Rocky Top Talk: FanPosts

Bobo's Playoff System (Week 12)

2009-11-16T20:40:59Z

Week 11 bracket, plus explanation of the system, here.

(1) 10-0 Florida Gators (SEC Champion) vs (16) 7-3 Troy Trojans (Sun Belt Champion)

(8) 9-1 Pittsburgh Panthers (Big East At-Large) vs (9) 9-2 Ohio State Buckeyes (Big 10 Champion)

(4) 10-0 TCU Horned Frogs (Mountain West Champion) vs (13)7-3 Virginia Tech Hokies (ACC At-Large)

(5) 10-0 Cincinnati Bearcats (Big East Champion) vs (12) 9-2 Iowa Hawkeyes (Big 10 At-Large)

(6) 10-0 Boise State Broncos (WAC Champion) vs (11) 8-2 Oklahoma State Cowboys (Big 12 At-Large)

(3) 10-0 Texas Longhorns (Big-12 Champion) vs (14) 8-2 CMU Chippewas (MAC Champion)

(7) 10-1 Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (ACC Champion) vs (10) 8-2 Oregon ~~Punchers~~ Ducks (Pac-10 Champion)

(2) 10-0 Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC At-Large) vs (15) 6-4 SMU Mustangs (C-USA Champion)

Changes:

The only changes to the top 8 was (formerly #8 seed) Southern California dropping out of the polls completely to be replaced by the Pittsburg Panthers. Apparently an overtime win over the-team-which-cannot-be-defeated-which-has-now-been-doubly-defeated for Ohio State last week wasn't as impressive as the Panthers ~~survival~~ ~~narrow~~ ~~victory~~ ~~win~~ beatdown!!!! of Notre Dame. Iowa only dropped 3 seeding spots after the loss. Dang expectations, and living up to them!
#10 Oregon is only up 2 spots after an easy win over Arizona State. Next week's game against Arizona is big, if the 'Cats win out, they will be the Pac-10 champion. That's easier said than done, the Wildcats have to win home against Oregon and at USC, as well as a trip to Sun Devil Stadium.
Virginia Tech replaced formerly #13 Miami Hurricanes this week in the "last team in" spot, Penn State and LSU were both overlooked for the "only two teams per conference" rule. I really don't get how the ACC has two teams here, for that matter. Really, I'm somewhat surprised that the Pac-10 doesn't have two in there.
If Nevada defeats Boise State on November 17th, they would seal up a spot in the system. That game is, now, the "conference championship" of the WAC. Nevada is 7-3 (6-0). Man, though, it's a shame a playoff system would mean that each game doesn't matter -- tell that to Houston, Southern California, and Miami who all dropped out of the playoffs. Oh, and Temple is also undefeated in the MAC, so they could squeak in here.

Alright guys chill out, we played a bad game

2009-11-15T20:44:26Z

Yeah, losing to ole miss sucks, and like many other vols fans the mccluster-monster will haunt me in my dreams for years to come. Truly, the team really did play a bad game. But you know what?? Thats all that was. Just a bad game. Nothin more and nothin less. We'll put it together and get a W next week.

Yeah, we probably werent focused, and yes, missing janzen did hurt us. But hey, ole miss played well, and having watched the game, we were completely in the game with a good shot to win up until mccluster scored his fourth td with 13:59 to go in the fourth.

Everywhere I look (GVX, volnation ect..) vols fans are distraught and frenzied about this loss. Unsurprisingly, Adams wrote a particularly negative piece on GVX about the vols that hailed this loss as a "major stepback for Kiffins rebuilding proccess". I dont think so. I think we played a bad game, like everybody does at one point or another. I also think that we'll get this mess with our retarded freshman figured out, and we will move on, and be stronger because of it. I also think that Vandy and Kentucky are still Vandy and Kentucky, and that we are still Tennessee. That still means something.

This is a rebuilding year guys, and stuff like this happens. We can still finish 8-5, which I would certainly take for a rebuilding year like this one. Then next year, the players' 2nd yr in the system, we can go undefeated and win the national championship. But thats next year, and this year is still far from being over. There's still lots of football to be played ladies and gents. Theres a lot to play for.

So what if we played a bad game? It happens to the best of us. We'll just regroup and git em next week.

GO VOLS!

RTT Pick 'Em: four tie this week, marmot_man_111 still in front overall

2009-11-15T19:07:10Z

Top ten below. Complete standings here.

Rank	Selection	W-L	Pts
Standings for Week 11
1	crafdog's picks	11-0	66
1	spartanbeta's picks	11-0	66
1	azvol's picks	11-0	66
1	RON GERDOWSKY	11-0	66
5	Grayhound's picks	10-1	64
5	wedflatrock's picks	10-1	64
5	ugaedgar's picks	10-1	64
8	Foreigner	10-1	63
8	Spittin' Game	10-1	63
8	cnyvol's picks	9-2	63
8	Phonies's picks	10-1	63

Rank	Selection	W-L	Pts
Overall Standings Through Week 11
1	marmot_man_111's picks	96-27	698
2	JCW's picks	97-26	693
3	Pete Carroll's picks	92-31	689
4	Big Ol' Daboner's picks	92-31	688
5	Phonies's picks	95-28	686
6	nc2316's picks	98-25	685
6	mmmjtx's picks	95-28	685
8	azvol's picks	92-31	681
9	Jimmy's Picks	93-30	676
10	Grayhound's picks	94-29	675

RTT Guessing Game standings after Week 10

2009-11-15T19:01:46Z

	W1	W2	W3	W4	W5	W6	W7	W8	W9	W10	Total
golfballs03	0	0	2	1	2	3	1	1	0	1	11
NickDrake87	0	2	1	2	1	1	1	1	1	0	10
Incipient_Senescence	1	1	2	0	1	2	0	2	0	0	9
Joel	0	1	1	2	1	2	1	0	0	1	9
Will	0	0	2	1	1	1	1	0	2	1	9
Graysnail	0	0	0	2	2	2	2	0	0	0	8
jacksonian	0	2	2	2	1	0	0	1	0	0	8
rblakeh	0	0	2	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	7
VolBrian	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	7
CornFromAJar	0	2	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	6
bobo_the_vol	0	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	5
bulldurham	1	0		1	0	2	0	1	0	0	5
hooper	0	0	2	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	5
matamn145	0	0	2	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	5
memphispete	0	2		1	0	1	0	0	1	0	5
Pride of the Southland	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	1	1	0	5
rustytanton	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	5
birdjam	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	4
ChattVol	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	4
Smokin Turkeys	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	1	0	4
Tennexile	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	0	0	4
VolnVA	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	1	4
wvvol	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
cincyvol6198	0	1		0	0	0	0	2	0	0	3
Muhler	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3
pound the rock	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
Rockytopman	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3
bugsdad2000	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Prometheus1185	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2
RockyTopinKY							2	0	0	0	2
Zoltar	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
757 vol fan	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Aerobab	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
davy	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
G.M.U. Vol	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
GeekWhit	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Getoffmyvols	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
kidbourbon							1	0	0	0	1
steelersman42	1	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
thetennesseethumper							1	0	0	0	1
ttocswob								1	0	0	1
UTGrad2000	0	1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
volfan5216	0	1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Volorado	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1

Nice journalism from the Miami Herald.

2009-11-13T15:20:30Z

After reading this piece from the Miami Herald, I sat in disbelief that someone could be that ridiculous. I guess one can never let journalism and common sense get in the way of pleasing the hometown crowd. After reading the article, I felt compelled to write the author a little note. Here is what I sent:

Mr. Goodman,

Your article entitled, "Vols' arrests should haunt Tennessee's Lane Kiffin" read exclusively as nothing more that a hit piece by someone who has a very clear axe to grind. I am well aware that it is an opinion piece and that you are conveying your own opinion. However, you seem to have let your hatred of Lane Kiffin cloud even very basic common sense.

