John Clay's Sidelines

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes on Devan Downey: ” After leading South Carolina to an unprecedented three straight victories over Kentucky, Devan Downey has a good idea of the bad reception he’ll receive in Rupp Arena on Thursday night. ‘I’m pretty sure I’m going to get a not-too-warm welcome,’ he said with comedic understatement on Tuesday. ‘I know it’s all in fun. But I’ve gotten my share of hate mail and Facebook messages from Kentucky fans.’”

My column about how UK is nationall ranked in several sports: “I mentioned in Monday’s column that UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart had gotten one right in hiring Matthew Mitchell to head the women’s basketball program after Mickie DeMoss’s surprising resignation. Also wrote, “And that’s not the only one.” I wasn’t kidding.”

Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News shows DeAndre Liggins some love: “Let’s hear it for Kentucky’s DeAndre Liggins, who began the season outside John Calipari’s good graces and is ending it as an essential member of a title contender.”

Tom Leach makes John Wall’s case: “Kentucky’s John Wall was the early favorite to win some or all of college basketball’s player-of-the-year awards but Ohio State’s Evan Turner is coming on strong. If you make your choice based on numbers, then Turner’s case is as strong or stronger than Wall’s. But if you base it on impact, that’s where I think Wall gets the edge and Saturday’s 58-56 win at Vanderbilt was a good example of why.”

Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel on the bond shared by Matthew Mitchell and Pat Summitt: “The UK women’s basketball coaching staff is comprised of UK employees, but they all were Volunteers at one time. UK head coach Matthew Mitchell and his assistant coaches Kyra Elzy, Matt Insell and Shalon Pillow all share, in an ironic twist, a connection to one of UK’s most-hated rivals: the Tennessee Volunteers.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK men prepare for USC; UK women prepare for UT’

SEC links for Monday:

• Does Pat Summitt have any more buttons to push, wonders John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Dan Fleser of the News-Sentinel on tonight’s Tennessee-LSU women’s game.
• LSU is ready for spring football practice to start Friday, reports Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.
• Seth Emerson of The State writes that rebuilding is the same old song for South Carolina men’s basketball.
• Ray FitzGerald of the Gainesville Sun reports on the Florida women’s upset of Georgia in basketball.
• Dave Hooker of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Florida schools are working to close the football recruiting border.
• Clarion-Ledger report on Vanderbilt women’s win at Ole Miss.
• Todd Grantham is no stranger to Georgia football, writes Loren Smith in the Athens Banner-Herald.
• Alabama Basketball Blog writes that the post-season door is closing on the Crimson Tide.
• Georgia basketball does show some numbers of hope, so writes the Georgia Sports Blog.

(AP photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

SEC links for Friday:

• The AJC reports that Rajaan Bennett’s community mourns the death of the Vanderbilt signee.
• With loss to Vanderbilt, Ole Miss continues its late-season fade writes David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports on Florida’s must-win win over Auburn.
• The State has video of the wives of South Carolina coaches, who dressed up for a cause.
• It was a weird night for the Gators writes the Sun’s Pat Dooley.
• Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger writes that Rebels are now in a tough spot.
• Chris Talbott of the AP covers the Vandy win in Oxford.
• Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Pat Summitt thought team “disrespected the game of basketball” in Lady Vols win at Alabama.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Community mourns death of Vandy signee’

SEC links for Sunday:

Pete Thamel of the New York Times reports on the Tennessee hostess scandal: “Also on Friday, Keith Easterwood, a veteran summer basketball coach, said that on a visit last year with his son, a football recruit, he had to ask a hostess to stop brushing her breasts against both him and his son. He recalled saying, ‘Young lady, if you don’t stop doing that, we’ve got a problem.’”

Andy Staples of SI.com has incriminating evidence on the Vols: “After Byrnes High finished its 60-7 route of Gaffney on Sept. 25 in Duncan, S.C., people poured out of the stands to celebrate the victory. On the field, Rebels star defensive ends Corey Miller and Brandon Willis mugged for the cameras with a pair of young women who seemed overdressed for a high school football game played in the rain. The women’s names were Lacey Earps and Dahra Johnson, and both are members of Orange Pride, a student group that provides hosts for football recruits at the University of Tennessee.”

Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News on Mark Ingram winning the Heisman: “The biggest myth in Alabama football history used to be Forrest Gump. And then Mark Ingram ran from Atlanta to Atlanta and didn’t stop until he reached New York. The sophomore steadily and single-handedly shattered a bigger myth.You know the one. It says Alabama doesn’t care about the Heisman Trophy.”

Edward Ashcoff of the Gainesville Sun reports that Charlie Strong’s exit is hurting Florida’s recruiting: “Losing Charlie Strong as a defensive coordinator certainly puts Florida in a bind, but it also changes a few of Florida’s recruiting tactics. Strong was known for his ability to develop linebackers throughout his career, but he was also instrumental in recruiting each of them. With him gone – and no predecessor named – Florida could feel a bit of a sting in recruiting on the defensive side of the ball.”

Continue reading ‘SEC links: More hostess allegations at Tennessee’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Ian Rapoport of the Birmingham News reports on Nick Saban’s visit to Southern Cal.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun has compiled the Florida football arrest list.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger writes that Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt can live with new football signee rule.
• Maurice Patton of the Tennessean reports on Vandy pitcher Mike Minor going to Atlanta in first round of MLB draft.
• Scott Hotard of The Advocate writes on LSU second baseman L.J. LeMahieu.
• Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register writes that Gene Chizik claims there are no problems between coaching staff and Auburn administration.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Saban visits USC; Nutt can live with rule’

SEC links for Monday:

• Birmingham News columnist Ray Melick writes that new NCAA rule makes bad choices easier.
• Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on Tennessee event honoring Pat Summitt.
• Doug Robertson of the AJC points out 11 football players likely to have impact in SEC, ACC.
• Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News reports on Ole Miss’ baseball sweep of Auburn.
• Neil White of The State reports on South Carolina’s sweep of Vanderbilt.
• In The Advocate, Robbie Neiswanger reports on LSU’s 4-3 Sunday win at Arkansas.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: New NCAA rule makes bad choices easier’

SEC links for Friday:

• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on Tennessee clinching a share of the SEC East title, plus the No. 1 seed.
• Griffith also reports that UT’s Tyler Smith is considering returning for his senior season.
• News-Sentinel columnist Mike Strange writes that suddenly Tennessee is looking like a champion.
• Seth Emerson of The State reports that Tennessee simply ran away from South Carolina.
• State columnist Ron Morris writes that Tennessee proved good to the last dunk.
• Mark Schlabach of espn.com writes on Tennessee’s recovery.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Vols clinch top seed in SEC East’

SEC links for Friday:

• The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on SEC reprimanding Lane Kiffin for calling Urban Meyer a cheater.
• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel calls Lane Kiffin a “big buffoon.”
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun reports on the Kiffin-Meyer recruiting controversy.
• The Sun also has the scathing statement from UF athletics boss Jeremy Foley.
• Sun columnist Pat Dooley writes that Kiffin is too new to stir up trouble in tough SEC.
• Memphis Commercial-Appeal columnist Geoff Calkins on Kiffin’s joke of the day.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Dan Fleser reports on Pat Summitt’s 1,000th win.
• News-Sentinel columnist John Adams on Summitt’s new contract.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Summitt’s smile is worth 1,000 wins.
• Maurice Patton of the Tennessean reports on Vandy’s win over Alabama.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Evan Woodbery reports that Auburn coach Jeff Lebo is too busy to worry about job security.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports on Dan Mullen’s new coordinators at Mississippi State.

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.