Bleacher Report - Articles by Ishtiaque Hossain

For Lane Kiffin, It's Simple: Just Have Faith

Ishtiaque Hossain — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:21:20 -0500

We've seen every trick out of Lane Kiffin's recruiting sleeve.

First, there were the Urban Meyer comments that had him all over ESPN and USA Today for weeks. We've seen shirtless men screaming "UT! Wild Boys!" to scared 17 year olds. We've heard of Kiffin's relentless right hand man, Ed Orgeron, yell into his boss's ear that there is absolutely no way he'll let certain players go to other SEC schools.

We've been informed of Kiffin and Orgeron flying down in a helicopter to an Atlanta high school game to impress recruits. Most recently, we've heard world renown rapper Lil Wayne's line "Smoke weed, talk (crap) like Lane Kiffin" followed by Wayne's video blog explanation where he tells viewers that when a recruit's mother calls him into a room, he's probably listening to Lil Wayne sing that line; at which point Kiffin can say "Hi son, I'm Lane Kiffin, I'm who he was talking about."

All of these above tactics will get recruits, no doubt. Those who think that a 16 or 17-year-old kid isn't impressed by Kiffin's swagger, Hollywood-like entrance to a high school game, or Lil Wayne's shout out are simply delusional. But the highest recruiting dividends will not be paid by the aforementioned actions. Kiffin's biggest impact will be a result of the trust and faith he has shown in his quarterback Jonathan Crompton.

Most fans, myself included, were ready to chase Crompton out of Knoxville after his disgusting performance against UCLA. We had seen enough. We were sick and tired of more than a year of interceptions, fumbles, bounce passes, and post route throws that hit the first row of fans. At a time when a majority of the fan base wanted a quarterback change, Kiffin stayed true to his field general.

Back in the summer, Kiffin explained to the fans and media, "If our quarterbacks mess up, it's my fault, I'm the one not putting them in the right situations and not coaching them well enough." Sure enough, when Crompton self-imploded against UCLA and Auburn, Kiffin didn't sway. He remained true to his word and stuck with Crompton.

That trust paid off. Crompton threw four touchdowns against Georgia the week after Auburn. If Daniel Lincoln's field goal wasn't blocked by Terrence Cody (aka Optimus Prime) then Crompton would have been the hero that led his Tennessee team in defeating No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

When fans were fearful of a mental letdown after the Alabama game, Crompton delivered with two touchdowns against South Carolina. In last week's game against Memphis, most expected a run oriented game, but Kiffin decided it was his quarterback's night, and sure enough Crompton was nothing short of spectacular. He ended his night with five touchdowns to five different receivers, and even ran in a touchdown himself.

His performance during the first half that night was the single greatest half-time performance by a Tennessee quarterback. His 305 yards surpassed the legendary Peyton Manning's first half record of 295 yards. Crompton now leads the SEC with 22 total touchdowns for the year, and is tied for fourth nationally on the touchdown list.

How does this affect recruiting, you may ask. It's quite simple. When a prospect's mother and father are sitting in their living room with Lane Kiffin, they will see a coach who has his players' backs through tough times. They will see a man who stayed true to his word and did not flake when most around him were ready to do so.

For now, Tennessee has a committed quarterback for 2010. The tall and lanky Tyler Bray gave Tennessee his commitment after the season opener against Western Kentucky. However, there are top quarterbacks committed to other teams who are taking notice. If they see what we see in Lane Kiffin, don't be surprised if they decide to switch and come to Tennessee. Sometimes it isn't about offensive schemes and NFL potential, it's just about trust and faith in a head coach.

Lane Kiffin's Approach Is Moving Tennessee in The Right Direction

Ishtiaque Hossain — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:05:09 -0400

Only four months into his job and Lane Kiffin has easily become the most hated coach in the Southeastern Conference, and the prime target of national and local media. Does he care?

Absolutely not, because in only four months, Kiffin has ultimately changed the entire culture of Tennessee Football. He brings in a culture of openness and visibility.

The only things the national media will report on Kiffin are his rips on Urban Meyer and Florida, his alleged "gas station" comment, his handful of secondary violations, and whatever future Kiff-ism that may (probably will) happen. What the national media fails to cover is the overall accountability and outreach efforts Kiffin has brought to the University Of Tennessee.

His first accomplishment was, above all else, putting Tennessee back on the map. The more ESPN and other outlets showed Kiffin's face, the more publicity the university recieved, and ultimately, the more recruits he reeled in.

