Football

It’s all a mind game, man. When defensive back Rashaan Gaulden had to sit out most of the spring due to injury, new position coach Charlton Warren told him that he could look at it one of two ways: Either he wasn’t getting any reps, or he was going to get all of them (mentally). The happy ending: Gaulden chose to get every rep.
 
Oh my goodness, the headline: “Tennessee QB Jarrett Guarantano’s Twitter account revealing.” What’s the big reveal? Is it naked Jim McElwain on a shark? Another mooning incident from a Volunteers quarterback, this time with pictures? Does it unearth psychopathic tendencies of a guy on our roster? What? It “reveals” that Guarantano is a team player? Oh, well that’s good. Boring, but good. Begrudging high-five for the headline, Mike.
 
So some folks are in an uproar about the Vols spending $40,000 on bowl and Battle of Bristol rings. Pffffftt. That’s like two parking passes, man. They can handle it.
 
One small squat for man, one giant squat for Marquez Bembry, who is “maybe 60 percent” recovered from a torn ACL suffered last August. Godspeed, young man.
 
“Pretty boring guy” Kendal Vickers is graduating despite an early stiff arm to the whole academics thing. Congratulations, from one boring guy staying home on Friday nights to another. Represent!
 
I don’t know what’s behind the paywall for this link promising an analysis of the Vols football scholarship distribution, but it sounds fun.
 
The 2017 Lott IMPACT Trophy folks have added Vols’ senior defensive back Todd Kelly Jr. to their watch list for the season. The criteria for the award isn’t limited to athletic performance, but also considers the player’s character, which is awesome. Kelly is one of 42 guys on the list, which is a lot of guys to watch, so I’m just going to watch Kelly and declare him the winner when the time rolls around.
 

Basketball

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee has recommended several rules changes, including implementation of a centralized replay system in basketball games. What’s a “centralized replay system,” you ask? Think replay for college football. You know, where they stop the game and get on the horn to some poorly-compensated virtual assistants in the Philippines to see what they think. Or maybe it’s the guys sitting in the SEC offices in Birmingham; I always get those two groups confused. Anyway, I guess it’s better than watching the stripey guys hunched over the monitor that belongs to the broadcast crew like they’re showing each other their latest Instagrams.
 

Baseball

The baseball Vols dug themselves a hole early and couldn’t climb out, falling to Kentucky 15-5 last night in Lexington. That moves Tennessee to 26-20 and a woeful 7-16 in the SEC.
 

Miscellaneous fun stuff

Remember Ron Slay? He’s graduating, and he’s going to wear a headband on his mortar board. Also, the Indianapolis Colts have waived VFL Curt Maggitt. Boo.