Vols Not Satisfied; Fulmer (arguably) Not Un-bitter

Florida Game Stuff

Our beloved Volunteers suffered another loss to Florida. This probably bothers me more than it bothers you because I definitely dislike Urban Meyer more than you dislike Urban Meyer, but it sucks for all of us when we see a losing streak grow and we don't know when it's going to end.

• Doesn't that picture on the right just give you warm fuzzies all over. In good times and bad, the fans are still very much going all in.
• FoxSportsTennessee puts a positive spin on the loss.
• Austin Ward reports that positive spins -- or silver linings as he puts it -- are not what Dooley and the rest of the Vols are looking for. I like the sound of that. What I don't like the sound of is the injury report at the end of the Austin Ward article. Cody Pope is still questionable for next week's game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and JerQuari Schofield left Saturday's game with a foot injury and is presently without a timetable for return.
• This article, which was written before the game, allows me to add another UF-grad sportswriter, Mike Bianchi, to the increasing list of UF-grad sportswriters I don't care for. Gregg Doyel -- an angry angry man who lacks the intellect or writing chops to back up his boundless anger -- is of course at the very top of that list.

On (on) To The Next One

Recognizing that our team and our fanbase must move on from another loss at the hands of the man who epitomizes the word "smug" and lacks (a) a chin, (b) an upper lip, and (c) any semblance of the traits generally associated with "human personality", I will do the same.

Mike Strange writes that the gap between UAB and UT isn't as big as it used to be. You mean, like it was in 1998? Thanks Mike. Great analysis. Really. I mean it. These sentences are definitely not dripping with sarcasm.

UAB dropped their first game to Florida Atlantic at home. They lost their second game to SMU by three touchdowns. And they eeked out a 34-33 victory over Troy off a 44 yard touchdown pass on the final play.

So regardless of how much smaller the gap between UAB and UT is now than it was in 1998, I think it fair to conclude that there is indeed a not insignifcant gap. The opening spread has the University of Tennessee Volunteers favored by 13.5 against the UAB Blazers. Does the opening line seem about right? I included a poll (after the jump) where you can opine on this question.

Also after the jump, some words about Phillip Fulmer's negative comments towards Lane Kiffin.

Y'all probably caught wind of Fulmer's not-so-kind words about Lane Kiffin:

And often his arrogant attitude turned people off. The bigger question in my opinion is how does a guy like this end up with two jobs with historic football teams like Tennessee and USC?

Bruce Feldman responds to Fulmer's blasting Kiffin with what R. Kelly might refer to as "Real Talk":

Phil Fulmer made news by ripping Lane Kiffin. One thing I've come to realize from spending a lot of time around coaches is that most seem to really resent the guy who followed them after they just got fired. They just don't say so publicly. Fulmer's bitterness showed through on TV on Saturday, and Kiffin is an easy target. Anyone who takes a shot at him seems to become celebrated and gets patted on the head; this was Fulmer's turn at the piñata. But as much as some Vols fans may hate to hear this, Lane Kiffin isn't the reason why your team may miss out on a bowl game for the third time in five years. As my colleague Ryan McGee pointed out, the losing streak against Florida is now at six, and Fulmer coached the first four of those.

People around Tennessee have more reason to be mad at athletic director Mike Hamilton than they do at Kiffin. Hamilton was the one who hired him and the one who turned around and hired Derek Dooley, a guy coming off a 4-8 record at La. Tech.

What do y'all think? Is Fulmer right to say what he said? Or is it sour grapes? I lean toward the latter, but reasonable minds can differ.