While Butch Jones remains Tennessee’s coach, many in the Vol Nation have moved on.
They even have a target: Jon Gruden.
We’ve seen this before. Tennessee fans clamored for Gruden in 2012, before Jones was hired.
Gruden was the sexy name then. He’s the sexy name now. He will continue to be a sexy name when it comes to coaching vacancies.
Five years ago, a member of the UT Board of Trustees told me Tennessee offered Gruden $5 million a year for six years – a $30 million guarantee. So much for the UT fans that think the administration goes on the cheap with very football hire – a bogus premise.
Gruden said no then for the same reasons he would say no now, if approached: The 20-hour rule, NCAA recruiting restrictions, NCAA rules in general, booster involvement, and the headaches that come with the job.
College coaches work 100 hours a week.
How much does Gruden have work during the fall: 20 hours? 30? He might watch film incessantly, but his hours obligation to ESPN doesn’t compare to those of a coach.
Remember this: Gruden is undefeated since he was fired by Tampa Bay in 2009.
Remember this: Gruden makes $6.5 million a year for ESPN and a few million more for commercial endorsements.
Remember this: Gruden hasn’t coached in college since 1989 when he was an assistant for Walt Harris at Pacific. The extent of his college coaching (counting his graduate assistant stint at Tennessee): four years.
And while I like Gruden personally and professionally, there is no guarantee he would be a winner in college.
His NFL resume is good but not great. He won a Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2002, but his overall record as a head coach: 100-85.
Dan Wolken, columnist for USA Today, isn’t sold on Gruden as a college coach, either.
“Would he even be a good college coach?’’ Wolken said when speaking earlier this week at the Knoxville Quarterback Club. “I don’t know.
“The thing about college football: It’s a developmental game. The NFL is scheme, chess pieces, Xs and Os. You move the pieces around. You try to outcoach people. Try to outscheme people.
“Obviously, it’s a players’ game. But it’s the best of the best.
“In college, you’ve got a guy from 18 years old to 21. A huge chunk of their football and personal development goes into that. That’s why college coaching is different.
“Would Gruden be good at that? I don’t know.’’
My thought: No. Gruden doesn’t have the patience for developing players. He wants ready-made stars, ready-made quarterbacks, ready-made receivers, etc.
But what if you hired Gruden?
“He’d be a great face of the program,’’ Wolken said. “He’d be great talking to the media. He’d bring all kinds of attention. But it’s a unique challenge. I’ve just never heard any indication that he really would do it.’’
So why doesn’t Gruden put to rest rumors he might be UT’s coach?
“I think Jon Gruden enjoys people talking about Jon Gruden,’’ Wolken said. “I think that is fairly well established over the years.
“Everyone’s got an ego in this business. Everyone likes it when they’re wanted. Everyone likes being the apply of somebody’s eye. Everybody likes to be a little bit unattainable or at least give that vibe.’’
From nominations and notes to performers and presenters, here’s everything a country music fan needs to know about the 2017 CMA Awards.
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 8
Time: 8 p.m.–11 p.m. ET
Location: Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena
Television Station: ABC
Hosts: Carrie Underwood & Brad Paisley
Solo Performers: Garth Brooks, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Pink, Carrie Underwood and Alan Jackson
Collaborative Performances: Kelsea Ballerini & Reba McEntire; Dierks Bentley & Rascal Flatts; Maren Morris & Niall Horan; Brad Paisley & Kane Brown; Tim McGraw & Faith Hill; Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker & Keith Urban
On Oct. 27, Kenny Chesney bottled up his energetic stadium shows into a new 30-song album, Live in No Shoes Nation. The live offering includes songs curated from the last 10 years of Kenny’s shows, and features A-list guest artists such as Eric Church, Taylor Swift, Grace Potter, Zac Brown Band, Dave Matthews and more.
The way Kenny tells Kix Brooks of American Country Countdown, corking up the sweet sounds of his new album started with God giving him “a big lemon.”
