Worth a Look!

I know it's been in vouge to blow off the NBA as unwatchable and lament the salad days of Magic, Larry and Michael, but last night I did watch...at least the 4th quarter of the Cleveland-Portland game. When I picked up the game, the Cavs were trailing and LeBron had 20 points going into the final stanza. 12 minutes of clock time later, the King had 37 points, knocked down 3 huge 3's in a 60 second span, and took one to the rack as time ran out to beat the Blazers by 1. With his left hand. On a reverse lay-up. From under the basket. With 3 guys on him and the entire Rose Garden knowing he was taking the shot.
AND I LOVED IT!
The Celtics are tops in the East....the Lakers are near the top in the West and the best player on the planet is along the Great Lakes. Sound familiar? They've got me taking a look....now PLEASE don't choke any coaches, shoot anybody or get in a fight with the fans!

Rocky's Rant

I've never seen Jim Brown carry 8 guys with him for the last half of a 40 yard TD run. I've never had the pleasure of watching guys like Ray Nitschke, Joe Green, or Chuck Bednarik punish not only opposing Quarterbacks, but anyone in an opposite color jersey on game day. But I am old enough to remember the guys who changed how my generation watched and routed for the game of Football. Guys like Elway, Montana, Marino, Sanders, and Favre changed the game itself...they will go down as timeless, but did the teams they played on have the same mystique? Today we have a team already staking their claim as the best this season...this decade...and possibly ever. The New England Patriots are one win away from making history. But in the timeless words of Lee Corso, Not so fast my friends! The Patriots have ALREADY made history, they are the first and only team to win 18 games without losing 1, they have a QB and WR who both set single season individual records for TD's, and a team that broke all major team records for Offense and points. So why can't we all agree that this IS the best team ever? Clearly the numbers speak for themselves...no other team has done what they have done on the field, and isn't that what really counts? I say yes, the best way to show how the Pats match up is to show what the other teams have done. For example, the '72 Dolphins were at the mercy of one of the weakest schedules in recent memory. They played NOBODY! The '85 Bears although suffocating on D, never dominated a team on offense the way Tom Brady and Randy Moss connect for an 80-yard bomb like its Madden '08. That was no more evident with the Bears then in their only loss to the Dolphins in '85. The Patriots struggled against teams this year, but never was it an entire phase of the game. They are so smart and so well coached that if Brady or Moss struggle, they are so deep and balanced on both sides of the ball that a Patriots win has become inevitable. They remind me of the 49ers team that went 14-2 that year, yes they dominated on both sides of the ball and had a stingy D led by gritty veterans, an underrated running game, a machine at QB, the greatest at WR, and of course the Wizard at the helm. But its so tough for me to put any team that lost a game, including the 49ers who lost to the Giants in the NFC Championship Game that year, ahead of a team who has yet to lose this year. There is no better TEAM then this year's Patriots; the way they prepare, practice, and execute as a unit is uncanny. They play the complete game of football and I can't see this team losing. So as of now I am ready to anoint this year's New England Patriots as the best team ever, yes ever. Of course, if they were to somehow lose to the Giants then we really have something to talk about...

Another Screwball from MLB

Baseball is at it again! At the precise moment that the game needs a feel good story, MLB decides it time to kill a 70 year tradition. As my good friend Curt Smith often says, "If Cooperstown didn't exist, you'd have to invent it! America's Valhalla!" Once a year, two major league clubs, often just major league uniforms with prospects, show up in Cooperstown to pay homage to the Grand Old Game. A chance to bring the game back to it's roots....at Abner Doubleday Field. One day. One bus trip. One shot to give back...for just two teams. With the rotation, a player would be "Lucky" to make the trip twice in his career. But this is two inconvenient for the league, or the players. Forget the 9500 people who plan there summer around the trip. Forget the intimacy of baseball in this tiny venue, next door to the steps where they all hope to be one day.
Of course, MLB has no problem playing regular season games in Mexico or Japan because we all know how "convenient" that is!

Dana's Back for More...

Nice to see ole Dana back at work after her alcohol raged rant against Notre Dame and Jesus Christ....Of course, the ND slam is one thing, the Jesus thing...let's just say I wouldn't want to be standing next to her during an electrical storm! The real issue here was where was the outrage? Did anyone at the event have the stones to stand up and slam her?
And as to the punishment...Rush Limbaugh comments on a perception of media bias towards Donavan McNabb...FIRED! Ben Wright discusses a woman's physical drawbacks in the golf swing....FIRED! Jimmy the Greek discusses (out in a club) genetics of the black athlete....FIRED! Kelly Tilghman mistakenly uses an offense term in discussing Tiger Woods' domination in golf....and gets the wrath of Rev. Al Sharpton while Tiger gets blasted by Jim Brown for not blasting his friend! Seems a bit inconsistent....

