New AD
We got the chance to meet the new UTC athletic director on Wednesday.
Mark Wharton, formerly of Penn State, pulled up a chair for 30 minutes on Press Row. Here's the podcast if you missed it. Here are some of our takeaways:
Dude is confident in his abilities in a very good way. Dude was sharp, especially dealing with all the demands and considering that he woke up at 4:30 in the morning in Pennsylvania. (We did the interview from 4:30-5 p.m.) Dude quoted some excellent examples of success he and the athletic staff had at Penn State.
He has John Mayer in his CD player and thinks Abe Lincoln is the best leader to emulate. He also pledged to wear a singlet and come on our show if/when UTC wins the SoCon wrestling title. (And yes, we are sure UTC wrestling coach Heath Eslinger is aware of this pledge and intent on making it happen as soon as possible.)
It's easy to see how Wharton certainly impressed the committee in the interview process. (Here's Weeds' view on the new UTC athletics boss.)
It's the last piece to be placed in an amazing overhaul in high-profile positions. And considering the need for funds - and make no mistake, all the other bells and whistles and demands of the job are important, Wharton's most important task is generating coin - it is the most important.
Will he be a 'home-run' hire? Who knows.
Did he 'win the press conference' Wednesday? I guess, but we're pretty sure that we've never seen a banner hanging that says 'Press Conference Champion 2015' anywhere. We can say this.
We enjoyed speaking with him and believe he could be good. (And we're very much pulling for the Mocs wrestling team to make their new boss put on the required uniform.)
FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2016, file photo, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick talks with the media after an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y. What started as a protest against police brutality has mushroomed a year later into a divisive debate over the future of Kaepernick who refused to stand for the national anthem and now faces what his fans see as blackballing for speaking out in a country roiled by racial strife. The once-rising star and Super Bowl quarterback has been unemployed since March, when he opted out of his contract and became a free agent who could sign with any team. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File) Kaepernick protests
Want to know when you have hit it big as a protestor?
When the protests generate protests in each direction. More than 1,000 supports (estimated by the AP, mind you) protested outside the NFL's main office in New York City on Wednesday in support of Colin Kaepernick.
You may have heard something about this Kaepernick fellow. Apparently, he created quite a stir by kneeling during the anthem last season. Since, no one has made more news by bending the knee this side of Jon Snow.
Kaepernick said his from the beginning his protest was about calling attention to what he calls unfair and violent treatment of blacks by law enforcement. In some ways it has been expanded to the stance of equality in our country.
On Wednesday, Kaepernick supporters picked and rallied. We're not really sure why.
If it was because the quarterback does not have a job, then why demonstrate outside the league headquarters?
The NFL doesn't sign players and has not tried to prevent anyone from protesting. Protest specific teams like the Ravens or the Seahawks who have negotiated with but chose not to sign Kaepernick.
If it's because the group believes Kaepernick has been 'blackballed' by the league, they need to make sure the NFLPA gets in gear because collusion is a big-time no-no in almost every collectively bargained scenario. And, it's really hard to know how earnest the intentions of this group outside the NFL headquarters is.
Consider the following: When this event was first advertised, the poster for it had Kaepernick's name misspelled. Hey, we deal in words - lots and lots of words - and we misspell our fair share. But if you are truly a Kaepernick supporter, his last name is probably pretty familiar.
Secondly, where was Colin Kaepernick in this protest on his behalf? (That said, the debate about doing this during the anthem - and his questionable decision about the Pig socks and the Castro shirt - aside, Kaepernick has done a ton of generous and charitable things behind the scenes. For the most part, other than starting this anthem alternative, Kaepernick has been rather subtle and mostly hidden through most of this.)
Finally, and maybe more tellingly was this quote from one of the speakers during the rally, via YahooSports: "If you can give $110 million dollars to Donald Trump, who is committed to dividing our nation, you need to give back into black and brown communities," Pastor Jamal Bryant, a speaker at the rally, demanded. "In every city that there is an NFL team, we are expecting a financial investment."
There you go. There you go.
