Kristin_Tallent's Blog

Could Doneal Mack be heading back to Memphis?  According to several published reports, the former Tigers guard wants to make it a done deal.    The University of Memphis cannot comment on the issue until it is made official, but it appears  that  D-Mack wants to leave the University of New Orleans.     D-Mack played in  74 games and started 5.   He was concerned with playing time, which was his main reason for transferring.    I wonder why the change of heart?   I was curious when the news came down that he was heading to UNO, why he picked UNO!   It just seemed a little random after we had heard he was looking at programs like LSU and Clemson.

I respect a person's right to change his/her mind.   He never badmouthed the program.  He left very quietly, actually-in true D-Mack fashion.   He's a good kid.  He's always respectful and willing to talk after big wins, big losses...whatever.   I would have a hard time returning (if I were in his shoes) for the simple fact, I made my decision earlier.   But maybe it wasn't his decision.  Maybe it was his parents' decision.  It's just strange that he suddenly changed his mind.  

I think fans should welcome D-Mack back with open arms.  He's a young man who had a change of heart...a couple of times.   If Coach Cal is ok with it, we all should be.   

In the US, to make the team for the Olympics, a runner/field athlete must place in the top 3 at the trials and also must have met the "A" standard.   One meet, one chance, no matter who you are.

After Tyson Gay came up lame in the 200 m semi-finals on Saturday, I definitely think we need to come up with a different way to pick our team representatives.   Gay is the reigning world champion.  He's clearly the fast American and most-likely the fastest man on Earth.   Now, he did already qualify in the 100m.   But he won't get a chance to run in the 200m, which means Team USA could miss out on a gold.

I think it's fine to have the trials but I also think that if someon has run the fastest time in the world, that man/woman should get a pass.  What if you have an injury like Gay.  What if you have the flu or an illness?   It just doesn't seem fair.  Gay is the reigning world champion in the 100m and 200m and now because of one injury, Gay will not get the chance to bring home the gold for his country.   This is sad.  I think if you survey all of the athletes in the trials, they would agree that this is ridiculous.  

According to SI's website, Marc Gasol and the Grizz have agreed to a 3-year-deal worth 10-million bucks.   I've never seen the kid play.   I don't know much about him except for what is written.  I know he was the Spanish League's MVP last year.  He averaged 16.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.   I know he's tall.  I know he's Pau's little brother.  

After seeing how unhappy fans were  with Pau's performance, I'm curious to see how Grizzlies fans receive the younger Gasol.   I really hope that they give him a clean slate.  He's not his brother...and quite honestly, I don't know where the whole hatred for Pau Gasol came from anyway.   I understand that fans were not satisfied with just making it to the playoffs and they felt that Pau was soft-and that he choked in big games.   He did say last year he wanted to be traded, but who could blame him?  He was on a losing team!   Geez!  I would want out too!  

Maybe Marc Gasol is a big, take-no-prisoners type of guy.  Think of how opposite a lot of siblings are.  So, Grizz fans, before you write off Marc Gasol because you didn't like his big brother, give the guy a chance. 

Derrick Rose is drafted first by the Chicago Bulls...no big surprise!    Joey Dorsey is drafted 33rd by the Portland Trailblazers...no big surprise!   Sonny Weems 37th to Chicago...no big surprise!   Where's Chris Douglas-Roberts?!!!  BIG SUPRISE!   The Tigers swingman fell all the way to No. 40 in the NBA Draft, going to the NJ Nets.   Am I shocked his draft stock fell this low?  YES!   I did think he looked a little sluggish in his workout for the Grizzlies Wednesday morning, but I figured it was just because he had been traveling all over the nation, working out for NBA teams.   I am wondering what went wrong.  He seemed very confident in our interviews Wednesday.  Was he given bad information?  

Coach Cal just said that he wasn't impressed with CDR the first time he saw him (before he came to Memphis).   Of course, it didn't take long for him to learn how big of a playmaker CDR could be!   Clearly NBA teams weren't that impressed with him in individual workouts.   I hope things work out well for CDR and that he's one of those guys who becomes a superstar.   It's just tough for me to comprehend how an All-American doesn't go earlier than 40th.  

How great was it to see Derrick Rose go to his hometown team?   He just makes me smile because he is so humble and is still such a kid.   He's 19 years old!   That makes me feel really old!  haha   But he clearly is ready to take his talent to the next level and make it as a pro!   How adorable was Joey, smiling from ear-to-ear?  I was so happy that he was at the draft and he got to experience that!   And how funny is it that he's reunited with Greg Oden?!   Who's David and who's Goliath?!    That's just too funny to me! 

It could be and should be another big day in Tiger history!   Derrick Rose is expected to go No. 1 to the Chicago Bulls, which would make him the Tigers' first ever No. 1 draft pick!   But the fun won't stop there for Tiger fans.    Chris Douglas-Roberts is projected to be a late first-round draft pick.  Then, we're all anxious to see where Mr. Dorsey lands!   I will not even attempt to guess where CDR or Joey will be heading; there's absolutely no point.   I hate mock draft websites because there's no way of knowing exactly how the draft is going to play out.   It's just guessing.   However, I will say that I hope that all three of these young men have successful careers in the NBA.  It has been a joy to cover each and every one of them! 

