In Eckleburg's Eyes - 2/23/2009, Part 2

News & Notes from Saturday, February 21st, 2009, Part 1

-On Saturday morning I ate with my parents at IHOP before chauffeuring my mother around town. First, at my suggestion, we attended the Million Dollar Book Sale. This is a massive charity book sale that is being housed for two weekends in Knox Plaza in a space that was once occupied buy Hancock Fabrics. For $30, the customer is entitled to a box filled with books of her choosing. Proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley.

-To be honest, all of the books were remaindered (meaning they could not sell at various retail outlets) and my mother and I opted not to buy a box. Still, if you like mainstream fiction, they will be back next week in the same location from February 26th-March 1st.

-Afterwards, I drove my mother to Borders (where she bought Jefferson Bass’ new book Bones of Betrayal for her book club) and then to Walgreens. Walgreens had my mother’s Revlon Coffee Bean lipstick on sale. (Sorry. This entire paragraph was an attempt to get my mother an endorsement deal.)

-I made it home in time to watch the Tennessee basketball team play at Kentucky. As has been the case all season during road games, the Vols dug themselves into a hole, battled back before the half and then were blown away in the second period. The deficit was greater than normal on this day as the Wildcats scored the game’s first 13 points. The Vols did not score until J.P. Prince completed a put back with 11:56 remaining in the first half! Yes, the Vols went over eight minutes without scoring.

-Both teams’ strategies worked. Kentucky dared Tennessee to shoot perimeter jump shots assuming they could not hit them. The Wildcats were correct. In the first half, the Vols hit only nine of 32 shots and connected on just two of thirteen three-point attempts. Tennessee set its defense in attempt to prohibit Jodie Meeks (left) and Patrick Patterson (above, right) from defeating them. Meeks, who scored 54 points in the teams’ first meeting, had only four points at the half and finished with 14. Unfortunately, his teammates picked up the slack and Kentucky won, 77-58. Patterson did have some impressive dunks once the game was already decided.

-The Vols lost both games to Kentucky this year, giving Bruce Pearl a 3-5 record against the Wildcats. The team is running out of time to gel and it appears highly likely that the Vols are headed for the NIT.

-Former Vol and Kentucky native Chris Lofton was in attendance for the first time since he last played for the Vols.