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No. 1 vs. No. 2, Tennessee style

 Feb 22, 2008

Here’s how you can tell Saturday night’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 clash between Tennessee and Memphis means more than any men’s basketball game in state history: Tickets are going for as much as $15,000—yes, I said $15,000—on websites.
Seems ridiculous that it’s going to take more than half of one’s yearly salary for some to get into the FedEx Forum. Then again, the notion of the Volunteers’ basketball team playing for No. 1 in the nation appeared even more preposterous at this time three years ago.
Remember those times, UT fans? Buzz Peterson was deader than Kelvin Sampson (although he at least never used a cell phone impermissibly), the program was mired in mediocrity and March Madness in Knoxville meant the Lady Vols.
Which is why Bruce Pearl’s three-year reconstruction is so stunning. Not only has he brought the Vols from irrelevant to a championship contender, he’s built the program into one which will be around for a long time.
The talent level is remarkable. There are nine players who can lead the team in scoring any night, plus two others who would start for many other TV-league schools which rarely see the floor at UT.
The recruiting has been solid. Only three of Peterson’s recruits (Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith, Jordan Howell) are there. Pearl is winning with mostly his guys. Incoming freshman Renaldo Woolridge, the son of former NBA All-Star Orlando Woolridge, has been tabbed as a potential one-and-done guy by no less an authority than Boston Celtics All-Star Paul Pierce.
Simply put, what has happened in Knoxville could not have been foreseen by anyone just a short time ago. Not even the hard-working Pearl could have seen this coming so soon in his wildest dreams.
As for Saturday? Those who paid five figures (or a little less) to see it live should see a game which backs up the hype. Both teams know how to play in big games and won’t cave to nerves for long, if at all.
It will come down to two things—which team can best exploit its strength and which team gets better play off the bench.
The Vols are better from the 3-point line, thanks to Lofton and Smith, who can make bunches of outrageous shots at any time. Both are fearless and won’t quit shooting if they’re cold.
Memphis is a little better inside, especially if Joey Dorsey decides to exert his considerable physical skills. That hasn’t happened lately, but it’s hard to see the Ben Wallace wannabe picking the season’s most awaited game to let his teammates down.
Both teams are relentlessly deep. It’s why they routinely wear teams down in the second half of games. You can stand up against waves of talent for 20, 25, 30minutes, but rarely for 40.
Because of the homecourt, you have to give the Tigers a slight edge. But UT’s experience on the backline should help it function in a rabid atmosphere.
If the Vols win, they not only get the inside track for an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed, but the overall No. 1 seed. They’re already 8-1 against the RPI top 50and are ranked No. 1 in RPI, as well as No. 2 in strength of schedule.
Regardless of the result, UT basketball fans should watch Saturday night’s showdown with a smile.
For that matter, so should the guy who raked in $15,000 for his tickets. 



Posted by The Continuous News Desk
College Sports

VHSL district, regional tournaments lose their luster

 Feb 22, 2008

Sitting in the stands at Marion High School on Thursday night observing the semifinals of the Hogoheegee District boys’ basketball tournament, something dawned on me.
With the new divisional format implemented by the Virginia High School League, district tournaments have lost their luster.
Case in point: All four teams playing in the Hogoheegee semifinals will likely move on to the postseason. Even Patrick Henry (7-17) is a likely eighth seed for the Region C, Division 2 tournament.
The second semifinal used to always be the most intense game of the year, as both teams were fighting for their seasons, a coveted spot in the regional tournament and in the case of some seniors, their careers. That wasn’t the case on Thursday as Chilhowie cruised past Patrick Henry in a game that lacked much of an atmosphere.
Perhaps this was the reason the crowd was sparse (even though it could have been that the threat of wintry weather forced the games back an hour).
I think the Virginia High School League has made a major mistake in going to a divisional format in Group A basketball.
Making the regional tournament used to be a distinguished achievement and something a program could point to as an accomplishment. Now teams with sub-.500 records will be let in. In fact, Region C, Division 1 is letting all teams in, thus in the girls tourney three winless teams (Holston, Pocahontas and Covington) and a one-win team (Eastern Montgomery) will be lacing up their sneakers next week.
And this will also hurt the spring sports. More baseball and softball coaches than usual will be without key players due to their participation in hoops.
And since the VHSL crams its spring sports schedule into basically three months, teams will have less time to prepare and get their athletes ready. It used to be a handful of schools had to worry about this, now it’s pretty much a majority.
The argument for Group A, Division 1 and Group A, Division 2 is to give smaller schools a chance. I don’t agree.
But the VHSL has made plenty of mistakes before and at times, I wonder if Dwight K. Schrute or Michael Scott have taken over the offices in Charlottesville.
I can see the divisional format argument in football and it has worked out for the most part. But basketball is an entirely different animal. It’s 5-on-5 and not 11-on-11, so odds for small schools are better anyway and they’ve proven in the past they can compete.
Council and Twin Springs competed on the highest level for years as small schools and each school has a state championship residing in their trophy case.
People have been crying for years that the VHSL should move from its current three-class system to at 4A, 5A or even 6A system. I agree.
But instead you get a quick fix where almost every basketball team goes to the regional tourney and the district and regional tournaments have been watered down and lost their prestige.



