Two days out from Ohio...Going to be terrific fun!!! Noon kickoff in Neyland Stadium!!!! Kind of old school.
Tonight I'm playing live with Fountain City Ramblers @ Clancy's on Gay Street. We're going to have wonderful fun. We take the stage at 8p and go till whenever. Gonna make you smile!!! Get there if you can...
Concerns are mounting over the health/availability of Darrin Kirkland Jr. I'm hearing he has a severely sprained ankle that is going to take several weeks to heal. Those inside the program I've spoken with tell me that he'll probably be lost at least until Bama. Could he get back sooner? Sure, but I wouldn't count on it. In fact, I was told that his injury is one that will be lingering. This is going to set up quite a conundrum for UT's coaches. The Ohio game is an excellent opportunity to work in a suitable replacement.
Some fans are up in arms because Colton Jumper is #1 on the current depth chart. Is this just for show? I don't know, but he was the first LB in the game versus Tech after Kirkland Jr got hurt. Plus DC Bob Shoop was effusive of his praise of him after practice yesterday. Some have postulated that Jumper is only seeing time because his father is supposedly a rich booster at UT. If you really believe this, please stop. By this logic, wouldn't every prominent booster’s kids have gotten to play on UT's football team. By this logic wouldn't Tyler Summitt have started in hoops? He didn't, BTW. Was Carson Anderson a first team player in his time?
Here's the deal......Colton Jumper is listed at first team because NOBODY behind him has raised the level of their game this side of Kirkland Jr to take his spot. Is it Jumper's fault that he cares? Is it his fault that he goes 100% on every rep in practice? Why aren't the other scholarship guys beating him out? It's their job to do this. Why pick on that kid? I get it. Colton Jumper is white and somewhat slow and he's an easy target, but let's not dismiss this kid with theories about his father politicking his way onto the field. That's foolish. No Dad could ever pay any university enough for a kid to get playing time at a key position in a season as critical as this one. Think about what you're saying/believing. Look, I'm an Alex Jones level sports conspiracy theorist, but the thought that Colton Jumpers' fathers donating status is affecting his playing time is absurd. Get real. #WMLBLM.
Will the NCAA's politically correct power play on North Carolina impact next year's planned WVU/Tennessee neutral site game slated for the opening of the 2018 season? What a joke the NCAA is. The Bathroom Bill impacts .0000001 percent of our population. Are these people bored?
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Tee Mail
'Tony,
Let's paint a little picture here, shall we, for what's fixing to be highly memorable times here in our scruffy, yet glorious little city of Knoxville, Tennessee from September through January...arriving, sealed and delivered, in 34 days:
It's September 10 in beautiful Bristol, TN. It's hot, but the leaves are just starting to show that burnt look they tend to. You know the one I'm talking about, Tony. The one that lets you know you did it. You made it through the offseason of our beloved Tennessee Volunteers. The air has a certain smell to it- in limbo of summer and fall, a feeling of real anticipation. There are well over 150,000 people tailgating around the Last Great Coliseum. Most will get in, others don't care if they do. But all are there to be a part of something that will never be forgotten in Big Orange Country and for that matter, the rest of the country for years to come. We've put a hurtin' on the Mountaineers a week and some change before, but it didn't quite have the same feel as a Tennessee home opener. Most had to take a half day off work to get to the game. Others sold their tickets, knowing the feeling would rejuvenate their orange spirits, but could not hold a candle to what the rest of the season had in store. The day in Bristol is like something from a story book. The Virginia Tech Emasculated Turkeys have put up quite a fight for three quarters, but in the end they can't temper the hunger for the big stage our Vols have inside them.
September 24, 2016. Our beloved Vols are 3-0. It feels good, yes, but there's something missing. We had our souls ripped from our orange-skinned chests on September 26, 2015. That was the one. The one that was supposed to be the one to finally give us peace. It was the one that would finally allow us to dream a sweet dream at night without seeing some trashy, snaggle-toothed redneck doing the gator chomp in our face in the depths of our subconscious...until fate struck in the form of a few bone-headed play calls by the artist formerly known as John Jancek (at least we're hoping that was him and not our Head Coach. We want to believe that don't we, Tony? We have to believe that. Whether it was Jancek or Jones calling the shots, all we can hope for is a sense of change from our new leader and his defensive schemes). We roll into Neyland Stadium ready to right the 12 years of wrongs, ready to finally take what's ours, and we do it. We finally crush those pathetic losers from Florida, we begin our own streak for years to come, we celebrate in the streets like nothing that has ever been witnessed before in the great State of Tennessee and we fall asleep on Sunday around 11 a.m., some of us too inebriated to go on, some of us ready to count gators, not sheep, as we doze into the abyss of an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. The satisfaction that, finally, we came, we saw, we conquered.
December 3, 2016. We've passed through the lovely fall months of October and November in East Tennessee, Tony. Sure, we had a scare against Georgia the very next week after demolishing our oh-so-hated Gators in Knoxville. We went to Texas A&M and slacked off a bit to wind up with our first L on the season, but we came back the next week and steam rolled the tide at home. The rest of the season was us putting a choke hold and KO on our opponents like the days of old. We've finally returned to the upper echelon of the college football ranks and all is well in the world heading into the holiday season and celebration of the birth of our Savior.