Billion Dollar Madness

Quick: Who is the head coach of the Washington Redskins? Right, I don't know either, but I do know who the offensive and defensive coordinators are: Jim Zorn and Greg Blache.

As said in Blazing Saddles: what in the wide, wide world of sports is a-going on here?

Has Redskins owner Daniel Snyder learned nothing? Despite what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones might think, you do not, I repeat, do not hire the assistants before you hire a head coach. Not only did Mr. Snyder independently hire the team's top two assistants, he is working on the rest of the coaching staff, sans head coach.

Memo to Mr. Snyder: make a decision on your head coach already! He has talked to everyone under the sun, including Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Mr. Snyder talked to not-so-heir-apparent Gregg Williams (a former Titans defensive coordinator) four times - four times - before throwing him out with the bathwater. Additionally, former Giants coach Jim Fassel interviewed for the gig, but came away saying he felt manipulated.

Wow.

There is no logic to defend Mr. Snyder's decision-making. He has essentially neutered any head coach he hires, not allowing the new coach to implement his philosophy with his guys. I am sure Mr. Snyder would not approve of someone doing to him what he is doing to his coach-to-be.

I will never question Mr. Snyder's desire to win. He wants to win...badly. But in his desire for success, his meddlesome methods have created chaos and confusion.

Mr. Snyder is a very, very successful businessman, but that is what he is, a businessman.

Leave the football decisions to the football people.

Honoring the Bear

This photo hangs prominently in my office as homage to the one of the greatest coaches the profession has ever scene, right beneath a framed Vince Lombardi. The Bear died 25 years ago tomorrow and on today's show, we'll take a moment to remember him with 3 of his boys from the '78 National Championship team...Marty Lyons, Barry Krauss and Murray Legg, who all played a huge roll in one of the most famous plays in Alabama history, The Goal Line Stand, in the '79 Sugar Bowl against Penn St.
After Lyons advised Nittany Lions QB Chuck Fusina to "Pass the ball", Penn St. tried to go over the top on 4th and inches at the goal line. Krauss met running back Mike Guman in mid air and Murray Legg came in to clean it up and history was made. ESPN called it one of the ten best plays in college football history, and these three amigos will join us today at 5:00 Central Time to talk about that and the man they called Coach...

She Said What? About Who?

ESPN anchor Dana Jacobsen got loose at the Mike and Mike in the Morning roast on January 12th and is just getting called on the carpet for it now. The fact that ESPN dragged it's feet on this is a complete discussion on it's own...the fact that nobody has been talking about it until now is appalling! What did she say?
After coming to the podium swigging Vodka, she took on the Alma Mater of Mike Golic...with Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis in the crowd. "F...Notre Dame! F...Touchdown Jesus! F...Jesus!"
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? She's not talking about Jesus Alou here. We're talking King of Kings...Lamb of Lamb...Feeding the masses with a loaf of bread and a fish Guy! Word is that Jacobsen is a Jew, but what does that matter? Do you really want to temp THAT GUY?
And this slides under the radar? What if it was F...Tiger? Fired! Or F...Mohammad? A Fatwa for sure! You think ESPN and the media would be all over this then? And where was Weis making a stink? For that matter, where is REVEREND Al Sharpton and REVEREND Jesse Jackson on the warpath? Is race a bigger issue than Jesus for these men?

Eli's Comin'....

A funny thing happened on the way to the NFL's dream match-up of Favre and the Pack against the Perfect Pats...Eli Manning decided it was time to come of age. Not in that, "Hop on my back, boys" kind of way. More like the, "I'm guiding this ship, and not making any mistakes" kind of way.
As for the Packers in general and Brett Favre in particular, a magical season ends with a thud as this epic game became "Bizarro-World". Brett Favre fails down the stretch and Plaxico Burress comes up clutch? It seemed that the "Lambeau Mystique" was in full form as the Packers got numerous breaks, but in the end, it was Manning and the Giants who pulled through with a Third Time is the Charm kick.
So now we get Yankees-Red Sox...in reverse, with the Patriots in the roll of "Evil Empire". For the Giants, this would be an improbable win...like being down 3 games to none...and down to your last out....against Mariano Rivera...How did that work out? You know what they say about payback!