To assert that Lane Kiffin could have prevented this is just lunacy. Look at every other university and you will find players making extremely poor decisions no matter who the coach is. To say that Kiffin's actions thus far set the bad example that led these student-athletes to commit this crime is equally as laughable. Why don't you wait and see the reaction to the situation by Kiffin and his staff before making your snap judgments. Have you, in kind, written such pieces in response to Florida's troubles with the law? Did you blame Urban Meyer? Lane Kiffin has dismissed several players for misconduct so far. Urban Meyer's disciplinary practices are suspect at best. Suspending a player for one half against Vandy for eye-gouging? Really? Meyer's track record is much more suspect.

If you really think that Kiffin is responsible for this, I cannot help you. Apparently, your vitriol has clouded your judgement so far that you just could not wait to be able to jump up and down and scream, "I told you so!!!" Newsflash: You look ridiculous. Tennessee fans remain firmly behind this coaching staff. I'm sure you'll continue your rants and raves down there in Miami where they tolerate your tripe. For the rest of the country, you are a silly man.

Ok, had to share that. Everyone continue enjoying your day. /trying to come down off high horse.

Bobo's Playoff System:

2009-11-11T21:57:31Z

Because everyone else is doing it, and I want to be like the cool cats, I decided that I would finally put my ideas for a college football playoff down on paper, and I will admit that the system looks a lot like the FCS system for determining who plays. I am an Appalachian State fan along with my love of UT-K, and I think that the FCS system is pretty dang good.

So, with that being said, here is how I would pick the field of 16:

11 Conference Winners, these winners coming from the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big 10, Conference USA, Mid-American (MAC), Mountain West, Pac-10, SEC, Sun Belt, and the WAC. Sorry Notre Dame, Navy, and Army, you'll have to hope for an at-large berth because, quite frankly, you should be in a conference. That's how this stuff works. All NCAA FBS conferences would get an automatic qualifier in the tournament because, quite bluntly, that is fair. Enough with this BCS conference crap, that just creates pre-season boundaries that "inferior teams" cannot crack, which is the problem to begin with, isn't it?
5 At-Large Teams that would be the top 5 non-conference champions based off of a take-your-pick poll. The BCS poll could be used in deciding this, and I'll use it later on to show the seedings as they would stand right now. There would be a limit of 2 teams from one conference in the tournament, so sorry LSU.

Seeding:

Teams would be seeded 1-16 based off of whatever poll is used to determine the 5 at-large teams. The standard tournament match-ups would be used, if you're confused here just look at a single region for March Madness to figure it out. I hope you can get this ;-).
The first two rounds would be played at the Higher Team's home field, and would take place two weeks after the final week of the season (championship week, December 5th, for us SEC people) which would, this year, place it at December 19th and 26th. There would be a bye week before round 3, so these games would take place the second weekend in January with the championship game in week 3 of January.
Incorporating bowls into this system: it would be unfair to the bowl system and the bowl sponsors to take them out of this equation. One idea I had was for the major 4 bowls to rotate who gets the National Championship game, the two semifinal games, and the marquee matchup of week 2. Other bowls could also try to get in on the week 1 or 2 action, if that's the best idea. I don't know, I'm sure people could work out something that both lines their pockets with tons and tons of money and gives fans what they would want.

So how would it work? Right now, here would be the seedings:

(1) Florida Gators (SEC Champions) vs (16) Troy Trojans (Sun Belt Champions)

(8) USC Trogans (Pac-10 At-Large) vs (9) Iowa Hawkeyes (Big 10 Champions)

(5) Cincinatti Bearcats (Big East Champions) vs (12) Oregon Ducks (Pac-10 Champions)

(4) TCU Horned Frogs (Mountain West Champions) vs (13) Miami Hurricans (ACC At-Large)

(6) Boise State Broncos (WAC Champions) vs (11) Pittsburg Panthers (Big East At-Large)

(3) Texas Longhorns (Big 12 Champions) vs (14) Houston Cougars (Conference USA Champions)

(7) Georgia Tech (ACC Champions) vs (10) Ohio State (Big 10 At-Large)

(2) Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC At-Large) vs (15) Central Michigan (MAC Champions)

Fans of the Bowl System: tell me you wouldn't salivate to see these matchups? It's like a dream come true for me, just looking at this system. And let's be honest: you'd love to see it too. You know you would.

Very interesting Matchups, to me:

Round 1: Texas vs Houston
Round 2: Florida vs USC
Round 2: Alabama vs Georgia Tech / Ohio State

So, yeah, that's pretty much what I would kill to see. A few teams that could end up on here with conference championships: Arizona, Temple (!), Nevada, Clemson/Boston College, West Virginia, East Carolina, Ohio, Utah, Kansas State (hah!).

Lane and Wayne: A Brief History of Two Gangsters

2009-11-11T03:32:34Z

June 10, 2008: Tha Carter III is released, selling more than a million copies in its first week of release

June 11, 2008: Random high school kid in Georgia logs on to hip hop message board. Posts the following message:

Carter III is the worst album EVA. Lil' Wayne is nothing but hype. He LUV hyping himself up and all dat...but he can't rap.

November 28, 2008: Multiple media outlets report that the University of Tennessee hired Lane Kiffin as the new head football coach.

November 29, 2008: Random high school kid in Georgia logs on to Bulldogs messge board. Posts the following message:

Lane is the worst hire EVA. What a joke, yo! haha. How many games did he win in Oakland? LMAO. Vols got stuck with another LUZER coach. See ya in October, Lane. haha.

January 13, 2009: Lane's wife, Layla, gives birth to his first son, Monte Knox Kiffin. Vol fans and rivals alike comment that Lane may have "outkicked his coverage" in landing Layla -- a certifiable hottie.

January 28, 2009: Lil' Wayne's girlfriend, Lauren London, is rumored to be pregnant with Wayne's child. Fans and haters alike comment that Wayne may have "outkicked his coverage" in landing London -- a certifiable hottie.

February 5, 2009: Lane Kiffin infamously (and erroneously) accuses Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation while speaking at a breakfast for Tennessee donors.

February 10, 2009: Lil' Wayne guest hosts ESPN's Around The Horn and says the following about Lane Kiffin.

I'm selling, I'm selling on Lane. He reminds me of when Shaq did the rap about Kobe and then afterwards his excuse was that he was just trying to excite the people and the crowd. He said...Lane said he was just trying to get the people in the room excited. I just think he is....and then with these allegations...with the new facts that he was doing the same thing. I don't believe in this guy. I think they should fire him before the season starts.

March 9, 2009: Kiffin allegedly tells Alshon Jeffery that if he signs with South Carolina, he will end up pumping gas for the rest of his life.

March 10, 2009: Upon seeing this story reported on ESPNU, Lil' Wayne -- an avid sports fan who does in fact watch ESPNU -- turns towards Crunksacks, a loyal member of his posse, to relay what he just heard. Neither Crunksacks nor Lil' Wayne believe the allegations to be true. "Too preposterous," they say.

March 13, 2009: Lane Kiffin discusses Bryce Brown on Knoxville radio.

March 14, 2009: Kiffin receives secondary violation for the March 13 radio mention of Bryce Brown.

March 16, 2009: Kiffin lands Bryce Brown.

March 17, 2009: Lil' Wayne hears report of Brown signing -- raises eyebrow.

June 8, 2009: T Kyle King articulates his opinion that there simply is no basis for believing Lane Kiffin will succeed.

June 10, 2009: I respond to Kyle's post and argue that there is a reasonable basis for believing Kiffin will succeed.

