690-9885. Please give the great Dennis Bowlin a shout out!!!Kingston Pike in Farragut behind Biker Rags!


If you're going to the game tonight, ROCK the joint! We need to be a factor. I get the feeling that Georgia is coming in spitting mad after what was perpetrated in their gym last year. They have the edge in talent on the floor tonight as well. Yet still, I wake up today and take to the air the glad tidings that Tennessee will win this game tonight.


Dogs recall UT’s postgame antics
By Chip Towers | Tuesday, January 30, 2007, 03:38 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sometimes I think Georgia basketball coach Dennis Felton relishes controversy. Take Wednesday night’s game at Tennessee.

You may recall that, after the Vols beat Georgia 83-78 last February in Athens, Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl and his players ran up into the stands at Stegeman Coliseum to high-five and shake hands with the large contingent of Big Orange fans, whom Pearl had implored to make the road trip down to Athens.

Well, Felton didn’t like that move then, and he still doesn’t like it now. He said as much when the subject came up again this week.

“The way I remember it is Coach Pearl instructed [his players] to go up into the stands and I felt that that was inappropriate to do that on the road in somebody else’s gym,” Felton said on Monday. “I also think it makes your players very vulnerable to a combustible situation. You’re up in the stands with 9,000 to 10,000 other folks who are disappointed and you’re celebrating right there amongst them.

“Fortunately, we didn’t have any fans that did anything that could have turned into something dangerous or made for a dangerous environment.”

For his part, the ever-rambunctious Pearl said he was sorry about the incident.

“It’s something I regret and I apologized for,” said Pearl, who was reprimanded by the SEC for his actions. “I’m sure Georgia, amongst many things, can use that as motivation.”

Pearl is obviously out of the Dale Brown mold of coaching in that he’s big on self promotion and generating excitement. I’m sure everybody saw a week ago when he attended a Lady Vols’ game, shirtless, with his chest and face painted.

I asked Felton if he’d ever do something like that. Not only did he say he wouldn’t, he added, “I don’t know another coach in the country who would.”

So did you have a problem with the Vols running in the stands last year? Do you like Pearl’s coaching style and occasional antics? Do you wish Felton was a little more animated or is he just fine the way he is?

Meanwhile, the Nashville Tennessean is reporting that the Vols’ leading scorer Chris Lofton will NOT play against the Dogs tomorrow night. Pearl said earlier it would be a game-time decision.

Georgia’s Sundiata Gaines, for one, hopes Lofton plays.

“It’ll be a better win if he’s on the court,” he said.

Now that’s confidence.

LONG-DISTANCE COW

Tuesday was Super Bowl Media Day, the annual cattle call for reporters and American Idol losers to frantically search for a worthy quote or sound bite. The best way to participate is watching via the NFL Network. So let me chew my cud from afar:

Rex Grossman was the first player on an assigned podium, apparently eager for the grilling. Good for him.

Tank Johnson said he was on "a business trip," and it sounded scary. But when Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke asked if he was "sorry to society" for his legal problems, the Tank ponderously turned away and refused to reply.

Asked about waiting until Monday to bring his Colts to Miami, Tony Dungy said he wanted them to have Sunday for church and family. Attack that, media herd (or should it be hoard?).

Georgia coach big fan of UT's Lofton
Felton: Injured Vols star 'almost indefensible'
Chris Lofton has earned his share of respect from Southeastern Conference coaches.

But nobody has been more outspoken about Lofton's ability to shoot teams into submission than Georgia's Dennis Felton.

A year ago in Athens, Lofton blistered the Bulldogs for 33 points and went 9-of-12 from 3-point range, many from deep and defenders draped all over him. Afterward, Felton called Lofton the best contested shooter he's ever seen.

"He's the single biggest reason for the success they've had," Felton said soon after Lofton went down with a sprained right ankle Jan. 20. "Chris Lofton has won many games for Tennessee single-handedly. He's just made outrageous plays and shots to beat people. He's by far the best pressured shooter in the country. He's been an almost indefensible player.

