SINCE WE LAST SPOKE 7-3-14
SOCCER? IT’S GROWING ON ME: I am no longer the antagonist of the game of soccer and its fans I once was. As a matter of fact I have gained a great deal of appreciation for the event that is the World Cup; respect for the game and admiration for the skill set of the players. The passion surrounding the World Cup surpasses most major sporting events due to the game’s international popularity and the lust of its hardcore fans. As for the game I have come to understand that one of my major criticisms is actually one of soccer’s greatest strengths. I now see that lack of scoring does not necessarily denote lack of action. Goals are so rare that the games are almost always closely contested and the anticipation that one may occur when a team is on the attack seems more exhilarating than in any other sport. The fact that goals come so suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere makes you concentrate on the action unfolding even more diligently. I still struggle with the clock running up, the constant flopping near the ball and especially the arbitrary manner in which extra time is determined. The game is not ingrained in my sports-fan’s heart enough to be interested in non-World Cup; non-USA matches but once every four years I will join in the fun. I will never be a true Futbal fan but I am working on my tolerance and understanding one day at a time.
SOCCER WILL BE AN AMERICAN PASSION IN THE YEAR N-E-V-E-R! Now as far as the contention that soccer is quickly climbing the ladder of the American fan’s sports consciousness I say HOGWASH. Like Presidential elections the vast majority of Americans care about it once every four years and very little in-between. The thought that it will someday surpass the popularity of football, basketball or baseball here in the US is nonsensical. The true measure of a sport is not the attention garnered during its epic event but how it is followed on a daily and weekly basis during a normal season. Most all my friends and acquaintances are sports fans and it wouldn't take the digits on both hands to count those interested in viewing professional soccer matches -from any continent- in non-World Cup years. Could I be mistaken? Maybe soccer is like porn with tons of viewers too ashamed to admit it. I don’t think so. I think it will remain the favorite sport of the globe but here in the good ole USA it will NEVER crack the Top-3.
NON-DIVISION CONFERENCE SCHEDULE RATINGS: As promised in the last edition let’s take a look at the 2014 SEC non-division football slates:
HEAVYWEIGHT:
FLORIDA: @ Alabama (Sept 20), LSU (Oct 11); See ya Muschamp
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
AUBURN: South Carolina (Oct 25), @ Georgia (Nov 15) No victory lap for 2013 Champs
SOUTH CAROLINA: Texas A&M (Aug 28), @Auburn (Oct 25) No wonder The Ole Ball Coach wants division records to determine SECCG participants
TENNESSEE: @ Ole Miss (Oct 18), Alabama (Oct 25) Butch Jones is probably wondering what his AD and the SEC Office have against him?
MIDDLE WEIGHT
VANDERBILT: Ole Miss (Sept 6), @ Miss State (Nov 22) The Magnolia State Classic
KENTUCKY: @ LSU (Oct 18), Mississippi State (Oct 25) What wouldn’t be challenging for the Cats?
WELTERWEIGHT
ARKANSAS: Georgia (Oct 18), @ Missouri (Nov 28) If Mizzou is as solid as last season this is a stronger duo than I give it credit for.
GEORGIA: @ Arkansas (Oct 18); Auburn (Nov 15) Downgraded due to Hogs presence. With the exception of the early Houston Nutt and Bobby Petrino eras Arkansas has always been boring. With Bret Bielema they’re downright comatose.
MISSOURI: @ Texas A&M (Nov 15), Arkansas (Nov 28) Is Missouri really in the SEC? Who plays both their non-division games in November?
TEXAS A&M: @S Carolina (Aug 28), Missouri (Nov 15) South Carolina matchup is way too early for my taste
LIGHTWEIGHT
ALABAMA: Florida (Sept 20), @Tennessee (Oct 25) What a killer non-division slate….. in the 90s that is
LSU: @ Florida (Oct 11), Kentucky (Oct 18) LSU needs to quit belly-aching about having to play Florida on an annual basis. The Gators aren’t exactly Spurrier or Meyer-esque these days.
FLYWEIGHT
OLE MISS: @Vandy (Sept 6), Tennessee (Oct 18) The Tennessee Waltz
PAPERWEIGHT
MISSISSIPPI ST: @ Kentucky (Oct 25), Vandy (Nov 22) Good heavens!