Perfect Patriots

The Colts had their chances. The Eagles, Ravens, Giants, Jags and Chargers did, too.

Led Zeppelin was not talking about the New England Patriots when they wrote "The Song Remains The Same", but the song rings true.

The Pats are 18-0 after their 21-12 win over San Diego and are just a Super Bowl XLII victory away from the greatest season in NFL history, maybe the greatest season in professional sports history. It is a forgone conclusion that New England will win the Super Bowl, joining the ranks of the few.

All the aforementioned teams had opportunites to beat the Pats, all failed. The Chargers played inspired and forced Tom Brady into his worst game of the season. Regardless, San Diego could not put the ball in the endzone, limited to four field goals. For New England this was nothing new.

For the Patriots, the song remains the same.

If the offense lags - which it rarely does - the defense comes up big. If the defense is playing poorly, the offense just scores more often. It does not matter the day, the weather or the opponent: the Patriots just want it more and are never tame.

You may love 'em, or you may hate 'em, but you gotta respect them. The Patriots are the best we have seen, and they will prove it again, not coming up lame.

On Feb. 3, the Patriots will carry a familar tune - and garner all the fame.

Thanks for Your Concern...

Just a note to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers for my wife. I left the show abruptly on Friday at 4:00 when I got word that Allyn had been rushed to the hospital after passing out twice while picking up the kids at school. At one point she had stopped breathing for about :30 seconds. The folks at Williamson Medical Center did a tremendous job thoroughly checking her out and determined she had a viral infection and a case of vertigo. She was released Friday night and is doing fine.
Huge props to Jonathan Shaffer and "Meat" for doing a tremendous job bring the show in without a hitch!

Say What?

At first I just blew it off as baseball just being baseball. But the more I think about Bud Selig's three year extension, the infuriated I get! This man has presided over what may be the second darkest time in the sport, only surpassed by the Black Sox gambling scandal of 1919. He canceled a World Series, gave us the longest work stoppage ever, and called an All-Star game a tie.
They knew the game was dirty in the '90's and looked the other way. The owners made money on a dirty game, and Selig is rewarded with an extension. This is the perfect time to take the game in another direction. To get this bumbling idiot out and bring in fresh blood to turn the wave of cynicism that corrupts the sport this country loves. Baseball is cocky and arrogant, and has no problem flaunting it. This extension mocks every last dwindling fan of the game. End the Juiced Era, by ending Bud's reign.

Can Dinger do for "10" what he did for "9"?

It appears all but certain that Mike Heimerdinger will return to the Titans to take over an offense that has sputtered the last two seasons. Of course, the centerpiece of that offense is Vince Young who some, including ESPN's Merrill Hoge, think is unfixable. The fact is, Dinger brings a hammer to town, and is known to be a fiery guy. Brad Hopkins was quoted in the Tennessean as saying, "It is going to be interesting to see how Vince responds — if he is as sensitive as we think he is — to a (butt)-chewing". Personally, I think Young will respond fine, if he is the champion I think he is. Heimerdinger helped Steve McNair become a league MVP, but arrived after McNair has become established and won an AFC title. He's also worked with Jay Cutler the past couple of years and now gets a hodge-podge of talent in Young that needs discipline and direction.
Unlike Hoge, I refuse to believe that the Titans, "Made a mistake" taking Young. Matt Lienart has done nothing to date and Cutler has shown flashes, but has done less with more talent and an offensive guru head coach. Vince wants to win desperately. Dinger wants to win. Jeff Fisher wants to win. Young didn't get Norm Chow fired. It was time for a "New direction" and Mike Heimerdinger will set the course.

Major Decision

Major Applewhite grew up an Alabama fan. His daddy named him after Bama star Major Olgivie. But a funny thing happened on the way to playing for the Crimson Tide....they didn't want him. With no offer from Alabama, Applewhite headed for UT....no, not that UT, the burnt orange of the University of Texas. Applewhite was a record setting QB there, and then lost his job to a kid named Simms. And whenever Chris Simms faltered it was Applewhite to the rescue. He was/is a beloved figure in Longhorn country, and now they may get him back. Offensive coordinator at Alabama to running backs coach at Texas? Well, what if it's 'Assistant Head Coach'? Mack Brown won't be around for ever, and Nick Saban is just settling in at Bama.
Applewhite has to be careful to not be viewed a coaching mercenary..Texas would be his 5th stop in 5 years, but, as a wise man from Arkansas once said of his Alma mater..."Mama's callin'"....

