Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Shibley

Tennessee-Florida Preview: There Will Be Blood in the Swamp

Michael Shibley — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:37:26 -0400

Tennessee vs. Florida.

We all know what it has meant in the past, and what it means now. Two football powers ready to go at it in the first big game of the season for both teams. This year, of course, there is more intrigue because of Lane Kiffin's remarks in the offseason.

Couple that with Tennessee's disastrous loss to UCLA at home last week, and the Gators are just licking their chops, waiting to bite the head off of Smokey.

What does Tennessee have to do to come out of the swamp maybe not with a win, but alive with their dignity intact? Let's take a look.

No Turnovers

General Neyland's first game maxim is so important: "The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win." All the turnovers Tennessee had against the Bruins cost Tennessee the game.

Tennessee fans know what the Gators do when they get a momentum-shifting turnover, they go right for the throat on the next play and it's touchdown, Florida. They're going to have to play mistake-free football to have any chance.

Defense will need to play perfect

We all know the Vols' defense played their hearts out to keep Tennessee in the game last week, making sure UCLA only kicked field goals. However, Eric Berry and the Tennessee defense are not lining up against a redshirt freshman quarterback this week, it's Tim Tebow.

Tennessee will have to play smart and not get overwhelmed when the Gators are driving.

The Gators will be out for blood

Sometimes teams get too caught up in the hype surrounding the game, that they come out and are actually too pumped up. The Gators will be hearing all week about Kiffin's comments and asked about it ad nauseam.

Florida might be too caught up in putting a hurt on Tennessee that they are not thinking about the game, and may make some mistakes by being too aggressive. If this happens, Tennessee will have to take advantage and score.

Tennessee has nothing to lose, so play like it

The most dangerous opponent is one that is wounded and has nothing to lose—Tennessee is in that position.

Florida is a four-touchdown favorite. Everybody thinks Florida will just smother the Vols offense and win the game by 50 or more. Last time the Vols were that big of an underdog in the Swamp it was 2001; Tennessee was an 18-point underdog and that really got under their skin, but the Big Orange drained the Swamp that day, winning 34-32.

Tennessee cannot be timid. People who walk into a swamp nervous and timid get eaten. The person who survives is the one who has no fear and has their wits about them.

What really bothered many Tennessee fans about the loss to UCLA was that we really needed to win that game. The Vols were obviously going to maul Western Kentucky, and were in turn obviously going to get mauled down in Florida. So, beating UCLA was a big deal for the Big Orange.

Well, that did not happen, and now many in Big Orange Country are worried this will be a repeat of last year.

If I was Lane Kiffin and the Volunteers, I would not be worried about what everyone else thinks. Walk into the Swamp and battle for 60 minutes. You might not win, but if you are going to go down, go down fighting.

You won't lose respect for that.

This Is Not Michael Vick's Second Chance, It's His Last Chance

Michael Shibley — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:34:03 -0400

While watching all of the coverage surrounding the Eagles' signing of Michael Vick, the one quote I kept hearing from everyone was that Vick deserves a second chance.

While this is true, this is not only his second chance, it is his last chance.

Michael Vick had his second chance the first time he decided to fund a dog fighting ring. If he had stopped right then and there and knew what he was doing was wrong, then he would have a second chance.

Vick had a chance to do the right thing when he was under suspicion of dog fighting. Instead, he lied to federal investigators, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Only when Vick's accomplices copped to plea deals and turned him in did Vick admit to what he had done.

Also, do not forget all the other times Vick has been in trouble with the law and the NFL:

2004: Two men were arrested in Virginia for distributing marijuana. The truck they were driving was registered to Vick.

2006: After a loss to the New Orleans Saints in the Georgia Dome, in reaction to the fans' booing, Vick flipped off the fans.

2007: Vick surrendered a water bottle, which had a hidden compartment, to security personnel at Miami International Airport. The compartment was believed to be used to transport marijuana.

Now Vick is on his last chance with the NFL. He had better not blow it, or he won't be back in the NFL.

As for the fans in Philadelphia, a little advice. Do not let Michael Vick ruin your time as a fan of the Eagles.

Many people have said that they would give up there season tickets if Vick was signed by their team. That is the wrong way to go about it. Vick is one man. One man does not make a team.

So keep going to the games. Bring your children and have fun. But don't you dare buy a Michael Vick Eagles jersey.

Any fan who is seen wearing an Eagles jersey with a No. 7 on the back is telling people that they are OK with what Michael Vick has done.

They are fine with the fact that Vick hung dogs to trees in his own backyard, watching them whimper and struggle for life.

They are fine with the fact that he connected dogs to car batteries, and held them under water until the kicking stopped.

That is what a fan is telling you if they wear a Michael Vick jersey.

2009 BCS Conference Power Rankings

Michael Shibley — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:04:17 -0400

It is a debate we have all season long: "Which conference is the best?" Everyone has their own opinions as why their respective conference has the best football around.

As we head into the 2009 season, here are how the BCS conferences rank going into this season:

1. SEC

Once again, the men from the south have the best conference in football. The last three national titles have gone SEC and this year the Florida Gators are the odds on favorite to win their third national title in four years. As always, the SEC leads with defense. In 2006 and 2007, Florida and LSU made Ohio State look like a joke, and last year, Florida allowed only 14 points by the Sooner's top-scoring offense.

This season, the defenses are back in the SEC, as well as some more offense. Florida may be king going into the season, but there are plenty of other top-caliber teams.

Ole Miss is everybody's darling top-ten pick this year, while Alabama and LSU are both top ten teams and quietly hiding behind the Ole Miss press. In the east, Georgia is still strong, South Carolina is solid, and Tennessee will be much improved. The SEC is still king.

2. Big XII

If you like points, then you will love the Big XII. Last year, if a team made one or two defensive stands, they won the game. Oklahoma got to the title game with the top-scoring offense and led the nation in turnover margin. When you give an offense like the Sooners an extra series, you are in trouble.

Texas and Oklahoma will be fighting for the top spot again, while Oklahoma State has the playmakers to try and take down the big boys. If the Cowboys knock off either Texas or Oklahoma, we may have another three-way tie in the south like last season.

However, after those three there is not much on the national radar. Kansas and Nebraska are the top two in the north and can make some noise. Unfortunately, Texas Tech and Missouri are rebuilding and the rest of the conference hasn't been able to keep up.

3. Pac-10

Can anyone knock the Trojans off their high horse? USC is breaking in a new quarterback and the defense has to replace eight starters. Don't forget that they have to replace both coordinators. So, if a team would like to stand up and challenge the Trojans, this may be the year. This is still USC and as long as Pete Carroll is on the sidelines, the Trojans will be very good.

California returns a talented group of players, including maybe the best running back in the country in Jahvid Best. Oregon has one of the most prolific offenses in the country, but have a new head coach after Mike Bellotti became the athletic director.

As for the rest of the conference, Oregon State remains a thorn in the Trojans' side, Arizona and UCLA may have the best defenses in the conference, and Stanford will only get better under Jim Harbaugh.

4. Big Ten

This season the Big Ten will most likely be decided on November 7, when the two best teams—Ohio State and Penn State—do battle in Happy Valley.

The Buckeyes will be a contender again (they lost a lot of talent on offense), but they have quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Pryor will be expected to carry the load this season and will have to complete more passes while not turning the ball over.

Penn State has playmakers in Clark, Green, and Royster on offense, but only have nine returning starters from last year's team. Their schedule is a breeze so the young players should be ready by the time the Buckeyes come calling.

Michigan State, Illinois, and Iowa are all solid teams, but nowhere near the top of the conference talent-wise.

5. ACC

Last season was a crap shoot in the ACC. There was plenty of young talent in the league, but not much experience. All that talent is now a year older and the ACC will be a much improved league.

Virginia Tech is the only clear national title contender. The Hokies are trying for their third consecutive ACC Title and have the talent to do it. If they win the season opener against Alabama in Atlanta, their schedule is very favorable the rest of the way.

Georgia Tech surprised everyone last year, as the triple option proved effective in the ACC. This season, all the skill players are back so look for the Ramblin' Wreck to be even better. Florida State will be back to their old tricks as a force in the conference, and North Carolina continues to get better under Butch Davis.

6. Big East

The Big East could be the most competitive conference this season. Unfortunately, all the top teams in the Big East are very middle of the road on the national scale.

Only Syracuse and Louisville are easy wins—the other six teams all have a shot at the conference title and a BCS Bowl. Look for Rutgers to come out on top; they have the best defense and Pitt, South Florida, and West Virginia all have to travel to Piscataway.

So there you have it. Let the debate begin. Be ready for updated rankings throughout the season.

1965: A Roller Coaster Season For Tennessee Football

Michael Shibley — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:22:36 -0400

It's a phrase thrown around too much these days, "Team X is having themselves a roller-coaster season." While it is a good metaphor, there are few teams that have had as many highs and lows as the 1965 Tennessee Volunteers.

One week they were at the top of the mountain. The next were at the very bottom, but by season's end, they were back on top.

Not much was expected of Tennessee when the 1965 season began. It was the second year for head coach Doug Dickey. In his first season, the Vols went 4-5-1. Tennessee had not had more than six wins in a season since 1957, and they were picked to finish ninth in the 10-team SEC at the start of the season.

Among the players on the 1965 team were Austin Denney, Frank Emanuel, Walter Chadwick, captain Hal Wantland, Charlie Fulton, acrobatic receiver Johnny Mills, Paul Naumoff, and Dewey Warren.

Tennessee started the season alright. They thumped Army (coached then by ex-LSU hero Paul Dietzel) 21-0, tied Auburn, and beat South Carolina. So Tennessee was 2-0-1 as the the third Saturday in October rolled around and the Vols headed down to Birmingham to meet eventual national champions Alabama, who had blown out the Vols the previous four seasons.

The game itself was a war. The Tide ran the ball all over Tennessee, but the Vols defense only allowed the Red Elephants into the end zone once. The game was tied 7-7 with less than ten seconds to go, when one of the weirdest plays in this storied rivalry occurred.

A young sophomore quarterback named Ken Stabler had replaced injured Tide QB Steve Sloan three snaps earlier and had just scrambled 14 yards on 3rd-and-long to pick up a first down—or so he thought.

With the clock winding down and Tide kicker David Ray sprinting on the field to try for a winning field goal, Stabler took the snap and quickly threw the ball out of bounds. Unfortunately for Stabler, it was fourth down. Yes, "The Snake" got the clock stopped, but he was all out of downs and the game ended a 7-7 tie.

It is a play that would be shown repeatedly on ESPN had it happened more recently. Today it is more of a footnote in football history and not really talked about as one of the biggest faux pas in college football.

Tennessee was ecstatic following the game, and were ready to take on Houston the next week when tragedy struck.

The Monday following the game, Tennessee assistant coaches, Bob Jones, Bill Majors (brother of legendary Tennessee player and coach Johnny Majors), and Charles Rash were carpooling to work, when their car was broadsided by a train.

Immediately, Jones and Majors were killed, while Rash was able to hang on until the week's end before dying.

News of the crash spread quickly through Knoxville. Tennsessee President Andy Holt and Head Coach Doug Dickey, along with other coaches had the somber job of telling the three wives what happened, and telling the combined seven young boys that their dads were not coming home.

In less than 48 hours, the Tennessee family had gone from the euphoria of the tie with Alabama, to the pit of despair after losing three coaches. However, the players voted to continue the season.

Outfitted with black crosses over the orange "T" on their helmets, the Vols played Houston that Saturday and beat them 17-8 in a game where any win would be just fine.

