While I understand why some of you will take a shot at anything MCG says, I would have to say I disagree with you on this one. I don't recall MCG saying anything about tradition being the comparison he was making. That was your input. I'm not going to discuss the Tradition aspect. I took it that he was comparing a program that was on some down times, that a star player from the past, both QB's by the way, came home to take over the program. That the atmosphere was electric and that the favorite son who is now the coach delivered a big win. In my opinion a very valid comparison.
Bill....typical responses Not ready to start the broken record "I told you so" just yet but really....look at quality opposition last year and Tenn struggled with most of them except Georgia. The poll voters saw Tenn at #18 in preseason but it is apparent not many fans agreed.
Spurrier put Florida football on the map. They'd never been there before. UCLA has been on the map a long time, winning their conference numerous times, dating back to like the 30's, and they also won a National Championship along the way. While Neuheisel's win may mark a new beginning, it's certainly not THE beginning. Florida under Spurrier was not a revival. Neuheisel's first-game "big win" came against Tennessee. Spurrier was blown out by the Vols in his first game against them. The comparison is probably more valid from a Florida perspective. After all, the sun does rise in the east. :wink:
MCG, Tennessee won the East last year and was within an interception deep in LSU territory of tying the championship game. As far as struggling, Florida lost three SEC games and a bowl game. Georgia was creamed by Tennessee, lost to S. Carolina and almost lost to Vandy. LSU lost two overtime games, beat Florida at home by making five 4th down plays, and beat Auburn with a td pass as time expired. They still won the BCS Championship. Just what SEC teams did not struggle against better opponents. In fact what team anywhere didn't have their share of struggles? I hope you don't start the I told you so because you don't have a leg to stand on. Tennessee lost a game several thousand miles from home to a team that seems to me to be well coached and ready to challenge in the Pac 10.
Actually, MCG, that statement about the Kool-Aid was specifically for you. I'm not sure why you choose to give the I told you so sentiment when I basically admit that I may have been wrong. Whatever though, that's cool. I'm certainly not giving up on the season and I feel I had every reason to believe Tenn. could be better this year. They have an abundance of playmakers back. Unfortunately, the two largest question marks I had about the team got answered and the response wasn't a good one. Crompton isn't as good (at least not yet) as I had hoped and the pass rush is still struggling. We'll see how the season plays out. If you're going to lose a game, a non-con game at the beginning of the season is the one you want to lose. I just don't think I saw anything that made me believe the losses would be few. We'll see how they improve though and go from there.
Aquila....I think you and I understand each other here. I ascertained during the offseason that Tenn had enough troubles last year even with Ainge that without him I was not convinced that the Vols were as underrated as many of you Vols and others on this board have contended. I think #18 was about right and usually #18 will not win the SEC East. #18 will however have some pretty good playmakers at some positions and #18 will beat some people. That "some people" could be Florida because more than anything else the game is in Knoxville. I just don't feel an SEC East repeat coming on for these Vols however because of the two things vastly different for Tenn this year....no Ainge and the SEC schedule is much tougher and don't look now but a seemingly much improved Alabama is coming to town and after what happened in Tuscaloosa last year that will be a....for lack of a better word....."struggle".
You trashed them last year, but they still won the East. Tennessee has committed the mortal southern sin of getting beaten by a Pac10 team... worse yet, a California Pac10 team... They won the SEC East last year, I suspect they may well be in the hunt (if not win it) again.
That is exactly the problem, Corey. SEC fans get embarrassed when their teams fail to carry the banner. I have been as disrespectful to the Pac-10 as anyone over the years I guess. I have always thought the Pac-10 was vastly overrated as a conference even in years when no one expected the Pac-10 to compete nationally. The last few years have changed my mind. I think that no one will disagree with the fact that USC is a top 3 program right now and has been for the last 6 years or so. That is obvious, IMO. They've beaten teams from the East at home and on the road. Tennessee's losses to Cal and now Ucla haven't been about Tenn. getting "out-athleted" very much. I will say that Cal had as much speed as just about anybody the last two years (06 & 07). I think one major contributor to the fact Tenn. hasn't fared so well is because the travel is very tough (same could be said for Cal in Knoxville). I will leave USC out of this train of thought because they thumped UVa at UVA and have done the same to Ark. in the past. Another example of this travel theory is Louisiana Tech (who beat Miss. St. this past weekend). La. Tech is a middle of the pack to bottom of the barrel team in the WAC. Now, if the team is so bad how were they able to beat any SEC team? I think it has a lot to do with who they're in a conference with and the proximity of thsoe teams' home stadiums to La. Tech. Just an opinion. Let's see how Ga. fares travelling across the country..... Another thing that has truly influenced my opinion of Pac-10 football is common sense. Generally, there are a few "hotbeds" of HS football talent that most would agree on. Florida, Texas, and California leading the way b/c of a variety of factors including size of the respective states. Secondly, there are "lesser" hotbeds by region. The Southeast has an incredible amount of football talent (Ga., AL, LA, MS, VA, etc.) as does the Midwest (OH in particular). If you consider where the "big boy" programs are located this makes sense. No one has a problem with Florida, LSU, GA, and others being considered "big boys." Similarly no one has a problem with OK and Texas being put in the same category. Ohio State gets a lot of midwest talent and they are certainly a powerhouse. There isn't an immense amount of talent in the NE part of the country and what a surprise! There are no powerhouse college football programs there. So, where does all that talent on the west coast go? Some certainly choose to head east but a large majority stay in the Pac-10 with some going to the WAC and Mountain West as well. All those guys in Cali and the other western states aren't inferior athletically just because they're from the West Coast. In fact, similar to the SE, there is more time to be outside as the weather is quite cooperative. It's ludicrous to think that the Southern athletes are superior "just because." I have a newfound respect for the Pac-10 and will try to tone down my "East Coast bias" a bit in the the weeks to come. The old knock was that the Pac-10 doesn't play defense. Ucla proved that a myth or proved that that's not the case anymore. It seems to me that the conference superiority argument gets more holes punched in it every year as parity creeps further into college football.
This looks like the third year in a row that UCLA has fielded a very good defensive team under Dewayne Walker. I recall when they came to South Bend a couple of years ago. Brady Quinn was our QB, and we had a very good team, but UCLA did an outstanding job of holding us down and almost won the game. Of course, everyone recalls their final game of that season when they upset USC.
Thanks for the good words Aquila. Prior to Toledo's stint at UCLA... we were 4-5-2 vs Tennessee. It was a fairly back and forth on/off series dating back to the 1960s. Toledo's UCLA squad got thumped pretty good out in Knoxville and was SURE they were going to return the favor when the Vols came back to Pasadena the next year. Instead, the Peyton Manning led Vols survived a come back and I think our RB fumbled on a late drive.. That 2 game cushion, I assure you, didn't sit well with Bruin fans. Its no disrespect to the Vols, its just that we've always been a whole lot better than people realize. You asked about California talent... It does, in fact, leave the west coast quite often. Your own starting TB is from San Diego (Arian Foster). The Clausen brothers were SoCals. I am sure there's others.. i just don't feel like looking them up. Historically, Michigan/Nebraska/Oklahoma etc have nabbed CA kids. Texas' Ricky Williams won a Heisman I believe and is a San Diego guy. Notre Dame regularly prowls CA. Miami, FL most recently during their last power surge was nabbing CA kids all the time. We even have a few CA Gators. When the Pac10 had its 'down' period of the mid90s, it seemed like CA talent was leaving the state hand over fist... The downfall of Washington had a lot to do with that, as did the decline of USC. Carroll changed all that. The talent was always there, its just a matter of keeping it in the area.