There’s a line in the movie “The American President” in which Michael Douglas — playing the Prez — tells the public, “I was so busy trying to keep my job that I forgot to do my job.”

Derek Dooley should order that film from Netflix.  Or maybe he should ask deposed Mississippi State hoops coach Rick Stansbury for advice.

For the second year in a row, Tennessee’s football coach appears to be on the verge of losing his team’s locker room because he refuses to put his foot down when star players walk over him, his staff and his rules.

Receiver Da’Rick Rogers — we chronicled his previous issues yesterday — has done something to earn himself another ban from UT’s football team.  That would be the player’s second ban this offseason, though Dooley refuses for some reason to use the word “suspension.”  The first “ban” came when Rogers allegedly made “a physical threat to a strength coach.”  Scuttlebutt claims the tempestuous star tossed a weight at one of the staff members.

Yesterday, the coach said his All-SEC wideout could return from his current — break? hiatus? timeout? vacation? siesta? — as soon as he completes a few tasks.  Sources claim that simply means running some extra laps.

If that’s indeed the case then it looks like Rogers would rather run to Georgia State instead.  On Wednesday night the player tweeted: “Georgia State.  Wasup?”  Yesterday a report from Panthersville.com — the Scout site covering GSU — wrote “GSU May Snag 5-Star SEC Transfer.”  In the story, they contacted the Georgia native and Rogers told the site:


“Georgia State would be the only place I’d look at.”


Uh, yeah.  Rogers going to North Alabama while Terry Bowden was running that ship?  That I could see.  Bill Curry putting up with a diva dissing him and his staff?  Rogers better be prepared to have his facemask jerked.

Remarkably, when Dooley was asked yesterday about the possibility of Rogers leaving, the coach said: “I don’t have any knowledge of him wanting to leave.  He’s never told me that, or indicated that to me or anybody else.”

Which tells us that Dooley doesn’t follow Rogers’ Twitter feed or read Panthersville.com.  Apparently.

The coach needs to win this year or else his rump could be headed back to the Louisiana Tech-level of coaching.  (Actually, the Bulldogs are winning more since he left, so perhaps he’d land at a coaching rung lower than Tech.)  With receiver Justin Hunter still on the mend from major knee surgery Dooley obviously wants to hang onto his best pass-catcher for now, at least. 

But at what point is Rogers’ on-field talent offset by his off-field demeanor?  After all, Tennessee’s team went 5-7 and lost to Kentucky with Rogers last season.

While a number of Vol players told the press yesterday that they still support Rogers, others posted some rather odd comments on Twitter after Dooley’s “he’s just got some things to do” presser.

Offensive lineman Jawuan James wrote:  “What you allow you encourage.”  Was he referring to Dooley’s lack of action with Rogers or some mother not disciplining her kid in the McDonald’s line in front of him?  You decide.

Defensive lineman Maurice Couch posted via his Twitter feed: “Talk is cheap lead with actions.”  Aimed at Dooley?  Aimed at Rogers?  Aimed at something else entirely?

We could be wrong, but it sure looks like 2 + 2 = 4 in this case.

The whole Tennessee-Dooley-Rogers situation is very reminiscent of Stansbury’s decision to recruit, sign and then put up with Renardo Sidney’s attitude issues at Mississippi State.  When Sidney got into a fight on national television with teammate Elgin Bailey, the guy with more potential stayed and Bailey left.  When Sidney worked out last summer with John Lucas in Houston rather than travel with his teammates on a preseason European tour, Stansbury said his big man was still in his good graces.

But this past season, the Bulldogs’ locker room went up in flames as players openly alluded to certain teammates not giving enough effort, not being in shape, and not having a proper attitude.  Stansbury fiddled while Starkville burned.

The coach’s decision to let Sidney poison his locker room eventually ended said coach’s stay in said locker room.

Dooley is now walking down the same path.  He allowed star safety Janzen Jackson chance after chance after chance to the point that some former Vol assistants even grew tired of it.  Jackson let Dooley down in the end and was forced out by school policy, not Dooley’s.