He capped off a top-10 recruiting class with the number one player in the country, Bryce Brown. A week doesn't go by that Kiffin isn't on television.

So far he has been on countless sports shows on television and radio. In the last decade or so, Tennessee has been an afterthought.

It was the doormat of the SEC, but Kiffin has changed that for the better. One of Kiffin's first promises to his players and fans was that everyone gets a chance to play, regardless of age and/or seniority.

This was in stark contrast to the Phillip Fulmer era in which talented underclassmen would be buried in the depth chart as a result of Fulmer's loyalty to juniors and seniors. So far in spring practices, younger players who fans have never heard of are starting to emerge as physical, almost violent players that will help Tennessee compete at the highest level of SEC football.

The flip-side of Kiffin’s equal treatment is the fact that everyone is held accountable, regardless of talent or age. He has kicked off several players since coming to Tennessee, all of them for disciplinary and academic problems.

The most notable boot was given to Demetrice Morley, the Vols’ 5 star defensive back who was a sure-fire shot at All-American status this coming year. Morley failed to get on board with this new team first philosophy and was let go.

As much as it stinks for Morley, it sends a message to the rest of the team and the fans: everyone is accountable for their actions. This is a major change from the last regime that gave players enough leeway to screw up and supplemented that with multiple opportunities to come back and screw up yet again.

Local and national media can now come and watch those players excelling in Kiffin's open practices, another example of Kiffin's visibility effort. This was previously unheard of in the 17 years under Fulmer; in fact, the only practices Fulmer allowed local media to come watch were special teams workouts.

Kiffin challenged fans to go to the practice facility at five in the morning to watch his team go through morning conditioning, a challenge that yours truly took on. This open practice policy not only gives rabid Tennessee fans to see some football in the spring, but it gives media the ability to accurately report on player development and team evaluations and chemistry.

Previously, the media had to rely on Fulmer and company’s biased evaluations from practices. Kiffin has also done his part to reach out to those who have given years of service to Tennessee football, the most famous of whom is head coach Johnny Majors.

When Majors was fired in 1992, then-AD Doug Dickey appointed Phillip Fulmer as head coach and basically estranged Majors from the program. For 17 years Majors was left bitter towards Dickey, Fulmer, and the school.

Kiffin, undoubtedly with the advice of current AD Mike Hamilton, reached out to Majors, and good ol' Johnny responded. Two weeks ago Majors was invited to watch practice and interact with players, and Kiffin even let him run a staff meeting afterwards.

Needless to say, Johnny Majors, who led Tennessee to three SEC Championships, is finally back on board with Tennessee thanks to Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has also done his part to reach out to former Vols who are now in the NFL.

He invited a large group of them to his house, got acquainted with all of them, and has said that any former Vol who wishes to visit or workout with the team will be welcomed with open arms. In fact, students around campus saw Kiffin and quarterbacks coach David Reaves taking Tennessee legend Peyton Manning to The Olde College Inn, a local bar near campus.

To further show his commitment to former players, Kiffin tailored and distributed jackets with the words "NFL VOLS" to every current NFL player who played for the University of Tennessee, all on his own expense. Considering how many Vols are playing in the NFL right now, making jackets for every one of them was likely a huge dent in his pocketbook.

But that’s fine with Kiffin, because he is committed to building a strong relationship with those who have given nothing less than their absolute best for UT. Is Lane Kiffin the right fit for Tennessee?

Does he run his mouth too much? Is Florida going to stuff 70 points down his throat?

That is all to be seen in the future. For now all we can judge him by are his actions, and as a fan who loves his school, I can say with absolute certainty that things are different here in Knoxville, and we are relishing every moment of it.

A Few Lessons I Learned from the National Championship Game

Ishtiaque Hossain — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:24:03 -0400

I wont lie. I turned off my television at halftime of the National Championship Game between North Carolina and Michigan State. It was miserable. Just plain awful. But it did teach me a few things.

1. DO NOT buy into media hype.

All weekend long, like an idiot, I actually listened to ESPN and CBS as they made the game into a Cinderella story and subtly personified the economy as Cindy's evil stepmother. The fact of the matter is that external factors don't matter much when the ball is tipped off.

