Welcome to Wednesday. We have a couple of pieces of housekeeping before we do anything else here today.
1.) Signing Day is three weeks away. Here at Tonybasilio.com we are getting ready for a Signing Day Apptacular. We're gearing up here for another multi hour App/Periscope/Live Stream production that will air right out of our Ray Mears Studio in Knoxville. I'm bringing this to your attention because we have sponsorships available for the day if you're interested in promoting your business and have never done anything with us here. This would be a wonderful opportunity to promote yourself in big splash day.
2.) Tennessee visits Missouri tonight in a late night 9pm Tip off in the Cuon-Zone. I'll be in studio with Mark Griffin following this game as we take your calls on what hopefully is Tennessee's 4th straight SEC victory. That would be great stuff!!! I hope you'll join us then and please help us grow by telling others about all the stuff we're doing here for you!!!
3.) We're tentatively planning an 'X'-Cast LIVE for Friday night as we discuss the visitors for the weekend plus many of the moving pieces and parts and story lines that make recruiting so compelling. Please let others know that they'll be able to listen in and also watch us on Periscope or Facebook Live.
4.) If you'd like to support our work here with either a one time gift or by joining our T Club, we'd welcome you to our family. T-Club Members enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they have a hand in keeping us sustainable.
5.) If you're having trouble getting the show on our stream or app, please know that we're addressing this behind the scenes by investigating perhaps even building a new app. Rest assured we hope to have this fixed in short order.
Tennessee Thompson? 
We'll discuss this today for sure as it looks like Tennessee loves Alex Thompson from tiny Wagner College. Phil Simms thinks Thompson could be an NFL QB. How sweet would it be to add this guy for a year in Knoxville? I hate to say this, but if you're UT and you could add this guy, you should do it. No offense to JG or McBride but who really knows what you have with those guys at that position. And this could go either way. Simms does love him some Alex Thompson.
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Nathanael Rutherford hits the nail on the head asking if this is now Guarantano's football team.
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SEC Is Good But Not Great: I get that the SEC is better this season. There's no doubt about that. What I don't get is the projections that have the conference getting as many as perhaps 9 teams in the NCAA Tournament. Put it this way, Texas A&M is 0-5 in the SEC, they're not playing in the NCAA Tournament. They're just not. I don't care about what they did in their non-conference or where they were ranked. You don't go 0-5 and make the NCAA without winning your conference tournament. That's just the way it is. When I look at this league, I wonder if this isn't a collection of pretty good teams without a great team. Kentucky isn't Kentucky this year. Auburn leads the league with a team full of mighty might’s. How long can they keep this up? Missouri, tonight's opponent for Tennessee is a nice little team but they're point guard play away from being a real threat in March. Tennessee is pretty good, but they're far from elite. Then again maybe college basketball is just average this year and the Vols truly are a second weekend NCAA Tournament team.
I thought it would be interesting to rank SEC Teams 1/4 into the league schedule.
1) Auburn: Who else? It's called results
2) Kentucky: They're still Kentucky and still talented but not elite.
3) Tennessee: What a great season so far from our Vols.
4) Florida: Could get hot in March and win some games.
5) Arkansas: LOTS of TALENT!!! LOTTTTS.
6) Alabama: Lots of talent. Haven't gelled yet. Key's returning a key.
7) LSU: Awesome coaching job Will Wade. Wait till next yr!!!
8) Mizzou: Overcame Porter injury. A PG away from being very good.
9) Georgia: Stuck in neutral in Athens but dangerous.
10) Ole Miss: Their record to this point matters. They're just OK.
11) A&M: If they gel they could and should jump. Will they???
12) Miss St: Sometimes recruiting hardware doesn't add up.
13) South Carolina: Back to the back but scrappy are the Gamecocks
14) Vanderbilt: Played as well as possible for 20 vs. Vols. Didn't matter.
Again, the SEC looks like a collection of OK teams. And the truth is outside of Arkansas there aren't a lot of teams you would call must see must see TV. LSU is fun as well and Tennessee defends so well that they ugly you up. I find this beautiful but most would probably call Tennessee off putting.
