Derek Dooley Stays On Point Through SEC Media Days

It's a time we all know and love down here in the SEC. Media Days! Where the head coaches and select players from each team are available to the media. Last year the big story was who did not vote for Tim Tebow in the preseason All-SEC team. It turned out Steve Spurrier had some member of the athletic department fill it out and left Tebow off. Also, everyone was very interested in what then Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin would say.

This year the big stories have been about agents as pimps and new Vanderbilt head coach Robbie Caldwell's first job working on a turkey farm (which was actually very funny as Caldwell said he was on the "inseminating crew").

Tennessee of course has Derek Dooley as the new head man on Rocky Top and he came prepared for the media gauntlet today. Dooley was first asked about his parents and what colors they would be wearing to games (real tough questions I know) since Dooley's father Vince was head coach and athletic director at Georgia for decades. I thought Dooley handled all questions quite well trying to keep the focus on what is going on now and what this season will bring instead of what his predecessor had done.

Dooley's biggest point had been the same he had talked about since he got the job, character. He wants his players to be accountable for their actions and be great representatives of the University of Tennessee and the community. “Certainly our image is not where we want it to be,” Dooley said. “All I know is that whether you have two incidents, four incidents, five incidents, either way, you don’t want any incidents in your program. So it’s important to do a lot of things internally to minimize the risk of those incidents.”

The biggest test of this policy came a few weeks ago after the brawl at Bar Knoxville in which safety Darren Myles was dismissed from the team and linebacker Greg King and defensive tackle Marlon Walls were suspended. Dooley said that the team as a whole felt responsible for what happened as the leaders of the team did not do their best at educating the players to take responsibility for their actions. This is something Dooley is looking to change on Rocky Top. Many know it is not going to happen overnight, but I think they are off to a good start.

Overall I thought Dooley did quite well at the podium. Being a former lawyer he knows how to work a room, is very engaging, and he thinks before he says anything. Which was good since the media kept trying to get him to take a shot at his predecessor.

While I think Dooley has said and done things the correct way so far, the real test comes this fall when he has to coach the Big Orange in Neyland Stadium. As always the SEC media days really signals the countdown to football season! So let's get rolling!

Tennessee Vols Arrested After Bar Brawl

No matter who the head coach is, it looks like some Tennessee Volunteers just can't stay out of trouble. I was going to comment about the Lebron James circus last night, but Big Orange Country dropped this in my lap today.

Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley has preached the role character will play in his football program. He will be put to the test today following an embarrassing early morning bar brawl Friday allegedly involving Tennessee football players.

Already, two players have been arrested and charged freshman receiver Da’Rick Rogers (a five star recruit) for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and sophomore safety Darren Myles Jr. for assaulting a UT police officer and resisting/fleeing arrest.

According to the incident report, Myles elbowed a UT police officer under the eye, then tried to run away through campus and was found hiding in the bushes.

Police are continuing to investigate, as two people were sent to the hospital as a result of the melee. One of those was an off-duty Knoxville Police Department officer who was at the bar and tried to break up the fight, according to police.

His reward was being knocked to the ground and kicked until he was unconscious by a group of people identified as Tennessee football players. He's being treated for a head wound.

Some of the other Tennessee players that were detained for questioning or may still be questioned in connection with the brawl, according to police, include defensive tackle Montori Hughes, defensive tackle John Brown, receiver Denarius Moore, safety Janzen Jackson and receiver Matt Milton. In particular, police are looking for more information on who was actually involved in the assaults.

The incident happened at Bar Knoxville on the strip (it was Liquid Knoxville through most of my years on campus). In my opinion it has never been my kind of place. I am not really the clubbing type, and there has always seemed to be some seedy things going on there.

At this point I am getting so annoyed and ashamed with the way these players are representing the football team and the university. Yes I know all the facts have not come out and there are two sides to every story, but you just cannot have players keep getting into trouble like this.

Another problem that may arise is that Tennessee football players received "VIP status" at Bar Knoxville and didn't have to pay a cover. NCAA rules stipulate that athletes aren't allowed to receive any extra benefits or special arrangements such as discounts at restaurants or bars. I am pretty sure no more players will be allowed to go to Bar Knoxville in the future.

If Dooley is a man of his word there could be some strong punishments for the players involved. I have a feeling that Myles is going to be gone since he had been charged back on April 18 with disorderly conduct after an incident at another nightspot near campus. It is tough to say goodbye to such a ballyhooed recruit but Rogers might have to go as well. As for all the other players, we will all have to wait till more information comes out.