June 11, 2009: Joel also responds to Kyle's post and enumerates three reasons to believe Lane Kiffin can succeed at Tennessee.

June 17, 2009: This back-and-forth about Lane Kiffin inspires the great Lane Kiffin debate.

June 18, 2009: Lil' Wayne -- an avid sports fan known to lurk on sbnation sites -- considers all of these arguments, then raises both eyebrows in a way that says "I am persuaded that Lane Kiffin will succeed at Tennessee."

August 14, 2009: In a random conversation about music with my friend Tony, I state the following:

Please don't tell me you are all on some Lil' Wayne. Seriously. Actually...go ahead and say that Lil' Wayne is best rapper alive so that I can proceed to punch you in the face. Just because dude says he is the best doesn't make it true.

September 14, 2009: Lauren London gives birth to Wayne's second son, Lennox Samuel Ari Carter. Fans and haters alike continue to comment that Wayne "outkicked his coverage" in landing London.

September 19, 2009: Tennessee, a 30 point underdog by kickoff, loses to Florida 23-13 in a very competitive game. Urban Meyer is embarassed that he couldn't run up the score. Meyer blames the lack of offensive output on the swine flu epidemic, even though there aren't any Florida players who actually have the swine flu.

Kiffin is brash even in defeat, asking the sideline reporter to repeat herself in the post-game interview because Rocky Top was playing too loudly for him to hear the question. He is then asked whether he would at least hum Rocky Top to at least partially celebrate a closer-than-expected game. His response -- which is my personal favorite -- went a little something like this:

No, no, no, we didn't win. But I'll come back with the basketball team with Bruce. He's 7-1 vs. Florida.

September 20, 2009: Kiffin is asked about whether, in view of Meyer's comments, he was concerned about a flu outbreak for his team. Kiffin's response:

We'll wait and see, and after we're not excited about our performance we'll tell you that everybody was sick.

September 21, 2009: Lil' Wayne -- an avid sports fan -- observes the Meyer/Kiffin back-and-forth and solidifies his burgeoning hunch that Kiffin is awesome. So much so, in fact, that he decides to reference Kiffin on his upcoming mixtape.

October 21, 2009: Kiffin takes an indirect shot at Urban Meyer and the Gators with his comment that the A.P. Poll -- the only poll that had Alabama ranked #1 -- is the one that "got it right" and that Alabama is the most well-coached team the Vols will face all season.

October 22, 2009: Lil' Wayne pleads guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

October 24, 2009: Tennessee loses a hard fought battle to Alabama on a last second blocked field goal. Kiffin defends his decision not to run another play before the field goal to gain some additional yardage because he was afraid that the officials might throw a "magical yellow flag" and push the Vols back out of field goal range.

October 26, 2009: Mike Slive enacts the "Lane Kiffin Rule."

October 28, 2009: Lil' Wayne releases the track Banned From TV off the No Ceiling mixtape. The track includes the line "smoke weed, talk [fulmerized] like Lane Kiffin." Upon hearing this line I immediately change my opinion of Lil' Wayne and download Carter III. I listen to the track several times, and note that Lil' Wayne also makes reference to my favorite tennis player, Rafael Nadal. The Nadal reference makes me like Wayne even more. But, really, he had me at "talk [fulmerized] like Lane Kiffin."

October 29, 2009: I inform my friend Tony that I am now fully on board with Lil' Wayne. Tony shakes his head in disbelief.

October 30, 2009: Layla Kiffin denies speculation that she will pose for the SI swimsuit edition. Vol and rival fans alike continue to comment that Lane "outkicked his coverage" in landing Layla.

October 31, 2009: My friend Stephanie casts substantial doubt on the rampant speculation that Lane "outkicked his coverage" with the following emphatic statement, uttered during the South Carolina game: "Lane is hot. I'd do him." Stephanie's boyfriend, who is sitting next to her on my couch, does not seem phased by this comment.

October 31, 2009: After watching the Vols come out in their black uniforms and soundly defeat South Carolina, Lil' Wayne records this clip -- which further references Kiffin and the Vols, and puts to rest any rumors that his initial reference to Kiffin was actually a jab.

"....shout out all my people at ESPN, shout out Lane Kiffin and the whole Tennessee Volunteers team. I heard they [the University I believe] don't indulge in the things that I said because I said 'smoke weed talk [fulmerized] like Lane Kiffin' but Lane what you don't know is you gonna be sittin' in some recruit's living room and his mother is gonna call him from the back room and he's gonna come up front listenin' to an iPod. On his iPod he's gonna be listening to 'smoke weed talk [fulmerized] like Lane Kiffin' and you'll be able to say 'hi son, I'm Lane Kiffin I'm who he's talkin' about' and you just may get a recruit because of that. Don't thank me, just apologize for not thanking me.

Naw, but for real though, I rock with you Lil' Lane. I heard that's your new name they call you Lil' Lane. And all them boys over there at Tennessee, I rock with y'all!! And y'all stumped ummm I watched y'all stump South Carolina tonight y'all did y'all's thing. I am a big fan of the Ole' Ball Coach, but y'all did y'all's thing tonight and I rocks with y'all. I LOVE the black and orange jerseys you killed 'em, thank you...."

November 6, 2009: Bruce Feldman posts a link to this clip on his Twitter account

November 6, 2009: I watch the clip, and then smile big.

November 7, 2009: While sitting in the back row of my buddy Nooj's wedding, I turn to my friend Tony, who is sitting next to me, and excitedly tell him that Lil' Wayne once again "co-signed" Lane Kiffin. Tony glances down at my pants and says "You need to calm down man, I think you're getting a little bit of movement down there."

Quickly realizing that I have no suitable comeback for Tony's clever jab, I cease my excited whispering about Lil' Wayne. I swivel my head back towards the ongoing ceremony, and resume watching the lovely exchange of matrimonial vows. The ceremony is beautiful, the ensuing reception is a blast.....and that Lane Kiffin is the man!

Just to update Ian

2009-11-11T02:48:13Z

He has been in a coma now for about 3 weeks but with in the last couple days he has shown signs of motor skills and has opened his eyes for the first time. It looks like it will be a long road to a full recovery . I thank every one who continues to keep him in their prayers and thoughts. And I thank Joel for letting me post here , I know that this is not the forum for this kind of issue but one would be amazed how many people it has touched and how much it has touched me. So thank you rockytoptalk and looking forward to meeting all of you. And thanks to all the sbnation for their kind words and thoughts and great insight.

Your RCR Guide to Oxford

2009-11-10T20:36:02Z

Our mutual enemies at Roll Bama Roll had us Cuppers write a guide to sights and sounds in and around Oxford, Mississippi. Being as how plenty of Volunteers plan on bringing themselves and all of their orange clothing down our way this weekend, I thought I'd re-publish it here for everyone who reads Rocky Top Talk.

FOOD

Breakfast - The single greatest breakfast joint in Oxford is the aptly named Big Bad Breakfast, and this one's not even close. BBB utilizes fresh ingredients from local farmers to prepare everything from biscuits with homemade jelly to fried chicken with gravy. They even cure their own bacon and prepare their own sausages. The coffee is Cafe du Monde chicory which, when coupled with a full meal, can fend off even the nastiest of hangovers. Also worth mentioning are The Beacon, a cheap greasy-spoon which has been an Oxford institution for half a century, and Bottletree Bakery, which specializes in homemade cinnamon rolls, bagels, and brioches.

Lunch - Ajax Diner offers a wide array of Southern style blue-plate dishes and a decent bar selection. Meatloaf, chicken 'n' dumpings, poboy sandwiches, and the veggie plates are local favorites. Ajax also offers Budweiser by the quart which adds that slightly trashy flare some of you might be looking for. Handy Andy has quick and inexpensive barbecue and burgers, the Rib Cage offers excellent barbecue nachos, and Proud Larry's has a decent selection of personal sized pizzas.