The city of Detroit is undoubtedly going through a rough time, and they have gone through many a struggle to be honest. I empathize with them, I really do. Being from Memphis does open your eyes to economic struggles, hunger, and homelessness. But to tie that in to a basketball game is ludicrous.

Believe me, if the economy in Detroit would be fixed by UNC losing, Roy Williams would have drawn up the "Bailout" play in which Tyler Hansbrough throws a pass directly to Goran Suton for the easy dunk every time down the floor.

2. Never, EVER, underestimate the power of a chip on a shoulder.

"We're baa-aack!" was the semi-homosexual greeting the Tar Heel starting lineup gave as their introduction started. But the fact is, they WERE back, and they weren't repeating the goose egg that was the 2008 Final Four.

Last year the Heels were embarrassed beyond belief by Kansas in the national semifinal game. The game was close at times, but mostly it was a romp by the Jayhawks. This stacked team of seniors made it their mission to redeem themselves and take a trophy home to North Carolina.

The pain and embarassment from the Kansas game was more than enough motivation to stomp on each opponent this time around. They wouldn't be stopped, and overall their NCAA Tournament performance was absolutely dominant.

3. The element of talent is vastly undermined by everyone.

Michigan State is a great team, and Tom Izzo is a great coach who belongs in the Hall of Fame. But North Carolina's talent trumps all. Michigan State just didn't have the players to beat the likes of Danny Green, Wayne Ellington, Psycho T, and, well, the other 52,893,562 McDonald's All-Americans Roy Williams has on hand.

MSU made a great run in this year's tournament, but the men from Tobacco Road would not be denied. John Calipari told the Kentucky media in his opening press conference that there are three ingredients to tournament success: great players, great players, and great players.

North Carolina just happened to have all three of those ingredients on hand.

4. Clark Kellogg is an absolute idiot.

This is probably the most important lesson I learned. His commentary made my blood boil and caused my TV to turn off. He is probably the biggest moron I have seen on TV. In the age of Flava Flave and Paris Hilton, that's really saying something. To further illustrate my point, here are a few idiotic quotes I have collected from the guy:

"Tyler Hansbrough just gave that guy a lower-body root canal!"- What the hell is a lower body root canal? I don't think they teach that in dental school.

"North Carolina is a great example of spurtability"- He should sign a deal with Budweiser in which he draws diagrams and illustrates "spurtability" with the moron that explains "drinkability."

"He gets a little pseudo-penetration"- I don't exactly know what pseudo-penetration means, but it sounds dirty. Oh Clark, you naughty, naughty boy.

"They've got to turn that turnover funnel off"- He meant to finish that sentence with "and get out that beer funnel! Chug Chug Chug Chug! Freshman! Freshman!"

"You've got to find him, then you feel him, then you take him for a ride"- at this point I'm starting to wonder if he and camera hottie Tracy Wolfson have something going on. Again, a very naughty, naughty boy.

"Danny Green is like baking soda, you can use it to bake things, keep food fresh in the refrigerator, and then it doe-"- No. Stop. NOW. I really think CBS keeps him because he either makes a good point once in a while, or maybe just for a comedic effect in case games are blowouts like last night's game. My gut says to go with the latter.

With these lessons taken, I can only hope that the average fan like myself can analyze the game better than before. This is all I have folks. I can't give you anything more. If you still need help, you know who to call. If anything, Naughty Kellogg will help you increase your repertoire of cheesy, nonsensical one-liners.

Ken Mink: Comeback Player of the Century

Ishtiaque Hossain — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:41:32 -0400

When I was asked to write about a comeback player, I had a few in mind. Actually, here's my final four: Shaquille O'Neal with the Suns, Hakeem Olajuwon with the Raptors, Magic Johnson playing in the All-Star Game after his retirement, and Michael Jordan coming back to win more titles.

My final choice, however, is one that very few people know about. His name is Ken Mink.

His accomplishments won't be heralded on any plaques in the Basketball Hall of Fame, nor will his pose be used as the NBA logo, but what Ken Mink has done is a reminder to all of us that it really is never too late to chase your dreams.

Ken Mink had a very short basketball career. He played at Lees College in Jackson, KY. His talent was incredible. Simply put, he was a baller. People would come to watch Lees College games just to watch Ken play.

The sky was the limit, and his opportunities would be endless. And then his basketball world came crashing down.

One night some teammates decided it would be funny to pull a prank on the school's principal. They did so, and while the facts are still blurry, the general consensus is that Mink was framed into the culprit's role.

