Countdown TMinus 26

Countdown TMinus 27

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Countdown TMinus 29

Fall practice starts today at 3:40 EST! I believe this weekend's work is sans pads, so don't expect much from the coaches besides, "He looks the part," and, "Football is played with pads."

Countdown TMinus 30

Loathed Enemy Coaches: Bottom to Top Part 2

We continue with our incredibly dumb idea of ranking Tennessee's 12 opponents' head coaches in order of least hatred to OMFGIWANT2KILLYOUNOW hatred. Like I said before, any reason I can think will be included in my rationale for this list. I ended last week with Louisiana's head coach Rickey Bustle at #7. I made myself snort while doing it, but I doubt anyone else did. Onward, to the top half.

6. Houston Nutt - Arkansas

I think I would actually rank Nutt higher if not for the circus that's come to Fayetteville. I feel sorry for him, honestly. Sure, he's insane, but he has that "mentally-handcapped-but-not-so-handicapped" look about him. Still, he lands in the upper half of this list because he had the audacity to sign a Dick and a Johnson, all the while being named Nutt. Why is that a bad thing? It wasn't ... at first. Not until every single John Q. Fute-bawl fan figured it out. It's like the Chuck Norris jokes, but not clever anymore. I also find that a person who names all of their children with names beginning with the same letter as the parent, have a complex. Houston Nutt's 4 kids: Haven, Hannah, Hailey, and the effing cherry on top, Houston the 3rd. What the hell is that about? What if your name was Xavier Nutt? What would yo do then, genius?

5. Jeff Tedford - California

You know, he seems like a nice enough guy, I guess, but like I've said over and over, I have a lot of reasons, which might not be the fault of the coach, that make me despise the coach. Tedford is generally heralded as God in Berkeley (which, in itself, is a freaking "does not compute" moment for me). Cal-Berkeley fans (1 dollar to Les Miles) continually assert that Tedford is one of the 10 best coaches in college football. One.of.the.10.best. Yeah, it pisses me off, too. He's done a good job with a dead program. Great, a lot of coaches have done that. However, it doesn't automatically put you in the upper echelon. There are two hills to climb in college football: the first, get good; the second, get great. Tedford and the Bears are beginning the climb for the 2nd one, but are still years away. I actually predict in 2 years, I'll be writing an entry called, "Can Tedford Really Take Cal to the Top?" Bookmark it, I guess. Anyway, his team came into Neyland Stadium, simultaneously crapped themselves, and went home. And for that, Coach Tedford, I don't like you.

4. Mark Richt - Georgia

With the introduction of Urban Meyer, and the re-introductions of the OBC and the Liar, Richt drops down the line. Without those 3, he'd be Enemy #1, but only because he wins in Neyland Stadium more than Rick Clausen did. Richt doesn't have that grating personality or the jokes to get a rise out of you. He just is flat out better than our head coach, and for that, I dislike him. Munson's call in the 2001 game adds to my dislike of Richt, as does Mark's timeless combover. The absolute best thing about combovers, and I see it's happening to Mark's already, is that it makes it all the more obvious when your hair begins to thin and your hairline begins to recede. I hope Richt one day embraces the bald combover style.

Regardless of his wavy hair, he brought Georgia back to the college football world, and is 3-0 in Knoxville. He's 4-2 overall against our guy, with a couple of blowouts in there. I think he'll fall down the list if we beat the Dawgs in Knoxville this season.

3. Urban Meyer - Florida

It seems a bit strange to have him here, as most Tennessee fans hate the piss out of Urban. Plus, he's the head coach at Florida, after a national title. The top 3 on this list are so close in hatred, that Meyer at 3 is more like Meyer at 1c. He's begun to put to action the Phil Fulmer Theories on Discipline, but he takes it beyond what we've seen. He suspends players for Western Carolina and Southern Miss, but they somehow play against Tennessee and LSU. He cries, moans, and bitches when anything goes against him, even if it greatly benefits say, 2,000 high school seniors. I hate the way he talks, by the way. It's kind of womanly, quivery, at times. How tall is this guy? I feel like Big Bird is coaching the Gators. He's 2-0 against Tennessee (not a surprise there - thanks CPF). His daughter is insane hot, though, so that helps his case. Overall, he's a poor disciplinarian, he's selfish, and he isn't quite a man.