Dinner - I apologize in advance, but you're going to have to come back another weekend if you want to enjoy the following places. They're likely already booked up or will have lines stretching out the door and around the block. Having that been said, the finest dining establishment in perhaps the entire state of Mississippi is City Grocery. The Grocery's chef, John Currence, was the winner of the most recent James Beard Award (it's like the Oscars but for chefs and restaurants, look it up) for the best Southern Chef. It is a New Orleans style establishment which specializes in a sort of creole/soul food fusion. The shrimp and grits are some of the best you'll ever have and, fun fact, happen to be the favorite meal of Eli Manning who is oftentimes seen there with his wife. Also of note is the Old Taylor Grocery which is located about 10 minutes outside of Oxford in the fair hamlet of Taylor. Old Taylor boasts "The South's best catfish" and, while that title may be debatable, they certainly offer the best atmosphere in which to eat fish I've ever seen. Excellent live music (which is usually bluegrass or old-timey), a boistrous patronage, and the owner's blind eye towards brownbagging make Taylor worth the trip. Just be prepared to wait on the front porch for a while before they can clear a table off for you. Don't worry, you can drink out there too.

DRANKIN':

First, if you get your swerve on commercially (in a bar or restuarant), I suggest you ask any of our fine Square establishments for a flavor of Mississippi's own Lazy Magnolia which comes in the dark "Southern Pecan," lighter "Reb Ale," and wheaty "Indian Summer," among others.

The best/most infamous place to drink in town is the City Grocery. Downstairs, it's a nice place to eat at which you won't be getting a table this weekend (remember?). Upstairs, it's a bar that looks and feels more ancient than it really is. The best bartenders in town, a young professional sort of atmosphere, and the best view of the Square from the coveted balcony... it's the best place in town to go if you want a mint julep, a Manhattan, etc.

Another pretty swank bar is the Downtown Grille. Directly across the Square from the Grocery, the Grille also has an atmosphere that's more friendly to law school kids than undergrads, and features good cocktails and bartenders. The bar has been revamped since the last time I had a chance to go. This bar is much roomier than the Grocery, so it may be perfect for a game weekend.

Ajax has a decent bar for slow weeknights, but I've never attempted it on a game weekend. The restaurant will be packed, but after the kitchen closes, the bar might be fine. The Bloody Marys are made from a secret recipe (not Zing Zang), and are pretty killer.

Parrish Baker Pub has just settled into it's new location, just off the main Square on Jackson Avenue. The crowd is usually a quirky mix of hipsters, college kids, and ragged-looking townies. Last time I was there, a construction worker bought me a shot and told me stories about a particularly stiff batch of cocaine some Mexican fellows had sold him. It was an interesting lunch. At night, the bartenders are usually decent-looking girls, and it gets a little rowdy, with the mix of always-free live music (when available), pool, darts, and shuffleboard. Probably the best non-fancy bar in town.

Taylor's Pub, located in the old Parrish's building, is miss-able for Oxford folks, just because we regret the closing of the old joint. It's alright.

Two Stick: Hipster sushi bar by day, Hipster regular bar by night. If you want a drink there, and you aren't cool, you'll soon know it.

The Library: Get it? It's a BAR, called THE LIBRARY!!! Seriously, it's by far the biggest bar in town, and keeps expanding and dividing. There are something like 4 different "bars" in this building, some of which are 18+, some 21+, but all of them are intended for college kids to buy cheap drinks and hit on one another. Eye candy is out of this world, I'm sure, so if that's what you're looking for, then please go there. We won't have to see each other.

The Levee: Ditto.

Rooster's: A huge new bar and blues club. It's pretty hoppin'. Another good balcony scene.

There's a good bit of turnover going on about the Square right now. No Murff's, no Blind Pig, no Pearl Street, no 208. All of those places have recently closed and reopened under new management. The reviews aren't all the way in for most places, but they're not positive. I think Murff's became some silly piano bar type deal a girl named after her dog and Pearl Street has apparently become an "upscale sports bar" which means your girlfriend won't get mad if you suggest going there.

If you can't stand the crowd on the Square, check out Bad Boyz Pizza (terrible name, I know, but it's a good place), Papitos (a pretty standard Mexican joint, but a good one with juicy margaritas), and... well, that's about it. Happy drankin', everyone.

MUSIC

Generally, there are two premiere music venues in Oxford. The Lyric is an old movie theater that was recently converted into a music hall. While only having been open a year, the venue has hosted the likes of Wilco, Modest Mouse, the Black Crowes, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the Avett Brothers. The Four Tops will be there the night before the Tennessee game but, unfortunately, it's sold out. You can still check it out on Saturday if you want to drink at a bar in a theater balcony though, I guess. Proud Larry's is a much smaller venue just a block away but can hold its own in terms of quality tunes. Everything ranging from local acts to the Black Keys have played at Larry's. Mayhem String Band will be there the night before the Tennessee game and, trust me, they're excellent. Rooster's always has ok live blues, Parrish's usually has a decent local act, and Two Stick will usually have some hipster pretending to be a DJ.

MISCELLANY

As far as the absolutely random sights and sounds go, one stands head and shoulders above the rest. Graceland Too is a makeshift shrine/museum dedicated to Elvis Presley. Paul McLeod, the owner, is, howto put this, muy loco. Starting a few years ago, he began collecting anything and everything Elvis related. Then, once his house was full of useless trinkets and posters of Elvis, he painted the exterior of the entire building pink before wrapping his columns and lion statues in barbed wire. He then began to recreate the set of "Jailhouse Rock" in his backyard. What, you think I'm making this up? If you've got the time to make the drive north to the fair town of Holly Springs as a bit of a detour, do it (ed: when I wrote this for Bama fans, it was "a bit of a detour." It's really not for Tennessee fans. Bust out the Garmin, y'all.) The house is open 24 hours a day so your schedule is as good as his and, for five dollars, getting a peek into the life of the most mentally unstable packrat in all of Marshall County is worth the time and money.

Literature buffs will enjoy Rowan Oak, the historic home of Nobel Laureate William Faulkner. They will also enjoy Sqaure Books which is the nation's largest independently owned bookstore. Nielsen's is the South's oldest department store and would gladly love to overcharge you for whatever new orange bowtie you're looking for, if you're in a big-spender shopping kid of mood.

So there, that's a not-so brief run-down of Oxford. There is a whole lot more to see and do but, for folks who will only be here for a weekend, this is more than ample. Enjoy, pick up your litter, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

I Can't Hear You Rocky Top is Playing

2009-11-08T23:33:45Z

Best Quote by CLK that he said to a reporter after the Florida game - I Can't Hear You Rocky TOp is Playing

Recent articles released by AP - Had a geat quote in the article: By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: October 29, 2009

"The spot on Thunderhead Mountain is some 40 miles from Tennessee's Neyland Stadium, where fans wear T-shirts proclaiming: "I can't hear you. Rocky Top is playing."

I just found the shirt and ordered one at Rocky Tops Playing.

RTT Pick 'Em: ten tie for 1st this week, marmot_man_111 running away overall

2009-11-08T18:28:47Z

Top Ten below. Complete standings here.