“[The album] spans a decade of my life,” says Kenny. “And, to be able to work with Zac [Brown] and with Eric Church . . . it’s just been the most beautiful, strange, fun journey you could think of, you know? I mean, it’s something that when you’re a kid, you don’t dream of having all those friendships, having that much fun, which is what music is supposed to be, and touring is supposed to be fun. And when we started this journey and started making this record, Live in No Shoes Nation, you know, and when I went on my first bus, I think God gave me a big lemon and said, ‘Okay, you squeeze all the juice out of it you want to,’ and we’re still squeezing every single drop out of that we possibly can.”
Keep squeezing, Kenny.
Kenny Chesney: Live in No Shoes Nation
“Flora–Bama”
“Summertime”
“Big Star” (with Taylor Swift)
“Boston”
“When I See This Bar” (with Eric Church)
“No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems”
“Anything But Mine”
“Down the Road” (with Mac McAnally)
“Guitars and Tiki Bars”
“Hemingway’s Whiskey”
“Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven” (with Zac Brown Band)
T minus one day until Blake Shelton drops his new studio album, Texoma Shore, on Nov. 3.
Blake has already given fans a taste of three songs from the new album: “I’ll Name the Dogs,” “At the House” and “Turnin’ Me On.”
Blake is keeping the partying going today (Nov. 2) with the release of the fun-loving tune, “Money,” which was penned by Craig Wiseman, James Bailey and Ryan Ogren.
“This is one of those songs that’s just fun,” said Blake. “It’s meant to be fun, it’s ridiculous and it’s Craig Wiseman at his best. This is one of those songs that I’m just thankful that, for whatever reason, Craig [sent to me]. He always sends me a gem over for each one of my albums, and this song I think is special. It has the potential to be remembered for a very, very long time.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee will play Southern Miss on Saturday at Neyland Stadium in the Vols’ 94th Homecoming game. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Jordan Rodgers (analyst) will be in the booth and Cole Cubelic will report from the sidelines. Vol Network radio affiliates will have a live audio broadcast with Bob Kesling, Tim Priest and Brent Hubbs. Sirius Channel 134 and XM Channel 191 will also carry a live audio broadcast.
Tennessee (3-5, 0-5 SEC) is coming off 29-26 road loss to Kentucky on Oct. 28. True freshman running back Ty Chandler had a breakout game, rushing 22 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns and redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano had his best game to date, going 18-for-23 for 242 yards. The UT defense forced a season-high four fumbles in the loss, marking Tennessee’s most since forcing four fumbles against Southern Miss on Sept. 8, 2007.
Southern Miss (5-3, 3-2 Conference USA) took a 30-12 home loss against UAB last week. Quarterback Keon Howard led the Golden Eagles offensively, completing 14 of 25 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown. The Southern Miss defense could not stop UAB running back Spencer Brown, who ran for 209 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries.
Tennessee-Southern Miss History
Tennessee is 5-0 all-time against Southern Miss and all five of those games were played in Knoxville.
The teams last squared off on Sept. 8, 2007, when Erik Ainge threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-19 UT win.
The Vols are 22-2 against current members of Conference USA. UT’s last contest against a C-USA team was also on Homecoming in 2015, when the Vols defeated North Texas, 24-0.
UT and Southern Miss have also produced two of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all-time in VFL Peyton Manning and USM alum Brett Favre. Manning is the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards (71,940), passing touchdowns (539) and ranks second all-time in pass completions (6,125). Favre holds the NFL’s career record for completions (6,300) and ranks second in passing yards (71,838) and passing touchdowns (508). Manning is also second all-time in career wins (regular season and postseason) by a starting quarterback (200) and Favre ranks third (199).
Tennessee Homecoming History
Tennessee is 71-19-3 all-time in Homecoming games. The Vols are 3-1 in homecoming games under head coach Butch Jones with wins in each of the last three years.
UT’s last three Homecoming games have been one-sided on the scoreboard. In 2014, the Vols took a 45-10 win over Chattanooga. In 2015, Tennessee enjoyed a 24-0 win over North Texas. Last season, UT took a 55-0 win over Tennessee Tech.
Eleven-Straight Non-Conference Wins
The Vols have won 11-straight games against non-conference opponents since a 31-24, double-overtime loss to No. 19 Oklahoma on Sept. 12, 2015. UT has averaged 37.4 points in those 11 games while holding opponents just 14.3 points.
Tennessee is 3-0 against non-conference foes in 2017 with wins against Georgia Tech, Indiana State and UMass.
Chandler Enjoys Breakout Performance
Chandler rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns against Kentucky last week, becoming the first UT freshman to rush for 100 yards since Jalen Hurd rushed for 122 yards and two scores on 15 carries against Iowa on Jan. 2, 2015, in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
Chandler’s 120 rushing yards are the second-most by a SEC true freshman in a 2017 conference game, trailing only Florida rookie Malik Davis’ 124 yards against Vanderbilt on Sept. 30.
For the season, the Nashville native has 49 carries for 238 yards and two touchdowns, nine receptions for 101 yards and nine kickoff returns for 254 yards.
Daniel Making Case for Ray Guy Award
Redshirt senior punter Trevor Daniel is one of 78 final candidates for the Ray Guy Award, which is given to the nation’s top collegiate punter.
Through eight games this season, Daniel has 47 punts for 2,209 yards and a 47.0-yard average, which ranks second in the SEC and fourth in the nation. Daniel’s 19 punts inside opponents’ 20 and 21 punts of 50 or more yards lead the SEC. His 19 punts inside the 20 also rank fourth among Power Five schools.
His 45.6-yard average is the best in Tennessee history and ranks second among active NCAA punters, regardless of division.
After more than five months of competition that included hundreds of entrants from across the country, Radio Romance has been named the Nash Next 2017 champion.
The four-piece Nashville band, which consists of Sam Hayes (lead singer), Josh Gramling (lead guitar), Moises Padilla (drums) and Adam Smithwick (bass), won over the hometown crowd and judges at Wildhorse Saloon by playing their original song, “Weekend,” during the finale, before encoring with “Cheap Beer Years.”
“We woke up this morning and we didn’t have a record label or a booking agency. All we had was our one manager,” said Sam Hayes of Radio Romance. “But we are going to bed tonight with a record deal. We can’t thank our fans and family enough for all the support they have given us that got us here tonight.”
In May, Cumulus Media and Big Machine Label Group invited aspiring country artists and bands to participate in Nash Next 2017, a grassroots talent search and artist development program for country music. Sponsored nationally by Country Inns & Suites by Carlson, Radio Romance will receive a recording contract with Nash Next Records under the Big Machine Label Group and garner substantial exposure, commensurate with a major-label release, on Cumulus radio stations nationwide.
The 10 finalists were selected by a panel of country radio professionals and were judged in the finale by Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn, Songwriter Hall of Fame writer Desmond Child, chart-topping entertainer Brantley Gilbert, Big Machine Label Group’s president/CEO Scott Borchetta and Cindy Watts of the Tennessean
Get to know a little more about Radio Romance below—you’ll be hearing them on country radio very soon.
Sam got his start singing hymns in church choir when he was a little kid alongside his parents. Moises started playing drums when he was around 10 years old and joined his first band in the fourth grade. Josh started playing guitar when he was 15 years old and was heavily influenced in the beginning by bands like Nirvana and Ozzy Osborne. Adam started playing at age 15 just so he could be in a band with his brother.
How did your band get together?
We got our start playing cover gigs on Broadway in Nashville. After a few shows, we decided we should pick a band name. We had seen an old Eddie Rabbitt album on the wall at Legend’s on Broadway. The title of the album was Radio Romance—it was an instant sell.
At what age did you realize you wanted to make music your career?
We all knew we were going to pursue music professionally shortly after finishing high school.
What three words describe your band?
Passionate, emotional, dedicated.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Alabama, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Buddy Rich, John Mayer, Eric Johnson, Eric Church, Lee Brice, Jason Aldean and Billy Currington.
What is unique about your sound?
Our musical influences definitely play a key role in our sound. We pull from all genres of music, whether it was stuff we grew up on or stuff currently out now. We believe it truly shows through our songwriting, live performances and style of music.
What three albums would you take with you to a deserted island?
This question is impossible to answer as a band! But you can’t go wrong with George Straight’s 50 Greatest Hits, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and Bob Seger’s Greatest Hits.
What’s a song you wish you had written?
Lee Brice’s “Life Off My Years,” which was written by Eric Church, Mike Heeney and Jeff Hyde.
What’s the last song you heard that blew you away?
Billy Currington’s “Don’t Hurt Like It Used To.”
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
“Never Even Called Me By My Name” by David Allen Coe.
Where is the craziest place you’ve performed?
We got booked to play a private event at an Airbnb mansion in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Shortly after the show, we realized all of the “couples” in attendance were not looking to keep things PG. We told everyone we had to pack up after the show, but we would be back to hang out. We could not have left that place quicker!
What’s the first thing you do after a show?
We head directly to the merchandise booth and try to meet as many fans and people as possible. We try to talk to everyone in attendance.
What’s your favorite song to cover?
“Alabama” by Cross Canadian Ragweed.
What was your reaction when you learned you were one of 10 Nash Next 2017 finalists?
We were very excited and thankful for the opportunity to compete in the finals. A lot of great acts competed this year and we are extremely fortunate to be one of the finalists selected.
What family member or friend has been the most supportive of your music career?
All of our direct families have been very supportive throughout all of our careers, and we are so thankful for that. But we cannot forget about our road family—all of our friends and fans who have constantly supported us with lodging, meals, social media promo, buying merch and many other things that help keep the train moving.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee plays its first of two exhibition games of the 2017-18 preseason Thursday when it welcomes Carson-Newman to Thompson-Boling Arena for a 7 p.m. ET tip.
Thursday’s game will not be broadcast on TV, but fans can catch all the action online through SEC Network + on WatchESPN. Visit WatchESPN.com or download the WatchESPN app to view the game on a computer or mobile device. Roger Hoover (play-by-play), Vincent Yarbrough (analyst) and Maddy Glab (reporter) will call the action.
Fans can also tune into their local Vol Network station to catch Bob Kesling describing the first basketball action of the season.
Tennessee is entering its 108th season of basketball and its third season under head coach Rick Barnes. The regular season begins next Friday, Nov. 10 when Presbyterian comes to Rocky Top (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network +).
Last week, the NCAA approved a waiver enabling Clemson to host a men’s basketball charity exhibition game against Tennessee on Sunday, Nov. 5, at Littlejohn Coliseum, with net proceeds going toward hurricane relief efforts in Texas and Florida. Tipoff for the exhibition is set for 12:30 p.m. ET. Admission is free, although donations to the Salvation Army’s continued hurricane relief efforts in Texas and Florida are encouraged. The game will not be televised, and there will be no video stream available.
ABOUT CARSON-NEWMAN
• Carson-Newman College is a private, liberal arts institution and NCAA Division II member located approximately 25 miles east of Knoxville in Jefferson City, Tennessee. The Eagles compete in the South Atlantic Conference.
• Carson-Newman head coach Chuck Benson is a native of Newport, Tennessee (located about 50 miles east of Knoxville).
• Benson served two separate stints on the Vols’ staff, most recently as an assistant coach at Tennessee under Buzz Peterson during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. He also was an assistant coach under Wade Houston during the 1993-94 campaign before transitioning to an administrative assistant’s role during the first two years of Kevin O’Neill’s head coaching tenure on Rocky Top (1994-96).
• From 1996-2003, Benson was the head coach at NAIA Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee.
FORMER VOL SHANE WILLIAMS ON EAGLES COACHING STAFF
• Former Tennessee point guard Shane Williams (1995-96) now works as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman.
• A native of Johnson City, Tennessee, Williams graduated from Science Hill High School and attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M before coming to UT for his final two collegiate seasons.
• As a Vol, Williams averaged 8.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists while playing 37.7 minutes per game (a UT career record).
• He started all 56 games in which he appeared under head coach Kevin O’Neill, and Williams later served as a graduate assistant on O’Neill’s Tennessee staff during the 1996-97 season.
• Before landing on staff at Carson-Newman, Williams coached at Science Hill HS as well as at Heritage High School in Maryville, Tennessee.
LAST MEETING WITH CARSON-NEWMAN
• Tennessee defeated Carson-Newman, 72-53, in exhibition play on Nov. 3, 2011, in Thompson-Boling Arena.
• UT held Carson-Newman to 16.7 percent shooting during the second half. The Eagles were limited to just 22 second-half points.
