John Clay’s Sidelines

Photo by Charles Bertram.

All kinds of reports and rumors this morning linking Tubby Smith with Auburn’s search for a basketball coach.

Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports claims Auburn is about to hire Smith: “Auburn is “close to hiring” Tubby Smith as its new basketball coach, a source that I trust told me Thursday night.”

Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News writes on the Tubby rumors: “People familiar with the search process say the university is willing to significantly increase what it has paid former coaches in order to attract someone with a proven record to replace Jeff Lebo, who was fired last Friday. A list of candidates includes coaches who could command high salaries, such as Minnesota’s Tubby Smith, who has SEC experience at Kentucky and Georgia.”

Smith’s Minnesota team, a No. 11 seed in the West Region, plays No. 6 seed Xavier today.

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes that UK football seasons have hinged on the Mississippi State game.
• Mark Story of the H-L writes about Rich Brooks’ record against the SEC West.
• Minneapolis Star-Tribune has note on the death of Tubby Smith’s father.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes about the Blackout.
• Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star writes on John Calipari’s salary, and the high salaries of others. (Hat tip to Walter’s Wildcat World.)
• Brian Rickerd of the State-Journal writes that UK football is better, but not quite there yet.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes on Darnell Dodson.
• Tom Leach has a video interview with Dodson.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Cats get ready for crucial football game’

Jimmy Williams

A coach who quit his job at Oklahoma State to join Tubby Smith at Minnesota, only to have the hired rejected by the university, is suing the former Kentucky coach.

Jimmy Williams left the OSU staff in 2007 to accept a Smith offer at Minnesota, only to have AD Joe Maturi turn down the hire because Williams was part of a Minnesota staff that committed NCAA violations in the 1970s.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune has this from the suit:

“Between March 30, 2007, and April 2, 2007, Smith did not disclose to Williams that his authority to hire him was anything but complete and final.”

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Chip Cosby of the H-L blogs on UK defensive tackle Myron Pryor being drafted by the New England Patriots.
• Jerry Tipton’s Sunday notebook leads with Jodie Meeks. (Didn’t get this link in yesterday.)
• Zagsblog talks to John Wall, who says he will cut his list to two or three teams by end of the week.
• Bluegrass State Basketball claims that Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks will withdraw from the NBA draft.
• Chris Fisher of Kentucky Ink talked to Brandon Knight, a top UK basketball target for 2010.
• Yardbarker has a note on Wall’s visit to Miami.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Wall to cut list; Patterson and Meeks returning?’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Jerry Tipton’s H-L blog has Tubby Smith defending the money UK is paying John Calipari.
• Tipton also reports that the recruiting landscape is shifting quickly.
• Mark Story writes on the Pitino-Calipari rivalry.
• Jeff McMurray of the AP reports that letter firing Billy Gillispie cites contract dispute.
• Rick Bailey reports that teammates and coaches are praising fullback John Conner.
• Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches has notes on Calipari’s first UK practice.
• Bloomberg News outlines the Calipari contract.
• C. Ray Hall of the Courier-Journal writes that there is a new shark in the Big Blue sea.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Practice and recruiting news in Cal’s first 48′

An excerpt from Myron P. Medcalf’s story this morning in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune on Minnesota and Tubby Smith reaching the NCAA Tournament:

What transpired following the announcement involved body slams and pop bottles flying in a frantic celebration, according to players.

“You see some teams get in at a spot that we could be at,” senior co-captain Jamal Abu-Shamala said. “When they called our name, it was one of the greatest feelings. We definitely went crazy.”

In the midst of it all was a coach who had been through it all many times before but was still nervous enough to block media from watching the announcement with his team.

“You could feel the energy in the room,” Gophers coach Tubby Smith said. “Just an explosion. And that usually happens.”

Hoops links for Friday:

• John Gasaway at Basketall Prospectus gives his all-underrated team, which includes Patrick Patterson. Gasaway: “The justifiable fuss over Jodie Meeks in Lexington this season has obscured what Patterson is doing: making his shots at an incredible rate. Meeks is so prominent in this offense that unless you look a little closer you might think Patterson’s a mere supporting player. In fact his role in the offense would be that of a featured player on any “normal” team without Meeks. In that role Patterson is incomparably efficient, taking care of the ball and making two out of every three shots from the field. A fair defensive rebounder and shot-blocker, Patterson is also a 78 percent free-throw shooter.” (Hat tip to A Sea of Blue.)

• The Herald-Leader’s Mike Fields talked to legendary girls’ basketball coach Roy Bowling on that 100-0 game in Texas. Fields: ““The first thing I told my wife was that that coach ought to be fired on the spot,” Bowling said. “You can beat somebody, but there’s no reason to rub their face in it.” Covenant Coach Micah Grimes was fired, but only after he refused to apologize. He said he saw no reason for remorse because his team played with “honor and integrity.” Bowling couldn’t believe that statement. “How much honor and integrity do you get out of winning a game like that?” he said. “All you’ve done is make a fool out of yourself.””

• Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis-Star Tribute writes on Minnesota’s amazing defensive effort in win over Illinois. Souhan: “Illinois came into the night with a 20-game winning streak over Minnesota, ranked 19th in the country and rising in the Big Ten. The Illini left wondering how they got beat by a group as deep, anonymous and defensive as the CIA, having scored fewer points than ever before in their history against the Gophers.”

• Terry Bannon of the Chicago Tribune has the loss from the Illinois’ point of view. Bannon: “Of more importance, the loss dropped the 19th-ranked Illini (17-4, 5-3) into a tie for fourth place in the Big Ten with Penn State while the Gophers (18-3, 6-3) completed the first half of their Big Ten schedule in third place.”

• ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach asks if Georgia will truly think big in its coaching search. Schlabach: ” For too long, SEC schools have short-changed their basketball programs in terms of coaching salaries and facilities. Want evidence? Tennessee’s football program recently hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, the father of new Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin. Tennessee will pay the elder Kiffin $1.2 million to direct its defense. Monte Kiffin’s salary is more than what eight of the SEC’s 12 basketball coaches are being paid this season. Only Florida’s Billy Donovan ($3.25 million per season), Kentucky’s Billy Gillispie ($2.36 million), Tennessee’s Bruce Pearl ($1.6 million) and Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings ($1.3 million) are being paid more than UT’s defensive coordinator will make this year.”

Continue reading ‘HL: Underrated Pat, Minnesota’s defense, and ethics’

SEC links for Friday:

• Bob Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette writes that Arkansas broke the ice with its win over Bama.
• Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register reports on Alabama’s loss at Arkansas in Philip Pearson’s debut.
• In the Tuscaloosa News, Cecil Hurt reports that Arkansas freshman ripped the Tide.
• Dan Fleser of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on the nail-biter that was Pat Summitt’s 999th win at Tennessee.
• In the AJC, columnist Terence Moore writes that Georgia should give Tubby Smith a call about replacing Dennis Felton.
• Also in the AJC, Chip Towers gets the player reaction to Felton’s firing.
• In the Athens Banner-Herald, David Ching writes that Felton’s firing was a necessity.
• Now former Alabama basketball coach Mark Gottfried tells Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News that he still loves his alma mater.
• News columnist Ray Melick writes that AD Mal Moore has a chance to define expectations for Alabama basketball.
• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that the chairs have been pulled from SEC hot seats.
• David Climer of the Tennessean checks in on the lack of security for SEC basketball coaches.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Arkansas breaks the ice’

Surfing the net for UK news:

• Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette writes that Rajon Rondo has gone to the head of the Celtics class, and gets some comments from Rajon on Jodie Meeks’ 54-point performance.
• The H-L’s Jerry Tipton writes that Kentucky and Auburn tell two different stories at the free throw line.
• Mark Story gives out his mid-season awards.
• A Sea of Blue looks at Kentucky’s fast starts and how it affects the rest of the game.
• The Cat Scratches blog gives a UK basketball practice report.
• Tom Leach says the coaches poll shows a lack of respect for the SEC.
• At the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Larry Vaught writes that Auburn could use a junk defense on Jodie Meeks.
• Vaught also writes that Kentucky’s defense impresses Auburn coach Jeff Lebo.
• And Larry also has a notes package that includes Auburn’s Korvotney Barber saying he almost came to UK.
• Brian Eldridge of Kentucky Sports Report says UK football has a commitment from former Iowa State commitment Ryan Mosby.
• In the Kentucky Kernel, Alex Risen writes that the vacation is over for UK men’s tennis.
• The Arizona Daily Star examines ex-UK coach Tubby Smith as a possibility for the open Arizona job.

SEC links for Saturday:

• In the Birmingham News, columnist Kevin Scarbinsky writes that some Alabama basketball boosters dream of Tubby Smith.
• In the Gainesville Sun, Kevin Brockway reports that Billy Donovan and John Pelphrey are ready for their rubber match.
• In the AJC, columnist Mark Bradley examines the pro chances of ex-Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford.
• Randy Rosetta of the Baton Rouge Advocate writes that John Chavis is ready to shore up LSU’s defense.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Drew Edwards reports that Lane Kiffin has finished his first Tennessee staff.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Gentry Estes reports that Lance Thompson’s departure from Bama staff is just “business.”
• In the Clarion-Ledger, Kyle Veazey reports that one new football assistant has ditched Mississippi State for Tennessee.
• Also in the Clarion-Ledger, David Brandt writes on Ole Miss’ high-flying Terrico White.
• In the Birmingham News, Ian Rapoport reports that with Ronald Steele out, Mikhail Torrance figures prominently in Alabama’s hoop plans.
• In The State, Seth Emerson writes that South Carolina will need energy in its matchup with Tennessee.
• Maurice Patton of the Tennessean writes that Vandy faces a major roadblock in Mississippi State.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC gets Mark Richt’s thoughts on this and that.