Rank	Selection	W-L	Pts
Standings for Week 10
1	Go Vols!	9-0	45
1	Grayhound's picks	9-0	45
1	Huskerhorsepower's picks	9-0	45
1	nc2316's picks	9-0	45
1	DinnerJacket Selections	9-0	45
1	Raynoch46	9-0	45
1	Spittin' Game	9-0	45
1	bigorangemichael's picks	9-0	45
1	crafdog's picks	9-0	45
1	jimvols's picks	9-0	45

Rank	Selection	W-L	Pts
Overall Standings Through Week 10
1	marmot_man_111's picks	87-25	643
2	Pete Carroll's picks	85-27	633
3	JCW's picks	87-25	632
4	Big Ol' Daboner's picks	83-29	627
4	mmmjtx's picks	86-26	627
6	nc2316's picks	88-24	624
7	Phonies's picks	85-27	623
8	Jimmy's Picks	85-27	622
9	Wine2UTVOL's picks	81-31	618
10	azvol's picks	81-31	615
10	Incipient_Senescence's picks	86-26	615

RTT Guessing Game Standings after Week 9

2009-11-08T18:22:32Z

	W1	W2	W3	W4	W5	W6	W7	W8	W9	Total
golfballs03	0	0	2	1	2	3	1	1	0	10
NickDrake87	0	2	1	2	1	1	1	1	1	10
Incipient_Senescence	1	1	2	0	1	2	0	2	0	9
Graysnail	0	0	0	2	2	2	2	0	0	8
jacksonian	0	2	2	2	1	0	0	1	0	8
Joel	0	1	1	2	1	2	1	0	0	8
Will	0	0	2	1	1	1	1	0	2	8
VolBrian	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	1	2	7
CornFromAJar	0	2	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	6
rblakeh	0	0	2	0	1	1	0	1	1	6
bobo_the_vol	0	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	5
bulldurham	1	0		1	0	2	0	1	0	5
hooper	0	0	2	1	0	1	1	0	0	5
matamn145	0	0	2	0	0	2	1	0	0	5
memphispete	0	2		1	0	1	0	0	1	5
Pride of the Southland	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	1	1	5
birdjam	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	4
rustytanton	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	4
Smokin Turkeys	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	1	4
Tennexile	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	0	4
wvvol	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	4
cincyvol6198	0	1		0	0	0	0	2	0	3
Muhler	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3
pound the rock	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
Rockytopman	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	3
VolnVA	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	3
bugsdad2000	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
ChattVol	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	2
Prometheus1185	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	2
RockyTopinKY							2	0	0	2
Zoltar	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
757 vol fan	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Aerobab	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
davy	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
G.M.U. Vol	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
GeekWhit	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Getoffmyvols	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
kidbourbon							1	0	0	1
steelersman42	1	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	1
thetennesseethumper							1	0	0	1
ttocswob								1	0	1
UTGrad2000	0	1		0	0	0	0	0	0	1
volfan5216	0	1		0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Volorado	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1

Lil' Wayne's Latest Shout-Out to Lane Kiffin and the Vols

2009-11-06T21:31:36Z

Joel fanshotted (fanshat?) this just about an hour ago.

Bruce Feldman of ESPN tweeted:

More "street cred" for #Vols Lil Lane from Lil Wayne (go to 15:00 mark)

He also posted a link to a Lil' Wayne UStream broadcast where he talks about the Vols for a minute or two. The video is here, but I thought I would just transcribe it for everyone's ease of reading.

So, here is Lil Wayne on Lane Kiffin and the Tennessee Vols:

"....shout out all my people at ESPN, shout out Lane Kiffin and the whole Tennessee Volunteers team. I heard they [the University I believe] don't indulge in the things that I said because I said 'smoke weed talk [fulmerized] like Lane Kiffin' but Lane what you don't know is you gonna be sittin' in some recruit's living room and his mother is gonna call him from the back room and he's gonna come up front listenin' to an iPod. On his iPod he's gonna be listening to 'smoke weed talk [fulmerized] like Lane Kiffin' and you'll be able to say 'hi son, I'm Lane Kiffin I'm who he's talkin' about' and you just may get a recruit because of that. Don't thank me, just apologize for not thanking me.

Naw, but for real though, I rock with you Lil' Lane. I heard that's your new name they call you Lil' Lane. And all them boys over there at Tennessee, I rock with y'all!! And y'all stumped ummm I watched y'all stump South Carolina tonight y'all did y'all's thing. I am a big fan of the Ole' Ball Coach, but y'all did y'all's thing tonight and I rocks with y'all. I LOVE the black and orange jerseys you killed 'em, thank you...."

That's it, but the recruiting value of that is tremendous, and any rival fan who thinks otherwise is delusional. I'm sure we'll take some more "street-cred" comments, but they can keep it up as long as Lil' Wayne does!

Back in Knoxville

2009-11-06T20:55:32Z

Tigers vs Volunteers coverage

*gasp for air*

Yeah I've been out of touch a bit. Unfortunately the nations fastest 3G service also has the smallest coverage area which means I'm currently working double time trying to get ready for an absolutely massive expansion project here in Tennessee.

However.

I have managed to secure my tickets for the Memphis game this weekend. And I have already arrived in Knoxville

I may try to scalp some tickets to the volleyball game if I can find out where it is, and thanks to Hooper I should have my parking situation dealt with tomorrow and not come back to a empty space as I did the last trip here :)

Otherwise tonight is wine women and song before we tear down Memphis tomorrow night! Hopefully I'll see ya'll there!

Why do opposing kickers never miss against Tennessee????

2009-11-04T21:18:37Z

I dont know about you guys, but it drives me crazy that whoever we play our opponents always always ALWAYS make their field goals. and we dont. and its frustrating. Let me show you some disturbing numbers:

First, since WKY didnt kick any field goals, lets start with UCLA:

UCLA: 4/5 on FG

UF: 3/3 on FG

OH: 3/4 on FG

AU: 4/5 on FG

UGA: 1/1 on FG (their lone hit was a ridiculous 53 yarder)

Bama: 4/4 on FG

South Carolina: 2/2 on FG

So ladies and gentlemen, opponents made 21 of their 24 field goals attempted againt Tennessee this season. That is an astonishingly high 88%. That just doesnt happen. It doesnt happen to anyone BUT the big orange. Now we are a damn fine fotball team, but Murphys Law certainly apples to Tennessee's special teams; what can go wrong WILL go wrong. I dont know this for sure, but I would wager that we have the highest percent of made field goals allowed on us in the NCAA.

Sorry guys , I had to get that out. Its been eating at me for a while. Btw no teams have missed a PAT on us either.

GO VOLS!!!!

Of ESPN and Pat Forde

2009-11-04T17:09:49Z

That was ESPN's College Football frontpage as of Wednesday 11:40 am, a picture highlighting Pat Forde's weekly "40-yard dash" feature on College Football. First and foremost, this: Florida is number 1 in the BCS, AP, and Coaches poll. Alabama and LSU are gearing up for a massive battle on Saturday. And yet it's Tennessee on the front page. Actually, it's not even just Tennessee's uni's being on the front cover, it's the text accompanying it:

Mess With Your Uniform Month featured some misses. Urban Meyer just plain missed. But November has some games not to miss. The Dash passes judgment on it all.

Hold up, say it ain't so. ESPN thrashing Urban Meyer? The Golden Boy, Boy Wonder? Yep. Which all leads me to point at one thing: Lane Kiffin is winning at the SEC Football season, and that spells wonderful things for Tennessee's program. The link to the article can be found here, and I'd just like to comment a bit more on it.

First off, Florida Bashing: as flimsy as it might be, it somewhat excites me to see this approach taken on the Gators, for no other reason than the brutal dog-eat-dog world of the SEC. Bad publicity for Florida -- and enough people pay attention to ESPN to make this very big -- is a good thing for Tennessee. And Pat Forde didn't bother easing into the issue:

Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college football (discounted suspensions -- half off! -- sold separately at Florida [1]):

Everyone who has seen the video of Gators linebacker Brandon "The Gouger" Spikes (2) going after the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey recognizes the truth. It was an appalling cheap shot, one of the worst things a football player can do to an opponent.

Look, I've said it a thousand times: I don't think that Brandon Spikes is a bad kid. I think that what he did was retaliation for something that happened before, and in football you are somewhat expected to play dirty if the other team is playing dirty and trying to hurt your boys. I'm not saying it's okay, I'm just saying I think Brandon Spikes is a football player, plain and simple. But still, as a UT fan who wants Florida to stumble so that Tennessee can catch up, this makes me happy. Yes, I'm a homer and a moron in some respects, but still ... I am glad that most of the ire of Forde was directed at Meyer, as you can see here:

Gators coach Urban Meyer (4) reviewed the video and used it as a teaching moment. The lesson Meyer delivered: Nothing, not even thuggish behavior, will be allowed to substantively interfere with our pursuit of a repeat national title. That was the unmistakable message sent by Meyer's semisuspension of Spikes, which will keep him off the field for roughly 30 first-half snaps against mighty Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Which, really, is the message a lot of people will get out of this, which is why I believed that Urban Meyer should have punished Brandon Spikes for the entire Vanderbilt game: saying "it always happens" suggests that you are allowing the behavior to happen. Saying "it always happens but that doesn't mean we're going to do it" says that you acknowledge what your player did was bad -- which it was, alright? Stop acting like eye-gouging is anything but bad, please, everyone -- but not that bad but still bad enough that he'll regret it more than, oh noes, a half off against Vanderbilt.

Spikes' action reminded The Dash of a moment from the 2006 Colonial Athletic Association basketball tournament. Namely, when George Mason guard Tony Skinn groin-punched Hofstra's Loren Stokes.

Going after a guy's eyes is more serious because of the potential damage. But the two acts are similarly classless.

Eleventh-seeded George Mason bit the bullet, did the right thing and suspended Skinn for its first game of the NCAA tournament against No. 6 seed Michigan State. The Patriots wound up going to the Final Four.

Florida suspended Spikes for half a game against the worst team in the Southeastern Conference. In a word: weak.

Florida fans will say a half-game suspension is fine. Some of them are saying that the action wasn't even bad, such as this guy on TSK who links a Georgia article from the RB who said

"I had my eyes closed," Ealey said. "He really didn’t gouge my eyes. …I was just trying to get up as fast as I can."

Apparently, Mr. Falcontom is mistaking intent with result: apparently because Spikes didn't cause harm that makes the event okay. Like I posted in the comment: What was he trying to do, if not damage him? I mean, just because he "didn’t reach my eyes" doesn’t mean the intent wasn’t there. That’d be like saying "Oh, he shot me, but the bullet missed so we’re cool." I think it’s more that football players in general do dirty stuff like this; it’s commonplace rather than the exception. But that doesn’t make it "okay" in my book. To quote the beginning of that fanpost:

I'm guessing I won't be receiving an apology any time soon from everyone who immediately assumed that Spikes was trying to permanently blind somebody out on the field. Keep on hating though, the Gators need the motivation to make it down the final stretch.

Yeah, you won't be, because despite Brandon's motives behind the act, despite the result -- or lack thereof -- of the act, it was still something Brandon Spikes appeared to be doing to hurt someone else. I can guarantee he wasn't trying to pinch Mr. Ealey's nose and whisper "Aww you're so cute in those black hats!" to him.

Edit: because I realized I wasn't done with my rant of this situation.

Look, saying that "everyone does it" isn't any excuse to be doing it. And honestly, saying that "the entire game was 'chippy'" isn't an excuse either, as far as I'm concerned. For the millionth time: I don't think Brandon Spikes is some current-generation ear-biter or anything; I think that this type of play is just something that goes by without notice. That doesn't mean that it's okay, you could severely hurt someone doing it. Is that what it's going to take for the NCAA to crack down stuff like this? Someone getting severely hurt? Can't they, you know, take the initiative on stuff like this? For that matter, isn't that what the NCAA was founded for? To protect student atheletes playing football? While I doubt anyone is going to die playing the sport, someone might very well get blinded if punishing this practice is whiffed on just because "everyone does it." Someone, anyone, needs to take a hard stance on this, because no football game is worth losing an eye over.

Also, in the "pointing fingers" mantra that this debate has turned into, Meyer is now in on the action.

"That should have been a penalty, in my opinion," Meyer said. "Obviously, it should have been. You've got to protect quarterbacks. That's the whole purpose. It's right in front of the referee. I'm not sure how they're going to handle that, but ... that was one of the plays we did send in."

Meyer didn't mention the play until asked about it Wednesday, possibly trying to avoid drawing punishment from the league. He also prefaced his comments by saying he has "great respect" for SEC officials and the way the league handles complaints.

Ah .. there's something stuck in my throat .. I think I need to cough .. yes .. *coughcoughcoughSUCKUPcoughHYPOCRITEcoughcoughcough* ... hmm .. sorry about that. But really, is Meyer going to be punished at all for that? That's pretty straightforwards: that's a public criticism of the refs? "Oh, but it wasn't public criticism of the refs!" I can hear some Florida fans moaning about now. Or "Well, he sent in the play too!" that one seems more likely, as anyone reading that quote should pretty well understand that he was calling out a ref. Does this sound familiar?

SEC Bylaw 10.5.4 clearly states that coaches, players and support personnel shall refrain from all public criticism of officials

It will be interesting to see how Slive doesn't punish Meyer for these statements, won't it?

End Edit.

But, there was more than just Florida-bashing in this article. Forde has this to say about Tennessee's jerseys:

And Saturday night, Tennessee (10) strutted some black jerseys with orange numbers against South Carolina. Dash reaction: Not quite as hideous as anticipated, but not exactly a look that evokes memories of Gen. Neyland, Johnny Majors, Reggie White and Peyton Manning. If the decidedly nontraditional Lane Kiffin thinks it would help him sign a recruit, the Volunteers would come running out through a cursive "T" before their next home game.

And really, that's it about Tennessee. That, apparently, justifies a nice and fancy front-page image, which I'm totally alright with. All that trash-talking of Lane Kiffin seems to be a long, long time ago in a galaxy far far away. Generally, public perception has favored Lane this season, beginning with the quirky and undeniably funny jabs at Urban Meyer and his flu; Lane's promise that UT won't lose to Georgia anymore -- right before his team went out and thrashed the Bulldogs; his comments and protests after the Alabama game (Slive: don't want coaches talking about officiating? Fix the problem, then!) and even his insistence in sticking up for JC. That move looks brilliant now, a month and more into the decision, doesn't it?

Stickin' it to Spurrier

2009-11-02T05:47:58Z

It really is a lot of fun to do, you know? I grew up during the development of the UT-UF rivalry in the '90s, a painful time for most of us. I hated watching us get smoked by the likes of Shane Matthews, Danny Wuerffel, Doug Johnson, the Bachelor, etc. On top of all the pain associated with losing, I hated those games because they gave Spurrier a chance to make some snide remark and get away with it. Trash talking has always irked me, but the only thing you can really do to shut a trash talker up is to beat them on the field. On a few memorable occasions, we were able to do that to Spurrier-led Florida teams ('98, '01), but more often than not, he got away with his Citrus comments because we couldn't beat the Gators.

Because of those experiences during my formative years, I maintain a healthy dislike for Spurrier (on a completely unrelated side story, my grandfather was an optometrist in Newport and checked Steve Spurrier's eyes once when Spurrier was a kid...I have let him know several times that he could've saved us all a lot of grief with a few carefully placed pokes, but I guess that would've robbed us of a villain, right?). Because of Spurrier's ability to consistently emerge victorious and his penchant for talking smack after the fact, I have always enjoyed the games where we have been able to return the favor.

