Strange: Peterson has hope Vols get over hump this season

If you've ever run across a boat on Fort Loudoun Lake bearing UP3RBALL on its stern you know his mantra.

"Up by three, our ball, that's the only time you can relax,'' Peterson explained Wednesday.

Inquiring minds at SEC basketball media days wondered whether Peterson will be able to relax at any point during the 2004-05 season. This will be his fourth season at Tennessee and the Vols are still looking for their first NCAA tournament bid since the Jerry Green era.

Yes, there is pressure. Most of all there is the pressure Peterson puts on himself.

He wants to win for his job security, naturally. He also wants to win in the worst way for the fans, the players, for everybody connected with the program.

But he said he's not working under any ultimatum from athletic director Mike Hamilton.

"I told Mike that as a player and coach I love to win,'' Peterson said. "Did I want to win quicker than I've done right now? Yeah.

"But Mike has never said to me, 'Buzz, I've got to have an NCAA tournament this year.' He's never said that.

"He's just said, 'Let's keep on improving and put a good product out there on the floor.' ''

Peterson's record is 47-42 at UT. His Vols are 1-5 in postseason, basketball's great measuring stick: 1-3 SEC tournament; 0-2 NIT.

He's been close. The 2002-03 team might have been the last team left out of the NCAA bracket.

This year's team has the potential to get over the hump. But if it doesn't, or if, say, the Vols get upset by Chattanooga, don't expect a knee-jerk Ron Zook scenario.

"Don't get me started on that,'' Peterson said about Monday's firing of the Florida football coach. "It made me sick, and I don't even know Ron Zook. Here's a guy who could end up 8-3.''

And here's a Tennessee basketball team that could end up on the bubble again. Of course, when Selection Sunday gets here, Peterson would prefer to be up three, our ball.

Summer Camp: Scooter McFadgon of UT played in some heavy-duty pick-up games while working two prestigious summer camps, Nike in Indianapolis and Michael Jordan's camp in Santa Barbara, Calif.

In Indy, he played with the likes of Chuck Hayes and David Lee of the SEC, Rashad McCants of North Carolina, Wake Forest's Chris Paul and John Lucas of Oklahoma State.

At Jordan's camp, he played against the man himself.

"It was one of the great experiences I've had,'' McFadgon said. "We played against him every night, sat around with him and talked. He was just one of the guys.''

Brandon Crump of UT hooked up with SEC player-of-the-year Lawrence Roberts a few times at home in Houston.

It's About Time: Peterson applauded the NCAA tournament selection committee's move to introduce emphasis for road wins in the RPI equation.

"They've (always) tried to count home or away as the same thing,'' he said. "You're sitting there as a coach saying, 'It's not.'

"You try to go down to Oxford, Miss., or Auburn, Ala., or Columbia, S.C., and get a win. That's a little different than going down to the bottom of the stairs (at Thompson-Boling Arena).''

Tournament Sites: The SEC tournament is going to Florida, commissioner Mike Slive announced. Tampa will host the 2009 tournament, followed by Nashville in 2010, Atlanta in 2011 and New Orleans in 2012.

Already in line are Atlanta in 2005, 2007, 2008 and Nashville in 2006.

Slive said the eight-year mix of domes and arenas balances ticket sales with intimacy.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.