SB Nation User Blog: rblakeh

Tennessee gets in the mix for Rettig - ESPN

rblakeh — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:51:17 -0000

Tennessee gets in the mix for Rettig - ESPN

The Rock is Moving

rblakeh — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:40:23 -0000

I received an email this morning (not that exclusive... it went out to all students) from the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs that the Rock is being moved. Full text of the email below.

For those of you unfamiliar, the Rock is nothing more than a gigantic rock that the students paint with various messages. In the last couple of years, football fans have used it to paint welcoming messages for visiting recruits... most recently Jesse Scroggins.

To: Knoxville-area UT Students
From: W. Timothy Rogers, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Subject: Moving the Rock

For the second time in its history, the "Rock", a campus icon and venue for student self-expression, is going to be moved to a new location.

The new site will be 275 feet diagonally across the street -- north of Volunteer Boulevard, at the intersection of Pat Head Summitt Street -- from where it now sits.

The move is necessary, as the current location will be the site of a new and significantly expanded Student Health Center, set to begin construction this fall. This 109,242-square-foot building, which will include a pharmacy, will not leave enough space for the Rock and the freedom of speech activities we all treasure.

The Rock's new site is an equally high-profile venue. By moving across the street, the Rock will enhance our long-term plan to create an "arts quad" by extending the pedestrian walkway, adding green space and developing a gathering place for students.

Throughout this planning process, we have conferred with Student Government Association President Laura Nishida and 2008-09 SGA President Jeff Wilcox. Last semester, Jeff accompanied us as we toured the area to find a suitable new home for the Rock.

The move will take place sometime this month. We will announce the date and time so people can be there to witness this moment in UT history. I hope you will join us.

In addition, we are planning a Celebration of the Rock for Welcome Week. We will provide details as plans are finalized.

As some of you may know, the Rock was discovered in 1966 when UT was expanding to the area now known as Fiji Island. The Rock was moved from Fiji Island to its present location that year.

Queston for Joel about Rocky Top Tennessee 2009

rblakeh — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:19:28 -0000

Queston for Joel about Rocky Top Tennessee 2009

Were you ever able to figure out if pre-ordering would allow us to get the magazine earlier than the newsstand date?
Answer: Yes, you'll get it earlier, by about two weeks. They start shipping pre-orders on 7/6/09, and the shelves won't be stocked until 7/21/09.

"We’ve got to sign great players," he said. "It’s too valuable at this stage right now to waste som...

rblakeh — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:08:46 -0000

"We’ve got to sign great players," he said. "It’s too valuable at this stage right now to waste something just to get somebody. We have too many good things to sell and too many things going on. We don’t need to sign somebody else to get somebody."

One for two: Kiffin, Pearl differ on recruiting strategy : Football Recruiting : GoVolsXtra.com

Kicker Caleb Sturgis didn’t have as much to offer and wasn’t as excited as his battle captain Tebow ...

rblakeh — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:08:43 -0000

Kicker Caleb Sturgis didn’t have as much to offer and wasn’t as excited as his battle captain Tebow " I would play in a bikini if I had to." the sophomore said. "I just hope the pants are sown at the knees and don’t have the standard fray like traditional jorts."

Going Native in Florida " Loser with Socks

North Texas coach: Ausmus heading to Tennessee : Football : GoVolsXtra.com

rblakeh — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:11:19 -0000

North Texas coach: Ausmus heading to Tennessee : Football : GoVolsXtra.com

UF athletes have a friend in attorney Huntley Johnson -- OrlandoSentinel.com

rblakeh — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:25:04 -0000

UF athletes have a friend in attorney Huntley Johnson -- OrlandoSentinel.com

NCAA says camps off limits for media : Other Sports : GoVolsXtra.com

rblakeh — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:55:00 -0000

NCAA says camps off limits for media : Other Sports : GoVolsXtra.com

Very interesting timing, in my opinion.

ESPN's Latest Obsession: The SEC -- NCAA Football FanHouse

rblakeh — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:06:42 -0000

ESPN's Latest Obsession: The SEC -- NCAA Football FanHouse

Clay Travis does it again!

As noted by Ian Rapoport of The Birmingham News, top running back prospect Lache Seastrunk of...

rblakeh — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:59:00 -0000

As noted by Ian Rapoport of The Birmingham News, top running back prospect Lache Seastrunk of Temple, Texas, makes reference to Alabama coach Nick Saban a couple of different times.

At one point, Seastrunk says, "What's up, Nick Saban? Wait 'til we get here."

I'm not so sure about the wisdom of a kid still in high school calling out one of best coaches in the country. Granted, nothing he said was over the top, but those type of things tend to have a way of coming back on you.

A shout-out of sorts to Saban - SEC - ESPN