Memphis sports columnist Geoff Caulkins says for Memphis fans this Sunday morning, it just hurts:
"It hurts to lose a shot at a perfect season.
"It hurts to lose the No. 1 overall seed.
"It hurts to lose to a kid from White Station.
"And it hurts, most of all, to lose it it all to Tennessee.
"Tennessee. That football school. Home of the utterly infuriating Bruce Pearl."
There's much more wallowing in misery in the latest headlines from The Commercial Appeal in Memphis.
- Hustling Vols dominate Tigers on boards, take their ranking
- Orange-, blue-clad fans wage war of words
- A sea of deep blue
- UT fans wade deep into Tiger territory for daylong festivities
- Pearl preaches 'passion, poise, purpose,' and Vols have plenty of all three
- Tigers' Rose doesn't play like freshman
- Tigers-Vols replay
- Ohio St. pitching tames Memphis
- FedExForum place to be for celebrities
- Blogging from the Memphis-Tennessee showdown
- Fans of Tigers, Volunteers enjoying rare moment
- In Volunteers' Pearl, Calipari has found the rival he needs
- Calipari's greatest coaching feuds
- Tigers, Vols share fast, intense styles
- Ex-White Station star wants to be sure Cal remembers his name after tonight
- There have been big games, but were any ever any bigger than Tennessee vs. Memphis?
- Man gives up seat for scholarship
- Tigers tumble in opener
- Prep stars get front-row seat for big game
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Memorable moments in Pat Summitt's…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 28
beartn#223846 writes:
Like I told my buddy in Memphis who is a Tiger fan, if the Vols lose, we would have been disappointed, if the Tigers lose, they would be devastated.
Volfan1 writes:
Now Tiger High fans can go back to putting in an 11 year old video of their football "win".
rray044#360255 writes:
Hey! Here's an idea...Maybe if you lost more games, each one wouldn't hurt so bad.
Should we meet up with you again in the tournament, we'll gladly help you out with that little problem.
james#216392 writes:
It is too early to say they lost their number uno seating. Memhis plays such a tough remaining schedule while Tennessee has an easy road with Vandy, KY and Florida and the SEC tourney (not). Lots of BB to be played yet. Great win.
leedsvol2007 writes:
If I were Memphis I would not be too despondent. They lost a tight game that validated Tennessee as a top 10 team and an NCAA title contender.
It did nothing to diminish the talent and ability of the Memphis team. It was a great game that could have gone either way.
They like we have their destiny in their own hands.
As an aside J.P. Prince was marvelous and the whole team made contributions to the win but what can you say about Tyler Smith. He is a great player that reminds me of Bernard King. Just quietly spectacular and the guy who in the clutch delivers.
GoVols
EDis4UT writes:
Ahh...yes. Evil spirited, mean 'ol big brother from the East just waltzed across the state and kicked little brother in the teeth...again.
TommyJack writes:
They have Calipari and they suggest that BP is obnoxious? Wow.
alfrizzle097 writes:
rabidvolfan were you out partying with football players all night? I think James is joking. Watch Borat if you need to learn what a not joke is.
I'm just joking don't torch me or anything.
TennesseeTuxedo writes:
Tennessee a football school?????
No way. Tennessee is a basketball school these days!
Einstein writes:
I assume that James's comments about the tough remaining was just sarcasm.
TommyJack writes:
Just hurts, huh? Hurts their wittle feewings? Bwahahahaha
Rebelsfball2008 writes:
well once again memphis has only one thing to brag about..their crime rate..
bluetickhound writes:
Boo hoo hoo, M-town. Your team is a bunch of thugs, and once their luck ran out on draining 3's, they realized that they are pretty abyssmal at the fundamentals of the game- rebounding, free throwing, conditioning, and good 'ole fashioned hustle. Did you see teen heartthrob Derrick Rose sucking wind towards the end of the game?? None of UT's guys ever lost a step. What's so painful about this is that now they have to come to terms with the face that their whole season has been charmed. This is a team that is not really not that good at all that has overachieved the back of natural talent and a cooshville schedule. I predict them taking their #1 seed and cashing out in the 2nd round to a team that has better discipline and just wants it more, much like last night.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TommyJack, there seems to be a dearth of what was once a plethora of cutist comments from now-deluded Tigers fans. Haven't seen the raving Zander have you? Come on back son, I felt the same way after the Bama game. I can sympathise.
Titan writes:
Zander, