Orange Throat will have more tomorrow on Dave Hart's tenuous situation as UT's AD. We've been telling you for months here that it looked like Dave Hart's time as AD at Tennessee was coming to a close sooner than later. Well, I'm hearing that we're officially on time with our reportage here. I'm starting to believe that we may get an announcement on Hart's short future at Tennessee by the start of the season. To reiterate, Throaty will have much more for you tomorrow on this unfolding situation at Tennessee. Suffice it to say that winning in football isn't the elixir Dave Hart thought it would be.


He's got UT football as healthy as perhaps it's been since the mid-90's and he's being shown the door. Why? The same reason he was ousted at FSU back in the day: Dave Hart never met a fight he wouldn't pick or some underling he wouldn't pick on. By all accounts, when I read the effusive essays on his time here, Dave Hart should be celebrated. Instead it looks like he's being pushed out the door. If you think about it, that's pretty damn hard to imagine. An AD that hired a terrific young coach with an athletic department deeply in the black is getting pushed out. The best thing about all this? Dave Hart never learned. Or was it that he didn't care to learn? Whichever the case, Hart will be back cheering for the Bammers perhaps sooner than later. Although I do believe the latest plan has Hart staying on until Tennessee can find a suitable replacement. As I've said for years here, it's never dull in these parts.


With word leaking out that Tennessee could be working on some kind of extension for Zac Azzani, the WR's coach was trying to make peace with Vol fans on Twitter last night. "We have the Best Fans in College Football! You guys never cease to amaze me with your support! Thank you so much! We are working for you! GBO!" No word on whether or not coach Z is unblocking many of the unwashed masses.


On Jalen Tabor. We need more heels in sports. Just as long as Tennessee can cut a great promo on him in Neyland Stadium on September 24th, Tabor's OK with me. Tabor is harmless as far as I'm concerned. I was listening to Daniel Lewis talk about him yesterday on 1180 AM in the afternoon and apparently Tabor wears out his teammates with his constant non-sense. Daniel made a great point about Butch Jones in that he would NEVER allow a player to hijack the message of his team. Case in point Preston Williams. We all know he's extremely outgoing and still no doubt in search of his allusive 5th star, but he's basically silenced at UT since arriving on campus. Why? Because Jones knows what he knows. And that's that Williams is liable to say anything. So what does Florida allowing Tabor to runneth over at the mouth really mean? For one thing, Jim McElwain obviously runs a loose ship. For another thing, they don't respect Tennessee in the least in Gainesville. If they did, there's no way they would let that kid talk the way he does. It's yet another reason that the streak must stop. And now.







Tee Mail:




Doug: Always great hearing from you. The reason Tee Martin is better in my book than Dobbs is that he won it all. It's plain and simple. Oh, and he threw one of the prettiest deep balls around. I'm not going to even attempt to compare the wide receiver corp of 98-99 with what Josh Dobbs has had around him. So I will give you credit there. Calling Tee Martin a guy propped up by that group is not fair to him. Tee Martin made winning plays at winning time. When there was a big play to be made either with his arm or feet, Tee Martin usually was there to make it.

Dobbs to this point has been a really courageous leader and athlete at QB. He needs to settle in during 2016 and let his arm do more talking and pick his spots like Tee Martin did. Sorry, but based on what Tee Martin did during his two years as a starter and what Josh Dobbs has done in his 2 plus years, I'm still going with Martin. As for the WR rotation, my whole stance on this can boiled down to one simple, declarative statement: playmakers must be on the field to make plays. Dr. Sinclair brought up a great point about UT yesterday on the air. There was a situation last year versus Oklahoma where Tennessee (early in the game no less) came out of a timeout in goal line offense with Kamara on the field instead of Hurd. Why? Because that's what the rotation said. I want to see Dobbs run less, hit more passes downfield while UT rotates wide receivers a whole lot less. Again great hearing from you. We'll just have to agree disagree on a whole bunch here today, my man.









Don! Great hearing from you. I love the idea though it would never happen. It sure would be interesting to see this play out this year.

Here's what an SEC/Big 10 Challenge would look like in 2016.

1. Bama vs. Ohio State: Straight Toss up, but I'd take Bama. 2. Mich State vs LSU: That would be a GREAT football game. 3. Michigan vs Tennessee: I'd pay to see this game!! 4. Wisconsin vs Ole Miss: Wow. That would be fun. 5. Nebraska vs Georgia: Young QB vs. Huskers. Who knows? 6. Iowa vs A&M: Aggies roll! 7. Penn State vs Florida: The Yesterday Bowl 8. Minnesota vs Arkansas: Would be a blood bath. 9. Maryland vs Auburn: Would be a compelling game I guess 10. Indiana vs Miss State: I got the Dawgs here. 11. Northwestern vs Vandy: Scholars Bowl 12. Illinois vs. Kentucky: Brutal 13. Rutgers vs. South Carolina: Brutal Part II 14. Purdue vs Mizzou: I'd draw the shades in my back yard on this one.


In summary....

I would take the SEC all day every day in games 3,4,6,7,8,10,12,13.

I would pick the Big 10 to wins games 2,5,9,14.

Game one is a coin flip and would be an awesome spectacle.

I refuse to pick game 11 on the grounds that I may lose my talk host privileges.








The Far East? Are you trying to be funny because I'm at Sushi Spot today? Good idea. I hope JB (or somebody well versed in track) will chime in this. I saw where Shaunee Miller of the Bahamas runs at Georgia and she dove for her gold medal the other day!


Final Thought: Two weeks! What could possibly be finer than the thought of UT football season being here in just 14 days.


Final Thought II: When Appalachian State comes to town don't you dare refer to them as Appy State. I learned yesterday that dems fighting words to those individuals.


It doesn't always work out for the five star players. Link


Super quick recovery for Nick Chubb. Link


Lots of news around the SEC to visit with Mike Hugenin on today! Link



I'll be playing some terrific music tonight w/ Fountain City Ramblers 7 to 9 pm @ Clancy's. Beeeee there!!!


Peace

Tony B
IGYV

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