2. Steve Spurrier - South Carolina

The most hated man in Tennessee from 1990 through 2001, Spurrier won many many many games over our best decade of Vols ever. Peyton Manning was 0-3 as a starter against Spurrier's squads. The OBC cracked jokes at our expense, which, to be fair, were hilarious and spot on. I think most UT fans would still rank him as the #1 on this list, but he's more fun at South Carolina, where he actually loses some games. He's less intimidating there, and he's held back his remarks about UT, well, because neither team has been very good the last 2 seasons. If South Carolina wins the division, expect the Spurrier insults to return, and for the OBC to jump back to #1.

1. Nick Saban - Alabama

Combine our biggest rival school with a lying, successful coach, and you have the #1 most hated coach in Tennessee. Alabama has not been Alabama for around 10 years now, so the hatred of the program has decreased. But this move is like the Devil merging with the SuperDevil.

Saban has already ruffled the NCAA's feathers with alleged secondary recruiting violations, whilst also calling out other SEC coaches, urging them not to turn each other in. On a completely unrelated note that has nothing to do with the prior sentence, Nick Saban was reported to be the most "turned in" coach in the SEC. In the end, Coach Saban comes off as a slimeball, and coaches at an institution full of slimeballs. Plus, he never has time for this shit.

I'm a Copy Cat

I noticed no Vol bloggers jumped on the bandwagon of posting daily pictures with countdowns to opening Saturday. So, I've decided to be the copy cat for our Tennessee contingency. Here is the first installment. We're close!

Q&A with Roll Bama Roll

I will be cross-posting this entry with my other blog, College Football Authority. I had a recent Q&A with Rico (Qs 1-6) and Todd (Q 7) from Roll Bama Roll, a great Alabama blog from guys who I would never ever consider Bammers. So, that being said, here are their opinions on the questions I asked them:

1. The preseason prognostication for Alabama is all over the board, with Phil Steele being the most optimistic: 2nd in the SEC West. I agree with him in saying the LSU-Alabama winner will win the division. What are the expectations from the Alabama fan base? Do those expectations differ from the consensus of Alabama bloggers?

It's hard to get a read on the consensus of the Alabama fanbase. Many believe Alabama's fans to be incredibly unreasonable and have expectations that are too high too soon. However, there is also a sizeable portion of the fanbase that knows Nick Saban does not walk on water and that he can't merely appear on the sidelines and have everything fixed and perfected in his first season in Tuscaloosa. My personal take (and I've seen this echoed by many others) is that an 8-4 regular season is about what people are expecting this year. Anything less would be a bit of a disappointment, though it is certainly possible. I see Alabama as having two games they should unquestionably win (Western Carolina and Louisiana-Monroe), four that they should win (Houston, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt) and then there are six that could easily go either way (Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Auburn.) While Alabama will unquestionably be the underdog in most (if not all) of those six, they are certainly winnable. If we pick up two of those six, I think that's a realistic expectation for his first season. His unquestionably a better coach and game manager than Mike Shula so I think 8-4 is quite a realistic outlook.

2. What lesser known players are poised to have breakout seasons in 2007? Why?

These kinds of questions are always difficult because it is hard to know how players with little or no game experience will turn out. I think a few young players could step up and shine including Roy Upchurch, Terry Grant and Javier Arenas. They've all show potential in the limited time they've gotten or in scrimmages and they could certainly give us more options on an offense that didn't have a lot of options. There are others, but I don't pretend to be Phil Steele, who I think actually can see into the future.

3. I believe John Parker Wilson has the tools and the weapons around him to challenge for 1st Team All-SEC. What are your thoughts on Wilson and your expectations?

He produced fairly good numbers last year for a sophomore QB that had to run for his life nearly every time the ball was snapped. Assuming he gets better line protection this year I imagine we could really see him turn into a fine QB. One thing he does need to do better is protect the ball. There were times last year where he threw it up for grabs when he should've taken a sack and other times he should've taken a sack and protected the ball but coughed up fumbles trying to produce a miracle. Making smarter decisions in those circumstances comes with experience and he has a full season under his belt so hopefully we'll see improvement in that area. Like I said though, with better line protection and better ball protection I think he can be a real threat given that he has two great targets in DJ Hall and Keith Brown.

