SB Nation - Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee's Famous Hostesses

aramnath — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:46:30 -0000

More photos » by Michael H. Miller - AP

Lane might be in a bit of trouble. This picture's really only here because I couldn't find any decent one to put up of the "hostesses" under NCAA investigation. (AP Photo/Michael H. Miller)

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The NCAA is investigating some of the University of Tennessee's football recruiting practices that involved the use of "hostesses" in recruiting prep and high school players. From reading the rest of this article it seems that the "hostesses" can be called out on what they actually were doing; getting real cozy with some high school kids. One recruit, Marcus Lattimore, described the hostesses as "real pretty, real nice and real cool", which I read as, "yeah those bitches sure put out". Lattimore also said that he thought they had a "large influence" in a couple of his teammates' decision to commit.

This reminds me of the Colorado football program that was accused of using sex and alcohol to recruit their players. At least Lane Kiffin wasn't paying cash to an escort service to come and"entertain" some recuits on a campus visit, which is a good thing. Then again we'll find out how these "hostesses" were rewarded for visiting recruits during their high school football games and persuading them to commit to Tennessee. Is the university's reasoning going to be that the "hostesses" explained to the players how they fit into their scheme and the kind of program they are trying to build? I'm very excited to hear more about the details of this story.

Red Cup Rebellion - 12/9/09

The Ghost of Jay Cutler — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:13:10 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Thanks, NCAA!

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So Nice of Y'all to Drop By!
Thanks to the Houston Nutt to Kansas rumor being the hottest one yet of the yearly coaching carosel, we've had just all sorts of visitors visit our little internet nook! If you're new, be sure to read the disclaimer on the left and please pick up your litter on the way out.

Ravens Coach Shows Movie About Michael Oher To Inspire Michael Oher | The Onion
The Onion, America's finest news source, reports that:

In an attempt to energize starting left tackle Michael Oher for last Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh screened a copy of the inspirational sports movie The Blind Side.

I really shouldn't have linked this; If you don't already read the Onion then you're not using the internet properly, and we'd rather not have you hogging bandwidth around here.

OSU Ticket Allotment Sold | Tulsa World
Well, the Cowboys will be there. Will the Rebel fan base pull a bunch of typical "woe is me, we are Ole Miss" bullshit (yeah, I'm being a bit of a hypocrite; get over it), and decide against attending the first ever Cotton Bowl in Jerryworld, or will we too represent ourselves well by filling up our allotment?

Home and Away in SEC Bowls | ESPN dot com
We're home which means we can wear our red or blue jerseys. I'm guessing Nutt will leave that choice up to the seniors who will most likely choose red. RED ALERT! RED/BLUE IN YOU! REBEL XPRESSSS!

Strong to Louisville all but done | ESPN dot com
There will be a press conference this morning announcing Florida Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong as the new head coach of the Louisville Cardinals. This is obviously a good move for a program which wants to be atop the Big East once again.

NCAA Scrutiny Seen on Tennessee | The New York Times
And the biggest SEC story of the day comes with the announced investigation of Tennessee's 'crootin practices.

A significant part of the investigation is focused on the use of recruiting hostesses who have become folk heroes on Tennessee Internet message boards for their ability to help lure top recruits ... Marcus Lattimore, a running back who made an unofficial visit to Tennessee but said he would not enroll there, said multiple Tennessee hostesses attended a game at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., in September. He said they brought signs, including one that read, "Come to Tennessee." ... "You don't want to go to a college where they ain't pretty," Lattimore said.

For the record, every SEC school does this to an extent. There are large breasted, flirty girls who escort the players around campus during their official visits at every SEC school. They also party with these players and do whatever they can to show them a good time--if you catch my drift. This, in and of itself, isn't really the problem. The NCAA is investigating Tennessee because it seems that these girls are visiting these guys at their high schools. That's a bit much, but it's likely effective. GOTTACATCHEMALL OR-GE-RON!
(HT: A reader we'll call "DJ")

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Wednesday (12/9/09) Edition

WVUIE97 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:42 -0000

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information and some fun distractions. Today we're being brought to you by Pilsner Urquell, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.