The principal wouldn't listen to anyone. He wouldn't budge. Mink had to be expelled, and, by God, the principal would see to it that he did.

By the way, all of this happened in 1956. That's 53 years ago. Most of you weren't born then. Your dads were probably not born yet. If they were born then, they were playing with Tonka trucks at the time. That's how long ago it was.

Anyways, 50 years passed. In that time, a wronged Mink still chased his passion through recreational games in the military and YMCA's. Then one day he thought, "Why don't I do it again?" Do what again? Play basketball? Sure, let me call up Oscar Robertson, I think he was looking for someone to play 21 with.

By golly, Ken Mink actually considered playing college basketball again. He called up colleges near his home in Knoxville, TN. Imagine Bruce Pearl picking up the phone, "What? Are you crazy, Mr. Mink? Wait, hold up, is this coach Fulmer? You really don't have much to do these days, do you?"

As crazy as it sounds, one coach responded to Mink. Randy Nesbit, head coach of Roane State Community College decided to give the guy a chance. But that chance wasn't given based on talent; Nesbit was just a nice guy.

He naturally had a hard time saying no to people. He would probably give me a chance to play if I asked. Actually, I take that back, I'm pretty bad.

Ken made the team, passed his physicals, practiced hard, and was relentless on the court. Nesbit finally put him on the floor.

It's a feel good story to this point, but put yourself in the shoes of the opposing coach and players.

There's a guy on the floor who is older than your entire starting lineup combined. If you're the guy guarding Mink, it's a lose-lose situation. Let him score, and your confidence and youth is probably thrown out the window.

Stop him, and you probably fouled and/or broke a couple of joints in the old man's body.

Well, two coaches faced the dilemma. In a game against King College, Mink went to the basket, got fouled, and sure enough, made both free throws. In another game, he actually went up for a shot and scored against Hiwassee College.

His Roane State career ended short as well due to some junior college administration problems. He had to maintain a passing grade in all of his classes. He had a "B" or better in all of his classes, but failed Spanish. And so his days at Roane State ended early.

He did it. He scored. Not in his driveway. Not at the YMCA. In a college game. Sure, it is only a junior college, but it's still a higher level than any person beyond the age of 40 even dream of aiming for. He did what men in his age regret not doing while sitting on their rocking chairs or laying in the nursing home.

Nearly 50 years after he was stripped of his passion, Mink's vision and perseverance paid off. If he isn't considered a comeback athlete, I don't know who is.

Memphis Tigers: The Young and the Coachless

Ishtiaque Hossain — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:00:19 -0400

The following incident takes place around Apr. 1, 2009 in Shelby County, TN:

"John. Damn-it JOHN! How could he!? I thought he was going to be with me forever! I thought we LOVED each other! We were together for NINE YEARS! How could he do this to me? John is an asshole, and don't even get me started on that little tramp Kentucky!"

That is what the heartbroken girl Memphis is saying. Moping over her gallon of ice cream, she cries until either the tears or the tissues run out.

But it's understandable. John was a great guy for Memphis. He took her to many places. Most of the places they went to resulted in a great time. Some dates would end sourly, but those were few, and most of them came in the first three years of the relationship.

Since then, it was all good times, some even great times. In fact, when the two were in San Antonio, he almost married her. But there was only one ring in the city, and some jerk named Bill came and took it for his girl the last second. How Selfish of him (pun completely intended).

Anyways, after that day, Memphis was disappointed to say the least, but she was still happy with John. He was everything she could ask for and more. They were together for another year in which John had a couple of slip-ups around November, but nothing too serious.

He got his act together and they had four great months together until this old bully of his, Mike Anderson, beat him up and left him bruised. She asked him if something was wrong and he said "No, honey, nothing's wrong. I love you, I want to be with you, so let's just go home."

And then came the tramp. Kentucky started calling John, saying that her old boyfriend Billy wasn't getting the job done. The two were okay together, but Billy wasn't getting along with her family too well, and he also wasn't giving into her persistent talks of a long-time commitment. So she dumped Billy, and went after John.

She knew he always had a crush on her, and she also knew how great a guy he always was to Memphis. So she called, and John listened. Memphis wouldn't let him go. She promised to put out more than he ever asked for.

She actually offered more than any girl had ever offered a guy. John was truly torn, but at the end of the day, he chose his long-time crush, the sexy and tempting Kentucky.

