Whatever happened to ... ?

[jbcarol]

Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN 56m56 minutes ago South Carolina, USA

We lost a good man this morning, one of the best. David Douglas was an exemplary friend, father and husband. Please pray for his family.

Aaron Suttles ‏@AaronSuttles 28m28 minutes ago Tuscaloosa, AL

As journalists we're taught to not get too close to our subjects. But I grew to love Aaron Douglas' family. His father David passed today.

John Brice ‏@John_BriceVQ 15h15 hours ago

Phillip Fulmer on David Douglas, who passed Saturday: He absolutely was (Vols to the core). It's a real loss; much too early to be gone.

Fulmer on the Douglas family: "They are, they are absolutely Tennessee royalty. ... We're honoring Aaron thru Boys/Girls Club Music Halls."

[jbcarol]

... Arian Foster

After six seasons with the team, the Texans will cut Foster, according to a tweet from ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Foster suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in October.

Foster, who played at Tennessee from 2005 to 2008, ran for 2,964 yards as a Vol. That ranks him No. 2 on Tennessee's all-time rushing leader list. Foster has more rushing attempts than any Vol with 650. However, he was often the subject of fan criticism for some untimely fumbles.

[jbcarol]

... Albert Haynesworth

Former Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, 34, revealed Thursday that brain aneurysms almost killed him in November of 2014

"I had two brain aneurysms that were nearly rupturing. I went and talked to my doctor in Florida, and he was like, 'Man, your blood pressure is through the roof. I'm going to admit you.' They did a lot of tests and found the aneurysm that was rupturing at that point."

Haynesworth said he required brain surgery, leaving him in the hospital for 11 days.

Some functions as simple as signing his name or sending long texts Haynesworth said can be a struggle.

"It's crazy," he said, "but hopefully as time goes on, I get better."

Haynesworth spent three seasons at the University of Tennessee, compiling 66 total tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss. He was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the 15th pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. He played for the Titans, the Washington Redskins, the New England Patriots and the Tampa Buccaneers over the span of his 10-year career.

"[Doctors] can't say," Haynesworth said. " They said I could have had it, but they said football definitely didn't help. I don't really know. I have no idea. I'm not a doctor. I don't want to blame it on football, and I don't want to say, 'Hey, it didn't have anything to do with it.'"

[jbcarol]

... Malcolm Saxon

Saxon is a teacher and coach at Jackson Preparatory School. Jackson Prep's flagship distance running program, the cross country team has won several state championships in recent years. Malcolm Saxon, a graduate of the University of Tennessee and classmate of Peyton Manning, not only coaches this team, but heads several informative business and religious classes during the school day.

Subjects taught/Activities sponsored:

9th grade history, Character Development, Old Testament/New Testament, Financial Management, 11th grade Bible Study, Guatemala Basketball trip, Junior High Youth Legislature, Senior High Student Council Sponsor, Cross Country and Track.

Spouse: Adrienne (currently coaches Volleyball, Basketball, and Tennis at Christ Covenant) and is a master chef and baker

Children: Millie (One year old)

Total years at Prep: 6 years

Previous work experience: 10 years as administrative assistant at Alpine Camp for Boys, where he currently serves as Program Director for Junior Camp

College Attended/degree earned: University of Tennessee, BS in Finance

School Trip Sponsor: Let's Go West Ski Trip(Pre-Christmas trip to Colorado for boys
and girls) and Wall Street Weekend (3 day trip to the city of cities every mid-February for financial students)

[jbcarol]

... Billy Gillispie

RANGER
The sight of a white Mercedes-Benz parked in front of Ron Butler Gym is as striking as the man standing next to it — Billy Gillispie.

The automobile regarded as one of the finest made belongs to the man who is considered to be one of the best pure basketball coaches of his era — both fitted into the modest surroundings of Ranger College, just a few miles east of the Middle of Nowhere.

At least from a quick look, Ranger College and Ranger, Texas, don't see a lot of Mercedes-Benzes around these parts, and this two-year school certainly has never had a coach like this.

If Fort Worth is Where The West Begins, Ranger is Knee Deep In It. It is not for everybody, but at last Billy Clyde has found his fit in this town 85 miles west of Fort Worth — the perfect spot for a guy seeking redemption.

The former coach at UT El Paso, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Texas Tech is the head coach at tiny Ranger. If you believe him, he's loving it. And he's never leaving.

"I've really thought the big time is where you are," Gillispie said in an extended interview last week. "I'm the luckiest guy ever. This year, I couldn't be having any more fun."

Even though he is in his element in West Texas and just coaching ball, few believe Gillispie will remain here more than one or two years. Given his past, he will remain a risky hire, but few men in this era can coach ball better than this guy. Whoever hires him next must accept him, his past, his messages and his delivery.

But in return, they will win. Few men are as adept at coaching college ball as the man affectionately called Billy Clyde, who was hired by the school last March.

n BCG's two seasons at UK, the Wildcats were 40-27 with one NCAA Tournament appearance. He was fired at the end of the 2008-09 season and replaced by John Calipari, who reached the NCAA's Elite Eight the next season with many of the players Gillispie recruited.

In the fall of that year, Gillispie was arrested in Kentucky on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol. It was the third time he had been charged with driving under the influence.

Not long afterward, he checked into the John Lucas Center for drug and alcohol treatment. "I went for the wrong reason — to show people I could coach again," he said.

[jbcarol]

...
William David "Dave" Self

"Dave" Self passed away on March 7, 2016 after a lengthy illness. Dave was born on October 4, 1946, in El Dorado, Arkansas... Dave was preceded in death by his father, Walter Burnett and first wife, Mary. Dave is survived by his loving wife and travel partner, Jo; mother, Virginia Self of El Dorado, Arkansas; three children: son Mike (Ginger) of Roanoke, Texas., daughter Sundi King (Brian) of Birmingham, Alabama, and son Brock of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; sister, Lucy Withrow (Greg) of El Dorado, Arkansas; five grandchildren: Justin Self, Brent Self, Alex King, Marigrace King, and William David Connor Self. Dave Self was known to be a man of God who was committed to his family.

There were many interests but primarily traveling with Jo and their friends; enjoying life at their lake house "Petit Hart" on Deerwood Lake in Harpersville, Alabama; following the Arkansas Razorbacks; and spending time with grandchildren. Educated in El Dorado, Arkansas schools and graduated from high school there in 1964. He played football, basketball, and baseball in high school and was All-State in basketball playing in the East - West All Star game following his senior year. Dave was a 1969 graduate of the University of Arkansas, with BSBA in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management.

He was a three year letterman for the Razorback basketball team and captain during his Jr.& Sr. years.

In 1983, he joined Energen Corp. in Birmingham, Alabama, as V.P. Human Resources. He retired from Energen in 2006 and following a brief period of illness returned again to work for Royal Cup Coffee to assist in initiating a new Human Resources department. Dave left Royal Cup in 2012 and enjoyed doing private HR consulting work for several years. In 1991 and 92, Dave chaired the American Gas Association Finance and Administrative Committee and served in leadership roles over several years for the Southern Gas Association. Throughout his professional life in Birmingham he did a variety of work in support of United Way, was a board member of the Alabama Sports Foundation, and was also a board member and past president for the Birmingham Area Alliance of Business bringing business and area high school youth into an employment/mentorship environment. He was a past president of Vestavia Hills Rotary Club and was a Paul Harris Fellow.

[jbcarol]

 Brad Winton ‏@JucoRecruiting Mar 6

Billy Gillispie and Ranger College get the fourth and final at-large bid for the NJCAA D1 Tourney.

[jbcarol]

... Bill Wade

Bill Wade was the SEC Player of the Year in 1951 and only two Commodores players have earned the award since. After his successful collegiate career, Wade was drafted with the first pick in the 1952 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, where he played seven seasons.

When Vanderbilt launched its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008, Wade was one of 12 members of the inaugural class.

"We grew up in Nashville," Wade told the university website in 2008, before his Hall of Fame induction. "My sister went to Vanderbilt and was four years older than me. I was just a Vanderbilt person, period. Vanderbilt is a good academic school and we competed in the Southeastern Conference, and I enjoyed all of those (aspects)."

In his later years, Wade suffered from dementia and lost his eyesight due to glaucoma complications.

"Our family is celebrating that his sight is restored, that he is able to walk and run on the field again," Sharon Wade Kinser, Wade's daughter, told The Tennessean.

[jbcarol]

... Will Yeguete, recent ex-Gator basketball player with a graphical what's next

https://twitter.com/Will15Yeguete/status/710104201301532673

[jbcarol]

... AJ McCarron

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 53m53 minutes ago

It's been a busy offseason for soon-to-be dad @10AJMcCarron: http://ow.ly/ZFxim 

Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron told WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile, Alabama, on Thursday he is focused on his job, and he will let his agent focus on any potential trade speculation.

McCarron was asked whether he would prefer being a backup in Cincinnati or a starter in Cleveland.

"The best thing for me is to stay in this present time," the former Alabama quarterback said. "I am thankful for the opportunity I have right now. Of course, I want to play. What quarterback doesn't? The way I look at it, God has a plan. Whatever happens is going to happen. He is going to set things up. I expect to be in Cincinnati. I understand my name is out there, but I don't know what other teams are looking to do. I'm taking it day by day and enjoying the moment."

The Mobile QB, who was a guest on The Opening Kickoff, was promoting The United Way of Southwest Alabama's first Hometown Huddle golf tournament...

McCarron said his wife, Katherine, are expecting a boy in mid-May.

"I'm really pumped," McCarron said. "We're having a baby boy. He's getting big. He's already at 5 pounds. We still have a ways to go. Hopefully, he's close to a 10-pound baby. That would be nice. Our family has bigger babies.

"Momma's doing great. She's doing awesome, beautiful as ever. It's going great. We're loving life."

[jbcarol]

... Allen Edwards

Former UK player Allen Edwards promoted to head coach at Wyoming

LARAMIE, Wyo.

Larry Shyatt resigned his head coaching job at Wyoming, and former University of Kentucky player Allen Edwards, who has been an assistant coach under Shyatt the last five seasons, was named the new head coach.

"This opportunity to lead the Wyoming Cowboys is a blessing I'm truly thankful for," Edwards said Monday. "I'd like to thank Larry Shyatt for bringing me to Laramie and allowing me to grow and develop as a professional with his help."

Edwards, who played at Kentucky from 1994 to 1998, was part of the Wildcats' national championship teams in 1996 and 1998. He graduated from UK in 2002.

Edwards has been an assistant at Wyoming since 2011 after previous stops on the staffs at Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Towson, Virginia Commonwealth and Morehead State.

"An institution is fortunate when it has the opportunity to hire its next head coach from within a successful program," Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman said. "Larry Shyatt's Cowboy basketball legacy has allowed us to do that. We are thrilled to place its future in the hands of Allen Edwards. His basketball pedigree is undeniable, including two national championships with one of the game's most storied programs, Kentucky. He has coached with, and played under some of the game's finest coaches. ... We believe Wyoming basketball has an extremely bright future."

[jbcarol]

... Kevin Turner

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 17h17 hours ago

Kevin Turner, 1969-2016: Former Alabama, NFL fullback known for toughness, versatility: http://ow.ly/ZUfOF 

Former Alabama and NFL fullback Kevin Turner, who died Thursday after a long battle with the neurodegenerative disease ALS, is perhaps best remembered his toughness and versatility as a player and later his perseverance in fighting a deadly illness.

Turner, who was 46, played fullback at Alabama from 1988-91. He then spent eight seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, retiring after the 1999 season.

The 6-foot-1, 241-pound Prattville native was an outstanding two-way fullback in his Alabama days. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry for his career, and also caught 95 passes, including 48 as a sophomore for a Crimson Tide team that shared in the SEC championship.

Turner was also known as a punishing blocker, leading the way for such Crimson Tide standouts as Bobby Humphrey and Siran Stacy.

Turner was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, and later became involved in research and support for traumatic football brain injuries. In 2012, he was the subject of the documentary American Man, produced in conjunction with HBO Sports' Jon Frankel.

Turner's son, Nolan, signed with Clemson in February. Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney was a teammate of Turner's at Alabama.

Alabama athletic director Bill Battle released the following statement through the athletic department:

"The Crimson Tide family lost a true warrior today with the passing of Kevin Turner, our former fullback who was one of the captains of our football team in 1991. Kevin's spirit, his toughness, and his courage in life and on the football field inspired us all. Kevin and his family are in our thoughts and prayers on this sad day."

Former Alabama running back Kerry Goode, himself diagnosed with ALS last year, posted the following message on Facebook Thursday:

"I am deeply saddened to hear of Kevin Turner's passing. Kevin tackled his ALS diagnosis with the fight and determination that has inspired many. Including me. As you know, not only did Kevin and I share the bonds of wearing a crimson jersey for the University of Alabama. We shared a bond of brotherhood that only fellow ALS patients can comprehend.

"Kevin's death brings out a ton of emotions for me personally. As a person of faith I am comforted in knowing that my friend is now free from symptoms, pain, and the heartache caused by this disease. His death also serves as a reminder that we have a long way to go in understanding and treating ALS. In fact, research and treatment has rarely changed in the 70 years since Lou Gehrig made his famous speech at Yankee Stadium.

"Kevin carried the torch for ALS and patients like me. Through awareness projects, community campaigns, and special events, Kevin pushed the cause of finding a cure for this horrible disease. With his passing the ALS community has lost a tremendous ambassador.

"It is important that we carry on Kevin's legacy and it is one I am personally connected to as I walk through my daily battles with ALS. In many ways, Kevin's battle and legacy is why I was already committed to the battle against ALS before I received my own diagnosis. That is why I am determined that ALS will not define me or knock me down without a fight. It is why through the work of my foundation that we will do whatever needs to be done to advance research and provide assistance for those suffering from ALS.

"I hope all of you will join me and my family in lifting up Kevin's family in your prayers as they face the days ahead."

https://twitter.com/JayBarker7/status/713063719337664512

https://twitter.com/EddieGeorge2727/status/713071461343305728

[jbcarol]

... James Owens

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello 15h15 hours ago

James Owens, Auburn's first black football player, has died http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2016/03/james_owens_auburn_first_black_football_player.html ...

James Owens, the first black scholarship player to play football at Auburn, died Saturday at the age of 65, his family has confirmed.

Owens suited up for Auburn in 1969 and was battling multiple health issues over the last several years. He was on a list to undergo a heart transplant in 2012 and was also battling back problems.

Owens played fullback at Fairfield High in the late 1960's and never thought he could attend Auburn or Alabama, let alone play football, as the SEC had just started the integration process at Kentucky in 1966.

Auburn assistant Jim Hilyer, however, offered him an opportunity to break the color barrier at Auburn.

Henry Harris was the first black basketball player at Auburn the previous year in 1968.

Owens' legacy lives on at Auburn, where the school established the James Owens Courage Award in 2012. His nephew, LaDarius, played football at Auburn for several seasons and the two would watch his games and critique his performances during the Tigers' run to an SEC championship in 2013.

"Through this entire battle with this heart condition over the years he never showed an ounce of fear," LaDarius Owens told AL.com Saturday. "No matter how much pain he was in or how he felt you would never know because he didn't allow it."

James Owens underwent six weeks of tests at UAB in 2012 to see if he qualified for a heart transplant. He also had to have surgery after a spot was discovered on his lungs. In February of 2013, Owens underwent surgery to alleviate spinal cord compression, which was among the reasons doctors pulled his name off the list of potential transplant recipients.

"We haven't gotten there yet, but we're thankful God has really blessed me, and one of the things I realize is I have to eat right and do the right things, but the heart, it's a little stronger and we're just praying God will completely heal us," Owens said in 2013. "I still have problems with my back. That hurts me more."

[jbcarol]

... Brad Gaines

Mike Organ ‏@MikeOrganWriter 4h4 hours ago

Former @VandyFootball star Brad Gaines is only a fan of his kids. http://tnne.ws/1MKot2o 

"Every Saturday you can go to the local baseball park and there's that guy who thinks his 8-year-old son should be the starting shortstop for the Yankees and that dad never put a jockstrap on in his life," Gaines said. "People may have thought I was going to be like that because of my background, but I told myself I don't want my kids, because of what their last name is, to feel they've got to excel in athletics."

The Gaines name has long been associated with success in Midstate sports.

Brad and his brothers, Chris, Jeff and Greg, were multisport stars at old DuPont High. Chris went on to be an All-America linebacker at Vanderbilt and Greg played at Tennessee and spent nine years in the NFL.

Even with Brad Gaines' reluctance to push them toward the family tradition, his children have been very successful. Two of his daughters — Taylor and Riley — are among the top female athletes in the Midstate.

Taylor, 18, a senior pitcher at Station Camp, opened the softball season with a no-hitter. Riley, 15, a Station Camp sophomore and two-time state champion swimmer, recently qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 100-meter freestyle.

