Video:  Leave You Like Kiffin

The Newest from SwiperBoy:

HT / via: Rocky Top Talk

I’m loving that:  “Never leave you like Kiffin…”   That’s a keeper.

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Selby who?  Bruce bounced back by getting the #3 PF, #7 player in the country to go with the #6, and #35 SGs in the country.  Billy Donovan’s day just got so much worse.

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Vol Junkies

This week’s Big Orange Roundtable is hosted by Vol Junkies, who has served up another installment of questions burning in the minds of the citizens of Orange Nation.

Thus, here are our thoughts for the week:

Week 4

1) What is your thought on Eric Berry’s Heisman chances?  Should he play on offense in-order to increase his chances?  Is Kiffin being to selfish saying Berry will not practice offense?

HSH: I’m not exactly how real Berry’s chances of actually winning the Trophy—which I deemed meaningless after the Manning debacle.  Not only does he have the obstacle of being a defensive player, he has to basically beat Colt McCoy from Texas, Sam Bradford from Oklahoma and some guy named Tebow.  I don’t think Lane Kiffin should play Berry on offense just to help his Heisman chances.  If our offense is seriously sucking, then sure, desperate times call for desperate measures.

That said, I have absolutely no problem with the University doing the whole campaign thing.  Berry is obviously a special, once-in-a-while player with a great attitude.  Seeing him in person on and off the field the past two years has been something I’m glad to have been a part of—now if only he might consider staying for his senior year…

Lawvol: I have very mixed (albeit not necessarily negative) feelings on this.

First of all, I personally believe that Eric Berry is more than deserving of a shot at the Heisman Trophy.  In two short years he has pretty much become the man-beast of SEC defenses and is, hands down, the best defensive player in the toughest conference in the country.  I personally believe that he is the best defensive player in any conference, anywhere.  That, however, is just my opinion and I will be the first to admit that I am biased.  Still, there is no arguing with the fact that Eric Berry has earned the right to be considered among the top players in the country this season and to be considered for the Heisman.  I am unequivocally behind the Tennessee’s campaign to promote Berry’s Heisman candidacy.

That said, I am less that optimistic about his chances…

I say that because, since only one truly defensive player has previously won the Heisman—which I am sure every Tennessee fan remembers all too well—the precedent is somewhat weak.  Furthermore, given the national media’s love affair with Tim Tebow, I expect that every possible machination that can occur to ensure Tebow winning the trophy for the second time will be brought to bear, if at all possible.

There is also the fact that exaggerated hype often leads to less-than-stellar performances since, with everyone talking about how great a particular player is, the target on their back gets even bigger when facing opponents.  That is not to say that I doubt Berry’s ability to produce in the same way he has in the past, but recognizes that opposing teams will be gunning for him … and staying away from him.

As for whether I think it is selfish for Lane Kiffin to keep Berry from playing on offense, that one is easy to answer.  No, not one bit.  In fact, I feel the opposite.  To me, changing the way you field a player for the sole purpose of advancing that player’s interests is selfish—even if it adds prominence to the team or the program as a whole.  As the old saying goes, “there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’.”  In my opinion, any coach with a Heisman hopeful should treat that player in exactly the same way he would any other player.  To do anything else not only flies in the face of the team concept, but can be woefully dangerous in terms of its effect on team morale—just ask Heath Shuler and the Tennessee offensive line that played in the 1993-94 Citrus Bowl.

Were Kiffin to decide independent of the Heisman race that Berry needed to play on offense, I would have no problem with it, in fact it might be extremely exciting.  To do so just for the sake of Heisman balloting, however, is simply not something I think is acceptable.

Furthermore, I question whether suddenly playing a player in a new position would actually help or hinder the chances of winning voters’ eyes.  This season is filled with change already—from top to bottom.  Berry, just like everyone else on the Vols’ squad, is busy learning new schemes and concepts from the new coaching staff.  Furthermore, the sheer size and scope of the playbooks for Tennessee is really quite staggering.  I have heard from a reliable source that, up until 1997, no offensive player in the modern era had ever learned the entire offensive playbook until Peyton Manning, and he only accomplished that feat as a senior.

To me, adding a whole new facet—offense—to the game for Berry would likely result in a fall-off in his performance on defense.  It adds one more thing that he has to keep track of in his head and doubles the already considerable pressure that being pumped as a superstar brings with it.  In then end, I think there is probably more to lose than there is to gain.

2) Do you think Kiffin secretly wishes he would have held onto Taj Boyd?

HSH: Nope, not all, for two reasons.  First, as we all know, Kiffin’s a confident fellow.  He has his plan, he knows what he wants and how he wants to go about it.  And he believes in what he’s doing.

He evaluated Boyd, saw that he might have lacked pure arm strength and that he made have had some issues coming off knee issues.  So he told Boyd what he told him.  I think Tennessee’s in good shape with Tyler Bray and they might get Memphis’ Barry Brunetti to switch his commitment to West Virginia, and the recent run on WR recruiting, what QB wouldn’t want to come to Tennessee and throw to those guys?

Lawvol: Well, whether he does or doesn’t, is really irrelevant now.  What is, is.

That said, I doubt that the Blackjack General, has given more than a few seconds thought to the matter considering his staff and this no-holds-barred approach to recruiting.  I am sure that Boyd probably appreciated the honesty from Kiffin in telling him that he simply didn’t feel that Boyd would fit in the Vols’ system.  I know I find it refreshing.  Either way, like HSH, I feel certain that Kiffin will find the right person and it’s not like the Vols haven’t started to get looks from some good players.  After all, though we do not yet know how a Lane Kiffin-coached team will perform on the field, he has made it clear he knows how to recruit.  Furthermore, trying to make a player work when they really are not suited to your system just leads to disappointment for everyone involved.

I say get the right player for Tennessee, even if that means waiting a bit.  I for one am glad to see that Kiffin is willing to do just that.

3) Is this the most excited you have been for a football season to start EVER?

HSH: In recent memory, yes. Maybe 2006, because I had just started school up here in Knoxville and the big opener with Cal and Florida coming in two weeks following that. Perhaps 2005, because of all the hype and that defense and the “momentum” from the previous season.

But this is different.  It seems like it’s been a year since Kiffin was hired and we went through the staff hiring and the coups on National Signing Day, the verbal slap of Urban Meyer and the secondaries.

Now it’s go-time.  Everything’s going to be new, so that adds a bit of intrigue to the whole thing, but the energy Lane, Monte and Coach O have brought certainly have had their effects on the players and us as fans.  Amidst all the energy though, we have to remember that Tennessee’s not going to win the SEC this year.  This isn’t going to be a one-year turnaround and we have to be a little patient, prepare for some of the usual pains and just enjoy the climb.  The Vols have 8 home games this year, so hopefully the fans are ready to do their part in helping the team.

Lawvol: That’s a tough question to answer.  For me, the most exciting pre-season run-up to kickoff in my lifetime was getting ready for Peyton Manning’s senior year in 1997.  The Vols were picked to be stellar and were ranked in the pre-season top-3 in all the polls.  It also happened to be my senior year in Knoxville.  I suppose I would still say that there was more “excitement”—in the sense of there being a real belief on the part of everyone that the Vols might win the whole thing—in 1997.  If we are talking about just sheer anticipation because you simply have no idea what to expect, then I would have to say that this year is on top.

Of course, it is worth noting that in 1998 I had very low expectations of what Tennessee would do prior to the season getting under way.  What with Manning graduating and a virtual unknown named Tee Martin starting his first game at quarterback, I figured that the Vols would probably find rough going for at least the first few games of the season.  That season, however, turned out pretty well for the Vols.

Either way, I am always stoked before the first kickoff and it seems to increase exponentially as the first game approaches.  There is so much to be excited about this year and—no matter what happens—I feel like this will be a good year for the Vols as they progress toward the future.

After all, a lousy football season is better than no football season at all…

4) A quick diversion from football and onto Basketball. Do you think that Bruce’s style of basketball is a deterrent to the one and done type players, due to the fact one and done-rs and top recruits are looking for more minutes and to be  the center of attention?

HSH: I don’t think it’s Bruce Pearl’s style as much as it the fact that we’re Tennessee.  Just to be brutally honest, if you’re a a high school kid who has obvious NBA talent, wouldn’t you want to showcase that on the biggest stage possible?

I know Bruce has taken our program to heights it’s never been before and I hope he never leaves Knoxville.  But we’re still Tennessee.  I know Michael Beasley went to play in relative obscurity at Kansas State and still managed to be the second pick in the draft, but the point still remains, at least in my mind.

We’re not near the top of the list of schools a future NBA star and one-year college player is going to go to increase his stock.  On top of that, there are all of two ex-Vols in the Association right now—C.J. Watson now in Orlando and Marcus Haislip just signed by the Spurs.  Watson wasn’t drafted and Haislip has spent the last few years in Europe after being a bust of a lottery pick.

The bottom line to me is this: our prestige has gone up exponentially the last four years under Pearl, but we’re still Tennessee, and we still aren’t exactly pumping out NBA players a la places like Carolina, Texas, UCLA, Kansas, UConn, Memphis State and so on.

Lawvol: Frankly, I hope it is because I have little tolerance for the one-and-done mentality.

Most of the “in-and-out, thanks-for-the-cred, see ya!” type of players are not the sort that I want to see Tennessee recruiting.  The whole “student athlete” thing should still mean something.  I am dedicated to Tennessee and have been since the day I decided that I would attend college there.  I expect the players we put on the floor to be not only be great athletes, but also good representatives for the university, and good people.  I am not naive enough to believe that all the players we recruit are completely free of the ulterior motive of wanting to play professionally and perhaps using the Big Orange as the springboard to making that a reality.  I also will freely acknowledge that I can hardly blame a player for leaving early when they are all but guaranteed to instantly become wealthy.

All I ask is that the players wearing the orange be committed to Tennessee while they are here.   I have no problem with them dreaming of the future or making decisions based upon that future.  What I do have a problem with is when players simply see Tennessee (or any other school for that matter) as little more than a way to get their ticket punched as quickly as possible.

But then again, I am a lawyer and am generally a disagreeable sort…

The Rest of the Roundtable:

Having wasted your time on our largely meaningless and insignificant thoughts for this week, go check out what the other roundtablers (who actually know what they are talking about) have to say (in no particular order):

• Rocky Top Talk
• 3rd Saturday in Blogtober
• YMSWWC
• MoonDog Sports
• Vol Junkies
• Pigskin Pathos
• Bleeding Orange

– So it goes … and – … to me.

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This really requires no explanation…

Video: Yes I Can: SwiperBoy

• HT to:  Rocky Top Talk

Friends, I think we may have new motto in Big Orange Country…

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This week marks the second edition of the 2009 version of the Big Orange Roundtable and is hosted by the guys over at 3SIB..

Week 2

1)  We will start with an easy one.  Last week, our beloved Rock was relocated across the street to make room for a new building on campus.  What are your thoughts on the Rock’s relocation?

HSH: Being a student, I actually have the slight advantage of seeing the change.  I drove by as the crane was lifting the behemoth out of the ground, and I’ve only seen it once since it’s been moved.  I have to say it’s going be to a little odd driving through the stoplight next to Stokely Athletic Center and the Thornton Athletic Student Center (where all the UT athletes get their school on), looking to my left and not seeing the Rock.  It might take a little bit of time to get used the change come the fall.

For me, it’s just another aspect of a common theme of my years here as a student.  Here’s what’s changed or been built since I came to Knoxville in the fall of 2006: all the recent renovations to Neyland Stadium, the makeover of Thompson-Boling Arena, Pratt Pavilion, a new soccer stadium, a new softball stadium, the brand new aquatic center.

And that’s just the changes on the athletics side of campus.  There’s also been the total change in the old Glocker Building, which has now become Haslam Business Building where all the business majors do their thing.  The Baker Policy Center was risen up on the corner of Cumberland Avenue and 17th Street, replacing the parking lot where my family parked for every game I came to up until I graduated from high school.  Those are two major projects, that I’ve seen started and completed in my days as a student.