There's plenty to get caught up with. The Gator Bowl is a sell out already and Huggs leads the men back into action tonight against the Dukes from Duquesne. Keep your eyes open for tips and suggestions. See you after the jump...

What You May Have Missed:

Gold and Blue Report for Wednesday - WVMETRONEWS.COM

09-10 NCAA Bowl Game Helmet Schedule - SimonOnSports
Retro Helmet style bmp's and a downloadable spreadsheet.

Your Full 2009-2010 College Football Bowl Announcing Schedule - Awful Announcing

2009 Bowl gifts to participants - Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal

ESPN.com's All-Big East team - ESPN

Ranking the bowls from best to worst - ESPN

BCS matchups the highlight of ho-hum college bowl season - SI.com
Mandel ranks 'em too.

Though not as good as a playoff, BCS gets matchups right - SI.com
Staples' Power Rankings

Mountaineers in the NFL - WVIllustrated.com

News of Note (FB):

Sold Out - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Florida State fans snatching up Gator Bowl tickets, but local travel packages remain - Charleston Gazette

Some options available for tickets to Gator Bowl - Charleston Daily Mail

Steele honors WVU, Marshall players - Charleston Daily Mail

Football Notebook - MSNsportsNET.Com

Hall of Fame humbling to Major, Warner - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column

LB Williams named a scholar-athlete finalist - Register-Herald

Seeing both sides of Gator - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

DL Joe Rhein - WVIllustrated
"When the rest of West Virginia’s football team was celebrating their victory over Rutgers late Saturday night, one of their brothers was being rushed to Ruby Memorial Hospital after being involved in a serious car accident in Morgantown. "

MU's search, Big East rankings and celebrating good times - Charleston Gazette

News of Note (BB):

Duquesne Preview - MSNsportsNET.Com

Preview: Duquesne - BlueGoldNews.com

Bob Huggins: Back On The Court - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Video link

Mountaineers set for Duquesne challenge - Charleston Daily Mail

WVU hosts Everhart, Duquesne tonight - Times West Virginian

Duquesne's Everhart has history with West Virginia's Huggins - PPG

Huggins, Everhart share West Virginia roots - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

WVU looks for better defense vs. Dukes - Charleston Gazette

Junior guard getting his opportunity to contribute early in 2009-10 season - WVIllustrated

WVU women cruise past EKU [ed.] - Charleston Daily Mail

West Virginia Too Much for Colonels - MSNsportsNET.Com

WVU women cruise by Eastern Kentucky - Times West Virginian

Women's Basketball Notebook - MSNsportsNET.Com

What's On Tap:

Duquesne Dukes vs. West Virginia Mountaineers - ESPN
Tonight from the Coliseum at 7 p.m. If you can't be there it's on ESPN 360 and MASN. WVU is giving 16.5.

Villanova Wildcats vs. Saint Joseph's Hawks - ESPN
On the Duece tonight at 9. Villanova is giving 13.5.

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Connecticut Huskies - ESPN
This appears to be the big one for tonight, from MSG, 9:30 on ESPN. Connecticut is getting 1.

Around the League (and Beyond):

Report: Kelly met with Irish last week - ESPN

Source: Likelihood of Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly bolting to Notre Dame 'heating up' - ESPN

Brian Kelly and Notre Dame close on deal -- chicagotribune.com

Source: Louisville board to be asked to approve Charlie Strong as coach - ESPN

Bulls still a work in progress - Tampa Tribune

Monroe's Double-Double Leads No. 15 Georgetown Past No. 20 Butler, 72-65 - GUHoyas

Wannstedt: Pitt has advanced since his arrival - PPG

Pitt falls to Indiana, 74-64 - PPG

Billy Donovan has had few setbacks en route to his throne, but SU has been one of them - Syracuse.com

Notre Dame head coach is the weirdest job in sports, so why would University of Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly want it? - ESPN

N.C.A.A. Is Said to Inquire Widely of Tennessee’s Recruiting - NYTimes.com
"Interviews with multiple football recruits revealed that the N.C.A.A. has strong interest in the University of Tennessee’s use of recruiting hostesses."

