TENNESSEE BASKETBALL
Tobias Harris and Scotty Hopson have until Sunday to decide whether they'll return to Tennessee or commit to the NBA Draft. An unnamed "veteran NBA scout" gave Mike Griffith the low down on each of them last week. The guy thinks Harris will go in the "middle of the first round" due to his youth and his upside. Regarding Hopson, the guy essentially says that teams are scared of him and concludes that "his prospects are no chance to be picked in the first round, and maybe not even get drafted." Hopson's not making the decision all by himself, though. He's leaning on a small circle of people he trusts, most notably some guy named Larry Marshall. Tennessee basketball's immediate future will become more clear next Monday.
Mike Strange has a sort of "where are they now" list of coaches hit with lengthy show-cause penalties. Some go to the NBA, some take administrative positions, and some, like Clem Haskins, literally put themselves out to pasture.
TENNESSEE FOOTBALL
Scout compiles the numbers and concludes that the Tennessee football program hasn't been this devoid of talent for nearly half a century. Having only two players selected in the NFL Draft, neither in the first round, hasn't happened since 1963. 2009 featured only one pick -- Robert Ayers -- but he went in the first round. Putting 2009 and 2011 together, well, there you go.
The good news? Saban again. Alabama went 7-6 in 2007 and had no players in the draft. They won the national championship in 2009 and had four players taken in the first round this year.
Etceteras. Ja'Wuan James, out with mono for most of the spring, made the most of his mental reps. The UT-KPD "let's get attacked by a K-9" thing was just another component of the VFL program, which is exhibiting symptoms of going viral. Bob Hodge: Talking turkey with Johnny Majors " GoVolsXtra (That's a hunting story. Just thought I'd clarify.) The Vol Historian has a nice feature on Travis Stephens and his fantastic game against the Gators 10 years ago. Mark Richt getting feisty is not a good sign for Vol fans.