While Tennessee pitcher Kyle Serrano drew a line in the sand at $300,000 to sign with the Houston Astros, further evaluation led him to change his mind.
Serrano signed Thursday at 4 p.m. for $203,000 after being selected in the 10th round of the Major League Baseball draft in early June.
Serrano had intended to return to Tennessee for his senior year if Houston didn’t meet his request, even saying he looked forward to being a part of a “dynamic’’ pitching staff at Tennessee and that he had a good relationship with new UT coach Tony Vitello.
But when Serrano stepped back to assess the situation, finances, the risk of injury and going to school led him to sign a pro deal, according to his father and former UT coach Dave Serrano.
Former Vols Jordan Rodgers, a sixth round pick, signed for about $5,000; former Vols Jeff Moberg and Hunter Martin signed for about $1,000, Dave Serrano pointed out.
If Kyle Serrano had returned to UT, he would have lost his bargaining power and rolled the dice on staying healthy.
“When Houston jumped up $70,000 from the slotted position,’’ Dave Serrano, “Kyle felt (signing) was the right thing to do.’’
Even if Kyle Serrano had been a second-round pick next year, he might not have gotten much more than $200,000, Dave Serrano said.
Dave Serrano said Kyle’s advisors, the Boras Group, thought accepting the Astros’ offer was the right thing to do.
Houston also agreed to pay $40,000 so Kyle Serrano could finish his college education.
Nonetheless, Kyle signing was a tough decision because “he really liked the (UT) coaching staff,’’ Dave Serrano said of Vitello and new pitching coach Frank Anderson.
“It’s real important that I say what a wonderful job they did courting him,’’ Dave Serrano said. “I’m very grateful for that.
“I have a lot of respect for what they’re trying to do and how they handled my son.’’
Another factor for Kyle Serrano was having had Tommy John surgery two years ago.
“He’s only pitched nine innings the last two years, he’s had Tommy John surgery and he was in a rehab center,’’ Dave Serrano said. “Despite those three things, Houston still offered that amount of money.’’
Following the chart success of his No. 1 single, “If I Told You,” in June, Darius Rucker has released a new single, “For the First Time.”
Co-penned by Darius, Derek George and Travis Hill, the new tune will be a part of Darius’ as-yet-untitled fifth album with Capitol Records Nashville. The new record is expected to be released later this year with producer Ross Copperman at the helm.
“As a songwriter, sometimes the smallest idea can elicit a feeling and then you have this daunting task of trying to relay that emotion and energy into a three-minute song,” says Darius. “When we wrote ‘For the First Time,’ we each had to dig deep for that moment—for me it was ‘you say you’ve never danced to a dashboard singin’ REM under summer stars.’ After that it was all over.”
Since July 15, 2016, Charles Esten has released an original song every Friday in his #EverySingleFriday series, culminating today with his 52nd track, “Long Haul.”
In doing so, Charles becomes the first independent country artist to released back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back songs over the course of one year.
That’s 52 “backs,” which is quite a streak.
“I guess I’d have to admit that all of this, in some sense, has been a kind of personal statement that music isn’t just a hobby to me,” said Charles. “It’s a priority. Living in this great city, surrounded by all the incredible writers and musicians I have come to know and work with, has reignited my passion for what was always my first love: music. I honestly can’t conceive of a future that doesn’t include writing, recording and performing my music as a central part of my life. You might say I’m in it for the long haul.”
To mark the milestone, Charles will be hosting the One Single Year Celebration Concert at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s CMA Theater on Wednesday, July 19, at 6 p.m. Attendance is free, but you’ll need to get a ticket, which will be available on July 10 at charlesesten.com.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Notre Dame, Stanford and Texas headline a challenging non-conference Tennessee women’s basketball schedule that was released Thursday by sixth-year Lady Vol Head Coach Holly Warlick.
Tip times and television network assignments will be available at a later date when the information is approved for release.
UT returns two full-time starters (Mercedes Russell, Jaime Nared) and a part-time starter (Meme Jackson) from a team that finished 20-12 overall and 10-6 in the SEC (fifth place) a year ago vs. the nation’s No. 5-rated schedule. Warlick also welcomes the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class to Knoxville, including guards Evina Westbrook and Anastasia Hayes, wing Rennia Davis and post Kasiyahna Kushkituah.