Back to the Rock, my only contact with actually came before I was officially enrolled.  I had two of the more enthusiastic Orientation leaders, and late one night during the two-day event we got together and painted the thing.  I would have visual evidence to prove it, but my computer erased my hard drive awhile, thus I have nothing…

The Rock in its new Home

Lawvol: First of all, I am glad that the Rock did not unceremoniously disappear from campus as a result of the new Student Health Center that is being constructed.  The worst thing imaginable would have been for the university to simply blow the thing up or what have you and cart it off.  I realize the process of relocating the Rock was both onerous and expensive, but I have to give a little credit to university administration (a/k/a “The Big Orange Screw”) for making the right call and preserving this tradition for future generations.

All that said, the last time I painted the Rock was 1997.  I say “painted”—my involvement actually centered more on leaning up against the Rock in a near catatonic state as drool fell from my gaping mouth and I uttered various slurred obscenities at my cohorts.  You see, I was completely pissed drunk overcome by a multitude of circumstances at the time and my recollection of that particular evening of frivolity is fuzzy to say the least.  Still, the Rock does have a special place in my mind due to its tradition of announcing great events, lurid innuendo, and Gameday proclamations.  Considering it is directly across the street from where it used to be located, I doubt there will really be all that much difference.

Of course, I do wonder whether some students may be confused by the relocation—in particular, those suffering from the same … mental confusion … that afflicted me the last time I painted the Rock.  If so, the university may be faced with a long road of maintenance as the drunken masses repeatedly paint the front of the new Student Health Center.

2a)  Wednesday is the beginning of SEC Media Days in Birmingham, which usually signifies that the season is just around the corner.  What would you prefer that Coach Lane Kiffin do this week: Speak up or shut up?

HSH: I think Lane will be on his guard this week, as I’m sure he—and everyone else—expects some media members to try and force him into conflict or a mistake.  I want to hear him talk about his football team more than anything, as it’s getting awfully close to nut-cutting time.

But if he does indeed have a verbal jab in him, I hope he goes after Nick Saban at Alabama.  For two reasons: first, I just don’t like Alabama.  Second, someone needs to bring up the whole issue with Bammer telling some upperclassmen who “don’t fit the system” to hit the road to make room for the incoming freshman class and make it under the 85 scholarship limit.

Okay, I might be overstating that just a bit.

Either way, I am sure that the Blackjack General will be on his best behavior and on top of his game.  Kiffin seems to have a real knack for working the media.  The only down side is that they sometimes seem to have a knack for working him.  I am sure he will get a few pointed and loaded questions which will lead to some interesting sound bites after the fact.  Still, I have full confidence in the man in charge of the Tennessee Football program and am sure that he will represent us all well.

Speaking of SEC Media Days, I want to personally give a shout out to Joel from RTT for managing to score press credentials for the SEC’s annual Love-in.  Nice to finally begin seeing bloggers represented at these sorts of events.  Now, I just have to figure out what I need to do to score some of those for myself…

2b)  If you could take back one thing that Coach Kiffin has done or said to this point, what would it be?

HSH: Nothing.  Was falsely calling Urban Meyer a cheater smart?  Probably not, but most of that was drug out and blown out of proportion.  The secondary violations?  Harmless.  Who cares about getting those?  I think most of us would agree that Tennessee’s football program had gotten stale, and Lane and Co. brought some flair, by hiring Monte Kiffin and Coach O, stealing some players on and after Signing Day, and ruffling feathers.  I think he’s definitely got the fanbase excited about this season at least.

However, I do just wish he would have recruited a quarterback by now…

Thus, I am pretty much okay with Kiffin’s statements so far.  In hindsight, would I add a small clarification here or there; would I re-phrase a few things; would I make sure that I knew whose cameras were running before speaking?  Sure, I’d do all those things.  This, however, is football not a trial by jury.  Thus, I say let it fly.