4. What kind of environments do you expect for home games against LSU and Tennessee?

I imagine both of those games are going to be completely insane. Tennessee has always been a game that has fired up the crowds at Bryant-Denny, but I imagine given the hope that's in the air with Nick Saban on the sidelines that the passion should be increased many times over. LSU is also a team that people have never had trouble getting fired up for, but given the way Les Miles has been shooting his mouth off I imagine things will be crazy unless they take us out of the game early. I'm just happy I have tickets for both.

5. Are you personally worried about Nick Saban's trend of leaving jobs are 4 years, or less?

Yes and no. Yes due to the fact that it is a trend that can't be ignored and for the fact that he could quit tomorrow and we'd still have to pay him for the full contract. The Alabama Athletic Department definitely got the short end of the stick in the deal. I say no though because Saban's very existence (combined with his handsome salary) has seemed to rub the entire college football world the wrong way. He certainly isn't going back to the NFL and not many other schools could pay him more, much less actually would pay him more. Even if he doesn't win a national championship here and splits in four years, if he wins an SEC Championship or two and leaves us stacked with recruits like he did LSU, I'd be okay with that I think.

6. If Alabama could only win 1 game, and 1 game only, in 2007, who would you like it to be against? Why?

Auburn without a doubt. Losing five in a row to them has been miserable and putting an end to their streak would be both a joy and a relief. I obviously don't fancy losing to LSU or Tennessee, but I could handle those better this year than I could losing to Auburn again. In 2005, I would have answered this question with Tennessee, but now it is all Auburn.

7. What kind of changes will the Tide see on defense in the transition to Kevin Steele in terms of both alignment and theory?

I'm not sure calling this season "a transition to Kevin Steele" is completely accurate. Alabama will be running Saban's system, and Steele was brought in because of his exemplary work with the Florida State linebackers and because Saban's system relies heavily on them. That being said, Steele's hire is a huge boost for both Saban's system and the guys already on the team. The FSU linebackers over the last few years were the heart and soul of that terrific defense, and they played like they would rather tackle than breathe. It's this kind of coaching ability that makes him ideal for a system so dependent on the linebackers. With only three down linemen, it's the role of the "jack" linebacker to both act as a rush end and play in space like a traditional LB. Guys like Keith Saunders and Zeke Knight are perfect for this, since both are physical enough to rush the passer but neither really has the size to play on the line, and both are also fast/athletic enough to play both the run and the pass out in space. I suppose the easiest way to answer your question is to say that Alabama will shift to a 3-4 alignment instead of the typical 4-3, and will be more complex than the simplistic "do one thing and do it better than anyone else" philosophy we saw from Joe Kines the past few seasons. That's not to take away from Kines, of course, considering he produced two of the best defenses in the country and even had a green unit with no depth up front ranked in the top 25 last year in total defense, but his strategies were so dependent on sound, fundamental football that it took players the caliber of DeMeco Ryans, Roman Harper, et al to be dominant in it. Given one more season, he would have certainly had these guys whipped into shape and schooled in the proper techniques to be dominant again but, alas, it was not to be. Enter Saban and Steele, two defensive masterminds who love a good blitz just as much, and probably more, than any other defensive coach in the country. Saban inherits an Alabama team that is very thin in the front seven (we have a converted center starting at NT), but deep, talented, and fast in the secondary. He's said several times that a lot of what we'll see this year will be done out of a nickel package to take advantage of the talent among the DBs. This isn't too far removed from the 3-4 alignment he likes, but using a nickelback as a fourth linebacker will probably pose some problems against the run. I'm not overly familiar with his time at Miami, but what I know from watching the Saban defenses at LSU is that they are both fast and disciplined, and I expect the Alabama defense to be no different. I also expect to see some more complex blitzes from the new schemes. Kines rarely disguised his blitzes but he had coached his players so well that opposing offenses couldn't stop them. With Saban, I imagine we'll see a lot more zone blitzing, and probably far more man coverage than we were used to last season.