The next week Tennessee upset seventh-ranked Georgia Tech 21-7, but then the following week lost to Ole Miss in Memphis and lost their starting quarterback Charlie Fulton, which gave way for the debut of Dewey "Swamp Rat" Warren under center.

Tennessee finished the SEC schedule beating Kentucky and Vanderbilt easily, but still had one game left on the regular season schedule, a date with fourth-ranked UCLA in Memphis at Liberty Bowl stadium.

The Bruins were led by future Heisman Trophy winner Gary Beban, running back Mel Farr, and coached by Memphis native Tommy Prothro.

Tennessee was headed to the Astro Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston, and the Bruins had a Rose Bowl date waiting. It was dubbed the "Rosebonnet Bowl" by Tennessee radio announcer George Mooney. It turned out to be better than any bowl game.

Tennessee fumbled the opening kickoff and UCLA took advantage and scored eight plays later. Tennessee did not fold as Warren rallied the Vols to take a 20-7 lead at halftime.

The two teams traded the lead in the second half and then the Bruins got a late score to take the lead 34-29.

Warren then led Tennessee down the field, throwing key passes to Johnny Mills to get Tennessee down to the one yard line.

On 4th-and-goal, Warren took the snap on a pass play, saw that no one was open and decided to take matters into his own hands. Warren ran left, and with much determination squeezed the ball across the goal line for the go-ahead score.

Warren's teammates were terrified when they saw him try to run it in. Knowing he was slow, they thought it may take him about 15 minutes to get to the goal line.

Tennessee then got a two-point conversion to make the score 37-34. However, the Vols still had to kick off and give the Bruins one last shot.

UCLA got to midfield and Beban heaved one last pass that was intercepted by Tennessee's Bob Patrella. Here it got ugly as Patrella, caught up in the moment did not hear the final gun go off and started running the ball back. He happened to be running down the wrong side of the field, and UCLA player Paul Horgan stormed off the UCLA bench and sucker-punched Patrella. He was knocked cold, and had several lacerations that required twelve stitches.

The Bruins' behavior got even worse. Prothro spent his time complaining about poor officiating and clock management. He stated after the contest, "For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be a Southerner."

Of course the Tennessee spirits were at an all time high as thousands of fans waited in the cold for the team to return to Knoxville. Tennessee went on to defeat Tulsa 27-6 in the Bluebonnet Bowl to finish the season 8-1-2 and ranked seventh in the nation.

The 1965 season will be remembered on Rocky Top for the highs of the tie with Alabama and the thrilling win against UCLA, but it will also be remembered for the lows following the loss of three coaches.

One thing was certain—this season brought Tennessee back to the national stage, where during the next six seasons the Vols would win three SEC Championships.

Tony Mercurio: Worst Broadcaster in the State of Virginia

Michael Shibley — Mon, 04 May 2009 01:50:50 -0400

During the majority of the work week, ESPN Radio 1310, WGH-AM in Hampton Roads Virginia (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, etc) is a regular ESPN Radio affiliate. Sports fans get to listen to great programming such as Mike & Mike, the Herd, and Tirico and Van Pelt.

However, that all changes from 3-7 pm when the Tony Mercurio Show is on the air. Once the "Blastman" hits the airwaves, the sports IQ drops to around Forrest Gumplevels.

Mercurio has hosted his show for the past 23 years, which is 20 years too long. The station loves to mention that he has one the sportscaster of the year award for the area 14 times, glossing over the fact that there is no other local sports show.

His show has been dull and bland for years now, and his guests are the same every week: Former Virginia Governor and Senator George "Macaca" Allen, Boxing Historian Burt Sugar, the head coach for whatever sport is in season for Old Dominion University and James Madison University, football guru Phil Steele, and the father of local MLB stars BJ and Justin Upton.

From that list, only Phil Steele is relevant and interesting. Allen only talks about the Redskins, Sugar is only relevant when their is a big fight that weekend, and Papa Upton will only talk about his sons and his sons' teams. He doesn't know much about the rest of the baseball world.

When he doesn't have one of his "great" guests on the line, he has opinions on topics that either have no relevance to sports or are factually flawed.

Two years ago, Mercurio had the events coordinator of Chrysler Hall (a local theatre) on the show to talk about comedian Ron White appearing there that weekend. They spent a whole hour of the show talking about Ron White and nothing about sports on a SPORTS TALK SHOW!

The best happened last year when he stated that because baseball pay-per-view numbers were up, baseball was back as America's favorite sport.

Mercurio ignored the fact that the NFL numbers were still destroying the baseball ratings, and if he had done some research, he would know that most of the people who bought the pay-per-view package wanted to watch the Yankees and Red Sox instead of teams like the Royals, Orioles, and Nationals in their local area.

So, if you are ever in the Hampton Roads area and want to hear some local sports radio, don't even bother. The "Blastman" Tony Mercurio will just leave you banging your head against the wall.

Can Monte Kiffin and the Tennessee Defense Top Last Year's Strong Performance?

Michael Shibley — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:55:53 -0400

Tennessee’s offensive struggles last year overshadowed the fact that the Volunteer defense finished third in the country in total defense in 2008.

While longtime defensive coordinator John Chavis is one, Tennesee brought in one of the only men who could make the defense even better: Monte Kiffin, a longtime NFL defensive coordinator, creator of the "Tampa 2" defense, and father of Vols head coach Lane Kiffin.

The strength of the Tennessee defense will again be its secondary, led by junior All-American defensive back Eric Berry. Berry led the nation with seven interceptions. last year, running two back for touchdowns. He complied an astounding 265 return yards from those picks.

Berry’s not alone back there. Junior DB Brent Vinson continued to improve in his sophomore season, while incoming recruits StePhaun Raines, another DB, and Dennis Rogan, a free safety, have both looked great in spring practices.

The group that will get the biggest overhaul for 2009 will be the defensive line. Under Chavis, the D-Line focused on containment (then again, when you have had big plugs like John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth to clog up running lanes, you can get away with that).

Under Kiffin, the defensive line will be more aggressive, since the linebackers will be used more in coverage.

These linemen are up to the challenge. Sophomore Chris Walker has made a splash at defensive end. He’s little smaller than most ends in the SEC, but he’s also very explosive off the line, in the mold of Indianapolis Colts pass-rusher Dwight Freeney.

The rest of the line consists of sophomore Ben Martin at the other end, with seniors Dan Williams and Wes Brown at the tackle positions.

Depth may still be an issue, but newcomer Montori Hughes will help in that department. The 6-foot-4, 312 pound true freshman tackle from Murfreesboro, Tenn. has been the surprise of the spring, and could be in the starting lineup come fall.

The linebackers have the most room to improve. It’ll take more than spring practice to get the hang of a new scheme that demands more pass coverage. The team hopes that once fall camp rolls around, the LBs will have a greater grasp of the Tampa 2.

Senior Rico McCoy will lead the group in the transition. He’ll need the younger linebackers to step up behind him. Watch for Jerod Askew, a freshman LB from Chesapeake, Va. to make an impact when he enrolls in the fall.

The defense’s focus this spring should be on forcing more turnovers. Despite Tennessee’s lofty defensive rank last year, the Vols ranked No. 117 in fumbles recovered.

Imagine the impact if the rest of the defense followed Berry’s ball-hawking lead.

In Tennessee's seven losses in 2008, opponents had 13 scoring drives of 65 yards on longer. A few more turnovers would go a long way toward killing those long drives.

While it may take some time for the offense to turn things around, look for the Tennessee defense to be one of the best in the nation again.

Women's Tournament Preview: Can Anyone Stop UConn?

Michael Shibley — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:10:28 -0400

While much of the focus will be on the men's tournament, basketball fans should make sure to watch the ESPN family of networks as the women's tournament gets underway this Saturday, as 64 teams fight to see who will make it to the Final Four in St. Louis.

Here is a quick history and preview of this year's women's NCAA basketball tournament.

Last Year's Final Four

Connecticut, Louisiana State, Stanford, Tennessee

Defending Champion

Tennessee

The Lady Vols, behind Candace Parker and a load of senior talent, defeated Stanford 64-48 in Tampa to win their second consecutive championship and eighth overall for head coach Pat Summitt.

Tournament Favorite

UConn

The Huskies, coached by Geno Auriemma, have dominated all comers this season. The Huskies stand undefeated at 33-0 and have defeated all their opponents by more than 10 points.

They are led by sophomore Maya Moore, who will win almost every player of the year award, and do-everything senior Renee Montgomery.

To make things even easier, the Huskies do not even have to leave the Northeast until the Final Four. The first two rounds are in Storrs, Connecticut, and the regional finals take place in Trenton, New Jersey.

Most Entertaining Region

Oklahoma City

The top three seeds in this region—Oklahoma, Auburn, and North Carolina—are all very talented teams and have experienced coaches, so if all three teams reach the Sweet 16 (which they should), it should be a very interesting and competitive weekend with those teams involved.

Sleeper Team

Tennessee

Wait, what? While the Lady Vols are two-time defending champions, they lost all of their starters from last year's team, and they are the youngest team ever coached by Pat Summitt.

This season, the young Lady Vols struggled as they went through growing pains and a traditionally tough schedule. They finished the season 22-10 and are a five seed in their year's tournament, the lowest seed under Pat Summitt.

However, the rigors of a difficult schedule will have the Lady Vols ready, and Summitt can coach this team into making a run. They may not win the tournament, but they will not be an easy out.

Most Interesting Storyline

Oklahoma's Courtney Paris' Guarantee

I could have picked UConn's pursuit of perfection, but this one is more fun. Sooners center Courtney Paris said that if they did not win the National Championship, she would return all of her scholarship money, valued at $64,000.

Just to let everyone know, UConn routed Oklahoma by 28 points back in November.

Final Four Picks

UConn, Maryland, Stanford, Oklahoma

Close to chalk, but Stanford has the benefit of having their regional final in Berkeley, California, so they will get the win over top-seeded Duke.

It will be a very star-studded Final Four, as the three other teams have the best chance at knocking off UConn.

Champion

UConn

However, that will not be the case. The Huskies have been too good all year, and Auriemma will not let them fall short this season.

The Huskies will cut down the nets in St. Louis and give Auriemma his sixth title.

Tennessee Basketball Is Hanging on the Bubble

Michael Shibley — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:46:57 -0500

This is the first season under Bruce Pearl where in late February the Tennessee Volunteers are worried about survival instead of seeding. The 81-76 win last night over Mississippi State was a must win.

Welcome to life on the bubble.

It seems like those early season wins against Georgetown and Marquette were in a whole other season.

Tennessee started the season in the top 10 and the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC. The Vols seemed to be living up to that early season buzz as Tyler Smith, Wayne Chism, and J.P. Prince were leading the younger Vols through a tough non-conference schedule in 2008.

Then the calendar year changed over to 2009, and Tennessee started to get pushed around. Tennessee lost on the road at Kansas and then had their 37-game home winning streak snapped in their second loss to Gonzaga.

In what was a once an impossible place to get a win, opponents started winning games in Thompson-Boling Arena. Kentucky's Jodie Meeks dropped a record 54 on the Vols in Knoxville, and then a pair of Tigers, Memphis and LSU, both got wins on Tennessee's home floor.

Tennessee has at least righted the ship at home, but now it has become an uphill battle for the Vols to get a ticket to the big dance.

The biggest problem for the Vols this season has been the inability to finish games. Tennessee had the lead late in games against Memphis, LSU, and Auburn and were not able to put them away, instead losing games that they would have won the last few seasons.

Much of that has to do with youth in the backcourt. You can't lost players like Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith and not expect a drop-off in experience. Bruce Pearl had relied on those two guys to hit a clutch shot, make a big steal, or play smart defense.

There are three games left in the regular season. Tennessee plays at Florida, at South Carolina, and home against Alabama. If Tennessee can win all three, they should be a lock to get to the NCAA Tournament. However, it looks more like Tennessee will only win the game against Alabama.

If that happens, Tennessee will be 18-12 overall and 9-7 in the SEC. Tennessee will have to rely on their No. 2 strength of schedule and 26 ranking in the RPI.

This is part of the Madness that Tennessee did not want to be a part of.

Steroids in Football and Baseball: There Is No Double Standard

Michael Shibley — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:54:44 -0500

What has annoyed me the most about all the steroid talk lately has not been whether or not people believe what Alex Rodriguez has done, but rather every baseball purist is whining and complaining that football players seem to get a pass when they get busted for using performance enhancing drugs.

My advice to them is to quietly shut up. There is no double standard between football and baseball's steroid use.

In football, the glamour position is the quarterback. He is the player who gets the most attention from the fans and the media. His performance is also the most scrutinized whenever there is a problem with the team.

In baseball, the glamour position is the power hitter. As the saying goes, "Chicks dig the long ball." Argue it all you want, but home runs and offense are what the casual fans want to see and will go to the stadium more often if big numbers are being put up.

Now, to date there has been no big steroid scandal involving any major NFL or college football quarterback. Most players busted in the NFL have been interior linemen and linebackers.

In fact, the only big name player that most people remember got suspended in the NFL was Chargers' linebacker Shawne Merriman.

Meanwhile in baseball, look at all the popular players what have either been busted for steroids or linked to performance enhancing drugs: Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire, Rafael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco, Jason Giambi, Ken Caminiti, etc.

When your stars are the ones getting in trouble, the whole organization is going to suffer.

This brings me to another point. All the major hitting records in baseball are tainted. Some, including MLB Commissioner Bud Selig have asked why people care so much about the records.

Well, every sports fan knows the numbers 61 and 755. They are some of the most important numbers in all of sports not just baseball.

How many fans know the NFL records for career touchdowns or rushing yards? (208 by Jerry Rice and 18,355 by Emmitt Smith for those wondering)

In baseball, while it is a team sport, all the major records are focused on the individual. While in the NFL the only record that anyone really cares about is 17-0, the perfect season by the Miami Dolphins in 1972.

Those are the reasons why football will never get the attention for steroids like baseball does.

Pat Summitt: 1,000 Wins and Counting

Michael Shibley — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:32:16 -0500

For Pat Summitt, win No. 1,000 is something special. After the Lady Vols' 73-43 win over SEC rival Georgia had concluded, Summitt dusted all of the confetti out of her hair and could only smile.

Summitt's first win was January 10, 1975. It was a 69-32 romp over Middle Tennessee State, in front of about 35 people, at the old Alumni Gymnasium in Knoxville.

999 wins later, Pat Summitt is college basketball's winningest coach, and her Lady Volunteers play in front of sold out crowds at Thompson-Boling arena in Knoxville.

Summitt has more wins than any other women's program. In her 35 years on Rocky Top, there have been four head football coaches and eight men's basketball coaches. During that time, all Summitt did was keep winning.

Summitt is only the second non-baseball coach to win 1,000 games with the same team. The other is Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz.

To put it in perspective—if a coach averaged 33 wins over a 30 year career, she would still be 10 wins short of Summitt's total. That is how successful Summitt has been in her time at Tennessee.

No one has come close to her .842 winning percentage. With a little luck, Summitt could reach win No. 1,200 before she loses No. 200.

It is not like Summitt has scheduled cupcakes every year either. The Lady Vols play one of the most difficult schedules every year, and that experience pays off. In 1997, the Lady Vols lost ten games, but because of the rigors of a difficult schedule, they still made a run and won the NCAA title that year.

Speaking of titles, the eight Summitt has won is second only to John Wooden's ten in college basketball. If she keeps bringing top recruiting classes to Knoxville, she might even be able to pass Wooden.

1,000 wins means so much, not only to Summitt, but to women's athletics as a whole. Just ask any little girl who plays sports, and odds are she will know who Pat Summitt is.

Summitt knows what is good for women's sports as well. After Tennessee was eliminated in the Elite Eight of the 1990 NCAA Tournament, Summitt was disappointed because the Final Four was being played in Knoxville that year. However, she still wanted all the Tennessee fans to come to the Final Four for the good of women's basketball. They did, and the arena was sold out each night.

Summitt will keep coaching and winning. While this Lady Volunteers team is young and has taken a few lumps, look for them to be a force in the NCAA Tournament this year.

Pat Summitt will go down as one of the greatest coaches in sports history.

Laying a Brick: Don't Be "That Guy" in a Pickup Basketball Game

Michael Shibley — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 06:57:57 -0500

So I have started playing pick-up basketball games at the Rec Center mostly because I find it more entertaining than running on a treadmill or an elliptical for two miles.

I also do it because I am trying to get my stamina back and I like to eat good food, so I have to find some way to work all those burgers and steaks off.

Now I am not the best basketball player in the world. However, I find it fun and I am slowly getting better as I play more games. The only problem I have found is when we're playing sometimes, we have one of "those guys" in the game.

Those of you who have played pick-up games know who I am talking about: He played for his high school team and maybe some small college ball and now his only game is the pick-up game.

This guy plays like the NBA scouts are watching. He calls people for 3-second violations. He slaps the floor when he's on defense.

He insists when choosing captains that you shoot from the 3-point line instead of the free throw line. He is always on the skins team and you want him to put that shirt back on.

We have one of those guys who plays with us all the time and we're really starting to get tired of him. Currently, I am his main target to yell at.

The first time it happened was when three of us surrounded him as he tried to pick up a loose ball, and he then leaned his shoulder into me and knocked me over (I had my feet set)...then he called foul, and we all went uh, no...it's on you.

The worst happened last week when he was shaving points even though we were down four on his team. I was the one counting the points the game and he kept whining that it was wrong and I finally said, "I may be bad, but at least I know how to count!"

Which of course got him all angry and then I said, "Dude, it's a pick-up game, and you're winning...who really cares?" I finally got him to stop once I drained the next five points to win the game!

Okay, I'm done for now, I'm gonna play again tomorrow so who knows if "that guy" will be there. Still beats running on the treadmill.

I know there are others out there who have had this problem. What are some of your stories?

Jim Tressel and The Ohio State Buckeyes Let Another Big Game Get Away

Michael Shibley — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:29:23 -0500

At least Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes can still beat Michigan.

However, that is the only "big game" they have been able to win (and this year it wasn't much of a game). In fact, the only big games of note that favor the Buckeyes are games played within the Big Ten.

Since winning the National Championship over Miami in 2002, the only big win over a top non-conference opponent was in 2006 at Texas, when Colt McCoy was only a freshman.

Since that win, the Buckeyes have been beat down in BCS Championship Games to Florida and LSU, did not score a touchdown in losses this year to Southern California and Penn State, and let the Texas Longhorns drive down the field with two minutes to get the win in the Fiesta Bowl.

So what has caused these big game Buckeye meltdowns?

Much of it has to do with depth.

While Ohio State always has a top recruiting class, there seems to be a lack of speed and depth in many of those classes. LSU, Florida, and USC were all able to run up and down the field on slower Ohio State defenders.

And while the Buckeyes may have a single strong player at each position, there seems to be no one to really fill in that void if that player goes out.

Take a look at what happened when Beanie Wells went out early this season—the running game took a nose dive because they did not have a solid backup. That meant the opposition could focus on stopping the pass, and Terrelle Pryor.

Meanwhile, at schools like Florida and USC, they have a plethora of talent just waiting behind their starters. USC has enough Parade All-Americans to hold, well, a parade.

So if Joe McKnight has a bad night, they can just put in C.J. Gable or Stafon Johnson and not have a drop-off.

When Percy Harvin was unavailable for the SEC Championship game, Florida still had countless other weapons for Alabama to worry about.

Blame also has to be given to Tressel himself. His game plans in big games have been very conservative. He seems to be stuck playing for field position and relying on his defense.

While that may get it done in the Big Ten, it has not worked anywhere else.

To his credit, Tressel did a much better job in the Fiesta Bowl against Texas, letting Pryor try and make plays, both at quarterback and as a receiver. Tressel needs to do more of that because that was they only way the Buckeyes were able to score points against Texas.

Tressel and the Buckeyes will be a factor again in the Big Ten and on the national stage, but if they do not start winning the big games nationally, wins over Michigan might not be enough to save his job.

Black College Football Head Coaches: The Real Reason So Few Get Hired

Michael Shibley — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:35:05 -0500

The Head Coaching Carousel has been spinning in College Football since midseason and has had all kinds of casualties: Tommy Bowden at Clemson, Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, and Tommy Tuberville at Auburn were all front page stories.

Added to that list were the black coaches that were let go this season: Ty Willingham is out at Washington, as are Ron Prince at Kansas State and Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State. No matter what termination language was used, don't be fooled. All were asked to leave.

Only three black head coaches remain in the 120-school FBS, and only one at a BCS conference school, Randy Shannon at Miami. That's indefensible, yet somehow tolerated. Shame on college football.

Meanwhile, there is one very strong black candidate for a head coaching job at a BCS school, Turner Gill. He took over a Buffalo program that had been dreadful for decades, and in his third year as head coach he took them to 8-5 and upset then-undefeated Ball State to win the MAC Championship and go to their first bowl in school history.

Many thought that he would be a shoo-in for a major head coaching job. Many thought he would be the next head coach at Auburn or Syracuse. Instead, Auburn hired Gene Chizik and Syracuse appointed Doug Marrone.

Many, including Auburn alum Charles Barkley, have cried foul on the Auburn administration, citing race is the problem. However, I believe it goes deeper than that.

When I was at the University of Tennessee, I worked at our college radio station and covered Tennessee athletics. I was also very proud to meet many of the people in the athletic program and the boosters, who donate millions each year to athletics.

Boosters are the real reason that there are so few black head coaches in college football. The vast majority of college boosters, especially in the South, are old, rich, white men. While many of them will say the right things in public, they might not want to have a black man as head coach of their football program.

If a black candidate is being interviewed for a head coaching position at a school, I am sure there have been more than a few boosters who have gone to the Athletic Director and told them that they will pull their millions in funding out if they hire a black coach. What is the AD supposed to do when that money will go to help the other athletic programs that need that money, such as Volleyball and Soccer?

I wish that was not the case, but I believe there is still a long way to go before there are more black head coaches in College Football. Now that we have a black President, maybe things will change sooner rather than later.

A College Football Playoff System for Dummies

Michael Shibley — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:22:30 -0500

Something needs to change at the end of the college football season.

While so many teams get to go to a bowl game as a reward at the end of the season, I always seem to feel unsatisfied once the season ends.

This year will be no different. No matter who is playing in the BCS Championship game at the end of the year, there will be questions as to who really is the best team.

Got to hand it to the BCS. It is an endless wellspring of unintended consequences. They are like Wile E. Coyote. It has to be the single greatest source of how-did-that-happen snafus in human history.

Oklahoma jumps Texas into the Big 12 championship game and, with a victory over disappointing Missouri, into the BCS Championship Game.

Yeah, that's the same Texas that beat Oklahoma by 10 points on a neutral field less than two months ago. Only in college football could we have a system that overrules the most basic evidence possible for deciding which team is better: head-to-head competition.

Also, you may be eliminated from a BCS Championship by having just one bad half. Just ask the USC Trojans about that lonely Thursday night in Corvallis. Because of one bad half, they will have to sit on the sidelines and settle for another Rose Bowl.

Imagine if that happened in the NFL. When the Giants, who are arguably the best team in the NFL, lost to Cleveland back in October it was not that big of a deal because they have a playoff to settle things. If the NFL used rankings and computers, the Giants' season would be over after a loss like that.

The NCAA did not use polls and computers to decide it liked Memphis' overall season better than Kansas' and awarded the Tigers the 2008 national basketball title. The Jayhawks earned what they got in the Alamodome.

But that's basketball, which tends to settle the same things on the court. Whereas college football prefers things settled by microchip and guesswork.

So here is my simple and effective plan to have a college football playoff:

Get rid of the 12th game.

This will shorten the season to make room for a playoff. Even though some teams have done well in adding good opponents to their non-conference schedule, most have just added cannon fodder from the Sun Belt, MAC, and the FCS. No one cares to see Oklahoma vs. Chattanooga or Florida vs. The Citadel.

Now that there is room, here is the formula. Take the top eight teams from the AP Poll (or any poll for that matter),seed them, and have your playoff.

This way a team that is deserving can have a bad game and even lose late, and still be involved in the debate for a National Champion by settling it on the field. So say, if Alabama loses to Florida and Missouri upsets Oklahoma, the Tide and Sooners will probably still make the playoff.

This playoff system will also give us match-ups that even casual fans will tune in to watch. Do not get me wrong, I am thrilled Cincinnati won the Big East, but who else besides their fans and die hards want to watch them in a BCS Bowl against Utah or the ACC Champion?

Here would be the games in the first round of my playoff system, using the top eight teams from the BCS:

1. Alabama vs. 8. Texas Tech

2. Florida vs. 7. Utah

3. Texas vs. 6. Penn State

4. Oklahoma vs. 5. USC

Do any of those games seem boring or unwatchable? You have the power game of Alabama against the spread of Texas Tech, Urban Meyer against his old team, and two games pitting classic college football powers against each other.

Critics have said that if we move it back to eight teams, people will debate who should be that eighth team in. So what? In the history of college football, there has never been a team ranked below fourth in the country that has had a legitimate claim to a National Championship.

So Boise State gets left out of the playoff, sorry. They play a weak schedule in a weak conference. Ohio State? Sorry. Got beat by 30 on the road and lost to a more talented Penn State team at home.

It still may not be the perfect system, but it is much better than the system we have now. Get rid of the computers and just settle it all on the field.

Eric Berry: A Bright Spot on Rocky Top

Michael Shibley — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:34:25 -0500

It has been a while since I have been motivated to write something about the Vols, but one man has given me some great inspiration to break me out of my funk. That man is Eric Berry.

Tennessee may not have scored enough points to get the win at Vanderbilt until Eric Berry took an interception 45 yards for a touchdown to help lead Tennessee to a 20-10 victory.

Berry now leads the nation with seven interceptions on the year and has taken two back for touchdowns. This effort helped make him a finalist for the Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top defensive back.

It is not just the interceptions from Berry, but also his impact when returning those picks.

With 265 career interception return yards this season, Berry is the SEC single-season record holder, a mark held by Florida's Joe Brodsky since 1956.

Berry also passed himself. He had 222 interception return yards last season.

He is sure to break Terrell Buckley's NCAA record of 501 interception return yards. Berry has 12 interceptions for 487 yards in 24 games. He should also break Tim Priest's Tennessee record of 18 interceptions.

It has been an incredible two seasons for the young defensive back from Fairburn, Georgia.

The son of James Berry, a 1981 Vols captain, four-year letterman, and three-year starter, Eric came to Knoxville with great expectations.

Those expectations were exceeded on one play his freshman year when he picked off eventual Heisman winner Tim Tebow's pass and ran 96 yards for a touchdown.

Berry had one of the best freshman years ever for a Volunteer. He was named SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year by Sporting News, consensus freshman All-America, and freshman All-SEC, and led all SEC freshmen with 86 tackles.

He can also lower the lumber. Just ask Knowshon Moreno.

Berry's heart, determination, and hard hits earned him the respect of his teammates as well, as he was named a captain this year as a sophomore. He has been a huge bright spot on a dismal Tennessee team this season.

He will go down as one of the greatest defensive backs in SEC history, joining the ranks of Tucker Frederickson (Auburn 1962-64), Tommy Casanova (LSU 1969-71), Terry Hoage (Georgia 1980-83), and Antonio Langham (Alabama 1990-93).

While there may be bigger and better games this Saturday, be sure to check out the Tennessee/Kentucky game to watch Fulmer's last game, and to watch Eric Berry play with all the heart and pride of a Volunteer.

The Phillip Fulmer Era Ends

Michael Shibley — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:41:05 -0500

Well, my friends...unless you have been watching election coverage all day, you know that Phillip Fulmer, head football coach at the University of Tennessee, will step down at the end of this football season.

Legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson once described Phillip Fulmer as "Tennessee to the core."

In an era when football coaches are oftentimes looking for that next job, the only job for Fulmer was the one he's held for the past 17 years on Rocky Top—the one at the university where he's spent more than 30 years of his life as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.

Fulmer took Tennessee to two SEC titles and the crown jewel, the 1998 National Championship.

Unfortunately, there had been no championships since then, and in this "What have you done for me lately" life that is college football, enough was enough, and it was time for a change.

While I have always been a Fulmer supporter, I just think it was time. I believe Fulmer had dug himself into a hole that he could not dig himself out of.

Fulmer had always been such a masterful recruiter. The Vols were at their best when they were able to go into neighboring states and cherry-pick great players and then go everywhere from the West Coast to Texas, to Florida and into the Midwest to fill in the gaps.

Take a look at the players on their 1998 national championship team.

Jamal Lewis, Cosey Coleman, and Deon Grant were from Georgia. Shaun Ellis and Darwin Walker were from South Carolina. Tee Martin was from Alabama. Shawn Bryson was from North Carolina. Travis Henry was from Florida. Billy Ratliff was from Mississippi. Peerless Price was from Ohio. Dwayne Goodrich was from Illinois. Raynoch Thompson was from Louisiana, and David Leaverton was from Texas.

That all changed at the turn of the century. The head coaching lineup strengthened in the SEC, and it got harder and harder to go into some of those same states and pull out great players.

Mark Richt at Georgia, Nick Saban at LSU and now Alabama, Steve Spurrier at South Carolina, and Urban Meyer at Florida: Those states had been shut off to all the top recruits. This was especially apparent on the lines. Fulmer was not able to get guys like Leonard Little, Albert Haynesworth, and John Henderson.

Meanwhile, on the offensive line, Tennessee has had just two offensive linemen taken in the NFL draft since 2003, and one of those was in the seventh round. With the lack of a great line, the running game really suffered, and the Vols were not able to pound the rock like they did in the late '90s.

The result has been one of the worst seasons offensively for Tennessee in the past three decades. The Vols are ranked 114th nationally (out of 119 teams) in both scoring and total offense.

The loss that seemed to start the downward spiral for Fulmer was the 2001 SEC championship game setback to LSU. The Vols were favored and poised to play Miami in the Rose Bowl for their second national championship in four years, but they were upset by the Tigers 31-20.

Since then, Tennessee may have won the occasional SEC East title, but they could not get any further.

What will help you keep your job if the record is not superb is if you beat your rival (the reason Tommy Bowden kept his job for so long was he was able to beat Florida State and South Carolina).

Unfortunately, from 2000 to 2008, Fulmer is a combined 11-16 against the teams you need to beat at Tennessee—Georgia, Florida, and Alabama—and he was just 17-26 during that stretch against all nationally ranked teams.

While it may seem like Fulmer is the goat for all of the problems at Tennessee right now, it is not what Tennessee fans, myself included, will remember him for.

I will remember Fulmer as the man who gave me so many great memories as a young fan and as a student at Tennessee. I will remember the great times from the 45-5 run from 1995 to 1998, including two SEC championships and a national championship in 1998. It is the kind of stretch that may never be equaled again in Tennessee football history.

The coaches in the SEC came and went on Fulmer's watch, in large part because they couldn't beat Fulmer.

I will remember all of the great players that played under Fulmer's watch, including one of the greatest players of all time, Peyton Manning.

Ten years from now and 20 years from now, fans will look back on his time at Tennessee and realize what a magical run it was. Fulmer will go down as the second-greatest coach at Tennessee. Only General Robert Neyland was better. Not bad at all.

I will be in Knoxville for the homecoming game this weekend. I hope my fellow Volunteer fans will join me in thanking Fulmer for all the great things he has done that made me proud to be from Tennessee.

The Real All-Americans: The All-Presidents Football Team

Michael Shibley — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:47:14 -0400

With all the pressure and constant squabbling going on with the 2008 Elections, I decided it was time to have a little fun. I wondered, what positions would certain Presidents play if they decided to form a football team? So I came up with this position chart.

Since all the Presidents did not play football, these are just my own thoughts and opinions. I looked at the Presidents' heights, weights, reputations, achievements, etc. and gave them their positions.

As a side note, I have to say that this is not biased toward any political party and is not meant to be anything but a fun little article. Enjoy!

OFFENSE

Quarterback: John F. Kennedy

Quarterbacks have always been known as "pretty boys," and JFK fits that description the best. Only the quarterback would have dated a lady like Marilyn Monroe. He is the perfect fit.

Running Back: Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt

The leader of the famed "Rough Riders" would have made a great hard-nosed running back. Teddy once said, "In short, in life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard; don't foul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard!"

Fullback: Ulysses S. Grant

Who else but the General who pounded General Lee into submission to be the man who plows the way for Roosevelt?

Wide Receiver: Abraham Lincoln

Being the tallest President at six feet four inches makes Lincoln the perfect choice to go out and get those jump balls thrown by Kennedy.

Wide Receiver: Thomas Jefferson

The writer of the Declaration of Independence is the speedy wide receiver on the opposite side of Lincoln. The man who wanted freedom is able to break coverage and get open.

Tight End: Bill Clinton

Clinton grew up an Arkansas Razorback fan, and at six feet two inches tall would make a very good tight end on this team. Clinton could avoid all kinds of coverage and just get open. The word "tight" is also very important.

Offensive Line: William Howard Taft, Gerald Ford, James Garfield, Warren G. Harding, and James Monroe

The line is, of course, anchored by Taft at left tackle. Taft was by far the heaviest President, tipping the scales at 332 pounds—perfect for protecting Kennedy's blind side.

At center is Gerald Ford (pictured above), who played center for the University of Michigan on National Championship teams in 1932 and 1933.

The rest of the line is filled with Presidents who were also big for their time, at least size-wise.

DEFENSE

Defensive Line: Lyndon Johnson, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, and Herbert Hoover

The line on defense is captained by the big Texan, Johnson at tackle. On the line with him are Presidents who could stop progress, led by Hoover, who was President during the Great Depression.

Middle Linebacker: Andrew Jackson

Only "Old Hickory" from Tennessee could be the captain of the defense. Stubborn and angry, Jackson was a barroom brawler before, during, and after his Presidency. He is the perfect choice to call all the blitzes and attacks.

Weak side Linebacker: George Washington

Washington led the underdog United States to victory against the British. He used hit and run attacks to keep the British off balance. That is a great tactic for coming on the weak side blitz as well.

Strong side Linebacker: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Ike commanded the Allies in World War II, so he can also come up and stop the run or cover the tight end on the strong side. Ike was also played in the historic game between Army and Carlisle in 1912. He was knocked out of the game after trying to tackle the great Jim Thorpe.

Cornerback: Harry S. Truman

The President who ordered the nuclear attacks on Japan can also lower the big boom coming on a blitz from the corner.

Cornerback: John Adams

The second President of the United States could get in people's faces while in office. This means he can also play great bump and run coverage.

Free Safety: George H.W. Bush

The first Bush President has come over from baseball to play centerfield at free safety. At six feet two inches, Bush can get up and pick off wayward passes.

Strong Safety: George W. Bush

The headhunting President will attack anyone wearing a different color jersey and hit him with everything he's got. Bush proved that by going to war with the Taliban and Iraq.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punter/Kicker: Millard Fillmore

The most irrelevant president is a perfect choice for kicker.

Punt Returner: Ronald Reagan

The man who played George "The Gipper" Gipp in Knute Rockne, All American, is the perfect choice to return punts. Reagan might not look like he knows what he is doing and dance around too long, but he will find the hole and take it in for six.

Kick Returner: James Madison

He is only five feet four inches tall and weighs only 100 pounds. However, that makes him the perfect little "scat back" that can hide behind those blockers and make an impact

And who will lead this all-President team?

Head Coach: Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The Joe Paterno of Presidents. He served the longest as President and also was Commander-in-Chief during America's most trying times, the Great Depression and World War II. Who better to lead this team than FDR?

And by request, I have added one more...

Video Coordinator: Richard Nixon

A great football fan himself, "Tricky Dick" would be the man in charge of taping the opponents signals. Of course if he got caught he would deny the whole thing.

So there you have it. Remember to get out and vote on November 4.

The Third Saturday in October: Tennessee's Best Wins against Alabama

Michael Shibley — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:02:16 -0400

"You never know about a football player until he has played against Alabama."

-General Robert R. Neyland

"You found out what kind of person you were when you played against Tennessee."

-Paul "Bear" Bryant

It is the rivalry that made southern football. Tennessee and Alabama were the powers that helped shape the SEC into the power conference it is today. Football fans could mark their calendar for the battle between the Crimson Tide and the Volunteers because the game was always played on the third Saturday in October.

The teams first met in 1901 and at the end of the game the score was tied, and fights broke out as two thousand fans stormed the field at Tuscaloosa. Since then the series has always been hotly contested. While it may not always be played on the third Saturday in October (thank you SEC scheduling), it is still the game I look forward to the most every year.

Tennessee and Alabama both have many rivals. However, both teams seem to have an added disdain toward each other. No team has beaten Alabama more than Tennessee, and the Vols hold the record for the most victories in a row against the Tide at seven. The tradition also goes that the winning team will smoke victory cigars in the locker room, and of course the fans get in on the tradition as well.

One of my favorite moments on the rivalry did not even happen on the field. Over the summer one of my best friends, a Tennessee graduate married an Alabama graduate. There was plenty of Crimson and Orange throughout the ceremony and the reception as there were dueling renditions of "Rocky Top" and "Sweet Home Alabama."

It is the game that will make you a legend at either school. You may only have one great play, but if you make that play on the third Saturday in October, you will be remembered forever in Knoxville and Tuscaloosa.

Here now is a look back at my favorite Tennessee victories played on the third Saturday in October.

1928

Alabama, the big football power of the south was playing Tennessee a team on the rise under General Robert Neyland. So heavily favored was Alabama that Neyland asked legendary Bama coach Wallace Wade if they could shorten the game in the second half if the game got out of hand.

That was gamesmanship before the word was even invented. Lou Holtz couldn't think that one up!

Tennessee made a statement early as halfback Gene McEver, Tennessee's first All-American returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. McEver then caught a touchdown pass from Bobby Dodd, who would become a legendary coach at Georgia Tech to put Tennessee up enough where they could sit back and play defense and get the win.

Tennessee 15 Alabama 13

1967

Alabama came into the game ranked sixth in the polls and had a 25 game unbeaten streak. However, they did not anticipate the fourth quarter heroics of Volunteer defensive back Albert Dorsey. In front of 72,000 fans at Legion Field in Birmingham Dorsey had a quarter like no other.

Alabama got a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to cut the led to 17-13. Alabama's next three possessions all ended the same way, with Dorsey intercepting three Ken Stabler passes. The third was run back for a touchdown to score the knockout for Tennessee. That performance made Dorsey an All-American.

Tennessee 24 Alabama 13

1982

A year remembered in Knoxville for two things, the World's Fair and the end of the jinx. Alabama came to Knoxville ranked second in the country and had beaten Tennessee eleven straight times. A streak that would end on this third Saturday in October.

Tennessee was down 14-3 early but Tennessee did not get down on themselves, they kept fighting back and was up 35-21 with 7:21 left in the game. As they did so often under Bear Bryant, the Red Elephants would not go down quietly.

Alabama got a quick score to get within a touchdown. Then with under 30 seconds to play drove the ball down to the Tennessee 17-yard line. Alabama quarterback Walter Lewis' pass was tipped into the endzone and intercepted by Tennessee defensive end Mike Terry and Tennessee ran out the clock to set off bedlam in Knoxville as the goal posts came tumbling down.

Tennessee 35 Alabama 28

1996

The year before, Tennessee got their first win over Alabama since 1985 behind the great performance by quarterback Peyton Manning. In this game it was done the old fashioned Tennessee way, running the ball and playing great defense.

Alabama got out to a 13-0 lead early in the third quarter before Tennessee finally woke up. After Alabama missed a chip shot field goal, partially blocked by Leonard Little, Peyton Manning made the Tide pay for their all out blitz by hitting Joey Kent on a quick slant. With the safeties blitzing, no one could stop Kent as he ran 54 yards for the score to make it 13-6 and bring 106,000 in Neyland to full volume.

With the score tied 13-13 with 2:17 remaining in the forth quarter, Tennessee running back Jay Graham bolted through the hole in the middle and then galloped down the sideline to give Tennessee their first lead of the game.

Alabama drove the ball down to the Tennessee 11, but they could not get any closer. Tide quarterback Freddie Kitchens was incomplete on three straight passes and fumbled on fourth down when he was belted by Leonard Little.

Tennessee 20 Alabama 13

2003

One if the most stressful and wonderful games I have witnessed in person. Alabama was up 20-13 late in the forth quarter and Tennessee quarterback Casey Clausen lead a had-to-have-it, perhaps miraculous, drive—86 yards in eight plays in 1:27—to send the game into overtime.

Once the game went to overtime, it was back and forth with both teams pulling out all the stops to get the win. Alabama scored on a fourth down to send the game into a second overtime and then looked like they had the Vols on the ropes with Tennessee down seven and facing a fourth and 19. Clausen hit CJ Fayton to convert and keep Tennessee alive.

Tennessee got the ball first in the fifth overtime and Clausen scored on a one yard sneak, and then got the two point conversion to go up eight. The Crimson Tide then could not pick up a first down and Tennessee escaped Tuscaloosa with the win in the highest scoring third Saturday in October game in history.

Tennessee 51 Alabama 43

So there you have it. I would love to hear some of your memories as well, feel free to share them here.

With Alabama coming to Neyland this Saturday, all the memories and tradition will be there. I do not know if Tennessee has enough to knock off the second ranked Crimson Tide, but I will have my cigar at the ready.

Tennessee-Mississippi State Report Card: Turning in Their Homework

Michael Shibley — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:14:52 -0400

Tennessee was able to dominate the Mississippi State Bulldogs and get their first SEC win, 34-3. Let's take a look at the report card and see how well the Vols improved.

Quarterback

Nick Stephens—10-of-20 passing, 136 yards—continues to manage the offensive effectively, though not yet spectacularly. However, at this point I will take it.

Stephens also showed good pocket presence and scrambling ability, breaking an 18-yard run to get the Vols in field-goal position. Stephens is showing great heart out on the field, and the offense is starting to respond.

GRADE: B

Running backs

Tennessee is still nowhere near expectations in the running game, and Arian Foster has not been sharp at all, but he did have the longest run of the night for 19 yards.

Lennon Creer showed good vision and made nice cuts in leading the Vols with 68 yards rushing on 17 carries. Creer also had good second effort on his one-yard TD run. Fulmer should give the ball to Creer more often, as he seems to be the back who could give Tennessee the big play.

GRADE: C

Wide Receivers

Lucas Taylor made a clutch fourth down grab, while Denarius Moore reeled in a 45-yard strike from Stephens to stretch the defense. Moore has become Stephens' favorite target.

Gerald Jones didn't make a catch before his ankle sprain and had a pass go through his arms. Luke Stocker also had a drop. Clawson and Fulmer need to get Brandon Warren more involved.

GRADE: C

Offensive Line

No penalties and adequate pass protection in only allowing Mississippi State one sack. The run blocking picked up in the second half but is still lacking and not getting the physical push typical of Tennessee lines of the past. Fulmer, being a former lineman himself, cannot be happy with their effort this season.

GRADE: C-

Defensive Line

Wes Brown, Chris Walker, and Robert Ayers all recorded sacks, and the defensive tackles did an outstanding job clogging the interior running lanes, holding the Bulldogs to only 2.3 yards per carry.

If not for a few missed tackles on sack opportunities, it would have been an even better night. The line should still be recording more sacks to keep some of the pressure off the linebackers.

GRADE: B

Linebackers

Speaking of the linebackers, Nevin McKenzie recorded two sacks and Ellix Wilson tipped two passes that resulted in interceptions. Rico McCoy only had two tackles.

McKenzie, however, was faked out of his jock strap by the QB in the open field, leading to a first down. Missed tackles like that have cost Tennessee in games this season and will not help when playing Alabama next week.

GRADE: B+

Secondary

Have I mentioned before that Eric Berry is awesome? Well, he is!

Berry and Demetrice Morley each returned interceptions for touchdowns, and Berry had a QB sack and led the team with 10 tackles. DeAngelo Willingham atoned for a pass interference penalty with an interception. Strong coverage.

You cannot ask for a better game than that from the secondary.

GRADE: A

Special Teams

Not the best punting effort from Britton Colquitt. He shanked a punt for 26 yards and only averaged 44 yards a punt, which is not good for him.

Daniel Lincoln made field goals from 28 and 36 yards and missed a 34-yarder. Other than Dennis Rogan's 40-yarder, the return game was pedestrian. Good coverage on punts and kicks, and Ja'Kouri Williams forced a fumble.

GRADE: C

Coaching

Game balls definitely go to John Chavis and his defense. Sound game plan and preparation. Two interceptions were the direct result of scheme.

UT's offense was 7-of-15 on third down conversions, and yardage was balanced. Offensive scores came on four drives of 10 plays or more. Coach Phillip Fulmer's fourth down gamble in the third quarter led to a TD.

GRADE: A-

FINAL GPA: 2.77

While the first half was very pedestrian, the third quarter touchdown drive got the team and the crowd going, and Tennessee was able to roll from there. Fulmer's fourth down gamble could be a turning point in the season if the wins keep coming.

Still lots of room for improvement, but Tennessee was able to play well against a physical opponent. However, the Crimson Tide are next. I am anxious to see what the Vols can do.

See you next week class!

Tennessee-Georgia Report Card: Writing Lines on the Blackboard

Michael Shibley — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:06:30 -0400

Remember when you were a little kid and you got in trouble and you had to write, "I will not..." 100 times? While some members of the Tennessee football team did all right, the rest of the team needs to join Bart Simpson at the chalkboard and write some lines after their 26-14 loss at Georgia.

Quarterback

Nick Stephens has been the definition of gunslinger in his first two games as starting quarterback. While he only completed 13 of 30 passes for 208 yards, he had two touchdowns and no interceptions despite throwing into coverage repeatedly and having several balls tipped.

Stephens, who held the ball a bit too long early, is emerging as a great deep ball thrower. All of his passes are on a rope and thrown with confidence. He is to be commended for his poise in his first SEC start and first road start. No lines needed.

GRADE: B

Running Backs

One. One yard net rushing is all Tennessee could muster. In all the years I have watched Tennessee football, they have never been this dreadful in the running game. Sure, Georgia was poised to stop the run, but your leading rusher only had 20 yards.

