From Todd
Hi Jay,
If the Florida Gators do manage to get thru the 3-game gauntlet (UGA, Arkansas, LSU) what does this do to the Tennessee Vol fan base? Clearly a talented UT team, and this was clearly pointed to as "the year." Can they ever have "the year" with Bama on their schedule every year? Is it time for the SEC to rotate the out-of-division every year opponents? Does Butch get a free pass figuring in all of the injuries?
Todd -
Big weekend for the SEC East, considering the Vols are at South Carolina and Florida is at the cocktail party. Yes, each is favored, and yes each should win, but it seems the weaker team in the Tennessee-South Carolina game almost always plays above its head and we all know anything can happen in Jacksonville. Heck, that's where Mark Richt engineered an unsportsmanlike celebration that actually made Urban Meyer look like the classier coach.
If Florida runs the table, it will mean a lot of things.
First, it will mean the Gators earned the trip to Atlanta, regardless of who won head to head. Remember this is a moot point if UT doesn't turn it over seven times and commit 12 penalties in College Station.
Second, here's betting that if Florida goes to Baton Rouge and handles LSU, well, here's betting that would make Jeremy Foley smile. Broadly. And he may have a parting shot or three for the LSU administration.
It also would mean the Gators would make their 12th trip to the SEC title game, and for all the Bama dominance - and all the perceived struggles for Florida in the last half decade - it would be a pretty doggone impressive statement for the Gators. (Yes, all signs point to Alabama making its 11th trip to the title game this year. If the Gators and the Tide meet, in this, the 25th version of the SEC title game, it would mean Alabama and Florida have filled 23 of the 50 spots. Crazy.)
We have though a lot about the meaning for Johnny Vols Fans everywhere if UT does not get to Atlanta. And while no trip to Atlanta would be a disappointment regardless, we're going to split hairs on the level of frustration. If UT wins out and misses the East because Florida wins out, that would hurt. But UT would still have 10 wins, still have the must-have win over the Gators in the regular season and could very well be headed to the Sugar Bowl. It would be disappointing not getting to Atlanta, but in a season with huge hopes, those highlights are certainly worth noting.
But if UT drops one of its next four SEC games - games the Vols will be favored likely by double digits - and Florida backs into Atlanta even with one more SEC loss, that would be especially painful.
That, regardless of injuries, would mean UT lost a game it shouldn't have, the only serious complaint any UT fan can have about Butch Jones and his staff to this point. It also would mean a 9-3 mark, and a similar bowl trip to last year, and potentially a 9-4 mark. That would be the same record for a team that returned pretty much intact that had much loftier goals.
In that, perception is mightier than reality.
As for Bama, well, that's part of the hurdle for every SEC team. We doubt the league will do away with or even change the out-of-division regular foe. There's simply too much history with Bama-UT and Auburn-Georgia to start juggling that.
Your point is fair, and quite reasonable considering your pro-Gators tendencies to note that Tennessee's hill is steeper than everyone else's in the East as long as Lord Saban, the dark knight of the dark arts, is roaming the sideline in T-Town and dominating every recruiting cycle everywhere.
It's important to remember, too, that the league is cyclical. Not maybe on a year-to-year basis but certainly over time. Think back to pre-Saban - even LSU Saban - and the Gators were at the competitive disadvantage in the crossover game.
As for Butch, the injuries are undeniable, even for those of us who have been open to praising Butch when he deserves it and calling him out when the case applies. But if they stumble down the stretch - unless, goodness forbid, Josh Dobbs goes down in the first quarter Saturday - that's on Jones and could be the difference between a good season and a disappointing one.
Whether it ends in Atlanta or not.
FILE - In this April 11, 2013 file photo, Charlie Sheen, a cast member in "Scary Movie V," poses at the Los Angeles premiere of the film at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles. Sheen will star in and executive produce a film, ""Mad Families," for the Crackle streaming network. The film is a multi-generational comedy starring Sheen as Charlie Jones, described as a lovable man-child with a heart of gold and a unique way of looking at the world. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, file) From Stacey
Did you see Charlie Sheen in the news with the Indians in the series? Do you know why did they not do something 'Major League' related with the first pitch?