It seems that some have now flipped the switch. What started as an attempt to end violence between cops and blacks became a general request for equality has now - and sadly, somewhat expectedly - come to looking for cash.
Protests, huh? Sounds more a good number of them were looking for a payday.
In this Tuesday, July 18, 2017, photo, Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze speaks to alumni and athletic supporters during a Rebel Road Trip visit in Jackson, Miss. Mississippi announced Thursday that Freeze hadresigned after five seasons, bringing a stunning end to a once-promising tenure. Offensive line coach Matt Luke has been named the interim coach. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)Up next
OK, amid the news that Hugh Freeze called the escort service in Florida as many as 12 times on his Ole Miss-issued cell phone, we thought this was pertinent.
Chip Kelly, as detailed in this story is going to have a lot of suitors sooner rather than later. And the story, which details 15 other names that could be in play to move to big-time jobs, ends with kind of a surprising twist. More on that below.
YahooSports tried to get some intel on Kelly, who will be the front-runner and the big fish on the speculation game that ensues when big-time programs have coaches on the hot seat. Kelly - as long as Bob Stoops is committed to being retired - will be the hot name, and his presence out there will cause some folks to think long and hard about pulling a quick trigger.
We know Ole Miss will be looking for a new full-time guy. We know that a couple of other SEC West places that write major checks could be looking if Kevin Sumlin and Gus Malzahn can't find their way to nine wins.
The list from YahooSports has 15 non-Power Five guys that could be hot names, topped by Phillip Montgomery of Tulsa and Scott Satterfield of App State. There also are five names from the FCS who could get a look.
At No. 5 on that list is
5. Tom Arth, Chattanooga – Went 40-8 in four seasons at John Carroll, his alma mater. Arth's most notable accomplishment was ending Mount Union's run of 24 consecutive conference titles. Arth, 36, backed up Peyton Manning for three seasons with the Colts.
How about them apples?
This and that
- How ya like me now, indeed. Wow. Kool Moe Dee in concert tonight, and we're just now hearing about this? Here's the TFP story and we are truly upset that we are already booked. That would be a fun show. (And here's betting that if the 5-at-10 can find a way to get there, we'd be easy to pick out in the pictures.)
- Speaking of the UTC family, former UTC football coach Russ Huesman Tweeted good luck and best wishes to the Mocs as they get ready for Jacksonville State. Class move. (Made even more heartfelt because we're pretty sure as much as Coach Huesman cares for his alma mater, he hates JSU almost as much.)
- Tough loss for the Dodgers' Rich Hill last night. He was perfect through eight. Had a no-hitter through nine. Lost 1-0 on a walk-off homer in the 10th that was the first hit he allowed.
- Braves played. Braves lost. Joe Johnson blew his ninth save of the season as the Mariners scored five times in the eighth, chasing Johnson before he retired a hitter and turned a 5-4 hole into a 9-6 win.
- Big week for Chad Henne and DeShone Kizer. Each will get the start in week three preseason games for the Jags and Browns and could grab the QB1 spots for those teams.
- Here's an update from 247sports on the three SEC quarterback battles still ongoing at Texas A&M, Tennessee and Florida. Side note: Florida coach Jim McElwain says all three of his QBs may play against Michigan.
Today's question
Did you know that today is National Waffle Day?
Enjoy a waffle friends.
As for today's birthdays, Vince McMahon is 72. Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter movies) is 29. Dave Chappelle is 44. Reggie Miller is 52.
Carlo Gambino would have been 115 today. Cal Ripken Jr. is 57.
On this day in 79 - that's 79, not '79 mind you - Mt. Vesuvius erupts. Roughly 15,000 are killed. On this day in 1456, the printing of the Bible on the Gutenberg press was completed. (Pretty big day all things considered.) On this day in 1989, Pete Rose received his lifetime ban.
OK, according to popular legend, a chef named George Crum - and if your name is Crum and you're a chef, well, that's pretty sweet - prepared the first potato chips near Saratoga Springs on this day in 1853.
Which brands are on the Rushmore of potato chips?
Go, and remember the mailbag.