3)  The biggest news of last week on the football front was that seemingly our entire receiving corps is in the infirmary.  Austin Rogers is lost for the year, Denarius Moore is going to miss several games at a minimum, and Gerald Jones has an injured wing that may cause him to miss some games.  Although it seems like it is time to hit the panic button, is there a way out of this for the Vols?

HSH: I asked my closest inside source about the injuries and he said both Moore and Jones were still at workouts and didn’t seem too bad.  I think Gerald Jones will at least be ready for Western Kentucky, although I’m not sure that if he’s not 100% that you don’t keep him out of that game.  Losing Moore hurts because he was the deep threat and Rogers is the type willing to take a shot over the middle on third down.  However, I don’t think we should start panicking yet.  Why?

Because I expect Tennessee to run the ball early, often, well, and consistently.  Seriously, what’s the one position everyone isn’t concerned about in terms of talent or depth?  Running back.  Granted, the departure of Lennon Creer and injury to Toney Williams limited those expectations, but Tennessee should be OK with a healthy Montario Hardesty, Bryce Brown and Tauren Poole.  Sure, those last two guys don’t have that many carries between them, but count me in the group that feels confident they can get it done.

Given the fact that we look to be a run-oriented offense, I am not exactly ready to run screaming from the room in uncontrolled fits of hysteria, but I am sincerely hoping that we hear a little good news on this front in the near future.  On the whole, though I am less concerned about the receivers than I am about the quarterback throwing to them.

4)  Basketball recruit Josh Selby decommitted from the Vols over the weekend, and many suspect it is because he wants to play for a Nike school. Tennessee is an Adidas school, and there is speculation that future sponsorship money with Nike may be at stake if Selby doesn’t go to a Nike school like Kentucky. This obviously has ramifications in all sports, so what do you make of all this? (NOTE: The NFL is a Reebok league, which is owned by Adidas.)

HSH: I have friends of mine that insist Tennessee would become the next USC in every sport if they just switched to Nike or Under Armour.  I always say that I don’t want players who are caught up in the gear they’ll get (they’ll be getting so much free gear anyways, so it shouldn’t matter).  And I always use the argument that it has no impact what brand name apparel you wear.  It has no effect on your performance.

As Lane Kiffin said in Tuesday’s press conference when asked about the hotly-debated black jersey issue, your jersey or the brand logo on it has no effect.  If Tennessee’s winning SEC and national titles, we could wear pink and be sponsored by Hanes for all I care.  When I go play pick-up basketball games at T-RECS, whether or not I wear my dry-fit Nike shirts as opposed to Under Armour gear or a plain t-shirt has no effect on how well I shoot the 3 or whether I can dunk on anybody.

OK, end of rant.  But I will say this: if Tennessee does indeed switch apparel sponsors, I want Under Armour, for two reasons: first, to screw Nike, and two, because I just plain like it more.  You might say they would mess with the classic Tennessee look too much (like they did with South Carolina), but Auburn switched from Russell Athletic to UA and their unis didn’t change at all, and still look classic and look sleek.

I hate Nike…

I absolutely abhor what Nike and its founder, Phil Knight, have done to sports over the last quarter century.  Though my hubris toward Nike first formed in the mid-1980s, I became an unwavering anti-Nike critic after reading Sports Illustrated’s 1993 article on Knight entitled “Triumph of the Swoosh” (this is a really good article by Donald Katz, and I highly recommend it despite its length).

In this article, Katz recounts, among other things, the sordid tale of the medal uniforms controversy which arose with the dream team at the 1992 Olympics and the near-stranglehold that Nike possessed in the early 1990s.  While I respect Knight’s dedication to the ideal of creating a sports apparel and marketing powerhouse out of nothing, I blame Nike and Knight for so much of what is wrong with sports today.  I am proud to say that, I own not a single item of Nike manufactured apparel and have not knowingly purchased anything produced by Nike since 1994.

It was Nike who forever changed the face of sports by transforming athletics into a media circus—converting sports into little more than another form of Hollywood-style entertainment.  In fact Nike’s own goal was to become an experience and entertainment corporation, that just happened to be grounded in the worldwide fascination with sports.  It was Nike who—via its marketing machine—transformed the landscape of professional sports by making sports heroes into demigod-like icons who were as untouchable as they were unreal.  Nike is all about image…

…that and big piles of money.