Can't Run, Can't Win....By Thom Abraham

Dare I say it again? If you can't run the ball, you can't win. The Colts had nearly 450 yards of offense Sunday against the Chargers, but only 44 on the ground and now San Diego, not Indy, is off to New England. Oh, I know, you're thinking, "Who throws it more than the Pats?" But New England ran it for 145 Yards Saturday night, a 5.0 yard per carry clip.
Many questions now remain for the Colts. Should they have shut it down in the final week of the regular season? Did Peyton Manning choke? Will Tony Dungy return? Is this the end of the Colts domination of the AFC South?
Still, it was amazing to see San Diego, minus Philip Rivers, LT and Antonio Gates, go down the field for the winning touchdown and their first road playoff win since the 'Winslow game' in '82 against Miami. Congrats to beleaguered Norv Turner as well. He has keep this team together and has them playing ferocious football. It was also 'Football Justice' since some very questionable calls went against them in the 1st half....
BTW.....they're going to get ripped in New England...just thought I'd add that...

A Real Hero!...By Thom Abraham

An aging veteran, his game in decline for several years, emerges at age 38 better than ever....yeah, right! Well, I think we've found the genuine article in Green Bay. Oh, I am fully aware we are in the age of Barry and Roger and other late bloomer Boomers, but this guy is the real deal! I know Brett Favre had his bout with Vicatin early on in his career, but to watch this guy perform is what draws millions to sports...Favre's 3 TD, 0 INT, 137 rating in the snow Saturday was punctuated with an old school Favrian moment; the stumbling underhanded flip for a first down, and then playful Brett throwing snowballs at record-setting Ryan Grant. Long live Brett Favre... I'm with Madden on this one!

Bad words...Bad punishment....by Thom Abraham

Kelly Tilghman said a stupid thing. Actually, it was a thoughtless thing...thoughtless is the sense that she didn't tie the words she was using to make a point to the target of her point. Being glib with Golf Channel co-anchor Nick Faldo, and trying to explain the death grip her friend Tiger Woods has on golf, she quipped that the young guys on tour should, "Lynch him in a back alley" Oops, she forgot Tiger was black...at least partially black. Being in the business of delivering the live word, I know how easy it is to get loose with the tongue. Tilghman apologized on air and then apologized to Tiger, who said it was a "non-issue". And that was the end of it.
But then Al Sharpton said it was an issue. Akin to Sharpton saying "Woman should be raped" or "Jews should be in a Gas Chamber" . And now the Golf Channel has suspended Tilghman for two weeks without pay. Ironically, she'll return for the Buick Invitational, Tiger's first tournament of the year.
We are led to believe that using the "Lynch" comment would have been OK if discussing Jack Nicklaus, and if she just said, "Tying up" Tiger that would have been fine. But Kelly Tilghman forgot Tiger was black...because she just sees him as a friend. She forgot to label him...so thanks to the Al Sharptons of the world for reminding for reminding us NOT to be colorblind...

Right Time, Wrong Place?...by Thom Abraham

The good news is that the Tennessee Titans seem to be on the rise. The defense is young and athletic, and if Albert Haynesworth is retained, can dominate again in '08. Vince Young can lead an offense that needs a game breaker, but has a solid line and a workhorse back in LenDale White. And Jeff Fisher is clearly one of the top coaches in the league...
The bad news is....the AFC South may have the best foursome of teams since the divisional realignment. The Colts aren't going anywhere anytime soon, the Jags look to be ahead of the Titans and Houston seems ready to breakout. The only thing that separated the 10-6 Titans and the 8-8 Texans was Tennessee's sweep of their Houston half-brothers. The fact is, the Titans would have won the NFC South or West, maybe the AFC North, and would have been no worse than 2nd in the AFC East or West, or the NFC East or North. Such is life in the NFL. The Titans could be better in '08 than they were in '07, and still battle for the final playoff spot...