[jbcarol]

Keri Potts ‏@MsPotts_ESPN 21h21 hours ago

So cool: ESPN to Air Texas Western's Historic Victory over Kentucky in 1966 NCAA Men's Basketball Champ Game 3/30 http://es.pn/1VQiiRY

[jbcarol]

... Roxanne Chalifoux

USA TODAY Sports ‏@USATODAYsports 17h17 hours ago

Villanova's crying piccolo girl is headed to Houston for the #FinalFour http://usat.ly/1UqLTBL 

It's been a year since Villanova senior Roxanne Chalifoux — better known to the masses as the Villanova crying piccolo girl — played her final notes through tears in the ultimate display of March sadness. Her top-seeded Villanova Wildcats were about to be upset by North Carolina State and miss out on the Sweet 16 again.

Chalifoux became a viral sensation, a meme, her tears representing the pain of a major NCAA tournament upset. She explained later that part of the emotion stemmed from her realization that it was her last game as a senior, and she was reflecting on how much being part of the band had meant to her over her four years.

The fascination with Chalifoux reached crazy levels — she was invited to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and she was even immortalized as a bobblehead.

Chalifoux is in her first year of optometry school at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University; she lives just north of Philadelphia in the Elkins Park area.

Chalifoux will be in Houston next weekend for the Final Four.

https://twitter.com/bubbawatson/status/580441197312942080

https://twitter.com/BrettMyhres/status/651608552436580352

[jbcarol]

... Kelenna Azubuike

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 13h13 hours ago

Cool to turn on NBA D-League game and hear Kelenna Azubuike as an announcer

[jbcarol]

... James Owens

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello 15h15 hours ago

James Owens, Auburn's first black football player, has died http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2016/03/james_owens_auburn_first_black_football_player.html ...

https://twitter.com/AUBlog/status/713915344637796354

Within the last month, James Owens was asked by those closest to him how he wished to be remembered.

The Auburn legend, who was the school's first African American scholarship football player, was in poor health. His time was fleeting, but he remained upbeat and strong in his faith.

"He said that it was about love — giving love and receiving love," former Auburn teammate and longtime friend Thom Gossom told the Opelika-Auburn News. "If he had done that, that's how he would like to be remembered."

[jbcarol]

... UK's '96 National Champs

DEREK ANDERSON (junior guard, 9.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in '96)
"I think everyone is going to say our wrestling teams. We had two different teams – our bottom floor in the lodge against the top floor – and we would always wrestle. They were called Push Back and Dig Deep. Nazr came up with one of those names and we said, 'Well, we're going to Push Back.' At the Final Four, we all had a wrestling match after dinner and ended up getting in a hallway at the hotel and tore that place up.

"Then we went in somebody's room, wrestling in the room, and Anthony Epps' neck got stuck and messed up. He had a crook in his neck. Guys were like, 'Man, we almost lost the championship over wrestling like we were the WWE.' I mean, guys were jumping off tables, throwing elbows. And this was Mark Pope, Nazr, Antoine, so this is not like little guys. It was 7-footers throwing elbows on people. It was hilarious. Coach P had no clue. He would've lost his mind if he knew that."

ATOINE WALKER (sophomore forward, 15.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.9 apg in '96)

"We used to wrestle all the time. I'm pretty sure you might've heard that from somebody else, but that's the one thing that jumps out to me. We split the team up into younger guys versus older guys. You could be walking through the Wildcat Lodge, two young guys walking with an older guy, and you just grab them and put them in a garbage can. It was funny, because at the time, Nazr was a little overweight, and it used to take like three guys to put Nazr in the trash. But that was our whole thing, and that's what made it fun."

(Mohammed got the last laugh, though, as a strict fitness regimen left him the last Cat standing from that team in the NBA. He's still playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.)

[jbcarol]

... Abby Wambach

Kevin Brockway ‏@gatorhoops  3h3 hours ago
Abby Wambach arrested for driving under influence http://usat.ly/1SLAvx8 

Abby Wambach was arrested early Sunday morning by police in Portland, Ore., and charged with driving under the influence, according to booking information from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.

Wambach, 35, was released on her own recognizance and charged with misdemeanor DUII...

According to a release from the Portland police department, Wambach was driving a 2014 Range Rover and was stopped at 11:05 p.m. Saturday after failing to stop for a red light. A sergeant observed signs that she was under the influence of alcohol. Wambach failed field sobriety tests and was arrested. She later failed a breath test at the Central Precinct in downtown Portland.

[jbcarol]

... Sonny Gray

A's scratch pitcher Sonny Gray because of food poisoning

A's will go with their understudy, Rich Hill, for scheduled opening day starter Sonny Gray Monday night against the Chicago White Sox after Gray came down with food poisoning.

Gray, who has started the last two openers for the A's, has been through a similar issue in the past, missing about a week midseason 2015 after coming down with salmonella poisoning.

[jbcarol]

... Roxanne Chalifoux

USA TODAY Sports ‏@USATODAYsports 17h17 hours ago

Villanova's crying piccolo girl is headed to Houston for the #FinalFour http://usat.ly/1UqLTBL 



https://twitter.com/bubbawatson/status/580441197312942080

https://twitter.com/BrettMyhres/status/651608552436580352

Roxanne Chalifoux ‏@roxiechalifoxie 11h11 hours ago

the creativity of people is amazing



oh what a difference a year makes✌️

[jbcarol]

... Roxanne Chalifoux

USA TODAY Sports ‏@USATODAYsports 17h17 hours ago

Villanova's crying piccolo girl is headed to Houston for the #FinalFour http://usat.ly/1UqLTBL 



https://twitter.com/bubbawatson/status/580441197312942080

https://twitter.com/BrettMyhres/status/651608552436580352

Avery Johnson on the successes, failures and surprises of his first season at Bama

Alabama's been to just two NCAA tournaments in the past decade. It's never been past the Elite Eight.

"We can't ever make it to the Final Four until we get into the tournament consistently," Johnson said, "have some ups and downs and hopefully get lucky and learn from some of our mistakes."

Johnson pointed to a moment from last year's NCAA tournament. He recalled the Villanova pep band piccolo player who gained internet fame when CBS cameras caught her with tears streaking down her cheeks when the top-seeded Wildcats lost to NC State in the second round.

"I'd rather have our team in that situation crying and have another opportunity to come back. You can't do anything until you get in (the tournament) and experience it. The same thing with Villanova. The coaches have been there for a while, been able to lay the groundwork for the program."

That means getting the roster built in Johnson's image. Since arriving, six of Anthony Grant's recruits have transferred.

[jbcarol]

... Johnathan Taylor

Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 5m5 minutes ago

Update on Johnathan Taylor's case in Athens http://sec.news/22fDKiP

Johnathan Taylor, the former Georgia and Alabama football player accused of assault while on both teams, could see the end of his legal troubles next week.

If not, then Taylor is likely to go to trial next month, nearly two years after being charged with domestic assault in Athens.

"Our hope is that we can resolve it next week," said Kim Stephens, who is Taylor's lawyer. "But we're kind of sitting on pause, if you will, waiting to see what the DA's office is willing to do, and to determine if it's acceptable, and if it is we can resolve the case."

If it's not, Stephens said, the expectation is a May trial.

Athens assault charge is the last on a lengthy list of troubles for Taylor, a once-promising defensive lineman.

The first arrest was in March 2014, when Taylor and three teammates were charged with double-cashing scholarship checks from UGA. All four accepted pre-trial intervention, but the assault charge four months later violated that, reinstituting the original charge.

For that charge, Taylor pled guilty in December to 12 months probation...

Taylor was arrested on a felony charge of assault and domestic battery in July 2014, after an altercation with his girlfriend. Georgia quickly dismissed Taylor, who played that fall at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, Miss.

Alabama then accepted Taylor's transfer, despite the Athens charges still hanging over him. In March 2015, Taylor was arrested after an incident with a different woman. Alabama dismissed Taylor.

A few days later the woman recanted her story and told police her wounds were self-inflicted, and she was arrested for filing a false police report. However, on July 7 last year Taylor pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminal mischief, while the charges against the woman were dropped, according to ESPN's Outside the Lines reported.

The SEC passed a rule last summer, proposed by Georgia, that its schools could not accept transfers who had been accused of serious offenses, including domestic violence.

Taylor, who is now at Southeastern Louisiana, an FCS school, where he is due to play his final year of college football this year.

[jbcarol]

... Hokie Gajan

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/719897905939759104

Hokie Gajan died on Monday night at age 56 after a battle with cancer, according to WWL Radio.

Gajan, a Baton Rouge, La., native, spent his entire football career in Louisiana and earned the nickname the "Bayou Bowling Ball" from quarterback Ken Stabler. At LSU, he tallied 1,563 rushing yards and was a tenth-round selection in the 1981 NFL Draft.

Knee injuries eventually ended Gajan's career and he transitioned into a job in the Saints' scouting department, where he worked for 14 years, before moving to the team's broadcast booth in 2000.

"Hokie Gajan was a true New Orleans Saint, as a player, a valued member of our scouting staff and later as a broadcaster," Saints owners Tom and Gayle Benson said in a statement on Tuesday. "Overall, he impacted our whole organization and had a special relationship with our fans for 36 years. We will miss Hokie dearly and our thoughts and prayers go out to Judy, their four daughters and the entire Gajan family."

Gajan left his job in the Saints broadcast booth for the 2015 season after he was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, in the fall.

https://twitter.com/LSUfootball/status/719895995367211009

[jbcarol]

... Bill Mustin

Former Ole Miss RB Bill Mustin dies at age 87

The former running back, assistant coach and administrator Billy Mustin died at the age of 87, the school announced.

Mustin played for the Rebels from 1946-49 as a halfback in the single wing and "T" formations.

After his playing days were over, Mustin joined legendary coach Johnny Vaught's staff in 1963. He also worked at the athletic department's Loyalty Foundation for 12 years, including 10 years as the director of the organization. Since retiring from the Loyalty Foundation in 1985, Mustin has resided in Oxford.

[jbcarol]

... Hokie Gajan

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/719897905939759104

https://twitter.com/LSUfootball/status/719895995367211009

Scott Rabalais ‏@RabalaisAdv 10h10 hours ago

Scott Rabalais: 'Man's man' Hokie Gajan loved Louisiana -- and we loved him back. #Saints #LSU  http://theadvocate.com/sports/saints/15470416-173/scott-rabalais-hokie-gajan-embodied-louisiana ...

Hokie Gajan was Louisiana.

He played football. Excelled at it really, as anyone who reaches the NFL must be said to have done.

He was a Baker Buffalo, knowing the adoration of the small-town Louisiana high school football star.

He was an LSU Tiger, knowing the devotion that comes to those who get to start and stand out in the purple and gold. It was his dream, and through him countless other Louisianians got to live out their dream as well.

"Nobody could have pulled me away from LSU," Gajan once said. "If Bear Bryant would have come and talked to me, it wouldn't have made any difference whatsoever."

Then he was a New Orleans Saint, the club taking him in the 10th round of the 1981 NFL draft. There aren't even 10 rounds anymore, so one could say Gajan's talents were considered marginal by pro football standards. But he lasted for four seasons before injuries cut his career short, so there was something there, ability and tenacity more than most ever had.

He loved the outdoors, too, another thing that made him distinctly Louisiana. He was as at home in a blind or on a boat as he was on the football field.