It seems he’s determined to give the talented Rogers as many chances as it takes to get his head straight.  Meanwhile, Rogers apparently contemplates a move to Georgia State.

Dooley should be so lucky.

UT’s coach has a Sidney problem on his hands.  And if he doesn’t fix it soon, UT athletic director Dave Hart may come to believe that he’s got a Stansbury problem on his.

Tennessee receiver Da’Rick Rogers wasn’t at practice today.  According to Derek Dooley, Rogers has some “internal” things to take care of before he’s welcomed back to spring practice.

There was no timetable given for a possible return.  And the coach stopped short of calling Rogers’ disappearance from team activities a suspension.

Rogers — who we told you earlier today posted a couple of curious tweets yesterday (“I cannot wait to talk to the media tomorrow.  It finally comes out.”) — has been silent on his Twitter account for the past 13 hours.

Looks like Dooley’s going to continue to let Rogers work through his issues without dismissing him from the Vol squad.  No surprise.  He also gave former Tennessee safety Janzen Jackson umpteen shots at redemption before that player finally forced his hand — reportedly — with failed drug test number umpteen-and-one.

For now, we await a new tweet from Rogers who also posted the cryptic “Georgia State.  Wasup?” last night.

When asked if Rogers is transferring, Dooley said today, “Nobody has told me that.”

I seem to remember Auburn’s Gene Chizik saying roughly the same thing when asked about reports that Mike Dyer would transfer to Arkansas State.

Here’s one that will get Alabama and Tennessee fans fired up.  SEC associate commissioner and chief PR guy Charles Bloom told Kirk Bohls of The Austin American-Statesman that the league’s permanent cross-divisional rivalries could go bye-bye as soon as 2013:

“There might not be a permanent rival.  Don’t read anything into next year’s schedule (2012).  But we are staying with eight conference games.”

For many fans across the SEC, the permanent cross-divisional rivalries serve no purpose.  Kentucky and Mississippi State have no hatred for one another.  South Carolina and Arkansas have little history.  And Florida and LSU would rather not have to face one another every year.

But there are other schools that do have reasons to maintain those cross-division games.  Alabama and Tennessee — traditionally speaking — is the SEC’s biggest game, played annually between the two teams who own the most SEC titles all-time.

Georgia and Auburn is the oldest rivalry in the Deep South.  Ole Miss and Vanderbilt have played 86 times.  And Missouri desperately wants to keep Texas A&M on its schedule for recruiting purposes.

Killing cross-division games is not a good solution.

We’ve said repeatedly that we believe the SEC will eventually go to a nine-game league schedule.  We’ve taken that stance because the SEC has almost always in the past acted wisely from a business sense.

But if the league does away with permanent cross-division games and discards three of the league’s oldest rivalries in order to allow its schools to schedule more pitiful home games with schools like Georgia State and Elon, then the league will not be acting wisely.

If the league fails to follow the lead of most other BCS conferences that will be going to nine-game league slates by 2017 if not sooner, then — to be blunt — the SEC will be acting cowardly.

And if the SEC maintains permanent cross-divisional games while eliminating a rotating cross-divisional foe — meaning schools will visit one another every dozen years — the league will be undermining the very thing that makes it great: fantastic rivalries.

If there’s a story to watch in 2012, it’s the final scheduling plan for the SEC moving forward into 2013 and beyond.  Will the SEC act wisely and boldly as it has in the past?  Or will it be motivated to act out of greed (one more home game for everyone!) or fear (nine games is too tough!).

Here’s hoping the league’s leaders wise up before they damage America’s best conference from the inside out.

Content provided by John Clay’s Sidelines.

