Bleacher Report - Articles by David Parks

Five Storylines For The Bears' Season

David Parks — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:32:34 -0400

As the start of summer approaches, it is an exciting time to be a sports fan for many reasons.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are in full force with a Crosby/Ovechkin series to headline.

The NBA playoffs are in full force as people are anxious to see if this is finally the year that LeBron James will get the ring that has eluded him so far. O this is the year Kobe Bryant can prove, once and for all, the he can shoulder the weight of a team and win his first Shaq-less ring.

These two exciting playoffs coupled with the start to the MLB season gives the sports fan plenty to watch in the coming weeks. However, sadly enough, the playoffs will be over in several weeks and the dog days of the MLB will set in—leaving us with perhaps the most boring stretch of the calendar year into July and August.

But among everything that is going on right now, the start of NFL training camps is enough to get the football fan aroused.

Before the season, all 32 teams have that dream that they can be this year's Arizona Cardinals and reach the Super Bowl. One team in the Cardinals' position not too long ago was the Chicago Bears.

Led by a stout defense and bruising running attack, the Bears were able to conquer the NFC and advance to the Super Bowl. Although they lost to the Colts, there was much optimism for the team headed into the next couple of years.

For the first time in a while, the quarterback situation seemed stable as Rex Grossman—who at times was still turnover prone—was able to lead the team to a Super Bowl.

The core of the defense was to remain. The only player who was not going to return was running back Thomas Jones who was traded to the New York Jets for draft picks.

The Bears haven't been able to regain their Super Bowl swagger since their appearance in the game's biggest stage.

But going into this season, there is hope once again in the Windy City that their beloved Bears can make it back to the postseason. Here are five story lines to watch coming into the season.

The Cutler Effect

Obviously there were big names on the move this offseason including Terrell Owens, Kellen Winslow and Matt Cassell. But the trading of Jay Cutler to the Bears was easily the most astounding.

New Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels and the quarterback were never on the same page. After weeks of speculation about whether he would be the Broncos starting quarterback at the start of the season, the team finally dealt him to the Bears for their 2009 & 2010 first round picks as well as current quarterback Kyle Orton and a 2009 third round pick.

While most will say that the Bears gave up too much to get a quarterback who has a career winning percentage of .500, I would counter by saying this.

Never in Chicago have the Bears had a quarterback the caliber of Jay Cutler.

He is a perennial pro bowler who amassed over 4,000+ yards through the air last year. The Bears have never had a quarterback who has sniffed 4,000 yards in a year.

For the first time in franchise history, the team has a franchise quarterback.

The best part?

He's only 26 years old. He is playing in a division that will allow him to play against the Lions and Packers, two of the poorer defensive teams last year twice a year.

Virtually every season has seen the Bears go in with a question mark at quarterback. This year, it can be argued that no position is more solidified than the quarterback position going into the season.

But who will he throw to?

If there was a weakness on the Bears, wide receiver would be it. If not for tight ends Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen, the Bears might have the worst receiving core. The passing game will continue to rely on the tight ends.

Greg Olsen is one of the up and coming stars at TE in the league, and there is reason to believe that he will only continue to get better now that he has Jay Cutler throwing him balls.

The wide receivers on the team are suspect at best. The Devin Hester experiment is coming into the third year with mixed results for the last two. While an undeniable talent blessed with blazing speed, Hester has still not become the go—to receiver that the Bears thought he would.

Now, like most recievers on the roster, he will be helped immediately by Cutler, though the questions still lingers. Should the Bears continue to use him at receiver?

Maybe.

This year will be a big barometer of whether or not Hester will continue to be used at receiver.

In addition to Hester, the Bears will send out Rashied Davis, Earl Bennet, and draft picks Juaquin Iglesias, Johnny Knox and Derek Kinder—none of which are bound to strike fear in the hearts of opposing defenses.

Bennet is an intriguing prospect if not for the sole reason of being Cutler's go—to target when they both played at Vanderbilt. Cutler still owns most of the passing records at Vanderbilt while Earl Bennet still holds most of the receiving records. Whether their success at the college level translates into success on the professional level is yet to be determined.

A person that many people forget about in the passing game was conincidentally the Bears leading receiver last year—running back Matt Forte. Forte led the Bears in receptions last year and led all rookie running backs in all—purpose yards.

He figures to be a key ingredient in the passing game this year again. Jay Cutler can only do so much though. It will be interesting to see who will step up and be Cutler's main guy this year.

How will the protection be for Cutler?

Now that the Bears have their franchise signal—caller, they better do everything in their power to protect him.

Last year the team spent its first round pick on tackle Chris Williams, another Vanderbilt prospect. But he was hindered for much of the season due to back surgery.

Gone are veterans John St. Clair, John Tait and Terrance Metcalf. They have anchored the Bears line for several years now. Replacing them figures to be Williams, along with free agent signees Orlando Pace and Frank Omiyale as well as John Beekman and Roberto Garza.

As stated before, the line expects to be completed with the additions of Pace and Omiyale at the tackle positions and Beekman/Garza and Chris Williams at the guard positions.

While the starting lineup at offensive line seems to be relatively solid, it is the depth that raises concerns. Behind the starters lies little experience with the exception of Kevin Shaffer. If the line can stay healthy, the Bears will make the playoffs. If not, Cutler could be in for a rough year.

Can the D regain its swagger?

Not long ago, the Bears had the most feared defense in the league—bar none. They were being compared to some of the best defenses of all time and deservedly so.

However several years later, the same Bears defense has lost its swagger and is not getting any younger.

Some would claim that injuries are merely the reason the defense has struggled the past years. While injuries are also a big part of the equation, the Bears have clearly still not recovered from the loss of then defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.

Gone are the enigmatic blitzes and schemes he once threw at opposing quarterbacks. Now it is all about sitting in a zone and waiting instead of attacking.

The Bears have recorded fewer sacks each of the past three years. During the offseason, the Bears brought in former Lions head coach Rod Marinelli to coach the defensive line. Getting pressure with the front four is key if the Bears want to stay healthy.

Injuries to Tommie Harris, Brian Urlacher and Nathan Vasher have killed the defense in the past, but have yet another chance this year to regain the dominance they once showed a mere three seasons ago.

However, the Bears window is certainly shutting.

Urlacher is not getting any younger and it is only realistic to think that his production will soon start to fall off. If Tommie Harris can stay healthy, there's no question that he can be almost Haynesworth dominant. Up until he was hurt in the Super Bowl year, an argument could be made that no defensive player was playing at a higher level than Harris.

Another key player that has seen an alarming drop—off in production the past couple of seasons is defensive end Mark Anderson. Anderson exploded onto the scene recording 12 sacks in his rookie campaign. Expect the arrival of Marinelli to help all of the line, but especially Anderson who has had only five sacks since his rookie season.

The secondary has been riddled with injuries the past several years as well.

Now departed safety Mike Brown was almost guaranteed to be on the IR for a window of about two seasons. Nathan Vasher has also been a constant on the injured list.

With the departure of Brown, the Bears lost a leader for their defense. Second year safety Craig Steltz and rookie cornerback D.J. Moore may be asked to step into roles that asks them to play significant time this season.

Expect Zachary Bowman to surprise people, and maybe give Vasher a run for his money for a starting spot, especially if Vasher struggles out of the gates.

Strength of Schedule?

The Bears play in one of the weaker divisions in the NFL with two games a year against the Lions, Packers and Vikings—none of which strike the fear in anyone's eyes.

In addition to playing in one of the admittedly weaker divisions, the Bears play four games against teams that picked in the top six of this year's draft as well as the rebuilding 49ers.

The Bears need to be able to take advantage of one of the weaker schedules in the NFL.

In the end, I think the Bears, being blessed with a weak schedule and an improved team, sneak into the playoffs winning the division in a tiebreaker.

There's still too many questions surrounding the quarterback situation in Minnesota, and Green Bay needs to show that it can actually stop someone this year. Look for the win total to be in the neighborhood of ten and a home game in the division round.

John Calipari Is Third in Command at Memphis

David Parks — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:44:39 -0400

Over the past several days the search for a new head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky has taken several turns.

