RIP Tom II

So I just got back from the Scholarship Fund Luncheon with special guest speaker John Calipari, and I cannot be more thrilled that basketball is so close.

Here is a rundown of what was said:

- Athletic Director RC Johnson spoke for a moment and said two things that are pretty awesome. There's less than 200 season tickets left for basketball, and the UofM athletic department operates off a $35 million dollar budget. Wow! I can only imagine what the budget would be if we had a revived football program.

- Women's basketball coach Melissa McFerrin spoke and basically promised all the things that first year coaches promise... wins, recruiting, conference championships, etc... Except this time I actually believe she can accomplish all those things.

- And finally, Coach Cal was poignant, entertaining, and at ease as always. There wasn't a whole lot said that I already didn't know. He did say that Willie Kemp is going to be a lot better, Pierre Niles has 20 more pounds to go, Angel Garcia and Matt Simpkins SHOULD be cleared to play...key word SHOULD, and that he expects to lose at least one conference game.

Overall, it was great success.

In sad Tiger news...

Tom II, the live Tiger mascot passed away this morning. I really will miss him...

I got this from the commercial appeal website:

A memorial is planned for the Tigers’ homecoming game against Southern Miss on Oct. 25. The Tiger Guard asks that any memorials be sent to the Highland Hundred via the Tiger Football office at 136 Athletic Office Building, Memphis, 38152.

The Conference USA preseason stuff has been released:

C-USA preseason top 5

1. Memphis

2. UAB

3. Tulsa

4. UTEP

5. Southern Miss

Preseason all-C-USA

Robert Dozier, Memphis, F, 6-9, Sr.

Stefon Jackson, UTEP, G, 6-5, Sr.

Jerome Jordan, Tulsa, C, 7-0, Jr.

Jermaine Taylor, UCF, G, 6-4, Sr.

Robert Vaden, UAB, G/F, 6-5, Sr.*

* Notes the pre-season player of the year pick... also notes the player most likely to be arrested in the last 24 hours.

Speaking of the Commercial Appeal... they wrote this as the headline for an article:

"Milicic, Gasol tested as Griz's towers of power"

If those guys are the towers of power consider me Miles Davis.
If those guys are the towers of power than the NBA is Hurricane Ike, they're Texas..
If those guys are the towers of power...

I could keep this up all day.

Two foreign white guys do not scare me as the Towers of power.
Who do they think they are, the Bash Brothers?

It looks like the most boring world series ever is going to happen.

I still think this is the Cubs year (fingers crossed extra hard for luck).