So, there you have it. Very eloquent, thought out answers to 7 burning questions about Alabama. I wish I would have included a question about the vibe around the team this summer in the weight room, but I didn't. I'll try to set up a dialogue between myself and RBR as we roll into the 3rd week in October.

Loathed Enemy Coaches: Bottom to Top

Not much to dissect right now on the Tennessee football front, so it's time for ol' faithful - a list! With this list, I'm going to rank the head coaches of Tennessee's 12 opponents this upcoming season. I can and will include any reasoning I can think of. Whether it's our current coach's inability to consistently beat a certain coach, or the hairstyle of the coach - it's all fair game. This should be fun.

12. Steve Roberts - Arkansas State

Poor guy. He coaches at Arkansas State, which is not only in the Sun Belt conference, they are on the lower rung of it. Roberts has a name that comforts me ... Steve Roberts. Nothing to loathe there. A Google search of Steve Roberts links to an artist, a musician, and a journalist. You won't see Steve Roberts the football coach on the first page of links. For that, Steve Roberts, we salute you and your ambiguity as the head coach at Arkansas State.

11. Jeff Bower - Southern Miss

I must say, Jeff Bower could have easily been at #12. He's been an amazing coach at Southern Miss, with 13 straight winning seasons. He played and graduated from Southern Miss, and has been their head coach since 1990. The reason he isn't the least loathed of our enemies is because his team has a slight chance of beating mine, and Mr. Roberts has as much of a chance at beating UT as I have of being invited to the Hamptons. Bower, still, has a place in my heart, in the straight, manly sort of way (not that there's anything wrong with that). I like when coaches stay at their alma mater - it shows a true love for your school and the game. He's also known for consistently creating a disciplined team that fights until the last whistle blows. If your team was a little worse, you'd be #12.

10. Sylvester Croom - Mississippi State

I've heard Sylvester Croom compared to a "big ol' teddy bear" more than I ever wished I would have. He's a cuddly guy with a cuddly mustache and a cuddly name. Sylvester ... like the cat, but a human. It's precious. He's in a no-win situation but carries himself with dignity. I respect that. I also respect that he wore a jersey with the Swiss watch logo on it. Or was it the Red Cross? I don't know, but it was precious, as well. Croom might only have 2 seasons left in Cowbell Station, so he gets our pity love as well. Because he's an SEC coach, we have to loathe him a little more than some of the out of conference guys. Plus, Sylvester is, you know, precious.

9. Rich Brooks - Kentucky

When I started to write this entry, I thought my dislike for Rich Brooks would come easy, but it hasn't. He looks like a nice enough guy. He ruffled some feathers in Lexington when he somewhat insulted Jared Lorenzen, Derek Abney, and pre-Brooks Kentucky football. So, for that, Rich Brooks, I like you. Anybody, regardless of allegiance, who pisses off our mentally challenged foes up north, is good in my book. The reason, though, I don't like you, Richard, is because in 2003, you tried to move Jared Lorenzen to wide receiver. The 6'4", 285 pound quarterback ... at wide receiver. Lorenzen was unsackable! Defensive ends would bounce off of him like the recipient of a trampoline super jump. Plus, now that the Wildcats have won a bowl game, the entire fanbase has lost it's collective mind. Thus, I lay blame on you, Head Coach of Kentucky, Rich Brooks. I hope you enjoy missing a bowl.

8. Bobby Johnson - Vanderbilt

I guess this is where I begin to fully loathe the coaches I reference. It's a little unfair for Bobby because I get sick and tired of the false assertions that Bobby Johnson is somehow better than his predecessors at Vanderbilt. Of course, Bobby isn't the one saying that junk, but I loathe him for it. He's actually worse than Woody Widenhofer, but that's another story in itself. Plus, his team luckboxed a victory over the worst UT team in 20 years in 2005. Their fans still talk about it, even after the 4 touchdown loss this past November. And what's with this picture? All I see is a face! No hair, no shirt, but I'm sure they're there. I just see a face!