Sadly, this story will not go away anytime soon.

Long Time Needed World Cup Report

Yeah I know I have been pretty quiet on my blog the last few weeks. There have been some new happenings in my life so there could be some big changes on they way that I don't want to mention here because I don't want to jinx it. Anyway, onto my World Cup rant!

Why can't I be this good picking college football games? Flashback to right before the World Cup got going and I said on my facebook status that I had Spain and the Netherlands in the Finals! Now all I need is Spain to win and I will feel pretty awesome about my picks.

I do think Spain will defeat the Dutch in the finals, mostly because of the way they seem to dominate the possession of the ball. In most matches the possession on the ball is pretty even between teams, however the Spaniards have done a great job at holding onto the ball and limiting the other teams scoring chances. Look what they did to Germany yesterday after the Germans had scored four goals on both England and Argentina. However I won't have a problem if the Dutch win since they do wear orange. I really like that whoever wins will have their first World Cup Title.

As for team USA, I think it is a good thing that we are disappointed in their performance. That means that people have really begun to care what happens to our boys in red, white, and blue. We are very strong in the midfield, but we have to get better scoring up front and of course have to do much better defending.

Sadly, what people have to realize is that soccer is still no where near the top sport in this country despite all the attention paid to Sam's Army during this World Cup. If the USA wants to get better on the international stage more top athletes in this country have to get involved in soccer.

For example, around the World kids grow up wanting to play soccer and soccer only. While here in the United States, soccer is still probably the fifth or sixth most popular sport. Imagine if our best athletes like Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and more focused on soccer at an early age.

Of course what many Americans, including myself will take away from USA's effort in this World Cup was their grit and determination to keep fighting until the very end. I love watching everyone across the country react to Landon Donovan's goal in the waning seconds against Algeria to help us advance to the knockout round.

Now of course it is onto the officials. It has become so obvious that FIFA needs to start using some technology and get things right. I am not ever talking about correcting offsides or fouls, all I really want is for them to be able to quickly look at a screen and determine if it was a goal or not. So what if it takes an extra minute? Get it right! Of course FIFA makes Major League Baseball look progressive when it comes to making necessary changes. As for things like offsides and diving, is it asking too much to put a few extra pairs of eyes on and around the field to make sure it is not so obvious the referee missed the call?

That is all for me today! I am heading down to Charleston, South Carolina next week for the Shibley family reunion! Enjoy the World Cup Final and you know I'll be back soon and back talking college football!

USA Advances in Dramatic Fashion!

It is never easy for the red white and blue is it? The United States needing a win over Algeria to advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup, pulls it out in the last possible minute and gives my nerves a big Tennessee game test.

Sam's Army had so many chances in the game it almost seemed it was just not going to happen. Knowing that England was ahead of Slovenia, it started to look bleak as timed ticked away. It would have been a major disappointment for the USA not to advance to the knockout stage which is actually a good thing now that expectations are so high for soccer in this country.

Goalie Tim Howard made a good save at the start of added time and threw the ball out to Landon Donovan who got the counter attack moving. The United States was able to use their speed and make a great break on goal. Clint Dempsey was denied again (should have had a goal early in the game but was incorrectly called offsides) but Donovan was there for the rebound to give the game to the United States!

The burst of emotion from myself was repeated all across the country as fans were treated to one of the greatest moments in U.S. Soccer history! Sam's Army have been the comeback kids throughout the World Cup and qualifying, scoring nine goals after the 86th minute. However, it would be nice to not be in that situation for once.

While there is jubilation across America, it comes with heartbreak as Slovenia realizes they are out of the World Cup at the last possible minute. It is what makes this such a great event. Riding high one moment and despair the next.

Up next for the U.S.A. is the knockout stage against the runner-up in group D. There are no more draws. The games will move to extra time, and then sadly if necessary to penalty kicks. Now that we are to this point, let's see how far we can go!

College Football Expansion: This is just the Beginning

As some of you dear readers have pointed out, I have been quiet up till now on the developments in the college football world. I really wanted things to settle down a little before I made my piece. However, I noticed things could go crazy all summer so I need to have my thoughts out there and here we go.