Lunardi Says: SEC gets 8 NCAA Tournament teams.
Kentucky #4
Auburn #4
Tennessee #4
Florida #7
Arkansas #7
A&M #9
Mizzou #10
Bama #11
First Four Out: LSU
Next Four Out: Ga
I'm sorry, but if the SEC is an 8 bid league then college hoops are in a sorry state.
Griffin’s 3 Pointers
Griffin’s 3 Pointers - Missouri
1. Cuonzo in Columbia - Averaged 20.7 wins in 9 seasons as head coach with 7 postseason appearances over last 8 years. While at UT, 1 NCAA birth and 2 NIT appearances and finished among Top 5 in SEC standings every season including a reaching the Sweet 16 with a record of 24-13 in 2013-2014.
2. As A Team - 12-5 (2-2 SEC) with notable wins against Iowa State 74-59, St Johns 90-82, South Carolina 79-68, and Georgia 68-56. Notable losses were to West Virginia 79-83, Florida 75-77, and most recently Arkansas 63-65. Four of Missouri’s losses are for a combined 14 points.
Tied for 1st in SEC in 3 Pointers Made with 164 (9.6 per game). This marks the most 3 Pointers Made in program history through 17 games.
Field Goal %- 47.5- 4th in SEC
Free Throw %- 74.8- 4th in SEC
Points Per Game- 77.1 8th in SEC
3. Who To Look Out For - Kassius Robertson- 6’3” Guard- Grad Transfer from Canisius Golden Griffins and resident of Toronto, Ontario. Leads team in Minutes-(33.4), Field Goals Attempted- (80-185) 43.2%, 3 Points Made and Attempted- (53-121), 3 Point Field Goal %- (43.8), Free Throws Made and Attempted- (59-73) 80.8%, Turnovers- (36), Points- (272), and Points Per Game- (16.0), Tied for lead in Steals-(18).
SEC Ranked 2nd in 3 Pointers Made, 7th in Points Per Game, and 9th in Steals.
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I'm Speechless: I haven't said a word here about Rick Barnes sermonizing UT fans on issues such as the mistreatment of Cuonzo Martin but here's the deal: Barnes needs to chill on stuff like this because Cuonzo was just a bad fit for Knoxville. And this had NOTHING to do with race or spoiled fans. It had EVERYTHING to do with the fact that Cuonzo Martin underachieved mightily in Knoxville until his team got pissed at fans that signed that petition in droves. In the meantime, Cuonzo remains a great guy and a great story.
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BRUTAL BASKETBALL: Last night Cincinnati visited Central Florida and trailed......get this....19-15 at halftime. Did people pay to see this? Cincy was averaging 79 points per game while surrendering only 58 points per game. Last night was BRUTAL.
Poor John Currie: Was never even considered for the Washington State AD job. He's got to feel like a man without a country after his experience in Knoxville. Sure he'll be well compensated by his ill-fated time in Knoxville but his career may never be the same. Last night Washington State hired FAU's Pat Chun without even considering Currie. This is significant because Washington State's President Kirk Shulz hired Currie to Kansas State. Shulz was forced early on to publicly state that Currie wasn't under consideration after public outcry when UT's fired AD was linked to that opening. Poor John Currie.
Brian Hartman is in a great place sports-wise right now. In fact he wants to share it with you...Belee dat.
Brian Hartman
'It still doesn't seem real. I expect to wake up and discover the Patriots are hosting the Steelers in the AFC Championship game while the Jaguars are watching it from the couch after a 6-10 season. What is reality seems like some kind of an alternate universe.
I'm sure many of you don't care, while some of you may have been curious. I'm sure the few of you who are a little curious may wonder, "Why am I a Jaguars fan and how did I become one?"