Politi: BCS system is a mess, but complaints go unheeded - Star Ledger

Item of Interest:

I'm behind on this, I know, but....there was a guy who set out to visit 15 campuses for 15 football games throughout the season and document his experiences. He's not a journalist or a professional photographer. The picture leads to a gallery he took while he visited us for the Backyard Brawl and I've included the link to his blog entry too. Pretty cool stuff. He was at Heinz last week, as well, and will finish up the season watching the Army/Navy game this weekend.

Backyard Nailbiter: WVU Beats Pitt On Final Play - One Great Season

[photo courtesy of John P. Wise @ onegreatseason.com]

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Evidently this is becoming an epidemic. I'm almost ashamed to admit...but, it's happened to me too. (Warning: Video contains strong language)

'Tis The Season Gallery of the Week:

Here are 25 sexy celebrities in Santa outfits.

via www.manofest.com

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is another Eastern European beauty. Hailing from the Czech Republic, I proudly present...Shannon Czyz.

via farm4.static.flickr.com

Pilsner Urquell image via www.123mycodes.com

NCAA Investigating UT Recruiting Practices

Gamecock Man — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:42:36 -0000

The NCAA is launching a wide-ranging investigation of Lane Kiffin's staff's recruiting practices at Tennessee. The focus? Hostesses:

Interviews with multiple recruits and their family members revealed that the N.C.A.A. has strong interest in Tennessee’s use of recruiting hostesses, students who are part of a formal group at the university that hosts all manner of prospective students at campus visits, including athletes. It is not clear whether the university sent the hostesses to visit the football players.

In one case, hostesses traveled nearly 200 miles to attend a high school game in South Carolina in which at least three Tennessee recruits were playing.

This is, ahem, a suggestive story, to say the least. Many of the players involved, coincidentally, are SC targets, including Marcus Lattimore.

This one's developing. Stay tuned

What Is Lane Kiffin Doing With Tennessee's Hostesses?

mlmintampa — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:43:23 -0000

From today's New York Times, the NCAA is investigating the use of Tennessee's hostesses to lure recruits to Knoxville;

A significant part of the investigation is focused on the use of recruiting hostesses who have become folk heroes on Tennessee Internet message boards for their ability to help lure top recruits. N.C.A.A. officials have visited four prospects and are scheduled to visit two others this week in an investigation covering at least three states. The inquiry is unusual in its scope and its timing. It is rare that the N.C.A.A. looks at this wide a swath of one university's recruits before the players have signed with a program in February.

Of course, an investigation could be nothing. But where there is smoke, there is fire and Lane Kiffin has been striking matches his entire first year at UT. That the hostesses are involved surely has made everyone's ears perk up. It seems that they have been doing more than just showing the recruits around Neyland Stadium.

In one case, hostesses traveled nearly 200 miles to attend a high school game in South Carolina in which at least three Tennessee recruits were playing...The hostesses are considered representatives of the university, which would mean they could not recruit players off campus. Therefore, the visits may be considered violations of N.C.A.A. recruiting rules.

The article mentions other hostesses contacting recruits and mentions how Bryce Brown has a picture with a hostess on his facebook or Myspace page, implying that it was taken while he was a recruit. That is not a violation, but the article then states that hostesses have contacted recruits through social networking sites, which is a violation if the hostess is seen as a representative of the school.

Right now, it's all relatively tame, but it could explode into something more. If Kiffin is using the hostesses as a way to get to recruits outside the NCAA rules, it could be serious trouble for the Vols.

Jay Graham a Candidate for Runningbacks Coach at Tennessee?

Gamecock Man — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:10:19 -0000

Well, it looks like Lane Kiffin is trying to poach another one of our coaches. Reports are that Kiffin is interested in Jay Graham. Graham would fill the runningbacks coach position left vacant by former coach Eddie Gran, who left to join Jimbo Fisher at FSU.

