Talking Points: Bad News in Threes Edition

(Delayed from the usual morning time due to the other posts on the day.)

• Brian Butler is at the heart of Bryce Brown's investigation.  Like we didn't see this coming, but there you go.  The fact that Brown is still allowed to practice is a good sign, though standard NCAA fickleness is still in play.
• A round of cold cocks for everyone.  It's all the rage, really.  The Raiders set the trend, complete with the usual denials and the tacit gratefulness from Lane that he was fired.   From there, it moved coast-to-coast to Miami, but not without a brief layover in Knoxville itself.  Fortunately, the trend never got off the plane, and fun was had by all.  (Side note: after the stretch of two-a-days last week, this bit of stress release was probably the right prescription.)
  
• Somebody remind Memphis that he's no longer eligible.  JaJuan Smith has been charged with assault.  No details as of yet, but true or not, you hate to hear this news.

Those are your three bad newsies; on to the good.

• Vols / Cats on ESPN.  Just remind the announcers that the orange blazer is a tradition and not a fashion statement.
• Tight Ends = Happy.  The tight ends see a much larger role for themselves in the passing game this year, which is making them very happy.  With the uptick in tight end passes in the NFL this decade, I'm sure the prospect of adding to that resume isn't hurting their feelings much.  Short summary:  Luke Stocker is better near the line, and Brad Cottam is better downfield.
• Marlon Walls is good.  He's fast enough to catch David Oku.  After you take a moment to let your eyes o.O for a bit, stop and consider what a roundup that he, Gerald Williams, and Montori Hughes have been for the Vols.
• KYLE PRATER KYLE PRATER KYLE PRATER VOLS WOO!  No, he hasn't announced, but he will on September 2.  His five, according to Scout, are Illinois, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC.  Tennessee and USC have the best offenses for his skillset, though Illinois and ND have closer to home and Oklahoma allows him to duck any semblance of defense (except for bowl games) for 3-4 years.  It'll be interesting to see how he picks.