• Tennessee forward Jeronne Maymon exploded for 10 points, 15 rebounds and four assists while also drawing two charges. His 15 boards were the most by a Vol since Wayne Chism grabbed 15 against Ole Miss on March 12, 2010.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
• The Vols’ 2017-18 roster features 16 players (13 scholarship student-athletes) representing nine states as well as Ontario, Canada, and France.
• There are five Vols who hail from the state of Tennessee, two from North Carolina and one each from Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Texas and Virginia.
• This is the first time since 2006-07 that the Vols’ roster has not included at least one player from the state of Georgia.
• Tennessee has one senior (a graduate transfer), five juniors, four sophomores and six freshmen (including three redshirt freshmen).
• Thirteen Vols stand 6-5 or shorter, and three players are 6-6 or taller.
• This is the tallest roster third-year head coach Rick Barnes has had at Tennessee. This season’s team includes six players listed at 6-7 or taller. For each of the previous two seasons, UT had just three players listed at 6-7 or taller.
SUMMER EUROPEAN TOUR A SUCCESS
• Tennessee completed a 10-day European tour that saw them post a 3-0 record in exhibition play while visiting Barcelona and Valencia, Spain as well as Paris, France.
• All three games were played against local professional clubs and were contested with a FIBA ball under international FIBA rules.
• Chris Darrington finished the tour with the highest scoring average on the team (14.3 ppg)—barely edging out Lamonté Turner (14.0 ppg).
• True freshman forward Derrick Walker averaged 13 points and eight rebounds over the three games.
• Tennessee’s top rebounders in Europe were forwards Grant Williams (9.3 rpg) and Kyle Alexander (9.0 rpg).
SCHOFIELD STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP ROLE
• Junior forward Admiral Schofield, is uniquely prepared to shoulder more of a leadership role heading into the 2017-18 season. He spent the 2016-17 academic year as one of 18 members of Tennessee’s VOLeaders Academy program.
• The first-of-its-kind program is a dynamic partnership between the UT Center for Leadership and Service, the Center for Sport, Peace and Society and the Athletics Department. By using their platform in sport, student-athletes admitted into the VOLeaders Academy learn how to positively impact their team, campus and local and global communities. The program aims to inspire student-athletes to find ways to use their passion of sport and their influence to enact positive change that transcends their athletic success.
• And back in May of 2016, Schofield attended the Athletes in Action “Captain’s Academy” leadership camp and conference in Xenia, Ohio.
• Entering his third year with the Tennessee basketball program, Schofield is the most experienced returning Vol in terms of career minutes played (1,131). In 60 career games, the Zion, Illinois, native has averaged 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting .449 from the field and .336 from 3-point range.
THREE VOLS QUESTIONABLE
• Three players on Tennessee’s roster are questionable for Thursday’s exhibition.
• Junior guard Chris Darrington, a juco transfer, is nursing an ankle injury.
• Redshirt freshmen John Fulkerson and Jalen Johnson each were recently cleared by team medical staff for full participation, but they are gradually working their way back from significant injuries/offseason procedures.
BARNES ADDS SCORER IN GRAD TRANSFER JAMES DANIEL III
• Graduate transfer guard James Daniel III enrolled at Tennessee this past summer after scoring 1,933 career points—the most in Howard University’s basketball history and just 342 shy of the MEAC’s all-time scoring record.
• For his career, Daniel enters the 2017-18 season averaging 21.5 points, 2.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.
• As a junior in 2015-16, Daniel led all Division I scorers with an average of 27.1 points per game (Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield ranked second in the nation with 25.0 ppg).
• Daniel’s career shooting percentage stands at .366, including a .335 mark from 3-point range and an .822 mark at the charity stripe.
• Daniel has averaged more than 30.0 minutes in each of his collegiate seasons, logging more than 3,000 total minutes (33.9 mpg) over his career.
• He led the Bison in scoring in each of his three full seasons with the program and totaled 14 30-point games.
• Daniel has failed to score in double figures only six times in 90 games played during his career.
• He holds several Howard University season, game and career records, including 3-pointers attempted in a season (241, 2015-16), field goals attempted in a season (582, 2015-16), free throws attempted and made in a season (280-331, 2015-16) and 3-pointers made in a career (239).