What makes the situation worse is the fact that Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty are veteran SEC backs. They should be able to at least break a tackle now and then. Fulmer should give Lennon Creer more chances to break a big play.

All running backs need to write, "I need to break tackles" 100 times.

GRADE: F

Wide Receivers

There were times when the Vols got good separation against the Bulldogs, but not enough. This just in: Denarius Moore is fast. It looks like Tennessee finally has a receiver that can make the defense back off in coverage.

But aside from his 60-yarder, UT's receivers only caught eight passes for 115 yards. Gerald Jones dropped a promising screen pass. So much for getting the ball in the hands of your playmakers.

GRADE: C

Offensive Line

Speaking of a bad day rushing, the offensive line had more holes than Swiss cheese. On each sweep play, it appeared as if every lineman missed the block as the Bulldogs swarmed to the running back.

The line also allowed five tackles for a loss, including two sacks. Stephens shares some of the blame for holding the ball too long on the sacks, but this certainly doesn't look like the offensive line that was so good in pass protection last season.

Each lineman must write, "I will pancake my opponents" 200 times.

GRADE: F

Defensive Line

Georgia's offensive line is being held together by duct tape and glue because of injuries, and yet this patchwork line was able to dominate and wear down Tennessee's defensive line.

End Robert Ayers played a screen pass perfectly for an interception that kept the Vols in the game. Ayers also threw Moreno for a six-yard loss and had 3.5 tackles for a loss. So at least one lineman is playing with some courage.

The rest of the defensive line will write, "I will play like John Henderson and Reggie White" 150 times.

GRADE: D

Linebackers

The only real solid performance from the linebackers came from an injured Ellix Wilson, who led the Vols with 16 tackles despite a sore shoulder. Nevin McKenzie struggled mightily in pass coverage but had a tackle for a loss.

Also, what has happened to Rico McCoy? He only had two tackles and has not made the big plays we were expecting from him.

McCoy will write, "I will play like Al Wilson" 100 times.

GRADE: D

Secondary

Thank goodness for Eric Berry. His third quarter interception kept the game from getting totally out of hand, and his big hit on Knowshon Moreno was the big highlight. Meanwhile, the secondary gave up 310 yards passing. Yikes.

Safety Demetrice Morley was woefully out of position on several plays. Officials added insult to injury with a bad personal foul call. Drops were the only thing that could stop Georgia's receivers against UT's soft coverage. Well, the Vols also tried holding, but that's illegal. DeAngelo Willingham was called for a personal foul.

All secondary players besides Berry will write, "I will cover my man like glue" 150 times.

GRADE: D

Special Teams

Britton "DWI" Colquitt was back from his suspension and punted well. Georgia's longest return was only 27 yards, which is good considering how back kick coverage has been. However, he was also called for a personal foul...not a good thing from your punter.

GRADE: C-

Coaching

UT's defense looked overrated against the best offense they've played all year. Still, the Vols aren't doing much of anything offensively, and it is becoming very predictable. Solid scheme contributed to UT's long passes on offense. The players committed four personal fouls (one was a lousy call), which is a big indicator of lack of discipline from the coaching staff.

Fulmer and Clawson must write, "I will be more creative" 250 times.

GRADE: D-

FINAL GPA: 1.14

Tennessee had a couple of big plays to keep things respectable, but they were dominated on both sides of the ball all game long. Tennessee had better win against Mississippi State, or Fulmer may follow in the footsteps of Ron Zook and Mike Shula by getting "Croomed."

Tennessee-Northern Illinois Report Card: Better Start Earning Some Extra Credit

Michael Shibley — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:11:26 -0400

Tennessee had a change under center, as Nick Stephens got the start at quarterback. Tennessee went out and got an uninspiring 13-9 victory against Northern Illinois of the MAC. Let's take a look at the report card:

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks

Nick Stephens was 10-of-17 for 156 yards; two incompletions were drops. Stephens showed poise and pocket presence and appeared to manage the offense well. His touchdown pass to Denarius Moore was the best pass thrown all year.

Stephens made a couple of dangerous throws and took a costly sack on third-and-goal that led to a missed FG. Stephens short-hopped a pass to an open Austin Rogers with the game in the balance.

GRADE: C

Running Backs

Arian Foster (18 carries, 75 yards) hit the corner a couple of times, but continues to get caught from behind on other runs. Foster also showed a lack of power (maybe heart?) on short-yardage runs.

Montario Hardesty had only seven carries and never got into a groove. Also, there were limited plays from the "G-gun."

GRADE: D

Receivers

The plus is for Denarius Moore, who used his speed to make the biggest play of the game, hauling in a 52-yard TD pass. Josh Briscoe had two catches for 22 yards but fumbled.

Brandon Warren and Gerald Jones each dropped a pass, and Jones was called for being an ineligible man downfield.

For a school known as "Wide Receiver U," Tennessee lacks a pure deep threat who can beat tight coverage and get the deep ball against tough SEC opponents.

GRADE: D

Offensive Line

The Vol O-Line outweighed the Husky D-Line by 45 pounds per man and got outplayed. Tennessee only got 69 yards net rushing.

Ramon Foster's missed block led to Stephens taking a fumble-inducing hit. Jacques McClendon had motion penalties on consecutive plays. No surge on short-yardage plays.

GRADE: F

DEFENSE

Defensive Line

In the past, Tennessee would take these inferior non-conference opponents and just dominate them with their line play. That was not the case on Saturday.

They looked very ordinary much of the night, as Wes Brown recorded one sack and Dan Williams a 1/2 sack. Demonte Bolden got a silly personal foul for a late hit.

GRADE: D+

Linebackers

Looked aggressive the whole game, but NIU was falling forward on most of its runs. Nevin McKenzie had nine tackles, two tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks. Rico McCoy was in on eight tackles and had a sack. Nick Reveiz had four stops after getting the start.

GRADE: C

Secondary

Eric Berry is one of the best defensive backs in the entire country. His interception and 48-yard return was the highlight. However, this was the secondary's worst game of the season.

NIU receivers were open often, but the Huskies' third-team QB couldn't find them. Dennis Rogan was called for holding, and DeAngelo Willingham had a pass interference. These are things you should not do against a MAC opponent.

GRADE: B-

SPECIAL TEAMS

A week after I give them credit for nearly winning the Auburn game, the special teams went out and laid an egg. While coverage was good, Daniel Lincoln's kicking was disconcerting.

Lincoln made field goals of 36 and 34 yards, but one bounced off the upright and the other one just slipped inside the upright. Lincoln missed a 32-yarder. Chad Cunningham had a punt partially blocked.

GRADE: C-

COACHING

Well, I will give Fulmer credit for pulling the trigger on Stephens. Clawson also did a admirable job in getting him ready to play.

Time management wasn't a problem, and the only turnover was Briscoe's fumble. Defense played hard despite being on the field 33:05.

The only real mistake I noticed was after two consecutive timeouts with the game winding down, Stephens was sacked and then Lincoln went out and missed a field goal that would have at least put Tennessee up by a touchdown.

GRADE: C

OVERALL GPA: 1.55

So even though the game was a win, Tennessee got a worse GPA than in the loss to Auburn. Not good.

Tennessee kept it simple so they could break in a new starting quarterback. However, simple will not get it done next Saturday Between the Hedges at Georgia.

Tennessee-Auburn Report Card: Report To Detention

Michael Shibley — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:09:15 -0400

Tennessee sure needs to start playing better, first because I hate watching them lose, and second because I am running out of school-based terms for this report card segment!

Anyway, let's take a look at how the Vols were graded after last Saturday's 14-12 loss at Auburn, with a little more detail on the positions.

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks

Well the good news was Crompton didn't throw any interceptions. The bad news was he didn't have to. Crompton was 8-of-23 for 67 yards. He is just not seeing the field well and looks uncomfortable back there.

He and Arian Foster also gave up a fumble that was recovered in the end zone for the touchdown that ended up being the difference in the game.

Gerald Jones also spent time in his G-gun formation running for 25 yards, but his one pass was dropped. If the G-gun is to be more effective, Jones will have to be able to pass (and Clawson needs to call for a pass or two) or all the defense will do is just wait for him to try and run.

GRADE: D-

Running Backs

The running game only gained 124 yards on 33 carries, and that includes rushes from Gerald Jones and Crompton. The backs only gained 84 yards.

Montario Hardesty led the way with 35 yards and the only touchdown for the Vols.

The fumble by Foster and Crompton in the endzone, no matter who you put blame on, is inexcusable.

Foster was supposed to be the most experienced and most versatile back in the SEC. He definitely does not look like that right now.

GRADE: F

Receivers

Crompton and his receivers were not on the same page way too many times during the game. It looked like receivers were able to get open against a talented Auburn secondary, but Crompton was way off the mark all game.

Eight different Volunteers caught passes, but they all only got the one pass for a total of 67 yards. It is tough to get the ball to the playmakers when they can't get the ball. It also appears as if Tennessee does not have a viable deep threat as well.

GRADE: C-

Offensive Line

UT's top two rushers, Foster and Hardesty, averaged less than four yards a carry. The Vols allowed six tackles for a loss, including two sacks. I thought this was supposed to be the best offensive line in the SEC?

GRADE: D

DEFENSE

Defensive Line

The line had trouble stopping Kodi Burns on the ground in the first half, but did a great job in containing and adapting to both Auburn quarterbacks throughout the game. Ben Martin got the first sack for the defensive line, and Dan Williams had eight tackles, two for a loss.

GRADE: B+

Linebackers

Nevin McKenzie had two pass breakups, one of those to end an Auburn drive in the fourth quarter. Ellix Wilson led the Vols with 10 tackles, including one for a loss. Rico McCoy had six tackles, but Adam Myers-White missed at least one tackle.

Overall, the linebackers did what they were supposed to do, but nothing really beyond the call of duty. They also missed a few easy tackles.

GRADE: B

Secondary

Besides Auburn's only touchdown drive, the Vols' secondary played lockdown for the rest of the game. Dennis Rogan's interception set up Tennessee's only touchdown and was a big momentum changer.

Sophomore Eric Berry continues to impress, playing and hitting hard on every single play.

GRADE: A-

SPECIAL TEAMS

Chad Cunningham showed a strong, accurate leg, dropping three (and nearly four) punts inside the 5 and kicking two touchbacks. Daniel Lincoln made both his field-goal tries, which had to give him some confidence back after the disaster at UCLA.

Gerald Jones provided a spark on punt returns, including a 40-yarder that flipped the field. Unfortunately, the Tennessee offense could not take advantage. The special teams would have made General Neyland proud.

GRADE: A

COACHING

Tennessee is still a step off on offense. To me it looks like they have already become predictable. If not for incredible runs by Crompton and Jones on the only Tennessee touchdown drive, they would not have gotten anywhere near the goal line.

With the Auburn defense only rushing three on third and medium or long, and dropping eight knowing the Vols would pass, no one thought to maybe try and sneak in a draw play.

GRADE: D

FINAL GPA: 2.05

The defense and special teams did their job to keep Tennessee in the game. However, the huge turnover and the general ineptitude on offense made sure the Vols went to 1-3 on the season.

I hate putting blame on college and high school kids, but I really think there needs to be a change at quarterback on Rocky Top. All those three-and-outs are just embarrassing, especially with the great field position Tennessee had all second half.

Crompton is just not getting it done right now. What better time to break in a new quarterback than against Northern Illinois.

Tune in next week to see what happens!

The State Of Tennessee Football: Is There an Avalanche Coming to Rocky Top?