In all seriousness, it would be hard to blame Graham for leaving. Graham is a Vol through and through, having had a successful career in Knoxville during the halcyon days of Peyton Manning and a relatively slim Phil Fulmer. I imagine that if the Vols are really interested and are willing to pay him enough, he's gone.

Graham would be a loss for us. He has done a good job with our backs this and, just as importantly, is a good recruiter. Along Brad Lawing, he has focused on bringing Marcus Lattimore to Columbia. One has to wonder if Kiffin sees Graham as a potential route to Lattimore. Knowing Kiffin, that's quite possible, but I doubt it moves Lattimore; Graham would hardly be Lattimore's only motivation to come here, and Lattimore moreover has shown relatively little interest in UT.

Stay tuned for more on this story as it develops.

To Rodriguez Or Not: A Seemingly Difficult Question With An Easy Answer

Dr. Charley West — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:35:26 -0000

CFN's Matthew Zemek attempted to lay a great quandary at the feet of all Mountaineer fans earlier today in his Monday Morning QB article (note, I said attempted). Here is his question to us:

Listen up, Old Gold and Blue backers: Would you rather be winning 11 games with Rich Rodriguez, or maintaining your dignity and winning nine games with Bill Stewart? Integrity and humanity are supposed to matter more than results, at least within certain parameters. Keep that in mind as you continue along the path with Mr. Stewart.

Now, don't get me wrong, I had to think about this for a little bit. But the answer was actually pretty easy...

It's 11 games with Rich Rodriguez, hands-down. Here's why.

Rich Rodriguez wasn't "The Product" or "Fraudriguez" until he left for Michigan. He was Rich Rodriguez, head coach of West Virginia University. Our school. Our coach. Sure, he had flirted with plenty of other schools, but we still loved in 2007, almost regardless of what he did the winter before with Alabama. He was still our coach. What came to light after the Michigan move didn't change how we felt about him until after he had left. As far as we knew, he wasn't cheating or breaking any major rules. He was just getting results. That's fine by me.
The difference between winning 11 games and 9 games is pretty significant. With 9 games, you're sneaking into a New Year's Day bowl game every few years, but mostly, you're confined to the third tier of bowl games. You're certainly not going to be playing in many (if any) BCS games. With 11 games, you're a perennial BCS player and a national championship contender. You're a player on the national scene. When you win 9 games, even though its still a decent accomplishment, you're just not on everyone's radar.
I don't think integrity and humanity really matter more than results. Sure, you have to have some of the aforementioned traits, but you also have to win. Bill Stewart is winning so far, but in Zemek's example, winning 9 games and being a great guy will always trump 11 games and being an asshole. I don't agree. It's not like Rodriguez was out killing hobos and street walkers on the weekends. He may not have been the greatest guy in the world, but when he's your coach, you don't quite see that big picture. You see him, on the sidelines, winning games for your university. I have used this example before, but to us at WVU, we see Lane Kiffin as "Lane Kiffin, douchebag." At Tennessee, they seem him as, "Lane Kiffin, head coach of the Volunteers." There's a big difference in perception when the jerk is on your sideline.

Now, before anyone takes this in another direction, let me clarify: I don't want Rich Rodriguez back at WVU under any circumstances. Once he left for Michigan, the metaphorical ship sailed on my perceptions of Rodriguez. He is forever "The Product" and "Fraudriguez" to me. But while he was still here, the situation was different. He was our coach.

So what is your answer to Zemek's question. Am I right, or just a heartless dick who doesn't care about the importance of "humanity and integrity?"

2009 Peach Bowl: Good vs. Evil

furrer4heisman — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:16:10 -0000

vs.

(The holidays mean it's time for two things in my house: Bowl games and Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas - the bootleg copy with Kermit's scenes included, you Disney fascists. Images are from here.)

As much as I think the bowl system is broken, it has given Hokie and Vol fans something to be excited about this month. It'll be great theater as the Hokietown Jubilee Jug Band goes head-to-head with the Riverbottom Nightmare Vols.

