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    Bert Bertelkamp may be a homer, but he’s still MONEY

    By rbk | September 3, 2008

    I had a discussion with a friend the other day about UT basketball color commentator Bert Bertelkamp and his contributions to Tennessee basketball over the last decade. When you go through the YouTube videos or the Vol basketball DVDs, it’s hard to miss Bert’s commentary and analysis.

    It got me thinking about what a color man is supposed to do. I gather, from the title, they are supposed to make a radio or TV broadcast more colorful and interesting. Some are good at it, adding both interest and entertainment, and some (cough cough, Bill Curry) are not so great. In the particular case of Bert Bertelkamp, “colorful” is a bit of an understatement.

    “MONEY!” If you’ve listened to a Vol Network basketball broadcast recently, you’ve heard this a virtually uncountable number of times. Chris Lofton hit 431 threes in his four years at Tennessee, and the vast majority were followed by money! from the sidelines. In fact, if you take a peek at the players in the last 10 years of Tennessee basketball, you’ll find Lofton, JaJuan Smith, Tony Harris, Jon Higgins, Vincent Yarbrough, and CJ Watson . . . all in Tennessee’s top 10 for career three-point shots. Among them there are almost 1500 career threes. That’s alot of money!

    I’ve been thinking about it, and I can’t decide if money! is a planned catchphrase or if it is a spontaneous eruption of emotion. John Ward used to say “bottom” pretty frequently when a Vol jumpshot would swish through the net, and Bertelkamp may have established money! as a followup to Ward’s calls. On the other hand, half of Bert’s commentary in the course of a game– and particularly in a big game– seems like he almost can’t help it. It just runs though him and out his mouth with no effort or control.

    Apparently there is some difference of opinion over Bert’s use of money! As you scan the web, you are likely to find a few negative– and I mean really negative– opinions on Bert’s style. Some think it gets old and he should be a bit more inventive– see this Fulmer’s Belly post for a scathing critique.

    Bert has also taken heat from some fans for being too much of a homer. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, “homer” in sports has come to mean a person whose bias toward his own team overwhelms his ability to stay neutral in his commentary. It’s impossible to argue that Bertelkamp is not a homer. You just can’t listen to him for five minutes and fail to conclude that he’s rooting hard for the Big Orange. Where the argument lies is this . . . . is being a homer on a Vol Network broadcast such a bad thing?

    I’m going to stand up and say no. It’s not a bad thing. Further than that, considering Tennessee basketball and the depths it has fallen to in the past, putting a homer on the mic is almost essential for the fans at home, in the car, or otherwise trying to follow Vol hoops on the radio. A homer can create real emotion and excitement for the fan listening that a neutral observer simply cannot match. Fans are all homers at heart, and listening to one of our own and living vicariously through his words creates a sort of intimacy and sense of the game’s energy that is difficult to accomplish on radio.

    The funny thing is, when Bert was hired, he was actually told not to be a homer. From a July 2006 article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel about Bertelkamp’s induction into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame, Bert reveals:

    They told me the three things you cannot do are referee, second-guess our coach or be partisan to Tennessee. I said, ‘Well, two of those three I can’t say I won’t do.’ I’m definitely going to comment on the refereeing. I’ll try my best not to second-guess the coach but I’m doggone sure I’m gonna be pulling for Tennessee. I’m sure I’ve pushed the envelope on all three but I try to be fair. Every now and then when I get out of line, Bob kicks me.

    Of course, part of a color man’s job is to provide additional insight into the sport he is covering in addition to entertainment. Luckily, Bertelkamp does not fall short here either. Bert was a good basketball player in his prime at Tennessee, in one game dishing out 16 assists– a UT postseason record– in an NCAA tournament game. Playing alongside Bernard King, Ernie Grunfeld, and Reggie Johnson, he was a part of some of the most successful teams in Vol history. He learned under Ray Mears and Don DeVoe, and the man knows basketball. The basketball knowledge imparted from them, and from Bert’s father, a former UT captain, shows as Bert provides strategic insight throughout Vol Network broadcasts. He does an excellent job of helping Bob Kesling set the stage and create a radio broadcast that fans want to tune in to.

    Bert Bertelkamp has been big for the Bruce Pearl era, and vice versa. A winning program has given UT fans reason to tune in to the Vol Network broadcasts, and an exciting broadcast has encouraged them to tune in again and again. It’s exciting to listen to a man who loves what he sees– especially when you wish you could see it too. Five years ago I’m not sure I could tell you who the Vols’ color man was. Thanks to Coach Pearl, not only do I know who Bert is, but I have a desire to turn on the radio to hear him cheering the orange on.