"He's very scary because you can do all the right things, and he can pull a rabbit out of the hat."

Lofton's magic won't be on display tonight when red-hot Georgia visits Thompson-Boling Arena. He'll miss his third straight game, and it still may be another week before he's back.

Without him, the Vols (14-7, 2-4 SEC) may need to pull a rabbit out of the proverbial hat if they're going to make a second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

After losses in five of their last six games, it's to the point that Coach Bruce Pearl has called this a must-win game against the Bulldogs.

"We've got to play this game like we're playing for the NCAA Tournament," Pearl said.

No place like home

Not having Lofton's SEC-leading 21.5 points per game has been a huge blow to the Vols, who were already showing cracks in the foundation with their inability to finish games before Lofton was hurt.

They've scored more than 69 points only once in their last five games. That's compared to their nine-game winning streak when they scored 89 or more six times.

The Vols are 10-0 at home, and a crowd of 18,000-20,000 is expected tonight.

"Our season's on the line now," said junior guard JaJuan Smith, who's averaged 22.6 points in his last three games, including a career-high 25 against Kentucky. "We're going to go into every game with the mentality that we've got to win."

Competing for NCAA

The Bulldogs (13-6, 5-2) have been what Tennessee was a year ago. They've won five of their last six games, possess a multitude of scoring threats and are finding ways to win close games.

Georgia is also one of those teams, like Vanderbilt and Kentucky, that Tennessee is competing with for NCAA Tournament consideration. The Bulldogs last went in 2003.

"I wanted my team to leave practice (Tuesday) and focus on that it's not OK for anybody to want to get to the NCAA Tournament more than us," Pearl said. "I want them to treat this game like it's a battle for who's going to make the NCAA Tournament.

"Is Georgia deeper? Yeah. Is there a size difference? Yeah. We've got our challenges to beat them. But one of them can't be the fact that they might want it more than us."

Pearl's guarantee

The SEC has never received more than six bids to the NCAA Tournament, but Pearl guaranteed Tuesday that would change this season.

"I will tell you right now that we will get more teams in the NCAA tournament than we ever have before, and I hope we're one of them," Pearl said.

Pearl thinks the SEC's RPI and overall depth will lead to at least seven bids and maybe more. The Big East Conference received a record-setting eight bids last season.

Ole Miss extends Orgeron's deal two more years
Story Tools
E-mail this story | Print

By Scott Cacciola
Contact
January 31, 2007
Ole Miss athletic director Pete Boone announced Tuesday that he and Ed Orgeron had agreed in principle to a two-year contract extension, giving Orgeron a public vote of confidence as he heads into his third season as head football coach. The deal has been in the works since December.
The Rebels went 7-16 during Orgeron's first two seasons, including 4-8 last year, but Boone said the program has advanced under Orgeron's leadership.


Advertisement
"We are pleased with the progress coach Orgeron has been able to make in his first two years," Boone said in a statement released by the university. "We anticipated the resurrection of this program would take four to five years. He assembled an extremely talented coaching staff, and their superb recruiting efforts give Ole Miss fans reason for optimism in the immediate future."
Orgeron was named head coach in December 2004 when he agreed to a four-year contract, which is the longest allowed by law in Mississippi. The extension, which is subject to approval by Ole Miss chancellor Robert Khayat and the UMAA Foundation Board of Directors, would run through the 2010 season.

"Everything to build a successful program is in place at Ole Miss," Orgeron said in a statement. "We're headed in the right direction and we will continue to build toward our goal of winning the Sugar Bowl. It's just a matter of time before we give Ole Miss fans the type of success they deserve."

He earned roughly $900,000 per season under his original contract. Terms of the extension were not disclosed.

