Call me crazy, but I think it would be better for these kids if the first failed drug test were made public and they can get lambasted in the media Clearly, the whole "handlig this internally" doesn't work, because these kids aren't responding to it....These guys were pretty solid contributors, correct?

5/3/2008 11:51:41 AM

They were going to be this year and next for sure... both were sophs.

5/3/2008 1:43:43 PM

Quote :

"Enjoy the middle of the SEC again, guys!"

not really, Ramar had been playing like shit all year and wasnt going to get much playing time at all with Hopson coming in, wont miss him at all... Crews may hurt some but they were fine with him out because of heart problems and Chism really stepped up to take his place and then some. Got a good freshman big man coming in too...

5/4/2008 2:46:32 AM

Brian Williams also came a long way last year too and is getting in better shape....they will be fine in the middle. Guard play is what worries me, especially with Pearl Ball.

5/4/2008 2:51:48 AM

Quote :

"officer."

-Tonya Harding's boyfriend

Quote :

"Come on over."

-Tonya Harding

[Edited on May 4, 2008 at 4:28 AM. Reason : ]

5/4/2008 4:28:05 AM

Isn't Hopson a wing? 2 at most... he doesn't have a good enough handle to run point at a high major...

[Edited on May 4, 2008 at 10:57 AM. Reason : x]

5/4/2008 10:57:12 AM

he could be either, but under Pearl's system you dont really need a dedicated PG

5/4/2008 10:48:47 PM

^look what happened at the louisville game.

5/4/2008 10:56:34 PM

what about it? they needed 5 players for that game, it wasnt just one... whole team smoked pole during that game.


What i was saying is that Pearl doesnt have one player bring the ball up, one player pass/direct plays etc., everyone is expected to do it at least somewhat. What they do need is a some really good dribblers/cutters/ball handlers which is what Hopson is

5/4/2008 11:13:08 PM

cha ching...

Quote :

"Say this for Bruce Pearl and his staff, when a glaring need presents itself, they waste little time in filling it. Five days after dismissing starting point guard Ramar Smith from the team the Vols signed junior-college All-American Bobby Maze from Hutchinson CC to fill his place on the roster, and perhaps in the starting line-up. Maze (6-foot-0, 180 pounds) had committed to Maryland during the winter, but after that fell through he quickly became one of the most sought-after junior college prospects in the country. Tennessee had recruited Maze prior to his commitment to the Terps, and when circumstances changed for both parties, the Vols and Maze found a lot to like about one another. After making an official visit to Cincinnati over the weekend, Maze had another visit set for Kentucky after making his stop in Knoxville. Those plans changed though when he ended the visit tour and signed with the Vols on Wednesday. It was a decision he said he was ready to make almost the minute he got off the plane in Knoxville on Tuesday. "It feels great, I can't tell you how great it feels," Maze said of his decision. "I feel like I've landed in the perfect situation for me. I feel like Tennessee is just the place I need to be. The situation is perfect. "I'm a point guard that likes to run, and just looking at the players we've got here, as a point guard, it's like someone handing you the keys to a Ferrari. No offense to the other schools, but if someone hands you the keys to a Ferrari or a Range Rover, I'm going to take the Ferrari." One of the reasons that Maze was so receptive to the Vols' recruiting pitch was that the staff already had a lot of built in credibility with this particular prospect. Hutchinson head coach Ryan Swanson spent two years on Pearl's staff at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which means he not only knew the Vols' head coach on a very personal level, but he had worked 'in the trenches' with assistants Tony Jones and Jason Shay. Maze indicated that those relationships played a large role in his quick decision. "I had good relationships with coach (Billy) Gillispie and coach (Mick) Cronin, I'm not saying that at all, but I trust coach Swanson with my life," Maze said. "I know that he wants what's best for me and he told me that I could trust everything coach Pearl and his staff said." It seems that in addition to the chance for quick and abundant playing time, which the Vols obviously have now in the wake of Smith's dismissal, what Maze is most interested in is playing at a fast-pace. Something he's comfortable he'll get the chance to do at Tennessee. "All coaches tell you that want to play fast but a lot of them are just saying that," Maze said. "Here all you have to do is look at the tape and watch them play. Coach Pearl's teams always lead the league in scoring or are right up there. "Not only are we going to play fast, but I'm going to be playing with guys who are pros. Like I said, it's just a great situation for me. I don't think it could have worked out any better." Maze probably didn't envision such a happy ending a couple of months ago after Maryland parted ways with him shortly after he made that verbal commitment. At the time, Tennessee and other schools had already moved on, and though he obviously ended up with some attractive options, there was definitely some uncertainty. "Everything happens for a reason," Maze said of the way things worked out. "I don't have anything negative to say about Maryland or coach (Gary) Williams at all. But this is the best possible fit for me. "I'm in a situation with great players, it's a winning program and 21,000 people are going to come and watch you play." High major programs don't sign junior college players to come in and sit, and neither Maze nor the Vols are expecting him to be able to enjoy a long adjustment period. The only other option at point without a position-switch taking place is incoming freshman Daniel West, who the staff would almost certainly rather ease into the college game. Maze isn't your typical junior-college transfer though. He originally signed and played at Oklahoma as a freshman, even starting at point guard during that season before transferring out to look at other options. "I think that experience is going to help me a lot," Maze said. "I'm not saying I won't have an adjustment to make, but I've played against those loaded Kansas teams, I've played against D.J. Augustine. I think seeing that competition will help me make the transition." The lone negative in the situation for Tennessee, and the newest member of the roster, is that he won't be able to head to campus immediately in June. Maze noted that he had would have to remain at Hutchinson for at least the first term of summer school to finish up in the classroom. He hopes to be in Knoxville in July. Adding Maze now brings the Vols total number of incoming signees to five. He joins Scotty Hopson, Renaldo Woolridge, Philip Jurick and West in a five-man influx of talent. Maze averaged 20.7 points per game this last season and earned Junior College All-American recognition. "