Posted by Tim Hayes

County fair concept at Bristol Motor Speedway.

 Feb 20, 2008

The latest appeal to the core fans of stock car racing comes from Bristol Motor Speedway officials, who will include trailer and appliance races along with a demolition derby as part of a four-race Saturday Spectacular Series.

You have to admire Wayne Estes. The vice-president of events at Bristol Motor Speedway is certainly not afraid to take risks.
Estes, who grew up watching grassroots racing in Georgia with his father, has helped re-introduce the fun concept to NASCAR’s most popular track.
Remember, it was Estes who accomplished the impossible by putting dirt around the 36-degree BMS banks for World of Outlaw and dirt late model events.
Long before the recent announcement by NASCAR chairman Brian France about the need to appeal to traditional fans of stock car racing, Estes and his staff were formulating their own innovative plans.
The funs begins on April 5 with the Frank Kimmel Street Stock Spectacular.
“This is a very much a throwback kind of thing,’’ Estes said.
The field could include up to 99 cars, racing three-wide on 33 rows.
“It’s something we’ve never done before and it’s going to be wild,’’ BMS president Jeff Byrd said.
The agenda also includes United Auto Racing Association, Pro Challenge Series, and the American Speed Association events on May 17, July 5 and Aug. 9. The trailer and appliance races, along with the demolition derby and a fire jump, add spice to the gritty shows.
“There are some people who think short-track, grassroots racing is at a perilous point in its history because NASCAR is so big, but I tend to look at that in another way,’’ Estes said. “I think because NASCAR is so big there is now a door opened up for these kind of [Late Model] events.’’
The best part of this story are the $15 tickets and reduced concession prices.
Bring it on, Wayne It’s time someone in NASCAR finally thought of the blue-collar race fan.
Racing should be wild at times. Where’s the Tilt-A-Whirl?



Posted by Allen Gregory

There is no forgiveness like baseball forgiveness

 Feb 19, 2008

As a culture, both sporting and otherwise, we like to discuss controversial topics long after the actual controversy has died. Listen to any talk radio show for five minutes and you’ll figure that out. There’s only so long you can talk about the X’s and O’s of athletics until strategy and tedium become one and the same.
Hence the need for the airing of dirty laundry. There are often times when the sporting media figuratively prefers to sniff an old garment just a bit longer that might otherwise be cleaned, just for the sake of debate.
Fans, on the other hand, partially because they have better things to do than talk sports 24 hours a day, have a shorter tolerance for talk of trash before they prefer to just focus on the game. Sportswriters, bloggers and radio hosts have no concept of this, which is why so many have marveled at the way baseball enthusiasts have looked forward to the start of spring training this year more than any in recent memory.
I’ve heard talk radio hosts marvel that in the aftermath of the George Mitchell steroids manifesto, in which more than 75 players - some of whom were very big names - were linked to performance-enhancing drugs, many baseball fans just want to focus on the games.
Why are baseball fans so forgiving? The gurus have pondered this. Despite the fact that the integrity of the game is in question, that starts like Bonds, Clemens, Pettitte, Sosa, McGwire and others more than likely achieved the improbable through improper means, a lot of fans prefer to talk about things like the Mets getting Johan Santana, how loaded the Tigers are and whether the Braves’ aging rotation can stay healthy.
Sure, many are angry over the Mitchell controversy. There are some who will say they won’t follow baseball anymore because their trust has been shattered. If Albert Pujols or Alex Rodriguez cracks 75 homers this year, the first question will be “was he on the juice?” rather than “can somebody hit 80?”
But check back with those estranged baseball fans you know in August when pennant races are raging. Ask your neighbor who swore he’d never watch those cheaters again who’s leading the NL Wild Card standings. It may take some time, but eventually, those who bitterly promised to ignore the game will tell you not only who’s leading every division, but how many games separate the leaders from second place and who is leading each league in home runs.
This, above all else, is what will forever separate baseball from every other sport. No, the national pastime is no longer the national passion - not even close. Nothing can displace the NFL, not as long as it has multiple multi-billion dollar TV contracts and coverage so ridiculously in depth it makes most news executives jealous.
Baseball doesn’t get the fantasy numbers of the NFL. It gets regional broadcast rights rather than wars over network contracts. And no matter what dirty laundry is aired in public or has yet to be exposed, it has the benefit of patience by Americn sports fan like nothing else.
We can forgive baseball, so it survives.
The game has been interwoven with the culture of this nation for so long it’s impossible to imagine one without the other. In eight years, when the NFL pulls out all the stops imaginable to celebrate the 50th Super Bowl, Major League Baseball will have just finished 110th World Series.
Baseball is the relative that annoys us, betrays us and is constantly apologizing and trying to regain our trust, yet we still invite it back for Thanksgiving dinner every year. You can ignore it, but not forever.
Ask someone you know about baseball who says they quit watching it after the 1994 strike. Despite their claims that the “quit paying attention after the strike,” they probably can tell you where they were when McGwire hit his 70th home run in 1998, or when Bonds hit No. 756 last year, HGH or no HGH. They can probably also tell you who won every World Series since ‘94 because they watched every one.
We forgive baseball because scandal’s blackened thread is as woven into the fabric of the game as it is as woven into the Stars and Stripes. Yes, the fact that dozens of players probably took illegal supplements to produce gaudy stats over a period of a decade or more is a serious black mark. Yes, MLB should have had a decent testing system in place long before 2005 and Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and Palmeiro have no business being mentioned on the all-time home run list so long as the legitimacy of their hits can be questioned. And no, we will never know for certain who is clean and who isn’t or whether George Mitchell had things right or not - at least not for a long time.
But we will get over it. We’ll seethe at Bonds when he enters the Hall of Fame on the first ballot because, before he ever allegedly injected, rubbed or swallowed any banned supplement, he was a hall of famer. We may grumble about it, but we’ll accept it, and that’s what the baseball establishment has always counted on.
Bud Selig may be the most ineffective baseball commissioner who ever lived, but as long as people are talking about the game, he can lay his head on the pillow at night knowing the nation’s pastime is on their minds and sleep soundly, especially because he knows the precedent for the game overcome scandal has been chiseled in marble.
It’s the 1880s, when players from the Louisville Grays were caught throwing games for gamblers. It’s New York Giants manager John McGraw refusing to play in the World Series in 1904 over a grudge with American League founder Ban Johnson. It’s Ty Cobb intentionally spiking opponents, attacking fans and generally putting a black eye on the sport.
It is, quintessentially, the 1919 Black Sox scandal, in which eight players conspired to throw the World Series. Think SpyGate was overblown by the media? Imagine the hubbub if players fixed the Super Bowl. The stink caused by an NBA ref who bet on games? Gambling has been linked to baseball time and again for 100 years, from Jim Devlin to Joe Jackson to Pete Rose.
Toss in 70 years of segregation, franchise movement, collusion, numerous labor issues, and of course the 1994 strike, and baseball has gotten itself into numerous fixes for which there should have been no forgiveness.
But we do forgive. Maybe it’s because baseball means sunshine, warm weather and summer breezes. Maybe it’s because of the fond memories we have of playing little league. Or maybe it’s just because the average American loves the game too much for any scandal to kill it.
Whether we admit it or not, baseball is part of us. We get mad at the game, we get jilted by it, we may even ignore it for a while, but we can’t separate ourselves from it for too long.
Spring training has begun. Steroids or no steroids, that’s good news for us.



