Best Plays of 2010: Near Disaster Averted vs. Tennessee Takes the Lead Against Alabama

by Joel Hollingsworth on Jun 22, 2011 8:01 AM EDT in Tennessee Volunteer Football

In a battle of Matt Simms to Denarius Moore throws, Near Disaster Averted beat Watch the Pretty Pattern 54% to 45%, and in a battle of Tauren Poole touchdowns, Tennessee Takes the Lead Against Alabama beat Poole Party for the Win 67% to 32%.

So that puts Near Disaster against the worst-named play in the field, Tennessee Takes the Lead Against Alabama (which, incidentally, won over an inappropriately-named play, so huh).

One is a great play by a former starting quarterback to a leaping senior wide receiver to win a game in overtime Tennessee should have dominated in regulation. If it wins, the season will be defined by a play to win a game against one of the worst teams in the FBS that we celebrated like it was the SEC Championship. But it was a spectacular play, and dang it, the team had every right to celebrate finally staring down adversity and beating the despicable thing.

The other play is a largely forgotten touchdown in the middle of a four-game losing streak to our rivals. On the other hand, look at it: Blocking made a great hole, and Poole saw it and exploited it. He made a couple of great cuts and outran the secondary. That the team tended to fizzle in second halves in 2010 shouldn't diminish what it accomplished in first halves, right? Yet on the other other hand, it was absolutely meaningless. A TD on the way to the wrong side of a blowout. A play that ultimately meant nothing in another loss to a rival.

But wait, I have even more hands! Who cares about what the play may or may not have meant in the grand scheme of things? A win is always better than a loss, even (especially?) against teams like UAB, and (extra?) especially if it comes in a dramatic fashion that has some historical significance. And a great play is a great play, even if it comes in a losing effort, and especially if it foreshadows better things to come.

So what's it going to be, Vol fans? Near Disaster Averted?

Or Tennessee Takes the Lead Against Alabama?

Poll

Which play should advance?

Near Disaster Averted

40 votes

Tennessee Takes the Lead Against Alabama

29 votes

69 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

this one is a toss-up for me

by golfballs03 on Jun 22, 2011 8:45 AM EDT reply actions

Not a toss-up at all fo me.

If we had barely lost to Alabama, things might be different. If it was a close, hard-fought game — 17 to 13, maybe? — I might be able to vote for it, but this is a case of even a blind squirrel finds an acorn, I think. I mean, we led 7-0 and lost 41-10.

If we had lost to UAB, we don’t go bowling. We go 1-7 though the first eight and we aren’t happy with this upcoming year, no matter what. We needed that win, and that it was a win against a team we should have beat by 20 means little: UAB was doing whatever it wanted in the second half against us, but our offense pushed through and made the difference when it needed to. And it was a great pass by Simms, and a great catch by one of the better receivers to ever play at Tennessee.

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by bobothevol on Jun 22, 2011 12:42 PM EDT reply actions