My retinas are bleeding.

Seriously.

I am spending hour after hour studying everything I can on SEC football. And there is a lot out there.

A lot.

I made a trip to our local bookstore to pick up a magazine or two. There were about 25 there just focusing on the SEC. Now, since I can’t afford to buy that many sports mags (I’m a blogger, not a miracle worker), I sat there and read…

And read…

And read some more.

I picked two out to take on my vacation next week, but felt the need to digest the others, since I’ve decided to do my own little pre-season SEC ranking here in a couple of weeks. Man, there’s a lot to learn!

I’ve been an SEC fan my whole life. I can appreciate other conferences, even enjoy watching their games…. as long as the Southeastern Conference isn’t on. But there are so many unknowns coming into this season that I feel like I’m starting from scratch.

So I’m studying. In fact, if they gave an SAT on the SEC, I’m pretty sure I’d score through the roof. But there is still a lot more to read.

It used to be easier. In the SEC East, you read up on Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. Maybe you read a bit on South Carolina. You skimmed Vandy and Kentucky and were done. Now? Florida may still rule the roost, but Vandy and UK have upped the ante, so you can’t just slide past them.

In the West, not much work needed to be done on Mississippi State. Now that Dan Mullen is running the show, who knows what is going to come out of Stark-Vegas this season? And Houston Nutt is getting it done at Ole Miss. Yeah, Bama is gonna be the lead dog in that division, but nothing is a given.

So it’s time to study up and get ready. Football previews start in a couple of weeks!

Tennessee got a big time commit the other day.

Evan Berry, brother of All-American DB Eric Berry, took the Vols up on a scholarship offer and has said he will join the UT program… in 2013.

You see, Evan is 13… hasn’t even played high school football yet.

Now there is a lot of family history there. James Berry, dad to the Berry boys, played football at Tennessee in the 1980’s. And, of course, you have Eric tearing it up in the defensive backfield for the Vols these days.

So Evan figured, sure, I’ll go to Tennessee. And daddy James says that both Evan and his twin brother, Elliott, are ahead of the pace of Eric at the same age.

Woo hoo!

However… don’t get too excited Vol fans. The quotes from young Evan don’t exactly make you feel like he is set in stone:

“It’s the only college I know right now and it seems the best for me,” Evan told Rivals.com. “My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I don’t know them too well, but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them.”

Ok…

He goes on to say that he can’t wait to play for Monte Kiffin. Now, I don’t want to throw more water on the situation here, but Monte is 69. A young 69, but still 69. So he would be 73 at the earliest when the Berry boys hit UT. That seems more like an age moving into retirement rather than coaching and recruiting…

unless, of course, you’re Joe Paterno.

This all kind of reminds me of another Vol commit. Jimmy Clausen announced his intentions to follow brothers Casey and Rick to Tennessee when he was about the same age. Only he never made it there, opting for Notre Dame.

Anyway, there is joy in Volville tonight. Just hope the fans aren’t counting the days till Evan gets there.

STELLAR YEAR FOR THE SEC

Following LSU’s dramatic title win in the College World Series, the Southeastern Conference is closing one of its most successful seasons. The SEC posted five national champions and five runner’s up during the 2008-2009 academic year.

National Championships came in football (Florida), men’s swimming and diving (Auburn), women’s indoor track & field (Tennessee), gymnastics (Georgia) and LSU (baseball). Runner’s up came from men’s golf (Arkansas), gymnastics (Alabama), softball (Florida), women’s swimming and diving (Georgia) and men’s indoor track & field (Florida).

The SEC has 179 team national championships in its 76 years of existence, including 63 since 2000. The only sports that haven’t won titles this decade are women’s cross country, volleyball, soccer and softball.

Not too shabby, huh?

NBA DRAFT

No SEC player was selected in the first round of Thursday’s NBA draft… no surprise there. A trio of guards went in the second round, led by Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks (41st pick, Milwaukee Bucks), LSU’s Marcus Thornton (43rd pick, Miami Heat - traded to New Orleans Hornets), and Florida’s Nick Calathes (45th pick, Minnesota Timberwolves).

HITTING THE BOOKS

The SEC didn’t only score wins on the field this year, but led all conferences in student-athletes recognized as ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans. Fifteen earned 1st team honors, 14 were named 2nd team, while 12 earned 3rd team recognition.

SEC Student-Athletes Earning CoSIDA Academic All-America Team Recognition
[NOTE: Listed in alphabetical order by last name
* - Sport does not have its own team, listed as At-Large Team by CoSIDA]

Listed in alphabetical order by last name
* indicates sport at-large selection, as sport does not have its own team

1st Team (15)
Mallory Blackwelder, Kentucky, *Women’s Golf, Versailles, Ky.
Sarah Bowman, Tennessee, Women’s Track & Field, Warrenton, Va.
Lisa Caprioglio, Georgia, *Women’s Swimming & Diving, Highlands Ranch, Col.
Kevin Greer, Alabama, *Men’s Swimming & Diving, Sylacauga, Ala.
Lillian Hammond, Tennessee, Softball, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Kristina Hilberth, Florida, Softball, Dunedin, Fla.
Tim Masthay, Kentucky, Football, Murray, Ky.
Courtney Kupets, Georgia, *Gymnastics, Athens, Ga.
Blakely Mattern, South Carolina, Women’s Soccer, Simpsonville, S.C.
Charlotte Morgan, Alabama, Softball, Moreno Valley, Calif.
Stacey Nelson, Florida, Softball, Los Alamitos, Calif.
Kassi Price, Alabama, *Gymnastics, Plantation, Fla.
Katie Stripling, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Jonesboro, Ark.
Tim Tebow, Florida, Football, Jacksonville, Fla.
Phoebe Wright, Tennessee , Women’s Track & Field, Signal Mountain, Tenn.

2nd Team (14)
Amanda Alexander, Tennessee, Women’s Track & Field, Nashville, Tenn.
Sam Arthur, South Carolina, Men’s Soccer, Roswell, Ga.
Kelsey Bowers, Florida, Volleyball, Gainesville, Fla.
Chelsea Bramlett, Mississippi State , Softball, Cordova, Tenn.
Tara Diebold, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Branson, Mo.
Chad Hagerty, Kentucky, Men’s Soccer, Louisville, Ky.
Tiffany Huff, Tennessee, Softball, Saugus, Calif.
Jenn Johnson, Auburn, Women’s Soccer, Loganville, Ga.
Ben Jones, Auburn, Baseball, Decatur, Ala.
Dan Mazzaferro, Auburn, * Men’s Swimming & Diving, Cheshire, Conn.
Blake Strode, Arkansas, *Men’s Tennis, St. Louis, Mo.
Grace Taylor, Georgia, *Gymnastics, Aiken, S.C.
Bram Ten Berge, Ole Miss, *Men’s Tennis, Maarssen, Netherlands
Dorian Ulrey, Arkansas, Men’s Track & Field, Port Byron, Ill.

3rd Team (12)
Sammie Jo Bailey, Mississippi State, Softball, Lithonia, Ga.
Denise Bargiachi, Arkansas, Women’s Track & Field, Memphis, Tenn.
Stephanie Brombacher, Florida, Softball, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Clark Burckle, Florida, *Men’s Swimming & Diving, Louisville, Ky.
Rabun Fox, LSU, Track & Field, Houma, La.
Ali Gardiner, Florida, Softball, Waccabuc, N.Y.
Elliott Haynie, South Carolina, Men’s Track & Field, Atlanta, Ga.
Jen Lapicki, Tennessee, Softball, Oldwick, N.J.
Curt McGill, South Carolina, Men’s Track & Field, Spartanburg, S.C.
Lee Ellis Moore, Ole Miss, Men’s Track & Field, Cordova, Tenn.
Ashton Payne, South Carolina, Softball, Richmond, Va.
Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt, Women’s Basketball, Mesa, Ariz.

The LSU Tigers won their sixth NCAA baseball title tonight in Omaha, and left no doubt who the number one team in the nation is.

LSU defeated Texas, 11-4, taking the best of three series 2-1 in earning a sixth College World Series title.

The Tigers took off fast, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on a Jared Mitchell homer. After adding a fourth run in the second inning, the Longhorns whittled away at the Tigers lead with two runs in the third and two in the fifth, knotting the game at 4-4.

