Tennessee Vols basketball great Ron Slay is the new TV/radio analyst for Tennessee State
Ron Slay is getting back in the game.
The Pearl-Cohn and Tennessee basketball great has joined Tennessee State men's basketball television/radio broadcast as an analyst along with play-by-play voice Greg Pogue.
Slay joined 104.5 The Zone's afternoon drive sports talk show 3HL along with co-hosts Brent Dougherty and Dawn Davenport earlier this year, which helped get him closer to basketball. But this is an even bigger step.
"I want to do anything to be close to the game," Slay said. "I was able to do some high school coaching with coach (Ricky) Bowers over at Ensworth and then being on the radio I am able to talk about the game as much as I can, which is therapeutic. Now, with this opportunity presenting itself to get in front of the game, is really good."
All games are broadcast on ESPN+ and home games are on 102.1 The Ville.
Slay has a long history at TSU. As a child he was a ball boy for the TSU basketball team. His mother (Lolita) was a TSU volleyball coach and his father (Ronald Holland) played football for legendary TSU coach John Merritt.
"I grew up there; I was all in on TSU growing up," Slay said. "It's fun to be back in that atmosphere and it's funny how things come full circle."
Slay was on the Tennessee basketball team at the same time TSU athletics director Mikki Allen was on the Vols football team.
He was an outstanding player at Pearl-Cohn before transferring to prep powerhouse Oak Hill Academy for his senior season in 1998-99.
At Tennessee, Slay was a four-year starter who helped lead the Vols to the Sweet 16 in 2000. As a senior, he averaged 21.1 points and 7.8 rebounds and was the SEC player of the year.
Slay finished his career with 1,569 points, which was 13th on the school's all-time scoring list. In 2009, he was voted to the Vols' All-Century Team.
In 2017, Slay was recognized as an SEC Basketball Legend at the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena.
TSU men's basketball coach Brian "Penny" Collins, who has known Slay since Collins was a young man, said he is excited about the addition.
"We got the Slay ride joining the TSU Big Blue," Collins said. "I know he's been carrying that Big Orange 'T' for a long time, and it's time to change that orange 'T' to a blue one.
"I know he's going to have the same type of charisma and excitement and personality on the radio as he did as a player."
Slay said he is excited to be a part of all that is going on at TSU with Master P's son Hercy being a freshman on the basketball team and former Titans All-Pro running back Eddie George becoming the Tigers football coach.
"There's a lot of hype going on with that athletic department and it's going to be fun to be a part of that," Slay said. "I think that's big time."
Sami Kincaid is the new sideline reporter.
Alex Gould has taken over as play-by-play voice for the TSU women's team and Will Brown is the analyst.
Titans earn highest TV ratings for November game in 11 years
The Tennessee Titans-New Orleans Saints game Sunday earned the highest local television ratings for a November game in 11 years.
The game played at Nissan Stadium earned a 30.9 rating, according to WTVF-5 senior programing director Mark Binda.
It means a 352,025 Nashville households tuned in to see the Titans win 23-21.
It was the Titans' highest-rated November game since their game against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 14, 2010, earned a 31.4.
Luke Kornet selected for USA Basketball's World Cup qualifying team
Former Vanderbilt star Luke Kornet was selected by USA Basketball for the initial team that will play in the opening games of qualifying for the 2023 World Cup.
Kornet, 26, a 7-foot-2 center who played for the Commodores from 2013-17, is playing in the NBA G League for the Maine Celtics.
He was traded by the Chicago Bulls to the Boston Celtics last season. After being waived by Boston on Oct. 16 Kornet signed with Maine on Oct. 23 as an affiliate player.
The rest of the USA team includes Frank Mason III, Chasson Randle, Brian Bowen II, Josh Gray, Shaq Harrison, DaQuan Jeffries, BJ Johnson, Orlando Johnson, Zavier Simpson and Emanuel Terry.
The team will train in Houston for a week and then travel to Chihuahua, Mexico, to play Cuba Nov. 28 and Mexico on Nov. 29.
Steve McNair saluted at Alcorn State
Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was honored posthumously with a College Football Hall of Fame salute during Alcorn State's home game last week against Prairie View.
