CrankE

"Hide your golf balls … hide your mustard bottles." Only if you send in that ref crew that called the Ole Miss game in 2021. (Who also called the 2010 Tennessee-LSU game). _____ UTSA made a nice run in 3Q. Not sure what happened to UT in that stretch. Tennessee continues to try these big bomb plays on first down (which don't work out as often), then run it on second down (getting predictably tackled and setting up a 3rd and long), then we throw a bubble screen on third down (which predictably gets smelled out and stopped). If I can see it, I'm certain that opposing defenses can see it. I have no idea why Tennessee is a double digit favorite over Carolina. Rattler can play and have proven they can do so against Tennessee last year and Georgia this year. They don't scare me, but I'm not thinking this is gonna be some 55-3 revenge game. If Tennessee wants revenge, they need to face the man in the mirror and fix some things that were wrong at Columbia. DALE SEIS!!! VAMOS VOLS!!! I absolutely love "Juan Ward". Would be worth it to learn Spanish to listen to the passion and energy of those guys.

I'd hate to see Pittman canned at Arkansas. However... If he does get run there, then Josh Heupel needs to make a run at him. See if he'll come fix our offensive line.

Two things in life are certain. First is that at the end of the season, Florida won't be nearly as good as they looked in beating Tennessee. Second is that at the end of the season, Tennessee won't be nearly as bad as they looked in losing to Florida. The refs didn't help, but Tennessee didn't help themselves. I could add a third-that Tennessee's results against weaker November opponents will be hailed as "progress" when there's a good bit of fool's gold there. This team was bound to take a step back. 2022 is the year when nearly everything bounced Tennessee's way. So in 2023, an 8-9 win season would be tolerable. Now though? I think that's a CEILING. I honestly think we're a bubble for bowl eligibility. There's not a sure win on the schedule for Tennessee. Maybe Vandy and UTSA. No need to play Nico yet because the O-line is leaking oil. Has Willie Martinez ever coached a secondary that's been any good? I mean.... If you could revote the 2022 Heisman trophy right now, Hendon Hooker is your winner in a runaway. Nobody was more valuable to their team. Nobody's performance and leadership covered more gaps on the team than his did. Meh. Still a lot of football left to play. Maybe this bunch will surprise us.

I knew that this year would be a step back. I figured 8-9 wins would still be a really good season for this bunch. After Saturday night, I think 8-9 wins would be phenomenal for this team for where they are right now. UF did exactly what they needed to in order to win. Tennessee did exactly what you can't do if you want to win.

If UNC doesn't do this now, then down the road, someone else will. The NCAA is facing extinction. Push them over the edge and be done with it. Besides, if UNC does push here and the NCAA folds, then UT could just decide we don't feel like paying millions of dollars to the NCAA as well in penance for the sin of hiring Casey Pruitt.

UT wasn't sharp against AP. Not sure what it was, but it concerns me. It's not the score. Look, if Heupel wanted to just score points, then he should have run the ball at will over AP and called it a night. Instead, I think he kept going to the pass because he wanted to break Milton and the receivers out of whatever funk they're in. There simply was no way UT would lose to AP. Against UF, I would expect UT to come out running and be quicker to lean on the run. Milton is reminding me of Tee Martin in 1998. Martin struggled in the passing game until like week 5 or so. The running game pulled the wagon until then. Not saying it's '98. Just that I see some of the same markers in this QB and in this team-what they're built to do. Let's Dance.

SDS. It just (*&^%$2#='s more.

Lyle Jones is a bad guy. That destruction of Jalen Hurd as a person didn't just happen. Nobody just "fell on a helmet" with their cheekbone either. Jones kept score in a vindictive, petty way against anyone and everyone. In like manner, we remember and will keep score on him too. (blows cigar smoke in Lyle's direction...)

lol. Well there's a first! Years ago a caller on the Basilio show said, "No! He is not "Butch" Jones. Nobody that bad gets to have a nickname. I really felt like Lyle was cooked after that loss to Florida in 2014. We're trying to run his infallible offense when one more field goal would have made it 12-3 and secured the win. That Florida team wasn't scoring two touchdowns on us. Instead, a 10-9 loss on a day when the fans spontaneously did Checker Neyland for the first time. Post-game, Jones tells us to "remember this feeling." This is me Lyle, remembering that feeling.

In Jones last 3 years as a head coach, (2017, 2021, 2022), he has 2 conference wins. 2.

