Today On Rocky Top: Healthy Curt Maggitt Is Key For Vols

Aug 31, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon (8) attempts a pass under pressure by Tennessee Volunteers linebacker Jacques Smith (55) and linebacker Curt Maggitt (56) during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. Tennessee won 35-21. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-USA TODAY Sports

From Bleacher Report

"For the last half of 16 long months, Tennessee Volunteers redshirt junior Curt Maggitt was a powder keg of pent-up emotion.Bound to the sideline all of 2013 while agonizing about whether to return to the field from a knee injury that left him less than 100 percent, Maggitt bounced around in street clothes. He hopped into huddles and barked out instruction while dreaming of destruction.Now that he is fully recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in November 2012 against Missouri, Maggitt has been a force for a rebuilding UT defense this spring."

From The Daily News Journal

"Tennessee has a golden opportunity to make a little history of its own.Much has been made of Connecticut chasing history with a chance to win its ninth national championship and break a tie with the Lady Vols.Well, Tennessee would like to be the one to break that tie and end its Final Four drought while reclaiming its status as one of the nation’s elite teams.The Lady Vols (27-5) open NCAA tournament play Saturday against Northwestern State (21-12) as a No. 1 seed for the first time since 2011. They’ve won seven straight games and 13 of their last 14. Their scheduled first- and second-round games are on their home floor. If they reach the Final Four, they’d get a chance to play for a national title in their home state."

From WBIR

"News of the Bruce Pearl hire comes less than 24 hours before the Vols play their first NCAA Basketball tournament game in three years.WBIR 10News talked to sports analyst Jayson Swain Tuesday afternoon about the move. He, and other Vols fans, said all of the talk about Pearl is drawing attention away from the team’s success.“They’re in [the tournament] and to have the players be asked about a coach that’s not even their coach, I’m sure it’s a distraction, 100 percent,” Swain said.While only a few of the players on the Vols’ current squad played for Pearl, people like Jeronne Maymon and Jordan McRae, Swain said he believes what happened Tuesday could still give the entire team even more motivation for its upcoming game against Iowa."

From USA Today

"Someone identified as Mr. Jason Robinson of Kentucky was the 36,069th — and final — entry on the Bring Back Bruce petition before it became moot.All you zealots can give it a rest now. It’s over. The Bring Back Bruce movement — whose sole goal was the return of Bruce Pearl as Tennessee’s basketball coach — has been rendered null and void by his hiring at Auburn.Nevermind that Pearl was not coming back to Tennessee. In the weeks before his firing as Vols coach on March 22, 2011, he burned too many bridges. Those who trumpet Pearl’s successes conveniently forget his failings. Besides, when you get fired and placed on a three-year show-cause penalty for lying to NCAA investigators, you can’t go back to the scene of the crime."