I've always felt that pro sports are about identification, while college sports are more about where you are from. It certainly helps to be able to identify with the school in your state though. A winning franchise sure doesn't hurt either. The Jaguars played in 2 AFC championship games (1996, 1999) during their first 5 years of existence. I thought their uniforms were gorgeous, color scheme and all. They were fun to watch and Jacksonville is a nice town. RB Natrone Means was a battering ram, while VFL James "Little Man" Stewart was a shifty change of pace. Fred Taylor was a little of both with more speed. WRs Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith were as good of a tandem as any in the NFL. The offensive line was anchored by Hall of Fame tackle Tony Boselli while the defense attacked relentlessly. Being very impressionable, I wanted to identify with that, and did instantly.
Time caught up with all those players eventually. Others took their place with some degree of success (playoff appearances in 2005, 2007).
Unfortunately, from 2008 until 2016, the Jaguars were one of the worst franchises in the NFL. And poorly run. Somehow, I maintained my fandom. Along the way, I discovered other reasons why I was a fan. That are much deeper, and more personal.
I wasn't real fond of that many people who I had to grow up around. Where you grow up is a choice you don't get to make. The classmates, community, and schools will remain nameless. I haven't and won't be attending any reunions. HAHA. The Jaguars didn't exist during my childhood. Me being a fan of theirs is something none of my classmates would recognize or identify with. I felt like I had a whole different and new identity. That also explains why I prefer a lot of newer music, be it pop or country. No one in my immediate or distant family is a Jaguars fan. It's a form of independence. It was my choice and no one else's, uninfluenced from the outside. I couldn't choose the community I had to grow up in, but I can sure choose my favorite NFL team.
If there are any youngsters reading this, I want you to file this piece of unasked for advice into your memory bank. It's more fun to stand out than to blend in with everyone else. Blazing your own trail can be a good avenue for personal growth. Cheering for the same pro teams everyone else around me cheers for isn't fulfilling and honestly very boring. I already do that with the Vols. What everyone else loves isn't always best for me. Being a Jaguars fan is usually a good conversation starter, because it's different. I'll end with an indirect quote from Mark Cuban, that goes something like this: When 1,000 people are already doing the same thing, why be number 1,001?
Beat the Pats!!'
Brian Hartman certainly blazes his own trail with the Jags. In fact you can see Brian donning a Jaguars car flag after each Jags win during the NFL season. I remember sweating the Jags several years ago during a time where they had a two win season. Brutal stuff. The stuff a great fan is made of.
I've got bad news for Brian this weekend. EVERYBODY is a Jaguars fan on Sunday....EVERYBODY...
T Mail:
'Tony:
I heard you discussing the NFL's mandate on the point after touchdowns at the end of games.
The NFL claims that, since tiebreakers can come down to “point differential”, they require the extra point in regulation. Since point differential is apparently only considered in regulation, if it had been overtime, there would be no ‘required’ extra point.
Kinda shady answer if you ask me……
Kevin'
Kevin:
The whole reason I brought this up yesterday on the show is the hypocrisy the NFL shows with regards to gambling. The NFL was founded and grew off the backs of gamblers by gamblers. Gambling, whether parlays, straight up bets or fantasy or weekly fantasy games is a major factor in the NFL's immense popularity. The rules on having teams kick extra points at the end of games has always seemed like a complete capitulation to gambling and point spreads. Your explanation about point totals seems logical but the fact of the matter is that once a game is over, it's over.
The great Gregg Doyel asks...Why are the Colts hiring Josh McDaniels.
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Bama is losing a TON of guys early on defense to the NBA draft but will still be nasty next year. Wash, rinse, repeat.
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Today's Guest List: Mike Detillier talking heartbreak in the Big Easy
Nathanael Rutherford talking UT QB's.
Doc Sinclair on Recruiting.
RIP: Jo Jo White...Gone too soon at 71. Great Celtic!!!
Tony
A New Direction At TonyBasilio.com: Here at Tonybasilio.com we’re creating a series of programming with little to mostly zero commercial sponsorship. In other words, you will be digesting the following programs in coming days with almost no interruption. This is unprecedented in the history of my business. Nobody has ever done this. Here are the offerings coming your way.