Tank Johnson Pleads Racism:
''A lot of people are demons,'' said Johnson, who was ringed by dozens of reporters and cameras. ''You've got to look at it like that. A lot of people are out to get people just to hurt people. I never thought about racism in my whole life. I've never had a person come to me and say anything racist. Now I look at it like, 'Wow, is it because I'm certain things?' I realize people buy into stereotypes. I'm young, black and have tattoos, so it's easy to stereotype me and put me in a category. I've learned a lot about people. When you learn about people, you learn to stay away from some of them.

''It's easy to clump somebody. When you see me walking down the street, I don't look like you, I don't talk like you, I don't walk like you. It's easy to say, 'He's just like the other people who we see all the time.' I've given you guys opportunities to stereotype me like that. It's unfortunate.''

Specifically, who are these demons?

''They come in so many shapes and sizes,'' he said. ''Sure, they're in the media; they're walking around out on the street. They're everywhere. God has showed me what a lot of the demons look like. God shows me myself every day. He shows me I'm his child. He has a plan for me. He loves me unconditionally. I love him unconditionally.''

Reason #3 The Colts fall this weekend to the Bears
The #23! What famous Chicago champion wore #23? Yes, MJ.
Which Chicago Bear wears it these days? Give up?
DEVIN HESTER. The most electrifying player in sports entertainment today!
What do great players do on huge stages?
They perform.
World Title Back To The NFC.


Peace

TB

Who Else Does This Sound Like In The SEC?
Coming off last season's trip to the Final Four, LSU (13-7, 2-4 SEC) has had trouble compensating for the losses of forward Tyrus Thomas, who left for the NBA after his freshman year, and point guard Darrel Mitchell, whose senior leadership was key to the Tigers' run through the tournament.

The Tigers were left with a surprisingly stagnant offense. Senior forward Glen Davis continues to pile up impressive, blue-collar numbers, averaging 18.2 points and 10.6 rebounds in 35 minutes per game, but LSU has been unable to unearth much perimeter production. As a result, the Tigers are scoring just 58 points per game in SEC play.
@@@@@@@@@@
So They’re having trouble scoring in league play. They’re missing their inside presence and are trying to find a leader and distributor at the point guard and they’re surprisingly in a position to play their way back into March Madness. Scary how similar UT and LSU are!

I don’t know about you but if you asked me to honestly choose a winner Wednesday night, I’m rolling with Georgia. Grant it, I despise Georgia. But without Lofton, a win over Georgia will be an upset. The Dogs on paper are better than UT without Lofton and they’re hotter at this point in time. Yes. Lofton is that important to Tennessee and yes Georgia is playing that well. The crowd needs to be the 6th, 7th and 8th man!


Lofton out in must-win game
Pearl: Star not set to go vs. Georgia
Tennessee's road-weary basketball team returns home Wednesday to face Georgia in what Coach Bruce Pearl concedes is as close to the must-win variety as it gets.

But the Vols will do so without Chris Lofton for the third straight game.
Pearl said Monday after watching Lofton go through a limited workout that it was still too early to bring the SEC's leading scorer back. Lofton sprained his right ankle against South Carolina on Jan. 20.

"We put him through some paces, and he did fine," Pearl said. "But I just don't think he's ready. He's got a pretty good bruise on the bone from where he turned his ankle. Right now, that's what we're dealing with. He's doing everything he can to get back out there, but he's just not ready."

Pearl said Lofton ran a little bit Saturday and did a little more on Monday. He shot some on the side, but didn't do anything with the team.

"He's making good progress," Pearl said. "We'd all love to have him back right away, but we're not going to put Chris in any kind of position to fail or risk further injury. That's just where we are, and we're not treating Chris any differently than we would any other player."

Georgia a must-win

The Vols (14-7, 2-4 SEC) have lost five of their last six games. All the momentum they had coming out of a rousing December is but a fleeting memory.