How did that leave Memphis feeling? Heartbroken. Shocked. Speechless. She initially got out of her couch and threw away her gallon of ice cream, claiming that she would get a guy who would warrant a "WOW!" from everyone.

In fact, only a day after John left her, she went flirting at the club. She found guys and she flirted. A LOT. Her first sentence usually started with "Hi I'm Memphis, let's go back to my place!" and guys would listen. She flirted with some big name guys.

This slightly experienced guy named Tim Floyd was hanging around, so she wooed him, but he decided he can't leave Los Angeles. Disappointed yet undeterred, she went after this hunk named Bruce. Now Bruce and John don't like each other.

Let me rephrase that. John and Bruce HATE each other.

If anything would sting John, it would be Bruce sweet-talking the girl he left. So they talked a bit, but at the end of the day Bruce said thanks but no thanks.

This is where Memphis stands today. Angry, spiteful, and willing to give herself up just to get back at John. And this is where she is wrong. She doesn't need a guy like that right now.

What Memphis needs now is a friend. A guy who will be there for her, attend to some needs, but not all. Right now, she can't be thinking of a guy who will give her a diamond ring.

What she needs right now is a guy who will hang out with her, help her cope with her problems and help her slowly forget what John did to her. There's a great guy named Scott Drew. Never mind that his entire name is made up of first names. He is an outstanding guy. He took a suicidal girl named Baylor and made her happy again.

Then there is a good guy named Sean Miller, though I question whether his beau, Xavier, is a guy or a girl. She should maybe even go after one of John's good friends, Derrick Kellogg.

Sure, every time she looks at him she'll probably think of John. But Derrick is a guy who learned the good that John taught him and usually stayed away from John's bad habits (like flirting with others just to get more out of Memphis), so he would be a good guy to go after right now.

But here is my advice to Memphis: don't go big right now. Lay low, even though you may be lonely and want someone to fill John's void. Don't give away everything you have for the wrong guy, because, honestly, you'll probably get hurt again.

For now, don't try to have fights with the big girls just to get your name out. Stay in your C-USA neighborhood. Sure, its boring, but it's home, it's yours to rule, and you know that's the damn truth.

Give it a couple of years before you look for serious relationship material. And while that "friend" helps you get through your heartbreak, it is possible that he will make overtures and will try to be that void that John created.

My advice: listen to him. He might just be the guy, who knows?

Look, Memphis. John was a great guy for you, he really was. He did a lot for you. But there are others out there, and depending on how you look at it, they may be better men than John.

When John said "I love Memphis and don't want to go anywhere else," he was lying, and shame on him for it. But when he actually did leave you, he parted with the words, "It's going to be OK." And believe me, he couldn't be closer to the truth.

Lane Kiffin: Hope for Volunteer Nation

Ishtiaque Hossain — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:32:58 -0500

When we are unsure about a person, place, or event, we usually try to relate that uncertainty to something with which we are more familiar.

Those who are scratching their heads wondering what the future holds for Tennessee football under new head coach Lane Kiffin, should draw a comparison to the 2008 presidential race and its winner Barack Obama.

Some may think the idea is far-fetched. For one, Obama is the head of state of the most influential country on earth while the other guy is just a head coach of a football team. How, then, can we even begin to compare these two people? Surely there is no comparison between the two situations, right?

Well, they might have more in common than you think.

What does any program need when it doesn't work? It needs change. It needs something new, something fresh, something with the potential to effectively get things moving in the right direction.

It is the promise that Barack Obama has made to Americans for the last two years, and it is also the promise Lane Kiffin has made to the Tennesseans since his hire.

The idea of change is the overall similarity between the two, but the ways in which they both got to their position, as well as their plans on carrying out their respective responsibilities, are strikingly comparable.

Both men had to convince a certain group of people that they were the right man for the job. Obama had to convince the American people that he has what it takes to put America back on top. Kiffin had to convince athletic director Mike Hamilton and Tennessee boosters (think of them as the UT Electoral College) that he could lead the team back to glory.

When both positions were hiring, neither man was a leading contender for his desired position. If you remember, Barack Obama was not the leading Democrat in the primaries; the buzz was all about Hillary Clinton possibly becoming the first female president.

When Phillip Fulmer announced on a gloomy Monday that he would not be returning as the Volunteers' head coach, new names immediately started popping up. Butch Davis, Jon Gruden, Mike Leach, and Brian Kelly were on the tip of every analyst's tongue. Lane Kiffin wasn't even in the picture.