7. Rickey Bustle - Louisiana at Lafayette

Yeah, I said it. I don't like you Rickey Bustle, and nobody else should either. Sure, you have a wife and kid, and you've done great things for your Ragin Cajuns. Ken Lay did good things for Enron at one point, too. First of all, you were Mike Vick's college quarterback coach. That alone should make you an accessory to the two felony charges Mr. Mexico is facing. Second, you coached Jim Druckenmiller. Jim freaking Druckenmiller. Druckenmiller was a back-up ... IN THE ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE. I didn't even know they had back-ups in that league. Third, your cabeza is too big for your body. Petty? Sure I am. But it's like a watermelon atop a tennis ball - it shouldn't be able to happen. Next, that gap. David Letterman feels sorry for you. Lastly, you remind me of Greg Popovich, and I don't like him either. Burnt!

I would just like to say that I am only poking fun.

Expect the 2nd half of this ridiculous idea on Monday.

New Layout

I'm an absolute HTML newbie, so I didn't quite change everything I wanted to ... yet. I would love feedback on the layout, even negative feedback as long as it's the truth. Tons of postings scheduled for the upcoming work week. Stay tuned.

Are Things Heating Up?

This work week has been filled with stories from Volquest, GoVolsXtra, etc. It's the first week this offseason where I finally "feel it." Maybe it's because I'm taking a more analytical approach to the stories I read, but it seems like our Vols are in the right mindset to win the division.

Chris Low at Volquest talked with Steve Caldwell, who in turn, talked about his defensive ends. I can't find the link from spring, but I remember Fulmer and Co. talking about how Xavier Mitchell had the best spring from a DE ever. Now, this, about Antonio Reynolds: "'When he came back from spring break, he was a different player,' Caldwell said. 'I don't know what it was. Not that I coached him any different or did anything different, but when he came back after spring break, he looked the best he's looked since he's been here.'" Caldwell said similar things about Robert Ayers, and said Wes Brown played well in the spring.

Our defense produced only 17 sacks last season, the lowest of the Fulmer era. Demonte Bolden and J.T. Mapu will not only need to play strong as run-stopping studs in the middle, but they need to have the one-gap skills to open up the outside for our ends. All of this, in turn, will make it easier on a secondary that will most likely see meaningful snaps from 3 newcomers.

Speaking of Mapu, Dave Hooker over at GoVolsXtra has a nice piece on the Samoan. Mapu said about himself this spring and summer: "Got a little lighter and a whole lot stronger. Got a little quickness back." We all remember that Mapu started 12 games in 2003 before he left Knoxville on his mission trip. He arrived last season over 300 pounds and out of shape. Now, he's stronger, faster, and a senior.

In the same article from Hooker, Jon Hefney had some things to say about two newcomers - Eric Berry and C.J. Fleming. Hefney about Berry: "I think he’s going to be good but we’ve got to put on the pads. He told me he was a safety. Well, we know he can hit then." Hefney about Fleming: "I think he’ll be the sleeper. I think he’ll be like Inky." Coming from a senior, I like what I hear. Hooker also has an article about Jarod Parrish, who has apparently taken the apple of Phil's eye. Hooker is a machine, as he also covers Brad Cottam and expectations from Cutcliffe and Matt Luke.

Drew Edwards has a good article about the 3 running backs over at GVX, again.He also penned an article on Erik Ainge and his increased strength. "He’s at 225 pounds now, and UT strength coach Johnny Long raved about his work ethic this summer."

Finally, Austin Price at Volquest has an excellent read on Johnny Long, UT's strength and conditioning coach. This article, plus a lot of other reports around the pay sites, continue to talk about the incredible work ethic throughout the program this summer. We haven't heard this kind of stuff in a long time. Maybe I'm naive, but it makes me have even higher hopes for 2007.

Vol Blogs Tuesday and Starters Note

First, I have updated the current starting lineup graphic here. Fall practice will bring about plenty of changes, so check it weekly if you like it.

Second, Rocky Top Talk posted the #3 signee from our recruiting class, Brent Vinson. This is, in my opinion, the best RTT prospect report yet. Vinson has been wowing people in campus this summer, from all reports. He already has the physical tools, and is apparently picking up the mental aspect of the game.

Third, Fulmer's Belly continues to fake us out by posting every 5 days or so. He's going to the Cal game, I'm going to the Cal game. Hopefully Joel from RTT is going. Beers for both if they go.

Fourth, I just realized there are only 3 UT year-round blogs.