Jones was a cliche a second at Tennessee. And he kept a list of names in his back pocket and made sure people knew about it. Tennessee never forgets, Lyle. So when the breaks go against Lyle "Piccolo" Jones, pour on more mustard. Actually that picture of him smoking a cigar after a win at Tennessee while an Intern at Alabama is great. He's pointing to an Alabama player who wears....wait for it....#73. (chef's kiss) I will cheer for every team that plays Arkansas State this year.

Must have been flipping hamburgers or something. MORE MUSTARD!!!

Re: 2003 The disappointment wasn't so much the division race. Georgia beat Tennessee by a wide margin that year. Though I will point out that the SEC's tiebreaker rule was changed mid-season once it became clear that AD's or Presidents would have to vote for the winner of the division. The real disappointment was the bowl assignment. Vols passed over for the Outback Bowl in favor of Florida whom they had beaten by 2 TDs. You could count on that kind of stuff when Hamilton was our AD. That's okay. Clemson has been repaid for that Peach Bowl. :) PUT ON MORE MUSTARD!

Actually, Carolina ran out of fireworks. Tennessee never did.

Well, the kind of overthrows Milton was known for are seldom intercepted by anyone...so there is that. This could also say more about our secondary than Milton. I mean, we're desperate for an upgrade there. Finally, I'm not sure I'd make such a boast about Milton. Do it in real-time against real opponents in the SEC. And let the performance do the talking.

Yeah, and zero victories by Alabama over Tennessee in ANY sport that matters since.... April 15, 2022 when you got a 6-3 win at Lindsey Nelson.

Waffle House. Is there anything it CAN'T do? lol

12. Tennessee Probably about right. Last year, nearly everything broke Tennessee's way and they won 11 games including last second wins over Pittsburgh, Florida, and Alabama. This year, it probably evens up a little. Let's dance.

Tennessee isn't ready to take the "last small step." They are ready to take the Next Step. The "last step" would mean you've arrived and don't need to go any further. Great teams and programs don't have a last step, just a next step. The next step might be a 9 win season. Fine. The 2023 team probably won't be as fortunate as the 2022 team was. They'll do better in some areas-maybe take a step back in others. On balance though, I think the program will continue taking steps forward instead of endlessly stumbling backwards. Some people will have Tennessee circled on the schedule. The Vols will have some circled on their schedule. Let's Dance.

Didn't FSU have a chance to join the SEC during the FIRST expansion when Arkansas and South Carolina were added? I've always seen the barrier to the FSU-SEC deal as the Gators. I don't think Florida really wants to see their arch-rival become a conference game. Also, UF is the ONLY SEC school in the state.

SDS has a dunce writer problem they could solve. So why won't they? The next SDS writer who 'splains to us things that are obvious and widely understood is kicked out.

Well... Coach YawYaw is America's Interim Head Coach so..

Psssh, I think you're forgetting Jarret Guarantano and Butch Jones/Brady Hoke/Jeremy Pruitt!! I know I'm still trying to forget them. lol

RIP Bobby Osborne. Life WILL be simple again up there. Thank you for bringing Rocky Top to life. And thank you Dr. W. J. Julian for bringing it to the Pride of the Southland Marching Band.

Congrats LSU!

Epic. I only watched the Tommy Tanks clip. Locked in a scoreless duel in extra innings to walk it off and go to the championship? Absolutely epic. Finish it off, Tigers.

Article seems written by someone who reviewed the schedule and summarized it. A month ago I don't think anyone had Tennessee in Omaha. Maybe not even in the tournament at all. Frankly, to get that far after losing the talent from last year's team might indicate a better coaching job by Vitello than last year. I'm glad they came alive and showed what they could do. Was fun while it lasted. Next up for Tony V is to hit that transfer portal and bring in some additional offensive horsepower and fresh arms in the bullpen.

Stayin' Alive. Whew! Regardless of where this team finishes, they've done well. A month ago, I honestly didn't think the Villains would still be alive. Okay LSU, meet me in the Kumite. lol. Looking forward to a great game!

There just wasn't any getting anything off of Skenes Saturday. It was about what I was expected. I thought our guys played well for the most part. On to the elimination game. Pour on more mustard!

Tennessee has been watchable, relevant, winning, and entertaining in all of the major sports now for the last couple of seasons. That's a HUGE big change from previous decades of misery that speaks to the overall health of the Athletic Department and overall leadership.