But LSU broke the game open in the sixth, with five runs to take a 9-4 lead. The big hit in that inning was Mikie Mahtook’s tie-breaking double. The Tigers added one run in both the eighth and ninth innings to take the title.

Mitchell was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player. In winning the CWS, Mitchell added to his national championship hardware. Mitchell was a wide received on the LSU football team that won the BCS championship in 2007.

While the Tigers were top-ranked in virtually ever poll, they were not afforded a top seed in the tournament, instead playing at the #3 seed. But they will end the season right where they wanted to be… atop the polls and holding the trophy.

This story is even more amazing when you consider that the Tigers didn’t even qualify for the SEC tournament two years ago. Head Coach Paul Mainieri has done a fantastic job with the program in a short period of time.

The 2009 title will be added to the Tigers five others (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2000), all under former head coach Skip Bertman.

LSU took game one of the College World Series Championship, 7-6, in a classic batte in Omaha.

With two on and two out in the top of the 11th, freshman Mikie Mahtook hit a short fly to center, scoring D. J. D.J. Lemahieu from third and giving LSU a 7-6 lead.

Earlier, Mahtook had to get an IV in the locker room after he cramped up during the game. Obviously, he responded well to treatment!

In the bottom of the inning, LSU pitcher Matty Ott (nicknamed Matty Ice) worked his third inning of relief.   Shortstop Brandon Loy was up first, and Ott got him to chase an outside (way outside) slider, strking him out. Left fielder Tim Maitland was up next, and Ott went right after him.

Ott was on fire, striking Maitland out with a wicked comeback sinker that rode in on the hitter.

The last hope for the Horns was centerfielder Conner Rowe.  After running the count full, Rowe hit a grounder to second for the third and final out.

LSU kept fighting all night in what has got to be one of the classic College World Series games of all time.

Ott got his fourth win in a save appearance, going with his 16 saves this season, an LSU record.

If LSU beats Texas Tuesday night, it will win its sixth College World Series title in school history. LSU will have two tries to win the title in the best of three series.

Gametime Tuesday night is 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.

What a game!

After 10 innings in Game 1 of the Championship Round of the College World Series (that’s a mouthful!), LSU and Texas are still battling it out in what is looking like a classic battle of two titans. The game is knotted up 6-6.

Five solo homers by Texas looked to be the headline going into the top of the 9th, when LSU’s 2nd baseman D.J. Lemahieu hit a two run double with two outs, tying the game and eventually sending it into extra innings.

Texas junior designated hitter Russell Moldenhauer has two solo homers in the game, and the seven solo homers between both teams is a new CWS record.

And already the game, now in the 11th, is the longest game in College World Series finals history.

The Tigers are threatening in the top of the 11th, with men on first and third, but there are two outs. Both runners reached by walks.

The thing both coaches have to watch out for is burning through too many pitchers… this is only game one of a best two out of three series.

OK, I’m going back to the game. It’s on ESPN, so turn it on!

I got a kick when I checked out SECSports.com today. They have a calendar on the left side of the page that tells of upcoming sporting events.

Currently listed are games of the College World Series involving LSU and Arkansas. The next listing was USC at NCState.

I wondered what sport that was in.  Then I checked the date.

9-3

September 3.

Football.

And there they were, the first games of football season popping up.

Georgia at Oklahoma State on Sept. 5 (on ABC!)

Alabama vs. Virginia Tech, also on Sept. 5, and also on ABC.

LSU at Washington, Sept. 5 on ESPN.

Patience may be a virtue, but when it comes to SEC football, I am not a patient person. I want it all, and I want it now. Some of the preseason magazines are already out. Soon, when the doldrums of summer hit us square in the face, stories will start dribbling out about this team and that. Then the players will report. Fall practice will start. Then…

Kickoff!

Coming to a football field near you!!!

Arkansas (41-23) and LSU (53-16) will face each other for the second time in the College World Series Friday at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

LSU won the first matchup on Monday by a score of 9-1. During the regular season, the Tigers took two out of three games from the Hogs.

If LSU wins, it will advance to the Championship Series, getting underway Monday at 6 p.m. ET. If Arkansas wins, the two teams will battle again on Saturday at either 1 p.m. or 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Championship Series.