Our Family Of Offerings:
‘X-Cast: A Recruiting Podcast’: Featuring Tony Basilio & ‘X’ where we discuss the latest moves, behind the scenes machinations and all the intrigue from the world of recruiting. This will hopefully be offered twice monthly with lengths varying. If this takes off perhaps we can even do some live offerings of this show. THIS IS BEING OFFERED COMMERCIAL FREE!!!
Fifth Quarter Fan Reaction: Back for season 4. Sponsored by Marcos Garza. This year with NO OTHER SPONSORS. This will be pure content for you. I’m taking a chance here but I know you will reward me for not bombarding you with messages Vol Network style. This program will run for at least 3 hours following Tennessee Football Games. We will have new visual presentation of this feature as well that we’re investing in. Thanks to Jayson Swain for helping me with the technical side of our visual presentation.
Southeastern Sunday Night: 7p to 9p on Sunday Nights airing on Periscope/Facebook Live and other platforms including your Tony Basilio Show App. This will be a regional program that aims to keep it real. We will tell the truth on us, them and all with you. This could be a lot of fun if you help me spread the word across the region. This hopefully will turn into a free for all that is free for all. ZERO SPONSORS. COMMERCIAL FREE OFFERING.
Vol-Scars: A podcast featuring Vol Historian Tom Mattingly and Eric S where we go back in time and commemorate the painful losses in UT football history that left a mark. These shows are extremely time intensive to put together. I’ve worked all summer on these offerings and am really proud of what we’ve compiled thus far. I think you’ll really enjoy this. COMMERCIAL FREE.
Gate Twenty Won: A podcast Featuring Vol Historian Tom Mattingly where we celebrate the greatest wins in UT history in time capsule form. These are a breath of fresh air and the type of programming I’m aiming to bring to you . COMMERCIAL FREE
Chill Cast: Tell Me A Story: A podcast where I grab folks from the sports world and our community and allow them to share their stories with us. This will be done in the spirit of the
recent re-launch programs that I did. We’ll aim to go deeper here. Stay tuned. COMMERCIAL FREE.
Tennessee Basketball Overtime: Back for year 5! Immediately following Tennessee Basketball Games. A Tennessee Basketball Call-In show featuring ONLY ONE SPONSOR…GARZA LAW FIRM. Therefore we keep the conversation going without bombarding you Vol Network style. What a concept!!!!
Garza On The Law: A Podcast dealing with the legal issues that invade the sports world featuring the great Marcos Garza. We will go deeper here. I promise that you will find this interesting. Presented by Garza Law Firm.
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FAQ's Asked Of Tony Per Our Relaunch Announcement:
Q: Tony, you didn't say anything about your daily show yesterday. Will you continue to do this?
A: Absolutely. I'm looking forward to year #24 with you.
Q: Tony, you used the word 'subscribe'. What Am I subscribing too?
A: Great question. 'Subscribe' is a misnomer. What you actually are doing if you choose to help us monthly (and we need this for budgeting reasons) is actually acting as a patron. The goal is to keep the content (ALL CONTENT, from postgame offerings to various podcasts) free for all.
Q: So, if I'm not subscribing and I'm already reading this, why give?
A: Because you value the content and our contribution to the market and you want to help us keep this stuff free for everybody.
Q: Are you going to beat us up for money all the time here?
A: Absolutely not. I will bring this up a few times heading into the football season as we attempt to meet our financial goals and create new programming. I'll also mention it in the post-game format as well as the regional programming. I will not however wear you out with this. Either you feel the need to help us or you don't. This is why I'm taking today to field some question I received after day one.
Q: What happens if this doesn't generate the revenue you're seeking?
A: We will scale back our online offerings accordingly. The blog itself could even disappear. I really don't want this to happen but will be forced to spend my time in the most profitable way necessary. That's why we're having the conversation. All my cards are on the table here.
Q: Where can I find these new podcasts, like that X-Cast?
A: Click on "Podcast" wherever you see it on the site, and it will take you to our Podcast page.
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