I guess I learned the first lesson in doing a blog and that is to double check the whole publishing thing. I only hope I’ve gotten it right this time.

We’re just 8 days from the start of the 2007 Memphis football season. And call me unrealistic, looking through blue colored glasses or maybe even delusional but I’m a fan who thinks this will be a very special year. I have always thought that the Tigers will win every game they take the field or court. I leave realism for other things in life.

In the past 4 years, I have dealt with my mother being really sick and eventually passing away. My father has been through a dramatic drop in his health including a triple bypass. My mother in law has had a heart attack, bypass surgery with complications and now she’s been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. I have also lost one of my best friends who passed away just a month or so before the Tigers last bowl game.
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So, now that The Commercial Appeal’s Preseason Dandy Dozen is finally out, what did you think?

I see by the two fiesty comments posted to the White Station’s No. 1 story, there’s at least one of you who doesn’t believe White Station returns enough firepower to be No. 1.

As for Olive Branch and Whitehaven, the two teams mentioned as an alternative No. 1, yes, I was impressed by their showings in last month’s 7-on-7 tournament in Alabama (Whitehaven finished fifth overall; OB won the consolation bracket). But that’s 7-on-7 folks. Keep in mind, OB lost a pretty decent quarterback (Cannon Smith) and some key defensive players, though former Wooddale standout Marlon Walls’ transfer should help with the latter. Whitehaven, meanwhile, is Whitehaven. Talented every year, but they still have to put that talent to work on the football field.

Not only does W. Station bring back its quarterback, it’s running back and several capable receivers, the O-line remains for the most part intact. Add that to what should be an above-average defense, and I think it equals out to a No. 1 preseason ranking.

THE BIG STORY

South Carolina found a solid backup quarterback in Chris Smelley’s after Wednesday scrimmage. On Thursday, Smelley became the starter for the Sept. 1 season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette when Carolina starting quarterback Blake Mitchell was suspended by the school for one game because of poor summer school attendance. “I was told he was out, but he may get back in,” Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said of Mitchell. “I don’t know. I’m just down here waiting for them to tell me what’s going on and we’ll go from there. That’s the way the ball bounces. Blake should have gone to class better this summer. I know that. So if he has to miss one (game), we’ll live with it. But if he’s eligible to play, we’ll live with that, too. I’m flexible either way. I’m 100 percent behind our class attendance policy. If they’re supposed to miss (a game), they miss. That’s our policy and we’ll adhere to it. I’m for our class attendance policy.” Also suspended for the Sept. 1 opener excessive class absences during summer school are reserve cornerback Chris Hail and third-string tailback Bobby Wallace, who is out with a broken collarbone.

A look at all the training camps: Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday from the Murphy Athletic Complex . . .

* Several members of the U of M baseball coaching staff attended Thursday’s late-afternoon practice and were excited about the impact several recent announcements have had. Jerry Zulli said the $3 million baseball stadium upgrade — which could be completed by 2009 — has helped with recruiting efforts. And he said a new scoreboard should arrive sometime next month and be ready for next season. The Tiger baseball team is coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years.