SINCE WE LAST SPOKE 6-13-13

ALL SCHEDULES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL: College football has never claimed to be an equal-opportunity venture. As it moves ever closer to a playoff –and the even bigger associated payoffs- schools and fans will be more demanding than ever that there be a move toward equality to level the playing field. This will be much more easily accomplished within the confines of a league than in the non-conference slate as exemplified below by my 2013 Non-Conference Strength of Schedule Rankings:

1-GEORGIA (@Clemson, N Texas St, Appy St, @Ga Tech)-Rare to see the Dawgs playing the most challenging schedule but traveling to both Clemson and Atlanta makes their non-conference slate slightly more difficult than the Gator’s

2-FLORIDA (Toledo, @ Miami Fl, Ga Sou, Fla St) - Playing both BCS in-state rivals was once a given now it seems down-right heroic

3-S CAROLINA (UNC, @UCF, Coastal Car, Clemson) If Spurrier’s Cocks played either UNC or Clemson on the road this would have been the league’s toughest.

4-TENNESSEE (Austin Peay, W Ky, @ Oregon, S Ala)- Vols trip to Eugene is clearly the toughest non-conference tilt in the SEC and Western Kentucky with Petrino at the switch is no gimme.

5-OLE MISS (SE Mizzu St, @Texas, Idaho, Troy) The trip to Austin gives the Rebels the 5th spot but Troy is also accustomed to traveling to SEC venues and playing well.

6-ALABAMA (Va Tech (Atlanta), Col St, Ga St, UTC) If the Tide was playing a true road game versus either Virginia Tech or Colorado State I would have been tempted to place them in the fourth spot.

7-MISS STATE (Okla St (Houston), Alcorn St, Troy, Bowling Green) Bully Dogs have essentially the same schedule as Ole Miss but play Oklahoma State at a neutral site (Houston)

8-LSU (TCU (Arlington), UAB, Kent St, Furman) There’s not much beyond the Horned Frogs but one solid game in the palace that Jerry Jones built makes this almost an upper-half schedule.

9-KENTUCKY (W KY, Miami Oh; Louisville, Ala St) Teddy Bridgewater and the Card’s performance versus Florida in the Sugar Bowl obviously is still on my mind plus the aforementioned Hilltoppers and Bobby P.

10-ARKANSAS (UL-Laf, Samford, Sou Miss, @Rutgers) Southern Miss –much like Troy- are SEC road warrior veterans and won’t be scared of Fayetteville. Add the trip to Piscataway to face the Scarlet Knights and the slate is semi-acceptable.

11-MISSOURI (Murray St, Toledo; @ Ind, Ark St) Lacks a big name but the Tigers do travel to Bloomington to face the Hoosiers and play the MAC’s Rockets

12-TEXAS A&M (Rice, Sam Hous St, SMU, UTEP) The Aggies have apparently adjusted quickly to the SEC method of non-conference scheduling. They play all four at home and if they were all road games A&M still wouldn’t leave the state borders.

13-AUBURN (Wash St, Ark St, W Car, Fla Atl) Long noted as a premier Vet school no one brings more dogs on campus annually than the Tigers.

14-VANDY (AP, @U-Mass, UAB, Wake) The nation holds its breath for the titanic matchup with the Demon Deacons to close out the season.

HOW ABOUT NON-DIVISION GAMES? Here is where things really must get fixed or the fix is in:

MEAT GRINDER

ARKANSAS- (@ Florida; S Carolina) Welcome to the league Brett Bielema

LSU- (@ Georgia; Florida) The cocktail party schedule

TOUGH TO SWALLOW

TENNESSEE- (@Bama; Auburn) Old school pre-division Vol schedule

GEORGIA- (LSU; @ Auburn) What? Georgia has to play a real team from the West. It’s an outrage

KENTUCKY- (Bama; @ Miss St) Here Mark Stoops; you take the two-time defending National Champs

VANDY- (Ole Miss; @ A&M) Rebels are much better and being the only East team traveling to College Station is no reward

MISSOURI- (@Ole Miss; A&M) Vandy with a less difficult road test

FLORIDA- (Ark, @ LSU) Gators praying for 3:30 start in Baton Rouge

MEAT LOAF

MISS. STATE- (Kentucky; @S Car) East’s best + East’s worst = average

TEXAS A&M- (@Mizzu; Vandy) Neither are sure things

OLE MISS- (@Vandy; Mizzu) A&M has a better chance to sweep

AUBURN- (@Tenn; Georgia) Dawgs could win East again but a trip to Neyland is not what it once was.

