Jay GreesonLet's start with our regular BID-ness.
Here's today's A2 column, and as you can see by the accompanying photo, the Mrs. 5-at-10 played along with this one. She has six shots of Snowy - or Jacob - the snowy owl who has become quite popular in his winter trip to Chattanooga this week in a gallery if you click on the column. Read the words if you like, but the photos are surely worth your time, and I'll quit calling you Shirley.
You know the rules. Here's Paschall on some of the things we discussed Thursday around these parts and a deeper look at how the UT defections have left the Vols paper thin at linebacker and running back.
As for our college hoops picks, we pushed Thursday on Arizona minus-2 over Arizona State in a wild, back-and-forth affair that featured a ton of offense (84-82 was the final) and an eye-opening performance.
No, it was not from any of the offensive stalwarts on either side. No, it was not the buzzer-beating tip-in to win it. No, it was not the famous/infamous coaching confrontation between ASU's Bobby Hurley (the first in a long line of punchable faces to play point guard for the Duke Blue Devils) and erstwhile college hoops purist and all-around above board recruiter and Eagle Scout Sean Miller.
The eye-opening performance was a move to the top three of analyst Bill Walton, who has moved just behind Romo and Barkley as a sports analyst that will cause me to tune in (and maybe more importantly, stay tuned in) just because he is doing the broadcast. He is tremendously entertaining, odd, tangental, inclusive, a clear Pac-12 homer of the highest order (he never says Pac-12, only calling it the 'Conference of Champions') insightful, antagonistic and playful with partner Dave Pasch and very good.
I had no dog in the hunt - other than that casual, off-the-cuff pick - and Walton kept me entertained. And more importantly for his job description, he kept me watching and listening.
NFL picks after a 4-0 heater last week made us now six games over the .500 mark on the season. Hey, we win a couple more and it will actually be a winning streak. What?
Look at the time. Rushmores, NFL picks and College hoops picks will be here by noon. Deal? Deal.
Like Jeremy Pruitt adding cash in his pitch, let's get to the bag.
Hey Jay,
There are no slow news (or sports) weeks.
It is generally universal that everyone expects cheating in NCAA basketball recruiting at this point and we all nod and move on, including FBI probes. Is it likely just as rampant in football and somehow kept closer to the vest? Hard to believe all the stops Pruitt and others have been that this wouldn't possibly be in the DNA?
To me, Tom Herman should be much higher on the candidate list than he seems to be. I realize Napier is hot at the moment, but I don't think he has Power 5 cred or the track record to prove it's long-term viability. UAB, seriously? Will Healy? Coastal Carolina? Texas hired a former HC from Power 5 who spent years as Bama's OC and the Falcons earlier and UT is looking at the next flash in the pan.
Herman was hugely successful at Houston going 22-4 and 23-11 at Texas with a 7-3 pandemic record, plus solid stints at Iowa State and Ohio State as OC. Is Herman worse than I think or is the fact Texas fired him unfairly putting a stench on him that may cause UT to look elsewhere?
AND
From Scott:
If you were the new Athletics Director at Tennessee, who (realistically) would you hire, understanding that Bob Stoops, Jon Gruden, etc. are not realistic options?
Gang,
Lots of thoughts and questions on the UT football scenario, and these were two of the best ones on the next coaching hire.
To Mark's point, yes, the college hoops filth is way more universally wink-winked and nod-nodded, but the dirt around college football is just as bad.
And while we're here, when they figure out the next phase of college sports and how to pay the elite players that are making the billions that makes everything work, there will still be cheating.
It's not about the money, it's about the advantages.
And in truth, who knows, Bama's rolling right now to the place that the offer of going to school there and if you get on the field you will get a shot at the next level is enough. It could be the same at Duke and at UK in hoops right now too.
But to get to that place coaches and programs treat the rules like we treat the speed limit on a copless interstate on our way to the beach.