As for Sheen, I also saw he is trying to talk up a Major League 3. You are kind of our sports movie expert. Would you list your Rushmore of sports movies that you'd like to see a sequel or whatever the next chapter would be?
Thanks and thanks for the 5-at-10.
Stacey -
We have seen that, Stacey. That said, man, Charlie Sheen has worked himself into what looks to be a sad existence.
(Here's the short story on Sheen trying to get a Major Legaue 3 made. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/charlie-sheen-shares-script-details-about-a-possible-major-league-3-movie/ And this may be the biggest and most telling fact that the actual Major League 3 may be the worst movie ever made, since, you know Sheen and the folks involved either a) don't know it was made or b) do not acknowledge its existence.)
So with that - and much appreciation for the kind words of being a sports movie expert - here's a list (and yes, we spent a little too long on this question):
- Bull Durham. Yes it could be a disaster, but seeing if Crash could make it to the show as a manager screams for a second run. Plus, it's not like the primary characters have had a whole lot of big hits lately. (Costner would do this in a heartbeat.)
- Hoop Dreams. The brilliant documentary following two Chicago prep hoop stars would be an amazing follow-up now that William Gaines and the other dude are adults and may have little hoopsters of their own.
- Breakfast Club. OK, call the Breakfast Club a sports movie is a stretch for sure - hey Emilio Estevez's character was a wrestler after all (I expected more from a varsity letterman) but those characters grown up with high-school aged kids would be very intriguing.
- Big Lebowski. Why? Because dude abides. (And the rug really sets off the room.)
This list comes with the obvious caveat that some of the best sports movies ever have some sequels that rank among the worst movies of all-time. Caddushack 2. Slap Shot 2. One of the Rocky films. It's dangerous water for sure.
Great question - as long as we all agree that Hooisers II or Another Field of Dreams will never be green-lighted. Deal? Deal.
From Scottie
I read with interest your article today about the young, black man in South Mississippi having a noose placed around his neck. I do agree with you that is an intolerable act of racial violence that should not and must not be tolerated in this country. At the same time, I must point out your hatred of the Democratic Party and how you have slung crap at Hillary Clinton while anointing Donald Trump as the Republican nominee in past editorials has only added fuel to this racial fire. You and I have gone round on the phone before how you despise President Obama and demonized him your articles, every chance you get. You, sir, by demonizing our President, only added to the racial hatred in our country.
As I told you before, you need to stick to the sports page, it fits your I.Q. perfectly.
Scottie -
Not really sure there is a question here - other than at what point does a grown man drop the 'ie' ending on your name - but wanted to share some of the ups and downs of the mailbag.
(Serious question: If you are a Freddie or a Scottie, when you hit the adult world at some point you need to go Fred or Scott right? Or no? Because this is certainly not universal, per se, because Willie Nelson will never be Will Nelson, at least not in a world in which we recognize truth, justice and the American way. So what are the 'ie' or 'y' names that translate to adulthood rather seamlessly. Wilie. Check. Feels like Tommy makes the cut, too. And maybe Joey. What else?)
As for for your point Scottie, not sure the point about sports topics I.Q. and say political topics I.Q., but we feel pretty comfortable in that department, regardless the page that our viewpoints land. As for the other political comments, first, as a lot of folks around these part will tell you, I've never been on the Trump bandwagon, even with my conservative views.
I believe Trump to be the lesser of the two evils in this election because I believe Hillary Clinton is a crook and in so far over her head, when she wins her nose is going to bleed for the first 90 days she's in office.
But you really believe that my viewpoints on Ms. Clinton and the inadequacies of Barack Obama's presidency have a connection to some dumb teenagers doing hateful things in Mississippi? Wow. I need to ask for a raise because my reach is far more reaching than I knew.
Now a a thinking point for you and all the wagon-circling folks that are so far to the left or the right that no matter what is written or said, you attack the messenger: You are every bit as divisive and hate-filled and insulting (re-read your email again) as Donald Trump.
Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes (5) passes under pressure from Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (38) in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Lubbock, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) From Jeremy
Isn't it amazing in the 2000's Mike Leach and Bob Knight were both at Texas Tech. What a beat to cover! What would be the best football-men's hoops duo to cover in your mind?
Jeremy -
Wow, what a great question.
