It's here. It's all happening. Please remember the mailbag for Friday, we have a spot or three open as we speak.
The 1-3 p.m. radio show with David Paschall and the TFP sports editor is back this afternoon on ESPN Radio 105.1 FM. Swing by, we got stuff going on. Check it out below. (Side note: Yes, we are still looking for a name for the radio show. Right now we're going with "Special Feature" leaning more on the feature than the special, for Navin R. Johnson reasons of course. "He hates these cans.")
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Tennessee wide receiver Jason Croom (18) and defensive back Byron Moore tangle under the supervision of head coach Butch Jones during spring NCAA college football practice in Knoxville, Tenn.Spring football questions
The Tennessee Orange and White game is Saturday.
Alabama's Crimson and Clover game is Saturday. (What? That's not the name? Oh well.)
UTC's Blue and Cooper game is Saturday. (Are you sure that's not the name? OK.)
Auburn's Blue and Orange you glad we didn't make another spring game joke game is Saturday.
Two of the above teams have quarterback questions.
Alabama has a question of health.
UTC needs to find playmakers.
We caution the results of the spring game with the ultimate grain of sand. If you team's offense runs wild on Saturday, remember that's likely against your team's best defense. Spring football scrimmages are the ultimate ying-yang proposition. (Side note: Is it more clear for this group to offer the ultimate "ying-yang" proposition or should we go "ping-pong" proposition. Stupid is as stupid does.)
But speaking of spring questions, Vandy football coach James Franklin will join Paschall and the sports editor (but not Navin R. Johnson) at 2:20 p.m. today. Have anything you want to know from the Commodores' top boss?
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Lee Fowler, the third candidate considered for athletic director at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, makes a statement to the press Wednesday inside the university center.UTC AD
All three finalists have interviewed. We agree with TFP ace Mark Wiedmer's view here that all three are fine candidates.
Here's our view on the situation.
Point No. 1 - We thought Mack deserved an interview. Call us crazy, and maybe he didn't have a chance in Hades, but for all he did and for the connections it could have eased/greased/pleased it would have been a prudent decision for all invovled. He deserved that in our mind.
Point No. 2 - The only way we see Fowler being the choice is if the program is planning on moving up sooner rather than later - like in the next two years Fowler was the AD at MTSU when the Blue Raiders went to FBS. If that's not the No. 1 goal of the new administration, then we don't see Fowler being the guy.
Point No. 3 - Blackburn and Buddie are supremely impressive. We're OK with either of those cats.
We think it's going to be Blackburn, and we're good with that decision. That is as long as he keeps Laura Herron on staff if she wants to stay. She deserves that.
We'll chat with UTC ace John Frierson today on the radio program today around 1:10 p.m. Swing by.
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Draft prep
OK, we love the draft. You know this.
We also enjoyed Paschall's story about the 2009 recruiting class and how most of the elite prospects in that class are making their way to the NFL.
What does this tell us?
First, we love the draft. But we knew that.
Second, the college recruiting services may be getting better. Chas9 made a salient point a few weeks ago about how basketball five stars pan out more than football five stars. He's right of course, because of the number of variables that go into football scouting, namely late growth and development.
Third, if he had stayed at UT, Bryce Brown was going to be a bad mamma jamma.
That said, let's break down the draft contest and the schedule of events in regard to the 5-at-10 draft, which from now until the end of next week will be known as Draftmas. As in "Merry Draftmas everyone. (Side note: No Egg Nog at Merry Draftmas. That sludge is Ga-Nasty.)
Here's what we have on the contest:
No. 1 overall -
Titans first pick -
Falcons first pick -
Pittsburgh's first pick -
Number of SEC players in round 1 -
Thoughts? And hey, it don't cost nothing and you could win stuff.
(We picked Pittsburgh for three reasons: One, Steeler Fan is a semi-regular; our man Quake loves the Steelers and we've seen mock drafts where the Steelers draft either Cordarrelle Patterson or Jarvis Jones, so there's local intrigue.)
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This and that
- The Lakers got into the playoffs and actually got the No. 7 seed on how things fell. That's a big plus for the Kobe-less Lakers considering they have a better chance against the Spurs than they do against the Thunder.
- Did you see the report that the "Flu Game" of Michael Jordan was actually the "Food Poisoning from bad pizza" game? Either way dude had 38 points and won the championship, just that was interesting.
- Stephen Curry set the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a season with 270. We thought the kid would a serviceable NBA player coming out of Davidson. Dude is a star.
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Today's questions
Our man OrangeGuy got us thinking Wednesday. (Yes, that can be a dangerous situation.)
Is Jackson is the best last name of all time?
A potential Rushmore of Jacksons is Phil, Michael, Keith and Reggie.
Can any last name come close to that?
We think Watson is a sneaky good one - Sherlock, Bubba, Emma and the man you know better as Joe the Policeman form the 'What's Going Down' episode of "That's My Momma" Mr. Randy Watson.
Jones may have a case with Quincy, Bobby, Chipper and LoLo (or Marion). And James Earl Jones... Luke I am your FAthER.
Make a case for a last name that can challenge.