And I agree with Mark, I think Herman is a real candidate - if he wants to be that is. And that's not a knock on the UT gig. That's wondering if would want to take a year off and spend his buyout coin.
As an Auburn fan, while like Herman he has experience dealing with a mega program and the headaches that come with it, I think Malzahn would be a mistake and Steele would be an even bigger mistake. I too follow your line of thinking about the 'flash in the pan' which Herman was not that long ago and how he got to Texas.
(Side note: You Alabama point is spot-on. Sweet buckets of Saban's magical elixir for wayward coaches everywhere, dude's staff scatters and he adds not one but two former NFL head coaches as his OC and OL coach. Unreal.)
I think Healy will be a star, but I am biased. Concur on the UAB guy, and lean the same way about the Coastal Carolina guy. Of those, Herman would be my pick.
As for Scott's suggestion, I start at the top and make them say no.
Start with Bob Stoops and see if retirement is all he thought it would be.
As for sitting college coaches, I'm not as high on Napier as most. This year at Louisiana was fueled in some ways by a galvanizing tragedy - an assistant dying - that he managed adeptly and bonded everyone.
My first pick, Scott - Lane Kiffin. (If that's a non-starter with leadership because of scandal, well, OK, but he is flush with the most important quality out there - hope. And energy and excitement. Of all the coaches in the SEC, behind Saban's connection with the Tide Backers, I think Ole Miss fans would be the most upset if their current coach left. And that's a strong statement of the energy Kiffin brings. (And in the fervor of the 'his wife was a cheerleader' angle that fueled the Grumors more than once, Kiffin's son is named Knox after all. Plus, there are more than a few connections between Kiffin and the new AD. I digress.)
Herman would be on my short list too. I think Matt Campbell from Iowa State is a heckuva great coach too. But I think it's pretty important for Danny White and his crew to set their sites on someone and land them. For the fans, the perception of the program to the recruits, for some quicker healing.
Break the bank and get it done.
From Bob:
In the aftermath of the Pruitt termination, I ask: is it possible to 'fire' the wealthy boosters who control UT athletics? After all, their track record over the last few years isn't very good. I get that boosters and their money are a part of every major college program, but when you look at the amount of cash UT has paid out to get rid of coaches and ADs (even if they don't end up paying Pruitt), it seems to me that any money coming in from the wealthy fans is just going right out the other door in the form of buyouts. And leaving a bigger mess behind each time it occurs. Do you think the booster situation at UT is worse than elsewhere?
Another question: a buddy of mine says that no college football team, no matter how good, could beat any NFL team. So, for example, this year's Alabama team could not beat the Jets. Is that true?
Bob,
Short answer: Of course no program can fire the donors. They are paying the freight.
And unless you have a cult of personality like Saban - and his success to match - they will believe their checks give them a voice.
The best ADs - and CEOs, and leaders in general - have the unique gift of, shall we call it, "Reverse idea generation, however tough" or RIGHT for short.
RIGHT, you see is, well, the right way to handle these dealings, and at its core RIGHT centers on making other people believe that a) your idea, direction or thought was actually formed by theirs b) the solution or decision was directly impacted by their wisdom and input.
In this version the opposite of RIGHT is not wrong, but it's rogue, and in truth, the rogueness of boosters is as bad at Auburn as anywhere - UT included.
Dating back to the days of Bobby Lowder, and the debacles of the 1990s and extending to modern times when the Yella Fella - Great Southern Wood bigwig Jimmy Rane - is everyone's ear.
And those rogue folks are everywhere, not just in Knoxville. Because one of the common traits among those successful enough to be true boosters and not just donors, is the confidence in their ability and skill set to make anything better.
Truth be told, before Saban, the Bama boosters were every bit this bad, but then Saban landed and, well, it's tough to want to tweak the Sistine Chapel you know?
But when things start to wobble the whispers spread and grow louder because the uber-successful folks want better and they want it now.
But when things are humming, well, the boosters just enjoy it. And they enjoy it even more if the AD and the university leadership has done things the RIGHT way.