BACKCOURT DEPTH A STRENGTH
• The addition of two veteran guards during the offseason has given Tennessee arguably its deepest backcourt of head coach Rick Barnes‘ tenure on Rocky Top.
• Grad transfer James Daniel III and junior-college transfer Chris Darrington each are proven scorers who figure to provide significant contributions this season. Daniel was the leading scorer in all of Division I in 2015-16 (see next note), while Darrington was a first-team juco All-American last season.
• Daniel and Darrington join a talented trio of returning underclassmen guards in Lamonté Turner (8.2 ppg), Jordan Bowden (7.9 ppg), Jordan Bone(7.2 ppg). Each member of that trio averaged at least 20 minutes per game last season.
VOL SOPHOMORES LOOK TO BUILD ON IMPRESSIVE DEBUT CAMPAIGN
• Last season’s Tennessee basketball freshmen combined to score 1,140 points, making that group the highest-scoring freshman class in program history.
• Forward Grant Williams led the way with 402 points in 32 games (12.6 ppg). His 402 total points rank sixth all-time among Tennessee freshmen, trailing legendary names such as Bernard King (661), Allan Houston (609), Tobias Harris (521), Ernie Grunfeld (453) and Chris Lofton (410).
• The next highest-scoring members of last year’s freshman class were guards Lamonté Turner (263 points in 32 games; 8.2 ppg), Jordan Bowden(238 points in 30 games; 7.9 ppg) and Jordan Bone (166 points in 23 games; 7.2 ppg). Forward John Fulkerson added 47 points in 10 games (4.7 ppg) before suffering a season-ending injury.
• The 1,140 points accounted for 47.8 percent of Tennessee’s total point production last season.
• Last year’s freshmen also combined to account for 59.0 percent of the team’s total assists and 57,7 percent of the team’s total steals.
WILLIAMS STALKING TENNESSEE BLOCKS LEADERS
• Despite standing just 6-7, Grant Williams broke the Tennessee single-season record for blocks by a freshman last season. Williams posted 61 blocks in 32 games, destroying the previous record of 38, set by C.J. Black in 1996-97.
• Williams’ 61 blocks also ranked as the second-most ever recorded in a single season by a Vol (regardless of class). And his 1.9 bpg average ranked third all-time for a single season.
• During Tennessee’s win at Texas A&M on Dec. 29, 2016, Williams tied the UT record for blocks in a game, with six. Five other Vols share that record, including current Vols junior Kyle Alexander.
• If Williams at least matches his blocks total from a season ago, he would rank tied for ninth on Tennessee’s career leaderboard with two years of eligibility remaining.
RANK PLAYER HT. BLKS GAMES SEASON
1 C.J. Black 6-8 73 29 1997-98
2 Grant Williams 6-5 61 32 2016-17
3 Doug Roth 6-11 60 30 1988-89
4 C.J. Black 6-8 55 32 1999-00
5 Armani Moore 6-5 54 33 2015-16
6 Dyron Nix 6-7 53 29 1986-87
7 Marcus Haislip 6-10 51 33 2000-01
T-8 Wayne Chism 6-9 49 36 2007-08
T-8 Reggie Johnson 6-9 49 27 1977-78
10 Wayne Chism 6-9 48 37 2009-10
VOLS’ ROSTER BOASTS INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
• Junior forward Kyle Alexander is just the second Canadian ever to letter for the Vols (joining Hamilton, Ontario, native Bobby Croft, 1967-70).
• From his freshman to sophomore campaigns, Alexander saw an increase in his minutes, points, rebounds and blocks per game. His field-goal percentage also improved.
• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes boasts an impressive history of signing and developing Canadian standouts, including Cory Joseph (Toronto; now plays for the Toronto Raptors), Myck Kabongo (Toronto; now plays in Romania) and Tristan Thompson (Brampton, Ontario; now plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers).
• Barnes added another international team member this season in true freshman wing Yves Pons, from Fuveau, France.
• Pons—who was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti—attended the INSEP (National Institute of Sport and Physical Education) Academy in Paris. Other notable INSEP basketball alums include Boris Diaw, Tony Parker and Ronny Turiaf.
• Pons is Tennessee’s first-ever men’s basketball player from France and just the eighth international player in program history.