McNair was part of the 2020 hall of fame class. The 2020 and 2021 classes will be inducted Dec. 7 in Las Vegas.
He was a 1991 All-American who won the Walter Payton Award as the best player in the FCS. He also finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting, which is tied for the highest ever by an FCS player.
McNair's widow Mechelle attended the game and was recognized on the field during the salute.
Brett Young joins Music City Baseball board
Country music star Brett Young joined the Music City Baseball music advisory board.
Other entertainers on the board include Justin Timberlake, Darius Rucker and Luke Combs.
The Music City Stars are trying to bring a major league franchise to Nashville.
Young, 40, was drafted by the Minnesota Twins organization out of high school, but chose instead to accept a baseball scholarship to Ole Miss. He played one season before an elbow injury ended his career.
Cumberland offensive coordinator resigns
Cumberland offensive coordinator Broc Loveless resigned effective Nov. 30.
The former Spring Hill star has spent the last 10 years at Cumberland where he played quarterback and began his career as a graduate assistant.
Loveless also spent two seasons on the staff at Millikin.
Two Gallatin Athletic Hall of Fame classes to be inducted
The 2021 and 2022 Gallatin Athletic Hall of Fame classes will be inducted during a ceremony on Jan. 14 between the Gallatin girls and boys basketball games.
The 2022 class includes Lucian Borders (Gallatin coach), John V. Malone (Union administrator/coach), Natalie Brown (Gallatin athlete), Bill Buntin (Gallatin contributor), Daryl Holt (Gallatin athlete) and Leila Jones (Gallatin athlete).
The 2021 class, which did not have an induction ceremony this year because of COVID-19, includes the 1965 Union boys basketball team, Renay Adams (Gallatin athlete), Elizabeth Benson Heering (Gallatin athlete), Ann Hyde Woods (Union athlete), Robert Lassiter (Gallatin athlete/coach) and Marlon McMurry (Gallatin athlete)
The inductees will also be recognized during a reception Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. in the Gallatin High School lobby.
Renee Spencer, Robert Moore inducted into Fisk hall of fame
Basketball greats Renee Spencer and Robert Moore were inducted into the Fisk Athletic Hall of Fame.
Spencer led Fisk to a No. 1 seed in the 1987 Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.
As a high school player at Hillsboro (1981-84) she was among the best in Nashville. Spencer, who is 6-foot-1, teamed with 6-2 Traci Patton to form what became known as the Burros' Twin Towers.
Moore, who played at Cameron, was a four-year standout who set the Fisk single-game scoring record with 53 points. He led the Bulldogs to a 23-6 record as a senior.
Former TSU sports information director now at Vandy
Former TSU sports information director Gavin Nevill is now associate athletics director for communications at Vanderbilt.
At TSU Nevill worked primarily with men's basketball while helping out with football and track from 2014-18. The Pennsylvania native also oversaw the program's social media platforms.
Nevill left TSU to become assistant media relations director at Hawaii working primarily with the Warriors' baseball team.
He also has worked at Mount St. Mary’s, Fairleigh Dickinson and for the Patriot League.
Tennessee PGA Summit registration closes Wednesday
Mark Adams, known as the "Swing Doctor" who has written or co-written 18 golf instruction books, will be the featured speaker at the PGA Tennessee Section Summit on Dec. 1 at The Diner.
Entry deadline for the PGA Tennessee Section Summit is Wednesday.
Belmont professor of entrepreneurship Rachel Wilson and finance processor John Gonas will also speak.
Registration fee is $65 and can be done at https://bit.ly/3nAl8z6.
Austin Peay adds two to athletic staff
Nathan Palcowski is Austin Peay's new director of athletic communications and Alex Allard is the new athletics communications assistant.
Palcowski came from Missouri and replaces Colby Wilson, who left in August. Palcowski will oversee men’s basketball, track and field, and men’s golf.
He began his career as a graduate assistant at East Tennessee State in 2015.
Allard, who is close to finishing his degree at Austin Peay, will oversee volleyball along with men’s and women's tennis programs and be involved in special research assignments.
If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.
Sports on Nashville TV
The five highest-rated sports events locally for the week ending Nov. 14 in Nashville:
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Vols great Ron Slay is new Tennessee State basketball analyst
