…………..Football always rules…
As much as we love the Preds, especially as they march toward nabbing the Stanley Cup, Nashville will always be a football town. I truly think that more people here care about the Vols than the Titans.
Here is why. At the Preds game Thursday night, more people asked me about Erik Ainge than anything I have ever been asked while working in sports. That and am I Brad Schmitt, but you will have to read my other blog about that turmoil.
Anyhoo, Erik Ainge has a partially torn meniscus, a knee injury, he will have surgery, miss the rest of spring and be 100 percent by August. You would have thought something tragic or traumatic had happened to him. “Did Fulmer kick him off?” “I heard he blew his knee out, gonna miss the year.” “Oh no, There goes the season already.”
Those were some of the comments and questions people asked me. I love the ‘did Fulmer kick him off’ question. I have no idea where that came from.
Football, at least SEC football and then the Titans will always get the most questions and probably the most coverage. Good thing the Preds are playing in the winter and into the spring because there is not much going on and they fill a huge void.
But come July, it is all football. Especially the Vols.
Ainge Done for Spring Practice.
KNEE INJURY SHELVES AINGE FOR SPRING; RECOVERY LIKELY BY SUMMER
Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer announced Thursday that senior Erik Ainge has suffered an injury to his right knee, believed to be a torn meniscus. Fulmer said the UT Sports Medicine Staff continues to evaluate the injury and plans are being made for surgery.
“We’ve got to go through the process and see the doctor,” Fulmer said. “We’ve gotten the MRI; we’ve seen the radiologist; now we just have to see the doctor.
“He could practice and actually has been practicing with it for several days, but there’s no reason to put him through that risk. He’s had a fantastic spring.”
Fulmer does not know of a single event that caused the injury, only that his quarterback has been bothered by a swollen knee over the past few days.
“We think it’s probably from something that happened previously,” the coach said. “It could have been in high school, it could have been here. It wasn’t any trauma or any one particular lick. It sometimes happens.”
Should Ainge need complete removal of the meniscus, recovery of 4-6 weeks is expected. A repair of the meniscus results in an eight- to 12-week recovery period but would be better for his long-term mobility.
“Either way, he should be just fine by the time we get to June and approaching the season,” Fulmer said.
Ainge said that although he is disappointed by the injury, the timing was OK.
“I was able to practice almost the entire spring with my knee banged up,” Ainge said. “It’s just one of those things. There wasn’t any one incidence where I tore it that I know about. I’m just going to pray for the best.”
The Vols passed the halfway mark of spring practice with Thursday’s session at Neyland Stadium and now are off for spring break, returning to the practice field March 20. Tennessee has six spring workouts remaining before the March 31 EdAmerica Orange and White Game.
“I’m just glad we are able to take care of it,” Fulmer said. “It’s another advantage of starting spring as early as we started it because it gives us plenty of recovery time.”
Kentucky wins. Belmont Women Advance
Two early games today. The Kentucky men advanced in the SEC Tournament with 79-67 win over Alabama. This win all but stamps their at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. News 2 sports is the only local TV station covering the SEC Tournament. Brandon Fisher will have a live report at 6pm. And he bring us a Vanderbilt preview tonight at 10pm. The Dores play Arkansas Friday afternoon.
The Belmont women advance in the A-Sun tournament. They Lady Bruins beat Mercer 64-52.
Lipscomb plays ETSU in first round action.
News 2 Sports at SEC Tournament….. Vandy NCAA Seed
News 2 sports has you covered at the SEC Basketball Tournament. Brandon Fisher and photographer Nate Brooks are headed to Atlanta. Live reports begin Thursday on News 2 at 6pm.
As for the Tournament. I’ve got a funny feeling Florida is going to run the table and win this baby. If not Florida look for a big surprise like LSU or Mississippi State.
By the way have you seen Vandy has fallen to an 8 seed on ESPN’s Bracketology? They were a 5 seed before losing at home to Arkansas. If they can get at least one win in Atlanta they should be back to at least a 6 seed.