After a stint as a Saints' scout, he made his transition to the broadcast booth as the Saints' radio color analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Henderson. Hokie wasn't polished like a Jim Nantz or a Mike Tirico. He told it as he saw it, always with a tinge of empathy for his Saints, but never failed to tell it like it was if they weren't doing what they should.

It was that everyman quality that was so endearing about Hokie. He was all of us when he was playing the game, casting a line or delivering one from NFL press boxes from Foxboro to Seattle. You kind of felt if Hokie could do it, then so could you.

Meeting famous people is part of my business, and invariably I'll be asked what is he or she like. They want to know if the famous sports star is a good guy or a jerk. That the legacy lasts, far longer than the yards gained, the championships won, and certainly the money earned.

After a man's death, there are few if any who will stand up to speak ill of them. But with Hokie, that will certainly last a lot longer, if not forever. Few if any players or broadcasters have come through this state and made themselves more enmeshed with our culture.

He was, Henderson told WWL radio, "a man's man."

He was a guy anyone felt they could like. And they would have been absolutely right.

[jbcarol]

... Albert Haynesworth

https://twitter.com/knoxnews/status/722876415092400129

Former Tennessee Vol and NFL defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth has pledged a $5,000 reward for information leading to 12-year-old JaJuan Latham's killer.

The former football star had appeared at the fourth annual Bobby Maze celebrity basketball weekend in Knoxville, which JaJuan also attended Saturday night, hours before the boy was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting at Danny Mayfield Park in Mechanicsville.

Knoxville police continue to ask witnesses to come forward with information on the shooting, which erupted among a crowd of 150-200 people during a block party in the park.

"So here you go folks I will personally hand YOU $5,000 dollars to the person that lets the police know who murdered Jajuan Latham," Haynesworth posted on Facebook on Tuesday night. "$5,000 dollars is nothing to Jajuan's family by if it can bring closure then I'm willing to give!

Haynesworth reposted the message on Twitter under the hashtag #JUSTICEFORJAJUAN, adding, "As I lay here looking @ my baby boy and just imagining what JaJuan's family is going thru."

[jbcarol]

... JaMarcus Russell

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 2h2 hours ago

JaMarcus Russell says he'd 'play for free' for a chance to return to the #NFL http://ow.ly/4n5CB0

NFL Draft starts on Thursday, which is also the nine-year anniversary of former Williamson High School star JaMarcus Russell going to the Oakland Raiders with the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Russell has told Sports Illustrated he'd "play for free" to get back in the NFL. Sports Illustrated will release a video update on Russell on SI Films on Tuesday (today).

2002, Russell was a Parade All-American, Alabama's Mr. Football and the AHSAA Class 5A Player of the Year and Back of the Year for the Williamson Lions. He also was an All-State selection in 2000 and honorable mention in 1999 and 2001 for the Mobile school.

Russell went on to become the All-SEC quarterback for LSU in 2006.

Russell reported late for his first training camp with Oakland after prolonged contract negotiations. He wound up with a six-year, $61 million contract, including $32 million in guaranteed money.

Russell started 25 games during his three seasons in the NFL. He completed 354-of-680 passes for 4,083 yards and 18 touchdowns with 23 interceptions and had a 7-18 record as a starter.

The Raiders released Russell in May 2010.

The Sports Illustrated piece reveals Russell wrote to NFL teams last year, asking for a chance to work out for coaches.

The letter to Jones also said: "I know that my name does not carry much weight in the NFL right now, but I am more than the image that others have bestowed on me. I've been labeled as a bust, I have been labeled as lazy and I have been the targets of many insults by the media. The blame for any negative press that I've received rested squarely on my shoulders. ... My tribulations have humbled me. I am a better man because of my struggles, and I simply desire an opportunity redeem myself. I do not want my legacy to be a trail of unfulfilled dreams and missed opportunities."

Purple drank, purple drank ...

[jbcarol]

... Jack Roberts

Georgia football, baseball standout Jack Roberts dead at 86

James Thomas Roberts, he earned induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1958 for his accolades in football, baseball, basketball and track. In the 1953 baseball season at Georgia, Roberts posted an 8-2 record and notched 87 strikeouts -- a mark that stood as a single-season best for 32 years. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and played for their Triple-A Rochester affiliate, and also played for the Atlanta Crackers.

Roberts served in the United States Air Force from 1956-58.

In 2008, Roberts had his jersey retired by Gainesville High School, the place where his athletic career began.

A native of Gainesville, Roberts was living in Peachtree Ridge.

Roberts is the second two-sport Georgia star from this time period to pass away in the past week. Former Georgia football and basketball standout Zippy Morocco died Sunday.

[jbcarol]

... Ed Davender

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 33m33 minutes ago

Prayers up for former Cat Ed Davender...he has had a heart attack and I am told is in very serious condition.

[jbcarol]

... Ed Davender

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 33m33 minutes ago

Prayers up for former Cat Ed Davender...he has had a heart attack and I am told is in very serious condition.

Rex Chapman ‏@rexchapman 13h13 hours ago Kentucky, USA

We were a problem for ppl on the floor - & sometimes off. Nobody I'd have rather run with. I love you, Bug. Always.



Former UK guard Ed Davender passed away last night at the age of 49

Davender played at UK from 1984-1988 and ranks 11th on the all-time career scoring list with 1,637 points and eighth on the career assists list with 436. He came to Kentucky from Brooklyn, New York as a McDonald's All-American, and started as a freshman for Joe B. Hall. Eddie Sutton coached him his final three years at Kentucky, during which he also led the Cats in free-throw accuracy.

In 2010, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for his participation in a UK basketball ticket scam that caused victims to lose tens of thousands of dollars. His public defender Denny Shepperd told the Herald-Leader that Davender pledged in court to "pay every penny" of what he owed.

His name came up this season. Tyler Ulis reminds many of Davender, and the backcourt duo of Ulis and Murray will go down alongside Davender and Rex Chapman as the most successful in UK Basketball history.

