Today on Rocky Top: SEC Softball Tournament, Basketball Vols

Tennessee softball, Rick Barnes, and former Vol Josh Richardson headline the news on Rocky Top for Monday, May 9.

Happy Monday to everybody. It’s the second Monday in May, and summer weather appears to be fighting to arrive with rain still managing to stand in the way.

But there isn’t much rainy news about the Vols.

With football having a relatively quiet weekend, it was the Vols on the diamond in both sports generating most of the news, along with Vols on the basketball court.

The baseball Vols are stuck right where they always are, in a state of mediocrity. But there is good news in softball. And we start with that.

Vols Softball earns bye in SEC Tournament – WBIR

"Tennessee softball is the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament and will face the winner of Missouri/South Carolina on Thursday at noon.  The Vols earned a bye in the tournament after an 11-1 win (5 innings) over Ole Miss on Sunday."

For Rick Barnes, coaching not just about basketball – Wes Rucker of 247Sports

"Barnes told the crowd at Big Orange Caravan stop at The Chattanoogan on Thursday that the biggest thing he’s learned over the course of his coaching career is that coaching — and life — is about much more than basketball.Tennessee’s soon-to-be second-year coach is careful when discussing his faith in some public settings — he knows he’s coaching at a public university — but everyone close to the man knows exactly where he stands."

Josh Richardson earning his time in the NBA Playoffs – Mike Strange of Knoxville News Sentinel

"Josh Richardson is giving Tennessee basketball fans a reason to watch the NBA playoffs.The rookie with the Miami Heat is a critical sixth man, currently trying to help Miami advance to the Eastern Conference finals. His parents are along for the ride, just as they were at UT."