Michael Shibley — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:48:29 -0400

As a storm gathers off the coast here in Virginia Beach, it looks like a storm is gathering on Rocky Top with Phillip Fulmer and the Vols in the center of it all.

Right now things are not looking good for the Volunteers after a dismal performance against the Florida Gators last Saturday. The Vols failed to score twice inside the 5-yard line, and they missed five tackles on their way to giving up a punt return touchdown.

What made things even worse was the fact that Tim Tebow, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, did not have to do much. Tennessee mostly just beat themselves.

What made me very sad was watching all the fans leave the stadium en masse during the third quarter. A mass exodus like that is usually reserved for fourth-quarter beatdowns of a Conference USA opponent.

My passion for the Vols runs deep, as is the case for many who bleed orange. However, for many, patience is running thin. Right now, Tennessee looks nothing like the dominant force they were in the late '90s, when they were tops of the SEC.

When Tennessee won the National Title 10 years ago, it really spoiled the fans, as they now expected to be contending for a title every year. However, people on Rocky Top instead got to watch Florida and LSU win the crystal football while Tennessee came up short.

Tennessee fans had to put up with their first losing season back in 2005, and by the looks of the offensive performance against the Gators and the brutal SEC schedule, Tennessee may be headed that way again. I don't know if Fulmer can survive another season like that.

Nevertheless, all is not lost for the Big Orange. They can start to mend some fences with the fans if the offense can somehow find a rhythm and beat Auburn on the plains this Saturday.

The season is far from over. Tennessee still has some fight left in them. Do not look for the Volunteers to just go quietly into the night.

Tennessee-Florida Report Card: Getting Called into the Principal's Office

Michael Shibley — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:16:54 -0400

Legendary Tennessee head coach General Robert Neyland had seven game maxims. If you followed them, it would be a certain victory.

Unfortunately the Tennessee Volunteers forgot maxim number one on Saturday against the Florida Gators: The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. Volunteer miscues led to an easy win for the Florida Gators, 30-6 in Neyland Stadium.

So how did the Vols do in this week's report card? Let's take a look.

OFFENSE

Rushing

Tennessee ran the ball 31 times for 96 yards behind that all-powerful offensive line against what was supposed to be a Florida defense that was suspect to the run. Yikes. Arian Foster led the way with only 37 yards.

Being able to run the football has been the key to winning this game for the past 19 years. Tennessee has just been anemic in the rushing department against the Gators since Urban Meyer arrived in Gainesville.

The worst part was how the running game fell apart inside the five-yard line twice in the first half. In years past, there was never a doubt that Tennessee would be able to punch it in. Now it is definitely not a given.

GRADE: D-

Passing

With the rushing bogged down, Jonathan Crompton was forced to throw the ball more than he or the Tennessee coaches would have liked. Crompton was 18 of 28 for 162 yards and one interception (inside the five on fourth and goal). His decision-making has not improved much, and many of his passes are still sailing over receivers' heads.

Speaking of the receivers, one of the things new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson had planned to do with this offense was get the ball to the play makers in space and let them create. Well, it is kind of tough to do that when they are blanketed all game long by the Florida secondary.

Eight different players caught passes, and none of them had more than 40 yards receiving. There was absolutely no rhythm at all on offense.

GRADE: D

DEFENSE

Rushing

After getting hammered on the ground the last two years by Tim Tebow, Tennessee was finally able to slow him down a little. Tebow was only able to run for 26 yards and was kept in check on the ground.

The rest of the Florida backs, including Percy Harvin contributed 147 yards on the ground—not bad, but not great. Credit the Vols' defense for that, even though they had to deal with a short field most of the game.

GRADE: C+

Passing

Tim Tebow was only eight of 15 for 96 yards. However, he did toss two touchdowns, one being the little jump pass that you think teams would be looking for now. Credit Tennessee's pass defense in keeping the big play from happening. While Tebow did not have too many yards, he did make the throws when they counted.

GRADE: B-

SPECIAL TEAMS

One of the reasons Tebow did not have many yards was because he had a short field for most of the game. Florida's two offensive touchdowns were drives of 44 and 47 yards.

Brandon James gave the Gators a short field on the opening kickoff and then stomped on the Vols with a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown. On that return, five Vols missed tackles.

The special teams were just absolutely dreadful in direct violation of Neyland's sixth game maxim: Press the kicking game—here is where the breaks are made.

GRADE: F

COACHING

Something is just not clicking on Rocky Top. You can see Phil Fulmer is completely frustrated with his team just by watching him on the sidelines. The team made way too many mistakes and stupid penalties during the game.

While some blame has to rest on the players for just bad effort, much if it rests on the coaching staff for not getting Tennessee ready to play this week. This is very surprising considering all the bad things that came out of the loss to UCLA could have been erased with a solid effort and a win against Florida.

GRADE: F

FINAL GPA: 1.25

Florida had been talking all week about how Tennessee quit at the end of the game last year. Some Vols were out there making sure that did not happen again, especially Eric Berry, our do-everything defensive back. So plus 10 points for the effort, minus several million points for the overall execution on offense.

Tennessee has many problems to fix before they head to the plains to take on Auburn next week. I think most of those problems are going on inside the helmet. It looked like after Florida got the opening touchdown and Tennessee fumbled on their first possession, the crowd and the team were both out of it.

If Tennessee does not show a more consistent and better effort, it could be a very long year.

How Many SEC Students Does It Take To Screw in a Lightbulb?

Michael Shibley — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:07:14 -0400

These jokes have been told and retold around SEC country for years. I thought just before the big SEC games this weekend got going I would put them here for everyone to enjoy.

Also, if you have any of your own about an SEC school or any other program I would love to hear them!

HOW MANY SEC STUDENTS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB?

At VANDERBILT: It takes two, one to change the bulb and one more to explain how they did it every bit as good as the bulbs changed at Harvard.

At GEORGIA: It takes two, one to change the bulb and one to phone an engineer at Georgia Tech for instructions.

At FLORIDA: It takes four, one to screw in the bulb and three to figure out how to get stoned off the old one.

At ALABAMA: It takes five, one to change it, three to reminisce about how The Bear would have done it, and one to throw the old bulb at an NCAA investigator.

At OLE MISS: It takes six, one to change it, two to mix the drinks and three to find the perfect J. Crew outfit to wear for the occasion.

At LSU: It takes seven, and each one gets credit for five semester hours.

At KENTUCKY: It takes eight, one to screw it in and seven to discuss how much brighter it seems to shine during basketball season.

At TENNESSEE: It takes 10, two to figure out how to screw it in, two to buy an orange lampshade, and six to phone a radio call-in show and whine and complain about how bad it looks every week.

At MISSISSIPPI STATE: It takes fifteen, one to screw in the bulb, two to buy the Skoal, and 12 to yell, "GO TO HELL, OLE MISS."

At AUBURN: It takes 100, one to change it, 49 to talk about how they did it better than at Bama, and 50 to get drunk and roll Toomer's Corner when finished.

At SOUTH CAROLINA: It takes 80,000, one to screw it in and 79,999 to discuss how this finally will be the year that they have a decent football team.

At ARKANSAS: None. There is no electricity in Arkansas.

Tennessee-UAB Report Card: Better but Still Room for Improvment

Michael Shibley — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:40:29 -0400

After a much-needed week off to think things over and work out some problems, the Tennessee Volunteers played their home opener against UAB. The Vols jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but then the offense sputtered for the rest of the first half. In the second half the Big Orange got back on track and pulled away to win 35-3.

How do their grades look this week? Let's take a look.

OFFENSE

Rushing

Tennessee ran the ball 41 times for a total of 266 yards. That is an average of 6.7 yards a carry. While it was against an inferior opponent, it sure made fans feel better to see Tennessee go back to being able to run the ball better.

Unfortunately, the offensive line of Tennessee could have done even more, as they outweighed the Blazers by 40 pounds a man. This weight advantage really wore down the Blazers as the game went along.

Arian Foster led the way with 100 yards, including key runs in the third quarter that paved the way for Montario Hardesty to get into the end zone and make it 21-3. Lennon Creer came in and played well, carrying the ball eight times for 93 yards and two touchdowns, including one that went for 45 yards that put the game out of reach.

GRADE: B

Passing

Jonathan Crompton was 19 of 31 for 240 yards with a pair of touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.

Right now it looks like Crompton needs to make better decisions throughout the game. When his primary receiver is open, he delivers a great ball. However, when he is pressured or has to look for another target, he seems to be off. His second interception happened because he did not go through his progressions correctly and made a lousy pass.

Crompton also needs to make a quicker decision as to when he needs to run the ball. A few times during the game I thought he waited too long to try and scramble. Instead of maybe being able to get a first down with his legs, the defense was all over him and he had nowhere to run.

Crompton's numbers would be a little better if tight end Luke Stocker could have caught a few balls. Stocker had three key drops, the most significant coming near the end of the first half. He dropped an easy catch where he could have run in for the score. Instead, Tennessee came away with no points on the drive.

I understand Stocker will be open more because he is not a real passing threat compared to Brandon Warren, but if we want more production from the tight end, Warren needs to see more snaps.

Meanwhile, the wide receivers were all right. Lucas Taylor had nine receptions for 132 yards. Most of those yards came after the catch on short passes where he ran well in space. Gerald Jones only caught three balls for 39 yards, but two of those were nice catches in the end zone.

GRADE: B-

DEFENSE

Rushing

The only real running threat from the Blazers was their quarterback, Joe Webb. He was able to run the ball 14 times for 78 yards. Other than him, the Big Orange were able to stuff the run.

Unfortunately, Webb was able to break way too many tackles. Tennessee had him stopped for a loss more than once, but Webb was able to break the tackles and get a decent gain. That does not bode well for the Vols if they expect to stop Tim Tebow next week.

GRADE: C+

Passing

After giving up way too many passes in the fourth quarter against UCLA, Tennessee put the clamps down on Webb in the second half. For the game, Tennessee allowed only 167 yards through the air and was able to pick off three passes. One of those interceptions snuffed out UAB's only real scoring threat as Eric Berry picked Webb off at the goal line.

The secondary is playing very opportunistically so far, as they have picked off seven passes in two games.

GRADE: B+

SPECIAL TEAMS

Tennessee only had to punt the ball twice, and the only kicking Daniel Lincoln had to do was for extra points. Sometimes less is more, as there were no real pressure situations where the kicking game was a factor.

In the return game, UAB punted away from Gerald Jones much of the game as he only returned one punt for six yards. Nothing big happened on kick returns as well—just one for 27 yards.

GRADE: C

COACHING

It looks like Phil Fulmer is showing a little more fire this season. During the game he was not just idly clapping: He was out there yelling at the players when they made mistakes. He showed some fire I was not used to seeing. Still, too many silly holding and false start penalties killed Tennessee drives.

I think Dave Clawson started to get the hint in the second half. On Tennessee's third touchdown drive, it was a heavy dose of Arian Foster. Once they made it 21-3, the Vols had all the momentum and it was over.

However, I think Clawson has not gone to Foster enough so far. In the first half, when Tennessee would run on first down and get a minimal gain, Clawson would call a pass play instead of running again to try to make it third and short, which would have made it more manageable for Crompton.

It is tough on a new starting quarterback to keep making plays when he is always facing 3rd-and-8.

GRADE: C

FINAL GPA: 2.63

While not honor roll material, it was much better than their opening game. However, the Blazers are not the Gators, so the Volunteers are going to have to get things going this week if they want to stop the Gators.

In College Football, Cupcakes Should Never Be on Your Schedule

Michael Shibley — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:04:50 -0400

I hate cupcakes. I have never liked them. When it was a kid's birthday in school, they would always bring in those little cupcakes and we would all sing Happy Birthday, eat the cupcakes, and go on with class.

