VERNO'S 20 THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN THE SEC 2005

1. GERALD RIGGS WILL LEAD THE SEC IN RUSHING THIS YEAR. 5.7 YPC LAST YR.

2. THE IRON BOWL WILL DECIDE THE WEST CHAMPION (WON'T BE LSU)

3. DJ SHOCKLEY WILL NOT START EVERY GAME FOR GEORGIA

4. GEORGIA WILL BE THE BIG DISSAPOINTMENT TEAM... LOST TOO MUCH, QB STRUGGLES

5. UT WILL BEAT OLE MISS BY AT LEAST 3 TD'S ON OCT. 1ST

6. ARKANSAS WILL NOT GET BLOWN OUT AT USC

7. JEMARCUS RUSSELL WILL STILL LOOK WEIRD THROWING THE BALL

8. MICHAEL SPURLOCK WILL LOSE HIS STARTING JOB BY THE 3RD GAME (WYOMING)

9. RICH BROOKS WILL BE FIRED (MAYBE AFTER THE NOV 12TH VANDY GAME)

10. TENN. WILL WIN THE EAST, AUBURN OR BAMA WIN THE WEST

11. VANDY WILL GET A HUGE UPSET WIN THIS YEAR

12. YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT VANDY LB MOSES OSEMWEGIE (WATCH HIM PLAY)

13. YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT ARKANSAS WR MARCUS MONK (FREAK OF NATURE)

14. ALABAMA WILL BE THE SURPRISE TEAM THIS YEAR (9 RETURNING STARTERS ON 2ND NAT. D)

15. SPURRIER AND SOUTH CAROLINA WILL GET A WIN OVER ONE OF THE EAST BIG DOGS

16. ARKANSAS WILL START ANOTHER BOWL STREAK (6 YR STREAK ENDED LAST YR.)

17. BRODIE CROYLE WILL HAVE THE BEST STATS OF ANY BAMA QB IN OVER 20 YRS

18. THE AUBURN/ LSU GAME WILL BE ANOTHER DEFENSIVE BATTLE

19. MISS. ST.'S SEC ROAD LOSING STREAK WILL END AT 19 WITH A WIN OCT. 29TH AT KENTUCKY

20. LOUISVILLE WILL BEAT KENTUCKY BY 30

Case of the Mondays

Well, we got to the trailer to do the show this morning only to realize that our humble abode got popped by lightning over the weekend, knocking out the phones. 3 Hours, no guests, no calls. Thank God I had overly prepared, because that was certainly different. Even I get tired of hearing myself talk. Well, sometimes. HAHAHAHA. In all seriousness, I remember telling you long ago that when I first started in radio at the other station, I was working one day on the board when the lines went dead and it was a day of the worst shows I had ever heard, outside of Lapides. George doesn't rely on calls and is always prepared for whatever he is going to do. That was a real lesson to me. I realized the value and difference of those that are prepared, and those that are not.

I gave the 20 Things To Look for This Year in the SEC (My List, I didn't just read what someone else wrote). They will be on the front page for you to find and you can keep up with them and rag me when I am wrong.

Thanks for listening. Gary is on tommorow. We have some big station promotions coming up, and there should be a surprise one at the end of this week. I will let you know the when and where's.

Verno

Thursday includes Easterwood and Sugar

Today on the show, we will have "inside hoops" with Keith Easterwood and our weekly cigar with Bert Sugar. Got some calls out for some NFL guys, maybe we will land one of those too.

I am sure that Easterwood and I will talk about local bbal recruit Brandon Powell announcing that he will be going to Florida and if that will affect the Tigers attempt to lure Thaddeus Young.

Keith will be on at 9:30 and will answer questions if you have them.
877-730-espn (3776)

Verno

Tuesday and Wednesday with G Peezie

Gary Parrish is now with me on Tues. and Wed. Gary is a great addition to Tuesdays show and I love having him around. Today we had ESPN.COM national columnist Pat Forde on the show to talk about his column on the Huggins saga. Cincy bball has been a joke and an embarrasment for the school, so really it comes as no surprise to me that Huggins got the axe. Say what you want about their president, but she has some serious guts.

The show is really gaining steam, word of the station is getting out, and I thank you.

Turnin it out from a trailer and 1 tower.
Web Streaming will be up in the next 2 weeks... maybe sooner.


