Next Urban Meyer....or Mike Shula

Some say Mike Hamilton panicked with the hire of Lane Kiffin to be the Volunteers 22nd head coach...that he comes cheap and easy. I say, "Not so fast, my friends". Lane Kiffin may be short on head coaching experience with nothing but a miserable tenure under a miserable owner in Oakland, but look at the entire body of work. At USC he was a tireless recruiter and the offensive coordinator of an outstanding team. A team that doesn't run the Arena offenses of the Big 12, but a pro style offense found in most of the SEC. Speaking of pro style, he also brings the father of the 'Tampa Two' defense, and, ironically, his own father, Monte Kiffin who will take an already very good unit and make it better. And, maybe Coach "O" as in Orgeron as well. Orgeron had tremendous recruiting classes at Ole Miss, and got that job off his reputation as a recruiting with....USC. Polls are showing Vols fans to be split on this move...but many are just stuck in the Fulmer mud of the past few years...embrace this guy, Tennessee fan; I think you've got a winner here!

Brothers from another Mother?

I know this may be upsetting for Tennessee Titans fans that also bleed the Orange and White of UT, but facts are stubborn things, and the top team in the NFL and the top team in College football are nearly identical. The obvious is the Titans are 8-0 and the Tide are 9-0. What is amazing is that they both get it done with veteran QBs who don't make mistakes and come up big when needed. They both have smothering, fearsome defenses, and running games that will physically hurt you. They both play best with a lead and almost always control the game from the onset. Finally, check the men at the top. Both DBs in there playing careers, both steady and defensive minded; and both considered among the best in their leagues. Call 'em the Alabama Titans or the Tennessee Tide, because these two go hand in hand...

Big 12 v. SEC?

Is it time to open a discussion on whether the Big 12 has passed the SEC as the premier college football conference in the land? When Texas beat conference foe Oklahoma, the Longhorns vaulted Alabama into the number 1 slot. With Texas Tech, Oklahoma St. and Missouri joining OU and Texas nearly half of the top 11 teams in the nation are out of the Big 12. The SEC has 3 in the top 9, and 5 in the top 25. Kansas gives the Big 12 it's 6th team in the poll.

As impressive as all this is, as I watched the OU/Texas game from the Georgia press box, I kept telling myself that those offenses would not be doing that in the SEC. I kept recalling Alabama smothering Texas Tech's 50 point a game offense a few years ago in the Cotton Bowl. Certainly, there is great concern in Knoxville and on the Plain, but I'd still put Bama, Georgia, Florida and LSU on the field with anyone. Certainly with Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State....

Unacceptable!

Forget the missed chip shot FG....And that blocked punt? A critical error, but offset by Nevin McKensie's interception for a TD. If you're looking for a place to lame the blame for this season opening dud, lay it at the feet of the coaching staff...including new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson. A veteran line....two stud backs. Pound the Rock. I guess it's just lip service. In a tight game that UT is leading throughout, they should NEVER throw more than run the ball. 34 running plays for nearly 200 yards. 5.2 a pop. So why not run it 50 times. Can't do that? Why not? Alabama did and stole Clemson's manhood in the process. UT needed to do the same. Don't make Jonathan Crompton throw it 42 times...he's not that guy! And for the record, every time UT dropped back to pass was good for 4.5 yards a play. Do the math...this isn't rocket science.
Norm Chow made the adjustments; Rick Neuhiesel settled his team...and his boys played with passion. And speaking of the blocked punt, why do Special Teams coordinators feel the need to ticker with punt protection? 5 guys with 2' splits, 2 wings, 2 flyers and a personal protector. It has worked forever, every NFL team uses it, stop jerking with it. This was a total team collapse and it begins with the guys in the khaki slacks...

Now Can He Carry an Entire Team?

OK, so it's over. Brett Favre is a New York Jet. Now the first inclination is to say, "I guess the Packers showed him!" But this Jets team is only one season removed from being a playoff team. Plus they added offensive lineman Damien Woody and Alan Fanica. And Bubba Franks. Lavernaus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery don't suck as receivers. Thomas Jones needs to step up at running back and Leon Washington is a playmaker. Now the Jets defense won't be confused with the crew in Green Bay, but I believe the Jets just put themselves in the Wild Card race in the AFC. And with Chad Pennington's release, Eric Ainge can have his familiar number 10 back!
Note: the Jets will be at LP Field on November 23rd in a game that could have playoff implications for both teams...

Nice Stadium...Not so Nice Place...

Wow. What a beautiful stadium they've built in Bejing. But on the eve of the Summer Olympics, I'm having a real problem balancing this historic sports happening and the "Celebration" of "Chinese Pride". Proud of what? Atrocities against human kind? Tibet? Tiananmen Square? Mao the Murderer? The Olympics often turn into a glorification of the host city or region, but how can any red blooded freedom lover not feel a bit put back by all of this. 40 years ago John Carlos and Tommy Smith made a statement about how they felt America treated there own people of color. Here's hoping that someone, anyone, makes a stand...like the Tank Man in the Square...

Sports' Most Tragic Figure?

OK, "Tragic" is a strong word. But in a sports sense....and not in a Barbaro, Dale Earnhardt, life and death type tragic, Greg Norman may be sports' most tragic figure. Oh, I get the big picture; Norman finishing 3rd at the Open is an incredible achievement...but....leading going into the final round...again....tied for the lead with 6 holes to play...and finish 6 strokes back! Thankfully, Paddy Harrington fired a 69 to WIN it, not a 73 to slide in, but I truly felt the golf gods owed Norman one here. This was going to be payback for all the grace and class he had shown in so many failures. He hadn't led going into the final day of a major since the Masters...the one where he....blew...a...6 stroke lead on the final day. Yet, for all the drama and fairytale this win would be...it wasn't meant to be. For us, and ABC, this was much better than him shooting 80-80 and getting ready for the Senior British next week, but I wonder how the Shark feels about that? Classy as always, he'll never say...