LSU has been on fire, winning 12 straight games. Top-ranked in three out of four polls, and the 3rd seed nationally, the Tigers are coming off three days of rest. Arkansas has had to battle through the losers’ bracket, defeating Virginia 4-3 in 12 innings on Wednesday to earn the right to face LSU.

In the other bracket, Arizona St. (51-13) will face Texas (48-14-1), an elimination game for the Sun Devils. That game is at 7 p.m. ET. ASU advanced to the game by defeating North Carolina 12-5 on Thursday.

Alabama announced today that it will appeal NCAA sanctions that were handed down by the NCAA last week.

The sanctions were in response to self-reported infractions where UA athletes were getting free textbooks for friends. While athletes from 15 sports were involved, football sustained the biggest hit, with orders to vacate 21 wins from 2005-2007. It’s been speculated that football was more harshly reprimanded because the program was still in a five year probationary window from previous infractions.

“We appreciate that the committee recognized the isolated nature of this violation as well as UA’s immediate and aggressive actions to correct the situation as soon as we discovered the problem. However, we are disappointed with the excessiveness of the sanctions in view of the facts of this case and the penalties in other textbook infractions cases.

“There is no evidence or allegations of other NCAA violations; no coaches or administrators were involved; no players obtained books and sold them for cash, and all the books were returned or charged to the student’s account as required by the UA textbook policy in effect at that time.”

Alabama President Robert Witt

Bama has until June 26 to formally file with the NCAA’s Infractions Appeals Committee.

IN OTHER SEC NEWS:

Sites for upcoming men’s and women’s basketball tournaments were announced on Wednesday, added to sites previously announced:

Men’s Tournaments:
2010 - Sommet Center, Nashville, Tn.
2011 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.
2012 - New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, La.
2013 - Sommet Center, Nashville, Tn.
2014 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.

Women’s Tournaments:
2010 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center, Duluth, Ga.
2011 - Sommet Center, Nashville, Tn.
2012 - Sommet Center, Nashville, Tn.
2013 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center, Duluth, Ga.
2014 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center, Dulluth, Ga.

LSU whipped up on fellow SEC Western Division team Arkansas in the College World Series, taking the game 9-1.

Mikie Mahtook, Austin Nola and Blake Dean all homered for the Tigers, who have won 12 straight in the tournament. LSU started ace-pitcher Louis Coleman, who gave up only one run and six hits while striking out seven in six innings of work. On May 2, Coleman pitched a two hit shutout against the Hogs in regular season action.

Arkansas’ lone run came in the first inning. Tigers hitters drove Hogs pitcher Brett Eibner out of the game in the second inning.  LSU led 4-1 after two innings, but the real damage came in the sixth, when LSU scored five runs to take an eight run lead, 9-1.

Arkansas will now have to play out of the loser’s bracket, where the Razorbacks will face Virginia on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CDT. While the loser of the game will be eliminated, the winner will advance to face LSU on Friday at 1 p.m. CDT.  Should LSU win that game, it will advance to the best of three series next week.

One other thought: The Tigers are the 3rd seed nationally behind Texas (#1) and Cal State Fullerton (#2), yet are ranked #1 in three of the four college baseball polls (Baseball American, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA) and second in the other poll (USA Today/ESPN). Texas is ranked 4th, 5th, 5th and 4th respectively, while CS-Fullerton is 3rd, 3rd, 3rd and 5th.

Interesting, but at least the Tigers are getting a chance to prove it on the field.

IN OTHER SEC NEWS:

The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) has announced it’s three national teams for the 2009 season, and eight current and former SEC players have made the rosters.

Making the USA Softball Women’s National Team from the SEC are: Monica Abbott (Tennessee), *Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi St.), Ashley Holcombe (Alabama), Stacey Nelson (Florida) and Brittany Rogers (Alabama).

The Japan Cup roster features Courtney Bures (Mississippi St.), *Molly Johnson (Kentucky), Stacey Nelson (Florida), Brittany Rogers (Alabama) and *Taylor Schlopy (Georgia).

SEC athletes on the Pan Am Qualifying team are Monica Abbott (Tennessee), *Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi St.) and Ashley Holcombe (Alabama).

* indicates a current SEC player.