Verno

ESPN 730 at the Grand Casino

The girls and I went to the Grand for the World Series of Poker event this past Sunday. Tara, Carly, and Jamie took this pic with WSOP greats Scotty Nguyen and Robert Williamson III. Make sure you get out to our next huge ESPN bash at the Redbirds game on Sept. 2nd. The details are on the homepage.

SEMI BIG NEWS MONDAY (Pierre and Roberson)

We broke some more news today on the show when we told you that Pierre Niles has withdrawn from Ridgeway High School. Pierre is one the best high school bball players in the nation, and a part of one of the best classes in a long time. At this point, though Pierre is not in school, the word is that he will go to a prep school (maybe IMG). I hate to see that Pierre is not going to finish school playing bball in the Memphis area, but I hope he can get his academics straight.
It puzzles me that we see this happening with another huge bball player that is enrolled in a Memphis City School. Is it them? Is it the schools? The guardians? It is probably a bad combo of all three. I hope this kid gets things straight, because by all accounts, he is really good kid with a tremendous future in basketball. Thanks to Keith Easterwood for helping us with this story. Another Memphis high school great goes somewhere else to get eligible. Depressing.

I had Scotty Nguyen on the show. Scotty is a former World Series of Poker champion and is playing down at the WSOP event at the Grand Casino this week. He was an absolute trip. Good interview, hilarious guy.

The other news we brought to you on the show today is that Anthony Roberson signed a 2 year deal with the Grizzlies. He told us when I had him on the show today. An innocent question about his status of making the team turned into a good little nugget. A 2 year deal does not mean that you are coming to camp to get cut. I would be real surprised if this doesn't mean the end of Antonio Burks in a Grizz uni.

You keep listening and we will keep bringing you what you want to know. Guests, news, opinions. We are one step ahead. Tell a friend.

Turnin it out from a trailer hooked to one tower.........

Verno

The cat problem and Friday

I have stray cats outside of my house that sleep on my car and walk all over it. I asked for you to help me solve my problem. You called in with everything from shooting, to tazing, to spraying water on them. Thanks for being no help.... hahahaha.

We talked to AF2 COY Danton Bartow and they have their championship game at the DCC tonight. We also talked about Tim Thompson, Randy Moss, etc. Keith Easterwood called in and said he was more confident than yesterday that a Memphis/ Kentucky deal will get done.

Have a great weekend. I will be at the Grand Casino from 3-5 on Sunday for a remote from the World Series of Poker. Come by and meet the players, take in the action, and get free ESPN gear.

Verno

Look what we stirred up today

I had Keith Easterwood on the show today and he said that he believes that Kentucky is the big non-conference game that the Tigers will be getting on the schedule. Obviously, this was possibly huge news to everyone. I know that Keith typically knows more about the local happenings in bball around this region than anyone. The university has validated that they have been in talks with Kentucky, but nothing has been signed. Everyone is now scrambling to find out if this is true, to get the inside scoop. What we do know is that, in addition to Arizona (which has been mentioned), that Cal has talked about scheduling another Top 10 program. Keith said that the school was Kentucky, and it adds up. Cal can't confirm yet because, if something goes wrong, then it's like "What happened to Kentucky?" but they are trying to get this done and I commend Cal and his staff at working like dogs to get a great non-conference schedule. I hope it turns out that Memphis does sign a deal with Kentucky... it would be amazing. Duke, Carolina, Kentucky... if you get any of those three... it's huge.

There is no denying that we dictated other shows. Thanks for listening.

Easterwood also let us know that he believes that Pierre Niles will be a Tiger, but it will be a year. Keith will be on every Thurs. at 9:30.

Bringin you what you want to hear from 1 tower, wait till we have 4. HAHAHAHAHA.

thanks for listening, calling, and emailing the show... tell a friend about 730 ESPN

Verno

Gary Parrish Wed. and Thurs. Guests

Gary and I talked a lot about the Tiger bball game against UT that ws announced in the paper this morning. It is my contention that it will be the highest attended of the non-conference games this year. Gary says it will be the Texas game. Gary is wrong. I will win the bet. The Tenn. game is a rivalry, at least somewhat. I contend that Ole Miss and Tenn. now become more exciting because the conf. rivals are gone. It is all the fans have left in terms of a rivalry. Many of you work with UT or Ole Miss fans. How many Texas fans? Regardless of rank. That's why I feel the way I do. We also talked about Tim Thompson back in coaching and whatever else came to our minds.

Got good news on the towers.... they are ahead of schedule.