POTTED MEAT

SOUTH CAROLINA- (@Arkansas; Miss State) Cocks get a break after several years of LSU and Bama

MINCE MEAT

ALABAMA- (@Kentucky, Tenn) Mike Slive: “Okay Nick who do you want to play from the East?”

IN THE NICK OF TIME: Nick Saban has come-and-gone to-and-from his motivational speaking engagement in Athens this week. Many have asked me how I could look at a billboard advertising his appearance so close to my home without thoughts of vandalism. The truth is I probably couldn’t have if I ever drove the stretch of road it “graced”. It was as I understand on I-75 between the Lenoir City and Sugar Limb Exits which for me was no-man’s land before his picture was placed there and now will forever remain untraversed by my vehicle. Apparently I wasn’t the only one questioning why this miniscule villain was holding court in the heart of Big Orange Country apparently invited by one of our own. I like the fact that it raised the ire of many in the Orange Nation. I like even better that it didn’t illicit any Harvey Updike-like idiocy. It’s great to see that our fan base is still a prideful group even in the midst of one of the lowest points in program history. It’s even more satisfying to know that we can remain classy through it all.

THANKS DAD: I lost my dad on January 25th 1987 at the age of 62. He suffered from a heart condition and emphysema from seemingly my earliest memory so we never had the opportunity play catch or share in other active sports-related activities but that never stopped him from conveying his love of sports to my brothers and I. Football, baseball and boxing were his true loves but he also relished any international competition because he was an even greater patriot than sportsman. He fought in both WWII and Korea and though he rarely spoke of either he took great pride –as did we- in the fact he so loyally served his country. Dad supported us in whatever sport –or activity- we chose to participate in and silently took great pride in our successes. I never once heard him from the stands but took great comfort in knowing he rarely missed a game. He had a gift of caring greatly without pushing or pressuring that allowed me to enjoy whatever sport I played without feeling obligated to participate or pressured to perform. He was much more emphatic that I play with effort, learn to win and lose with dignity and that I respect the game and everyone associated with it. He understood that success couldn’t be constant but desire, effort and attitude could. In a comical (now) antidote he once taught me a lesson in respect and humility with very few words that I have never forgotten. While getting ready for a High School Baseball Game I realized my sliding pads weren’t with the rest of my uniform and when I asked Mom about it she told me they were in the dryer. Anxious to get to the ballpark I questioned her in a way I shouldn’t have. Dad was a voracious reader but rarely missed anything unfolding around him. He looked up from his book and said “son, first don’t EVER speak to your Mother in that tone again and secondly don’t worry about your sliding pads. If you ever get on base again we’ll bring the damn things out to you!” With that he resumed his book with both lessons taught loud and clear. I thank God every day for my Dad’s love, strength, courage and wisdom and I wish I possessed a fraction of what he had of any of the above. Happy Father’s Day to all of you and on behalf of sons and daughters everywhere we love you.

IN A PERFECT WORLD: Everyone’s memories of their Father would be as pleasant as mine.

SINCE WE LAST SPOKE 6-6-13

HELLO AGAIN: Fresh back from a blog sabbatical and I apologize for being away so long. As you have heard me say many times May is the toughest month for me on-air (and apparently off) due to my disinterest in hockey, mild amusement with the NBA, most listeners and readers ho-hum attitude toward regular season Major League Baseball, UT’s apparent self-imposed death penalty in college baseball and crickets chirping around college football and the NFL. June however means the arrival on newsstands of the college football previews and I’ll slip in some baseball because I can. Before we know it Independence Day will be upon us and Labor Day will be in the cross hairs. I’m looking forward to counting the time down with you so let’s have a great summer of hope as the 2013 CFB season inches ever closer.

ONE GATOR I LOVE: Thanks to a recommendation from Tony B I am reading one of the great Yankee baseball books ever entitled Driving Mr. Yogi. It is the account of the special relationship between Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry. I barely remember Yogi as a player but he is beloved in all Yankee fan’s hearts and is considered the Greatest Living Yankee. I distinctly remember The Gator and can say without equivocation Guidry is one of my favorite Yanks of all-time. He was instrumental in World Championships in 1977 and 78 and won the CY Young award in 78 putting together what is still the greatest season of pitching by a Yankee in my lifetime. He won 25 of 28 decisions; with 9 shutouts; a miniscule 1.75 ERA; 248 strikeouts and only 6.15 hits allowed per nine innings. His # 49 is retired and he has a plaque in the magical Yankee Stadium Monument Park. All of that aside I love Louisiana Lightening for more sentimental reasons. He was not considered a can’t-miss prospect and didn’t make the big club until shortly before his 25th birthday. He was short at 5’11” and slight at 161 lbs. for a major league pitcher let alone a flame-throwing power arm. He was a calm, unassuming presence during a tempestuous era in the Bronx. He was a southern, backwoods, country boy that somehow excelled in the craziness that is the mecca of attention and megalomania; New York City and at that time the infamous Bronx Zoo. He overcame every obstacle and stereotypical hurdle thrown his way. He was a blue collar guy in a blue-blood setting that more than held his own which warms the heart of those of us ordinary souls who dream of what it would be like to pull on the pinstripes. I will probably forget this quickly when summer turns to fall but there is one Gator I truly love.