Fifth, (ugh, longer than I had hoped - wishing I hadn't said "First" up top) I've got a special e-mail interview/Q&A with Chris from Smart Football about the pros and cons of the no huddle, as well as other facets about the approach. His blog is incredible if you like the deep Xs and Os of college (and pro) football. Look for that soon.

Sixth, and finally, I have set up a Q&A with Nico at Roll Bama Roll (one of the good Alabama fans out there) about their expectations for 2007. I'll probably cross-post that at College Football Authority. Keep an eye for that, as well.

Alright, keep visiting, as I have some super secretive plans that could take this blog to a better level.

We're Getting Closer

Now that I have my Cal tickets, it's time to ramp up the insults (playfully, of course) directed towards the Bears. I downloaded the picture editing software The Gimp a few weeks ago and I'm obsessed. So, today's Cal Bears Mockery Entry is dedicated another ROFLCat type picture.

Reminder for Cal Tickets

Vol fans: As of right now, the Cal ticket office is selling general admission and other reserved seating tickets on their website. Tomorrow you can order by phone. I bought mine today. Here is the link.

We sold out our 7,500 allotment to the donors, which is great! If we have get 5,000-7,500 MORE people into Memorial Stadium, we'll take up almost 25% of the venue! $44 for a general admission seat, and I advise that all of us arrive early and get to the Blue Zone, to make sure we sit near Section PP, the visitors' section. Check it out on this seating chart.



Our presence matters! Remember Miami, 2003? We brought soomething like 25,000 UT fans and ended Miami's home winning streak. BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE NOW, HURRY!

Current Starting Lineup

NOTE: You can click on the image to enlarge it. I can barely read it without enlarging it, and I have eyes like a hawk.

July 11th: I thought this might be a cool little diddy for the blog. I'll add a link to it on the side with updates every time we change our starting 22. Right now, you won't see the new freshmen or JUCOs in the lineup, because they haven't been named starters. Ryan Karl could be replaced on this, but I decided not to. Maybe the graphic is awful - if it is, tell me.

July 17th: Inserted Anthony Parker at starting guard, due to Brent Hubbs saying he locked a spot down. The other guard spot is between Foster, McClendon, and Richard - so I put Foster. Moved Young back to LT and Scott to RT. Scott had a good spring by all accounts, but it seems Young is still the LT for now. OLB Ryan Karl has a back injury, but there hasn't been word on how serious it really is, yet. Once we know, we'll change the graphic. We'll see a ton of changes to this once the players start fall practice on August 3rd. The two corners, two receivers, running back, strong safety, and guard spots could all have different starters before September 1st in Berkeley.

Toughest Games: Top to Bottom

This entry is influenced by a forum thread over at my most common hitching post, Vol Nation. What will be Tennessee's toughest games, in order, from the toughest to the easiest? This shouldn't just consider talent, but also experience, location of the game, timing of the game, etc. It'd be neat if some prominent bloggers would step up and do this for their teams (I'm looking at you, Burnt Orange Nation, Swamp Ball, The Band is Out..., Dawg Sports, etc). I will allow (haha, right, me ... allow?) each blogger to eliminate up to 3 super easy, cupcake games from their list, if they'd like. Here is how I see Tennessee's schedule, with thoughts.

1. at Alabama (Oct. 20th)

When I predict games, I base it on a mix of statistical analysis, action analysis, and a little bit of gut feeling. This game has my gut feeling nauseous. Alabama, while finishing 6-7, underperformed quite a bit in 2006. Even if Mike Shula had returned for another season, they would have won 7 or 8 games. Add in Nick Saban plus his Super Friends coaching staff, and you add 2 games to that win total, at the least. Saban will not only bring better coaching tactics, but more discipline, respect, control, etc. Keep in mind that Alabama goes into the season with the best QB-WR grouping in the conference, on paper. This game is going to be tough, tough, tough. In all honesty, this could be a 6-0 Tennessee travelling to a 6-1 Alabama. Talk about reviving the bad blood on the 3rd Saturday.

2. at Florida (Sep. 15th)

I almost put the Gators at the 1 spot, but I think a few things play into Tennessee's hands. First, everyone knows about the new starters Florida will breaking in this season. Tennessee will be the first real offense they face. Also, nobody can deny this, we don't know how well Urban Meyer's spread option will work, week in and week out, in the SEC. This will be UF's first test with the offense in the SEC, and Tennessee has the double-edged sword gift of being the first team to try to stop it.