With a trip to No. 1-ranked Florida looming on Saturday, Pearl doesn't need to sell his team on the importance of Georgia's visit on Wednesday.

"I don't know that our backs are to the wall," Pearl said. "But if we want to talk about the NCAA Tournament, and you need to start talking about it, we have to win enough games in this league to take advantage of what we did in the non-conference.

"Regardless of whether Chris is healthy or not healthy or what percent he's going to be (when he returns), we've got to start winning some games."

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, Tennessee will have to win at least five to have any chance at an at-large berth. That would make the Vols 7-9 entering the conference tournament. Since the league expanded in 1992, only Alabama in 2003 has gotten into the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team with a 7-9 record. No SEC team has ever made it with a 6-10 mark.

The Bulldogs (13-6, 5-2) have won five of their last six games, and that includes wins over LSU, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

"Short of Florida, Georgia's playing better than anybody else in the conference," Pearl said. "And, yet, this is what kind of importance this game has, because we've got to get it started at some point."

Freshman Josh Tabb is expected to make his second straight start in place of Lofton. The Vols have led at the half of every SEC game this season, but haven't been able to hold onto leads.

RPI watch: The Vols were 21st in the latest RPI ratings, according to College Basketball News.

The only SEC teams higher were Kentucky (7th) and Florida (19th).

The NCAA Tournament selection committee uses its own RPI ratings as a tool for selecting and seeding teams.

When you Look UP Quincy Carter, His picture is Right next to ‘Thinker’!
Carter: 'I don't want to blame anyone'

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a recent interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, former University of Georgia and NFL star Quincy Carter, 29, talked about his life — past, present and future. Here's what he told sports reporter Steve Hummer:
ON EVER PLAYING FOOTBALL AGAIN:

"I'm very prepared (for the end of his football career). Not just because some things happened to me that didn't go right. I understand you only get one chance at life. That life was great for me, I enjoyed every minute of it. But I actually think I've influenced more people the last two years without playing football, than I have playing football. People see me go through things that they never thought they'd see me go through, and I've actually come through it. I'm still able to walk around with my head up.

"I definitely can (play again). My skills haven't diminished at all. I want to play football, I really do. I think I can. I think my days are not over. But at the same time, I got to let God lead me back to football."


ON WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR HIM TO GET BACK INTO THE NFL:

"A general manager would really have to diagnose what really happened to me — knowing that it was only marijuana, that I'm not bipolar. He'd have to sit down and talk to me and, of course, watch me work out, pick my brain. I'm one of the smartest quarterbacks to be in the league. Having the smarts and the talent have never been a question. I guess it would take a general manager to get to really know who Quincy is. The only one to really know that is (Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones."


ON HIS CURRENT RELATIONSHIP WITH UGA AND THE COWBOYS:

"The Bulldogs — I'm a true-blue fan until I die. But the Cowboys, (laughter) — put it like this: My mom always taught me if you don't have anything nice to say just don't say it at all. I'll leave it at that. I'm not one of the fans who will be waiting for that next game or that next field goal that's kicked. (The Cowboys lost in the playoffs to Seattle when quarterback Tony Romo mishandled the hold on a game-winning field goal.)


ON HIS ASSERTION THE COWBOYS CUT HIM BECAUSE OF A FAILED DRUG TEST, IN VIOLATION OF NFL POLICY:

"They were trying to prove that I wasn't good enough? Then why did you wait the whole off-season and didn't even let me play a preseason game before cutting me? They knew what kind of shape I was in. I know what kind of shape I was in in '04, and I know what kind of damage I was getting ready to do, too.

"I know you don't go through the whole off-season thinking I'm not good enough, then bring me to camp and two or three days into camp cut me. You would have at least let me play a preseason game.

"Personally, I don't want to blame anyone for anything because I'm the one who failed that drug test. But there's rules and regulations. You fail one (drug test), you get a fine. You fail another, you get suspended for four games. That due process was never given to me.