Thurs. I will have Keith Easterwood on at 9:30 for Inside Hoops. I will also be joined by Bert Sugar for the "Weekly Cigar with Bert Sugar", and Sporting News NBA writer Sean Deveney.

Verno

Tim Thompson, Mike Miller, and the show

I had Tim Thompson on the show today. After reading Sunday's article about the former Melrose coach taking over at Fayette-Ware, I had to talk to him. Look at some of these gems from the self-professed P-Diddy of this here caoching game.

"I'm a great coach, and I'll fire yo' (butt)," Thompson boasts

"Everybody in Memphis is running the run-and-shoot now," he says. "But they forget, we got the recipe. We the Colonel." MY FAVORITE QUOTE IN THE HISTORY OF MEMPHIS

"It's the system," Thompson said. "People don't understand that. Coming from Melrose, it was like, 'He's got a lot of great players. Da da da da da.'
"Now we'll show 'em it was the system. (New England Patriots coach Bill) Belichick is going to win, baby. I don't care where he go. It's his system."

As you can see, Tim can drop a quote with the best of them. I know Tim screwed up and did some things he shouldn't have, but he paid for it. He has helped save a ton of kids out of the ghetto, he re-united an entire community, and he is a great football coach. I can't wait to see what he does at a school that has lost 28 straight. We will definitely catch up with Tim again.

We also talked with Mike Miller. Mike is a great guy, and I am glad that he is a part of the nucleus of this Grizz team.

Dennis Dodd (CBS Sportsline) joined us to talk about college football, and was good as always.

I've got no producer and we are killing it. Amazing. I had heard it wasn't me.

Gary will be joining me on Tuesdays also, looking for more sponsors, get in touch with me.

Verno

Anthony Reyes is the Man

Holding serve, we were able to track down Anthony Reyes the day after he struck out 15 for the Redbirds. If you have not seen this guy pitch, find out when he is starting and get down to Autozone Park. He is filthy. I have seen the likes of Ankiel, Bud Smith, Danny Haren, and the likes come through Memphis, and Reyes might just be the best. Before you scoff, those that I just named were, at a time, as good as it got on the AAA level. Reyes came on the show and talked about winning his MLB debut last week for the Cardinals, and about mowing down 15 batters in his AAA start on Sunday. There are guys that come through Memphis that you have a chance to see for a limited time... go see Reyes.

Tuesday on the show, Gary Parrish will join me, as well as Dennis Dodd from CBS Sportsline and one of the new Grizzlies... Jones, Stoudamire, or Jackson.

I went to the presser on Monday and not much came from it, but I do have clips I got with the Logo afterwards that I will play tommorow.

Email me if there are any guests you are interested in seeing.

Tell a friend about ESPN 730.

Verno

The weekend that was

I started the weekend on Friday by going to the Highland Hundred banquet. I was really impressed with the event once again. Tommy West was a good speaker as always and the new president is a friend of mine, Jim Pennington. It sure is a lot different than it was a few years ago. Thanks to easy Ed Scheeler and Jimmy P, you guys are always great to me.

Saturday I went to the two dollar movie (which is now 2.50) to see Cinderella Man. It didn't do well at the box office, but it is a great flick. It really details the depression and one of the best stories in the history of sports. Check it out when it comes out on video soon.

The ESPN 730 crew was out at the 50 in 50 event. I hope you saw them and got a t-shirt if you were out there. We have got some great looking t-shirts, and next time we are out and about I will let you know and you can get one.

I will go the the Grizzly presser with the new players on Monday and let you know how it went.

Get the word out. ESPN 730.

Verno

Thursday check-in

Today we had a packed show. We heard from Bert Sugar, Newsday's Wally Matthews, Houston Nutt, Jesse Weeks from the Riverbend Links, Chargers QB Phillip Rivers, and local bball guru Keith Easterwood.

I am really happy to let you know that Keith is going to be a regular on the program, and nobody knows more about the local basketball scene than Keith.

Keith said that he expected these names on the Tiger recruit list... Willie Kemp, Hasim Bailey, Sonny Weems, John Mandelove, Stanley Robinson. I probably spelled all of those wrong. Keith also said that the Tigers have a good shot at Thaddeus Young, and Derrick Character will decide at the last minute whether it will be Louisville or Memphis.

The Tigers should not sign a home and home with Sun Belt team. Period. The new contracts with MTSU and Ark. St. are outrageous to me.

Thanks for checking the blog and I will be here tommorow.

Verno