Yet both men climbed their way up the list, and at the end of the day their successful interviewing and campaigning paid off. Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States and Lane Kiffin was named the 21st head football coach of the Tennessee Volunteers.

Kiffin and Obama share the youth and energy that is needed to successfully change a program. Kiffin is one of the youngest head coaches in the history of college football at the age of 33, and Obama is the fourth youngest president to take office at the age of 47.

Age is a big factor when it comes to rebuilding. A younger president can relate to and understand the needs of younger constituents. Similarly, a young head coach will generally be able to recruit and relate to players closer to his age better than an older coach can.

Both men are much more energetic than their predecessors.

As much as I love Phillip Fulmer, I will be the first to admit that his press conferences were like warm glasses of milk; they helped me fall asleep. Week after week of "I've got to look at the tape," and "We're workin' like heck," just wasn't cutting it. Let's just say Fulmer wasn't an entertainer.

Obama's predecessor also lacked the energy and enthusiasm for his job that Barack brings to the position.

The biggest knock against these men is that they are inexperienced. Obama was only a one-term senator, and Kiffin's resume only consisted of coordinator jobs and an unsuccessful stint as head coach of the Oakland Raiders.

Both men were competing against mavericks in their own respects as well. Obama faced off against John McCain, a veteran senator for over two decades and a Vietnam prisoner of war. Kiffin's competitors were the eccentric Mike Leach and unconventional Brian Kelly, two wildly successful college coaches.

The inexperience and youth of both candidates worked in both men's favors, as they appointed people much older, wiser, and more experienced than themselves to help solve their biggest problems. Both men hired right-hand men well suited to back them up. Obama selected longtime Delaware senator Joe Biden as his running mate, and Kiffin decided on his mentor Ed Orgeron to be the assistant head coach.

For Obama, the economy is the biggest issue facing the country by far, so he put together a stellar economic team to tackle the problem. The team instantly drew praise from some of the staunchest Republicans in Washington. Karl Rove even applauded Obama's team, with his comments being the equivalent of Steve Spurrier singing "Rocky Top."

Kiffin, on the other hand, faces a roster significantly deficient in talent compared to Tennessee's biggest rivals. He helped offset that problem by hiring Ed Orgeron, Monte Kiffin, and Lance Thompson as his recruiting team.

Orgeron and Thompson are both winners of Rivals.com's National Recruiter of the Year Award. Monte Kiffin, despite being in the NFL for so many years, is as ready as ever to recruit, boasting that he is "68 going on 48."

Both men are receiving a ton of hype.

At Obama's inauguration, roughly two million people crowded the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to watch the president-elect take oath. Millions across America roared in unison as they witnessed a new beginning in the
life of this nation.

Likewise, two days ago at the basketball game versus Memphis, Kiffin and the coaching staff were introduced on the court during a media timeout. The crowd started clapping and yelling as soon as the PA announcer mentioned that the new staff was heading to the court. Coaches Garza, Wilson, Thompson, and Gran all drew enormous claps and cheers.

Recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron threw his arms up in excitement as the student section started to jump up and down. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin pumped a gameday-esque fist as the crowd got even louder and crazier.

And when the PA announced, "...and your head football coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, Lane Kiffin," the packed crowd of 21,905 inside Thompson-Boling arena went absolutely ballistic.

The crowd sang "Rocky Top" like they always do, but this time they sang it with greater hope. They roared and sang at the top of their lungs in hope of a better future, in hope of a return to greatness, in hope that they shall never be defeated at home inside Neyland or abroad in enemy territories like Gainesville and Baton Rouge.

Will they be successful? Will they be led to greatness again? Will Tennessee once again be considered the benchmark for work ethic and discipline and the standard for excellence? Will it be the place that every young child, near and far, dreams of going to one day fulfill his dreams?

If you're still wondering whether there are similarities between the two situations, then these questions should give you the answer. But for the actual questions, we can only hope that the answer is yes, yes we can.

Why CBS's Mike Freeman Should Leave Tiger Woods Alone

Ishtiaque Hossain — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:35:19 -0500

Recently, journalist Mike Freeman wrote an article blasting golf superstar Tiger Woods for not supporting Barack Obama, suggesting that Woods is not being a good citizen, and, in fact, not helping the African-American cause as a result of it.

Absolutely ridiculous.