(AP photo/Dave Martin)

SEC links for Friday:

• As expected, Alabama crushes Bill Curry and Georgia State, 63-7, reports Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Georgia State humbled by big, bad Bama, writes Ken Sugiura of the AJC.
• Loss doesn’t diminish Georgia State’s season, says Jeff Schultz of the AJC.
• Bama’s focus turns to Auburn, writes A. Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• If the FBI can’t stop Auburn, can Alabama? asks Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel thinks Newton story provides more motivations than distractions.
• Winning out would put Tennessee in the Music City Bowl, writes David Climer of the Tennessean.
• Knile Davis answers the call for Arkansas, writes Chris Low of espn.com.
• SEC offenses having their season to shine, writes Kurt Voight of the AP.
• Florida routs North Carolina A&T in hoops, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• Scott Hotard of The Advocate reports on LSU’s bounce-back win over UT-Martin.

Gunner Kiel will be in Tuscaloosa for Thursday night football as Alabama plays host to Georgia State, according to 247sports.com.

Kiel, a junior quarterback from Columbus (Ind.) East High School, is one of the top 2012 prospects at his position in the nation.

He has already attended games at Tennessee, Missouri, Northwestern, Purdue and Indiana, where his brother, Dusty Kiel, is a redshirt freshman.

Kiel’s father, Kip Kiel, told 247sports.com that Gunner will likely visit Iowa next month.

Content provided by John Clay’s Sidelines.

(AP photo/David Tulis)

SEC links for Thursday:

• Alabama plays host to Bill Curry and Georgia State in a rare Thursday night game tonight, reports Izzy Gould of the Birmingham News.
• At Georgia State, Bill Curry is doing what he loves most, writes Tommy Deas of the Tuscaloosa News.
• Curry is busy building the Georgia State program, reports A. Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Georgia State is preparing for Goliath, writes Ken Sugiura of the AJC.
• ESPN reports that Bill Bell had outline of the Cameron Newton payment plan.
• Cameron Newton reports fire up again, reports the Anniston Star.
• Could TMZ report be a game-changer in Newton case? asks Tony Barnhart of the AJC.
• The Newton story has blown up again, writes John Pennington of Mr. SEC.
• Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal says it’s time to open the door on the SEC’s ethics policy.
• Tennessee makes the most of a (Trae) Golden opportunity, writes Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports on Ole Miss’ convincing basketball win over Murray State.
• Vanderbilt and Tennessee football coaches get new look at rivalry, writes Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.
• Tyler Bray has taken command at Tennessee, reports Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Weaknesses will collide when LSU plays Ole Miss, writes Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.
• Arkansas enjoying third-down success, writes Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News.
• Florida could be without three starters on Saturday, writes Jason Leiser of the Palm Beach Post.
• Ohio State left Florida basketball with a black eye, reports David Jones of Florida Today.

1.  LSU’s national championship hopes are very slim according to one BCS guru.

2.  Saturday could be the final home game for LSU’s Patrick Peterson and Richard Murphy.

3.  This writer thinks Peterson has done enough to be honored on Senior Day… even as a junior. 

4.  The LSU basketball team is reeling after last night’s home loss to Nicholls State.

4.  Some of Alabama’s young players may hit the field against Georgia State.  (Ya think?)

5.  A few Tide players are looking forward to reconnecting with Star Jackson who is now a backup QB for Georgia State.

6.  Alabama’s pass rush is coming to life.

7.  NFL scouts aren’t sold on Cam Newton.  (“Sold” is a funny word to use in Newton’s case.)

8.  Josh Bynes’ dad finally got a chance to see his son play at Auburn.

9.  Bobby Petrino’s team isn’t worried about cowbells at Mississippi State.

10.  The Razorbacks aren’t having to worry much about third down situations either.

11.  Marshawn Powell and Jeff Peterson will be ready for Arkansas’ basketball opener tomorrow.

The Alabama football team practiced for two hours in shells (shorts, shoulder pads and helmets) Tuesday afternoon at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility. It was the Crimson Tide’s final practice in preparation for Thursday night’s game against Georgia State.
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The No. 10 Alabama football team practiced inside on Monday at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility in shells in preparation for Thursday’s home game against Georgia State.
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Alabama Coach Nick Saban and select players met with the media Monday afternoon in the Naylor Stone Media Room to discuss Thursday night’s matchup with Georgia State.
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