"It's sad, it's really sad. But like I said, I don't want to blame anyone for anything because if I had never picked up marijuana, we wouldn't even be talking about it. But fair is fair."


ON HIS ARREST IN DECEMBER ON A MISDEMEANOR DRUG CHARGE:

"The police know they didn't find any marijuana on me. ... There were several other people in the house, too. It wasn't my house. How can you put everything on me and don't arrest anybody else?"


ON HIS LIFESTYLE:

"I'm still living the same lifestyle. Everywhere I go I'm recognized. It's just that I'm not playing football, I'm not making that kind of money. But I've already gotten the publicity, I already achieved some things in life. Only thing I really miss about that lifestyle is playing on Sunday, that's it. Fame and fortune, you can have it.

"Now, do I want a whole lot of money? Yeah. Will I get it again? Yeah. I know I will. I definitely know that I will, no matter what I'm doing."

THE RICH GET RICHER!!!!!!!!!!
UF gets OK to upgrade football facilities

The University Athletic Association's finance committee approves $28 million in projects, and work could begin by next month.
Florida's University Athletic Association received approval from its finance committee today to begin a $28 million football facility project as soon as next month.

The first phase of the project, for which $10.3 million was appropriated, will give the football program a new weight room, shift Gate 18 of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to allow for further projects, and complete extensive utilities work. More than two-thirds of that money will come from donations already secured, Athletic Director Jeremy Foley said Monday. The rest will come from the UAA's reserve.

Phase II, scheduled to be completed late in the summer of 2008, will include the renovation of the coaches' offices and the construction of a "front door to Florida football." The entrance and atrium, where Coach Urban Meyer hopes to place exhibits chronicling UF's rivalries and great victories, will be on the stadium's Southwest corner.

The UAA will need to secure a bond for a portion of the appropriated $17.7 million Phase II funding, Foley said. Work on bond approval already has begun, and Foley said he hopes to present the project to UF's Board of Trustees and the state Board of Governors this summer.


Bears Vs Colts
Numbers Say What?
Still, it's a curious position for a team that won 10 of its 15 games by double digits and six games by more than 20 points, including the conference championship. The Bears' reputation definitely isn't enhanced by the fact that they play in the NFC, which went 24-40 against the AFC this season. Two of the Bears' three losses came against AFC teams, including a lopsided loss to the Miami Dolphins at home.














Duke’s Back In The Top 10 So What’s It Matter To You?
ACC admits 'timing error' in Duke-Clemson game
The Atlantic Coast Conference admitted Friday that a timing error was made in the closing seconds of No. 10 Duke's 68-66 win over 17th-ranked Clemson.
Coordinator of basketball officials John Clougherty said the league reviewed the game film and discussed the clock controversy with the officials, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and Clemson coach Oliver Purnell.

"The league acknowledges that a timing error was made in not starting the game clock at the correct time," said Clougherty, adding the situation was resolved internally but did not elaborate.

The confusion started shortly after Clemson's Vernon Hamilton made a layup to pull the Tigers to 66-63 with 5 seconds left.

Josh McRoberts' inbounds pass for Greg Paulus went right to Hamilton just outside the three-point arc. Hamilton hit a 3 to tie it with 1.8 seconds left, which seemed to have the game headed for overtime.

But officials stopped play to review the time remaining and restored the clock to 4.4 seconds. The clock, which stopped on Hamilton's layup, did not restart on the steal until the ball was almost in the basket — a pause of more than a second.

McRoberts then inbounded the ball to Jon Scheyer. He pushed the ball near midcourt and passed to David McClure, who made a layup as time expired to give the Blue Devils the win.

"I am satisfied with their review in this matter," Purnell said Friday. "We now need to put 100% of our focus on our game with Virginia on Sunday, and that is what we will do, starting with today's practice."

A Duke spokesman did not immediately return a telephone message Friday seeking comment from Krzyzewski.