3. Georgia (Oct. 6th)

Plenty of Vol fans will point to the 18 point victory we had in Athens last season, and that this game is now in Knoxville. Who cares? While the jury is out on Matt Stafford, he doesn't need to shoulder the load to beat Tennessee. He has a solid stable of running backs and Joe Tereshinski won't be around. And if you've forgotten already, Mark Richt is 3-0 in Neyland Stadium. If Stafford is even moderately improved, Richt could move to 4-0 in the house the General built.

4. at California (Sep. 1st)

The Cal game is probably the toughest to accurately rank, mostly because Cal is a very tough team to predict for this season. I'm with Phil Steele on the Bears: 4th or 5th in the Pac 10, with a lot of disappointment for their fans. However, Cal will be very motivated for this game. Then again, so will our Volunteers, so I think that's a wash. Tennessee has travelled to at least 10 venues over the last 6 years that have been more hostile than Memorial Stadium will be in September. I'm more worried about the cross country flight and a new secondary than I am the crowd noise. Cal's defense won't give us fits, but their vertical passing attack will.

5. Arkansas (Nov. 10th)

This is another tough team to rank on our schedule. They completely blasted us last season, and they still have the two backs who did it to us. On the other hand, they lost 3 of their 5 bulldozers on the line (which is not all of their linemen [inside joke]), and they've been mired in an offseason chocked full of controversy and distraction. If our defensive front improves, we should be able to win this game without too much drama.

6. South Carolina (Oct. 27th)

Again, another tough one. Basically, 4-6 could be in any order. South Carolina returns an entire nation of starters, but I think our home field advantage cancels that out. In the Season of Which We Do Not Speak (reference: Rocky Top Talk), we lost to Spurrier and the Cocks at home. Our worst team in how long? 20 years? Steve Spurrier will always give Phillip Fulmer fits, especially with a senior quarterback who sweats like a hoebag in church. Be worried, but don't mess your pants - South Carolina is the SEC East wildcard.

7. Southern Miss (Sep. 8th)

I can hear you now, "WHAAAAAAT?!" It's true. Southern Miss at 7. I actually wanted to put the Eagles higher, but couldn't. If you looked up "trap game" in the Cliched College Football Dictionary (available at bookstores everywhere), you'd see Southern Miss @ Tennessee. This game comes a week after Tennessee travels to California, and a week before the biggest game of the season, at Florida. Wait, if Tennessee loses to Cal, the SMU game isn't a trap game, anymore, I don't think. But we'll win at Cal. Southern Miss is predicted to be the best team in Conference USA, and Jeff Bower always field discliplined, tough teams. Watch out guys, this one could bite us in the hindquarters.

8. at Kentucky (Nov. 24th)

I know, I know, I know - half of you reading this think Kentucky will be good again. They might be, but I doubt it. Their defense won't improve, and you cannot be successful two years in a row with a defense as putrid as theirs. Kentucky benefited from some close win variance last year, so expect a return to the mean. Will Kentucky be as bad as they once were? No. But don't expect another 7 win regular season.

9. at Mississippi State (Oct. 13th)

Another trap game - a road game, sandwiched between our 3rd biggest rival and our most bitter rival. Yuck. With Phil Fulmer's seat a little warmer than toasted bread, but not as scalding as an inferno, I could see a situation where he's Croomed. You know, a coach loses to Croom, then gets canned at season's end? It's not likely, but if it happens, things could get sticky-icky.

10. Vanderbilt (Nov. 17th)

Our last real opponent on the list. Apparently, some people think Bobby Johnson is a good coach, but I disagreed a few months ago. If Tennessee is 10-0, 9-1, or 5-5 going into this game, I'd be a little nervous, but the Commodores were comatose last season in our match up, and I don't think Chris Nickson is anything special. After Arkansas, before Kentucky, ehhhhhhhh.

11. Arkansas State (Sep. 22nd)

Gnat.

12. Louisiana-Lafayette (Nov. 3rd)

Gnat.

