John Clay's Sidelines

For today’s SEC links, Kentucky-Tennessee isn’t the only SEC basketball game on tap tonight. There is an important one in Fayetteville where Arkansas (3-3 in league play) meets Vanderbilt (5-1). Road wins have been few and far between in the league this year. Vanderbilt has two of them, beating South Carolina 67-57 in Columbia and Alabama 69-59 in Tuscaloosa. The Hogs and ‘Dores start at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

Meanwhile, it’s the eve of a southern holiday, national letter-of-intent day for college football. LSU got a big commitment Monday, and by big we mean a Jared Lorenzen-sized quarterback out of Mississippi. Arkansas is still in the hunt for the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Dorial Green-Beckham, a wide receiver out of Missouri.

Signing day is Wednesday.

Continue reading ‘SEC: On signing day eve, Hogs-Vandy a big one in hoops’

(AP photo)

SEC links for Thursday:

• Tennessee players tweet they want black jerseys for Halloween
• Auburn would like to finish grueling October with 3-2 record
• Auburn offense missing injured wide receiver Emory Blake
• Georgia’s Malcolm Mitchell now doubtful for Florida game
• Ranking the best in the Georgia-Florida football rivalry
• Georgia’s Cornelius Washington trying to put DUI arrest behind him
• Only something shocking would prevent Florida’s John Brantley from starting
• Gators simplifying their defensive playbook with Georgia up next
• South Carolina’s Bruce Ellington battling a slight hamstring injury
• Arkansas’ wide receivers are looking for more
• Vanderbilt coach doesn’t want any part of bowl discussion
• Ole Miss has a bad case of the second-half blues
• Alabama and LSU pacing themselves before showdown Nov. 5
• Pat Summitt welcomes yet another colleague at Tennessee
• Only time will tell if Renardo Sidney has changed for the better
• NCAA poised to make sweeping changes

Renardo Sidney

In his five for the weekend column, CBS Sports’ Garry Parrish expresses some doubt on the subject of Renardo Sidney and Mississippi State.

After all, it was announced this week that the troubled big fellow would not be joining the Bulldogs on their overseas pre-season trip. Then again, Sidney managed to get himself into trouble — i.e. a fight in the stands with a teammate — the last time Rick Stansbury’s team left the main 48.

Parrish excerpt:

3. So will Sidney play for Mississippi State this season?

According to Stansbury, that’s still the plan. But at this point it’s reasonable to be skeptical. The whole Sidney-to-Mississippi State story has been a circus from the start and there’s no reason to think it won’t end that way, too. Put another way, it won’t end well. That’s my prediction. It just won’t end well and Stansbury will end up regretting ever enrolling the troubled prospect — that is if he doesn’t regret it already.

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’

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Some trustees say Todd should have consulted them, reports the Herald-Leader.
• Reaction says ESPN is insane with use of SkyCam, writes Awful Announcing.
• Kentucky fans go after Renardo Sidney, says WLEX’s Alan Cutler.
• Cats get much-needed win over Mississippi State, writes Jerry Tipton of the H-L.
• Kentucky runs by State 85-79, writes Will Graves for the AP.
• Stansbury’s missteps send Cats on their way to win, says my game column.
• Controversial first-half ending gives UK momentum, writes C-L’s Brandon Marcello.
• State falls apart in the second half, writes Brad Locke of the Daily Journal.
• Doron Lamb bounces back, writes Matt May of the Cats Pause.
• Loss spoils homecoming for State’s Benock, says Chuck Jones of News-Enterprise.
• Wyoming hires search firm that brought Billy G. to UK, blogs All Ky Hoops.
• Steve Brown staying put for now, says Bleed Blue Kentucky.

Continue reading ‘ESPN’s DizzyCam, Sidney’s cell, Steve Brown, more BBL’

Renardo Sidney

He sat out the entire 2009-10 season because of an NCAA investigation into whether or not he received illegal benefits while in high school. After the NCAA determined that he had in fact received benefits, he had to sit out the first part of this season. Then, when he returned, he was suspended again for behavior detrimental to the team.

And then, oh yeah, Renardo Sidney got into a fistfight with a teammate in the stands while Mississippi State was playing in a tournament in Hawaii.

But Sidney has a tremendous amount of basketball potential, which is surely why he was suspended just two more games for the fight, and why he is still on the State basketball team. He has shown flashes of that this SEC season, but has not been very consistent. The good news for Sidney, he is working on a string of three straight double-digit rebound games. The bad news for Sidney, he’s out of shape, and has played 30+ minutes in just three of his 10 SEC games.

If on, he’ll give Kentucky problems tonight. If off, the Cats should win in a romp.

(AP photo)

SEC links for Monday:

• Auburn falls behind 22-3 and loses 85-65 at Mississippi State, reports Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Ravern Johnson breaks out of scoring slump with 21 points for State, reports Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Renardo Sidney adds 15 points for the Bulldogs, reports David Brandt of the AP.
• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun ranks LSU as No. 1 in college football for 2011.
• LSU’s search for an offensive coordinator heats up, reports Glenn Guilbeau of the Shreveport Times.
• Tennessee knows that Georgia’s Trey Thompkins is a challenge, reports Patrick Brown of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Vols are preparing for “hostile” Georgia.

• Injury and mother’s death are weighing on Vandy’s Andre Walker, writes Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.

Continue reading ‘SEC: State whips lowly Auburn; LSU No. 1 for 2011?’

(AP photo)

SEC links for Friday:

• Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney combine for 49 points as Mississippi State wins at Ole Miss 69-64, reports Brandon Marcell of the Clarion-Ledger.
• After winning the BCS title, Cameron Newton decides to enter the NFL draft, reports Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser. No surprise there. Now we will know when the receives the money.
• NCAA president calls for closing of the Newton loophole at convention, reports Paul Weber of the AP.
• Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee could be next head coach at Tulsa, reports the Arkansas News.
• LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton leaves for Maryland, reports Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.
• Vanderbilt center Festus Ezeli has been delivering in a key role, writes David Climer of the Tennessean.
• Trey Thompkins is leading Georgia’s resurgence, writes Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Mississippi State gets Sidney to come through’

(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’

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’