One of Jim Chaney’s make-believe friends says football saved him from being a pig farmer.
Homespun tales would have you believe “good old Jim” was and is just another country bumpkin from Holden, Missouri. That is misleading and perhaps scandalous.
Football, long ago, did take Chaney to Central Missouri State. He was an all-conference middle guard. He never intended to be a coach but this is his 38th year. He had two extended adventures as Tennessee offensive coordinator for three head coaches with more famous names – Lane Kiffin, Derek Dooley and Jeremy Pruitt.
Highlight of his time with the Volunteers was his last day. His buyout was calculated at $1.7 million after Pruitt had been fired and Chaney had discovered Josh Heupel’s offense would be moving faster than he could fly.
Before or after Tennessee, Chaney served Cal State Fullerton, Western Michigan, Wyoming, Purdue, St. Louis Rams, Arkansas, Pittsburgh, Georgia and the New Orleans Saints.
Chaney, 60, is now an official lifer. His new job is offensive analyst at Georgia Tech. That is precarious footing. The Yellow Jackets’ recent records were 3-9, 3-7 and 3-9.
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Keith Law, senior baseball writer for The Athletic, former front-office exec with the Toronto Blue Jays, sent 2,000 words about baseball draft prospects without mentioning anybody from No. 1 Tennessee.
Amazing that the Volunteers have accomplished so much without top-tier talent.
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Hear no evil: Most of three years ago, the NCAA branded the University of Kansas basketball coach a recruiting cheater. Instead of repenting, the Jayhawks signed four McDonald’s all-Americans, won two Big 12 conference titles and the recent national championship.
Neither TBS talkers nor New York Times writers mentioned FBI wiretaps, recruiting violations or projected penalties before or after Bill Self was at the podium, holding high the biggest trophy.
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All in the family: Former Tennessee basketball Vol Victor Bailey will have his very own tour guide when he joins former UT assistant coach Kim English’s squad at George Mason. Former Vol Davonte Gaines is eagerly awaiting arrival of his friend.
Gaines has a lot to talk about. He averaged 10.2 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Patriots this past season. Bailey averaged 2.6 and 0.9 for the Vols.
Quentin Diboundje of Montpellier, France, 1.7 points and 1.1 rebounds in seven games for Tennessee, is relocating to East Carolina. Mike Schwartz, Rick Barnes’ former assistant head coach, is the new leader of the Pirates.
Seven-footer Mukendi Handje Tampa is going somewhere. He is a redshirt freshman, an outstanding student from Africa’s Democratic Republic of the Congo by way of Knoxville Catholic High. He played AAU baskets with ex-Vol Bobby Maze’s elite team.
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, 6-10, is on the move. Coach Barnes wanted him to become a genuine post player. Brandon’s mother or his handlers wanted him to be a forward shooter from the perimeter and mid-range. In somebody’s opinion, that is closer to NBA riches.
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Quick quiz: Name all the former Southeastern Conference stars in the major league baseball hall of fame.
Time’s up. The answer is Frank Thomas, best known around Auburn as a football Tiger.
Tennessee’s Todd Helton will be on the hall ballot again this year. He deserves to be enshrined but remains a long way from Cooperstown.
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Speaking of halls: Thank you for kind words regarding the East Tennessee Writers’ Hall of Fame. I am honored and humbled.
Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com.