It's an SEC World...by Thom Abraham

So it's as we thought it was. The SEC finishes the Bowl season 7-2 and with a second straight National Championship. Ohio St. was only slightly better than last season surrendering 31 straight points after building an early 10-0 lead. Congrats to Les Miles who did a tremendous job getting his team ready and managing the game. In the coming years, we'll find out how he does with his own players (10 of the starting 11 on defense were Saban recruits), but for now, he is the King of the college football world. How ironic for Miles the Michigan Man, to get his championship by beating Ohio St...
In years past, we would have been left to decide who the best 2 loss team in the country was...USC, Georgia, Ohio St. or LSU...but for now, a convoluted system tells us the Boys from the Bayou are the best...

Thom Abraham's pick for tonight....

I'm staying on the SEC and LSU for tonight's game, 27-17. That's under the total on the game of 471/2 and is an LSU cover since the line is 31/2. I'm 7-2 in my posted picks against the spread this Bowl season and am looking for SEC like domination! Good luck and enjoy the game!

Lost Opportunity...By Thom Abraham

The Titans completely dominated the first half in San Diego Sunday and for the effort, they went to the locker room with a 6-0 lead. Not 21-0, not 17-0, 14-0, 13-0 or even 9-0...6-0! Two field goals and a Red Zone fumble had squandered another suffocating first half defensive effort. And before the Titans touched the ball in the second half, the Chargers had the lead.
The real question is, as a major underdog, and with no pressure, why did the Titans play it so tight? Oh, I saw the gimmicky swinging gate play to open the game, and the how they tossed it around early on, but with a three point lead in the 2nd quarter, the play calling became all too predictable. And with a chance to deliver a blow at the end of the first half, the Titans made zero effort to attack the end zone. They simply moved the ball in to range for an all too familiar FG and a harmless lead.
All in all, this was a season of growth for the Titans, but tomorrow is never guaranteed in the NFL, and the Titans lost an opportunity live on in this playoff season. The common refrain is that the Titans need a play-maker or two on offense and some depth on "D". They also need a dose of offensive courage to take advantage of what they've got...

Wild Wildcard Saturday...

The NFL playoffs got off to a wild start on Saturday in Seattle and Pittsburgh, as the Seahawks and Jaguars advanced. In Seattle, Washington had a golden opportunity with a one point lead and the ball at the Seahawk 11 in the 4th quarter. No TD, and a shanked field goal gave a lift to Seattle, and Matt Hasselback cashed in. The score is deceiving do to two late interceptions for TDs. For the Redskins, the reality of losing a friend and teammate may now sink in a second time as they clean out their lockers...

In Pittsburgh, the Steelers fell behind early as Ben Rothliesberger played catch with the Jags defense. In the second half, after falling behind by 18, the Steelers rallied, and then made a critical error from the sideline. And I have a phone call in to Shaffer to document this as a first guess, not second! With 10:25 left in the game, the Steelers pulled within 5 and went for 2. It wasn't worth the risk from the 3 and it certainly wasn't worth it from the 13 after a holding penalty nullified a completion to Hines Ward. When they took the one point lead minutes later, they had to go for 2, and ran an extremely unimaginative fade that never had a chance. What should have been a 3 point lead was 1, and soon, the Steelers season was over. Congrats to the Jags, and you've got to believe the Patriots will now be Titans fans for a day....because no one really wants Jax right now....

Announcers Mean A LOT

Am I the only one who will actually turn to a different channel if the broadcasters are boring or boorish? It happens frequently. When I change stations, I often do not come back.

Thom Brenneman? Matt Vasgersian? Seriously? These guys are doing BCS games? How tasteless was Vasgersian saying - and I am paraphrasing, but accurately - that you could smell the couch cushions from Morgantown? It was a pathetic attempt at being funny.

The only good thing about FOX doing the games on TV is that ESPN had its best announcers on radio, such as Ron Franklin, Brad Nessler and, yes, Brent Musburger. My man crush on Ron Franklin grows with each bowl season.

Here is my point: just call the freakin' game. I was delighted to hear Pat Summerall calling the Cotton Bowl. While Summerall was not as smooth as in the past, I found myself wanting to watch the game because of him. I remember the glory days, "...back to throw...fires...touchdown!" Smooth, simple and savory.

Don't forget, TV announcers, we can SEE the game. I know it is an I-formation or three-wide or pro set. Follow Summerall's example: Let the action speak, not you.

I cannot forget the color analysts. Advice: When a big play happens, shut up until the crowd crescendos, then talk. Nothing sounds better than hearing the home crowd and feeling the energy. Gone are the days of the iconic call, mostly because color analysts can't hold their tongue for 5 freakin' seconds.