[jbcarol]

... Richie Farmer

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 17h17 hours ago
Richie Farmer declares bankruptcy and says he is currently living off food stamps: http://bit.ly/1rEczCR

This comes after Farmer went to prison after misusing state money while he was in office, derailing his political career.

Farmer's petition states that he is living off of $124 a month in food stamps, with assistance from his parents who give him $400 a month. He listed that his assets total $24,259, most of which is in his state pension, and liabilities are  $385,745.

The two biggest liabilities that Farmer has is his Frankfort house, which was recently foreclosed, that he owes $207,904 and  $120,000 in restitution to the state as part of his criminal case.

[jbcarol]

... Jordan Rodgers

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/731583787449126912

Aaron's brother would be the second ex-SEC QB to appear on the ABC franchise.

[jbcarol]

... Zach Mettenberger

Former LSU and UGA quarterback Zach Mettenberger is searching for a new NFL home.

Mettenberger was waived by the Tennessee Titans on Monday after two seasons with the team. The quarterback should be picked up by another team on Tuesday...

Titans were winless in Mettenberger's 10 appearances as a starter over the last two seasons. In total, he appeared in 14 games, completing 60.3 percent of his passes for 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Mettenberger transferred to LSU in 2011 after being dismissed from UGA in 2010 (sexual assault case in a Valdosta bar; his mom worked on Mark Richt's admin staff). He posted a 19-6 record as the Tigers' starter in 2012 and '13.

[jbcarol]

Former pitcher Sammy Ellis, who led Mississippi State in strikeouts in 1961, died Friday in Florida. He was 75.

Ellis played at MSU in 1961. He struck out 73 in 57 2/3 innings. Both totals led the Bulldogs. The 73 strikeouts were also tops in the SEC. The right-hander continued his baseball career in 1962 with the Cincinnati Reds. He played five seasons in Cincinnati before playing a season with California in 1968.

Ellis continued coaching in Major League Baseball. He coached with the Yankees, White Sox, Cubs, Mariners, Red Sox and Orioles from 1983-2000.

[jbcarol]

... Zach Mettenberger

https://twitter.com/AdvocateSports/status/732689209144836096

[jbcarol]

... Patrick Willis

Patrick Willis is thriving in retirement as a Silicon Valley tech worker

CAMPBELL, Calif. — Willis made the Pro Bowl in seven of his eight professional seasons. Then he shocked the football world when he walked away from the game in March 2015 at age 30.

Now Willis' life is — well, probably not at all what most NFL fans would expect.

Monday through Friday, Willis commutes to work at a Silicon Valley office park. He's got a list of favorite lunch spots nearby. Sometimes he takes video calls from home, or instant messages with colleagues after hours.

Like so many people who share his age range and geographic area, Willis now works at a tech startup.

[jbcarol]

... Papajohn

https://twitter.com/theadvocatebr/status/733332576421613568

Baton Rougean Michael Papajohn's ear had just been bitten off and a corn cob stuffed down his throat as a finale to the bloodiest battle he'd ever fought.

Yet Rogen couldn't stop laughing, maybe because he knew he had something special, a scene that would go viral after airing as a trailer for AMC's new series, "Preacher." The show premiers Sunday on AMC, following the finale of "Fear the Walking Dead."

Papajohn is now in Malaysia, where he's filming "Reborn," a Chinese film he spent most of April working on in Shanghai. He was able to make a quick trip to Baton Rouge in between to visit wife Paula Joy and son Sean and attend the 1986 LSU baseball team's 30th anniversary reunion. Papajohn was an outfielder on that team, the first to play in the College World Series.

Next up, Papajohn will travel to Atlanta to play the detective sidekick to Nicolas Cage's character in "Vengeance: A Love Story."

But first comes "Preacher," which is based on the DC Comics' series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. The television series was developed by Evan Goldberg, Sam Catlin and Rogen, who directed the first episode and thought it hilarious when actress Ruth Negga uses her teeth to tear off Papajohn's ear.

"Oh, I still have my ear," Papajohn says...

[jbcarol]

... Kenneth Darby's money

According to the Alabama Securities Commission, Darby's financial advisor Keith Michael Rogers misled his clients by misrepresenting that their investments funds would be lawfully used to obtain a return. An ASC Enforcement Division investigation discovered that in excess of $2.5 million of his investors' funds were actually used by Rogers to pay for his personal expenses and also used as "Ponzi" payments to earlier investors.

A Huntsville financial consultant who pleaded guilty to fraud has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Madison County Circuit Judge Alison Austin sentenced Keith Michael Rogers to three year's confinement and suspended seven years of the sentence, according to court records. Rogers was also ordered to pay more than $1.7 million in restitution to the victims.

Former Alabama All-SEC tailback Kenneth Darby of Huntsville was among Rogers' clients. In a lawsuit against Rogers, Darby claimed he lost more than $250,000 because he allowed Rogers to handle his money.

Kenneth Darby, who played four NFL seasons, was left "with nothing" after his playing career ended due to a Huntsville broker's investment swindle, a lawsuit now in federal court alleges.

Darby, who starred at Huntsville's Butler High School, was aware of the short-lived nature of an NFL career. Darby played four NFL seasons, from 2007 to 2010.

He had saved more than $250,000 "intended for the day when he no longer drew an NFL paycheck".

He placed the money with the Huntsville brokerage firm G.L.S. & Associates and the lawsuit argues a then-GLS employee Keith Michael Rogers used investor money, including Darby's, for his own benefit.

[jbcarol]

... John Daly

https://twitter.com/cwray_sports/status/734519951806070785

PGA Champions Tour newcomer John Daly didn't win the 2016 Regions Tradition at Greystone Golf & Country Club this weekend, but the huge crowds that followed him all week long showed that he won over the fans.