As for the Tide vs. the Jets, your friend is right. A few years ago when the Dolphins were close to winless and really bad, I saw a Vegas had them like a 26-point projected favorite over Alabama.
Now this Alabama team is a little different, compared to, say the Jags, when you consider that the Jags have exactly one first-round pick on its current offense (TE Tyler Eifert) and Alabama has at least four (Mac Jones, both WRs and the T) and maybe a couple more in the years to come. If you are wondering, the Jags have several former SEC stars who were first-rounders on D like Taven Bryan and CJ Henderson from Florida, K'Lavon Chaisson of LSU, and Josh Allen of UK.
Still Vegas would likely have the Jags a double-digit favorite over Alabama.
From Zeb:
(UT athletics) should set a precedent and sue JP. His actions have and will put significant financial stress on the UT athletic department. Maybe these cheating coaches would think twice if a court held them liable for the financial cost of their blatant actions! Your thoughts @jgreesontfp?
Zeb,
Very interesting angle and one that takes my view even further.
Not sure UT could sue Jeremy Pruitt for the financial implications of NCAA trouble, and I'm not sure how you could even begin to calculate the true fiscal cost of this entire Pruitt mess.
But I think the clauses and phrasing in these contracts moving forward are going to be detailed and exact on what fired for cause entails. They will have to be because these buyouts are extreme.
I understand them and I understand it's going to be a fight to get them dialed back or limited, but the fact that Gus Malzahn is getting $21 million not to work after losing four or more games for a program that spends nine-figures annually is staggering.
For the investment Auburn made to Malzahn and supporting him for the better part of the last decade, he sorely underachieved and in almost every other line of work, that level of underperformance is a fireable offense, especially after seven years and more than a half a billion dollars spent.
So the rest of college football should be cheering for UT to prevail in the inevitable lawsuit that is coming from Camp Pruitt. Because NCAA violations or not, there was cause to fire Pruitt, and that was 'cause he stunk.
In fact, big picture, this is just one of the avenues that the new landscape of college sports will detail. Forever there was so much money everywhere, that major programs would pull the trigger, pass the hat, hire Hot Coach Q and rinse and repeat.
Now, after COVID? The coins are stretched thin. The coffers are barren and the adjustments will be far-reaching.
And if the college hoops season shuts down, Katie bar the door on the implications on the bottom line across all college sports. (How bad? Know this: If there is a mid-February COVID delay, there will be May Madness and try to figure out how to have September Silliness before they cancel.)
Hold strong Tennessee. The for cause is a just cause, and Zeb used the word precedent, and he's right.
From Abankston:
Are you teasing some futbol? Has the mullet brought some culture and appreciation of the beautiful game up to the Greeson compound? Speaking of it, can we get some thoughts on the Morgan Wallens new album and the state of country music today?
AB,
Been too long my brother. Much too long. Up yours COVID.
Nope we have forever kicked the soccer habit. (WHAT did he do there? Look Ma, no hands. Oh my goodness, to quote the old NBA Live, he's on FIRE.)
On to the next pitch - seriously, this needs to stop - great question.
I believe Morgan Wallen is the face of the next quality chapter of country music. Like so many things, musical genres, like football strategery, popular movies, you name it, country music is cynical.
And the previous cycle was circling the bowl of craptastic, cash-grabbing trash. I blame Luke Bryan mostly, and a lot of folks will point to Florida Georgia Line, which I understand. In a lot of ways, those folks crossed lines of success and popularity by playing into the stereotypes more than the traditions of country music lovers like me.
And, to me, it felt like our trucks and accents and love for mama, trains, trucks, prison and getting drunk were being mocked rather than being mused. Sure, the reach widens, but the base gets alienated, at least I did.
But, whether it was some redirections in design - and in truth Florida Georgia Line deserves some credit for that too, from the song they did with Wallen to May We All, their new stuff is >>>>>> than what made them an anacronymically recognizable FGL - this crop of young dudes has impressed me and redirected me to listening to new country in between my dances with Willie, Waylon, King George and the Man in Black.