    These are exciting times for Vol basketball fans, and that excitement has been taken up another notch by a color man who says what we are all thinking. I want to thank my good buddy Otictac for putting together a nice highlight reel of Bert’s best over the last three seasons. Enjoy:

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    74 days until BruceBall

    By rbk | September 2, 2008

    I’m just sayin’.

    :-(

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    Maze officially cleared

    By rbk | August 29, 2008

    The coaches had been insisting it was merely a formality for Bobby Maze to be admitted and cleared to play, and finally it is now official. Welcome, Bobby.

    This comes at the same time as news of Gerald Williams finally getting cleared by the SEC, NCAA, UT, FBI, IRS, and NAACP to play football at UT. Congratulations to that young man too . . . it’s been a long time coming.

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    Griffith: 2008-2009 Vols “ridiculous”

    By rbk | August 27, 2008

    In his GoVolsXtra blog “Ask Griff,” News-Sentinel writer Mike Griffith gave his first impressions of the 2008-2009 Tennessee basketball team. To summarize, he used one word: ridiculous.

    An afternoon of watching Tennesee’s individual men’s basketball workouts has left me shaking my head.

    It’s not the way the team looked or played together, because I have not seen that. NCAA rules state teams can only have four players on the floor at a time during this time of the season.

    It’s not the drill work, because many can look good shuffling their feet, dribbling around cones or shooting against air. At that, it’s clear the Vols don’t have the perimeter marksmanship they enjoyed with Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith the past three seasons.

    Still, the influx of dynamic personalities and raw athleticism leaves me with only one word to describe my impression of Tennessee basketball: “Ridiculous,” as in better than one might imagine.

    It’s a nice read to get your mouth watering, though he cautions that there is a lot of work ahead and that the team has 7 newcomers on a scholarship roster of 13.

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    2008-2009 Roster Preview: Emmanuel Negedu

    By rbk | August 26, 2008

    When Ramar Smith was cut loose from the Tennessee program, it took Bruce Pearl a solid 6 days to lock in Bobby Maze as a replacement (upgrade?). In replacing Duke Crews, though, Coach Pearl was not nearly as efficient.

    It took him 7 weeks to land a replacement (upgrade?) in Emmanuel Negedu.

    Negedu is rated 4 stars and among the top 10-15 players at his position by most services. He originally committed to Arizona but opted to leave with all of the staff turnover due to Lute Olsen’s decision to return and break the AD’s promises to Kevin O’Neill.

    When you first glance at their numbers, they seem like very similar players; slightly undersized in the 6′6″/6′7″ range, about 230 lbs, highly regarded for their athleticism. When you watch them play, though, the differences are apparent and numerous.

    What so many of us wanted from Duke Crews was a mean streak– a nastiness and a drive to dunk everything within 10 feet of the hoop. We never really got that in his two years here, and of course his progress was slowed by health issues. He also never seemed very smooth, moving a bit awkwardly and rigidly, which seemed to negate the athleticism he brought to the table. Despite being undersized, the 5 was really the only position his strengths were cut out for, and it created issues defensively and on the glass.

    Negedu looks, on film anyway, to have some of what Crews was missing. First, he moves much more like a 4 than a 5, making his size less of an issue. He’s smooth with the ball and coordination does not seem to be an issue. In pictures, his upper body looks huge– just look at his neck and shoulders in the picture above. According to scout and Kentucky writer Marc Maggard in a post on Hoopsville, Negedu stands 6′6″ without shoes with a 7′2″ wingspan, and has recorded a 46″ vertical leap. Combine those numbers with the rumor last week of his 4.35 second 40-yard dash and what we are looking at is a complete beast with freakish speed and athleticism.

    He also looks very, very aggressive in the videos I’ve seen, with an eye on dunks and blocked shots and just general intimidation around the rim. See for yourself:

    Negedu is also a good kid, smart, with a healthy respect for academics. He seems to appreciate the opportunity that college basketball will offer him, which seems rather rare for highly recruited players these days. He is exactly the kind of kid everyone wants to sign, and I expect great things from him on and off the court.

    When Tyler Smith leaves many of us will be looking for a new Vol to be in awe of, to root for, and for our opponents to fear. Early indications are that Negedu is capable of filling those roles for Vol fans. Welcome to Big Orange Country, E-man.

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    2008-2009 Roster Preview: Daniel West

    By rbk | August 20, 2008

    With the departure of Jordan Howell and the inconsistent play of Ramar Smith, signing a point guard was paramount for Bruce Pearl’s staff. In early March, they did just that, taking a commitment from proven winner Daniel West out of Saginaw, Michigan. Less than 2 months later, Ramar was dismissed and Tennessee’s situation at point was even more desperate.

    Of course, Bruce and company went on to sign JUCO star Bobby Maze, who is expected to start from day one this Fall. That doesn’t, however, make Daniel West any less important to this team, both this year and in the future. Barring an unexpected move for J.P. Prince, West will be counted on for minutes right away.

