Gotta take my medicine.  Immediately after the guns and marijuana fall-out about a month ago, I projected that our beloved Vols would enter the SEC tourney 19-9 (8-8 in SEC play) and that the personnel losses would cost us as much as 35 places in the kenpom ratings (poll proxy).

Boy, was I wrong.  Mea culpa on the games I thought we'd lose.

• We beat Kansas.  That's looking more and more impressive as the season unfolds.
• The Donovan Domination continued thanks to a last second fadeaway jump shot by Hops.  
• And, the Rebs pushed us to OT but we pulled it out.

Some other plusses, 

• We also held serve and beat the teams we should have.  Props for no let downs.
• Kenpom has us at #29 - down 15 spots - despite losing 40% of the offense for multiple games and a late NBA first rounder for the season.  

Go figure.  (Because I sure couldn't).
The only negative?  We dogged it against Georgia.  But even the highflying Commodores proved that isn't a unique experience.
I thought we'd be 5-3 in the SEC, so 6-2 isn't that far off.  But, I can't spin it - we are playing better than I thought possible.  Even if we fade back to "my level", we'd still be 21-9 and 9-7 heading into the SEC tourney.  That's enough to get us in.
The old prediction had us:

• Going 3-5 down the stretch (beating SC, GA and Ark)

C'mon, guys.  Strike that old prediction.  Make that Jan 2 day be monumentally wrong.  I want to fall on my face in a phenomenal fashion.  
Even under adverse circumstances, Bruuuce can flat out coach and most of our guys have heart.  
BP for Coach of the Year!