I was on the air yesterday asking for reasons to feel good about the last 5 games of the season when news of Alvin Kamara's injury broke from John Brice. Great for Brice in his reportage and terrible for Tennessee. The hits just keep on coming. Plus news trickled out that Jack Jones will take the field at South Carolina with a just-operated-on wrist. Does this stuff ever end?



Fan is short for fanatic. I get that everybody is frustrated with the injuries. It's maddening but it's nothing to be mad about. In other words, I'm blown away by the reaction of the fan base to these injuries. If somebody else tells me that we don't have a proper approach to weight training.........I just don't get it. Look, do you really think Butch Jones would rather do it his way than have a healthy football team? Think about what you're saying. Do you really think Alabama has the market cornered on health and nutrition? They don't. Sure...they pay a guy more than most coordinators make to do strength and conditioning but not even all the bells and whistles would prevent what's gone on here at Tennessee. So, what am I getting at?


Everybody in our snarky culture has to have somebody to blame. Butch Jones grinded his guys up in the pre-camp of 2015 and bodies fell and it was his fault. This year he went purposefully out of his way to let up on his guys (especially the veterans) and just about every veteran player on this team has missed time with injury. Think about that for a second. Just about every veteran player from the starting line-up on both sides of the line of scrimmage has missed some action this year. Why? Because Butch Jones went light on them in pre-season camp? I've got news for you....It wouldn't have mattered what Butch Jones did this year. Guys are getting hurt because they're getting hurt.


Now, one could make the point about UT's offensive approach not being kind to offensive lineman and I would perhaps agree with this. In fact, we'll be exploring this tonight on In The Pocket on MyVLT TV with Tony Robinson. Otherwise, the injuries that have occurred are just horrible luck.


I don't know about you but I'm going to admire the hell out of a team that could have all these injuries and either go 10-2 or 9-3. That would be a flat out amazing season for everything we've seen go down here. In fact, this season proves the level to which teams can exist on the fault line.














2016....The Year Of What If?


What if Tennessee would’ve hit more in pre-season camp with the veteran players? Would they have still gotten hurt? Would they have been injured prior to the season?


What if Preston Williams would have caught the balls thrown his way early in the season? Is he still on the roster?


What if JuJuan Jennings was allowed to play both ways from pre-season camp? What kind of player could he be on defense?


What if Colton Jumper would’ve been healthy enough to stay at the Naval Academy? What would Tennessee do for bodies at linebacker?


What would Todd Kelly look like at linebacker?


What if App State would’ve recovered Dobbs’ fumble in OT back on week one? Would they have gone on to win the game?


What if Georgia would’ve kicked the ball as far as possible on the last kickoff of the game? Would the Vols still found a way to win that game?


What if Florida would’ve continued to throw the deep ball?


What if Tennessee would’ve gone for two at the end of the A&M game? Do they win that game?


What if Tennessee played Bama with a healthy Reeves-Maybin, Sutton, Foreman, Kirkland and a healthy O line. Does Bama still blow the Vols out?


What if UT would've hired a full time QB coach a few years back? What kind of season would Josh Dobbs be enjoying?


All this leads to another what if? What if Tennessee wins the rest or even loses another and Florida makes the SEC Championship Game?













Fred...Great hearing from you....Would this be better for all involved here. Because truthfully Alabama is in a league of their own. They're turning major college football into women's hoops and it sucks the life out of this league. I'm really confused on this issue. On one hand it would be terrific to go to Atlanta and enjoy a moment in the sun. It would be wonderful for these kids to have some shine on them. That would be until the game started and it would probably feel like the Christians being fed to the lions. Plus if Tennessee missed the Title Game, it would be one less loss meaning the Vols would be more inviting as a New Years Six Bowl Game participant. Lots to digest there Fred and like a lot of things this season, I could see both sides of this coin.








Our Drive For The Kids is under way. The response from day one on my Email has been wonderful to the idea of collecting as many tickets as possible for the UT/Tennessee Tech game to distribute to kids from families that have NEVER BEEN IN NEYLAND STADIUM. We can do this!! I think it would be an amazing thing to share UT football with as many underprivileged youngsters as possible. In fact, a listener involved with a local ministry reached out to me yesterday with word that we may be able to coordinate in part with a group that mentors children of the incarcerated. Several listeners have conveyed that they don't have tickets but would like to contribute financially. If you would like to send UT/Tennessee Tech Tickets or $$$ to me for this most worthwhile endeavor, please do so here.

Tony Basilio Show
Box 26011
Knoxville, TN 37912


I'm planning on taking the cash to throw a tailgating party that we will have catered by Calhoun's! So, rest assured that we will put the tickets and cash to great use.

Thanks

TB

Tomorrow...CC Hoops on the Canadian Pipeline running dry for Rick Barnes, plus extended T-Mail, plus a few other surprises.


Final Thought: Call me crazy but I would rather be here than in Tuscaloosa. We have more fun than those folks. They win so much that they are a parody of themselves. What do they do for a challenge? Go to the AFC South??? Meanwhile we've had a thrilling season here thus far and it's one I'm damn proud of.

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