By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Vandy coach Jerry Stackhouse had hoped to get some solid contributions from forward Clevon Brown this past season, and things started fairly well. Brown was averaging nine points and six rebounds through nine games, but then suffered a knee injury that ultimately ended his year. Fortunately, Brown now gets a chance to improve on those figures as he’ll be returning for another season. The senior was granted an extra year of eligibility last week by the NCAA because he played in fewer than 30 percent of the Commodores games. He’ll officially be designated as…
Author: Ron Wynn
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The majority of predictions being made regarding the Titans’ picks in this week’s upcoming draft are they will look to strengthen their defense. There is general agreement that they need to improve the pass rush, both from the standpoint of the line and linebacker corps. There’s also some who feel the Titans may go for a defensive back with their first pick, which is at 29. A longshot would be an offensive lineman, at least in the first two rounds. Unfortunately, it seems Logan Ryan is departing, so a cornerback’s a very good first…
By Ron Wynn With the NFL draft set for next week, the Tennessee Titans are still trying to decide which players to extend and which ones to let go or allow to reach the end of their current contracts in the wake of last season’s surge to the AFC title game.They locked up star safety Kevin Byard and center Ben Jones last year to prevent them from becoming free agents. But this season they let right tackle Jack Conklin sign with Cleveland, and negotiations have stalled with cornerback Logan Ryan. So now all eyes are on a handful of notable…
By Ron Wynn There’s a lot of doubt regarding not when, but if, there will be a baseball season in 2020 at both the major and minor league levels. But in the meantime, while awaiting news about a starting date, the Nashville Sounds last week began a series of virtual baseball games to replicate the experience of at least seeing the sport for those fans willing and anxious to get any kind of sporting presentation. The campaign is being called “Safe and Sounds At Home,” and it’s going to continue until actual baseball returns to First Horizon Park. “During this…
By Ron Wynn The Vanderbilt Commodores hope to continue turning things around next basketball season. Last Thursday they landed the biggest recruit of current Jerry Stackhouse’s tenure, signing Tyrin Lawrence, the number one ranked player in the state of Georgia. Lawrence is a six foot, three-inch guard equally able to play either the point or shooting guard position. He picked the Commodores over a host of other schools, including fellow SEC opponent Ole Miss, rated as well as Gonzaga and Kansas State. He spent the past season at the Kansas prep school Sunrise Christian. He is rated a four star…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — After a stellar season, Vanderbilt junior guard Saben Lee’s decision to declare for the NBA draft last week wasn’t really a surprise. But the possibility remains that Lee could return if he isn’t fully sure he’ll be a first round pick. Lee hasn’t yet signed with an agent. That gives him the opportunity to get an evaluation from the draft committee without losing his eligibility. He has until June 3 to withdraw from the draft pool. He was the Commodores’ leading scorer for the 2019-20 season, averaging 18.6 points per game and playing 32…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Much of the buzz around last week’s new inductees into the Naismith Hall of Fame has gone to the illustrious trio of Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, all first ballot selections, champions and part of what some are claiming is the greatest class ever inducted. But across the state of Tennessee, many people are celebrating the inclusion in that group of Tamika Catchings, a prolific star at the University of Tennessee and later one of the WNBA’s all-time finest all-round players. Catchings was a four-time All-American at Tennessee. She was the national…
Sometimes drastic events result in major changes. The almost complete suspension of sports activity in America, particularly team sports, is leading to lots of things being considered because it has forced the shutting down of two leagues near the start of their playoffs (NBA and NHL), plus two others just getting or about to get started (MLS and MLB), and also stopped all sorts of individual sports from tennis to golf, auto racing to bowling and horse racing. Every major league and sporting organization faces major questions about how to proceed if (and it’s a big if) they can even…
By Ron Wynn So far the moves being made by the Tennessee Titans in free agency, in particular the signing of QB Ryan Tannehill to a new deal and the one-year contract given former Atlanta Falcon Vic Beasley, aren’t getting raves from others in the NFL community. Both Pro Football Focus and USA Today have weighed in on these decisions, and neither responded in a very favorable manner. The decision to give Tannehill a four-year, $118 million dollar contract extension was deemed a question mark, even though PFF previously named him their Comeback Player of the Year. The deal includes…
By Rob Wynn The National Hockey League is not joining the National Football League in proceeding with business as usual in the week of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Last Friday they announced that the draft, previously set for June 26-27 in Montreal, was postponed. The same holds true for the combine, scheduled for Buffalo June 1-6. The league has not announced any proposed new dates for either to be held, though they continue to hold out hope that the current season can be played and the Stanley Cup ultimately awarded. The NHL also said players were now free to leave their…