Posted by From the Archives

CSI Knoxville?

 Feb 19, 2008

There’s no truth to the rumor that CSI Knoxville will debut next fall, but the recent escapades of Tennessee’s football team would certainly give a network more than enough episodes for a full season.
The latest embarrassing chapter took place over the weekend as punter Britton Colquitt was charged with DUI and fleeing the scene of an accident after hitting a parked car and a tree stump following the consumption of several alcoholic beverages.
Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer reacted with what seems like a harsh punishment, suspending Colquitt from the team’s first five games in 2008 and stripping the rising senior of his scholarship.
However, it doesn’t seem that tough when one realizes that it’s the fifth alcohol-related incident in as many years for Colquitt. It also makes Fulmer look worse when one realizes he dismissed RB LaMarcus Coker in November after Coker’s fourth drug incident.
So clearly the precedent is set: Four drug incidents and you’re out, but five alcohol incidents and you’re still allowed to play. Doesn’t make sense ... until you remember Colquitt’s family, which has produced four good punters for the program in the last 30 years, recently donated $100,000 to the program.
If you’re keeping score (and if you are, you probably have writer’s cramp by now), this is nine players who have either been arrested or disciplined for off-field misconduct in a 38-day span. It’s obvious from this corner that the apologists have no rational defense.
“What about the quarterback at LSU?,” they might ask. Sure, Ryan Perriloux has drawn an indefinite suspension from coach Les Miles, but I’m pretty sure LSU hasn’t had nine guys get into trouble in 38 days, unlike its SEC championship game opponent.
“It happens everywhere else,” they might say. True, but not to this extent. Not with the old “Thug U,” Miami, not even with the Cincinnati Bengals, who modeled handcuffs at a dizzying clip for a while.
Simply put, Tennessee’s football program never seems to run out of ways to embarrass itself off the field. In a period where it could have basked in the glow of a good bowl win over Wisconsin, the Vols have become a punch line for every SEC opponent’s fans.
Knoxville News-Sentinel columnist John Adams suggested today that it’s time for a change at the top—i.e., Fulmer. This much is certain: Whatever footing Fulmer gained by UT’s surprising run to the SEC title game last year has now been lost.
Cheer up, Vol fans. At least you have the nation’s No. 2 men’s basketball team. And at least nine of their players haven’t had off-court issues in 38 days.



Posted by The Continuous News Desk
College Sports
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