Much maligned coach of two years Billy Gillespie was let go over the weekend, and immediately names and rumors began to circulate around the sports world as to who Wildcat nation would tab as their guy to lead them back to national prominence.

Such names as Florida coach Billy Donovan and Xavier coach Sean Miller were thrown out as possibilities. Donovan was lassoed in by Florida, while Miller never appeared to be in the running.

After several days had gone by with no real front-runner, all of a sudden a name came up that appeared to be a logical fit for the Wildcats: Memphis coach John Calipari.

John Calipari received his first head coaching job in 1988 when he became coach of University of Massachusetts (UMass). Upon arriving to the campus in '88, he immediately changed the face of the program.

Over his nine seasons at UMass he compiled a 193-71 record including a 91-41 mark in Atlantic 10 play. He was named A-10 Coach of the Year three times, in '92, '93, and '96. He was also named Naismith National Coach of the Year in 1996 after leading UMass to the school's first ever Final Four appearance.

He helped accelerate the construction of the Mullins Center where the Minutemen currently play basketball and hockey. He reached out to the greater Boston and New York area to try to expand the fanbase.

When he left for the Nets shortly after the '96 season, Calipari had become the second winningest coach in UMass history.

While at UMass, Calipari had one team with which most will associate his time at the school: the Final Four team of 1996. And most will remember that team for one player in particular: the Naismith player of the year in '96, Marcus Camby.

However, what most tend to overlook about that team were the allegations that players, with the focus being on Camby, took illegal and improper benefits from school boosters, all the while with Calipari turning his head and pretending he knew nothing of the sort was happening.

A 1996 article in the Hartford Courant, Camby's hometown newspaper, quotes Camby as saying that he accepted jewelry from an agent, Wesley S. Spears, wishing to represent him. Only at the time, Camby didn't know that Spears was an agent. He also admitted to taking $1,000 after the season was over.

In addition to giving Camby jewelry and $1,000 after the season, Spears also gave his friends up to $300 a week in an alleged attempt to represent Camby after he turned professional.

Camby acknowledged he took the $1,000 after the season, but said he had no idea that his friends were being given cash, plane tickets, and gifts over the past five months.

Regardless of what may or may not have happened, red flags in the form of paying players were starting to pop up around Calipari's first program.

After a brief stint in the NBA as coach of the New Jersey Nets for three years and being an assistant for two more for the Philadelphia 76ers, Calipari finally landed a head coaching job back where he belonged—the college game.

In 2000, John Calipari was hired as the head coach for the Memphis Tigers, a once proud program led by a youngster named Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. Immediately, Calipari got results.

Over the course of his time at Memphis, culminating with the most recent '08-'09 season, he won 253 games, posted nine consecutive 20-win seasons, and earned nine straight postseason bids.

He was named C-USA Coach of the Year in 2006, 2008, and 2009. In 2008 he was named Naismith College Coach of the Year, and this past year was named Sports Illustrated Coach of the Year.

However, while at Memphis he has caused a bit of controversy. His ability to continually bring in blue-chip recruits to a Memphis program, that until recently was mediocre at best, has created a stir among coaches and other fanbases.

The controversy centered around two main ideas. One, that FedEx was offering illegal pay to recruits and players for "internships" and, secondly, involved a mystery man that went by the name of Worldwide Wes.

For most of the decade, Memphis was never accused or even thought of as a dirty program or accused of bringing in recruits with illegal help. That is until Memphis began to reach the elite of basketball and bringing in talents such as Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans on an every year basis.

The controversial side of the story began in 2001 when a heralded point guard by the name of DaJuan Wagner was nearing a decision to turn professional or go to college for presumably a year and then go pro.

In 2001, Wagner was the consensus best high school basketball player in the country. While Wagner likely would have been the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft as a senior out of high school, Worldwide Wes persuaded him to go play for at least a year at Memphis for John Calipari.

Several days later, Milt Wagner, DaJuan's father, was hired as Coordinator of Basketball Operations for Memphis.

If it didn't already sound fishy enough, the fact that Milt lacked a college degree made the hire even more questionable.

After only one season at Memphis in which he averaged 21 points a game, Wagner elected to go pro.

Now while many people presume that Wagner did this on his own accord, it might not be the case. Calipari reportedly called DaJuan into his office and tore up his scholarship in front of him to make sure he understood he wouldn't be coming back.

Another instance in 2007 regarding Wes and coach Calipari have people wondering what's going on behind the scenes at Memphis.

In January 2007, the Nike Super Six hoops extravaganza was scheduled to take place at Madison Square Garden. Players such as OJ Mayo, Michael Beasley, and Derrick Rose were in attendance to participate in the event. However the unmistakable, can't-miss prospect was Derrick Rose.

Throughout Rose's career in the AAU game, Wes was seen on the sidelines of most of his games. When Rose's college choice came down to Memphis, Illinois, and Indiana, there was little doubt that Rose would inevitably choose Memphis, simply because of the tie and pull that Wes had in connection to Memphis.

Again, another one-and-done prospect Wes lures in, and another one-and-done prospect signs with Memphis.

For its 2008 class rankings, rivals.com ranked Tyreke Evans as a top 10 player in the country. By the fall of '08, he had narrowed his list of schools down to five.

Since he was 12, Evans had often been thought of by recruiting services and scouts across the country as at least having the tools to be able to play in the NBA someday.

While on the AAU circuit in 2006, a college scout came up to another person watching Tyreke play and they began talking. The scout introduced himself by name and the unknown man on the sidelines responded by introducing himself as Worldwide Wes.

Sure enough when the time came for Evans to decide where he was going to play college basketball, the answer surprised almost nobody. He signed to play basketball at Memphis.

Memphis considered wearing FedEx promotional jerseys for a game this season against Southern Methodist University. The jerseys were orange with blue and white writing. However, Memphis AD R.C. Johnson said that there was constant criticism about the team wearing the jerseys.

In response to the criticism, Calipari, one who has never been shy about testing people's nerves, said that he found nothing wrong with the jerseys and thought that it was one of the classiest moves he had ever seen.

Cbssportsline.com's Gary Parrish cited a source saying that FedEx and Memphis nixed the plan because "they feared a backlash both locally and nationally about an NCAA team and blurring the lines between amateur sports and commercial revenue."

The NCAA was contacted and Memphis was told it could wear the jerseys as long as "FedEx" didn't appear on the jersey.

Obviously every college program relies on corporate funds for money, but it's hard for any school to compete with the money that FedEx contributes to the basketball program.

In addition to everything else that seems questionable about the Tiger program, there has been the recent rumblings about paid internships available for incoming basketball players.

Numerous questions have continued to come up about the actual work required for these players. Players like Rose and Evans reportedly have received these internships, but do little to no work while still receiving the salary they were promised.

Fast-forward to present day. Currently Memphis has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country according to rivals.com having signed five stars including Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins, and they are believed to be the leaders for the No. 1 recruit in the country, guard John Wall.

If able to sign Wall, it would mean that Memphis would have signed the No. 1, 2, and 3 recruits in the country, a class paralleled perhaps only by the Fab Five of Michigan.

While Wall may very well end up going somewhere else to play basketball, it is likely that he would have already signed somewhere else had Abdul Gaddy signed with Memphis instead of Washington.

Gaddy is from Tacoma, WA, playing basketball at nearby Bellarmine Prep school. He is listed as the No. 13 recruit in the country on rivals.com and the second point guard in the country behind John Wall.

Earlier in the recruiting season Calipari expressed interest in Gaddy and that Memphis would love to have him come play basketball for them in the upcoming 2009-2010 year. This appeared to have all the makings of another one-and-done guard signing with the Tigers.

However, there is more to this story than meets the eye.

Gaddy's mother, Oseye Gaddy has been a longtime employee of the company FedEx, whose headquarters are located in Memphis and who sponsors the Memphis basketball program. In August of 2008, she received a telephone call from a man telling her she had been given a promotion.

The man who called was the CEO of FedEx and prominent Memphis booster David Bronczek.

