Talking Points: Somewhere Les Miles is Salivating and Dreaming of Tennessee

by Joel Hollingsworth on Jul 14, 2011 7:04 AM EDT in Rocky Top Talking Points

If you build it, they will issue a press release. Tennessee officially opened its $1.5 million Athletic Center for Field Safety yesterday with a game of catch. The Center is sort of a joint venture between AstroTurf and . . . deep breath, check notes . . . the UT Institute of Agriculture's East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center.

It's THE SINGLE LARGEST ATHLETIC FIELD RESEARCH EFFORT EVER UNDERTAKEN, and one plant sciences expert calls it the FIELD OF DREAMS and said that opening the sucker yesterday was ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING DAYS OF MY LIFE AS AN ACADEMICIAN, which tells you something about the life of an . . . academician, which, is that even a word? Well, okay then.

Seriously, though, it's a pretty cool project. It's 60 different fields, all constructed a bit differently with a variety of playing surfaces designed to test the safety and performance of the various components that make up our beloved football fields. Who knew there were 60 variations? No word on whether our linebackers have been assigned to the experimental Slip-and-Slide surface. Or the Intermittent Velcro Model. Oops. I said serious, didn't I? Well, I'm no academician, so Serious Faces have a short shelf life for me.

Speaking of Serious. Arian Foster won an ESPY last night for his 231-yard, 3-TD performance for the Houston Texans on opening day last year. Better put that philosophy store on hold for another season.

Speaking of philosophy. Dwight Miller is my new favorite player, in part because he likes "philosophy-type" thoughts. Also in part because he confessed to an obsession with laundry, which is his "favorite thing in the world to do." Also in part because he started playing basketball when he suddenly realized he was 6'8". And because of the awesome pump fake he gave in response to a question about what he considered his greatest strength on the basketball court:

I hate losing. I hate losing more than I love... breathing.

See what he did there? Pure awesomeness, plus philosophy-type thoughts to boot, all in a 6'8" frame. And he'll do your laundry for free.

Etceteras. Dooley says it's most def a Good Thing to have Janzen Jackson back on the team, but reminds us all that he's got some catching up to do. . . . The fall camp calendar is coming together, with August 1 being the report date, August 2 being the first day of practice, and August 7 being the first day in those fantastic popping pads.

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popping pads

i can’t wait

by golfballs03 on Jul 14, 2011 7:58 AM EDT reply actions

I can't wait

until Les Miles wanders over to our Field of Dreams and tries to eat the fake grass.

Dooley-isms Archiving the Genius.

by kingofzachland on Jul 14, 2011 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Les is quite the connisseur, but he has particular tastes.

He’ll probably tell the fake stuff from the real stuff right off the bat, but if not, UT could be sitting on a gold mine.

by Nabb1 on Jul 14, 2011 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

So cool about the laundry.

I sort of really like doing laundry as well. I bet Dwight Miller has one of those state-of-the-art fancy energy efficient washing machines. I have probably the most broken-down looking, old, ugly washing machine on the face of the earth. Yet we both like doing laundry. There’s some kind of hidden meaning there somewhere.

"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti

by sddbaker on Jul 14, 2011 12:29 PM EDT reply actions

This field experiment you guys are doing is a really cool thing. I hope it produces a lot of new safety

information that can be put to good use. Although it matters not where the study would be done, just so long as it is done, it is a great PR tool for you folks to use. And the work will be greatly appreciated across the sports world.

I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!

by Greg Alan Edwards on Jul 15, 2011 2:35 PM EDT reply actions