Because I have a soft spot for cripples, bastards, and other broken things..

Tyrion Lannister

ESPN will be in Knoxville, TN. I'll be in Fayetteville, AR.

I first set up this little shindig before the events of last week that burn in Arkansas fans heart and leaves the rest of us wincing.

Alabama is a rival. Arkansas is a team, one of those teams you can watch, root for, break bread with and not utterly despise, where as there is no love in my heart for Alabama.

But I have a soft spot for teams who struggle, strive as the man in the arena quite literally.

Arkansas is no different than us frankly. Time and time again they clamber to the top only to receive a boot the head.

[Boot to the Head (Tae Kwon Leap)]

I am linked to several teams. The Oregon Ducks from my time in the northwest, in the days before game plan programming. Missouri State Bears, where I currently attend school. Tennessee, where I did. Arkansas, because I support my friends who support their team.

A fan of Arkansas? No. Support is another thing entirely a think. I can root for them and cheer for them as long as they are not playing our boys. I can't name a single play from an Arkansas game. But ask me about a certain game when we played Baylor where then All-American Johnny Majors was out ran by fullback Tommy Bronson and I can tell you the running yards for both.

But in this case Arkansas so mimics our own misfortunes that my support won't do them any harm I think. And in so doing I maybe earn us some good Karma as we go against Florida. For those naysayers you can also look at it as I am offering the entire Arkansas fan base up as sacrifice to the football deities on the altar that is Alabama. Take your pick. In either case it is a boost for us, and a boon to be honored. As I respect their team, so they respect ours when the time comes.

Football really is a game of thrones. Who is ranked today? Who is ranked Monday? Who is number one now? The ebb and flow of power in the college football arena is a static one, subject to change in a moments notice as Arkansas's fall from grace well proves.

So this morning I will root for Arkansas, and hope they soften our beloved rival in some small fashion. This afternoon I will be cheering Tennessee, our boys. I do not think anyone I am partaking with this morning envisions a win. As Arkansas has fell from the ranks so we have begun our own climb upward. As our players have become healthy, a team once thought a powerhouse has received injuries. Two teams whom have had coaches more or less ran out of town for various reasons.

But then that is what makes our sport special, is it not?

When you play the game of thrones you win or you [lose]. There is no middle ground.

Cersei Lannister, Game of Thrones

Today the gutter. Tomorrow the world. Crush Florida.

Go Vols!