Out of the almost 200,000 employees throughout the world, Bronczek had chosen to reach out to a seemingly ordinary customer service representative working all the way across the country in Tacoma, WA for a promotion in Memphis.

Gaddy committed to the Washington Huskies in October and later remarked that the phone call had no impact on his decision. The university reported self-violations against the program to the NCAA, but no real action has since been taken.

While nothing has indicated that Worldwide Wes has anything to do with any of the prospects committing to Memphis, one has to think that with both the school's and Wes' track records, there was at least some talk somewhere down the road in the player's recruitment.

Many people may frown upon outside influences such as Wes and FedEx in college basketball. One thing that Memphis and Calipari have been able to do is keep everything clean.

Look back at all of the questionable signings and hirings in the Memphis program and you will not find one NCAA investigation or violation.

All of this leads us to where we are today.

Calipari has reportedly been offered an eight-year, $35 million deal to become the coach of the University of Kentucky, a school that prides itself on winning. While many feel that Calipari should, and ultimately will, take the job, I'm not so convinced.

People don't quite understand just how good he has it at Memphis.

Sure he can bring in the same type of talent he currently does at Memphis, but at what cost?

For one, he has to play against legitimate competition for a full year. There would be no more of the joke conference schedule in C-USA. Now he would have to play the likes of LSU, Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas twice a year.

At Memphis he could rest easy knowing that no matter what he needed, FedEx was always nearby to be able to produce it for him.

Calipari has turned Memphis into more than a successful program. With the help of World Wide Wes and FedEx as well as occasional financial help from Autozone, Calipari has turned Memphis into an empire. One that makes it possible for him to span the country and come away with the best talent in America year in and year out.

I used to not be sure why everyone was so defensive when it came to Memphis' current program-building tactics.

But after Rose, it seems like many top-tier recruits that would normally jump straight to the NBA have decided to just go to Memphis for a year because it's a proven springboard for their career path.

Even Tyreke Evans himself practically said in so many words why he and other potential one-and-dones were choosing Memphis on Outside The Lines earlier in the year.

When it gets to the point that it appears the top three recruits in the class are doing this, along with another who is not far below them, it has to strike you as at least somewhat troubling.

To be clear, I am NOT blaming the players themselves. In many ways it is definitely a smart career move, and who are we to judge them for that?

My main point is that Calipari currently appears to be building an empire around a reputation for being a one-year springboard to the NBA, and that does not seem like a good or reputable thing to be doing in college basketball, especially with FedEx and Worldwide Wes right around the corner.

Again, if you look at the recruiting that has taken place since Calipari arrived at Memphis and what the recruits themselves have said, it's hard to argue that something behind the scenes isn't going on.

But throughout all the controversy and question marks surrounding the program, only one thing is for sure.

John Calipari simply coaches the basketball team. FedEx and William Wesley (Worldwide Wes) run the program.

Manny Ramirez Is Going to Hollywood

David Parks — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:11:05 -0400

It's official. Manny Ramirez is leaving the Boston Red Sox. According to numerous reports, the All-Star is heading to the Dodgers in a three team trade involving the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Pirates. The details are as follows:

Red Sox acquire LF Jason Bay

Dodgers acquire LF Manny Ramirez

Pirates acquire 3B Andy LaRoche, P Bryan Morris, OF Brandon Moss, and P Craig Hansen

Leave it to the Dodgers to go out and one up the Angels. Obtaining a run producer like Ramirez makes the Dodgers the obvious favorite in the terrible division that is the NL West.

It's still shocking that this went sour so fast. Just two weeks ago, Manny was just being Manny in Boston, happy. Then he couldn't wait to get out of Beantown.

Let's take a look at all three teams' perspective of this deal.

The Dodgers

If I'm the Dodgers I am ecstatic. Not only do I get one of the top five run producers in the Bigs, he's going to help us win our division. I mean the guy drove in 868 runs while he was in Boston. You don't get that kind of production from most guys.

The rumors were swirling that if Manny was to be traded then it was going to be to the Marlins, who of course, have no chance to sign him long term. That being said, in a city like Los Angeles, and a team like the Dodgers, they can sign him to a four or a five year deal. So, not only do the Dodgers get him for the rest of the season, but they have an incredible chance to sign him long term after the season.

The Red Sox

This is a crushing blow to the Sox's title hopes. Yes Jason Bay is a good player. Yes he will give you 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI's. But make no mistake about it, Ortiz and Manny were one of a kind. Having Manny hitting behind him gave Ortiz pitches to hit, and protection.

Now, even though Bay is a good hitter, he just doesn't strike the same fear into pitchers that Manny does. The Angels have been the favorite to win the Series for a couple of weeks and now you can pretty much crown them.

The Pirates

The Pirates did a great job in getting rid of their three biggest trade pieces in Damaso Marte, Xavier Nady, and now Bay. The Pirates get back some good looking prospects.

LaRoche has already played in the Big Leagues so expect him to go ahead and start for the Pirates. Morris is a guy that throws serious heat. He has shown some talent in the minors, but still lacks some consistency. Give credit to the Pirates though for doing this trade. They recognized that they wouldn't be able to re sign Bay in the offseason so they got as much value as they could for him.

Is Tennessee Still a Football School?

David Parks — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:54:40 -0400

In the SEC, football is king, and no one can dispute that. When September rolls around on the calendar, everyone in the south stops what they're doing and turns their attention to football.

The SEC is home to the last two national champions, and both Georgia and Florida figure to be in the running for the championship this year. But lately, the conference has been enjoying success in basketball.

The Florida Gators won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007 and were joined in the 2006 Final Four by the LSU Tigers.

Some schools in the SEC have been able to field consistent basketball teams to go along with their football teams. Schools such as Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas, and LSU have been able to produce basketball teams with a high success rate of making the Big Dance.

Every year, those teams, along with a couple of other teams from the conference, are a good bet to make the field of 65.

But lately, there has been a team that has risen out of the SEC cellar to take the conference by storm in basketball. That team is none other than the Tennessee Volunteers.

Over the past three seasons, the Vols have been to the Big Dance every year, and it can all be attributed to one man. Bruce Pearl, the man that everyone loves to hate.

After winning the National Title in football in 1998, the Vols have regressed, not winning an SEC championship since then. The Vols have still been able to produce quality players such as Albert Haynesworth, John Henderson, and Donte Stallworth.

Neyland Stadium underwent a renovation and an addition of some club level seats. The Vols still pack more than 100,000 fans for every home game and sell out virtually every home game they play.

Head coach Phillip Fulmer recently received an extension, and the Vols recently introduced a new offensive coordinator, Dave Clawson.

Even though the Vols aren't as dominant as they were in the 90's, they are still considered to be one of the nation's elite football programs as evidence by their ability to go out and still be able to recruit with the likes of the Ohio States and USC's.

But could it be possible that football has been overtaken on the campus of the University of Tennessee? By basketball?

Before Bruce Pearl was hired, Tennessee was coached by Buzz Peterson. In his tenure on rocky top, Peterson was never able to lead the Vols to the NCAA tournament, instead settling for first-round NIT losses to the George Masons of the world(pre Final Four, of course).

Pearl, of course, arrived on the national scene when he led Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a Sweet 16 birth, upsetting the likes of Alabama and Boston College before falling to eventual runner-up Illinois.

After seeing the job that Pearl did in Milwaukee, Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton jumped at the opportunity to hire Pearl. That move would turn out to define Hamilton's legacy in Knoxville.

When Pearl came to Tennessee, he said that changes would have to be made. Starting with the students. As anyone knows who follows college basketball, there's one constant with having a good home court advantage. The students.

Upon arriving to campus, he went out to the student body, urging them to come and support the team, telling the students that in a close game it is often the students who can help decide the outcome.

When the basketball team was mired in mediocrity under former coach Buzz Peterson, it was easy to get tickets to home games. Oftentimes, students could walk in at the middle of a game and get first row seats in the student section because of the lack of support the team had.

Thompson-Boling was and still is one of the biggest arenas in the country. While the Lady Vols often sold out their home games, the men's team almost never sold out home games under Peterson.

In terms of seating capacity, Thompson-Boling is the biggest basketball arena in the country.