The problem is that Nike singlehandedly transformed the sports endorsement world by changing athletes from being spokespersons into carefully crafted and manicured corporate assets.  Nike was the first to “buy” athletes.  After that came teams.  Since the mid-1990s, it has been schools.

When I arrived at Tennessee as a student, the football program was sponsored by Nike.  Fortunately, in 1998 the entire athletic department entered into a global equipment and apparel contract with Adidas.  Since that time, Tennessee has stood apart from the machine that is the Nike image.

From an aesthetic perspective, I personally think that the Adidas-branded apparel that has graced the backs of both the Vols and Lady Vols for the past decade has been great.  I like the “Adidas look,” but I will be the first to admit that such assessments are a matter of personal opinion and that I have no monopoly on determining “what looks cool.”  That said, I am proud of Tennessee for not being another sheep in Nike’s fold, one which is forever beholden to the Nike power structure and its power to make or break an athlete, a team, or a school.

In 1986 Knight publicly declared that his goal was to become “the IBM of the sports-apparel industry” by 1991.  There really is no point in arguing with whether he achieved his goal.  In 2008 alone, Nike converted $ 18.6 billion in revenue into almost $ 8.4 billion in profits.  It is hard to fight such a behemoth.  Most fall in line with Nike’s aggressive school of thought that the world can be conquered.

I admire Nike’s drive, but in the process of becoming the dominant sports apparel company that it is, it has completely—and I would contend irreparably—damaged sports by converting it into little more than a commercial engine.  That engine is driven by the athletes, teams, and institutions in the Nike stable and is fueled by the hopes and dreams of everyday sports fans to get just a bit closer to the their heroes or their favorite team.  Where this gets troubling is when the image becomes more important than the sport, when the money to be made controls the game.

I am but one small voice of dissent in a Nike-inspired, Nike-controlled, and Nike-orchestrated world, but my conscience will not permit me to be otherwise.

Fortunately, Nike is not the only face in the world of sports now.  Though there have always been competitors seeking to erode Nike’s dominance, the reality is that until the last decade there were no legitimate contenders.  Now, at least there are faces like upstart Under Armor, and the reinvigorated Adidas / Reebok.  Still, Nike’s dominance is secure for now.  I, however, am hopeful that, Phil Knight’s megalomaniacal goal of being the IBM of sports is an instructive omen.  If Big Blue can fall from its pedestal of preeminence—rejoining the world of mere mortals—so too can the swoosh come crashing back down to earth.

For now, however, we all must accept the reality that as long as the Nike juggernaut is in control, we will continue to see athletes make decisions based solely on the whims of sports-apparel executives in Beaverton, Oregon.  It is sad and, in my opinion, it is deplorable.  It is deplorable not because a player, such as Josh Selby, wants to do what is best for his playing career, but because Nike is all too willing to flex its muscle to control the decisions made by athletes, fans, and the general public.  Some would say that is simply smart marketing.  In my opinion, however, there is a line—one which Nike crossed long ago.

“Michael Jordan without Nike [wouldn’t] mean anything.”
-Phil Knight

Thus, I am disheartened to hear that Selby has decided to de-commit from the BasketVols.  I hope he made that decision based upon concerns tied to him being in the best environment, being comfortable, and being successful.  I hope it was not a decision based solely upon what sports-apparel logo appears on his uniform, as many have suggested.  Such a decision would not, however surprise me.  Either way, I do wish him all the best.

Nonetheless, I want to encourage the University of Tennessee, the UT Athletic Department, and Mike Hamilton to stay on the outside of the Nike machine.  Regardless of who provides the Vols with their orange, from my perspective, any company is preferable to Nike.  Were Tennessee to affiliate with Nike, I would not buy “official” apparel any longer.