Expansion has been on the minds of many college football fans at the beginning of the year when the Big Ten made it known they were looking to expand to twelve teams and have that championship game. What got people going crazy was when we all realized that they might expand to 16 teams which would send everything out of control.

It all started when the Big Ten sent out feelers to Notre Dame, Nebraska, Missouri, and Rutgers. Meanwhile, the Pac-10 trumped everyone when they sent invitations to six Big XII teams including one of the jewels of expansion, Texas.

All this of course was speculation and rumor until the dominoes have started to fall. Colorado will join the Pac-10 and Nebraska will join the Big Ten. Meanwhile, the Mountain West gets stronger as Boise State will join the other BCS buster schools Utah and TCU to help that conference make an argument to become a BCS qualifying conference.

Today it seemed all but inevitable that Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State would join Colorado in the Pac-10 and Texas A&M was looking to head to the SEC if the Big XII fell apart. Now, reports have surfaced that the ten teams left in the Big XII are looking to stay together and get a new television deal. As you can see, it has only just begun.

This all of course hinges on money. Money was the reason that Colorado and Nebraska left the Big XII. They believed the conference had become dominated by Texas and the south division, became very disenfranchised and felt they were not getting the money they deserved.

To me Colorado is really a Pac-10 school in many respects. Their school and the Denver area (12th biggest TV market) fits the mold of the rest of the Pac-10. Nebraska as well fits quite well with the rest of the Big Ten schools.

The key to continued expansion craziness hinges on Texas. If the Longhorns stay in a ten team Big XII I do not believe expansion will go much further other than the Pac-10 adding a twelfth team (probably Utah). Unless things go boom, Notre Dame will not do anything but sit there and be independent.

However, if Texas jumps and the Big Ten wants to get bigger, you know the SEC will not just sit idly by.

A twelve team Big Ten and a ten team Big XII? My head is already starting to hurt.

Biggest Referee Gaffs in History

Many of you are now very familiar with what happened Wednesday night at the conclusion of the "Imperfect Game." Umpire Jim Joyce called Cleveland Indians' batter Jason Donald safe when he clearly wasn't with two outs in the ninth to ruin pitcher Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers perfect game.

While all parties involved have handled the situation with class and dignity and the debate to use more instant replay in baseball heats up (of course being baseball it will take forever for that to happen). It got me thinking about some of the biggest gaffs by officials in sports.

Baseball

Don Denkinger Calls Jorge Orta Safe
In 1985, the St. Louis Cardinals were on the verge of their 10th World Series title. Up 1-0 in the 9th inning of Game 6, umpire Don Denkinger called Jorge Orta of the Kansas City Royals safe although pitcher Todd Worrell, covering first, clearly beat him to the bag. The Royals rallied for two runs to tie the series, then blasted the Cardinals in Game 7 to win the World Series (yes the Royals used to be good).

12-year-old Helps Yankees
In Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS, 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier reached over the right field fence and grabbed Derek Jeter's fly ball before Baltimore's Tony Tarasco could snatch it. Umpire Rich Garcia opted not to call fan interference despite Maier's glove being obviously over the fence. The home run in the 8th inning tied the game and the Yankees won 5-4 in 11 innings. New York won the series 4-1. Being an Orioles fan, and watching this happen live was unbelievable. What made me even more upset was how Maier was treated like a conquering hero afterwards. If I ever see him in person I will punch him in the face.

Basketball

USSR Wins Olympic Gold on Third Try
The U.S. men lost for the first time in Olympic History, 51-50 to the Soviet Union, after referees twice put time back on the clock, enabling the Soviets to score at the buzzer. In the confusion legendary Oklahoma State and U.S. team Head Coach Hank Iba had his wallet stolen. The Americans protested and never accepted their silver medals. To this day they remain unclaimed. American player Kenny Davis has a clause in his will forbidding any of his descendants to ever accept the medal. Of course in 1980 in Lake Placid the U.S.A. got their revenge (do you believe in miracles?).

Hockey

Brett Hull in the Crease
Brett Hull's goal in the third overtime of Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals was allowed even though his skate entered the crease before the puck. The goal lifted Dallas to its only championship and further devastated Buffalo's long-suffering fans.

Soccer

Hand of God
Diego Maradona punched the ball into the goal in a 2-1 quarterfinal win against England, helping Argentina claim the 1986 World Cup. Later, Maradona described it as, "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." In reality it was pretty much all hand.