The 2017-18 non-conference slate features 13 games, with 10 of those coming vs. teams that saw postseason action a year ago. Combined with the SEC teams Tennessee is scheduled to face, the Lady Vols will feature 21 of 29 contests against schools earning NCAA (16) or WNIT (5) berths last season.
Among the marquee out-of-conference match-ups, the itinerary includes a home game vs. Texas as well as road showdowns at Stanford and Notre Dame. Combined with SEC contests vs. defending national champion South Carolina (twice) and runner-up Mississippi State (once), the continuation of Stanford on the schedule gives Tennessee four games vs. teams that played in the 2017 NCAA Final Four.
Texas (4th), Notre Dame (5th), South Carolina (6th), Stanford (7th), Mississippi State (9th), Missouri (15th), Marquette (16th) and LSU (23rd) supply UT nine games vs. teams ranked in Charlie Crème’s ESPN.com Way-Too-Early Top 25. The Lady Vols were rated eighth in that poll when it came out in April.
Thompson-Boling Arena will offer Warlick’s newcomers a chance to get their feet wet in front of the home fans, providing a familiar environment for the Nov. 7exhibition game vs. Carson-Newman as well as in seven of the regular season’s first 10 games.
UT will open the official schedule with a three-game home stand, featuring East Tennessee State, James Madison and Wichita State on Nov. 12, 15 and 20. ETSU finished third in the Southern Conference a year ago, while Colonial Athletic Association runner-up JMU advanced to the WNIT round of 16. WSU returns to Knoxville with new coach Keitha Adams (previously at UTEP) and as a new member of the American Athletic Conference.
UT defeated ETSU and JMU on the road in 2016-17, while WSU returns to the schedule this season after the Lady Vols secured victories vs. the Shockers in Knoxville in 2014 and at Wichita in 2015.
The Lady Vols will then head to Mexico for Thanksgiving, taking part in the Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Puerto Aventuras on Nov. 23-25. In the opener, UT meets 2017 BIG EAST Tourney champion and NCAA participant Marquette, a team that presumably will be ranked in most preseason polls. Days two and three feature battles vs. Oklahoma State and South Dakota, teams that ended last season in the first and second rounds of the WNIT, respectively.
This will mark the first meeting with Marquette since 2011, the first vs. OSU since 1992 and the first-ever vs. USD.
After several days in the surf and sand, Tennessee heads back to Knoxville for four consecutive games on The Summitt, playing host to Central Arkansas, Alabama State, Troy and Texas on Nov. 30, Dec. 3, Dec. 6 and Dec. 10. UCA (Southland regular-season and tourney champs), Troy (Sun Belt tourney champ) and Texas made the NCAA field a year ago, with the highly-regarded Longhorns expecting big things in 2017-18 after a Sweet 16 exit a year ago.
UT last met UCA in 2015, Alabama State in 2003 and Troy last season. Tennessee and Texas, meanwhile, have met at least once every year since the 1982-83 campaign. The Lady Vols own a 23-15 series advantage, but the Longhorns have won three straight.
Warlick and company will head west prior to the holiday break, visiting Long Beach State on Dec. 17 and playing at Stanford on Dec. 21. The 49ers made the NCAA field a year ago after winning the Big West Tournament title. Stanford, a loser to UT in Knoxville on Dec. 18, 2016, went on to win the Pac-12 tourney crown and advance to the NCAA Final Four before falling to eventual champion South Carolina.
Tennessee defeated Long Beach State en route to its first two NCAA titles in 1987 and 1989, with the 49ers’ Cindy Brown famously dubbing the Lady Vols “corn-fed chicks” after the Big Orange overpowered LBSU in the ’87 national semifinal match-up in Austin, Texas.
The series with Stanford dates back to 1988, with UT owning a 24-10 advantage. The Lady Vols have won two of the last three meetings, but Tennessee will be seeking its first victory at Maples Pavilion since 2005.
The annual contest with Notre Dame closes out the non-conference portion of the regular-season schedule on Jan. 18. The Lady Vols, who lead the series 21-6 after knocking off the No. 6 Irish in Knoxville last season, will attempt to end a three-game skid at Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame, the defending ACC regular-season and tourney champion, made it to the NCAA Elite Eight a year ago and appears poised for a Final Four run in 2018.
