Kevin Stallings and Rick Ray will forever be trivia answers in Southeastern Conference basketball.
When Stallings and his Vanderbilt Commodores host Ray's Mississippi State Bulldogs tonight on the SEC Network, it will mark the final time coaches will be confined to the baseline inside Nashville's Memorial Gym. It's a unique tradition that has existed since the 14,316-seat facility was constructed in 1952.
Beginning next season, coaches in Memorial Gym will have access to the sideline just past the 3-point line to the scorers' table, and the impending change isn't sitting well with Stallings. Both team benches will remain on the baseline.
"I'm disappointed in a lot of things," Stallings said this week. "I'm disappointed in how it was handled and how the whole thing came about, and I'm disappointed that we had some people whine about a coaching box that has been in play for many, many years.
"I was disappointed with all of that."
The change occurred after the SEC office made a recommendation to the NCAA. The coaches discussed the topic at the league's spring meetings last May, and a majority were seeking more access.
"Obviously it's a unique situation, and I can understand Coach Stallings' frustration," Tennessee's Donnie Tyndall said. "It's been the way it has for a long time, but I think most of the coaches agree that they would like to have a little more leeway to get up and down the sideline and communicate with their team. I agreed and felt the same way."
Said LSU's Johnnie Jones: "I understand Kevin's view and the mystique. It's been good for him and obviously could be an advantage, but having the ability to be on the sideline and communicating with your players when they're going up the floor is normal and natural, and it's something that coaches would like to do."
Vanderbilt's record inside Memorial Gym, which was named for the school's 144 former students who lost their lives in World War II, is a sparkling 756-213 entering tonight's game. The Commodores are 13-4 at home this season and have never experienced a losing home record in the building.
Almost as unique as Memorial's setup is the one opposing league coach who was outspoken about keeping the status quo.
Auburn's Bruce Pearl guided Tennessee for six seasons and won three times in Memorial. His 2008 Vols lost in Nashville following a triumph over No. 1 Memphis, but Pearl has appreciated both good times and bad against his former state rival.
"I believe in tradition," Pearl said. "It's Vanderbilt's home court, and they should be able to decide how they want it operated. It's unique to college basketball, and it's something I think that the SEC should honor and promote as opposed to having someone else decide how the thing should be configured.
"It's very difficult to establish history and tradition, and Vanderbilt basketball has it, so who am I to try and change it?"
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.