So, there you have it: a quick guide to our toughest games of 2007. Do you agree? Disagree? Want to belittle me? Sleep in every Saturday before the season starts? Then leave a comment and tell me.

More Proof that Bammers are Scum

Let me preface this entry by saying that not all Alabama fans are Bammers. Bammers are the Tide's version of asshole fans - fans that don't understand that while college football is life, it really isn't. Some things are bigger than athletics, to say the least.

Onto why Bammers are scum.

ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski posted a story yesterday about the Jason Foundation, a foundation that helps children and teenagers battling with depression and suicidal thoughts/tendencies/etc. Basically, the article went in depth about how the Flatt family lost a son to suicide, started the foundation, and went to Coach Fulmer to help. Fulmer got 100% behind the foundation, helping raise donations at events, putting money in from his own pocket, and generally being the face of the foundation. You should really read the entire article.

Obviously, being a Tennessee alumnus, I am extremely proud to see a fellow Volunteer do such charitable things, especially someone with such power and wealth. You would imagine that people would respect the foundation and what Fulmer has done. NOPE!

If you head on over to www.tidefans.com, you'll see a thread started on the forums about the article from Woj. The replies start out respectful enough, I guess. However, it spiraled pretty quickly. I'll quote some of the highlights.

"As for Fullmer, I don't care if he saved 100 puppies from drowning until he does something for Alabama or admits he did wrong I hope he rots in hell." (from an ADMINISTRATOR of the site)

"Phil is a scumbag of the worst order."

Followed by ringing endorsements of this sick mindset. Things like, "This just about sums up my feelings for the fat one north of us," and, "You are correct, one at a boy does not make up for all the lying, cheating, scumbag, underhanded secret witness crap."

To be fair, some ALABAMA fans had nice things to say about Fulmer's involvement with the foundation. On the other hand, I can't imagine another rival team's message board being as harsh as this one. Bammers are classless, delusional individuals. You must realize that the charity work Fulmer, Saban, Richt, etc. do is far, far bigger than the game we love. I can't begin to fathom having football rivalries taking priority over human improvement. This foundation has and will save hundreds of kids' lives, but yet, you Bammers couldn't give a shit about that? You care more about baseless stories about "lies" Fulmer has told the NCAA. Yes, Fulmer was a secret witness in a case that was proof of your administration's actions, of which you cannot question the validity. You continue to spout on about how "Fulmer lied about Shaun Alexander, lied about this, lied about that." SHOW US, THEN! Show us something from that investigation that outlines all of "Fulmer's lies." You might find one lie, no more.

In the end, I'm disappointed that people can act like that. This is football, and while I'll sacrifice a lot of things to enjoy the game I love, I know where the game should be on my list of priorities.

Florida Gators are the Bengals of the NCAA

The Gainesville Sun is reporting that two Gator athletes were arrested last night, one of which is on the football team. Brandon James, who played punt and kick returner, last season, was arrested for drug possession.

We all know exactly what's going to happen here. He'll run the stadium steps for at 6am for 3 days.










Then, he'll sit in timeout for Florida's games against Western Alaska Tech and St. Mary's School for Cancer Survivors.












And lastly, the Monday after beating SMSFCS 60-3, Mr. James will receive the roughest spanking ever, maybe even with a hair brush, just in time to play against Tennessee.










I know this course of consequences will show Mr. James the light, and the rest of the team will follow suit. Hopefully, the entire landscape of the football universe will take notice of Urban Meyer's strict policy at the university. Our world can only get better if they do.

I Guess It's Time ...

With less than 100 days until kickoff (90 now, I believe), it's time for this blog to start poking some fun at our opponents, mostly Cal for now. I just downloaded the free image editing software Gimp. Still have a big learning curve, but in the vain of ROFLCAT, here is a nice reminder of our huge victory over Cal last season.

Just a Note

I've started a 2nd blog. This one will continue to be Tennessee news and opinions, as well as a place to insult our SEC rivals. However, as most everyone who talks to me knows, I love all of college football and have some things to say. That's why I started the College Football Authority. It will not only cover all of Division 1-A football, it will provide some other interesting posts about how to spend your college football weekends. You'll see. Anyway, I just posted the Pac 10 APP Breakdown, so head over there and check it out.