Talking points: "thud" is a funny word edition

by Joel Hollingsworth on Oct 16, 2008 7:37 AM EDT in Rocky Top Talking Points

"Thud" Practices are all the rage! For some! Tennessee's new "thud" practices (make your own joke here!) are getting a lot of play from Knoxville media. Demonte Bolden decleated Nick Stephens yesterday, but Nick just thought it was funny. Robert Ayers said something really interesting about the new notion of preparing to play: " “I wouldn’t say it was desperation but at this point,” Ayers said. “You’re looking for playmakers. Full speed practice is the only way to find those playmakers other than the game.” Aaaah, so that's why we can't find playmakers until after games we lose. Ayers also declined to name names but said that "[y]ou probably have some guys that complained about it." If that's the case, then some things are even more wrong over there than we thought. Better get ready, guys, because Croom's coming, and if you're not ready, his team is going to dominate you physically and get your coach fired.
This just in: Trooper Taylor is thriving in Stillwater. Chief says his zone coverage is "not soft." Is too. Is not. Is too. Is not. Whatever the case, the defense can only stop opponents on third and two seven percent of the time. Perhaps y'all can agree on "too soft" instead of "not soft?" I'm just the mediator here.
The rest of the football season is about pride. Good thing we have Eric Berry.
It's all in the interpretation. The Papa says that Mike Hamilton, who Clay says is sharpening knives, "has been very supportive." Who says verb tense isn't important? Like Fulmer, Third Saturday in Blogtober is encouraged by Hamilton's recent comments, although for a different reason.
Elsewhere around the 'sphere: Fulmer's Belly says this must be how Kentucky fans feel. Southeastern Sports Blog observes that Vol fans "probably spent more time breaking down and looking forward to the season than the Vols did being relevant in it," but has a very valid point:

But the Vols have been very good to us. Now's the time to return the favor.

The future is not set; there is no fate but what we make. The Vols will either go further in the hole or keep playing and lay a solid foundation for what's to come, whatever that will be. And it's the responsibility of everyone involved with the program to do what they can to make it something good.
That includes us.
The BruceBall Blog is counting down the days to tip off (it's 30 days away now, folks) and is down to No. 2 in the top moments of the Bruce Pearl Era, the Vols' ascension to No. 1 in the polls. It's time to start getting up to speed on the new faces we'll see on this year's team. Expectations are high for the freshmen.