@@@@@@@@@@

Funny how it always works out in hoops for Duke while the UT's and the Clemson's of the world get the screw job put to them.

INTERESTING

TB

Welcome Back to the blogsphere Tony B! Thanks.
The ting that hurts about yesterdays loss is that Kentucky is an AVERAGE team that was there for the TAKING yesterday. That’s what runs all over me. It’s tough to get around from my sake. They were at times AWFUL yesterday and we couldn’t take advantage because we don’t get good shots in our half court offense. We shoot way too soon instead of working the ball methodically the way Kentucky did once they finally got it clicking in the second half yesterday. Forget Lofton. We need to put the clamps on the Chill and the Chiz from the perimeter. I said it a month ago in warning that those guys need to quit shooting the ball from 3 point land. How many 3’s did UK’s big men shoot yesterday? Why do our guys shoot the 3 so frequently and so early in possessions? Because Coach Pearl allows them to. It’s time to change that philosophy. These guys, as deficient as they are defensively, need to get the most out of each offensive possession. Now February looms and this teams has more questions than answers and is running out of wiggle room. Wednesday night with Georgia lurks as the biggest game of the year. Bar None. What follows is a hodge podge of UT stuff and other things I found that are interesting to me. We will discuss much of it on the show today!

From John Clay of Lexington Herald Leader:
It wasn't. Kentucky needed a blistering 64 percent second-half shooting performance to reach 45.8 for the game. For the second straight outing, its center, Randolph Morris, was limited by foul trouble, this time to 19 minutes and just six shots. It turned the ball over 17 times, 11 of those in the second half.
During one second-half stretch the Cats committed turnovers on three of four possessions in most embarrassing fashion:
After a long TV timeout with 15:55 left, Joe Crawford couldn't get the ball in-bounds against the UT defense and suffered a five-second call. Two possessions later, Ramel Bradley was called for five seconds thanks to over-dribbling. (He would be called again for the same violation.) Next possession, Derrick Jasper stepped out of bounds.
Soon after, Kentucky finally got its act together to snap its two-game losing streak. Or did Tennessee simply fall apart?
What a difference a Year Makes:
The Vols came into Rupp Arena last year and won 75-67 to go to 17-3 and 8-1 in the SEC.

But they left Sunday in the throes of their worst drought since Pearl arrived at Tennessee before last season. They've lost five of their last six.

"We're not losing confidence in what got us here," Bradshaw said. "We're going to continue to play the way we play and just try to be more consistent throughout the game."

Here Are Teams That Really Need To Panic:
We're in trouble

We're six weeks away from "Selection Sunday" for the NCAA Tournament, and there are a few usual suspects who could be on the outside looking in March 11:

Connecticut: The Huskies' best win headed into the weekend came against Ole Miss. They have one road victory, at Providence. The potential exists for some "nice" victories (Georgia Tech, Georgetown, Syracuse, Villanova), but it wouldn't be a surprise to see UConn left out of the NCAAs for the second time in 10 seasons.

Illinois: The Big Ten isn't as strong as usual, but then neither are the Illini. Their best win is against Indiana, and there is no road victory of note.

LSU: The Tigers have a good victory against Texas A&M, but that's it. The only road victories are against Oregon State and Tulane, and there's a key game today at Georgia.

Oklahoma: The Sooners appear likely to be out of the NCAAs for just the second time in 12 years. New Coach Jeff Capel didn't inherit a lot of talent, which may be a reason OU is winless in true road games.

Washington: The Pac-10 may be the nation's best league, but the Huskies have been surprisingly mediocre. Thursday night's victory against Oregon keeps NCAA at-large hopes alive. The Huskies don't have a road victory.

Did Somebody Say The B-Word?
Bradshaw also wanted no part of any comparisons to the last season under Buzz Peterson when the Vols finished
14-17 and 6-10.