In truth, I think we'll look back and Eric Church may very well have saved this generation of new country, both in terms of philosophy and product. Church's music meets the standards, and more importantly after years of beating the bushes and coming through the bars and clubs, he made on music. And he put on blast all the 'talent show' country artists that came through Blake Shelton's bloviating broadcasts and all the others.
So tip the cowboy hat to Church, but know the mulleted Morgan Wallen - and his good buddy Hardy, if you and the rest of the folks I know don't play Hardy's "Give Heaven Some Hell" when I kick, then I'm coming back down here and going full-blown soccer scissors on you, Stephen and everyone in sight - are going to be the next wave of super-duper star. And Wallen's new album has started like as ball of fire.
(Somebody's Problem is great, and it's the perfect example of letting country music fans in on the lyrics rather than making them the butt of the joke of the lyrics. It starts, "Bama Red Four Runner pulled into the party, with a 30A sticker on the back windshield." That's aces my man. Aces and draws an image of color and circumstance that we all can instantly see without saying Redneck Riviera, you know? "Silverado for Sale" is strong too.)
Yes, Luke Combs is crushing - KER-rushing - and Chris Stapleton is an all-timer, but Wallen is some kind of special and has a likability that you can't buy or put a value on.
But I 100 percent approve of this new direction, and here's hoping they stay true to how they got to this point - and the quality stuff that got me back in the fold - rather than following Darth Bryan and the rest to the dark side.
In fact, we all get vaccinated and return to, like going to concerts again, let's find a place to go see Morgan play. Deal?
From Ted:
Hey, Fat Face, did you stop cooking, because I know you have not stopped eating. Ha.
OK, I've got a question for your little online thingy - Give me one prediction in every major sport.
Yes, I'm going to Vegas next month on business and I am looking at some futures.
Hope you and the fam are good my brother.
Ted,
Got some nerve calling me fat face you, you meany. And, to be honest there Einstein, I'm still waiting for your question. Oh what's that Tommy Boy, "Does that suit make you look fat?" No your face does.
(Yes, I've known Ted a while, but his question is a fair one and one I meant to get to closer to the new year.)
Yeah, we're still cooking. Working on new pancake combos, moving through some various soup runs - got a potato and ham soup that will make you slap aunt - to see what sticks, working on my homemade mac-n-cheese (that's Ray's favorite food, so there's that).
Got some go-tos for sure, but during the home-schooling and the quarantining, I'm cooking more everyday. Did iron-skillet homemade onion rings for lunch yesterday. Yeah, we're cooking. And yeah, wise-acorn, we're still eating too.
OK, some predictions. Yeah, we can do that.
Golf - Give me a few here: Dustin Johnson at 8-to-1 to win at Augusta this year and put a small taste on Cameron Smith at 45-to-1 since the Aussie had four rounds in the 60s the last time we were at the Masters; and not sure of the odds, but give me Jon Rahm to win a major in 2021 too.
Baseball - I'll take the Padres at +900 at MGM (bet $100 to win $900) to win the World Series and whatever the odds for Fernando Tatis Jr. to be the MVP.
Hoops - Gonzaga is a huge favorite - like +300 - to win it all, so while I fully expect them to be there all the way to the end, the value seems too short of me. Give me two longer odds with Michigan at +1200 to win it all, and Alabama at +3300 to cut the nets, because if they make 23 3s, well, that'll do pig. That'll do.
Football - Speaking of favorites, Bama os +280 to win the 2021 title. Egad, that's staggering. All your usual suspects - Georgia, THE Ohio State, Oklahoma, et al - are the favorites, but how about a little taste on Ole Miss at 100-to-1 considering Kiffin and the QB?
NFL - Bet Mahomes MVP. This year. And next. And the one after that too.
Have a good weekend, friends.