TIME TRAVEL: The caller W-Lynn suggested a great show topic that Tony and I will discuss Thursday; If you could do time travel what sporting event would you go back to see. Here is my off-the-cuff list:
ANY TENNESSEE-KENTUCKY BASKETBALL GAME OF THE ERNIE & BERNIE ERA: Yes, even the 1975 game in Lexington won by the Cats 92-88 when in the aftermath a moronic Kentucky fan flipped a lit cigarette into Bernard’s hair as he exited the floor. I would also have to be in the postgame interview where after patiently answering every question Bernard told a gaggle of reporters that “as long as I’m here Kentucky will NEVER beat us again. True to his word the Vols won the next 5 games by scores of 103-98 (Knoxville-75); 90-88 (Lexington-76); 92-85 (Knoxville-76); 71-67 (Lexington-77) and 81-79 (Knoxville-77).
TENNESSEE vs MIAMI (January 1st 1986 Super Dome) I watched this one from my parents living room rather than New Orleans and I have never regretted it. My Dad only saw one more football season after that and I cherish that he and I enjoyed one of the great victories in Tennessee Football history together.
TENNESSEE vs AUBURN (September 28 1985 Neyland Stadium) Still my favorite day ever in Neyland. The #1 Tigers and Bo Jackson swaggered into town with Sports Illustrated in tow and limped out after a 38-20 thrashing that was worse than the score indicated. The sky was crystal-blue, the Orange balloons were released and so were Tony Robinson (17-30; 259 yds 4 TDs) and the Vol receiving corps.
TENNESSEE-ALABAMA (October 1995 Legion Field) Peyton Manning and Joey Kent served notice that we were “mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore” with an 80 Yd. first play TD hookup leading to a 41-14 trouncing of The Tide. The victory broke a 9-year winless streak in the series for the Vols and was the catalyst for 9 wins in the next 10 versus Alabama. Unlike 1993 when I begged Vol fans to lower their 8-buster placards as Jay Barker and David Palmer led Alabama to a last-possession score and 2-pt conversion to tie that I knew in my heart was coming I celebrated from pillar-to-post after the Manning-to-Kent lid lifter.
BRUCE PEARL’S FIRST SEASON: From the announcement of his hiring –that I had advocated throughout the process- to the loss in the round of 32 to Wichita State it was a celebration of excitement and rebirth of Vol hoops.
AL EAST TIE-BREAKER GAME (October 2, 1978 Fenway Park): Trailing by 14 games in mid-July The Yankees went 53-21 to close out the season including a 4-game sweep of Boston where the Red Sox were outscored 42-9 forever known as The Boston Massacre. The Yanks trailed 2-0 and had been held to two hits through six innings until Chris Chambliss and Roy White singled in the 7th setting up Bucky Dent’s famous homer over the green monster which gave the Yankees a lead they never surrendered in a 5-4 win
WATCHING THE PUPPIES RUN: I had my first opportunity to catch some 2014 Pilot Rocky Top League action on Wednesday night and it was as enjoyable as ever. As Donnie Tyndall correctly stated several weeks ago it bears no resemblance to real basketball but it never fails to entertain and annually serves as a welcoming party for Vol basketballers-to-be. Much like the Orange and White Game is to the orange-clad football-starved fan the PRTL gives gym rats a little taste of hoops action. I believe the league has found a long-term home at Catholic High School with plenty of parking, arena seats and -God Bless America- conditioned air. Here are some random thoughts on the Vol newcomers I had a chance to see:
Willie Carmichael: Good rebounder with a pretty good handle. Needs work on all phases of his offensive game but is reputedly a fast learner who takes coaching well. I will reserve my comments on strength shortcomings until the end due to the epidemic nature of this issue.
Devon Baulkman: A potential prolific scorer with the ability to make a contested shot. He will have little or no difficulty finding his shot ….and apparently everyone else’s. I worry more about him finding an open teammate; and the man he is supposed to be guarding.
Detrick Mostella: I am completely aware that the opening practice will be the first time he’s truly guarded but the kid can really play. As advertised he’s a high-riser but his feathery shooting touch and expanded range caught me by surprise. I think the clearinghouse will have a better chance of slowing him down than future SEC opponents.
As stated above each and every future Vol should be moved out of Gibbs Hall and relocated in the weight room. This has to be the slenderest group that has ever arrived simultaneously without being handed cross country uniforms. Though I didn’t see them play I did put eyes on Kevin Punter, Jabari McGhee and Tariq Owens and they aren’t going to bang anyone into submission either. All of the newcomers and Todd Moyer –the Vols Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning- are about to become intimately acquainted.
IN A PERFECT WORLD: All of us would take full advantage of the freedom our service men and women and the founders of this great country believed in and fought for.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY
-