    Most expect West to be up to the challenge. Despite being rated as just a 3-star prospect, many analysts belive West is a very good get and is a mature, natural leader at the point. West did, after all, lead Saginaw High to back-to-back state titles and a top 10 national ranking. His senior year he averaged a double double with 15 points and 11 assists per game, and established himself as an excellent distributor– something the Vols have lacked more often than not in the last 20 years.

    It has been speculated that his low rating was a result of academic concerns which in turn led to West not participating in summer AAU leagues, the prime time for scouts to evaluate players. It’s hard to say if, absent those issues, West would have been a 4-star player or not, but he has certainly gotten some nice comments from scouts. Here is a brief blurb from Scouts, Inc:

    West has unbelievable quickness. He can easily get into the lane and cause problems for the defense with his penetration skills. He also uses his great lateral quickness to wreak havoc on the defense end. West has very good anticipation skills, constantly getting in passing lanes for steals. His jumper is getting a lot better as well. Tennessee runs an up-tempo attack and West will fit right in because of his high comfort level in the open court. Also, West’s tenacity will fit like a glove with Volunteers coach Bruce Pearl’s in-your-face, intense coaching style. Tennessee loves to come after people and impose their will on opponents, which is the way West prefers to play.

    I really see West getting early PT and, if he can get comfortable, continued play as relief for Maze throughout the season. My early guess is a 6-8 minutes-per-game average by the end of the year. The great news for West is that he won’t be pressured to make a big impact– his job on the floor will be to get the team into sets, distribute to scorers, and play defense. If Maze is around for two years, West will be an experienced junior ready to take the reins. That is absolutely ideal for a point in the SEC, which can eat young PGs for lunch.

    Welcome to Knoxville, Daniel. We look forward to watching you in the coming years.

    Previous player previews:

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    Rumor: Emmanuel Negedu runs a 4.35 40

    By rbk | August 18, 2008

    As if we really needed more to be excited about regarding the talent and athleticism of the incoming players, Fox’s Jeff Goodman is spreading a rumor that the E-man has been clocked at 4.35 seconds in the 40, fast enough to play receiver or DB for any major college football program in the country. We knew he could jump out of the gym but I doubt anyone expected him to be that fast.

    He said Bobby Maze “and a few other people” told him this. Who knows if it’s reliable or the least bit true, but doesn’t that just make you salivate? Can you imagine somebody better built to finish in transition than somebody 6′7″ with a ridiculous vertical and ridiculous speed? Fun stuff.

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    2008-2009 Roster Preview: Renaldo Woolridge

    By rbk | August 13, 2008

    You may have noticed a trend in the last 3 player previews: 6′6″ wing, 6′10″ center, 6′7″ wing: these new guys are tall. That trend continues with 6′8″ wing Renaldo Woolridge, a small forward out of California. With the departure of a couple of wings and a post player last year, Woolridge became an important get for Bruce Pearl and the Vols.

    Renaldo, son of former NBA player Orlando Woolridge, entered high school as a 6′1″ guard, only to add 7 inches between then and graduation. He has wing skills including a nice perimeter game, but his 6′8″ frame can probably hold some more muscle mass to make him more effective in the post as well. Making his future as a Vol even more intriguing is the rumor that Renaldo’s “growth plates” show room for him to add as much as two more inches in height. Two more inches with a guard’s shooting and handling skills would make for a very difficult matchup for any defender.

    Woolridge, a four-star prospect according to Rivals, committed to the Vols and signed in the Fall of 2007. That means he inked before the Vols lost Ramar Smith and Duke Crews, and before they added Scotty Hopson, Bobby Maze, and Emmanuel Negedu in the Spring of 2008. Those additions, particularly Negedu, have made Woolridge’s role on the team for 2008-2009 a bit harder to figure. Woolridge is a 3/4 with wing skills, while Negedu is a 3/4 with post skills; which of those most benefits the Vols this season will be an interesting question to answer as the season unfolds.

    Renaldo has a big upside for the Vols, but it has been suggested that he, among the 5 new Vols, would benefit the most from a year in the weight room. It depends partly on the role he will ultimately play for Tennessee. If he shoots, handles, and defends well enough to be a tall wing, the weight room may not be necessary for an early impact. If he ends up as a post player that can step outside and knock down a jumper, then 15 lbs of muscle would make a huge difference in his ability to succeed in the SEC. The Vols could use his help on the glass but the big men in the SEC might be able to move him around too much.