STILL HATE EIGHT: Let’s give credit where it’s due; Nick Saban the SEC coach with the most to lose by a move to 9 conference games per season was the only one with the testicular fortitude and sufficient compassion for his fan base to vote for what’s right. Eight conference games were too few with a twelve team league and it’s a cowardly travesty with fourteen. I somewhat understand Steve Spurrier, Mark Richt and Will Muschamp’s apprehension with their in-state rival commitments versus Clemson, Georgia Tech and Florida State respectively. They know -as we do- that their conference brethren will almost certainly play three creampuffs when the nine game schedule becomes a reality. The rest of the league’s coaches? Let’s make sure we schedule six wins; go to a bowl game, a contract extension meeting and then straight to the bank. The league’s fans? Who gives a rat’s patoot? Until SEC Administrators –or ESPN- demand that the league do the right thing the competitive balance of the league race will remain skewed; players and fans will be denied seeing league foes for years upon end and disgraceful mismatches will continue to be played throughout the slate. Here is an example of the dog food cuisine being served SEC fans late in the conference schedule: Alabama St @ Kentucky and UTEP @ Texas A&M on November 2nd; Appalachian St @ Georgia on November 9; Troy @ Ole Miss on November 16th; Georgia Southern @ Florida; Coastal Carolina @ South Carolina; and UTC @ Alabama on November flippin 23rd. If SEC teams are going to continue to schedule off-weeks such as these when the conference race should be building to a crescendo then the fans of these teams should take it off with them and stay at the house. The SEC is without question the best football league in America. It’s time the coaches and administrators act accordingly and quit running scared.

GIVE ME REBELS OF 2012 OR VOLS OF 2010: Most Tennessee fans I talk to or hear on other forums understand the colossal task facing Butch Jones and the 2013 Vols. The cupboard is bare by SEC standards and a losing attitude has permeated the program. So what is acceptable for Butch Year One? How about a carbon copy of Hugh Freeze Year One? The Rebels finished 7-6 overall; 3-5 in the SEC and by all indications played up to and beyond their roster’s capability. Not only did they cobble together a winning season they also played both Texas A&M (27-30) and LSU (35-41) close and manhandled hated rival Mississippi State 41-24 quickly reversing the state’s power structure. The Vols could equally excite the Big Orange Nation by winning the games they should (Austin Peay; WKU; S. Alabama and Kentucky); playing a couple of heavyweights off their feet; putting Vandy back in their place; and qualifying for and winning a bowl game.
How about a repeat of the Vols 2010 season minus a blowout loss to Oregon and gut wrenching Music City Bowl defeat? That year the Vols beat UT-Martin, UAB and Memphis; lost a heartbreaker at LSU and swept November to become bowl eligible. They also pulled the trigger allowing a more physically talented freshman QB to take the reins down the stretch providing an in-season boost of future hope that regardless of the mixed returns Tyler Bray delivered over the next two seasons was the right move. Throw in a more competitive contest in Eugene Oregon than we played against the Ducks in Knoxville and a bowl win and you have the formula for what I suggested above; Hugh Part Two. I would take that to the bank; wouldn’t you?

PROPS (BETS THAT IS) TO ME: Tony and I were throwing out possible prop bets for the Vols upcoming football season on last Friday’s show. Below was my contribution but in this spot I have included how I would wager –for entertainment purposes only of course:

1-Vols will commit more or less turnovers than their opponents in 2013?

MORE-The Vols are learning a new offensive scheme triggered by QBs with limited or no college playing time; not exactly the formula for ball security. That combined with a defense that had only 17 takeaways in 2012 (10th in SEC) makes this a pretty easy play

2-Tennessee Special Teams TDs in 2013 more or less than 1.5?

LESS-Wish I could have reversed the first two answers but you don’t need me to tell you that turnover margin and special teams haven’t exactly been staples of Tennessee Football over the last decade. The dynamic Cordarrelle Patterson scored on both a kickoff and punt return last season but alas he is now a Minnesota Viking with no comparable replacement in sight.