• The Tennessee roster has included at least one international student-athlete every year since Barnes took over as head coach.
ANNIVERSARIES
• The 2017-18 season marks the 10th anniversary of Tennessee’s 2007-08 SEC Championship team. The Volunteers went 14-2 in SEC play and posted a final record of 31-5. Led by senior Wooden All-American guard Chris Lofton (15.5 ppg), the Vols reached the Sweet Sixteen in Charlotte, where they fell to Louisville. Tennessee’s 31 total victories that season stand as a program record.
• That 2007-08 team also holds the school record for total points in a season (2,946), assists in a season (637).
• Also in 2007-08, Lofton set the school record for 3-pointers made in a season by draining 118 shots from beyond the arc.
• Former UT All-American Gene Tormohlen, arguably the program’s greatest all-time rebounder, logged five 20-20 games 60 years ago during the 1957-58 season. He accomplished the feat against Auburn, Florida, Georgia Tech, LSU and Auburn.
• This season marks the 20th anniversary of C.J. Black recording a school-record for blocks in a season. He swatted 73 shots as a sophomore during the 1997-98 campaign. His 2.52 blocks per game that season also stand as a program record.
• Tennessee moved into its current home facility, Thompson-Boling Arena, for the 1987-88 season. That year, the Vols set a school record for average home attendance, drawing 20,823 fans per game at their brand new venue. This season marks the 30th anniversary of Thompson-Boling Arena.
Former Tennessee All-American and NFL offensive lineman Antone Davis is resigning his position as VFL Coordinator with the UT football program to pursue personal business opportunities.
Davis has coordinated Tennessee football’s VFL initiative—a comprehensive player support and character education program—since August of 2012. His resignation is effective Nov. 15.
“We appreciate Antone’s work for the University of Tennessee and our football program,” Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics John Currie said. “He had an outstanding career here as a student-athlete and then returned more than 20 years later to impact the lives of young men who were following in his footsteps. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Webster PR will now operate under the name Westby PR, according to MusicRow.
Westby PR will be led by Jeremy Westby, Kirt Webster’s longtime colleague.
The statement obtained by MusicRow included the following:
Earlier today, it was mistakenly posted on the Webster Public Relations’ website that the firm has been closed. This was stated incorrectly. Webster Public Relations will continue operating – but under the name Westby Public Relations – while Kirt Webster takes some time away from the business to focus on combating the egregious and untrue allegations made against him. The company’s work on behalf of its clients will continue under the leadership of Jeremy Westby, Kirt’s longstanding colleague.
[Previous Story: 12 p.m.]
On Nov. 1, a posting on Webster PR’s website stated the firm was no longer in business. A screenshot of the firm’s statement is below.
Webster PR represented a number of artists, including Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, Justin Moore, Kid Rock and many more.
The reported closing comes after the company’s founder, Kirt Webster, was accused of sexual misconduct by Austin Rick, who moved to Nashville in 2008 to pursue a country music career. Rick, who used the stage name Austin Cody, claims Kirt made sexual advances toward him and abused him.
Rick made the claims on Facebook and has since started a GoFundMe page to raise money for legal expenses.
Over the past week, Blake Shelton has steadily given fans a taste of his upcoming 11th studio album, Texoma Shore, by performing new tracks “At the House” on The Tonight Show and “I Lived It” on Today.
The party continued today (Nov. 1) as Blake shared “Turnin’ Me On,” a sultry track he co-penned with Jessi Alexander and Josh Osborne.
“We’re sitting on my bus one day earlier in 2017 and I think I was in Baton Rouge,” said Blake. “I was up there alone and I had my guitar, started playing a little melody that I was hearing in my head and next thing you know I started writing a song. I wrote a verse, then I wrote a chorus, then I realized it was going somewhere and I felt good about it. Like I always [have] in the last couple of years I called up my friend Jessi Alexander and said, ‘Man, I think I’m onto something and I need somebody way better than me to try to bring this thing home.’ She and I and Josh Osborne ended up writing this song, I’m super proud of it – and it’s not hard to figure out who this song is about.”
Texoma Shore drops on Nov. 3 and is available for pre-order now.
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Radio Romance
