Monday morning: get some links, then come back to me

Stolen from Awful Announcing. Well-played, coach Calhoun. Well-played.

This morning is significant for one very large reason, aside from the Monday: today around lunch is the expected birth of the offspring of Peter & Amanda von Herrmann (you may remember Peter from this guest blog during UGA week). Two of my better friends over the last decade, I couldn't be happier about the two of them bringing a child into the world. Seriously. It's awesome.

And therefore, it's with giddy anticipation I present to you this Monday's version of the links.
-- First, this week's "controversy": Andre Smith's performance (or lack of it) at the NFL combine. Certainly not a good reflection on Smith, who already earned himself a good bit of negative press leading up to the Sugar Bowl (and by the way, a bit of further explanation came out regarding that last week, also). Here's the take from Peter King in MMQB:

I think we are watching Andre Smith, the AWOL Alabama left tackle, turn into the 33rd pick of the draft, right before our eyes. Suspended by his coach for the bowl game. Out of shape when he gets to the combine. Leaves a day early -- he says because he wants to get home to hurry up and continue working with his trainer. Right. Smith will be hurt by the fact that for the second straight year there are six or seven very good tackle prospects, and teams would rather have a William Beatty (the UConn kid) with maybe a lesser upside than to take a chance on wasting a pick on Smith.

Yikes. Suddenly it looks like he should've come back to school.
-- More on the recruiting wars: Scarbinsky discusses the battle lines in Memphis; Gentry Estes looks at a potential recruit for 2010; and 3SiB gives us another fantastic rendition of Lane Kiffin's interviews.
-- Other Tide-related things: 'Bama lost its season-opening series vs. SEMO; but WON on Saturday (no really) vs. Mississippi State, which delights the boys at 'Bama Hoops. Also, BJ Scott is changing positions. And this is probably more important than anybody realized.
-- With MLB season approaching at a rapid pace, more and more Braves fans need to read the excellent blog Talking Chop. Here they preview the 2009 season for 2B Kelly Johnson.

(Note: We deliberately ignored the Oscars in today's version of the links. Sorry, you'll have to get those ... everywhere else. Other than that, have a good Monday.)