"I hate to go back that far," Bradshaw said. "I wouldn't want to compare it to that. I can't do that. We've had too many great wins, and there's been too many great things happen to the team this year. We'll keep an eye on that and hopefully realize that the best is ahead of us.

"After a few losses, I was saying that hopefully we'll peak later on. But we've got to get a hold on this, and it starts with Georgia."

With February just around the corner, they find themselves tied with South Carolina for dead last in the SEC's Eastern Division, and there's still no guarantee that Chris Lofton will be back for Wednesday's home game against Georgia.

"You talk about the pressure being on the home team and holding home-court advantage," senior forward Dane Bradshaw said. "It's, without question, never been more that way. You treat every game like a must-win game. I don't want it to sound like we're panicking, but we all realize that we have to get a win.



Lapses costing Vols:

The Vols (14-7, 2-4) have lost five of their last six games. Lofton, the SEC's leading scorer, has missed the last two with a sprained right ankle.

He hopes to work out for the first time today since suffering the injury against South Carolina.

Coach Bruce Pearl said there's a chance he could return against the Bulldogs.

But with or without Lofton, the Vols have to figure out a way to put together 40 minutes of basketball. In particular, this second-half thing is killing them.

Tennessee had Kentucky center Randolph Morris in foul trouble and led 32-31 at the half. The game stayed close, and the Wildcats were clinging to a 47-46 lead with 10:05 to play.

But from there, Kentucky heated up from 3-point range and left Tennessee in its dust with a 20-2 run.

"It's real tough for us right now to be in the game in the first half or ahead and then in the second half just let it slip away and out of reach," said junior guard JaJuan Smith, who led the Vols with a career-high 25 points.

Vols have few answers

In six SEC games, Tennessee has been outscored in the second half by 67 points. And defensively, the Vols have offered little resistance. They're giving up an average of 46.6 second-half points in conference games.

The Wildcats shot 64 percent from the field in the second half. That's after Mississippi shot 59.4 percent Wednesday in its 83-69 win.

"It's too easy to blame it on the fact that we don't have Chris," Bradshaw said. "That's a cop-out. Not to devalue the importance of Chris Lofton, but we've had the same issues for the past seven games, with or without Chris, in the second half."

Other than Smith's career game, the Vols also didn't have many answers offensively. They shot 37.9 percent from the field and simply weren't getting much of anything from their inside game.

Freshman post players Wayne Chism and Duke Crews combined to shoot 4-of-12 for 11 points and five rebounds. Against Ole Miss, they were a combined 2-of-8 for seven points and 11 rebounds. Crews, who didn't start Sunday, has managed just six field goals in his last five games.

"I'm not upset with my team, because I think they're giving great effort," Pearl said. "I just think that we're obviously facing some challenges with our roster right now."

Get Pumped Cowboys Fans:
Norv Turner got the best out of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin when he was the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator. He thinks he can do the same with Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and the rest of the club as their next head coach.

Turner interviewed for the job Sunday, becoming the seventh - and likely final - candidate being considered by owner Jerry Jones.

"I was excited to get a chance to visit and talk about things that are important to me," said Turner, San Francisco's offensive coordinator. "In this league, it's all about timing and circumstance. ... I've got a lot of confidence in the things I can do. I think there are a lot of people in this league that look at it in that manner."

Turner was the offensive coordinator in Dallas from 1991-93. He called the plays that catapulted the Cowboys to Super Bowl titles his final two seasons. Along the way, he became so close with Aikman that Turner introduced the quarterback when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer.

Although Turner went 59-83-1 over nine years as a coach with Washington and Oakland, he's considered the front-runner to replace Bill Parcells because of his long relationship with Jones and the success they had together.

How Underpaid Is This Guy?
Wisconsin Coach Bret Bielema (below), who was one of the three lowest-paid coaches in the Big Ten last season at $750,000, will parlay a 12-1 season into a pay raise. Athletic Director Barry Alvarez wouldn't talk about the new financial package, which is expected to be approved by the state Board of Regents early next month.