After leading the Vols to a 21 win season and a No. 2 seed in the Big Dance in his first year, it was apparent that Pearl had once again put Tennessee Basketball on the map.

Seeing that attendance records were being shattered at almost every home game, Hamilton decided that it was time for Thompson-Boling to be renovated. On November 30, 2006, plans were announced at to add new renovations to the arena.

Renovations included black seats, a huge center scoreboard, and concourse refurbishments, such as graphics and other amenities. Also added were luxury suites with flat screen televisions overlooking the court.

When the renovations were done, it looked like an NBA arena inside. All over the country, it was being regarded as the nicest arena in the country. Not only that, but Tennessee never lost there.

In fact, the Vols support a current 31-game home court winning streak, the third longest in the country.

But not only did the Vols have the nicest arena in the country, they also had one of the nicest practice facilities in the country. Pratt Pavilion was built right next door to Thompson-Boling, adding yet another chapter in the growing legacy of Bruce Pearl at the University of Tennessee.

With these additions and the teams' continued success people were starting to wonder. Is it really possible that Tennessee, a school that has been defined by football for decades, was turning into a basketball school?

The football team never had a problem attracting five-star recruits to come play for UT. The basketball team was lucky if they could get a three-star prospect from their own home state.

But all of a sudden, something started happening. With the success that Pearl was having, those five-star recruits that one time shunned the Vols starting listing another team among the ones they were considering. Tennessee.

The Vols reeled in the best recruiting class in school history in 2005 with the additions of two five-star recruits.

Pearl led the Vols to another NCAA tournament appearance in 2006, falling in the Sweet 16 to another eventual runner-up, Ohio State.

But still there was reason for optimism in the Volunteer state as the team returned everyone and was getting a boost with the addition of two transfers, Tyler Smith and J.P. Prince.

The 2007-2008 season was shaping up to be the best basketball season ever in Knoxville.

The highlight of Pearl's tenure came on the night of February 23, 2008 in Memphis, Tennessee.

That night was the most anticipated college basketball game of the season, and it matched two in state rivals, the Tennessee Volunteers, ranked No. 2 at the time against the Memphis Tigers who were undefeated and ranked number one at the time.

It was every college basketball fans’ dream. Two bitter rivals ranked No. 1 and 2, battling it out for the No. 1 ranking, bragging rights, and the inside track on recruiting in the state of Tennessee, all in prime time.

The Vols ended up winning the game 66-62, and for the first time in the history of Tennessee Men's Basketball, the team was ranked No. 1 in the country.

The 2008 season did not end with the National Championship that many fans had hoped for before the beginning of the season. The team lost to Louisville in the Sweet 16. To this day, the Vols have never advanced past the Sweet 16.

But there is once again reason for hope again in the Volunteer State that this could be the year that the Vols finally break through and advance beyond the Sweet 16.

With the return of Tyler Smith and the arrival of another top-10 recruiting class, chances are good that the team will be a top 10 team in the country and will be the choice of many to win the SEC and advance far in the postseason.

So while the Tennessee football team continues to struggle competing with such schools as LSU, Georgia, and Florida on the gridiron, the basketball team continues to have fans in frenzy for basketball season.

The team has sold more season tickets than ever before and figures to be near the top in attendance once again this season.

As I'm sitting in a student section seat in Thompson-Boling arena an hour and a half before tip off watching the team shoot around, I look around and see the luxury suites, the big scoreboard, and the black seats and think to myself all of this, everything that I was seeing was due to one man. Bruce Pearl.

Usually people in Knoxville keep a countdown for football season. This year, people are still keeping a countdown on their refrigerators. Only this time, it's counting down the days until basketball season.

2008-2009 SEC Preview: Florida and Auburn to Battle for SEC Title

David Parks — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:04:43 -0400

The annual argument over which conference reigns supreme in the college football world will add another chapter when the season kicks off this fall, but already there is a clear-cut number one heading into the season—the SEC.

The SEC has always been at or near the top of conference rankings since I can remember, but this year the conference might be the best it's ever been. With as many as six teams having a shot to be ranked in the preseason top 25, the SEC will be as wild as ever.

Here's what to expect from each team come football season.

Alabama Crimson Tide

The Nick Saban era got off to a great start last season, with the Tide jumping out to a 6-2 record. However, they bogged down towards the end of the season and wound up finishing with a 7-6 record.

Expectations continue to grow in Tuscaloosa, with nine offensive starters coming back, along with a top five recruiting class.

Offense: The offense returns nine starters to a unit that was plagued by inconsistency last year. Leading the way is quarterback John Parker Wilson, who struggled mightily in the last five games of the season, throwing just four touchdowns with six interceptions. Wilson is losing his top three receivers from last year, so who he throws the ball to is somewhat of a concern.

Terry Grant returns to give the Tide a solid running game, and junior Andrew Smith anchors one of the best offensive lines in the country.

Defense: The defense for the Tide loses some key players from last year's squad, including cornerback Simeon Castille. Senior safety Rashad Johnson is one of the best safeties in the conference.

The biggest concern for the Tide on defense would be the D-line. With the departure of Wallace Gilberry the Tide lose the only considerable pass rusher from last year's team. Consider that Gilberry had 10 sacks last season, while nobody else on the team had more than three. The secondary better be good, or else the Tide will get run out of the building.

Impact Newcomer: Julio Jones, WR. Even if Alabama hadn't lost their top three receivers from this past year, Jones would start—he's that good. A five-star recruit out of high school, Jones had 194 career catches for 3,287 yards and 42 touchdowns. Jones is 6'4", 215 pounds and will be deadly in the red zone.

'08-09 Forecast: Even though Saban has done an incredible job recruiting, it's tough to see this team competing for an SEC title anytime soon. Alabama just isn't as talented as LSU or Auburn or any of the other elites in the SEC. Expect another year like 2007 for the Tide in '08.

'08-09 Record: 7-5 (4-4)

Arkansas Razorbacks

The Hogs made a decision to part ways with longtime head coach Houston Nutt and hire former Louisville and Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino. After losing both Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, it's tough to envision the Hogs being competitive this year in the SEC.

Offense: As mentioned, the offense will have to be completely overhauled with the losses of McFadden and Jones. Petrino does have a knack for developing quarterbacks, as he did with Brian Brohm up at Louisville. Casey Dick returns and figures to be the opening day starter, but who will he throw and hand off to? That remains to be seen.

Expect sophomore tight end D.J. Williams to be involved in the offense. Petrino's offense historically involves a tight end. The offensive line will be one of the best in the nation, anchored by All-American center Jonathan Luigs.

Defense: Wow—where to begin? The defense is a mess. All four starters in the secondary are gone, and depending on linebacker Freddie Fairchild's pending suspension, all three linebackers could be gone as well. The defensive line better get to the quarterback early and often—because if not, things could get ugly in the Ozarks.

Impact Newcomer: Ryan Mallett, QB. With no real impact guy coming in this year, we're going to cheat a little bit and name Mallett here. Mallett was a five-star quarterback coming out of high school who committed to Michigan, but when new coach Rich Rodriguez brought his system up to Ann Arbor, Mallett transferred. Expect Mallett to start in '09.

'08-09 Forecast: Over the past three seasons, Arkansas has ranked 112th, 109th and 109th in pass offense, so there is optimism that Petrino will take to the air more often. In recent years fans have been frustrated that the team hasn't won more. This season, getting to a bowl game would be a miracle for the Hogs.

'08-09 Record: 3-9 (0-8)

Auburn Tigers

You could make an argument that Auburn has been the most consistent team in the SEC over the past several years. The Brandon Cox era has officially come to an end in Auburn, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. This team will be all about the defense. If the Tigers want to overtake LSU in the West, the D will be the key.

Offense: Blake Field figures to begin the season as the starter, but sophomore Kodi Burns will give him a run for his money. The Tigers have a good duo in the backfield with junior Ben Tate and senior Brad Lester. The star on offense is senior wide receiver Rodgeriqus Smith, who figures to be either Field's or Burns' go-to target.

