The Bloom of the Rose

In this age of instant gratification, the life of a head football coach, especially in the SEC, is filled with the stress of having to produce W’s, regardless of the circumstances.

I have written about this topic, on this site, a few times.

That brings us to this Saturday Night.

Stuck Inside of Nashville with the Baton Rouge Blues Again

North Carolina 30  Tennessee 27 (2 OT)

Music City Bowl | 30 Dec 2010 | LF Field (Nashville) | 69,143

Recap | Boxscore | Play-by-play | Drive Chart

*

And here I sit so patiently

Waiting to find out what price

You have to pay to get out of

Going through all these things twice.

A Fumble and a Fake Punt

Tennessee 24  Kentucky 14

27 Nov 2010 | Neyland Stadium | 101,170

Recap | Boxscore | Play-by-play | Drive Chart

*****

Everything changed with a fumble.

This Win’s For You

Kentucky vs. Tennessee | 27 Nov 2010 | Neyland Stadium

12:21 pm EST | SEC Network/ESPN3.com

Let’s not forget what Saturday really is.

Kevin Cooper, Chad Cunningham, Savion Frazier, Gerald Jones, Daniel Lincoln, Ben Martin, Denarius Moore, Nick Reveiz, Jerrod Shaw, Luke Stocker, Victor Thomas, LaMarcus Thompson, Chris Walker, Gerald Williams, and Tyler Wolf.

These are the senior lettermen. These are The Group That Never Quit, so eloquently named by senior wide receiver Gerald Jones.

Marinating 25 with 517 for your Thanksgiving Feast

Here we are once again, in anticipation of facing a long-standing adversary who would like a win more than oxygen to live. The Kentucky Wildcats desperately want to erase a slate currently littered with embarrassing numbers. We had better be ready and equipped with our A-game.

Rough Cut

Tennessee 50  Memphis 14

06 Nov 2010 | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium | 39,742

Recap | Boxscore | Play-by-play | Drive Chart

One of the most fascinating art exhibits I’ve seen included several unfinished sculptures of Michelangelo in Florence. It’s one thing to see the finished product, but it’s quite another experience to see a piece of marble that has been only partially cut – one from which the human form is partially poking through the rawness of the native rock, showing the immense but still unrealized potential of the raw cut. It leaves one contemplating the possibilities.

Call me a dreamer, but that was the image that came to mind as the first half was coming to an end Saturday night in Memphis.

Brainstorming the Blazers

UAB vs. Tennessee | 25 Sep 2010 | Neyland Stadium

12:21pm EDT | local TV and ESPN3.com

Feels a little like a bye week, which is a dangerous way to feel. But, yet it does.

Oregon vs Tennessee: It Feels Like Rain

Oregon vs. Tennessee | 11 Sep 2010 | Neyland Stadium

7:00pm EDT | ESPN2 and ESPN3.com

I’ve been looking forward to this one for some time, as I love intersectional games. One of the most exciting, dynamic football programs comes to Knoxville Saturday night as the defending Pac-10 champions, ranked #7 in the AP poll (#8 in the Coaches’ poll). This year’s starting squad brings 17 out of 22 back from last season. More than relying on just experience, the Ducks kill their prey with speed and physical play within a very disciplined construct on both sides of the ball, including special teams. They are simply very, very good in every facet of the game.

The Streak Turns Silver

Recap /   Box Score /  Play-by-Play /  Drive Chart

The self-proclaimed biggest game ever played for a generation of Kentucky football fans in front of 70,981 turned into more of the same Saturday night:

1. A dog-fight of a Boarder-State Rivalry War; and
2. A Tennessee victory.

With a win on Saturday, Kentucky would have fulfilled a string of significant accomplishments for their improving program under coach Rich Brooks.

• An 8-4 regular season, the first 8-win regular season since 1984.
• A second place finish in the SEC East for the first time since the realignment of the conference in 1992 and best SEC finish since 1977 (when they tied for first with Alabama).
• A likely New Years’ Day bowl date for the first time since the 1998 season (Outback Bowl, Jan 1, 1999 vs Penn State).
• And perhaps, most importantly, an end to The Streak – 24 consecutive losses to their bitter, long-time, border state rival.

But, would have didn’t materialize.

And that was a d*mn good answer :)

So the TV crew is interviewing fans during pre-game festivities about their thoughts on the Tennessee / Vanderbilt rivalry.   A gentleman dressed in black and gold made the following comment:

” the Vandy UT rivalry is all about pride. And about what is best for Tennessee.. and shows the best for Tennesse”

And a gentleman dressed in Orange standing next to him replied:

“And that was a damn good answer”

Putting Memphis to Bed

Before we move on to the work of the week, let’s put this week behind us by tucking the Memphis Tigers in bed. Here’s a few thoughts too important to forget.

(1) Alabama 12 Tennessee 10: Game Summary

Attendance (Bryant-Denny Stadium):  92,012

Recap /   Box Score /  Play-by-Play /  Drive Chart

I’m back. Somewhat rested. Still wondering what to make of it all. But in the spirit of moving forward, here’s the game recap, possession by possession.

But first, a word from our… Oops. Technical difficulties. Do not try to adjust your set. Or your headset…

Right before kickoff, it becomes apparent that the Tennessee coaching staff is discussing the possible sabotage of their headsets. Yes, it is just a coincidence, I’m sure. Faulty wiring or just a bad connector. Right. So the officials rule that both teams’ staffs must remove the headsets until the “problem is fixed.” The “problem” is “fixed” after only a couple of plays.

A red rat chewing through a wire no doubt…