VOLS TO FACE THE MUSIC
It's an unlikely Music City Bowl matchup that would have been difficult to peg in August.
Before suspensions and dismissals, North Carolina looked like the pride of the ACC and had a defense talented enough to make a BCS run. After an offseason of turmoil at Tennessee - can you believe it was less than a year ago when Lane Whatshisname ran off in the middle of the afternoon - a bowl game was a long shot at best.
Well, here we are, and here are the three things that the 5-at-10 is watching for tonight:
- How prepared are the Vols? This will give us a good idea how good of a game coach Derek Dooley is. Bowl games can show which coaches can get a team ready to play and have a great game plan when given a month to prepare.
- Is Tyler Bray ready to take the next step? This will be by far the best defense Bray has seen as a starter. How the freshman preforms will give us a good idea if his November to remember was a precursor of Bray's brilliance or simply an OK quarterback lighting up bad competition.
- Can these seniors finish with a win? This senior class - Nick Reveiz, Luke Stocker, Gerald Jones, et al - has persevered through the most difficult time in UT history. Three head coaches in three years; four offensive coordinators in four years; Fulmer being fired and Kiffin running West. If this group can manage to finish with a win tonight - and a 7-6 record - that'd be pretty cool for them.
Wes Rucker: Vols, Tar Heels look to end tough years with Music City Bowl win
SERIOUSLY TUCKER
Fox News was bashing the president the other night - I know that's hardly breaking news. But this event took a turn.
Hosting a show on Fox News earlier this week, Tucker Carlson had this to say about President Obama supporting Mike Vick's return to NFL glory after his time in prison for his involvement in dogfighting. Hold on Virginia.
"I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances," Carlson said on the show. "But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did [it] in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the president of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs?"
C'mon Tucker? Really? Executed? We all threw up our hands and bemoaned Vick's awful transgressions, but executed?
Hey Tucker, shut up.
AP: Tucker Carlson: Vick 'should have been 'executed'
GEORGIA TALENT
Did you see the Georgia football story in today's Times Free Press? Well, our Bulldogs ace David Paschall dropped this jewel out there: "Receiver A.J. Green, tackle Trinton Sturdivant, guard Cordy Glenn, outside linebacker Justin Houston, cornerback Brandon Boykin, kicker Blair Walsh and punter Drew Butler each will decide after the bowl whether or not to bypass his senior season for a chance at the NFL. These players have been asked, some almost daily, about their impending choices and insist they are focused on Friday."
If I'm Johny Georgia Fan, I have two questions this morning:
First, who spells Johny with only one 'n' anyway? Second, you mean to tell me that our Dawgs have seven juniors realistically considering the NFL draft, and all we could do was go 6-6? Gross.
David Paschall: NFL decision looms for some Bulldogs
MARYLAND MAKING MOVES?
At first, the 5-at-10 was puzzled at the number of flashy names being tossed about in regard to the Maryland football gig.
Mike Leach (who reportedly was back at College Park for a second interview today), Gus Malzahn and June Jones are a few of the offensive whiz kids that have been mentioned, and it was puzzling to think why some of these cats would want to go to Maryland, a basketball-first school that just forced out the ACC coach of the year.
The first answer is $3.5 million - the rumored salary being tossed around. The second answer is UnderArmour - the apparel company that was founded by a Maryland alum who has pledge to help turn the fortunes of the Terrapins' football program.
Don't undervalue that commitment from a sporting goods company. I mean, 10 years ago who would have guessed the Oregon Ducks would be in the national championship game. UnderArmour may not be Nike, but the Nike infusion is a major reason why the Ducks will play for it all in less than two weeks.
AP: Auburn's Malzahn could be a candidate for Maryland position
GOOD THING THE SEC IS GOOD AT FOOTBALL
Did you catch a glimpse of the SEC basketball scoreboard last night. It was not pretty.
The Tennessee Vols escaped with a 68-62 win against a 4-10 UT-Martin that lost to Ohio State by 60 (Yes, 60) earlier this week.
South Carolina escaped with a 56-49 win over Jacksonville State.
Auburn escaped with an 88-84 overtime win over a Georgia Southern team that is 4-10. GSU scored 51 second-half points to force the extra period.
Rice beat LSU 74-68, and St. Mary's drubbed Mississippi State 94-72.
Sure Vandy beat Marquette by a point and Arkansas thumped N.C. A&T, but the SEC does not look good and bids may be scarce - especially in the West Divison, where no one looks like a tournament team right now.