So Much for Rumors

Tennessee Volunteers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

Music City Bowl | LP Field (69,143 capacity)

Thursday 30 December 2010 | 6:40 EST | ESPN

*****

For many days, it was a foregone conclusion that Tennessee would be headed to Nashville for their first Music City Bowl appearance. But rumors from ‘insiders’ started to sprout on Saturday like flowers in May — the Vols were headed to Jacksonville on New Year’s Day for their reward of a perfect November.

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.

Will the Goalposts Come Down?

I had the Rolling Stones’ song When the Whip Come Down rattling around in my head all Thanksgiving Day. I think I know why – it started to morph into Will the ‘Posts Come Down?

Kentucky (7-4/3-4) is due to break their losing streak of 24 against the Vols (6-5/3-4).

The Beer Barrel Trophy: An Old Symbol Of An Old Rivalry. Can We Please Bring It Back?

During the period 1985-2008, the ‘Cats are 0-24 by a total score of 911-400 and an average score per game of 38-17. The Vols shutout the ‘Cats four times and held them to under 10 points an additional four times. Tennessee scored over 50 points seven times. Five of those seven 50-plus games were in consecutive seasons (1996-2000).

But, all good things come to an end. The streak will be broken sooner or later. I’m just not ready. I’d rather see 2009 anointed as the silver anniversary of the last Kentucky win of the Beer Barrel (where in the hell is that thing now anyway?).

I May Hate Your Team, But At Least We Can Mingle

This picture of fans at the 2007 Tennessee-Kentucky game struck me as I looked at it again a couple of days ago.

Vol fans intermingle with Wildcat fans at Commonwealth Stadium in 2007.

Two sets of fans that pretty much despise each other’s schools sitting right next to each other with no apparent trouble.

We take this for granted.

I used to.

I don’t anymore.