Also, I'm hoping that my Bulldogs are well represented tonight!   I didn't see Charles Rhodes' workout when he came through for the Grizzlies, but Marcus says he did very well.   I did get to see some of Jamont Gordon's workout yesterday and he looked great!   Tony Barone even said he would make a great NBA player!   I really wanted Jamont to come back to MSU, but I wish him well in the league!

Alright, get your popcorn ready!   It will be a night of moving and shaking!

A father's relationship with his children is one that is irreplaceable. If you look at the world of sports, you see several examples of how fathers influenced their son's or daughter's career path. Dale Earnhardt Jr. followed in his dad's footsteps, becoming a Nascar driver. Laila Ali also went into the family business by stepping in the ring. Barry Bonds, the homerun king, is the son of major leaguer Bobby Bonds. But not all professional athletes have fathers who were sports super stars. Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, two of the best athletes of all time, had super star dads who were not super star athletes. Their fathers just provided lots of love and encouragement. So, on Father's Day, I hope the dads out there take to heart how much of an impact they can have on their kid's life. You can help mold your child into something great with love, affection and by setting a good example.

For once, Big Brown didn't deliver.   The Triple Crown contender wasn't himself Saturday evening at the Belmont Stakes, finishing last in a field of 9.   The 3-year-old had missed three days of training as a hoof specialist treated a quartercrack in his left front hoof.   Did that have anything to do with his performance?   Or was he just out of steam?   I don't know.   I understand that big time horse-racing fans are disappointed that Big Brown didn't pull it off, but honestly I don't really feel that way.   Sure, it would have been cool to witness history.   A horse hasn't won the Triple since 1978, but what was more important to me was for Big Brown to cross the finish line safely.  

You can't win 'em all.   Some days you just don't have it.   Both, true for Big Brown today.   He's a beautiful animal and I am so happy that nothing bad happened in today's race.  

Big Brown, the horse that could win the Triple Crown, has a slight cracked left front hoof, but his trainer says he's confident the colt will run the Belmont Stakes in a couple of weeks.   This concerns me.   Big Brown has missed some training the last few days to allow his injury to heal, but my concern is that they will race this horse no matter what for the simple fact he could win the Triple Crown.   He is being treated by a hoof specialist and I would like to think that people who work with animals do it because they love animals.  However, money talks,  and what if this gentleman is paid off to say Big Brown is fine?   Yes, I have turned into a horse-racing conspiracy theorist, but seriously.   If Big Brown had not won the previous two big races, it wouldn't be as big of an issue.   Sure, the horse's owner would miss out on possible big bucks if their horse was denied a chance to win a race, but this is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!  This horse could make history and make BIG TIME MONEY for the owner.  

I think this should be pointed out also: Big Brown was treated for more serious issues last year.  He had abscesses in the soles of each of his front feet that led to wall separations.   I am no vet or doctor,  but again, I can speak only from my past experiences as a competitive runner.   I had multiple stress fractures in college.   My bones had become fragile from the pounding of running 50+ miles per week.   After my first set of fractures, I wasn't allowed enough time to fully heal, so it became a recurring injury.   Just when I would reach top shape, fractures would flare up again in addition to new hot-spots on different metatarsals.    It was painful but I continued to train because I was on scholarship.   Finally, my senior year, a stress fracture on my right foot completely broke in a race.   I had taken pain killers, but the pain from this injury could not be disguised.   I still suffer from flare-ups today in my feet, which is difficult to deal with because I love to run.  I'm a runner; it's who I am!  

My point in telling you this is that I would think my situation is similar to that of a race horse.   An inury starts out as something small and after  not being allowed the full amount of time to heal, leads to more serious problems.   As we saw with Eight Belles, those serious problems, for horses, can ultimately lead to termination of life.  

I sincerely hope that these vets, trainers and owners take into consideration, more greatly, the colt's life than making history or money.   No animal or person should have to endure the sort of pain Eight Belles did.   My message to the Big Brown-crew, "I'm watching you!"  I'm sure other horse lovers across America are too!

So, we got the good news we had been waiting on concerning Antonio Anderson.   He'll be back next year in a Memphis Tiger uniform!--HECK YEAH!   That's big because, as I've said before, this is HIS team next year.   It's his chance to shine and to work on his shot.   He could seriously improve his draft stock for next year!   And it's is seriously big for the Tigers.   They need a true leader on the court and I see him as being the only one left to take over that role.  

We're still waiting on Robert Dozier's decision, but I certainly hope he's back too.  I don't think it's too wise for him to jump yet.   I think he needs to beef up and get more aggressive.   Sure, Robert is talented and looks like an NBA player but he is just too timid (to me) on the basketball court.  I would like to see him get aggressive and take over some games.

