Tennessee Vols morning report: Basketball VFL Ed Wiener passes away
The passing of Tennessee Vols basketball player Ed Wiener leads our July 14, 2020 news.
It was a tragic day in multiple ways for the Tennessee Vols. We reported on the confirmed death of Naya Rivera, the sister of former Vol Mychal Rivera, five days after she went missing. It was a horrible story.
Well, the death of a former Vol also made news and is the lead story in our morning update on Rocky Top. This Vol was an early superstar in the men’s basketball program before the days of the Ray Mears era. Beyond that, though, we do have some positive news.
One player on the current football team is on a watch list. Then there is news surrounding another football player who was recently dismissed from the program, and we close with the state of the SEC amidst all of these developments in college football to deal with COVID-19. So there is plenty to cover. Let’s start with the tragedy.
Basketball legend Ed Wiener passes away – UTSports
Former Tennessee Vols men’s basketball two-time All-American Ed Wiener, who played for UT from 1952 to 1955 under head coach Emmett Lowery, died Sunday at age 87. Wiener, a 6’3″ forward from Brooklyn, led the SEC in scoring and rebounding as a sophomore. He also helped the U.S. take home the Gold Medal at the 1953 Maccabiah Games in Tel Aviv, Israel.
"He was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the fourth round of the 1955 NBA Draft (25th overall pick). After serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Devens in Massachusetts, Wiener started his own dental practice in Memphis, which he operated for 55 years."
Henry To’o To’o named to watch list – Patrick Brown, GoVols247
Rising sophomore linebacker Henry To’o To’o was the sole Tennessee Vols football on the preseason Bednarik Award Watch List for 2020, which was released Monday. To’o To’o figures to be the main starter there this year after the departure of Daniel Bituli.
"To’o To’o is just one of 11 sophomores on the list and one of just 11 players from the SEC on the list. Star LSU cornerback Derek Stingley is the only other SEC sophomore to make it."
SEC athletic directors meet in Birmingham – WNML, 99.1
Changes to the season continue for college football amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Conferences have suspended non-conference play, and NJCAA announced it would have football in the spring this year. On Monday, SEC athletic directors met in Birmingham to discuss their options, but no official decisions have been made just yet.
"The meeting marked the first in-person meeting of the Conference athletics directors since the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament in Nashville in March. The athletics directors have met multiple times per week via videoconference since the discontinuation of athletic competition in March due to the pandemic."
Tim Jordan pleads guilty – Mike Wilson, KNS via The Daily News Journal
Recently dismissed by Tennessee football, rising senior running back Tim Jordan took a plea deal on a reduced weapons charge stemming from his May arrest in Florida. Jordan has transferred to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.
"He will serve 12 months probation, community service and pay fines. The plea deal grants Jordan the ability to “attend school at Western Kentucky University” and “travel for purposes of football games,” according to court documents. Jordan must provide his probation officer with a travel itinerary."