So the Vols travel to Gainesville [sigh] host the Gators tonight for the first time this season. First, a reminder from almost exactly one year ago today of why the Gators are the Abomination:

. . . [T]here's a "pretty big" game today for coach Pearl and the basketball Vols, also known around here as Hulk and the Pantheon. The Hulk's primary physical adversary is the Abomination, a "massive, green-skinned monster" that can hold its breath for abnormally long periods of time. This, of course, is a perfect description of our reptilian rivals to the south, the Florida Gators.

The Abomination

a.k.a. The Florida Gators

Like the Hulk, the Abomination "belongs to a small minority born with a genetic factor that cause[s] them to mutate . . . ." Exhibit A:

Genetic abnormalities? You be the judge.

The Abomination is twice as powerful as a calm Hulk, and two defeats in a row at the hands of the Hulk have driven the Abomination insane with hatred toward Banner and his boys. So is it a lost cause? No, because the Abomination's powers and abilities, while awe-inspiring, do not increase or decrease based on its emotional state. The Hulk's, on the other hand, do. Remember that "the madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets," and an enraged Hulk can and will overcome the Abomination. You know, like last year during the regular season.

Still, the Pantheon will likely be without Chris "the Discombobulator" Lofton today and will be at a serious disadvantage playing on the Abomination's home court. JaJuan Smith and Ramar Smith have stepped up their games recently in the absence of Lofton, but can the Blender and DuWayne Chews keep up with the Smiths? And will coach Hulk be more calm or more enraged?

If the Vols are fired up, focused, and prepared -- wait, never mind -- if the Vols are emotionally prepared for this game, they could come home with the victory. More than likely, though, this battle will belong to the Abomination.

We lost that game pretty badly, by the way, but the rematch at Thompson-Boling on February 27, 2007 was nothing short of perfect. They may have won two national championships in a row, but they were 1-3 against Tennessee during that same time period.

Things are different this year, of course. We appear to be significantly better than we were last year, and the Abomination appears to be not nearly as good. Florida was ranked No. 2, No. 12, and No. 5 the last three times we've beaten them, and this season, they've spent only one week (last week) in the Top 25. They were just beaten 80-61 at Arkansas in a game that apparently wasn't even as close as the score indicates.

None of that should lead you to assume that we'll make it four out of five tonight, though. Florida coach Billy Donovan was not pleased with the team's performance against the Hogs, and he put the team through two practices Sunday, including one focusing exclusively on defense. Plus, the stats from yesterday show that we hit more field goals, threes, and free throws, but only because we take more. If we can't control the pace -- a tall order at Gainesville [sigh again] -- we could be in trouble.

Fortunately, Chris Lofton has found himself and his shot: In the last four games, he's averaged 23 points and has hit 21 of 41 of his three-point shots. That may be the only difference we need to distinguish this year's trip to Florida from last year's. [oy]