3-Who will get the most carries for the Vols in 2013; Marlin Lane; Raijon Neal; Alden Hill; A.J Johnson or other?

ALDEN HILL: I know; I know; the shooting spring stars never reappear in the fall but rarely has an All-April newcomer had as wide-open an opportunity as the current Tennessee RB depth chart provides. Marlin Lane and Raijon Neal are both serviceable running backs but Hill showed signs of being more. He also has a brand new staff to impress which erases any historical prejudice or favoritism and levels the playing field.

4-A goalpost will get torn down at Neyland this season? Excluding Vol fans trying to pre-empt Palardy from missing another FG

NO-Times have been lean but with no Gators or Crimson Tide on the home schedule even the most out-there Vol fan is too proud to tear down a goal post because we beat Georgia or South Carolina. I’m also assuming we beat Austin Peay or have strong enough security to keep the 50 Governor Fans off Shields-Watkins if the unforgiveable occurs.

5-Vols breakout WR will be Pig Howard; Jason Croom; Drae Bowles; Paul Harris; Marquez North or other?

JASON CROOM-One definition of faith is belief which is not based on proof. I guess that’s me.

6-Vols will win an SEC game prior to November?

NO-All the Vols SEC wins will come in the month of November. I believe they will win 2 of 3 versus @Mizzu; Auburn; and Vandy then beat Kentucky

7-Number of SEC games that Tennessee surrenders less than 35 points in? (Happened only against KY last season -17)

FOUR-Remember that faith definition above? Insert that again here. Sal Sunseiri was a colossal catastrophe that could have screwed up Alabama’s 1992 defense. Look for the Vols to at least resemble an SEC defense and give their undermanned offense a chance in at least half the conference schedule.

8-Number of games in which Vols miss a FG over/under 4.5 (4 last season)

OVER: Palardy will get more opportunities since the Vol offense will probably fail to find the end zone as regularly as the 2012 version. More Opportunities + Michael Palardy? You do the math

9-Number of first year SEC coaches that Butch Jones wins more games than 3, 2, 1 or 0 (Stoops, Malzahn, and Bielema)

ONE (MARK STOOPS)-Before you declare me a complete naysayer let me put out one more prop bet;

10-Number of first year SEC coaches that win more games than Butch Jones?

ZERO-I believe Gus Malzahn, Bret Bielema and Butch Jones will all win 6 games in their maiden SEC seasons. Malzahn and Bielema have an advantage due to the Vols non-conference matchup at Oregon while Auburn and Arkansas should sweep their non-league opponents. Jones will beat Malzahn head-to-head but I’m not sure Vegas has tiebreakers.

CAN’T SLOW BASILIO: The stunning news that Tony Basilio was no longer welcome at Tennessee Sports Radio seemingly came out of nowhere and with it Jason Bailey’s name will forever be linked with Clifton “Pop” Herring. There is no question that it’s Jason’s station and he has every right to choose who is on the air and who isn’t but anyone who listens regularly knows this had nothing to do with show popularity, advertising dollars or on-air talent. If it did Tony’s name would have been the last to appear on the cut list. The decision however misguided and callous is not unusual for the industry. In the short time I have been involved I have found it to be as political, jealous and back-stabbing as any I have worked in and I’ve been employed by both the Government and Organized Labor for gosh-sakes. The latest dismissal however will prove to be yet another minor speed bump for my talented radio cohort and friend. Why? Because he was made to be on the radio. He is talented, informed, witty, opinionated and fearless and is by far the best conversationalist in the market. More than that he doesn’t strive to be accepted by the radio industry and certainly not by the athletic world he comments on which makes his show refreshingly candid. The Tony Basilio Show by whatever name is exactly what listeners long for; one that makes them think; makes them laugh; makes them mad and sometimes even makes them cry. He simply gets it and he always will. Radio station owners can jettison him until he’s ready to retire but he will always land on his feet because he has something that all the former jocks and journalists will never possess; an understanding of and connection with the common fan base. It doesn’t matter if station owners don’t want him because we do. Because of that he will always find a forum and when he does we will follow. God bless you Tony and I’ll be listening for years to come. Oh yeah, who the heck is Clifton “Pop” Herring you ask? That’s the brainiac who cut Michael Jordan.

IN A PERFECT WORLD: Tennessee Football under Butch Jones would someday be as consistent, cohesive, competitive, and nationally relevant as Ralph and Karen Weekly’s Lady Vol Softball Program.

SEE YOU IN JUNE I'm taking a few weeks off to reset the mechanism. Hope you have a great rest of May and a Happy Memorial Day. I'll be back in early June and we'll count it down to football season. Until then God Bless You and I'll talk to you on The Tony Basilio Show.