Now, I'm no dermatologist, and I'm certainly not fantasizing on original wants not already desired by my fellow Volunteers, but the complexion of that scenario looks to be silky smooth from where I'm sitting.
I hope that all the aforementioned scenarios take place as the football gods should allow, if there is good in this world. Doesn't seem right to continue to see King Nick reign supreme while the rest of us crawl to the top. It's time to stand up, no baby steps, and demount the throne.
God Bless and Go Vols.
Alex'
We discussed this yesterday greatly on the show. The bottom line is that it's all about Florida. I don't mean to be such a simpleton, but this is just the truth. As Dr. Sinclair said to me yesterday, "Everybody around here is on pins and needles and they will stay that way until we beat Florida." That's why many in our fanbase are angst ridden over a 2-0 football team. Look, Tennessee hasn't played well early on in their two wins. You know that I've declared this the IGYV. It's the International Geophysical Year of The Volunteer. Therefore I won't even acknowledge the possibility that Tennessee could even lose to Florida this year. That does not compute with me.
If you ask me, I think our fan base is flat out incredible whether they're bitching or not. And yes, even the NegaVols are incredible. Here's the deal.
Tennessee: Hasn't beaten Florida in 12 years.
Wasn't in the Top 10 for close to 10 years.
Hasn't played in Atlanta in going on 8 years.
Has been through four coaches in that time.
Put 116,000 fans in the Bristol Motor Speedway last Sat Night.
Sold out the entire 2016 season in Neyland pre season.
Tell me another fan base on the planet that would put up the $$$$ for this kind of lost decade. Most fan bases have to have a winner before they come back. UT fans NEVER left. Are some overreacting to the first couple of games? Sure. But we have a damn great fan base. I'll tell you this right now. When I went off the air after Saturday's game it was 4 AM on Sunday. We had a FULL BANK OF CALLS!!! Where else would you hear this???
Here's some stuff from Jimmy Hyams yesterday on Twitter regarding ticket allotments requested by opponent in Neyland Stadium. Look at Florida's requested #. Damn those people are lame and undeserving. UT allotment request from opposing teams: Ohio
(2300) Florida (4500) Alabama
(7500) Tennessee Tech (2500) Kentucky (3500) Missouri (3500)' (Courtesy Jimmy Hyams Twitter Page)...Great job Jimmy diggin this up...
SMACK THE MAC TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS THEN LET FLORIDA WEEK BEGIN
FREE THOUGHT FRIDAY (Wednesday Edition)
VA TECH REFLECTIONS
ORANGE KOOLAID: As a host it’s imperative that I critique what I see on Saturday and project what areas of concern might negatively affect the outcome of future contests. As a fan it is not. I can simply enjoy the game for what it is rather than what it is not. With that caveat here is what was beautiful about the Battle at Bristol:
WHAT VOL FANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OHIO
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
ODDS & ENDS
WHAT VOLS MUST DO vs OHIO U:
WHAT WE LEARNED IN WEEK 2
BUSTED PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS:
HILLARIOUS INJUSTICE:
FRANK WITH FRANKLIN:
TWO GREAT TOO LATE:
WHAT WE WILL LEARN IN WEEK 3
WHAT’S REALLY IN THE CARDS?
IS APPY REALLY SCRAPPY?
RILEY’S REVENGE:
REGAL RARITY
REBEL TRIFECTA:...[more]
I love Dabo Swinney's comments on the state of things in our country. I mostly agree with him and really appreciate his courage in taking a stand. I'm not sure it was a very smart move on his part. In fact, I predict it will cost him in recruiting and perception.
The racial arsonists and the knee jerk fascist/brainwashed media will pounce on him. Here's Shaun King's take. Now remember King is a black/white/black/white journalist/arsonist.
Link
My problem with most in our country when it comes to matters of race is that we can't have honest conversations until invectives fly. Essentially Swinney said that if we just take the time to love each other a lot of this would go away and he's right. But having this take doesn't move the needle. It doesn’t fill up financial coffers. It doesn't lead to political victories. His take is an apolitical one in an election season. Some will see what Swinney said as divisive and I see his take as exactly the opposite. I found what he said to be absolutely courageous because he will pay for this. It's going to hurt him, but he took a stand. If you can't count the cost, does it even count to take a stand? You go Dabo! Let's have a conversation in this country. A REAL conversation.
Vols are a 9.5 point favorite over Florida heading into the weekend.
You believe
A) Vols will cover
B) Vols win but not cover
C) Vols lose
D) I need to quit if Vols lose.
Rick Barnes got out yesterday.
Link
Final thought: Vols with two costly ankle injuries in Battle at Bristol. Both Josh Smith and Darrin Kirkland Jr. are lost for a while. I sure hope it wasn't playing surface (temporary, artificial turf) related. Who knows?
Thanks
Tony
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