Defense: It's not often that a team can lose an All-SEC defensive end and be perfectly fine the next season, but that's exactly what the Auburn Tigers are after losing Quentin Groves. Junior linebacker Tray Blackmon might very well be the best linebacker in the SEC, but the defense is led by another linebacker, Sen'Derrick Marks. This team will go as far as the defense carries them.

Impact Newcomer: Raven Gray, DE. Gray is a 6'4" defensive end who is lightning-quick off the edge. He's a lot like Groves in the sense that what he lacks in size he makes up for in quickness. Look for him to start by midseason.

'08-09 Forecast: Will this be the year that Auburn finally gets back to the SEC title game? It sure looks like it. With LSU reeling from personnel loses and nobody else having enough talent to compete with Auburn, it appears that for the first time since '04, the Tigers will be headed to Atlanta.

'08-09 Record: 10-3 (7-1), SEC West Champions

Florida Gators

Two words: Tim Tebow. The Gators followed up their national title with a solid performance in '07, but the defense was a huge concern. Florida's offense is one of the best in the country, and if the Gators' defense can continue to get better, expect the Gators to be competing for another National title.

Offense: This team is loaded. It all starts with Tebow, but he does have plenty of weapons at his disposal. Leading the way is junior wide receiver Percy Harvin, who is a threat to take it the distance every time he touches the ball. USC transfer Emmanuel Moody might be the link that the Gators have been missing. Moody should be the Gators' starting running back and should take some heat off Tebow.

Defense: The defense was horrible last year, plain and simple. If the defense had been better, the Gators likely might have repeated as champions. With another year of experience, expect the Gators defense to give more help to the offense. The D will have to overcome the loss of All-SEC defensive end Derrick Harvey, but sophomore Carlos Dunlap should fill the void nicely.

Impact Newcomer: Emmanuel Moody, RB. Florida has lacked a big-time running back for years, but there is optimism in Gainesville that Moody can be a 20-carry-a-game back. If he was good enough to get carries at USC, with all the talent they had in the backfield, he should do just fine for the Gators.

'08-09 Forecast: Florida should be preseason top five in the country. Tebow will be anxious to have an even better season than he did last year. Like many teams, though, Florida will go as far as their defense allows them to.

'08-09 Record: 13-0 (8-0), SEC Champions

Georgia Bulldogs

An argument could be made that at the end of last year, there was not a team in the country playing better than Georgia was. Coming off of a 41-10 beatdown of supposed Cinderella Hawaii, expectations are high in Athens for the team's first SEC title since 2005.

Offense: The offense is led by junior quarterback Matthew Stafford and sophomore running back Knowshon Moreno. Moreno is coming off a freshman year in which he ran for over 1,300 yards. There is some concern over who Stafford will throw the ball to, but freshman A.J. Green should provide some instant help. The line will have to replace two starters but should be in good hands with Trinton Sturdivant and Clint Boling returning.

Defense: The defense for the Dawgs will be rock solid as they return nine starters. The D is led by senior linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and defensive tackle Geno Atkins. The secondary will be in good hands with the return of junior Asher Allen and C.J. Byrd. Look for the Dawgs to dominate opponents with suffocating D.

Impact Newcomer: A.J. Green, WR. It's not often that you see the best two high school wide receivers commit to play in the same conference, but that's the story here. Green will battle Alabama's Julio Jones for freshman of the year honors in the SEC. Green, like Jones, is 6'4" and should provide Stafford with a go-to target in the red zone.

'08-09 forecast: The Dawgs picked a bad year to have such a good team. There's no denying that the Dawgs are one of the best teams in the nation, but I'm inclined to give the edge to Florida just because I think their defense will be much improved. Nevertheless, expect Georgia in a BCS bowl game.

'08-09 Record: 11-1 (7-1)

Kentucky Wildcats

The Andre Woodson era is over in Lexington after enjoying back to back bowl games. Rich Brooks will have his toughest season of coaching yet with the losses the team suffered on offense.

Offense: Tons of question marks for the Wildcats on offense. Who will be quarterback? At this point the edge would go to Curtis Pulley, but Matt Hartline could push him for the starting job.

Who will take over for Rafael Little at running back? Probably a running back by committee with Tony Dixon, Alphonso Smith, and Derrick Locke competing for carries. Advantage goes to Smith for the starting job.

Finally, the receivers are a mess. Steve Johnson and Keenan Burton are gone, so whoever the quarterback is will need to establish a go-to receiver and fast.

Defense: The D is led by junior cornerback Trevard Lindley, who's got five career interceptions. For the first time in a while, Kentucky will be relying on defense to win ball games. Junior Jeremy Jarmon leads an experienced group along the line. Look for Kentucky to continue to improve on defense as they did a year ago.

Impact Newcomer: Aaron Boyd, WR. Boyd was a four-star receiver out of high school and gets this accolade based primarily on the fact that he will likely be the number two receiver for the Wildcats on opening day. He's not as good as Jones is for Bama or Green is for Georgia, but look for Boyd to have better stats then both of them at season's end.

'08-09 Forecast: Brooks will try to do something that hasn't been done at Kentucky since Bear Bryant coached the 'Cats—make it to three consecutive bowl games. But Brooks will have to do that in the toughest conference in America relying on an improved defense and an unproven offense.

'08-09 Record: 5-7 (2-6)

LSU Tigers

LSU's quarterback situation and brutal road schedule make it difficult to predict a repeat title. But the Tigers do have enough talent to challenge once again for the SEC crown.

Offense: If Ryan Perrilloux is still on the team, LSU is very likely one of the top three teams in the country. That being said, the offense has to recover from several huge losses on offense. Gone from last year's team are running back Jacob Hester and receiver Early Doucet.

The line figures to be one of the best in the country with the return of four starters. LSU has an abundance of riches at the running back position with Charles Scott, Richard Murphy, and Keiland Williams, but expect Williams to win the starting job. LSU has enough firepower on offense, no matter who the quarterback is.

Defense: LSU is quickly becoming D-Line U. Even after losing All-American Glenn Dorsey, the Tigers are once again loaded on the line, led by Al Woods and Tyson Jackson. The secondary and linebackers are a little bit of a concern, with the losses of Chevous Jackson and Jonathan Zenon in the secondary and Ali Highsmith and Derry Beckwith at linebacker.

Impact Newcomer: Patrick Johnson, CB. An absolutely jaw-dropping athlete, Johnson was the No. 5 recruit in the country. He originally committed to Miami but later signed with the Tigers. Johnson is 6'1", 185 pounds, which is good size for a corner. He can absolutely fly, clocking a 4.38 in the 40 to go along with a 37-inch vertical. Look for Johnson to compete for a starting job right away in Baton Rouge.

'08-09 Forecast: LSU's quarterback situation and a demanding schedule make it difficult to see the Tigers winning another SEC title this year. Even if LSU fails to win the West, expect the Tigers to be in the running for a BCS berth.

'08-09 Record: 9-3 (5-3)

Ole Miss Rebels

The Rebels finally got rid of Ed Orgeron after a disastrous tenure at the school. Replacing him is former Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt. The Rebels have lacked a consistent quarterback ever since Eli Manning left campus, but look for a transfer to save the day this year.

Offense: The Rebels have some talent on offense—it's just a matter of whether Nutt can translate talent into results. Texas transfer Jevan Snead figures to be the starter this season. Snead is a big 6'5" quarterback with a rifle arm. The question still remains of who he will throw to.

Michael Oher is the best offensive lineman in the conference, so Snead will be well-protected. Enrique Davis will likely be the opening day starter for the Rebels at running back.

Defense: The defense is a mess. There is almost no depth at linebacker. As for defensive back, junior Marshay Green moved from receiver to cornerback—and immediately won a starting job. The line better get pressure on the quarterback, or else the Rebels will be in for some long days.

Impact Newcomer: Enrique Davis, RB. Davis was a five-star prospect who originally signed with Auburn but now finds himself in Oxford in a great position. He immediately adds a breakaway threat to the Rebels' running back position.

