A few items to clean out the notebook before heading to Birmingham, Ala., and the SEC Football Media Days Cliff Lee is a good guy.

Lee, who pitched a year for the Arkansas Razorbacks, continues to make Benton his primary home, and despite starting as a pitcher in the All-Star Game and being off to a 13-2 record with the Cleveland Indians, he has gone out of his way to be available to the local media.

Doug Crise did a big story on him for this newspaper, and Lee has appeared on several talk shows where it was discovered he has a great sense of humor.

When yours truly said he faced a Little League pitcher a few years ago, Lee chimed in and said: “I bet she struck you out.” When the season ends, he and his family will be back in Benton.

Along with North Little Rock’s A. J. Burnett, he is a big supporter of the Field of Dreams program, which, incidentally, has a Wiffle ball tournament this weekend to raise awareness and money.

Fame and fortune has not changed either of those major leaguers, and both are good guys.

When UALR hosted firstand second-round games of the NCAA Tournament last March, it was a huge success on every front.

The recent NBA Draft revealed those attending the games at Alltel Arena got to see some very talented players.

The No. 1 pick, Derrick Rose, was here with the Memphis Tigers, and D. J. Augustin, the No 9 pick, played for the Texas Longhorns, who eventually were beaten by Memphis, which made it all the way to the national championship game.

Also playing in Alltel Arena was the 33 rd pick, Joey Dorsey, and the No. 40 pick, Chris Douglas-Roberts, both of whom played for Memphis.

Two Oregon players, Malik Hairston (No. 48 ) and Maarty Leunen (No. 54 ), also went on the second day.

The most athletic guy drafted in the first two rounds of the NBA Draft was former Razorbacks player Sonny Weems.

Weems was drafted by Chicago and traded to Denver, where in five summer league games he did fairly well.

He averaged 9. 2 points and three rebounds per game as the Nuggets went 4-1.

The biggest problem is Denver is heavy with guards.

His athleticism keeps the Nuggets interested.

Bobby Hurley, one of the alltime greats on the rodeo scene, has been inducted into the Pro-Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Hurley, of Clarksville, is a former national team roping champion.

Is it just a little ironic that Tommy Tuberville left Ole Miss for Auburn and 10 years later Houston Nutt goes to Ole Miss from Arkansas ?

After Danny Ford was fired, the job at Arkansas came down to Tuberville and Nutt, and it appeared Tuberville had it until former Chancellor John White insisted the search committee be unanimous in their choice.

It took several hours and many words, some harsh, before the vote did almost a 180-degree turn in favor of Nutt.

Much has been written and said about the toughness of the Arkansas Razorbacks football schedule this fall, and it is indeed brutal.

However, the Hogs aren’t the only team in the state with big challenges.

Arkansas State goes to Texas A&M, Memphis and Alabama.

The Red Wolves have seven road games and only five at home this season.

Not sure how some people thought my trip to Rome was not enjoyed. It was, as previously reported here, almost a spiritual experience.

The trip to Italy was three years in the planning and worth every minute and detail.