Last night was no different.

Continuing in my pattern from last week, below are my observations after watching the game.

The members of RTT are all right :) Now that I'm in the real world and live farther away from Knoxville than I care for, I haven't gotten to many games in the last few years. Up here in ACC country, nobody is in touch with or seems to care about SEC football...which is interesting since ACC football is so incredibly lame (Question: if Georgia Tech is the ACC's best team, why were they trailing my alma mater late in the 3rd quarter last night? Ponder that one, ACC fans). Last night was my first experience with participating in the live game threads while watching the game on TV. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to chat with like-minded people who appreciate the splendor of UT/SEC football. So, thanks for that.
I liked the black jerseys if for no other reason than they were something different. I grew up with Fulmer and enjoyed the highest highs and suffered through the lowest lows, but at the end, it was kind of boring. Kiffin has been anything but boring thus far, and the black jerseys were just another example of that. Now...while I'm on the topic of the jerseys, I think last night was a lot more about what the jerseys represented than the actual jerseys themselves. Obviously, the color of the shirt on a player's back doesn't change the way he plays. What might make a difference, though, is playing for a coach who you feel supports you no matter what. That's what Kiffin did with the black jerseys, in my opinion. He listened to the players, he empowered the captains to take action, and he embraced something they were excited about (I'm sure Hamilton would've listened if Kiffin had asked for the jerseys, but it had to be more convincing coming from Berry and Hardesty directly). That's what I think encourages me the most as we move further into the Lane Kiffin Era. He's getting the most out of his guys because he's willing to listen when they want to shake it up.
It was a satisfying win if not the most statistically astounding win. If South Carolina holds on to the ball in the first 15+ minutes, then things turn out much differently. SC's defense is strong and was able to keep UT from any sort of sustained drive. UT's only drive of longer than 60 yards was the one that ended in the blocked FG. That being said, the Vols took advantage of the turnovers and cranked out a business-like victory. I seem to remember enjoying those back in the glory days.
Montario Hardesty is a beast. He has been lost in the shuffle over the last few years amongst his injuries and the overall struggles of the team. Now that he's healthy and he's the main man...I am able to appreciate the fact that he's really good. That spin move he made to get our 2nd touchdown last night was a thing of absolute beauty. I hope he's able to finish out the season strong because he has NFL potential.
Crompton did what he had to and didn't force anything. I think that I could've hit Austin Johnson on that first touchdown pass, but Crompton played well enough to get us through. There were a few throws in there that made me wonder if he was reverting to his pre-"4th quarter of Auburn game" self, but he was not too shabby overall. As long as he stays within himself, we've got a legitimate shot at 8 wins.
I just can't say enough about this defense...they are outstanding. From a yardage perspective, no, it was not their most impressive night. That being said, they continue to do what they need to do to help us win ballgames, and in last night's game, they helped us maintain a comfort level when the offense was stuck in neutral. Each group of the defense had an impressive outing. The defensive line got great surge all night, especially Dan Williams. We talked on the game thread about shutouts/wins being greater than sacks, but it was nice to not go 0 for October in the sack department. The linebackers played well despite suffering more injuries. We struggled when Reveiz went down in the Ohio game, but Greg King was able to come in last night and maintain the high level of performance. In the secondary, Janzen Jackson can flat out bring the noise (though he could use some more Stick-Em on his gloves :P). The only downer comment I have about the secondary is that I'm starting to be legitimately worried EB won't get his 15 yards. November does look to be filled with potential INTs, but if nobody will throw at him, he might not get it. That would be immensely disappointing.
I want the Elias Sports Bureau to look up the last time that any team in Divison I (I guess in the spirit of political correctness, I should call it the FBS) had 3 consecutive field goals blocked. 3 in a row?! Really?! This is simply echoing Will's thoughts, but the inability to kick a field goal is extremely disheartening. I hope that Alabama was the only game where horrific special teams comes back to bite us.
This might be the sort of comment that invites bad karma down the road, but I do not fear Spurrier anymore. True, he has doubled the number of wins SC has in this series despite being there only 5 years. It is definitely worth nothing that those 2 wins came against the 2 worst teams that UT has fielded in my memory. We beat his last team at UF ('01), lost 2 heartbreakers in the 2 seasons before that ('99, '00...I was there and I still maintain that Jabar Gaffney did not catch that ball), and beat him in '98. It's almost as if Al Wilson singlehandedly stole his mojo on that crazy September night 11 years ago.
Maybe that lost mojo has adversely affected Spurrier in every game he coaches. He has lost at least 5 games in each of his previous 4 seasons in Columbia and I think that's going to happen again this year. Either South Carolina is doomed to play bad football forever, Spurrier doesn't communicate as well with players as he did 10-15 years ago, or South Carolina simply can't recruit the caliber of players that Spurrier had at Florida. While each of those options may contribute to some extent, I think the combination of 2 and 3 are the more likely/more damaging realities.

All in all, it was a convincing and satisfying win, even if it wasn't always the most polished performance. It helped ease the pain of the Alabama game a bit for this fan, and it was apparent that Kiffin didn't let the players dwell on it too much. Hopefully we'll take care of Tiger High next week setting up a showdown with the Rebels for a possible January 1st bowl game. Go Vols!

RTT Pick 'Em: Vol in Mississippi has good week, marmot_man_111 extends lead

2009-11-02T02:01:59Z

Top ten below. Complete standings here.

Rank	Selection	W-L	Pts
Standings for Week 9
1	Vol in Mississippi	9-1	54
2	Wine2UTVOL's picks	8-2	52
3	Huskerhorsepower's picks	8-2	51
3	cdalton's picks	8-2	51
5	wshelton2's picks	8-2	50
5	azvol's picks	8-2	50
5	cnyvol's picks	8-2	50
5	birdjam's picks	9-1	50
5	LaylaKiffinsPoolBoy's picks	8-2	50
10	utavanti's picks	7-3	49
10	jimvols's picks	9-1	49
10	mmmjtx's picks	8-2	49
10	jacksonian's picks	8-2	49
10	crafdog's picks	9-1	49

Rank	Selection	W-L	Pts
Overall Standings Through Week 9
1	marmot_man_111's picks	79-24	599
2	JCW's picks	80-23	591
3	Pete Carroll's picks	77-26	590
4	Big Ol' Daboner's picks	75-28	584
4	mmmjtx's picks	78-25	584
6	Jimmy's Picks	77-26	579
6	nc2316's picks	79-24	579
6	Phonies's picks	77-26	579
9	Wine2UTVOL's picks	74-29	578
10	Incipient_Senescence's picks	79-24	573

RTT Guessing Game standings after Week 8

2009-11-02T01:56:16Z

Standings below, but I wanted to point out that although it wasn't one of the questions, ttocswob nailed the final score.