You don’t want to be an 8 seed in mid-March. If you beat the 9 seed you get the #1 seed,,,,,,,,UH-OH.
I think Vandy should be a 5 seed regardless of what they do in Atlanta. But the NCAA selection committee usually makes decisions while taking lunch break on Mars………We’ll see Sunday
Girls Sub-State…….
Middle Tennessee
Oliver Springs vs 42
Clarkrange 40
Gleason vs 53
Forrest 28
Cloudland vs 38
Jackson Co. 54
Stone Memorial vs 52
Marshall Co. 60
West Tennessee
Livingston Academy vs 46
B. T. Washington 37
Collinwood vs 43
Trinity Christian 58
…….”Bobby Wade, it was nice to meet you. Now move along.”
I imagine that is what Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt said to Bobby Wade on Tuesday. Wade signed a 5 yr deal with the Vikings and as a 3rd receiver, or slot guy, he was pretty darn good. When Billy Volek was here, Wade caught every pass. Then he was gone and Kerry Collins got the job. Kerry couldn’t hit Bobby Wade if Wade was holding his hand. VY got his act together towards the end, passing wise, and Wade and Brandon Jones looked like a formidable duo for years to come.
Then something happened. The offseason and now Wade is in Purple, enjoying life in the Twin Cities. So now that he is gone and Drew are gone, who are the Titans left with?
David Givens: Hurt, will miss all of training camp, and some games, maybe all of them
Roydell Williams: Umm, next
Courtney Roby: See above
Gosh, Tyrone Calico never looked so good again. ESPN is reporting that the Titans are now in a class with the Cardinals and Lions as teams that aren’t getting any better but going the other way.
But hey, at least we got Punkman, I mean Pacman, to keep this team in the national spotlight.
Hello? Anyone home over at Titans headquarters?
I can’t wait! Preds and Red Wings in the Playoffs..
I just hope that nobody upsets the Preds or Red Wings in the 1st round. Right now the two are on a collision course for the Western Conference Semifinals. The only thing left is deciding who will get home ice. Tonight the Red Wings beat the Preds in another overtime/shootout. It’s the 2nd straight OT between these two teams and you can just feel the rivalry building. Not from the past, but building on what lies ahead.
Right now the Preds have the most points in the NHL with 94, the Red Wings are a point behind with 93. However, the division winner will get the higher seed. The only way the Preds and Red Wings won’t meet in the semifinals is if the Ducks overtake both teams and finish best in the West. I don’t see that happening.
The Preds are home Thursday to host Calgary, a possible 1st round opponent.
UT’s Lofton SEC Player of the Year….
Chris Lofton SEC Player of the Year…….Makes sense. No argument from me. Derrick Byars 1st team All-SEC. Sure thing.
But Shan Foster not making 2nd team………What joke. He did get honorable mention, but come on! With all due respect to Richard Hendrix, Jamont Gordon, and Clarence Sanders they did not have the season that Foster did. You should not make the All-SEC team on numbers alone. You have got to figure in what the team did. None of the aforementioned players played on a team with a winning record in the SEC. Need I say more. Foster probably doesn’t care since he is such a team guy, but he got robbed.
ATLANTA (AP) - University of Tennessee guard Chris Lofton is the
Associated Press’ Southeastern Conference player of the year.
Lofton is a graduate of Mason County High School in northeastern
Kentucky. Lofton was also Kentucky’s Mister Basketball in his
senior year at Mason County.
Randolph Morris received an Honorable Mention and was the only
University of Kentucky player named on any of the teams.
Lofton edged Vanderbilt’s Derrick Byars for the honor. Lofton, a
six-foot-two junior, leads the S-E-C in scoring with 20-point-six
points per game.
Andy Kennedy earned coach of the year honors after leading
Mississippi to its first winning season since 2002, while Arkansas
freshman Patrick Beverley was the choice as newcomer of the year.
Here’s the entire All-SEC list………..
