...my first diary post, that is. As you may have guessed, I'm only here for the haiku of it!

Anyway here's my 2 cents worth of reflections on what might have been, and hope for the future.

(Disclaimer: I'm a radio & TV fan, listening from the early John Ward days (my friend and I re-enacted Jimmy Streater to Larry Seivers in the front yard); and now watching every meaningful game from my recliner. That makes me an expert.)

1. "Parity has arrived in college football." Bob Bell stated this on his radio talk show following the 1990 season, which saw several one-loss teams rebound into the national picture. Now the national title comes down to 1 loss Ohio State, and 2 loss LSU. Undefeated seasons will be rare events, especially in the brutal SEC. 9-10 wins in a season should never be a disappointment.
2. Coaching staff: I've been as critical of Fulmer & Company as anyone, especially in the 24 hour period following any loss. Yet is there another school in the conference - or country for that matter - whose coaches would immediately turn our team into world-beaters? I don't think so. For that matter, was it really necessary or helpful to throw Randy Sanders under the bus?
3. Seniors: Mostly underachievers (Hugh Hefney & Erik the Awful come to mind). A few are consistent performers (Brown, Karl, Mitchell), but graduation doesn't hit nearly as hard this year, whether comparing with other schools or previous years.
4. Rest of the best: Numbers of freshmen show considerable potential, albeit in limited opportunity (excepting Berry and Lincoln). With a little help recruiting on the defensive line and secondary, the Vols should be poised for a title run in 2008.
5. The future is now: Since we all know you can't spll "Outback" without UT, why not use the bowl game to our best advantage? Yes, give the seniors a cameo appearance in the first quarter - they've earned it. But follow with Crompton and the G-gun, each getting a full quarter of work to show what they can do. Reward the best performing offense with the fourth quarter. Can it be any worse than our bowl performance in recent years?