	W1	W2	W3	W4	W5	W6	W7	W8	Total
golfballs03	0	0	2	1	2	3	1	1	10
Incipient_Senescence	1	1	2	0	1	2	0	2	9
NickDrake87	0	2	1	2	1	1	1	1	9
Graysnail	0	0	0	2	2	2	2	0	8
jacksonian	0	2	2	2	1	0	0	1	8
Joel	0	1	1	2	1	2	1	0	8
CornFromAJar	0	2	2	0	0	1	1	0	6
Will	0	0	2	1	1	1	1	0	6
bobo_the_vol	0	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	5
bulldurham	1	0		1	0	2	0	1	5
hooper	0	0	2	1	0	1	1	0	5
matamn145	0	0	2	0	0	2	1	0	5
rblakeh	0	0	2	0	1	1	0	1	5
VolBrian	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	1	5
birdjam	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	4
memphispete	0	2		1	0	1	0	0	4
Pride of the Southland	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	1	4
Tennexile	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	4
wvvol	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	4
cincyvol6198	0	1		0	0	0	0	2	3
Muhler	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	3
pound the rock	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	3
Rockytopman	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	3
rustytanton	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	3
Smokin Turkeys	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	3
bugsdad2000	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2
ChattVol	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2
Prometheus1185	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	2
RockyTopinKY							2	0	2
VolnVA	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	2
Zoltar	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2
757 vol fan	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Aerobab	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1
davy	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
G.M.U. Vol	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
GeekWhit	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
Getoffmyvols	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
kidbourbon							1	0	1
steelersman42	1	0		0	0	0	0	0	1
thetennesseethumper							1	0	1
ttocswob								1	1
UTGrad2000	0	1		0	0	0	0	0	1
volfan5216	0	1		0	0	0	0	0	1
Volorado	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1

SEC Red Zone Comparisons & Projections

2009-10-30T02:41:58Z

So, I took it upon myself to go ahead and check out some of the red zone stats for SEC teams and compare their performances from last year / this year and just see what happens. This all started from checking out Alabama's red zone statistics. First off, Tennessee:

Obviously the most shocking statistic is that we are on pace to score Eighty Eight (88!) more points in the red zone this year that last year. The green outline means that everything is better for the Volunteers in red zone scoring. Absolutely everything, which is somewhat amazing. On the defensive side, things are just a little bit worse, with the heavy increase in scoring % mostly mitigated by the lower Touchdown numbers. Both this year and last year, teams have had to settle for field goals against us. The other awesome thing about this chart is that no offense has scored a touchdown on us from outside the red zone.

Rest of the SEC after the jump...

Next up, in no particular order, are the rest of the SEC. We'll begin with Alabama, since they are the team I originally went to cfbstats.com for.

This sheet shows something somewhat startling: Alabama's red zone scoring appears almost completely up, however in one major area this goes down, supporting what everyone has been saying about the Crimson Tide: they are having to settle for a ton of field goals. Scoring 14% fewer Touchdowns per trip is offsetting the fact that they are getting into the red zone more often. They are on pace to score 18 more points but at almost a half point less per trip. (A half point might seem like not a lot, but it is definitely noticeable.) On the defensive side, Alabama can take a lot of glee; they weren't bad last year but have been stellar this year. As Will said on the original post: defensive wins championships.

So, onto the other great defensive in the SEC: The Florida Gators.

Yikes. Uhh.. how much do the Gators miss Percy Harvin? A lot, as in "94 points this year" a lot. Their ridiculous TD% from last year has come back down to earth, but lucky for the Gators they are average on offense, still. They are slated to get into the Red Zone 72 times this year, a definate plus, and they still have a better TD % than Alabama. Their defense is scary good,as if you needed to know that, but they are only giving up .1 fewer points per trip than the Crimson Tide. Florida's ~~better~~ amazing Defesive TD% is offset by the high amount of Field Goals they are giving up, but let's face it: once they get in the Red Zone, holding them to 3 points is practically a victory.

Now, for the #3 team in the SEC by most accounts: the LSU Tigers.

Again, yikes. This LSU offensive is strugglin' a mighty lot in the Red Zone, a mighty mighty lot! Their 4.2 points per trip is Floridaesque (Man, it feels nice being able to say something Florida is doing is bad!) and is way down from last year when they were also, surprisingly, Floridaesque (easy come, easy go) in the Red Zone. Luckilly, their defensive numbers are way up too, carrying over Chavis's usual awesomeness onto the Tiger side of life.

Future opponent South Carolina is up next.

South Carolina seems to be doing very "meh" as far as offensive improvement goes, settling for a clone of Alabama, but on a smaller scale: increased trips to the red zone are offset by fewer touchdowns, but they are still on pace to score more points inside the 20 than their opponents. Defensively, they are pretty much the same as last year, though they are better in several key fields, including attempts, TD%, and projected scoring.

Now we'll look at Auburn, the early-offensive-juggernaut-turn-kitty:

Woah! Look at that offense! Offense Offense Offense Gus Malzahanchizik ftw! Those are some really impressive offensive improvements, with a 70% TD scoring ratio inside the 20 yard line. What? How many times have we gotten inside the red zone the past two games? None of that now, look at the green! Defensively... well, who cares about defense, right? Offensive Offense Offense!

Let's see who's offense is worse, Auburn's or next-up Arkansas..

Wow. Why is this a stat we haven't heard brought up a whole lot yet: Arkansas is 100% in the red zone offensively, and defensively has some fairly gaudy stats as well, as far as %ages go. Offensively they are very impressive, scoring TDs on 2/3rds of their red-zone trips, and defensively they are holding opposing offenses to TDs just 33% of the time, and field goals 33% of the time. However, don't let that fool you too much, they have given up a ton of trips into the Red Zone, and that is a bad thing. Also, Arkansas gives up a lot of big, big plays, so that has to be considered. Still, this defense is improved virtually across the board in the red zone, so that is nice.

So, now for the proverbial whipping-dog Georgia:

I wouldn't suggest letting any of those green sections up top fool you, because the first one is bad. They are on pace to get to the red zone 17 fewer times than last year, and they weren't amazing last year. So far into this, every other team has scored more than 100 points in the red zone, Georgia is at 84, and if they get their average against Florida, they'll only be at 96. That's pathetic in so many ways. Not only are they not getting to the Red Zone as much (by a lot) they are settling for a lot more field goals than touchdowns compared to last year. Defensively they are a bit better, doing a much better job holding people to field goals instead of touchdowns, but they still are hardly impressive. They are on pace to be outscored in the redzone by 60 points. Ouch.

Now, another future opponent in Kentucky:

Despite the fact that Kentucky is getting into the red zone less, their very good TD% makes up for it quite a bit to give that 40 point projected swing. They are averaging quite a few more points per trip, too, but one has to worry about the number of trips they are going to get. Defensively, their numbers are way down, and they are on pace to give up 48 more points in the red zone this year; don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that this is bad.

Now let's laugh at Ole Miss's struggles.

Struggles indeed! They are getting to the red zone much fewer times, and are allowing people into the red zone many times. Of course, they have a brilliant Red Zone success %age, scoring touchdowns most often and only missing scoring once. Their defense is quite a bit improved once they get down there, but unfortunately as much as people are getting down there this doesn't show up quite as nicely. Their offense's inability to move has put their defense in a tough place, is my guess.

Let's stay in Mississippi State for the Bulldogs now! Whee!

While the improvements under Dan Mullen are nice, the bulldogs have a long way to go. Through 8 games only Georgia and LSU are on pace to have fewer red zone points (though Vanderbilt will probably make babies cry here in a moment) and their defense is practically the exact same one as last year as far as these numbers go. Giving up touchdowns more than half the trips into the red zone is very, very bad.

Vanderbilt time.

Yeah, this is kind of what I expected, except the defensive part. They are doing much, much better at keeping people out of the redzone this year, so far, which is somewhat of a surprise to me. However, those offensive problems are bad, but not really as bad as I would have guessed. The biggest problem is their TD%, at only 37% that's bad in and of itself, but they are also only scoring 2/3rds of the time they do get down there.

Superlatives time!

OFFENSE:

Most Projected Improvement (points wise):

Auburn
Tennessee
Arkansas

Most Projected Suckage (points wise):

Georgia
Florida
LSU

DEFENSE:

Most Projected Improvement (points wise):

Arkansas
Florida
LSU

Most Projected Suckage (points wise):

Auburn. By a lot.
Kentucky
Tennessee (giving up just 8 more points over the entire season. 40 fewer than Kentucky, 110 fewer than Auburn.)