Talking Points: the Third Saturday in October arrives a week late

by Joel on Oct 19, 2009 7:13 AM EDT in Tennessee Volunteer Football Comment 2 comments

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

Your new No. 1. Public enemy, that is.

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GVX taps Montario Hardesty, Chris Walker, and Janzen Jackson as the Vols' mid-season MVPs. Hard to argue with that, but I think you'd have to include Berry over Jackson. His stats may not be the same as they have in the past, but Monte's using his best player in the best spot week-by-week, which has to account for much of the defense's success so far this season.
Wes Rucker notes that the plan to use Gerald Jones's shiftiness, Denarius Moore's speed, and Austin Rogers' experience was thwarted by injuries and that getting Jones and Moore (as well as Quintin Hancock) back up to speed was largely responsible for the success the offense enjoyed against Georgia.
With Alabama overtaking Florida as the nation's best team (according to the AP), Tennessee will have the honor of playing two No. 1 teams in the same season for the first time in its storied history. While the numbers show that Tennessee has made much progress over last season, the bye week called into question some of its earlier performances (duplicate link). In any event, this weekend's game against the Crimson Tide is shaping up to be much like the Florida game (success means being competitive) but without the pre-game End of the Earth meme.
3SiB gets Tennessee-Alabama week rolling with a primer on responding to Alabama's many lies, a video that speaks for itself, and a story that will surely be added to the Record of Wrongs later this week.
Coming up later today (and the rest of this week): a post in four parts on the history of the Tennessee-Alabama series that I originally wrote for the Maple Street Press 2008 Alabama annual. The first part goes up at 8:00 this morning.

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I do not like

the Alabama game being anytime other than the Third Saturday in October! I am certain it is in scripture somewhere that this game is supposed to be the 3rd Saturday. Any long time Vol fan can remember the standard answer given by either General Neyland or Bear Bryant when asked what kind of team they had, “Ask me after the third Saturday in October.” There are cosmic forces at work here that the SEC should not trifle with.

"I don't want one of those guys who'll drive in two but let in three every game." Casey Stengel

by tnredneckyankeesfan on Oct 19, 2009 12:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It is in Scripture

but it’s in the book of Revelation. There are parts of that book that are very clear, but others shall remain a mystery. ;)

Bama is extremely good this year. When we play like Bama did against South Carolina or Ole Miss, we lose to UCLA and Auburn. When they play that way, Bama wins ugly. Talent /sigh.

If we do the unthinkable and stop that beast Ingram (who runs behind mobile walls disguised as offensive linemen) and make the game rest on McElroy’s arm, then we have a chance as long as Crompton has Georgia on his mind and doesn’t visit Hotel California.

by memphispete on Oct 19, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs