Big Blue Nation Linkapalooza: Texas A&M's SEC Membership Editions

If you haven't read it by now (A2D2 had it linked below), Texas A&M is an official member of the SEC conference as of July 1, 2012.  Apparently, all the legal hurdles have either been hurdled or otherwise put to bed.


Now, for the rest of the news:

• Eric Lindsey reports that TAMU is in the SEC effective July 1.
  As reported earlier by A2D2.

• Mitch Barnhart offers a statement on Texas A&M joining the SEC.
• I Am The 12th Man becomes an SEC blog.
• Anchor of Gold picks the winners and losers in the most recent conference realignment

• Sports Radio Interviews has a Tom Penders interviw that seems a little unconnected with reality.

  I’m still trying to digest what former college basketball coach Tom Penders throws out in the following interview. On the one hand, he’s got some pretty funny and witty one-liners that come across as making some sense. On the other hand, some of the ideas he throws around sound flat-out senile. But hey, with all the new ideas and proposals being thrown around and rumored recently, no proposal or idea should be entirely dismissed.

• Sports Radio Interviews: Larry Scott says Texas must share the LHN to get into Pac-12

  Is it fair to say at one point you’ll become a 16-team conference?
  
  "No. I don’t think it has to be. I think we are going to be extremely strong and provide a lot of leadership in college sports as we are, so no I wouldn’t say it’s inevitable.

• John Clay reports on Alfonso Smith, who got a shot today.

  Thanks to injuries, former Kentucky running back Alfonso Smith was the featured back for the Arizona Cardinals in their 13-10 loss at Seattle today.

• Wildcat Blue Nation reports on a big UK football commitment.

  Believe it or not, there is actually positive news from this weekend, as Kentucky was able to secure commitments from a couple more 3-star recruits. Linebacker Kadeem Thomas and big running back Shadrach Thornton have confirmed they committed this weekend in Lexington. A big thanks goes out to those fans who did attend the game, as both players cited the atmosphere as a factor in their decisions. Both Thomas and Thornton were Kentucky’s top priorities at their respective positions.

• Barnhart isn't interested in fan unhappiness over football.

  Barnhart has already heard enough, apparently. On Saturday's pre-game radio show, the UK AD said he had stopped reading emails or taking phone calls from fans upset about the direction of the football program. His standard line is that those fans have short memories.

• KSR reports on Joker's Sunday teleconference.
  Some good news on the injury front, and some bad news. The rest is coach-speak.

• Sporting News reports that Calipari is focusing on offense first.

  "All I’m looking for when we practice: Are we taking the next step up?" Calipari said on his website, CoachCal.com. "These guys are so young. Even the veterans, two of them are sophomores. Now they did play in the national Final Four, but they’re sophomores.

• The Courier-Journal reports that Alex Poythress, Archie Goodwin to play in Lexington.

  University of Kentucky basketball commitment Archie Goodwin and UK target Alex Poythress will play close to their future home this coming season. Their high schools will participate in the Dunkin Donuts National Shootout on Jan. 7 at Lexington Catholic.

• Lex18 is reporting that the Kentucky Pros will play several area colleges.

  Georgetown, Pikeville, Campbellsville and Mid-Continent University are among the schools planning to have their own exhibition game, according to Allkyhoops.