Instead of just making those little wimpy individual cakes, my mom and I would make an awesome chocolate cake that would trump all the other kid's pitiful offerings.

I guess my point would be that cupcakes are worthless and weak. The same thing goes for cupcake teams that the big dogs schedule in their non-conference schedule.

With the addition of the 12th game to the regular season, it was assumed that most teams would schedule some great new matchups. That has happened this season with games like Ohio State vs. Southern California, Clemson vs. Alabama, and Georgia vs. Arizona State.

Of course, teams playing in these games have countered with some severe cupcakes: Ohio State vs. Youngtown State, Georgia vs. Ga Southern, Clemson vs. The Citadel, and ASU vs. N. Arizona.

Nothing good happens when you play a cupcake. If you win by 40, big deal—that is what you were supposed to do. If you struggle and get the win, you cannot feel good about that. If you lose against a cupcake, just ask Michigan fans how they felt.

I do not even think players enjoy playing these cupcakes, which is why you get teams that lack the effort like the Buckeyes did against Ohio. However, the worst case scenario is if a big time player gets hurt in a game against a cupcake.

How do the Ohio State fans feel now that Beanie Wells is doubtful for the big game against USC? How do Georgia fans feel now that Jeff Owens is done for the year after playing Georgia Southern?

The people who get the worst of it are the fans. Why would anyone want to pay full price to see Oklahoma play a glorified scrimmage against Chattanooga or Missouri play against SEMO? Those games are not worth $40 to sit in the hot late August/early September sun.

It cannot be that hard to schedule viable opponents. Tennessee has not played an FCS team since 1983. While they may not play the most difficult non-conference teams, they at least play teams I have heard of, including one other team from a BCS conference.

Even though they lost their opener to UCLA, it does not hurt the Vols in the long run. If they run the table, they are still SEC champions and could even play for the BCS title. That won't happen if you lose to a cupcake.

One solution to the problem is to not allow BCS conference teams to play FCS teams. Athletic Directors need to make an effort to schedule good matchups that the fans want to see, and opponents that players want to play against.

Tennessee Volunteers' Report Card: Time For a Parent-Teacher Conference

Michael Shibley — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:30:56 -0400

So it took me a little while to calm down and write this. I wanted to make sure I was talking with reason and not just spewing whatever emotions I had.

This is definitely not the way I wanted the first edition of the Tennessee Vols' Report Card to go, but you play the hand you are dealt, so here we go.

As many of you know Tennessee opened their season for the second consecutive year on the west coast against a Pac-10 school in UCLA. Tennessee looked like they had the game in control despite only leading 14-7 at halftime.

UCLA rallied behind third string quarterback Kevin Craft and forced Tennessee to tie the game late and force overtime. After Tennessee held UCLA to a field goal in their first possession, fans thought the Vols would get a TD and escape with the win or at least kick a field goal and go to a second OT, but Daniel Lincoln's kick went left and the Bruins shocked the Vols 27-24.

So how did all the units do? Let's take a look:

OFFENSE

Rushing

It has been the Vols bread and butter for years and by the looks of the statistics, the Big Orange had a good night: 177 yards on 34 carries for a 5.2 average. Arian Foster lead the way with 97 yards and Montario Hardesty added 66 of his own.

However, Tennessee could not really stay consistent as they would follow up a good run with a bad run. Also, Foster's fumble inside the five in the third quarter did not help matters.

GRADE B-

Passing

In his first game under this new system, Crompton was 19 of 41 with 189 yards and one interception. After starting off the game hot, Crompton fizzled out. While he did throw some ropes to the receivers, most of the time he was either way short or way high on his passes.

Gerald Jones was the only consistent target with four catches for 41 yards. Both receiver and quarterback did not click all game and could not get anything going despite solid field position.

GRADE D

DEFENSE

Rushing

This has been the Vols strength in the past, having great run defense. While they held the Bruins to only 29 yards on 31 attempts, it sure was not against the best competition as UCLA's best back, Kahlil Bell was out after the first quarter.

However, they made the Bruins try to beat Tennessee with the pass.

GRADE B+

Passing

Of course that is what happened to the Vols late in the forth quarter, their pass defense let them down. Tennessee picked off four passes in the first half, running one back for a TD to put them in the lead. The other three picks killed the Bruins momentum.

However, Tennessee seemed to soften the converge and Craft just picked them apart in two late touchdown drives. The pass defense was great till it really counted, which hurts.

GRADE B-

SPECIAL TEAMS

For the first time in years it looks like Tennessee might be a big threat in the return game. Tennessee had long punt and kickoff returns throughout the game and gave the Vols great field position, which the offense could do nothing with to put the game away.

Meanwhile, Lincoln missed three kicks (two of them over 50 yards) including the one that really mattered in OT, and the punting team gave up a blocked kick returned for a touchdown. The bad outweighs the good here.

GRADE C-

COACHING

Bottom line, Phillip Fulmer and Dave Clawson were out coached by Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow in the 4th Quarter.

GRADE F

FINAL GPA 1.95

Not a good way to start the year, Volunteers. Tennessee had great field position throuout the game and could not take advantage of it and put UCLA out of it. Instead the Bruins hung around and got the win. I will give credit for the Vols being able to rally and get the scores when they needed it, but it just wasn't enough.

During this bye week, the Volunteers need to look at their mistakes and get ready for the rest of the season. There are still eleven games to go, as the Vols motto on all their signs and bliiboards say, CARRY THE FIGHT.

The 10 Greatest SEC Coaches of All Time: Part Three

Michael Shibley — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:43:42 -0400

This is the final part of a three-part series. Take a look at part one, and part two.

And now without further ado, the top three coaches of all time from the best football conference:

3. Steve Spurrier, Florida (1990-2001): 122-27-1 (.817 pct) & South Carolina (2005-present): 21-16 (.568 pct), six SEC titles, one National Title, named "The Swamp"

Bear Bryant once said that if Florida could ever find the right head man, watch out. And lo, in 1990 Steve Spurrier came back home to Gainesville and it has never been the same.

When Spurrier, the 1966 Heisman Trophy winner, came back to Florida the Gators were in the doghouse. The last two head coaches, Charley Pell and Galen Hall had both left the program in disgrace. So when Spurrier was hired, Florida fans saw it almost as if the prodigal son had returned.

By the eighth game of his 10th season as head coach, Spurrier has won 100 games, a feat accomplished faster than any other major-college coach. In all 12 seasons at Florida, his Gators would win nine games or more.

Spurrier changed the way the SEC played football. He brought his wide open "Fun 'n Gun" offense to the conference and other SEC defenses had to catch up. Spurrier was loved by Florida fans for the same reasons he was hated everywhere else, he was cocky. He was routinely accused of running up the score, something he never denied with much conviction.

In the end, Spurrier helped turn the SEC into the most powerful football conference today. The Gators were the SEC team of the 1990s, culminating in the 1996 National Title. Despite not being able to bring the same magic yet to South Carolina, Spurrier is rightfully deserving of a top three spot on this list.

2. General Robert R. Neyland, Tennessee (1926-1934, 1936-1940, 1946-1952): 173-31-12 (.829 pct), five SEC titles, two National Titles, stadium and street named

When he first got the job in 1926, the man who turned Tennessee into a football power was hired with one directive, even the score with Vanderbilt. At the time Vandy was the power in the region but Neyland put a stop to that.

Neyland, a West Point graduate who served in France in World War I, and his approach to the game reflected his military roots. He preached discipline, organization, and teamwork.

He stressed above all, defense and the kicking game. In his 216 games as head coach, 112 of them were shutouts. His 1939 Volunteers squad shut out all 10 regular season opponents scoreless, the last team to accomplish the feat. Tennessee still holds the record for consecutive scoreless quarters at 71.

The General would've won more games if Tennessee did not have to share him with the Army. Twice, Neyland was called back to Uncle Sam. However, when Neyland was leading the charge on Rocky Top, Tennessee was a national power, running off undefeated streaks of 33 and 28 games.

Neyland was also a master of gamesmanship, before the word was even invented. On October 20, 1928, the Vols played Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Tide was so heavily favored that Neyland asked Tide coach Wallace Wade if they could shorten the quarters if the game got out of hand. Tennessee halfback Gene McEver returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a TD and that led Tennessee to the upset over Alabama 15-13.

Like the General he was, only Neyland knew when he was beat. When he returned to Tennessee after World War II, the Vols were just mediocre. There were murmurings that the game had passed him by, and the single-wing offense was dead. The General never surrendered as the Vols went 11-1 in 1950 and again in 1951, and in the latter year the Volunteers were the consensus National Champions.

Neyland also never lost to the man who is Number One on this list...

1. Paul "Bear" Bryant, Kentucky (1946-1953): 60-23-5 (.710 pct) & Alabama (1958-1982): 232-46-9 (.824 pct), 14 SEC titles, 6 National Titles, stadium, street, museum named

As if there was any doubt who would be number one. After successful tenures as head coach at Kentucky and Texas A&M, Bryant returned to his Alma mater in 1958 because "Mama called."

The Bear was hard nosed, and demanded nothing short of perfection in his players. Many a talented player were left broken in the carnage because they could not take the demands set by Bryant.

Those who made it through practice sure took it out on the opposition. Under Bryant the Crimson Tide went to 24 consecutive bowl games, and this was way before you could get to a bowl with just six wins.

Bryant was able to win with the changing times, both in football and in society. Bryant's first three National Championship teams were all white; his last three integrated.

When he saw the shape of things to come, Bryant recruited and coached black players with the same old fervor and treated them all the same. Once when Ozzie Newsome was a star receiver for the Tide, Bryant was asked by a reporter how many white and colored players he had. The Bear simply said he had only football players.

Bryant was able to adapt his offense to the players he had. When he had a quarterback like Ken Stabler or Joe Namath he won through the air. When he had the material for it, he won on the ground with the wishbone. Bryant put it best in his own words, "I ain't nothing, but a winner."

No one mattered more to the state of Alabama than Paul "Bear" Bryant. When he died in 1983, mourners lined the highway was the funeral procession traveled from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham.

His spirit will live on not only in Alabama, or the SEC, but in all of college football. The late Grambling coach Eddie Robinson said it best, "As long as they kick it off, there will be something of Coach Bryant in the game."

Hope you all enjoyed reading this list, let the debating begin!

Open Mic: Usain Bolt Absolutely the Fastest Man on the Planet

Michael Shibley — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:09:14 -0400

To me it is one of the greatest titles a person can have, "Fastest Man on the Planet." When I ran track, that is who I wanted to be. As a kid I watched the speed of Carl Lewis, Donovan Bailey, Maurice Green, and Michael Johnson. They were the men I aspired to be.

In my freshman year of college at the University of Tennessee, Justin Gatlin came to one of our intramural football practices and ran some fly routes just opposite me. After the first 20 yards, he was already pulling away. It was really cool to see him win gold in Athens in 2004.

Then of course it was very disappointing when he, Marion Jones, and soon Tim Montgomery were banned for doping.

Watching Usain Bolt sweep the 100 and 200 meters in world record time made me stand up and say, "Wow!" I have never seen someone dominate the sprints like that. There is a new capital of sprinting—it's located in Jamaica, and Usain Bolt is the new king.

Bolt is the start of a new breed of fast, and he is clean. Just watching him run and celebrating afterwards he never seemed like he was hiding anything. Bolt was just as surprised as all of us about how fast he ran.

Test Usain Bolt all you want. There won't be any illegal substances in his body.

Not only do I believe he is clean, he has to be clean. After all the bad things that has happened to track and field over the years, something good needs to come out of the Bird's Nest.

The fastest man on the planet needs to be just like he runs: straight and true.