The 2006 Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference men’s
basketball team released today, with name, school, position, height
and class:
FIRST TEAM
Derrick Byars, Vanderbilt, G-F, 6-7, Sr.
Al Horford, Florida, F-C, 6-10, Jr.
Chris Lofton, Tennessee, G, 6-2, Jr.
Glen Davis, LSU, F, 6-9, Jr.
Tre’ Kelley, South Carolina, G, 6-0, Sr.
SECOND TEAM
Richard Hendrix, Alabama, F, 6-8, So.
Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State, G-F, 6-4, So.
Joakim Noah, Florida, F-C, 6-11, Jr.
Corey Brewer, Florida, F, 6-9, Jr.
Clarence Sanders, Mississippi, G, 6-1, Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Todd Abernethy, Mississippi, G, 6-1, Sr.; Jermareo Davidson,
Alabama, F, 6-10, Sr.; Shan Foster, Vanderbilt, G-F, 6-6, Jr.;
Sundiata Gaines, Georgia, G, 6-1, Jr.; Taurean Green, Florida, G,
6-0, Jr.; Randolph Morris, Kentucky, F-C, 6-11, Jr.; Brandon
Wallace, South Carolina, F, 6-9, Sr.
—
Player of the Year - Chris Lofton, Tennessee
Coach of the Year - Andy Kennedy, Mississippi
Newcomer of the Year - Patrick Beverly, Arkansas
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
I would trade Pacman,,,,,what would you do?
This will never happen, but this is what the Titans should do with Pacman. You could say this is my dream trade for Nashville.
Send Pacman Jones and next years 2nd round pick to the Raiders for the #1 overall pick. Then you’ve got two options.
1. Pick Calvin Johnson-Georgia Tech WR
2. Work a deal with one of the other top 4 teams (the Lions, Browns, and Bucs all need a quarterback), give them the top pick for their pick and get their 2nd rounder this year. Pick Johnson with the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th pick.
Calvin Johnson is not a player you can pass up if you’ve already got a quarterback and need a receiver. I would break the bank if I were the Titans to get this guy. If you can get Johnson and get rid of Pacman’s troubles you’ve just about broke even in the short term. In the long term you can’t beat this deal because there is no way Johnson comes to Nashville with the off the field trouble Jones came with.
What would you do?
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SUB-STATE FINALS
Finals
East Tennessee
White Co. 67
Bradley Central 73
AAA Sectional
White House 53
East Ridge 46
AA Sectional
Unicoi Co. vs 39
Fulton 51
AA Sectional
Cloudland vs 50
Harriman 47
A Sectional
Austin-East vs 48
Pigeon Forge 35
AA Sectional
Dobyns Bennett vs 67
Powell 70
AAA Sectional
Maryville vs 57
Science Hill 54
AAA Sectional
Friendship Christian vs 41
Temple 64
A Sectional
Wartburg vs 74
University School 65
A Sectional
Middle Tennessee
Franklin vs 44
Clarksville 63
AAA Sectional
Eagleville vs 53
Culleoka 56
A Sectional
Moore Co. vs 40
East Literature 49
A Sectional
Bolivar Central vs 68
Giles Co. 76
AA Sectional
Red Bank vs 52
Oakland 91
AAA Sectional
Chatt. Arts & Sciences vs 53
Pickett Co. 49
A Sectional
Howard vs 65
Station Camp 45
AA Sectional
Mt. Juliet vs 40
Whites Creek 55
AAA Sectional
West Tennessee
B. T. Washington vs 61
Dyer Co. 63
AA Sectional
Middleton vs 45
Humboldt 52
A Sectional
Pearl Cohn vs 63
Liberty Tech. Magnet 88
AA Sectional
Crockett Co. vs 71
Mitchell 86
AA Sectional
Ridgeway vs 69
Raleigh Egypt 67
AAA Sectional
Peabody vs 74
Westside 87
A Sectional
Craigmont vs 72
White Station 64
AAA Sectional
