Posted by kceltic on May 10, 2008 at 6:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sure nice to know that those two eighth and ninth graders can make a decision on their futures before their voice changes.I am sure they are mature enough at that age to make an educated choice but probably still need their mommies to tuck them in at bedtime.Nice move there Billy G.

Posted by theoldbear on May 10, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I've got to wonder if BIlly G will be around to coach any of the players he's signed.

I thought it was ridiculous when coaches started recruiting my son when he was a sophomore in high school. They backed off after his grades dropped and he blew a knee. I wouldn't wish that on these kids...but...who knows what might happend between now and then.

Posted by marinevol on May 10, 2008 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have a nephew that I think Gillispie might be interested in. He appears to be a great prospect. He can't walk yet, but he crawls pretty fast, and he can throw his rattle with a lot of velocity. I'm sure he would love to go ahead get this decision out of the way so he can concentrate on potty training. Give me a call, coach, and I'll set up a visit for you.

Posted by nicksjuzunk on May 10, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My 1 month old just committed to Tennessee! I was reading the Govolsxtra story on the Florida player and he kinda vomitted. I figure any true vol fan would have the same reaction to Florida so I'm considering this a soft (wet) verbal.

Posted by volster on May 10, 2008 at 7:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Since Kentucky became just another SEC opponent, they have become pretty desperate and are taking commitments from children. Their fans have had to resort to making goofy posts on other schools' sites. I never dreamed the Kentucky program would fall so hard, but I sure am enjoying it.

Posted by rpowell on May 10, 2008 at 7:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Something sounds fishy here.

Posted by ImAllVol on May 10, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

volster. You don't know recruiting do you?? The Zollo kid is a top prospect even at his age....Tennessee wanted him too. Avery is 6-4 and can shoot from anywhere on the floor. He plays AAU ball against high schoolers....and wins. He was already being looked at by UCLA, USC, Arizona and Washington State. If Gillispie did not get him this early, somebody else would.

This is just the nature of recruiting these days. Basketball is much more organized and the talent level of players is much greater. Of course, an eighth grader is the exception and not the rule. Gillispie saw an exceptionally gifted player and the kid's parents were receptive to the offer.

Just wait, Pearl will start going after them too. He will have to.

Posted by volster on May 10, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Imallvol, you're absolutely right. I don't know a thing about recruiting. I just have to wait for some idiot to come on here and try to impress me with his wisdom. Did I mention that I was impressed?

Posted by ETorange on May 10, 2008 at 8:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just heard UK staff was landing in new jet in New York to go to sperm bank in Queens district

Posted by marinevol on May 10, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

No matter how good this child is, a verbal committment from a child is ridiculous. The NCAA needs to put a stop to this sleazy practice.

Posted by marinevol on May 10, 2008 at 8:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ETorange, I can't top that.

Posted by ImAllVol on May 10, 2008 at 8:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

volster, You are ignorant. I'm guessing you are another one of the bandwagon fans who just started watching Tennessee basketball this year.

Any right minded Tennessee fan will respect our opponents....especially those teams that own us...as the Wildcats do. Kentucky is still the standard bearer for this conference and we have a very long way to go to catch them.

Posted by volster on May 10, 2008 at 8:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think Bruce Pearl should go ahead and make an offer for Candace Parker's first male child.

Posted by utfan15govols on May 10, 2008 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I said this once and i will say it again, we do not need Hood. I don't know why he is ranked so high. I am not a betting man, but i would bet the house that his ranking will drop this year. He has a new H.S. coach, which should help him, but no help on the team. Glad this article didn't mention he turned down Duke over UK, because Duke never offered him a scholarship.

As far as recruiting 8th graders, there have only been 3 top 8th graders that i know of that have been worth offering a scholarship, Indiana's Damon Bailey, LeBron James, and O.J. Mayo.
It is sad to see a coach grasping for straws to save his career. I love it though, i have something to joke about with all these UK fans and what is worst, they are even making jokes about it.

Posted by marinevol on May 10, 2008 at 8:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ImAllVol, don't be so full of yourself. All you've done is come on here and post insults to other posters. Kentucky owns us? OK, enough said about your knowledge of the game. If you're such a Kentucky fan, why aren't you out scouting a day care instead of posting on a Tennessee site? Go Vols, keep beating Kentucky, et al.

Posted by volster on May 10, 2008 at 8:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What marinevol and utfan said. ImAllVol, you should be more honest with your screen name. Kentucky has fallen so far that their fans try to pass themselves off as Vol fans. So sad.

Posted by KHVOLFAN on May 10, 2008 at 8:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I was thinking the same thing volster if we can just get Candace to have a baby boy, WOW! Billy G. would cry his heart out. HaHaHa GO VOLS!

Posted by utfan15govols on May 10, 2008 at 8:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Letting me give you an example of a young basketball talent, who stock has dropped. Cordell Passley, verbally committed to Tennessee either his freshman or sophomore year, well now he is a senior, and were did he sign, some small school in Indiana. I thought he was suppose to be the next if not better than Damon Bailey several years ago.

If Billy G. is doing this to save his career, why isn't Philip Fulmer doing the same?

Posted by TurboFan on May 10, 2008 at 9:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As utfan15 points out, very easy to let an offer wither on the vine years after it is given. Billy G. knows he can withdraw the offer quietly if the kid doesn't live up to expectations, gets injured, or doesn't pass algebra.

Posted by bamacheats on May 10, 2008 at 10:04 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by marinevol on May 10, 2008 at 10:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bamacheats, I'm not going to touch that comment, but it sure was funny.

