Great news! It's college football season. Tonight South Carolina does the honors with Southern Miss. I'm calling the shot right here. With all due respect to the great Rob Renner who's a great USC grad and a great musician as well, USC is going down tonight. Too much stuff swirling around and if Travis Haney is right, USC will be missing some key cogs in their defensive backfield. I'm calling the shot. How else could USC's dream season begin? Those poor people are cursed in college football. Simple as that. Link



South Carolina is calling their receiving corp the 'Bomb Squad'. They love to throw the football. I feel and upset coming tonight in this one! Link




Saturday's game in Knoxville won't come down to a field goal but sooner or later Daniel Lincoln will be on the clock. A listener has an interesting kicking nugget for you today.
'I've been meaning to address the fears of Daniel
Lincoln as we are approaching the season. Here's an
interesting look at the perception of Daniel Lincoln.
Look at this list of NFL kicker prospects. Look at #13.
Then look at #12--yes, that is THE Tusculum you think
it is. The kid went to school at The King's academy in
Seymour, 15 minutes from UT's campus.'



We had some fun with David Keith's approval of Derek Dooley (Link).


A listener relates a David Keith story that makes me laugh. This is, after all what this is about.

'At the height of the David Keith phenomenon in the 1990s, my wife cut a photo of Keith out of the paper and taped it to the inside of my briefcase before a business trip, knowing I would see it when I opened it on the plane...I laughed so hard on that airplane. I will never forget it.'

So, David Keith leaves Tennessee's sidelines and the Vols have really slid from national prominence. And you thought Coach Keith couldn't get it done. We may need to get him back on the sidelines once again. Put the band back together!


Hatman wants to move off David Keith as our celebrity.
'If being from TN is the requirement, I vote for Reese Witherspoon (Nashville) and Justin Timberlake (Memphis). Timberlake could help recruiting in W.TN. He could collaborate with Swiperboy for a remix of FootVol and jump start Woolridge's career like he did on "Where is the Love?" with the Black Eyed Peas. Maybe performed at halftime with Janet Jackson. Reese Witherspoon in "Legally Orange" or "Vol Intentions" would be hot. Male and female fans equally excited. Hatman '






Here's a warning from a listener. I get one of these about every 5 minutes. Thought you would find this amusing.
'Last chance Tony.... Please no more political
references! It's not that your conservative and I'm
not....I listen to you and read your blog for
sports...Vol sports ... Don't bore me and insult me
with your political views. I respect your views but I
don"t want to hear them. Sports, and only sports or I
stop listening and reading. You will be banned from
being one of my my sports entertainment sources. If you
could spend a day in my shoes you would understand.
From a fellow paisano.....GO VOLS!!!'

To which I respond, what the NCAA did Tuesday with the Ole Miss QB was akin to activist judges reading something into the law that isn't there. Sorry, but it's true.


So the Big Ten gets it sort of right. Ohio State and Michigan stay in final week of season but move into seperate divisions. Is that right? I'm confused. Link


Some lady caught three foul balls last night in one inning at a Rays/Jays game. Three foul balls! The first one off her face. I'm mean flush off her face

Great fight with Nats and Fish last night! Nyger Morgan is a MAN! Gabby Sanchez gave him a great kamikaze neck tie. Everybody loves a good basebrawl! Link


When Kelly Johnson came to bat last night in the Arizona/San Diego game, his teammates played a joke on him. Instead of his usual warm-up tune he heard. 'It's Rainin' Men' by the Weathergirls. Link The look on his face was priceless. Love stuff like this. Have some fun guys!

Mike Florio is going commercial! Great for him! Link


Former Miss State RB Nick Turner may have met an untimely demise. Link


Chapman fires it at 104 mph....Are the Reds the favorite to get to the World Series out of the NL? Link






Love

TB

I'll make a deal with you on UT's upcoming season. This is all predicated on the notion that UT won't have a great record at season's end. Therefore, I'll give you a shot to be a real spoiler.

Choice A: 5-7 Season with loss to Kentucky but a win over Alabama. The loss keeps Bama out of Atlanta at years end and thus ruins their season.


Choice B: 6-6 Season and you beat everybody you should and you lose to everybody you should. No upsets but you go bowling.

Choice C: 5-7 Season with loss to Kentucky but a win over Florida in Neyland Stadium. Tennessee rocks John Brantley on way to 20 point blowout win that ruins Florida's season and sends them into a tailspin. The Gators go on to drop two more en route to a disappointing 9-3 season. A late season loss to both UK and Memphis means UT misses bowl but gets the satisfaction of ruining Florida's season.

Choice D: 5-7 Season with wins over both both Florida and Alabama. A sure sign that the program is a year away! But coming! Yet lack of depth hurts ability to win consistently. Tennessee suffers losses to both Kentucky and Memphis under this scenario with wins over Martin, Vandy, & UAB.