There are a couple of things that we'd need to clear. First, while no beat writer worth his or her salt cheers for the team they are covering, you do root for good stories. And there's more interest when your team wins, so there's that. (Case in point: Rodney Allison was a great guy to deal with an very quotable, but covering UTC football loss after loss during that time made that a tough gig.)
Two, while Knight was certainly eventful, he also was a bully and an absolute jackwagon, especially to the media. So as great as Leach is - and his rant about Cubs fans earlier this week was hilarious - Knight would take away from that. (Side Rushmore: Leach's railings on the Cubs fans is here. http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/10/mike-leach-cubs-indians-world-series-every-yuppie-cubbies What would be the Rushmore of bandwagon sports fantasies? We think the Red Sox certainly make it. Who else?)
There have been a lot of success combos over the years recently. Think what was happening with Urban and Billy D at Florida or with Izzo and Dantonio at Michigan State. There are a lot of old school Southern combos that would have been hilarious. Think about covering Auburn in the 1980s with Dye and Sonny Smith or Bama with Bear and Wimp before that.
I guess if we could have had one, the craziness and the storylines from the Duke days when Steve Spurrier and Coach K, when he was building the Duke dynasty mind you, and before each of those cats really became a full-blown institution would have been awesome.
FILE - In this April 25, 2011, file photo, actor Morgan Freeman poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. Freeman said he was aboard his plane when it had to make an unexpected landing in Tunica, Miss., Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, but nobody was injured. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) From Stewwie
For the bag, can you answer the Rushmores from this week?
Stewwie -
Thanks, as always for keeping us on point. A much-needed reminder to close the Rushmore loop is always appreciated.
This week's topics:
Monday - Rushmore of movie presidents: We'll go with Michael Douglas as Andrew Shepard in "American President" as well as Kevin Kline in "Dave" and Morgan Freeman in that terrible asteroid movie. (And yes the movie was awful - not to be confused with the Oscar-snubbed 'Armagaddeon' with Bruce Willis. Hey, why has Bruce Willis not been the president in a movie? Still Morgan Freeman is Morgan flippin' Freeman so of course he's on the list.) Feel like we need to give a tip of the visor to Bruce Greenwood here since he was a really good JFK in "Thirteen Days" and was the president in the second "National Treasure" movie in which Nick Cage somehow steals something like the Statue of Liberty or something. Still, sorry Bruce, we'll give the last spot to Peter Sellers in "Dr. Strangelove."
Tuesday - Rushmore of old-school Halloween monsters: And we see MocTastic's point that truly old-school monsters should include Dracula, Frankenstein, the werewolf and potentially the mummy, so maybe we should have said 70s-80s old-school Halloween monsters. The first Freddie Kruger was terrifying, so he makes it. (And no, he's likely not as scary as just plain ol' Fred Kruger. Fred Kruger sounds like your dentist. Freddie Kruger? He haunts your dreams. Or managers the Braves. Or maybe both.) We'll go the devil himself as well as Mike Meyers - more than Jason, well, just because - and that flipping clown under the kid's bed in Poltergeist. That was a freaky movie. (Side note: The preacher walking up and down the sidewalk in Poltergeist II was also pretty darn scary.)
Wednesday - Rushmore of worst presidents of all time: We'll go James Buchanan, Warren Harding (although, to be fair, Harding was really bad, but he also had a lot to deal with because Woodrow Wilson, who assuredly is the most overrated president ever and expanded the reach of the federal government in ways we still feel today and in large part put us on track for the Great Depression seven years after his second term), Franklin Pierce, and a combo of Bush and Obama. Bush made so many mistakes, and Obama's biggest endeavor is the doomed ACA, which will be the albatross around his legacy. And to go a step farther, and this is how huge problems develop and manifest with the awfulness that has been the last 16 years of presidential ineffectiveness: Buchanan and Pierce, two surefire names on most lists like this were in office in back-to-back terms. Those terms preceded the Civil War.
Thursday - Rushmore of most painful losses ever: We'll go Buckner, the Kick Six (not for us mind you, but think what that one play did to an undefeated Bama, who would have toppled FSU for another national title), Jean van de Velde and Roberto de Vicenzo, who cost himself a chance at a Masters championship in 1968 by signing the wrong scorecard. Now that's painful.