More important than a single fan resisting the urge to spend money on clothing, however, is the “soul” of the program.  Once you are with Nike, you are bought and paid for.  Once that occurs, you might as well become “Nike State University at Knoxville.”  All assets that can be purchased can be expended and thrown away.  Phil Knight was once quoted as saying that “Michael Jordan without Nike [wouldn’t] mean anything”

I doubt he would have a different opinion about the Tennessee Volunteers…

The Rest of the Roundtable:

Having wasted your time on my largely meaningless and insignificant thoughts for this week, go check out what the other roundtablers (who actually know what they are talking about) have to say (in no particular order):

• Rocky Top Talk
• YMSWWC
• MoonDog Sports
• Vol Junkies
• Pigskin Pathos
• Bleeding Orange
• Loser With Socks

Also be sure to check out the round-up over at 3SIB later this week…

– So it goes … and – … to me.

Image(s) Courtesy of: What’s On the Rock / TwitPic • SI.com ||  Statement on Fair Use

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It’s a rainy and stormy afternoon here in Knoxville, but Tyler Smith is brightening the day for Tennessee hoops.

Smith announced he’s going to stay for his senior season. Obviously this is good news, because Tyler’s the best player on Tennessee’s team. Additionally, Smith will be the fifth senior Vol for next year, alongside Wayne Chism, J.P. Prince, Bobby Maze, and Josh Tabb (walk-on Quinn Cannington is also a senior). A nice senior core for the Vols as they look to add a second SEC Title in four years. At this point, your way early SEC favorites have to be (in no particular order) Kentucky with the Jodie Meeks-Patrick Patterson combo and influx of studs, defending champs LSU with Tasmin Mitchell (who’s been at LSU since Stromile Swift) and Marcus Thornton, and Tennessee.

Welcome back, Tyler

A couple of other notes: first, a shout-out to bosgap at Losers With Socks who called this 9 days ago. Now I wouldn’t say they were going too terribly far out on that limb, but kudos to those guys scooping this, adding another feather in their hat of breaking news well in advance.

Secondly, a shout-out of thanks and best wishes to Philip Jurick, who is transferring and thus providing a way for Tyler to come back by opening up a scholarship. I saw Jurick play a little bit at last year’s Rocky Top League, and while I saw some promise, I also saw a project of sorts. He showed some really positive inside defense but his offensive game was very lacking. With Tyler’s return and the addition of Kenny Hall to the Chism-Brian Williams-Emmanuel Negedu platoon, I highly doubt Jurick would have been able to break into the big-man rotation next year.

Speaking of the Rocky Top League, last year I took upon myself the task of “covering” it using the start I started out with – “The View From The Hill.” I went every night and took some video and some pictures and mental notes and observations, and I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I won’t be able to do that this year, as I won’t be able to go every night and I’ll miss the first week of it. That said, if you’re in Knoxville on a Monday or Wednesday the next three weeks, do head over to Bearden High School and watch some games.

Sure, there’s no air-conditioning and outside of the Tennessee players the other competitors are small college or high school players, but it’s a cool experience. Of course it’s glorified pick-up basketball with referees and clock, and the defense is highly lacking, but nowhere else will you get this close to the Vol players. If you’ve got kids, I can almost guarantee you will get autographs from the entire team, as well as some other former Vols like everybody’s favorite Dane Bradshaw, and a couple of my personal favorite former Vols Ron Slay and C.J. Watson.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the best part…IT’S FREE

– … to me.

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I normally don’t post about individual commitments or recruiting updates in general, but I think this is fairly important. Tennessee got another defensive lineman – tackle, specifically – to join the group for 2010 in the form of John Brown.

This is important for two reasons. First, Brown is transferring from the University of Florida to Northeast Mississippi Junior College in the fall to likely an early enrollee at Tennessee in December or January (he says he will sign with the Vols as soon as he can).

Secondly, Brown was a pretty highly-touted recruit coming of Lakeland High School in Florida in 2007. Yet, for lack of a better term, was a bust in Gainesville, barely seeing the field in two seasons due to injury, academic and motivation issues (or so I’ve read).

