Mark Richt return to Auburn, but nothing is the same.
• Florida has totally transformed, writes Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun.
• Ron Morris of The State writes on the five most important games in South Carolina’s history.
• Steve Spurrier says it’s time for some changes, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Les Miles has become must-see TV, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• Alabama football looking to bounce back after loss to LSU, writes Michael Casagrande of the Anniston Star.