'08-09 Forecast: Newcomers on the sideline, at quarterback, and at running back have given new hope to the faithful in Oxford. Having a proven coach in Nutt on the sideline is a bonus, and Snead is a significant upgrade at quarterback. If the defense holds up, Ole Miss could make a legitimate run at a bowl bid.

'08-09 Record: 5-7 (2-6)

Mississippi State

The Bulldogs got their first winning season under coach Sylvester Croom, and it could not have come at a better time, as the natives in Starkville were growing restless. The Bulldogs return several starters on both offense and defense and should return to a bowl game again in '08.

Offense: The offense is led by running back Anthony Dixon. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and 14 TDs last year. Dixon will be the primary focus of the Bulldogs offense this year. Wesley Carroll will look to keep on improving as a quarterback but has limited resources to throw to. The coaching staff is hoping that senior Jamayel Smith can be the go-to guy, but that is far from a sure thing.

Defense: The defense should be the Bulldogs' strength, as they return nine starters from last year's team. Those returning are led by arguably the best safety in the country in Derek Pegues. The strong area of the defense will be the secondary with all starters returning from last year.

The weakest part of the Bulldog defense would seem to be the lack of a pass rusher on the outside, but the secondary is good enough to fend for themselves.

Impact Newcomer: Robert Elliott, RB. Make no mistake about it, Dixon is the guy for the Bulldogs—but Elliot is an explosive playmaker. He has good size and blazing speed. Elliott will provide lightning to Dixon's thunder. He reminds people of a young Jerious Norwood.

'08-09 Forecast: Mississippi State showed progress in year four under Croom last fall, earning the school's first bowl game in seven seasons. Given the returning starters on both sides, an offense that's finally adding playmakers, a tough defense, and the confidence that rolled over from 2007's success, there's no doubt that the Bulldogs should be headed to another bowl game.

'08-09 Record: 7-5 (3-5)

South Carolina Gamecocks

When Steve Spurrier arrived at South Carolina, fans dreamed of SEC championships and BCS bowl games. Instead they've gotten three years of mediocrity. Carolina can't quite seem to make the jump to the elite of the SEC.

Offense: Spurrier has his work cut out for him beyond the quarterback spot. The line should be improved after the Gamecocks allowed the second-most sacks in the SEC. Mike Davis should get the nod at running back, while senior Kenny McKinley looks to build on a solid 2007 season that saw him catch an SEC-leading 77 passes.

Defense: There is a ton of talent on the Gamecock defense—the main problem has been keeping them healthy. Leading the way is senior linebacker Jasper Brinkley, returning from a knee injury, who figures to be an All-SEC performer this year.

The defense is simple: They are really good at pass defense and awful at run defense. The front seven must improve, or it could be another season of mediocrity in Columbia.

Impact Newcomer: Eric Baker, RB. Baker is a lot like Elliott for Mississippi State. Baker will provide a nice compliment to Mike Davis, who is more of a bruising back. Baker rushed for over 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns in his senior year of high school.

'08-09 Forecast: The fans in Columbia won't like it if the Gamecocks miss out on a bowl game again this year, so it's safe to say that for the first time in his college coaching career, Steve Spurrier is under pressure to perform. Whether the Gamecocks are in SEC East contention depends on the health of the defense and the emergence of a legitimate quarterback.

'08-09 Record: 7-5 (4-4)

Tennessee Volunteers

The arrival of new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson signals a changing of the times in Knoxville. Clawson runs a spread offense, which is a complete 180 from the traditional West Coast offense that head coach Phillip Fulmer usually likes to run.

Offense: With the Erik Ainge era over in Knoxville, Jonathan Crompton officially takes the reins of the offense. He's joined by senior running back Arian Foster and the two leading receivers from last year's team in Lucas Taylor and Austin Rogers. Expect Clawson to use sophomore Gerald Jones in special situations, such as lining him up at quarterback.

Defense: You'd be hard-pressed to find a better secondary in the country. Eric Berry is the best safety in the country by far, and he will be even better with the return of Demetrius Morely. Jerod Mayo will be missed, but Gerald Williams should provide relief at the linebacker spot.

Impact Newcomer: Brandon Warren, TE. We're cheating again on this one. Warren was a freshman All-American tight end at Florida State but has since transferred to Tennessee. If he can become eligible for the upcoming year, Clawson will have another weapon at his disposal to use on offense.

'08-09 Forecast: It's a bad year to be good on Rocky Top. Any other year and this team would be an easy pick for SEC East winner, but this year they will likely be the third-best team...in their division. That may play in the Vols' favor, though. Historically under Fulmer, Tennessee is most dangerous on those occasions when everyone doubts them.

'08-09 Record: 9-3 (5-3)

Vanderbilt Commodores

It's tough to find a lot to get excited about with this Vandy team. All signs pointed to Vanderbilt ending its bowl drought in 2007, but they couldn't get it done. With Chris Williams and Earl Bennett departing for the NFL, it could be a very long season in Nashville.

Offense: Where to start? Chris Nickson figures to be the starter, but things are wide open after Nickson regressed so much. Mackenzi Adams could wind up being the starter.

As for who will catch and run the ball? Your guess is as good as ours. A plethora of guys figure to compete for the starting jobs, with nobody having a clear-cut edge at this point.

Defense: The defense is a different story. The secondary for Vandy is incredibly solid. Senior strong safety Reshard Langford and junior cornerback D.J. Moore return after being All-SEC selections. The front seven on defense will have five new starters, so the secondary better be up to the challenge.

Impact Newcomer: TBD. Honestly, when was the last time that Vanderbilt had an impact newcomer? By midseason someone will break away from the pack, but right now it's too tough to call.

'08-09 Forecast: Vanderbilt has improved under coach Bobby Johnson. The Commodores beat South Carolina in Columbia last season and lost close games to Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, but they just can't seem to get over the hump. Vandy needs to have consistency at quarterback to reach their first bowl game since 1982.

'08-09 Record: 3-9 (0-8)

Ranking the Best of the Past 10 College Football Champions

David Parks — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:35:04 -0400

Throughout the past 10 years college football has unfortunately been saddled with having to deal with the BCS and its bogus formula. This year marks the 10 year anniversary of the first BCS National Title game which pitted the Tennessee Volunteers against the Florida State Seminoles with the Vols coming out on top 23-17.

So, given that it's the 10 year anniversary, we figured we would rank the past 10 champions to see just who is the greatest team from the past decade.

(Note the champions were the BCS champions so sorry USC your supposed title in 2003 doesn't count for this list)

10. 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes

This shouldn't come as a shock to anyone. I'm still not quite sure how the Buckeyes won the National Title, but they did. This was a team that had managed to escape numerous close calls all season such as Michael Jenkins hauling in Craig Krenzel's prayer against Purdue on 4th down.

The Buckeyes won seven games by a touchdown or less. Couple this team's numerous close calls with the disputed pass interference call against the Hurricanes in the title game, and anyone can see that it wasn't a tough call to start with the '02 Buckeyes.

Notable players from team: RB Maurice Clarett, QB Craig Krenzel, WR Michael Jenkins, S Mike Doss, CB Chris Gamble, DE Will Smith.

9. 2003 LSU Tigers

This was a tough call because there was a lot to like about this team. Part of the reason I chose to list them here was because at the time when the final rankings were released I thought that USC should've gotten in over them.

The thing about these Tigers was that much like the Buckeyes of '02, there was never a big WOW factor with this team. Although they had no stars they were an unbelievably sound team. They did have one loss to Florida during the season, but didn't have as many close games as the Bucks did the previous year which is why they get the nod in this case.

Notable players from team: RB Joseph Addai, WR Devrey Henderson, WR Michael Clayton, DE Marcus Spears, CB Corey Webster.

8. 2006 Florida Gators

I'd say the Urban Meyer era got off to a good start in his first year. Combining the leadership and experience of quarterback Chris Leak with the athleticism of Tim Tebow, the Gators cruised to the title after baptizing Ohio State in the title game.

But people forget that this team was anything but dominant in the regular season. They had two one point victories (Tennessee, South Carolina) and won three other games by under a touchdown. If this list was based on performances in the title game they would be at the top, but with their struggles in the regular season they end up at No. 8.

