Christopher James

Couple of quick hits while last night’s Maryville College game is fresh in the mind.

The road jerseys I mentioned last night on Twitter were worn because they’re all the Scots have left. MC coach Randy Lambert said the win over Milligan was the third straight game his team was clad in black at home. The Scots home whites set in the washing machine for a couple days and became, in Lambert’s words, “permenantly creased.”
Lambert said he expects to have the jerseys back today after sending them off to Bristol to be steamed. Maryville’s final home game is against Piedmont on Feb. 20.

It’s stunning to think this year’s team could be in danger of missing the NCAA tournament. Remember, it was last year’s squad that had the problems. MC started off 4-6, but went unbeaten in the New Year to rally its way into the postseason. This year’s team returned nearly all the major players and even added wing Ben Williamson. The Scots flirted with a top-25 ranking.
Yet, back-to-back losses last week made all those expectations look silly. Last night’s performance was a return to what we expect from MC, but will it be enough to secure a bid? Winning out now must be a given.

FRANKLIN — Both Maryville and Greenback seem comfortably bound for the second round of consolations here inside the mammoth Williamson County Expo Center.

And what a place it is. Ten mats on the arena floor make for plenty of space and lots of simultaneous action during the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association’s state dual wrestling tournament. Last night, Rebels coach Mark Humphrey told me moving the tournament from Clarksville High School was a good decision.

Wrestlers go at it in the TSSAA state dual wrestling tournament in Franklin

“There’s so much more space here,” Humphrey said. “In Clarksville we had to run from gym to gym. They got a lot of space. … The view is as good as Clarksville. I don’t think the seats are quite as good as Chattanooga just because they don’t go up very steep.
“It’s a little hard to see everything. There’s so much space. I’d say this arena is 100 yards long.”

That appears to be the general sentiment with the only complaints concerning some viewing angles. The sheer size of the arena makes it difficult to keep track of mats that aren’t adjacent. That will come into play more during the individual tournament, slated to start here in two weeks, which moved from UT-Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena.

For now, this place has the feel of a wrestling festival.

Some interesting stuff going on out there while I failed miserably at sleeping..

Guns I: If I got shot eight times…
Guns II: S.C. looking at zero tolerance, too?
Meyer-gate: Not really taking a break, after all.
Premature, maybe: Oh, snap! Bama-Penn State?
Things only Lady Vol fans care about: Notre Dame sharpshooter quits. Are they a legit No. 3?
Useless information: I can’t stand the NBA
Late add: Sad to see Jim Leavitt go.