“We are very pleased with our non-conference schedule,” Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick said. “With the SEC being as strong as it is right now, we already had a high-quality strength of schedule built in. You add Texas, Stanford, Notre Dame and Marquette, and now you run the total of projected games against top 25 teams to nine. Several of the other non-conference and conference foes could end up being ranked before it’s all over, so I feel like we have a quality slate of tournament-tested teams as well as a variety of styles that will prepare us for conference and post-season play.
“After opening with three straight games at home over the span of nine days, I am looking forward to seeing how our young team responds to playing three days in a row in Cancun vs. some really solid opponents. It should serve as a great early season measuring stick and provide an excellent opportunity for growth and improvement in a neutral setting.
“In terms of non-league marquee-type games, we have the home battle with Texas and the road contests at Stanford and Notre Dame. Everyone knows the intensity of those match-ups. Several of the other teams we’re facing will get after it, too, including Long Beach State, a place where we’ve never won in two tries. That West Coast trip will test us and reveal where we stand heading into league play.”
If you needed another reason to come to Nashville, the sun and moon are providing one next month—and so is the Grand Ole Opry.
A total solar eclipse will be occurring on Monday, August 21. And Nashville just happens to be the biggest city in the country in the direct path of the eclipse (beginning at 11:58 a.m. CT in Nashville with the total eclipse at 1:27 p.m.).
The Grand Ole Opry will be getting the party started a day before on August 20 with a special Sunday show dubbed Total Eclipse that features Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Wynonna and more.
The Opry eclipse celebration is set to continue the next day with a free Total Eclipse Plaza Party. Guests can expect live music on the Plaza stage, commemorative gifts, food and drinks and eclipse glasses. The Opry will feature a one-of-a-kind Total Eclipse soundtrack to accompany the approximately two minutes of eclipse totality.
Today (July 6), California native Devin Dawson released a new video for his debut single, “All On Me,” which is currently No. 51 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after five weeks.
“It’s so cool to finally have music out,” says Devin to Nash Country Daily. “There’s so much work and time and effort that goes in behind the scenes. As an artist, there are always peaks and valleys, ups and downs, and that’s kind of what ‘All On Me’ is about. Life will get you up and down, whether you are in music or whether you have a 9-to-5 job or whatever you do. There’s going to be negatives, and this song is about being here for you to help bring you out of that, and if you need to lean on me, I’m here for you. This song has been really inspiring for me.”
Devin is currently working on his debut album, which is being produced by Jay Joyce and is set to be released later this year. Devin will open a handful of dates beginning on July 28 on Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s Soul2Soul Tour.
Miranda Lambert will grace the cover of the upcoming August issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, dubbed as the “First-Ever Country Issue Starring Miranda Lambert.”
In addition to appearing on the cover in a denim skirt and jacket with a low-cut white Henley, Miranda takes the Cosmo Quiz, where she reveals how she de-stresses (“drink wine, ride horses and go glamping”), her favorite way to celebrate (“Titos and Cheetos”), who she calls when she’s on the verge of a meltdown (“my boyfriend”) and more.
The new issue of Cosmo hits newsstands on July 11.
Watch the video below to see Miranda’s Cosmo Quiz.
Singer/songwriter Lee Brice has a heart as big as his 6-foot-3-inch football-playing frame.
Lee made a $1,335 donation to the family of a Franklin, Ohio, fan who died in a car crash on June 17, according to Journal News.
Courtney Trent, 20, passed away after an oncoming motorist fell asleep at the wheel and struck her car head-on. In an effort to raise money for funeral expenses and her six-month-old son, Courtney’s family set up an online campaign via Meal Train.
After Courtney’s brother reached out to Lee on Twitter to let him know that the “I Don’t Dance” singer was his sister’s favorite artist, Lee made the thoughtful donation and helped the family raise more than $3,000.
“Our fans treat us so well,” Lee said to Journal News. “We love them. I felt like I was part of their family and I wanted to help—just like I’d help my own family.”
Shania Twain revealed the track listing to her upcoming album, Now, on Instagram yesterday (July 5).
Now, which drops on Sept. 29, will be offered as both a 12-track standard album and 16-track deluxe album.