Notable players from team: DE Jarvis Moss, QB Chris Leak, QB Tim Tebow, WR Andrew Caldwell, S Reggie Nelson, DE Derrick Harvey

7. 2007 LSU Tigers

In what was the most bizarre college football season in history, the Tigers managed to take home the title. Consider that for four consecutive weeks, the team that was ranked No. 2 in the polls lost. LSU looked to be headed to the title game until they lost to the Darren McFadden's, but with some luck ended up in the title game, and for the second straight season, delivered Ohio State a beat down.

LSU was an extremely frustrating team mostly because they were unbelievably talented but failed to put it all together on a consistent basis. Plus, they had 2 regular season losses, becoming the first team in BCS history to take home the title with 2 losses.

Notable players from team: DT Glenn Dorsey, S Craig Steltz, WR Early Doucet, QB Matt Flynn, RB Jacob Hester, CB Chevous Jackson

6. 1998 Tennessee Volunteers

Another tough call because you hate to penalize a team because of luck but that's exactly why the Vols wound up playing for the national title. If Arkansas doesn't run a bootleg with under two minutes to go against the Vols, they hang on and give the Big Orange their first loss. (Seriously what was Houston Nutt thinking).

The Vols occasionally blew their opponents out, but like the previous two teams on the list they lacked a WOW factor. Looking back, it's funny to think that the year after arguably the greatest quarterback to play college football leaves is when the Orange take home the title.

Notable Players from team: RB Jamal Lewis, RB Travis Henry, RB Shaun Bryson, WR Peerless Price, LB Al Wilson, DT Darwin Walker, DE Shaun Ellis

5. 2005 Texas Longhorns

I considered putting this team lower but I decided against it. I think everyone knows who was responsible for the Horns taking home the title in '05. Vince Young did it all. Literally. He did everything. The thing is, NO ONE could stop him.

The best thing about the Longhorns winning this game was that for the weeks leading up to this game, ESPN was touting where the '05 USC Trojans ranked in terms of the all-time great teams. So much for that. They weren't even the best team in the country that year.

Texas officially started getting people's attention when they went into Columbus and beat the Buckeyes. They beat their opponents by an average of 34 points a game. Clearly though, this team will be remembered for one reason. Vince Young.

Notable Players from team: QB: Vince Young

4. 1999 Florida State Seminoles

The Noles were coming off of a loss in the title game the year before to Tennessee and were eager to rebound and return to the championship game. The Noles were flat out loaded. NFL talent was littered all over their sidelines.

They did have to escape Clemson with a three point victory but other than that had no troubles with anyone else on their schedule. In the championship game, much of the hype was about Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick, but the Noles quickly made people forget about him en route to a national title.

Notable Players from team: QB Chris Weinke, WR Peter Warrick, DT Corey Simon, K Sebastion Janikowski, LB Tommy Polley

3. 2000 Oklahoma Sooners

Much like the '02 Buckeyes and the '98 Vols, the 2000 Sooners lacked excitement but made up for it in the form of consistent, tough football. The Sooners were rock solid during the regular season en route to an undefeated season and the Big 12 Title.

Standing in their way of a title was the Florida State Seminoles looking to defend their title. The game reflected what the Sooners were about the most. Boring, but effective football. The defense stifled the Noles' offense and held them to a mere safety.

Notable players from team: QB Josh Heupel, RB Quentin Griffin, LB Rocky Calmus, S Roy Williams, CB Andrew Woolfork

2. 2004 USC Trojans

An argument could easily be made for the Trojans to be No. 1 on this list, but they come up just a hair short. That being said, this team was easily one of the best ever. Some do forget that this team did have its share of close calls, including a three point win over Stanford, a six point win over Cal, and an eight point win over Oregon State.

But their demolition of the Sooners in the title game to the tune of a 55-17 route made everyone forget about those three close calls. This team finally put it all together and the result was scary good.

Notable Players from team: QB Matt Leinart, RB Reggie Bush, RB LenDale White, WR Dwayne Jarrett, WR Steve Smith, LB Lofa Tatupu

1. 2001 Miami Hurricanes

As good as that Trojan team was in '04, the '01 Hurricanes would have blown them away. Looking back on their roster, the Canes had an embarrassment of riches at their disposal. The Hurricanes only had one game in which they one by single digits, a two point win over arch rival Virginia Tech. Some people consider this team to be the greatest ever.

Some consider this team's accomplishment watered down because they played a Nebraska team that had no business being in the title game in the first place. I'm siding with the first argument. I have never seen a team that flat out dominated every opponent they played. When the Canes took the field that year there wasn't a doubt in my mind they would win.

Notable players on team: QB Ken Dorsey, RB Willis McGahee, RB Clinton Portis, WR Andre Johnson, TE Jeremy Shockey, LT Bryant McKinnie, LB DJ Williams, LB Jonathan Vilma, CB Phillip Buchanon, CB Mike Rumph, S Ed Reed

Let the debate begin..........

Dave Clawson, Jonathan Crompton Look to Form Dynamic Duo at Tennessee

David Parks — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:56:51 -0400

It's often been said that in the South, college football isn't just a game, but rather a way of life. In towns such as Athens, Gainesville, and Knoxville, this rings true.

Forget the paper that's due Monday or the test on Tuesday. On Saturdays in the South, there's only one thing that matters: football.

For the new Tennessee offensive coordinator, this will take some getting used to.

Dave Clawson was born in Youngstown, New York, a far cry from the football-crazed South. He graduated from Williams College and then started his coaching career at Buffalo. In the two years when he was at Buffalo, the school shattered 36 offensive records, including points and yards in a season.

In 1993, Clawson joined the Lehigh coaching staff, where he worked until 1995. The Mountain Hawks won the Patriot League in both his first and last seasons at Lehigh, while his offense led the league in scoring, total offense, and pass offense each of his first two seasons.

After his tenure at Lehigh, Clawson took his show to I-AA Villanova, where the Wildcats set 70 school records on offense and went to the playoffs in both 1996 and 1997. Under Clawson's tutelage, former Nova Wildcat and current Philadelphia Eagle Brian Westbrook became the first athlete in NCAA history to gain more than 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving.

He finally got his big break as the head coach of Fordham University. After spending five years at Fordham University, Clawson finally got a chance to be the head coach at the University of Richmond. He became the best coach in Spiders history. Clawson guided the biggest two-year turnaround in the Spiders' 124-year history in his first two seasons, going 3-8 in 2004 and 9-4 in 2005.

Clawson was named the 2005 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in only his second year in the league. National honors came Clawson's way that same season as he garnered the National Coach of the Year award from I-AA.

In his first two years, the offense racked up a combined 8,817 yards, which was the most ever in back-to-back seasons in Richmond history.

In 2007 Clawson led the Spiders to a school record 11 wins and to the I-AA semifinals before losing to eventual champ Appalachian State.

On January 11, 2008, Clawson resigned from Richmond to become the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee, a long way from his Northeast roots. Clawson replaces David Cutcliffe, who left the Vols to become the head coach at Duke.

Clawson does have big shoes to fill. Cutcliffe is credited with coaching brothers Peyton and Eli Manning in college. But Clawson seems to be up to the challenge.

"On a professional level, coaches are driven, and I'm not different," he said. "The challenge of coaching in the SEC at Tennessee, I think, is a great challenge, and one that was too good of an opportunity to pass up."

Tennessee has always run a traditional offense with emphasis on the run. Clawson runs more of a spread offense like the one Urban Meyer runs at Florida.

With the graduation of Erik Ainge, the gates are open for redshirt junior Jonathan Crompton to step in and take command of the offense.

Crompton was a heralded five-star quarterback coming out of high school but has yet to get significant playing time. That figures to change this season as Ainge has moved on to the NFL.

Crompton is physically built similarly to Florida's Tim Tebow but is much less accomplished. Nevertheless, Clawson is confident that he can do for Crompton what Meyer has done for Tebow.

"Jonathan's a very talented quarterback," he said. "I'm really excited about how many ways we can utilize his tools this season."

Crompton is helped out by the return of running back Arian Foster, who is closing in on Tennessee's all-time rushing record, as well as the teams' top two receivers, Lucas Taylor and Austin Rogers.