I am not too confident that Pierre Niles will ever lose any weight.   We pitched a story-idea to track his weight-loss and wanted to set up a challenge of sorts.   If I lost 5lbs, he'd have to lose 10lbs...something like that.   But I was told Pierre would not be up to that challenge mentally.   WHAT???!!!   Wait for it....wait for it....WHAT THE *$*&^#@^*$^*?!!!   He isn't up for it?   If he isn't mentally up for a weight loss challenge, he doesn't deserve to play basketball.  I have ZERO tolerance for athletes who expect things to just happen.  This guy, supposedly, has a lot of talent.    There are plenty of athletes out there who would do anything to have a scholarship and play basketball for the University of Memphis.   Pierre is just taking up space.  Unless he has some kind of health-condition that is hindering his effort, I have no sympathy for him.   I'm sorry.  I did a sport where you run until you puke your guts up every day.   You have to watch what you eat and have to push yourself everyday.    You get no glory for being a track runner.  People don't pay any attention to your sport and just make fun of it.  So, I have little tolerance or respect for athletes who abuse the system.   I don't care who you are. Period. 

I tuned in to watch's this afternoon's running of the Preakness and I held my breath the entire race!   I was nervous, not wanting to see repeat of the Kentucky Derby when Eight Belles was put down.   It was a clean race.   No horses came away injured and Big Brown beautifully trotted to the finish line.   But my nerves about watching these events are no more calmed.  Maybe because it is too soon after Eight Belles' accident.   The whole time I was watching the race, I was scared that a horse would break down. 

I would love to see Big Brown win the Triple Crown!   We have to wait 3 weeks now for that to happen.   I will be watching, but with the same nerves I felt today.  

I know we've talked about this a million times before, but what the heck?!  Let's bring it up again!   You've seen Pau Gasol doing his thing out in Los Angeles with the Lakers.    It's safe to say that he's been 'bringing it' in the playoffs!    Pau looks right at home with Kobe and company, doesn't he?   But his success really isn't that much of a surprise.   He was a consistently good player here in Memphis.   However, fans weren't happy with Pau here in M-town, so Pau was sent to a contender and the Grizzlies got...nothing.  That being said, they do have free salary cap space, but I don't believe they have any intent of using that money.   The plan, is to build throught he draft, which can be risky.   I hope the Grizzlies get it right.   I hope they can land a good draft position and make a good decision.    But trading Pau, I think, wasn't the best thing in the world.  Good for Pau, though.  

I don't really get into horse racing and actually forgot what time the Kentucky Derby came on and flipped the tv over when the race had just ended.   Of course, I had to flip it over when the filly, Eight Belles, was down on the track.   She broke her 2 front ankles and they euthanized her on the track.   I, for those who do not know, am very sensitive when it comes to animals.  I almost started to tear up and had to walk out of the room.   Seeing horses run, is one of the most graceful things to witness on Earth.   They are such majestic creatures.   To see her lifeless on the track made me so sad.   This animal had just run the race of her short life and a few steps after crossing the finish line, her life was over.  

I was a farm-kid, so I learned about "loss" early in life.   I've seen a lot, we'll just leave it at that, but death of animals always makes me so sad.   I guess it's the pain that the animal had to go through that  bothers me most.   I understand that's why they put her down so quickly (to relieve her from the pain).   I love animals so much!

After all of this, I do not believe I will ever watch another horse race again.   It makes me very nervous.   And I am so glad that my coach couldn't euthanize me after I had 6 different stress fractures in college!   I'm not trying to make light of the situation, it is an honest thought!

Tiger fans, breathe a sigh of relief!    He's not going to the Bulls, not going to the Knicks, he's not going to run for president; Coach Cal is staying in Memphis to coach the Tigers!   He signed his contract extenstion today which keeps him here until the 2012-2013 season.    He's guaranteed $2.35 million (this is similar to my deal here at Fox13) and will receive a donor-funded longevity bonus of $5 million (we are still working that into my contract here).  

I really think this man wants to stay here, of course those numbers would make anyone want to stay anywhere!  haha   But, I do believe he's made a home here and wants to continue to build this program even more.

 

Tyreke Evans dropped 23 points Saturday night in the Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden.   He definitely looks athletic but honestly, I hate those all-star games!   It's so tough to get a read on a kid because everyone is trying to look like a Globe Trotter!   It's a little annoying.   Again, I do think he looks athletic but I wasn't necessarily impressed with his ball-handling skills.   He seems like a scorer; he kept driving to the bucket.   I'm anxious to see how he makes his other teammates look.   He had a heck of a pass to Devin Ebanks on the first play of the game!   I'm sure Tiger fans could get use to that duo!  =) 

I'd like to know what you think about Tyreke Evans!   We sure weren't disappointed with Derrick Rose, were we?!

You're 18 years old.   You're a 1 or 2 pick in the NBA Draft.   You're guaranteed to make millions.  YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO MAKE MILLIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Do you skip the rest of college and head to the NBA?  YES!   YES!  YES!

Derrick Rose has to go.   He cannot possibly risk coming back next year and getting injured.    No way, no how!    He goes this year and he is set for life.  He can take care of his family.  Heck, he can pay to go to college later if he wants!   I know he wanted to win an NCAA Championship but a trophy doesn't pay.   The NBA DOES pay!