Tough break for Ole Miss on Masoli. The NCAA proves once again what an antiquated organization it truly is. Link


Tony Barnhardt is %100 correct. Trouble is the NCAA loves to change the questions when you have the answers. That's why they get hammered in court. They're like liberals with the constitution. Your law has to say what it says at some point and not what you think it says. NCAA just doesn't get it.



Beano has done a great job scoping and explaining Mike Hamilton's plight going into this first season with a new head coach. I'll be curious as to what if any of this you agree with.





So Ex Gator Brandon Spikes has a sex tape? I thought it was AA for a second....Link


Peace

Tone

TB's Story Lines To Watch:


Poole's Turn: He's sat and waited through two regimes and a third one gives him respect and an opportunity. Will he reward them?


Crowds: What will Neyland Stadium look like at the end of September if UT loses to both Oregon and Florida? What will it look like if they split? What will it look like if they win both? It's going to be an interesting year at the turnstiles?


You want some in November? If this offensive line stays healthy, they are going to be tough in November. I can't wait to see big Juwan James plying his trade. Going to be fun.


How much Bray? By mid-season, is he splitting snaps? Is he working on a red-shirt or is he starting? And how will he respond?


Give kids the vote and the ball: 18 freshmen in the two deep and that's not counting Matt Milton and Derrick Rogers. Both of whom can really play. Can you say 1988. Back then, UT had a young Carl Pickens red-shirting along with a young Anthony Morgan and a young Alvin Harper. This trio of kids has a chance to leave it's mark like those guys beginning now. Will they?


Gerald Williams attitude of gratitude? Last year when they wanted him to slide around and play in different spots, he balked. This year, Williams is willingly going to split time at DT. He's grown up. Perhaps no one has show more of a Job like patience than this guy.


Kicking Game? Sure they've been good in pre-season and you have to give it up for both Cunningham and Lincoln for holding onto their jobs. Yet will both guys produce when Oregon comes to town? Will Lincoln hold his job all year? Or will Palardy get a shot meaning he'll have to perform in some tough spots on the road.



Dooley Era Begins: Will Dooleyball get back to just UT football with head coach Derek Dooley and away from coach worship? Here's hoping so.



SEC Story-lines To Watch:
Anybody But Bama? Who knocks off Bama? Will Herby prove prophetic with Bama losing it's own division to Auburn? More to the point will G Mac at Bama finally lose a game? He hasn't lost a game since middle school. Can that be true?


Richter Scale: What will Georgia's head coach do to get it back? Will he? Can he? QB issues in the off-season do not portent well for a great guy who's best days at UGA look behind him. Throw in a a new AD and a restless fan base and you have a cocktail of potential disaster.


Spurrier Lite: Poor SC. Will they get it back from the pre-season brink and make that run toward a first ever SEC title in football? Can they win the division? Or even come close? And how much time does Spurrier have left before he hits the links full time?


Urban Renewal: Great Tower of Power release back in the day but can an old dog learn a new trick? Meyer is type A+ but has learned to prioritize his time and slow down after a bout with depression/anxiety at the end of last year. How long do the changes take? Can he stay healthy?

You're Joking, right? Can a guy named Joker continue what Rich Brooks started at UK? Can Kentucky continue it's drive for respectability as they look to get back to the glory era of the last 70's?


Who's the surprise team? Arkansas, Auburn, LSU? Dare I say South Carolina or even Tennessee?


How bad will Vanderbilt be? Some say they may struggle to win even a league game. Did Bobby Johnson know something the rest of us are about to find out?


How many more Miles. The further Miles goes, the more he looks and feels like a modern day Bill Battle. Is he? Will diminishing returns continue on the Bayou?


How many empty seats? Yeah, Florida and Bama are sold out, but the rest of the league is feeling like NASCAR at the box office. Tickets are everywhere around the SEC to just about every game. Will this trend continue this season? How will the keepers of the SEC adjust going forward to this trend?


Here's a great national scope of 25 thing to watch for the upcoming season from the great Dennis Dodd at cbssports.com. Dennis...This is very good man! Link



The Apple didn't fall far from the tree in Michael Jordan's household. Link





Told ya Braves Fans. You're 3 ahead after folding the Mets while the anemic Phils continue to struggle at the plate. Game over!


Finally. I banned the USC caller Troy/Alec yesterday on the air in an impromptu action. I heard his non-sense on 990 with that morning crew and then with James Bryant and enough was enough for me. Therefore the ban remains in effect. I may just start banning more folks to rotate the crops and keep things fresh. Nothing personal to that guy but he joins the banned list which includes the likes Southern Grille Man, Hitch, Bully D, etc....Hey when you buy the time you shouldn't have to sit through it. Besides, your time is precious as well and YOU shouldn't have to sit through it!

Peace

TB