Blogs

Derek Dooley was a hit on the final day of the SEC Media Days.

Tennessee's head coach arrived under a barrage of television cameras and bright lights, forcing him to comment to an SEC aid "Is TMZ here?" 

The celebrity gossip television network wasn't in the building, but that didn't kill the buzz.

No, I am not Nick Saban. Or Bobby Petrino. Or Steve Spurrier. Or Derek Dooley.

I'm not even Robbie Caldwell, ya know, the Vanderbilt coach.

But this was the scene many SEC coaches first saw when they exited one of four ballrooms at the Wynfrey Hotel, site of the SEC Football Media Days, or Media Daze as I have often called it.

Consider this one of my last frivolous acts of summer. My wife and attended a James McMurtry concert in Maryville last weekend.

McMurtry is one of the most profound songwriters I have heard.  A recent review on something called blogcritic.com summed him up this way:

I wrote this two years ago, shortly after Phillip Fulmer was fired at Tennessee. With the sudden news of Vanderbilt needing a new football coach, I think it's worth revisiting.

Originally Submitted by Jim Wogan on November 19, 2008

Laugh now. But crazy things happen.

This weekend may not be Phillip Fulmer's final time to coach in a UT-Vanderbilt game.

I went to meet The Boss on Feburary 7, 1996.

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner came to Knoxville that night, and I had the opportunity to interview him live on our newscast.

Not an easy task for a near life-long fan of the Boston Red Sox.

I mean, let's face it, this is the guy that spoiled many a moment for me.

Friday was miserable for Tennessee football and all UT fans.

The arrest of two players for their alleged involvement in a brawl outside a Cumberland Avenue bar put Tennessee football back in the spotlight. Consider this, in less than two years, the Vols have made more national news for troublesome behavior (coaches fired, players arrested, coaches quit, players arrested) than for winning games.

Derek Dooley wants to change all that.

I can't blame LeBron James for leaving Cleveland. But he did it the wrong way.

I can't blame Cavs fans for being angry.

I cheer for the Red Sox. Trust me, I've seen good players come and go.

James has the right to play where he wants, and if I were him-- I'd be in Miami too.  And while some of the fan backlash shown on TV last night was absurd and cliche, LeBron invited it with the way he went through this idiotic and ego-driven process.

The Fourth of July is our best holiday. I can say that without hesitation.

While Memorial Day is often celebrated with picnics and a day off, in truth it's a day to remember those who died fighting for our nation. The holiday part should be secondary to the real meaning. The same goes for some of our other holidays and religious observances.

But the Fourth of July is different.

I came down pretty hard on NASCAR on Monday.

I told viewers my usual pattern of watching a race on TV has changed. I used to watch the start, fall asleep during the middle, and then wake up for the end.

Now, I just stay asleep.

I realize there is some generational grumpiness involved in all this. I also realize we're not going back to the days of Earnhardt and Allison and Yarborough.

I want to thank Landon Donovan for knocking me off my treadmill. Well, almost.

Donovan scored the game winning goal in the 90+1' minute of the USA's World Cup game against Algeria. I was in the 45' of my workout and fortunately in a warm-down (slow) mode when it happened. When ball struck net, I yelled. Fortunately, I didn't break stride.

Donovan's goal will get plenty of hype. It should. It propelled the United States into the Round of 16 in the World Cup, something that rarely happens.