Play-by-play and color commentating are lost art forms, and the losers are the fans...

And Gus Johnson needs to stop screaming.

Moment of Truth...or Just a Moment?

Many are pointing at Vince Young's playoff debut Sunday as the moment of truth for the Franchise Quarterback. After all, he shines on the Big Stage, right? Didn't he single-handily beat Michigan and USC in the Rose Bowl? On the same day? Well maybe not that part, but clearly this is what the Titans had in mind when they drafted him out of Texas two years ago. Before we get too carried away, lets check the facts...yes, Vince is shuffling off to Cali once again, but this is San Diego, not Pasadena, and he'll do it with out his top two receivers and his starting tight end. Half of his completions for the entire season won't dress out...plus his center, Kevin Mawhe hasn't been healthy in weeks, and the Vince himself has a bum wheel. I know it sounds like excuses, but facts are stubborn things. If he pulls this one off, someone better go to Reggie Bush's house and rip that Heisman he stole in '05!

Big 12 Redemption...ACC in the Dumps

The Kansas Jayhawks did what the Oklahoma Sooners could not, and that was prove the Big 12 belonged in the Big time. After the conference champ was whacked by the Big East Champ, the 3rd place Jayhawks beat the ACC Champ Virginia Hokies. Now the negative spotlight shines on the ACC, which has had an awful Bowl season. How's that whole Miami, Va Tech, BC thing working out now? Add to that the slippage by perennial champ Florida St. and what are you left with? A win by Wake Forrest! Maybe David Cutcliff knows what he's doing taking the Duke gig; this league is ripe for some fresh blood!

Fooled Again!

Just when you think you have this college football thing figured out, a bunch of Mountaineers with an interim coach go blow out highly (over)rated Oklahoma. None of it added up. Oklahoma had won the Big 12 Title again by beating a good Missouri team for the second time this season. People we're talking about how they would be tough in a playoff, and how the AP might consider them for a split National Title. West Virginia had won that much maligned Big East, and blew a shot at the Title game with a loss to un-ranked Pitt....AT HOME! Then, their heralded coach traded Mountain Maize and Blue for Michigan Maize and Blue (where they would never wear Maize and Maize), and the program was turned over to some guy named Bill Stewart (above). So the rout was on, right? Yeah, the rout of Oklahoma! The Oklahoma defense was completely out manned, showing a lack of speed and tackling, much like they had in the Texas Tech game, and in the 4th quarter against Colorado. You can bet OU will be ranked in the top 5 in the pre-season polls in August, just to fool us all again next January....

Can we do this again....with USC and Georgia!

Yeah, this BCS thing works great! Two things were certainties this bowl season...USC would run Illinois out of Pasadena and Hawai'i didn't belong anywhere with the Big Boys...so we got 8 straight hours of blowout, non-competitive football on New Year's night. We were left to daydream about a true heavyweight battle, like USC-Georgia....with the winner to play the Ohio St.-LSU winner for all the marbles....but hey, the Rose Bowl got their Big 10-PAC 10 game!

Best Games
Florida and Michigan put on quite a show, with the Wolverines playing their best game of the season. The Michigan D put continued pressure on Tim Tebow which proved to be Superman's Kryptonite. The real surprise was the ease with which Michigan moved the ball. Hart, Henne and Manningham never looked better. It was very odd to see Rich Rodriguez on the sideline, wearing his Michigan gear. I wonder how those West Virginia kids felt seeing that with a game yet to play in the Fiesta Bowl tonight? Pretty low and thoughtless on RR's part.
Texas Tech got over on Virginia in a game no one saw...on TV or in person, based on the crowd shots. How is it that Nashville can sell out the Music City Bowl in a matter of minutes and the Gator Bowl, on New Year's Day and with all that history, is half empty? Tech got a late gift from Virginia and won it on a last minute field goal.

Vols get 10
Congrats to the Vols for getting their 10th win of the season with a gutsy win over Wisconsin. Eric Ainge redeemed his SEC Championship Game performance and the defense played well. Both teams overcame shaky play calling in the Red Zone to keep this game close. Gerald Jones is a bonafide Star in the making and UT's challenge will be to come up with ways to get him touches. If Lucas Taylor gets his act together, what was a weakness for the Vols coming into this season (receivers) with be a strength in '08. Jonathan Crompton is ready to take over the controls at QB; now Tennessee has to shore up that defense.