Mark Wiedmer started work at the Chattanooga News-Free Press on Valentine's Day of 1983. At the time, he had to get an advance from his boss to buy a Valentine gift for his wife. Mark was hired as a graphic artist but quickly moved to sports, where he oversaw prep football for a time, won the "Pick' em" box in 1985 and took over the UTC basketball beat the following year. By 1990, he was the newspaper's lead sports columnist, a title he still holds today after a couple of Tennessee Sports Writer of the Year awards and a box full of other honors. He joined the staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press when the Free Press and Times merged in 1999. Mark hails from Hopkinsville, Ky., and graduated from Centre College. Contact Mark at 423-757-6273. or mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.
The story first appeared on CNN's website Tuesday morning.
by Mark WiedmerWhen the University of Kentucky visits Ole Miss tonight for a 9 p.m. Southeastern Conference basketball game on ESPN, the Wildcats will do so as college hoops' all-time winningest team.
by Mark WiedmerThey were everywhere Sunday afternoon at the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession, all these PGA Tour golfers dressed in red shirts and black pants.
by Mark WiedmerThere was no blueprint for any of this.
by Mark WiedmerAnother day, another downer.
by Mark WiedmerThe words rolling off Tennessee men's basketball coach Rick Barnes' lips on Saturday afternoon weren't exactly string music to citizens of the Big Orange Nation.
by Mark WiedmerThursday's icy dawn surrendering little of its bite later in the day, local women's basketball treasure Grace Keith was mustering scant enthusiasm to attend that night's epic clash between second-ranked South Carolina and the No. 21 Tennessee Lady Volunteers in Knoxville.
by Mark WiedmerThe beauty and beast of the Southern Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments has always been that only the winner is assured of a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
by Mark WiedmerLet's take the high road here.
by Mark WiedmerLorraine Potter was the most loyal and passionate coach's wife and mother imaginable, and McCallie football players were among those who benefited from such devotion.
by Mark WiedmerMeigs County senior offensive lineman Malachi Hayden thought he was doing all the right things last summer and fall to land a college scholarship from a Football Championship Subdivision program.
by Mark WiedmerMy esteemed colleague Jay Greeson first broached the idea in his Tuesday morning "Five at 10" internet column for this paper.
by Mark WiedmerWill the real University of Tennessee men's basketball team please stand up?
by Mark WiedmerIf one message can sum up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on Sunday night, it might be this: You're not getting older, you're getting better.
by Mark WiedmerEugene Robinson. Those were the first two words that popped into my head.
by Mark WiedmerLike father like son.
by Mark WiedmerUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball coach Katie Burrows doesn't normally embrace a warm and fuzzy coaching style. Much as she was during her days as an outstanding Mocs player, Burrows is typically filled with fire and feistiness, hard to please and never satisfied.
by Mark WiedmerThere are lots of ways to look at the Southeastern Conference's 5-4 win in the annual Big 12/SEC Challenge series of men's basketball games this past Saturday.
by Mark WiedmerThe words coming from University of Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman on Jan. 18 regarding potential NCAA violations within the football program could not have been more somber or serious.
by Mark WiedmerIt was there all along, if only the Big Orange Nation had paid attention.
by Mark Wiedmer