Clawson admits that there will be pressure like he's never felt before.

"Obviously in the SEC, football is king," he said. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity I have here at Tennessee and look forward to bringing the SEC title back to Knoxville."

As for whether Clawson will deliver on his own challenge, stay tuned.

Chicago Bears Look to Regain Super Bowl Swagger

David Parks — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:56:06 -0400

It doesn't seem like long ago that the Chicago Bears were the cream of the crop in the NFC. Well, the reason it doesn't seem like long long ago is because it wasn't.

A mere 17 months ago, the Bears competed in the Super Bowl but wound up losing to the Indianapolis Colts. Still, optimism was high in the Windy City for the 2007-2008 season as the team was able to resign free agent linebacker Lance Briggs, and add another weapon on offense in the form of tight end Greg Olsen through the draft.

In their Super Bowl season, the Bears' strength was undoubtedly their defense, which was ranked fifth in the league that year.

With everyone coming back the following year and with safety Mike Brown coming back from injury, there was no reason not to expect anything more than dominance the following season.

However, with all the optimism that seemed to be going around in Chicago, the team failed to meet expectations stumbling out to a 1-3 start and a 7-9 record overall. The team had still not found a constant at the quarterback position.

Rex Grossman, who led his team to a Super Bowl the year before, played with no consistency at all.

He followed up his mediocre Super Bowl season with a disastrous 2007 season that saw him benched in favor of veteran Brian Griese and second year quarterback Kyle Orton, neither of whom looked to be a franchise quarterback.

The running game was a disaster as well. In the offseason after the Super Bowl, the team decided to part ways with Thomas Jones after a 1,000+ yard season, and he was traded to the Jets for a second round pick.

The team was ready to hand over the reigns to Cedric Benson, the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft. Through the middle of the season, it was evident that the team had parted ways with the wrong running back.

Benson was a disaster, racking up a mere 600+ yards. LaDainian Tomlinson of the Chargers rushed for more yards last season than the entire Bears team.

The receiving core was solid, but the problem was that they had no one to get them the ball on a consistent basis. Both Mushin Muhammed and Bernard Berrian had respectable seasons, and with the addition of rookie Greg Olsen, the Bears had the best tight end duo in the league with him and veteran Desmond Clark.

The offensive line was good but old and oft injured. Olin Kreutz is one of the best centers in the league, but with the starters on the offensive line coming in at an average age of 32 years old, it was evident that the line needed to be infused with some youth.

One of the most asked questions in the 2006 season was not whether the Bears’ defense was good, but rather is it the best defense ever? And although the Steel Curtain of the 70's and the 1985 Bears defense was undoubtedly better, it still paid testament to just how good this unit was.

Fast forward a year and the Bears had people asking another question. How good such a dominant unit look so god awful just a year later? The answer can be attributed to several things.

First off, the Bears lost defensive coordinator Ron Rivera to the Chargers, and it's no coincidence that the Chargers’ defense became one of the top units in the league in 07.

Rivera did wonders for the Bears. His scheme was tailor-made for the Bears’ linebackers and secondary. It seemed like when he left, the defense was lost and had no idea where to go or when to blitz.

Another reason the d struggled was because of injuries. Mike Brown who, when healthy, is one of the best safeties in the game missed virtually all of the season again with a torn ACL. Just how valuable is Mike Brown to the Bears?

Consider this. The Bears are 14-2 in the last 16 games Brown has started and haven't lost a game in which he started and finished since October 9, 2005 against Cleveland.

Cornerback Nathan Vasher also missed most of the season. If the defense can stay healthy, there's no question that the Bears can regain their dominance. The problem is that that's a very big if.

The one constant for the Bears through the rocky season has been one, Devin Hester. Hester is without a doubt the best return man in the game, and probably in history.

Without Hester, the Bears can say goodbye to at least five wins from the past two years. No other return man has been as valuable as Hester has been for the Bears. Ever.

With Lovie Smith now incorporating Hester into the offense more, there is reason for optimism in the Windy City once again.

2008 Season Lookout:

The 2008 season should be interesting in Chicago. Barring a miracle this would figure to be the final year of the Rex Grossman era in the Chicago.

The running game did get a boost by letting go of Cedric Benson and bringing in former Lions running back Kevin Jones through free agency, and rookie running back Matt Forte through the draft.

The team did lose Bernard Berrian and Mushin Muhammed, their two leading receivers. Enter former Bear Marty Booker, and former Redskin Brandon Lloyd. They will be expected to be the go-to guys this year.

A dark horse at receiver is Hester. Lovie Smith has come out and said "we plan to use Devin more than ever on offense this year." If Smith can somehow find a way to get Hester the ball 10-15 touches a game, the offense will become much more exciting.

Second year man Greg Olsen looks to keep up his development. There's no doubt that he can develop into a top five tight end in the league. The problem is that he needs to get someone to get him the ball.

The line was able to get younger with the addition of first round pick Chris Williams.

As for the defense, the key is health. If the Bears can stay healthy, you'd be hard pressed to find a better unit in the NFL. The thing that the Bears like is that their defensive line is so good, they can afford to drop guys like Urlacher and Briggs into pass coverage.

With Tommie Harris, Urlacher, and Briggs, the Bears have a nucleus that they can build around for years to come. They will have to improve their run defense.

They were gashed by Adrian Peterson for over 200 yards and finished in the bottom half of the league in run defense.

The Bears are fortunate. As discombobulated as they seem, they are lucky that they play in such a bad division. The Vikings are probably the clear cut favorite to win the division this year, but there is certainly no dominant team.

If the Bears can find consistent play on offense and stay healthy on defense, look for the Monsters of the Midway to be back in the playoff hunt.

08-09 Projected Record: (9-7) NFC Wildcard

2008-2009 Schedule

	9/7	@ COLTS, 7:15 PM
	9/14	@ PANTHERS, Noon
	9/21	VS. BUCCANEERS, Noon
	9/28	VS. EAGLES, 7:15 PM
	10/5	@ LIONS, Noon
	10/12	@ FALCONS, Noon
	10/19	VS. VIKINGS, Noon
	11/2	VS. LIONS, Noon
	11/9	VS. TITANS, Noon
	11/16	@ PACKERS, Noon
	11/23	@ RAMS, Noon
	11/30	@ VIKINGS, 7:15 PM
	12/7	VS. JAGUARS, Noon
	12/11	VS. SAINTS, 7:15 PM
	12/22	VS. PACKERS, 7:30 PM
	12/28	@ TEXANS, Noon

Braves in Dubious Situation

David Parks — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:57:40 -0400

Usually, the months of June, July, and August are relatively quiet months on the sports front. The occasional milestone in baseball might garner some headlines for a day or two, but then all would return back to normal.

And boring.

However, this year we've had plenty to talk about in the sports world. Brett Favre for instance seems as if he will never go away. Tiger Woods's injury, and the Boston Celtics getting a ring.

One constant remains through all of this and that is, the Great American Pastime, baseball. In baseball there are some intriguing divisional races, such as the NL central which pits the Cubs, Brewers, and Cardinals all vying for the Central crown.

However, there might not be a team that is in a more dubious position than the Atlanta Braves. As of July 21, 2008, the Braves are 46-52, a far cry from the records from their decade of dominance in the 90's and early 2000's. But this year makes for some interesting topics for debate. Currently they are only 6.5 games out of first, a long ways from out of it.

But the big debate is, what should the Braves do with Mark Teixeira? Should they trade him and virtually put up the white flag? Or should they keep him, knowing full well that they more than likely won't be able to resign him at season's end? If I had to choose, it would be to trade him. Look, the Braves just don't have the pitching to contend, and are too injury riddled to compete this year.

Trade him to say, the Red Sox or Angels, get back a first baseman in a trade, some pitching prospects. Then, if by the trade deadline the Braves are still within shouting distance of the playoff picture, go out and acquire a bat like Xavier Nady or Jason Bay from the Pirates.

The Braves would be foolish to keep Teixeira knowing full well he'll be gone at season's end anyway.