    I will take a shot in the dark and say that Renaldo’s impact will not be fully felt until the 2009-2010 season with the inevitable departure of Tyler Smith and possible departure of Scotty Hopson or Wayne Chism. The wing spot is loaded with long, rangy athletes, and Tyler and Wayne are future pros at the 3 and 4. I don’t think there’s much of a chance that Woolridge will redshirt, and with his shooting ability I may be off in telling you to wait another year on him. I just believe a year in the weight room and practice floor against talented teammates will make Renaldo a tougher matchup, and that will coincide well with an opportunity for more playing time at the 3 or 4.

    For your viewing pleasure, some of Renaldo’s skills:

    Previous player previews:

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    2008-2009 Roster Preview: Scotty Hopson

    By rbk | August 8, 2008

    There was a piece missing. Coach Bruce Pearl and his assistants had made impressive strides in recruiting, landing excellent players in each class, but they weren’t quite there yet. Bruce wants the Vols to compete with the Kentuckys and the Memphises and the North Carolinas and Dukes for players, and that means one thing– sign McDonald’s All-Americans as soon and often as possible. They had missed on a few that they were really interested in and really needed to start a cycle. See, McDonald’s AAs and high NBA draft picks tend to follow each other around. It’s much easier to land one if you’ve already landed a few, and Tennessee wasn’t there yet.

    Things were looking pretty good with 6′4″ Memphis-area wing Elliot Williams, and hopes in Big Orange Country were high. Williams is a smart, good kid with a ton of talent, and rumors– aaah, rumors– had him leaning our way over Duke and Memphis. Needless to say, he broke our hearts in early November and chose Duke, joining the seemingly never-ending stream of top talent to the Blue Devil program. We were pretty much exasperated.

    In early February, there were rumblings out of Hopkinsville, KY that Scotty Hopson was opening his recruitment up, and that Tennessee was on the short list. He had been committed to Mississippi State, but apparently thought he had rushed into it and needed to evaluate things a little further. MSU was still a player, he said, and Kentucky, Louisville, and Tennessee were all mentioned as well. In the end, he said he felt most comfortable with Bruce Pearl and Tennessee, and committed on April 1. The significance of that date did not escape Vol fans, who were on edge until his signature was on the dotted line.

    So here we are. Months after the Elliot Williams disappointment, the Vols landed a player that is considered by many recruiting services to be an even better wing– a top 10 national player, according to most. And as we all know, Hopson is a Burger Boy (see Stay-Puft McD’s uni above). There is definite significance to that honor and it is a big step for Coach Pearl and staff to land one, so we should be thrilled to have Scotty around. Oh, and he can also play just a little basketball:

    Speculation has been raging as to whether Hopson is a 1-and-done player or not, but the consensus is definitely that his play will go a long way toward filling the huge gap that Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith left at wing. He has an outside shot but is long and athletic, and brings with him a polished mid-range game. Most believe he will start from day one, likely at the 2-spot (though at his height he would be a great 3 as well).

    It’s hard to project the impact of freshmen, but I don’t think there’s any doubt that Hopson is going to score for the Vols. Will he be a double figure scorer and a major weapon for UT? It’s impossible to say, but I think it seems reasonable that he will average around 10-12 PPG and will be capable of explosive performances to help the Vols win games. For another team I could see him scoring more, but he will be sharing minutes and shots with a talented roster and will have to make the most of 20 minutes per game or so. He’s got size and talent and seems tailor-made for Bruce Pearl’s system. A 6′7″ wing will be an asset on both ends of the floor, helping to replace the quartet of 6′2″ guards that Tennessee lost. The Vols will have a diverse offensive attack and Hopson is going to be a featured part of it, and if he will work hard on the defensive end his size will give other guards fits. My guess is that with this length we will see more of the press than we saw a year ago, so hopefully that means a healthy steals column for Hopson.

    Scotty is going to have a special place at Tennessee as the first McD’s All-American to ink in about 10 years and the first ever to sign with Coach Pearl. Vol fans hope he’s just the beginning, recruitingwise, and that may be the truth. Regardless, it’s going to be fun watching him play for the Vols. Welcome to Big Orange Country, Scotty.

    Previous player previews:

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    Memphis to be investigated by NCAA; Tigers boot Dollard

    By rbk | July 31, 2008

    This is rich . . . you know all the talk that you always hear about the unnatural, and perhaps not-so-clean relationship between the Memphis basketball program and FedEx, whose headquarters is in the city? Turns out it might bite Memphis– at least a little– due to some inappropriate contact that FedEx CEO David Bronczek had with the mother of a potential recruit. It’s pretty clear form her side of the conversation that he was trying to sway her to send her son to Memphis. I’ll be following this one with interest.

    What say ye, Calipari?

    In other news, Jeff Lebo has kicked Josh Dollard off the Auburn Tiger team. He was the team’s leading rebounder and scorer as a sophomore and sat out last season for medical reasons. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that Jeff Lebo’s tenure at AU isn’t going anywhere but down.

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