UT AD search
There are a lot of folks with a lot of orange in their closet with a lot of angst right now.
The University of Tennessee has been looking for an AD for months. Alabama needed like 12 minutes to replace outgoing AD Bill Battle. UT is spinning in circles and the tension is being felt. Yes, UT has been in the process of welcoming in a new chancellor, too, and that complicates matters.
But the bouncing back and forth has become hard to follow.
For the longest time we would have bet on UTC AD David Blackburn - a UT grad who worked in the Vols athletic department for almost three decades - against the field to be the next UT AD. Now comes news from TFP UT ace Downtown Patrick Brown and others that none other than Phillip Fulmer has become a viable candidate to run the department. Among those reporting that is ESPN reporter Chris Lowe, who has a bevy of sources in Knoxville.
We believe a few things about this:
We believe that if there's anything Fulmer can do for UT and to help UT he will do it. We believe that Fulmer would not take the gig if he thought someone could do it better than he could. His love for UT is that deep, and all things considered, the fact that he's even being mentioned should make his buttons pop with pride after the way his coaching career ended.
We believe that Fulmer would actually do a good job as the UT AD, and that he could become the rainmaker fund-raiser that comes with that position in today's modern, big-time college sports.
Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry celebrates a score against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 16, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Golden State revenge
Wowser.
That was a blowout in the highest of magnitude.
The score - Golden State 126, Cleveland 91 - was actually a bit misleading, considering the Warriors could have easily won by more. Golden State led by 29 at halftime for Pete's sake.
Cleveland's Big Three were rendered completely ineffective. LeBron James made six of 18 shots, and he had the best shooting percentage of the Cavs trio of all-stars. And that may be the kicker if/when these teams meet again in the Finals. Heck, even Helen Keller can see the Warriors are amazingly explosive offensively.
But when Kevin Durant locks down like he did Monday, defensively this bunch can be suffocating.
When Durant was guarding James, LeBron was 0-for-5 with a turnover. That match-up allows Draymond Green to harass Kevin Love (who was 1-of-6 and missed both his 3-attempts) and the rest to swarm Kyrie Irving.
It was clear that the Warriors had some extra juice at home considering the way last season ended there and how the Cavs rallied for a one-point win over the Warriors on Christmas Day.
But bigger picture, the Warriors' message from Monday's rout was clear: When Golden State plays its best, there's not a team on the planet that can match that. And if you are affiliated with any other team in the NBA - including the defending champions in Cleveland - that's a scary thought.
Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett leaves the field after the team's Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal against Clemson, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. Clemson won 31-0 to advance to the BCS championship game on Jan. 9 against Alabama. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Spinning wheels
Here, from CBSsports.com, is a list of the programs losing the most with the decision of underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft.
A lot of the schools on that list are familiar. Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Florida and Clemson are on the list. And each of those programs is losing a sure-fire first-rounder who had eligibility left. That said, those schools are among the best, year-in, year-out recruiting schools, so replacing that talent will be interesting.
The two on the list that will be most effected in our view are the Gators and the defending national champion Tigers.
Consider this: Florida is losing four star juniors and three other senior starters on a defense that carried the Gators to the last two SEC East title.
Clemson is losing four underclassmen to the draft - Florida, Ohio State and Miami have the most with five - but those four were huge for a Tigers offense that was amazing in the fourth quarter against Alabama. Deshaun Watson, Wayne Gallman, Mike Williams and Artavis Scott are headed to the draft. Center Jay Guillermo and tight end Jordan Leggett are seniors. That's a massive amount to replace, in terms of talent, production and leadership.
This and that
- The relocation roulette in the NFL looks to be continuing as numerous outlets have reported that the Raiders are 'close' to filing papers in the league office to move from Oakland to Las Vegas. That would be the third team to move in a year.
- Speaking of the NFL, not surprisingly, the Divisional round of the playoffs was a ratings home run Sunday. The Packers' 34-31 win over the Cowboys drew a 28.2 overnight ratings share (that's more than 48.5 viewers) and ranks as the most watched divisional-round game ever. The nightcap Sunday drew more than 37 million viewers and was the most watched primetime Sunday program since Super Bowl 50.
- Speaking of the Super Bowl, the average price for a ticket dropped more than $800 after the Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs. The average price as of Monday was $4,600 and the cheapest online ticket was listed at $3,755.
Today's questions
So, on a true or false Tuesday, there's a lot to get to.
True or false, Phillip Fulmer will be the next AD for Tennessee.
True or false, you would take Golden State against the field to win the NBA title.
True or false, you are sad the Raiders are moving out of Oakland.
If you are looking for a Rushmore, let's go with this since Arnold Rothstein and Al Capone were both born on this day, let's go with the Rushmore of Mobsters.
Go.