Football

Colorado's Fifth Down
Referees failed to change the down marker when Colorado spiked the ball on its final drive. The Buffaloes scored a touchdown on "fifth down," the final play in a 33-31 win at Missouri. Colorado went onto share the 1990 National Title with Georgia Tech.

In stark contrast to what happened in a similar situation in 1940. Cornell scored a last second touchdown to defeat Dartmouth 7-3. However, when it was later ruled that officials lost track of downs and Cornell had scored on a "fifth down," the president, athletic director, and coach of Cornell ruled that they would forfeit the game. Today the game stands in the record books Dartmouth 3 Cornell 0. The Big Red was ranked second in the nation at the time and gave up the possibility of a National Championship. Imagine what would happen today if say Alabama or Tennessee did something similar with millions of dollars and a BCS Title on the line?

So there you have it. Yes, human error is part of the game, but sometimes you just have to scratch your head and wonder what were they thinking?

Can Tennessee's Defense Be Better Than Last Year's?

While much of the focus during Tennessee's tumultuous offseason and spring practice has been focused on the offense, the Vols defense has gone through some changes as well. Gone are Thorpe Award winner Eric Berry, first round selection Dan Williams, team leader Rico McCoy, and legendary defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. What's left for the Big Orange is a group of young men and a young defensive coordinator who can carry the great Tennessee defensive tradition into a new era.

It all begins with the man in charge of the defense, Justin Wilcox. The 33 year-old Wilcox spent the last four seasons as Boise State's defensive coordinator. In those four seasons the Broncos led the Western Athletic Conference in total defense and scoring defense each year.

Yes, Boise State is in the WAC where defense is mostly an afterthought. However, Boise State did not go 14-0 last year by putting up basketball numbers. Last year the Broncos finished 14th nationally in total defense and third in turnovers gained. And that's not just against the WAC. TCU averaged 51 points in the last four games of an unbeaten regular season. It scored 10 in a seven-point loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Oregon scored 42 or more points in five consecutive Pac-10 games. It scored eight in the season opener against Boise State.

Wilcox will bring a high risk/high reward defense to Big Orange Country. Something that is much different than Kiffin's famous "Tampa 2" defense. In the "Tampa 2" the defense played zone and did a great job at limiting big plays but it can limit a defense's chances on interceptions and sacks. With the multiple fronts and different schemes Wilcox's system brings, look for Tennessee to be a more opportunistic defense with more interceptions and sacks. However, this also leaves Tennessee susceptible to big plays. Despite this, the Tennessee defense will have to produce big plays on defense to give the offense a short field to work with this season.

So Tennessee fans have a good idea of what Wilcox can bring to the table, but what kind of talent do the Vols have this season?

On the defensive line Tennessee does have some playmakers at end with Ben Martin and Chris Walker. They are great pass rushers who have some solid speed coming around the end. Walker, listed at 241 pounds reminds many of the Indianapolis Colts great rusher Dwight Freeney when he played at Syracuse. At tackle the Vols are a little thin. Montori Hughes will have to live up to his potential this season. Wilcox has been tinkering with different schemes and during spring practice even lined up the 317 pound Hughes off the line so he could get a head of steam to rush the passer.

At linebacker the Vols have many players with game experience, mostly because they were all injured at one point or another last year. At the end of spring it looks like Nick Reveiz, Savion Frazier, and LaMarcus Thompson to be the starting three, but expect Greg King and Herman Lathers to get plenty of playing time as well. Under the radar is redshirt freshman Jerod Askew who can make an impact. With the depth at linebacker at a thin defensive line, look for Wilcox to tinker with a 3-4 scheme this season.

In the Tennessee secondary, when someone like Eric Berry leaves there is an obvious void to fill. This Tennessee group is looking to fill that void in a big way. Sophomore safety Janzen Jackson has already received Eric Berry hype after a great freshman season, despite losing four games due to legal issues. Darren Myles Jr., Eric Gordon, and Art Evans bring big play potential to the secondary.

In 2008 Tennessee was third in total defense, and last season the Vols dropped to 22nd. If Tennessee can get over depth issues on the defensive line, and the secondary can fill the void left by Eric Berry and Dennis Rogan, the Vols can have a great defense. Because of the schemes that Wilcox employs the success of this defense might not show up in yards per game. Instead success will be measured in sacks and turnovers.

This season, the Tennessee defense is going to have to lead the way until the offense has a chance to gel and score some points.