“The new music is more celebratory, more inspirational, more about coming from somewhere bad and going somewhere good, dark to light, and that whole transition emotionally,” says Shania to NCD. “So, it’s a little deeper emotionally, for sure, this new album. There’s a lot of optimism, like ‘Life’s About to Get Good.’ The words are quite melancholy, but it’s just a happy song. It makes me feel happy when it comes on.”
Shania not only served as the album’s co-producer, but she also wrote every song . . . by herself.
“I wrote it alone,” says Shania. “I wanted to exercise independence, and I think that’s really where the power of this album is. Everyone talks about the female power with my music in the past . . . and the whole attitude there, but this one is even more about just personal power and exercising independence and putting myself forward and scaring the hell out of myself by taking on that challenge of saying, ‘Ok, I take full responsibility for the songwriting and if it sucks, then I take responsibility for that.’ But I needed to try to do this, not try, ‘I’m going to do this by myself.’ I was determined to do it alone. Because I had been in a co-writing scenario for all those years, and this was going to be the first time after all that time that I’ve written solely alone, so it’s all about independence, and I needed to learn that about myself, I needed to rediscover that about myself.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Offensive lineman Jashon Robertson, defensive back Emmanuel Moseley and defensive lineman Kendal Vickers have been selected to represent the University of Tennessee at the Southeastern Conference Football Media Days next week in Hoover, Alabama.
On Monday, July 10, the senior trio and Tennessee head coach Butch Jones will make the media rounds at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham – The Wynfrey Hotel starting at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT. Tennessee, Arkansas and LSU will be the first three teams featured at SEC Media Days, which runs July 10-13.
For the third-consecutive year, SEC Network and ESPN will have live, on-site coverage of SEC Media Days. Live coverage on July 10 starts at 12:30 p.m. ET with SEC Now and continues with The Paul Finebaum Show at 5 p.m. ET.
Robertson, Moseley and Vickers will all be making their SEC Media Days debuts. This year marks the second-straight year that Tennessee will bring three seniors to SEC Media Days as Joshua Dobbs, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Cameron Suttonwent in 2016.
Robertson is the Volunteers’ most-experienced offensive lineman with 39 games played and 35 starts in his career. He is also one of the most versatile offensive linemen on the roster as he started 12 games in 2016 at left guard and worked at center for much of the spring. In 2016, he helped pave the way for a UT offense that scored a program-record 437 points (36.4 points per game). The Nashville native started at left guard in UT’s 49-36 win vs. Kentucky on Nov. 12, 2016, blocking for 599 yards of offense and UT’s most rushing yards (376) in an SEC game since 406 vs. Vanderbilt on Nov. 26, 1994. As a sophomore in 2015, Robertson helped the Vols rush for a 2,908 yards, which was the second-most in UT history. He has been an anchor of Tennessee’s offensive line since his 2014 freshman year when he started all 13 games at right guard and earned Freshman All-SEC and ESPN True Freshman All-American honors.
Moseley is Tennessee’s most seasoned cornerback with 39 games played and 19 career starts. For his career, has amassed 104 tackles (82 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, one interception and 23 passes defended. As a junior in 2016, Moseley played in all 13 games, made 10 starts at cornerback and posted career highs of 57 tackles (44 solo) and 3.5 tackles for loss. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native also had six passes defended. A skilled tackler, Moseley recorded a career-high eight tackles twice in 2016, making eight stops against Ohio on Sept. 17 and eight (three for a loss) against Alabama on Oct. 15. As a sophomore, he recorded an interception against Northwestern in the 2016 Outback Bowl (2015 season).
Vickers is UT’s most-experienced defensive lineman. He has starred in 31 career games, made 26 starts at defensive tackle and totaled 58 tackles (28 solo), 3.0 sacks, 7.6 tackles for loss and one forced fumble. The Havelock, North Carolina, native is the only returning 2016 defensive player who started all 13 games last season. He posted career highs as a junior with 38 tackles (19 solo), 2.5 sacks, 6.0 tackles for loss and one forced fumble. Vickers logged career-high seven tackles and one sack at South Carolina on Oct. 29. He also had one sack against Virginia Tech on Sept. 10 and a half sack on Nov. 5 against Tennessee Tech. After redshirting the 2013 season, he played in five games in 2014, started all 13 games in 2015 and started all 13 games in 2016.
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Now Track Listing