As a public service announcement, posting will be less regular the rest of the month, but you will see plenty of stuff on the Peach Bowl as we get closer to game time. I'll have a matchup to watch on both sides of the ball as well as the typical game preview stuff you're used to. Look for the game guide a few days before Christmas and then the rest after the holiday.

To be honest I'm kind of burned out and have a pretty big pile of stuff I need to get done at work and at home before Christmas rolls around. Don't worry, I'll still be around. I'll post stuff when news breaks and when I get inspired (read: drunk). I'm pumped for this bowl matchup but I need a week or so get things in order before I got full bore into hating on the Vols and looking at what the Hokies need to do to get that 10th win.

Poll

As a Hokie fan, how do you feel about the Tennessee Volunteers?

Tennessee Football All-Decade RB

Will — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:59:08 -0000

If Montario Hardesty keeps his current pace in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, this decade will have seen the two greatest single-season rushing performances, and the two greatest career rushing performances in Tennessee Football history...turned in by four different players.

These four players bookend the decade, with the careers of Travis Henry and Travis Stephens coming to a close in 2000 and 2001, and the careers of Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty coming to a close in 2008 and 2009. In between, we give an honorable mention nod to Cedric Houston and Gerald Riggs, and especially to the 2004 season, in which both of them ran for over 1,000 yards. However, the single season and career accomplishments of Henry, Stephens, Foster and Hardesty separate them from the rest of the pack, and we present them to you as the nominees for the Tennessee Football running back of the decade.

Casey Clausen ran away with the All-Decade QB vote over Erik Ainge, with almost two-thirds of the vote. This time, I think the vote will be much more competitive. As we'll continue to do throughout the month, we breakdown the candidates and ask you to decide...

Travis Henry

So, the trick in doing these all-decade things is being able to separate the careers of players like Henry, who was also a feature back in Knoxville in 1998 and 1999. And of course with Henry, so much of his legend at Tennessee revolves around his performance in that 1998 National Championship season. In voting for the best of this decade, we're only going to look at Henry's performance in his 2000 senior season.

However, the entire body of Henry's work left him as Tennessee's all-time leading rusher, a record he still holds with 3,078 yards (including 970 in 1998 and 790 in 1999, sharing the load in both of those seasons). In 2000, Henry was finally the primary option at tailback from start to finish, and playing with Joey Matthews, AJ Suggs and Casey Clausen at quarterback, Henry was the primary option for the entire offense.

As a result, The Cheese turned in the fourth best season in Tennessee Football history with 1,314 yards (a number Montario Hardesty will pass with just nine yards in the bowl game). He put Tennessee on his back in The Jabar Gaffney Game, with 175 yards against the vaunted Gators. The 2000 Tennessee-Florida game is one of the very few exceptions to the rule of the team that wins the rushing battle will win the game. Henry took the Vols close to the end zone several times, but an inability to punch it in and convert a critical fourth quarter first down led to Florida's eventual game winning drive.

But Henry continued to pound away in 2000, getting a career high with 214 yards against Arkansas to go along with 180 yards in a loss to Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl, a performance that included an 81 yard touchdown run. His 15 career 100+ yard games is a Tennessee record. Henry went on to great professional success and personal struggles after leaving Tennessee, but he remains the benchmark by which all other career performances are measured, the only back in Vol history to run for more than 3,000 yards in a career.

Travis Stephens

Perhaps the most patient of all Vol tailbacks, one of many qualities he shares with Hardesty, Travis Stephens played his part in the Vols' 1998 National Championship season, then was asked to redshirt the following season when the Vols' backfield included Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and Onterrio Smith. It didn't seem fair, but Stephens put his head down and went along with it.

After backing up Henry in 2000, Stephens finally became the feature back in 2001. Some questioned his size, especially in comparison to Lewis and Henry. But in the second game of the '01 season, questions about his durability ceased: in a game that was delayed more than an hour for driving rain and lightning, Stephens carried the ball a school record 41 times for 206 yards. He was robbed of what should've been one of the all-time great moments of the Fulmer Era, as his screen pass for a score in the final minute of the Tennessee-Georgia game was negated by The Hobnailed Boot.

