Stephen Thompson

Re-sharing this here because: a) I want to pin it to my profile again b) it's my favorite piece of original published writing and c) it's 70° and I'm playing pickup later. “Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School.” — Robert Fulghum

This game is going 18 innings, for sure.

Jayson Tatum

We gettin Fergalicious?

I play wide receiver for a football team from Pittsburgh and my favorite thing in the whole damn world is stepping backwards when I catch a pass at the line to gain.

I am digging the Y2K Miami uniforms. Probably the last substantive comment I will make about this game.

Davis Warren is slinging the rock??

Telling my coworkers I might not meet them out for beers later because I'm getting over a cold (I'm gonna meet them out for beers later).

I'm really struggling to think of anything redeeming to come out of the preseason for Tennessee basketball. This is not a team that's deserving of a top-10 ranking right now. There's enough talent to get back there, but it was hard to imagine them looking this bad a week ago.

A college basketball cathedral hosts tonight’s heavyweight exhibition fight between No. 9 Tennessee and No. 2 Duke. It won’t count, but it will matter. Follow along: www.knoxnews.com/story/sports...

Just listened to an ACC preview podcast that said they were intrigued by what Dishon Jackson can do for Pitt this year. So I would take a lot of the preseason projections you see for Pitt with a grain of salt because I don’t think anyone is paying attention.

Tennessee basketball is ranked No. 9 in the USAT preseason coaches poll. There are 10 games against ranked teams on the 2026-27 schedule, plus tomorrow night's exhibition at No. 2 Duke.

Rick Barnes said this morning he doesn't anticipate Tyler Ludblade to play for Tennessee in tomorrow night's exhibition at Duke. He's practicing, but still ramping up after returning from back surgery.

Goalposts still standing despite the field rush. Neyland Stadium security surrounded the goalposts beginning in the 4th quarter and were tackling fans who tried to get up on the cross bars.

Stat of the game so far: Tennessee has 3 points off 3 Alabama turnovers and Alabama has 7 points off 2 Tennessee turnovers. Vols lead 12-10 at halftime.

Tennessee has scored 3 points off 2 Alabama turnovers so far. They've run 9 plays for 31 yards on the 2 drives that started after turnovers.

Didn't expect this to be the case, but Tennessee looks like the more prepared team so far. Vols have unblocked rushers in Keelon Russell's face seemingly every other play and receivers running wide open. Just a matter of capitalizing in the redzone at this point.

Picture perfect day for football in Knoxville.

Quick update (not a good one) on Jalen Washington's pursuit of eligibility before it's football time in Tennessee. www.knoxnews.com/story/sports...

On Location for my first Third Saturday in October.

Rick Barnes: "I'd rather get exposed now than in a week, two weeks. Because we did not respond to the adversity at all."

Final: Xavier 86, Tennesee 70. Poor, poor second half defense doomed the Vols. They sure looked like a team with 13 new players on the roster.

Tennessee has a ton of offensive talent, but there have been far too many miscommunications on defense so far. Too many guards being switched onto bigs and Musketeers running wide open for dunks and layups.

DeWayne Brown II: 0-2 shooting from the floor and 1-5 from the free throw line, but 6 rebounds (team-high) and a block in 16 minutes. Team-best +14 in the first half.

Vols made 6 of 9 shots to close the half and lead by 8 despite a rash of turnovers in the middle of the period. Terrence Hill Jr. leads with 13 points. Jalen Haralson has 8 points, 5 rebounds. www.knoxnews.com/story/sports...

Vols came out hot tonight.

Big hands for Tennessee's two returners, DeWayne Brown II and Troy Henderson, as they're introduced with the starting lineups. Also a low "Juuuuuuuuuuuke" for Juke Harris. Moments from tip-off at TBAaFCC.

Interesting: Troy Henderson and Miles Rubin get the start for Tennessee vs. Xavier. www.knoxnews.com/story/sports...

First time covering a game at Thompson-Boling Arena and I certainly knew this was the case, but maybe I hadn't really internalized just how many more banners here belong to the Lady Vols vs. the men.

Looks like no Tyler Lundblade or Jalen Washington for the Vols tonight. www.knoxnews.com/story/sports...

On Location

Vols vs. someone else, for the first time since March. Lots of new faces making their Tennessee debuts tonight (including yours truly). Follow along with our live coverage from TBAaFCC here: www.knoxnews.com/story/sports...

It's basketball time in Tennessee. www.knoxnews.com/story/sports...

I'm not a statistics guy but I don't think it's possible that 70% of SEC basketball teams can be towards the bottom of the conference in NIL spending like their coaches say they are.

Another successful work-mandated AI training. Spent 20 minutes sending 8 messages to Copilot so it can say the 75-word email I made up for the purpose of this exercise "looks good."

David Hamilton multi-hit game in the NLCS means The End Is Nigh.

The left is trying to cancel me for singing Bad, Bad Leroy Brown at the karaoke bar.

Holden, thanks for like 1/8th of the Virginia Tech win but we have the watch now.

I'm Team Let Holden Rip It in the second half.