So are Ed Orgeron and Monte Kiffin taking a slight risk with this offer and pickup? To an extent, yes. But you have to think Brown has some level of potential left after being a 4-star (5-star on Scout) guy out of high school. Obviously his time at Florida was unremarkable, but hopefully a change in scenery may give him the kick in the pants he might need to put it all together on the field.

And hey, considering the well-documented issues Tennessee will have along the offensive and defensive lines following this season, you probably should just take what you can get and be happy.

On another quick note, as most of you know Tennessee is conducting football and basketball camps this week here in Knoxville. I have yet to see any of it except for the local news coverage on TV and the internet, but by all accounts it seems to have gone very well on the football front. As for basketball, I think it’s pretty cool Chris Lofton is back in town. I have an incredible amount of respect for #5 (that jersey is on the wall of my room) and he’s going to be an all-time favorite. He also has a tryout with the Memphis Grizzlies later next week, so hopefully he makes the most of that opportunity, because he deserves a shot to make the NBA. And of course what better team than my hometown Grizz? I have no idea what his chances are of sticking around with the team for the summer, but I wish him luck.

In other basketball Tyler Smith news, despite Tyler’s discussion of playing in Europe, I don’t see that happening given him having his son Amare. And Losers With Socks says he’s coming back, and they have been correctly ahead of everybody else on a couple of these type things, so take that for what it’s worth.

That’s it for now, hopefully some concrete QB recruiting news will come out soon – we’re all waiting for it.

– … to me.

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I think I’ve made my disdain for the University of Memphis Tigers basketball program pretty well-known. So when I got a text message from my dad last night in the middle of the Lakers-Nuggets game alerting me of the allegations against the Tigers, I must admit I got a kick out of it.

The Tigers’ best season, where they won 38 games and should have won a national championship (thank you Mario Chalmers), now apparently will be null-and-void.

That 66-62 loss to Tennessee, however? That won’t change. So Memphis was cheating by using an ineligible player (allegedly Derrick Rose)…

…and they still lost to the Vols.

What? I had no idea Derrick Rose had someone else take his SAT...

That’s what first came to my mind. I know Memphis won this past January, but I have to say that hearing this news brought me some joy. In addition, I have to wonder if and how this might help Tennessee in the recruitment of PG Joe Jackson, a highly-touted guard from Memphis’ White Station High School. The Vols have been in with Jackson for awhile, but this week’s Benedict Arnold-like decommitment of Aaron Craft may have changed that situation. I’m not sure how much more of a chance these allegations and the consequences help Tennessee because I don’t see any future punishment from the NCAA, but who knows – only time will tell.

But I also must say I actually do feel just an inkling of pity for the city of Memphis (not Tiger hoops). The city really did love their Tigers and loved John Calipari, and he not only left them, took some of their recruits, but now he’s also partly responsible for the vacating of the school’s best season in their fairly successful history. To say he didn’t know about the fraud SAT score would be foolish if you ask me. And then again, how surprised should Memphis fans really be?

Add to all this the very likely possibility that Calipari bailed on the Tigers knowing that this was going to be revealed before too long, and I can only imagine how Tiger fans feel about the guy now. Talk about a common bond between Vols and Tigers…

And of course the other beauty of all this is how this might effect Kentucky. Now, I know that the report doesn’t mention Calipari as doing anything wrong, but this is the Marcus Camby/UMass situation all over again. That now of course means Cal has done this twice – left a program and had a Final Four appearance removed because of cheating.

Non-delusional Kentucky fans (wait, is that possible?) will tell you that it isn’t good for them (the others will say that they are invincible from the NCAA simply because they are the University of Kentucky), and there’s now way this is positive for the Wildcats, because past history would only suggest that they are next. Also, not only will the media take a negative stance on Calipari (and therefore Kentucky), but you have to think the NCAA is going to be keeping an eye on Calipari and the UK program. Add in that the university’s president knew about this when hiring Cal, and and there can be no way all this helps or doesn’t even effect Kentucky.

So all in all, I would say it’s not too bad of a situation from the Tennessee point of view.

– … to me.

Images Courtesy of: AP/ Daylife

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