Posted by ImAllVol on May 10, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

marinevol. I am simply recognizing something you refuse to....and that is that Kentucky is still Kentucky. We have not done anything to displace them as the best program in the SEC. Even in a year full of injuries and a new coach, they still managed to beat us in Lexington and come within a hiccup of beating us here.

I am a Vol fan thru and thru. But I am also smart enough to know that we are still a team that has not made it past the sweet sixteen much less a Final Four....so we have NO room to talk. Kentucky has been there and has the 7 championship banners to show for it. Hopefully that will change for us in the future.

You can also bet that Pearl will be looking at younger players in the future. Like it or not, it is a direction that recruiting is going and until the NCAA does something to change it, we will have to live with it. Personally, I don't think it is such a bad thing because it involves families more in the decision than some AAU coach or outside "consultants"

Posted by eduardo on May 10, 2008 at 11:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bunch of cheaters! Can't stand the blue and never will. Hopefully as it looks now they will fall all the way to the bottom of the beer barrel. Bunch of no good inbred fans and sorry basketball program. Draw a line in the sand BP and dare them to cross it. Only pain and misery for the blue nation as Tennessee Basketball the real basketball passes them by! cya blue, can't stand yeh!

Posted by TurboFan on May 10, 2008 at 11:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ed, you put the "spit" in "hospitality".

Posted by kceltic on May 10, 2008 at 11:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ImAllVol-You are probably right,NCAA should do something about it.I think it is a bad thing because no matter how good a kid is,he dosen't know what to do at that age.By the way,most parents are involved in the decision making about their childs' future as a high school senior, much less an eighth grader.

Posted by ballewville6 on May 11, 2008 at 12:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

it is ridiculus to recruit middle school players who may never get any better,i wish they would sign so they want have scolerships to offer down the road,and we all know what early commits do they usally change there minds 3 or 4 times as they get older.where i live on tenn and ky border there are alot of uk fans not as many as the ut fans but a bunchand they think its ridiculas to recruit 8th graders from california,who will change thire minds and go to ucla or usc .uk is desperate right now they are no longer getting 2 to 4 mcdonalds all americans all the time any more ,and after UT wins back to back sec titals next year,we will get alot more top players.UT,s basketball program is finally outshining kentucky,i know ut had interest in hood but i think they will land atleast 2 or 3 players who are higher on scout and rivals for next year.kenny hall for one and a couple more .kentucky wanted demarcus cousins but he is going to uab was this past years game a big factor.ut want be as good at threes but this will be the most athletic team UT has ever had with maze,hopson,and tyler,chism,and either camron,or woolridge,or prince,and west and jurick will get an oppertunity.i hope we get mcdonald even better the sg from st benidicts in new york or jersey

Posted by pearlific on May 11, 2008 at 1:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Billy...please..just stop it...you're making a fool of yourself.

Posted by LadyVolsEighTimes on May 11, 2008 at 5:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It has been a week of accomplishments for Anywhere Middle School's Billy Bob Adams. Adams' a 4'11" power forward thought it could get no better after UK offered him a full ride on Tuesday.

However when his childhood sweetheart, 12 year old Tina Marie Snotgrass accepted his marriage offer, (verbal commitment only), he stated,"Wow this really ratched up the emotional hig I was already own, it can't get much better than this."

Billy Bob told this reporter that Monday his Dad is taking him to the DMC so he can get a restricted Drivers License. He further stated that he will be attending summer school in hopes of getting his academic averages up, and hopefuly qualify for Anywhere High School this fall.

Adams said he wasn't to concerned about the academic issues, he stated he faced the same challanges the year he transistioned from grade school to middle school.

As a side note, Tina Marie plans to quit school when she is 16, take her GED, and hopefully be accepted as a cook at Billy Bob's Dad's Bar and Grill imporium. She expressed that after one year there she would eleigible for un-paid maternity leave, and they have put off having children until she has completed her Cooks Aprenticeship. We wish them both the best!

Make sure you check out out colum next week when we report on the Wildcats offer of a full scholarship to Jimmy "The Fin" Williams. Williuams is the seven year old that Burtha Wiliams gave birth to in the families heated pool, he has never been outta the pool in his life, so he very comfortable in the water, and has adopted a unique Swim instead of Crawl mentality.

Posted by ETorange on May 11, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

My wife just ask if they were going to do the signing party at Chucky Cheese !!!!!

Posted by TommyJack on May 11, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Now this is tupid.

Posted by dvols on May 11, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

e r i c b e r r y

Posted by pdhuff on May 11, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ, is SquareBob SpongePants elgible yet? Or SpongeBob SquarePants?

Posted by TommyJack on May 11, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

SpongeBobSpareParts

Posted by splinterdand on May 11, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Does Bernard King have any kids in elementary school?

Posted by General_Watermelon on May 11, 2008 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What splinterdand said.

Posted by CatScratchFever on May 11, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kentucky has always owned tennessee in basketball, and always will. Oh, by the way, we own you in baseball too.

Posted by Razzle on May 11, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pussy Cats = Jealous because Vols sign Mr. Maze.

Posted by pdhuff on May 12, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Will 3rd graders have to wear Nikes during play-time?

Posted by 55Vol on May 12, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

CSF.... who cares about baseball... like watch grass grow. As ole TouchdownTennessee said, is the current SEC BasketBall Championship banner hanging in Rupp? Opps...nope...in Thompson-Bowling Arena. And yes, Bernard King does have a few great nephews whom all will sign with TN., go to Rupp and Eruppt with more Big Orange wins. Here kitty, kitty....

Posted by General_Watermelon on May 15, 2008 at 8:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This just in....youngster has decided to sign with Kentucky. Film of player at signing.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XXW2fsHPU80