In fact, Freeman should have to carry Tiger's clubs for a week for this preposterous charge. The fact of the matter is that Tiger Woods is probably the most recognizable black athlete on earth. Period. Some would even argue that he is the most recognizable athlete altogether.

What Freeman fails to realize is that Tiger is carrying on with an American tradition of keeping his political beliefs discreet. Anyone remember Dave Chapelle's colorful piece on how people would rather talk explicitly about bedroom affairs than share their thoughts on candidates? It was funny, but it definitely holds some truth to it.

Tiger simply wanted to keep his mouth shut and lead his own life and not brag about which of the two candidates he selected in the voting booth. After all, isn't that why voting booths have curtains so nobody sees which button you pressed?

To those who say that athletes are people just like us and should be politically active, I say you are right, but I also think they should be wise about it.

Remember Curt Schilling? He rallied heavily for George W. Bush in 2004, and more power to him for that. But you know what, that's something he did outside of his sports world, and I have no problem with that at all.

Reporters wanted to know how Schilling felt in the sixth inning when he gave up a run, and they couldn't care less about what he had to say about Bush's policies.

Curt Schilling was a starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, not a political correspondent for Fox News. If an athlete wants to get politically involved, then great. If not, so what?

There is another crowd who argues that Tiger could have significantly helped in the elections due to his fame and success. Here's the catch: he also could have hurt himself.

A simple truth regarding athlete-media relations is that anything you say can and will be used against you in some way or another, whether you like it or not.

Anyone who follows the NBA closely remembers the incident a few years ago when Kevin Garnett suggested that the playoffs were like a war, and that he was ready to get out the guns and the AK's and all the other weapons he needed to win his battles.

Not only did Garnett hurt his own image, but also the NBA's image at a time when commissioner David Stern was (and still is) trying to increase the league's support in many red states.

On a purely political tangent, Tiger could have hurt Mr. Obama's chances by giving the conservative right more fuel to their constant charge that the Dems are supported by movie stars and athletes while the GOP has the backing of real, everyday Americans.

If Woods did endorse Obama, Rush Limbaugh would have another pill-poppin' work day, Bill O'Reilly would surely have another happy moment in his miserable life, and Ann Coulter's horns would finally come out of her head for all to see.

So I thank you, Mr. Woods, for keeping your pie hole shut. I would prefer to not see Ann Coulter's horns just yet.

And now to the most important, yet subtle, charge that Freeman shot at Tiger. I get the feeling that Freeman is accusing Woods of doing a disservice to the African-American community by not supporting Obama. He almost makes it seem like Woods is a traitor to his people.

This issue needs to be addressed because this attitude towards Tiger has persisted among many in the black community, and it is absolutely unsubstantiated. Tiger Woods has set up many charities around the United States, the most famous of which is The Tiger Woods Foundation.

It is specifically aimed at improving the lives of disadvantaged inner-city children. Tiger may be filthy rich, but he does his part to ensure that those needing that one break get a helping hand.

Tiger Woods is not hurting the black image whatsoever, plain and simple. It cannot be stated any clearer.

Ron Artest hurt the black image with his antics in Detroit. Kobe Bryant hurt the black image with his antics in Vail, Colo. Pacman Jones hurt the black image with his antics in Nashville, Dallas, New York, and pretty much any other city with a booming strip club.

When these athletes are charged with their crimes and their faces are all over CNN, do you not get the feeling that millions upon millions of African-Americans just sit there with their heads hung in disbelief? Do you ever think that they might feel just a tad bit betrayed? For those millions, Iverson isn't the answer, Woods is.

Sure, Tiger can be boring off the golf course. He's what people might call "plain ol' vanilla." He speaks his mind when it comes to his swing or what he thinks of Phil Mickelson, but when it comes to things unrelated to golf, he keeps his mouth shut in today's ever-intrusive world (thank you, ESPN).

Tiger Woods didn't hurt his own race by staying out of the political arena. In fact, he didn't hurt anyone at all. He only helps his race everyday by being himself: a drama-free, trouble-free, no-nonsense guy who just goes on about his own business.

Oh, and it also helps that the best golfer on earth is the son of a black man who wasn't even allowed into golf courses in his own youth.

So Freeman, the next time you wish to malign an athlete or a celebrity by suggesting that he is detrimental to his own people, pick someone less honorable than Tiger Woods. Believe me, you will find plenty.