ATLANTA — Hold your nose. We’re about to discuss the bubble teams.

Tennessee’s Bruce Pearl and several other college coaches want to expand the NCAA tournament? I think we could invite 50 this year and be just fine. Almost every single team on the bubble lost Thursday, including two here at the SEC tournament in spectacular fashion.

Alabama beat Florida so bad that Billy Donovan pulled a Rick Pitino and basically said, “I’m a great coach! What’s wrong with my players?” It looked like Alabama was hosting an AND-1 mix tape against a YMCA team.

Ole Miss lost to woeful Georgia, the worst team in the SEC, and the NCAA selection committee thanks the Rebels for playing. See the NIT for your parting gifts. Not even coach Andy Kennedy, even after being informed of all the upsets, is promoting his team for consideration.

“I appreciate your optimism,” Kennedy told a reporter, “but I’m just trying to be a realist, and for us to be 7-9 in the league and not do what we needed to do ....”

This means Arkansas is definitely in the tournament after beating Vanderbilt, and Kentucky will join them no matter what happened in Friday’s late game. I’m not saying the bubble is weak this year, but South Carolina is now in consideration for the NCAAs after playing Tennessee close.

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I’m finally going to ask: Why are the camera shots under a lifted cheerleader considered socially acceptable? If you put a camera under a woman’s skirt in any other situation, you would and should be arrested and/or slapped. But, somehow, it’s OK for live TV at sporting events in front of 20,000 people.

Who was the first brave cameraman to attempt this move? And why didn’t anyone say, “Dude, that’s really weird. Stop.” I’ll be honest — I feel uncomfortable every time I see that camera shot, which is usually after a commercial break. It’s like I’m watching something I shouldn’t.

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I’m hearing that VCU’s Anthony Grant is a strong candidate for LSU’s head coaching job. Note to Anthony Grant: Use Arkansas coach John Pelphrey as a reference. Ask him to write you a nice note. Look at what Pelphrey, an assistant with Grant at Florida, said when asked about Grant by an LSU reporter.

“There’s not a better human being; there’s not a better coach,” Pelphrey said. “There’s not a better guy you want representing any organization. I’m not sure there’s anybody in the country that’s better than Anthony Grant. He’s the total package. He’s got it — a presence, a gift to relate to all people and a high, high intellect in terms of basketball IQ. He’s a ridiculous human being. There are no flaws. He’s flawless.”

Wow. My own mother wouldn’t even say that about me, and rightfully so.

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How fast is South Carolina’s Devan Downey off the dribble? It looked like he was moving in fast-forward against Tennessee on Friday. And he never loses his dribble. Incredible.

“You’ve just got to take your hat off to him,” Tennessee’s JaJuan Smith said. “Once he gets going, he’s probably the best point guard in the conference.”

Responded Pearl: “Our guys just shake their heads. I agree with JaJuan. He’s the best point guard in the league.”

That started a discussion on press row about ranking the SEC’s best point guards. I’d go:

1. Devan Downey

2. Ramel Bradley

3. Sundiata Gaines

Just to make sure, I asked Arkansas’ Gary Ervin to name the toughest point guard to defend.

“By far, Jamont Gordon,” he said. “He’s 6-foot-4, 225 pounds. He’s a smarter player and can get into the paint at will.”

See, I don’t consider Gordon a true point guard because that’s not his real position. Plus, he turns the ball over a lot. Of course, as I’m writing this, Gordon just unleashed a wicked one-hand dunk to give Mississippi State a short-lived lead over Alabama. I’m still not budging.

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Well, we had to say goodbye to a coaching great. South Carolina’s Dave Odom was a tremendous coach and is a fantastic human being. I would write some poetic tribute to the man, but I really can’t top what Pelphrey said about Grant.

Odom said he wanted to win for his players and the fans, not himself. He also can’t imagine being away from the game completely.

“I want to go to the beach with no responsibilities at all, and just see what that’s like,” Odom said.

Enjoy it, Dave.

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