Daly just turned 50, ... had the opportunity to play in his first Regions Tradition.

His presence was a huge boon for the event.

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 11h11 hours ago

Jacob Tamme Voted Most Hated Player in the NFL .... Seriously, Kinda http://bit.ly/1TDl781 

Sirius XM NFL Twitter posted a poll on Friday asking who the most hated player is in the NFL. Since it was a Twitter poll they needed a fourth name to go with the three common answers: Cam Newton, Tom Brady and Richard Sherman.

So, they put Jacob Tamme – a guy without a mean bone in his body as the fourth answer. Well, Falcons fans and I'm assuming some Kentucky fans decided to run with it and make him the most hated man in the NFL. Tamme won the vote with 35% beating out Newton at 30%.

https://twitter.com/FalconsM5/status/734210853663313921

[jbcarol]

... Tommy Lorino

Wesley Sinor ‏@WesleySinor 31m31 minutes ago

Auburn legend Tommy Lorino passes away http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2016/05/auburn_legend_tommy_lorino_pas.html ...

Lorino was the star running back on Auburn's 1957 national championship team. He led the Tigers in rushing from 1956 to 1958 and tallied 1,486 yards and eight touchdowns on 227 carries. He led the nation in rushing in 1956, averaging 8.44 yard per carry.

After his playing career, the Bessemer native became an SEC official for 25 seasons. He officiated two national championship games before retiring in 2000.

[jbcarol]

... C.M. Newton

https://twitter.com/ESPN_SEC/status/735819086551232512

C.M. Newton always tried to make it home in time for dinner with his wife, Evelyn, and their three children. Afterward, he might pull out a board game or head to the den, smoking his pipe as he watched The Ed Sullivan Show.

Newton worked hard not to let his professional life intrude on his family time. A visitor to the house might never guess he was the head basketball coach at the University of Alabama.

Until the time he recruited a black ballplayer. And a Klansman set a cross on fire in Newton's front yard.

Today, nearly a half-century later, Newton, 86, is retired and back in Tuscaloosa after stops in Birmingham, Nashville and Lexington. Evelyn passed away in 2000, and Newton and his second wife, Nancy, banter like the old friends they are – they met more than 40 years ago when she was the Crimson Tide basketball secretary...

[jbcarol]

... John Parker

Where Are They Now? Catching up with John Parker

The first quarterback of the Saban era, now lives in Birmingham with his wife Tyler and their mini golden doodle Piper. Watch the video (at link) as John Parker reminisces about his time in Tuscaloosa, playing in the NFL, and shares how donning the crimson and white has shaped him into the man he is today.

[jbcarol]

... Twany Beckham

Former State, UK reserve Twany Beckham appointed by KY to new position in charge of helping state employees live healthy lives

Twany Beckham has been named the Wellness Director for the Kentucky Employees' Health Plan.  As Wellness Director his role is to encourage healthy habits for all state employees.

Before Twany was contributing to the 2012 National Championship team, he played two years at Mississippi State, following a fantastic career at Ballard...

[jbcarol]

... Patrick Miller

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/738763437321400321

Miller played at Auburn in 2012, 2013 and 2014, leaving the Tigers with one year of collegiate eligibility remaining. Miller signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted rookie in May 2015. The 49ers released Miller at the end of training camp, and he spent time during the 2015 season on the Jacksonville practice squad. The Jaguars re-signed Miller in January.

Jaguars now have three former Auburn players on their roster – running back Corey Grant, defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks and cornerback Nick Marshall.

[jbcarol]

... Darius Miller

Darius Miller is getting it done overseas in the German League Finals

Miller was 8-9 from behind the arch for a combined game-high of 26 points last night. The league has called him "Killer Miller" and "the Difference Maker"...

Miller averaged 9.4 points and 2.8 assists per game, but has stepped it up during the playoffs, averaging 12.6 points and 2.6 assists per game. He's also made 61.8% of his three-point attempts this post-season.

Senior sixth man on UK's '12 National champs.  Went to same high school as Chris Lofton and chose UK over Tennessee.

[jbcarol]

... Kadeem Jack

Adam Zagoria ‏@AdamZagoria 1h1 hour ago

Former Rutgers F Kadeem Jack will play Summer League with Detroit in Orlando, @bjbass2 tells @SNYtv

http://www.hogville.net/yabbse/index.php?topic=358125.0;nowap

[jbcarol]

... Good Bo

https://twitter.com/DanielPaulling/status/742867293630304256

OXFORD - Bo Wallace redecorated his family's house when he returned home last December, placing a giant dry erase board on a dining room wall. The former Ole Miss quarterback uses it to teach his younger brother, Bryce, as a part of his new life.

Bo gave up his career as a football player in an attempt to start one coaching the sport. He said the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts invited him a few weeks ago to minicamp after he received some interest from the Kansas City Chiefs and a few CFL teams last year.

But the allure of being the quarterbacks coach at Marshall County High in Lewisburg, Tennessee, overwhelmed his desire to help his younger brother develop.

"I want to move on with my life," Wallace said. "I want to be the best coach that I can be. I don't want to be at this point in my life, if I went to the CFL and was able to play there a couple of years, when I was 30 years old instead of being able to at 23."

Now, he'll get to be hands-on with Bryce, who, as a sophomore, will take over a team that made the Class 4A state semifinals last year.

"One big thing for me, I can throw the ball well, but he's really helped me looking smooth," said Bryce, who completed 11 of 17 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 19 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns last fall. "That's what a lot of college coaches want to see, how smooth do you look and does the ball fly out of your hand.

"I feel a lot smoother throwing the ball, my hips are (rotating) faster, and the ball is really feeling good coming out of  my hand. I'd say I have to work on my feet."

Bo knows.