Topical thoughts — The Pink Floyd edition. Column best read by laser light.

"All in all you're just another brick in the wall."

— Pink Floyd

Last Sunday, the Bowl Championship Series sent out eight more invitations to "big" conference teams to play in their multi-million-dollar bowl games.

The invitees ranged from first-timers (West Virginia and Penn State) to the King of the BCS — Florida State (a record sixth appearance.)

I wanted to see where Tennessee stood on the BCS ladder and what I found could be looked at in a couple of different ways. On the positive side, only seven teams have made more BCS appearances than the Vols (two appearances in 1998 and 1999). That's pretty good considering there are 119 Division I schools out there (of course only about 60 of those are in BCS conferences).

On the down side, 28 schools have made appearances in at least one BCS game since UT's last Fiesta Bowl trip in '99. That includes schools like Utah, West Virginia, Oregon State, Stanford, Maryland, and Illinois.

Here are some other tidbits. In eight years, there have been 64 slots in the BCS. Those slots have been filled by a total of 35 schools. Of those schools, 15 have made multiple appearances (including UT). And only one school from a non-BCS ("big money") conference has ever been invited to fill a slot — Utah last year.

Also, not once has the loser of the SEC championship game made the BCS.

"Waiting to cut out the deadwood. Waiting to clean up the city."

— Pink Floyd.

UT basketball fans, and even the media that covers the Vols, are a jaded group. They've seen first-year excitement for new coaches in the past, but by the end of the fourth year things have always somehow gone sour ("good with fans, but not enough wins" or "plenty of wins, not good with fans").

But this year seems different. Coach Bruce Pearl has met with civic groups and stood on cafeteria tables trying to drum up support for his team. He's convinced a top-15 recruiting class to believe in the future of UT basketball. And most importantly, he's convinced his team to believe in his frantic style of play.

A team that runs nine men deep (at best) is sitting at 5-0 vs. decent competition (a few of the mid-major schools that UT has played have been to the NCAA tournament more recently than the Vols have). How many of you think the same would be true under the previous administration?

Despite all of the good feelings at the moment, a come-uppance is coming. Next Sunday, UT travels to highly ranked UT (the "other" one, in Austin, Texas). The Vols will be lucky to get out of the Lone Star State with a 20-point beating.

As a matter of fact, Pearl should be considered a miracle-worker if he guides this team to 10 more victories all season. They have little depth. They have little post presence. And they probably won't have an answer on the nights when C.J. Watson and Chris Lofton go cold.

But that's no reason for Vol fans to go back into basketball hibernation. Since 1978, only two men have walked The Hill knowing what it took to run a successful basketball program on and off the court, year-in and year-out (Don DeVoe and Kevin O'Neill).

In my view, the third man is in place. This may look pretty silly by the fourth year, but I believe Pearl is finally the man to "clean up the city." Regardless of what happens next Sunday in Austin.

"Money, it's a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash."

— Pink Floyd.

Let's see, first Mike Hamilton had to get a loan from the University to pay former basketball coach Buzz Peterson's buyout. Then he took heat for trying to cut the band's travel plans this fall (they insisted on longer stays than the football team, according to Hamilton).

Then the football team ... the reliable, old cash cow ... got tipped and fell to a 5-6 season. So the bowl money that everyone thought was coming, isn't. And remember, folks, we were talking $14 million BCS money before the season.

Then the building costs for the Neyland Stadium renovation project went up by several million. And now, amidst all of that, Hamilton has to send out a letter reminding a couple thousand season ticket holders that they will will have to give $1,000 donations just for the right to purchase their long-time seats.

And you thought balancing your checkbook was tough.

"And through the window in the wall, comes streamin in on sunlight wings a million bright ambassadors of morning." — Pink Floyd.

It was announced this week that Tennessee and Oregon have signed a deal to play a home-and-home football series in 2010 and 2013. While the match-up is a great one for national coverage and for fan travel, I do feel sorry for the fashion-conscious.

If Oregon brings its "Lightning Yellow" uniforms to Knoxville to play the Big Orange Vols, on TV the game will look like a battle of 6-foot tall highlighter pens.