Big Blue Linkapalooza: SEC Tournament Edition

The SEC tournament gets underway today, and two teams have major NCAA tournament implications on the line today.  First the Georgia Bulldogs, who at this moment are up 26-17 over the Auburn Tigers.  Georgia must surely win this game to get into the NCAA, and may have to win against #1 seed Alabama tomorrow. 

Tonight at 7:30, the Tennessee Volunteers tip it up against the Arkansas Razorbacks, and if Tennessee loses that game, they are in serious NIT jeopardy.  The 3:30 game today is of interest to Kentucky fans, since the winner of that contest will be our opponent tomorrow.

More on the SEC tournament later today.  For now, the links:

• St. Anthony Routs St. Patrick To Lay Claim To No. 1 Ranking :: SBNation.com
  Bad news for Michael Gilchrist & Co.

• Bob Knight supports Ohio State's Jim Tressel after NCAA violation :: USATODAY.com
  Hypocrite.

• American Chronicle :: UK football notebook: Barnhart says bowl worth it, despite deficit

• Highway signs to be erected recognizing Tim Masthay
  Good for Tim.

• Voice Tribune

  What is it about basketball that gets Kentuckians so worked up?

  I'll venture a guess -- we like it!

• Jim Tressel: Dez Bryant envies you | Berry Tramel's Blog

  Remember the old Jerry Tarkanian line — "The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky it’s going to add two years probation onto Cleveland State" — that remains the greatest sports quote of all time?
  
  Time to pull it out. The NCAA is so mad at Jim Tressel, it ruled Perry Jones III ineligible.

  Heh.

• Winston Bennett, Tubby Smith to Speak at Nike Clinic

• Rutgers-St. John’s Officials ‘Voluntarily" Withdraw :: ZagsBlog.com

  The officials who messed up the controversial ending to Wednesday’s St. John’s-Rutgers game have "voluntarily" withdrawn from the rest of the Big East tournament.

  I'm sure it was purely voluntary. < /sarcasm >

   

• 26 NFL teams have scouts at UK Pro Day :: Vaught's Views

• Anything’s possible — Calipari and Chaney are now friends :: Beyond the Arc

  The Chaney item struck me, but mostly because the video is forever stuck in my head. Perhaps most notable to the folks in Lexington are comments regarding something Louisville coach Rick Pitino, which John Clay recaps here. (The gist? Pitino may have lied.)

  Making up with Chaney is amazing, but I think the potential lie by Pitino (who saw that coming?) is more of a story.  Of course, after the whole Sypher affair, Rick Pitino would be hard pressed to convince anybody around here he wasn't lying about that, so he probably won't even bother.

• Kentucky Sports Radio :: Kentucky and the SEC Tournament in the Modern Era

• Report: John Pelphrey Violated NCAA Rules

  CBSSports.com is reporting some breaking news this morning that Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey may have inadvertently broken NCAA recruiting rules by having inappropriate contact with two recruits.

  Uh oh.  I don't think Pelphrey has Pearl-like latitude in Fayetteville.

• Read at your own risk: My SEC tourney projections :: John Clay’s Sidelines
• Calipari’s Memphis success inspired Ole Miss sophomore :: Vaught's Views

• Anonymous lawyer in Tressel e-mails identified :: CollegeFootballTalk
  This is getting really ugly. Can Tressel survive? I'm thinking no.

• Baylor invokes the Cam Newton defense for Perry Jones :: Beyond the Arc
  How many of you saw this coming? Everyone, eh. Just checking.

• More is better: Freshman pitchers give UK softball multiple options
• SEC Tournament trends over last five years :: John Clay’s Sidelines

• National Player of the Year: Rivers or Gilchrist? :: ZagsBlog.com
  I know who my vote would be for, but I might be biased.

• DeMarcus Cousins is Blowing Up at Power Forward
  I didn't think it would take this long.

• South Carolina coach appreciates Liggins' defense :: Vaught's Views
• Milt Wagner on Calipari’s coaching, recruiting and tourney play :: Vaught's Views

• Tim Higgins said there'd be days like this - College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN

  If the officials are overshadowing the games at the Big East tournament, there’s a problem here. Perhaps the unwelcome spotlight will force the folks sitting in conference offices to reconsider how they do things.

  As sports fans, we can only hope.