Newly hired Saban assistant leaves for Cleveland
1/28/2007, 8:15 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — After only two weeks on the job, newly hired Alabama assistant coach Steve Marshall has left to take a job with the NFL's Cleveland Browns, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Sunday.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for Steve," said Saban, who had assembled his first Tide staff after his hiring in January. "It's a shame that it didn't work out for him here, but I wish him well."
Marshall had spent the 2006 season out of coaching after spending two seasons as an offensive line assistant with the Houston Texans.
He coached the Texans' offensive tackles in 2004 and oversaw the entire line the following season. Marshall also worked at a number of colleges, including Tennessee, Colorado and Texas A&M.
Rockies weigh dealing Helton to Boston
Todd Helton's long run in Denver could end soon. The Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox have been in trade discussions involving Helton for several weeks and those talks apparently are heating up. The team's most recognizable player, Helton has long been a fan favorite in Denver, but he has been beset by injuries and illness the last two seasons, and his power numbers have nose-dived.

He's due to make $16.6 million this season on a team with a projected payroll of about $55 million, something team owner Charlie Monfort has called problematic.

Monfort didn't return phone calls to The Associated Press over the weekend but he told mlb.com that Helton, who has a complete no-trade clause, has indicated he would be amenable to a trade to the Red Sox.

The Denver Post reported Sunday the Rockies are targeting young relievers Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen and that Helton is prepared to nix any deal if it isn't consummated soon because he doesn't want to deal with any distractions during the season.

The Red Sox are reluctant to part with their young relievers but have offered third baseman Mike Lowell and reliever Julian Tavarez, according to The Rocky Mountain News.

Negotiations are expected to resume early in the week when Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd returns to Denver after attending to a family matter out of town.

The 33-year-old Helton is due $90.1 million through 2011, but the Rockies would pay a portion of that if they trade him to the Red Sox. He is due $16.6 million in each of the next four seasons and $19.1 million in 2011 with a $4.6 million buyout in 2012.

Eager to finish above .500 this season, Monfort isn't just seeking financial flexibility but also wants players in return who could contribute right away.

Helton, who signed with the Rockies as a first-round pick in 1995, has starred for Colorado since 1998. He signed a nine-year, $141.5 million extension that took effect in 2003.

Lowell will earn $9 million next season, the final year of his contract. Tavarez is guaranteed $3.1 million next season with a $3.85 million option for 2008 that is guaranteed if he makes 65 appearances.

How Bad Can It Get For The NHL?:
Running numbers: The NHL's All-Star Game on Versus on Wednesday attracted 474,000 households. That's down 76% from ABC's rating in 2004, the last time the game was played, and down an amazing 82% from ABC's coverage in 2000. The game was canceled last year for the Winter Olympics and by the lockout before that.

But the NHL faced tough counterprogramming. And not just from Fox's American Idol. Other Wednesday prime-time shows outdrawing the NHL stars included HGTV's Design on a Dime, Discovery's Myth Busters, Bravo's Top Chef, the Food Network's Ace of Cakes and — attracting 85% more households than hockey's stars — TV Land's Andy Griffith Show. But then, Barney Fife still has it goin' on.

Say What?
Inspirational: Mark Cuban's HDNet, the high-definition TV programmer whose on-air staff includes Dan Rather, will premiere Geek to Freak with Dennis Rodman on Feb. 16. We're not making this up: HDNet officially describes this show, where the ex-NBA star "takes ordinary people" and "pushes them to take on experiences," as Rodman taking "his devilish turn at outing a secretary as a stripper, a construction worker as a cross-dresser — taking his volunteers into bondage, oil wrestling, sex, drugs, rock 'n roll — even pimping!" Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks owner, promises the show takes Rodman's "freakiness to new levels." And it's about time.


Peace

T To THe B