Funny how winning games and going to bowls makes me more talkative. My wife is complaining so I have to write it out here.

Here’s an interesting little tid bit that will make you Memphis Tigers fans smile. The rest of the regional fans not so much. Thanks to my good friend JH, I found out that University of Memphis is one of seven schools to see their baseball team play in the NCAA baseball regionals; basketball team play in the NCAA mens basketball regionals; and have their football team play in a bowl game. Mississippi can’t say it. The folks in knoxville can’t say that. In fact, no one else in the country can say it except Ohio State, Texas A&M, Texas, UCLA, Arkansas, Louisville and we little ole Tigers. Hahahahahahahaha
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Regardless of which players leave early for the NBA, we all know one who certainly won’t be around next season. Memphis will not be the same team without senior forward Joey Dorsey. John Calipari knows that, and he wouldn’t pretend otherwise. So what do the Tigers do to fill that hole for 2008-09?

Though Angel Garcia is 6-11, almost 7-foot, he is more of a skilled wing/power forward rather than a shot-blocker/rebounder in the post. So should the Tigers just hope and pray that Pierre Niles gets in shape and is ready to play next season? Do they bet on Hashim Bailey improving? Or do they bring in somebody who can play center?

The problem is that the 2008 recruiting class — which isn’t particularly strong to begin with — has pretty much been picked over. Very few top-100 players remain. There is one, however, who could fit Memphis’ needs. Don’t be surprised if the Tigers try to make a strong late push for Matt Simpkins, a 6-foot-8 power forward ranked 47th in the country by Rivals.com. Simpkins is one of just a handful of top players who has not yet committed. And despite the fact that recruiting services have not listed Memphis among his college choices, there is one factor working in the Tigers’ favor. Simpkins attends The Patterson School, where he is coached by Chris Chaney. That name should sound familiar to Memphis fans, since Chaney has coached several current and former Tigers: Robert Dozier, Antonio Anderson and Shawne Williams, among others.

Griz fans, are you missing Mike Conley? If you want to see just how good he is at dribbling the basketball, click here.

THE BIG STORY

Incoming Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long broke his silence Wednesday regarding his search to find Houston Nutt’s replacement. Long spoke in mostly general terms during an impromptu news conference held during halftime of Wednesday night’s basketball game between Arkansas and Missouri in Bud Walton Arena.

“I would say coaches in the SEC have expressed an interest in our job, yes,” Long said during the 12-minute news conference in front of a room full of reporters.

While Long didn’t mention any candidates by name, Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin and Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville appear to be at the top of his list to be Arkansas’ next football coach. Tuberville reportedly agreed in principle to a contract extension with Auburn earlier this week, but there are some contractual issues that need to be resolved before a deal can be finalized.

Speculation about Tuberville’s future intensified Wednesday when he didn’t meet with Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs as expected. A source close to Tuberville told The Morning News on Wednesday afternoon that the Auburn coach remains a candidate to replace Nutt at Arkansas. Long avoided directly answering a question about whether any SEC West coaches, presumably Tuberville, have expressed an interest in Arkansas’ coaching vacancy.

“I won’t narrow it that far, but I will say that many of the reports about an SEC West coach are extremely premature and actually aren’t even premature,” Long said. “They’re fantasy.”

Tuberville, a Camden native, is expected to spend the next few days duck hunting in Stuttgart. He was a finalist to coach the Razorbacks in 1997, but Nutt got the job instead. Tuberville will make an average of $3.1 million over the remaining four years of the contract he signed following the 2004 season, according to The Mobile Press-Register. His contract also includes a $6 million buyout.

Long said he’d be willing to work on a buyout if one existed with a potential candidate.

“We haven’t gotten to that point in any conversations,” Long said. “And we’ll deal with that when we get there, if there is an issue there to be dealt with.”

Long said he’s already interviewed “lots” of candidates on the phone, and had several face-to-face meetings since Nutt turned in his resignation Monday morning.

A look at the league: Read the rest of this entry »