But Stephens kept coming, every week. He played his way to the final cut for the Doak Walker Award, rushing for 162 against Alabama in Tennessee's final win of a seven year streak. His season would finish as the greatest in Tennessee history, and is the mark Hardesty will chase in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl: 1,464 yards for the year, as the Vols went 11-2. Stephens struggled in the SEC Championship game and lost a costly fumble, and that must be taken into account.

But by far, Stephens turned in the greatest individual football performance of the decade in the decade's biggest win: the postponed 2001 Florida game, featuring the #4 Vols and #2 Gators, where Stephens ran for an unbelievable 226 yards, leaving Florida's defense in his wake and leading Tennessee to a 34-32 victory.

Arian Foster

Some Vol fans may question Foster's inclusion on this list, but the reality remains that he trails only Henry in career rushing yards at this university (by only 114 yards), a feat that we tip our hats to regardless of the rough process of getting there.

Foster was one of the few bright spots in the dismal 2005 season, replacing an injured Gerald Riggs in the middle of that season and running for 100+ yards in everyone of his starts as a freshman, finishing with 879 yards in just five starts. This raised the bar on the rest of Foster's career, a career that saw some of his greatest accomplishments go unappreciated for one reason or another; Foster ran for 223 yards against Vanderbilt in his freshman season, but the Vols lost the game.

Foster would split time with Hardesty and LaMarcus Coker over the next two seasons, running for only 322 yards in 2006. But he bounced back bigtime in 2007, running for 1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns in the Vols' SEC East Championship run. The Clawfense was no friend to anyone on the Vol offense, and that included Foster, who seemed like a sure thing to get Henry's career record at the start of the '08 season. But instead, he finished with only 570 yards and one touchdown.

Foster's best performances came in his freshman season, and though he really didn't fumble an excessive amount, the times he did put the ball on the turf were incredibly costly. As such, Foster caught more heat from the fanbase than any other player outside of Jon Crompton. His best moments weren't fully appreciated and his worst moments were highly magnified...but his career numbers will always speak for themselves.

Montario Hardesty

Hardesty has turned in the most consistent performance of the decade this season: he hasn't played a bad game all season, his lowest numbers coming as a result of the Alabama defense and a huge hole against Ole Miss. He hasn't fumbled all season. He was the only option at the start of the season, and turned in gutsy performances in losses to UCLA, Florida, and Auburn. And he was the best option at the end of the season, running for 171 against Vanderbilt and 179 and the clincher at Kentucky.

All of this comes after Hardesty was banged up, redshirted, and waited for four years to get this chance. There were flashes of brilliance, including a sensational touchdown run against Cal in 2006. But Hardesty kept waiting behind Foster, kept getting talked about less than Coker and Lennon Creer, and then had to listen to everyone talk about Bryce Brown. Hardesty stayed quiet, went to work, and has rewarded everyone with a sensational 2009 season.

Hardesty needs 159 yards in the final game of the decade to pass Stephens' single-season mark, currently sitting at 1,306 yards. With 2,352 career rushing yards, he will almost certainly move into 8th on Tennessee's all-time rushing list in the bowl game. And he has been the most outstanding player of Lane Kiffin's first year.

Poll

Who is the Tennessee Football RB of the decade?

RTT Podcast tonight at 9:00 EST with Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country

Joel — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:00:18 -0000

After last week's hiatus, we'll be cranking up the RTT Podcast again tonight at 9:00 EST with our special, extraordinarily early discussion of Virginia Tech and the Chick-fil-a Bowl. Frankly, we're doing it already because Will can hardly contain himself. Okay, he can't contain himself and he's got the carpet cleaner to prove it.

Joining us tonight will be furrer4heisman from Gobbler Country, SB Nation's fine Virginia Tech blog. I want to ask him what his screen name means and whether he really thinks maroon and orange is an appropriate color combination.

If you have questions you want us to ask or topics you'd like us to discuss, leave them below.

Apparently, Talkshoe's having issues with their Flash widgets, so we've swapped it out for a linked picture. Click on that thing and follow your nose.