5/7/2008 4:05:36 PM

Lofton is about to be on Rome

5/9/2008 4:30:41 PM

I didn't think he had the balls to go on that show

5/9/2008 4:34:27 PM

he has one gigantic ball now

5/9/2008 4:35:46 PM

I don't think its any bigger than one normal one

they don't fuse them together

5/9/2008 4:37:30 PM

oh ok, I dont tend to keep up with other dude's balls

5/9/2008 4:40:07 PM

Did they cut one off?

5/9/2008 4:48:05 PM

oh shit... just added the 40th ranked player in the country to the already 10th ranked recruiting class:

Quote :

"Decision day has come for Emmanuel Negedu. The recruiting process is finally over for the four-star forward from Nigeria. After committing to Arizona, asking for a release from his Letter of Intent from the Wildcats in late May and narrowing down his list to four finalists – Indiana, Georgia Tech, Memphis and Tennessee, Negedu knows where he'll be going to college in the fall. "It's Tennessee," said Jason Smith, Negedu's head coach at Brewster Academy (N.H.). "I think it was mainly because he was familiar with them prior to him committing to Arizona. They recruited him pretty hard before. I think he was just familiar with them more. Negedu went on a 10-day, four-school tour this month and visited each of his finalists. Smith said when the 6-foot-6 forward went on his visit to Tennessee, there was an immediate connection to Bruce Pearl and the Vol program and players. "I think that is what put them over the top," Smith said. "When he was there on their campus, everyone but maybe Renaldo [Woolridge] was on campus. Emmanuel said he liked their family atmosphere and felt really comfortable there campus and their style. I think he felt like it was really attractive." Negedu, the No. 40 ranked player in the class of 2008, gives the Volunteers another major addition to the class of 2008. Pearl and company signed the nation's No. 10 overall recruiting class so far. The class includes Scotty Hopson, Renaldo Woolridge, Philip Jurick, Bobby Maze and Daniel West."

I was worried Memphis would get him with them losing so much this off season

6/17/2008 4:45:23 PM

http://chrisvernon.blogspot.com/2008/06/bruce-pearl-beats-john-calipari-for.html

6/19/2008 9:01:36 PM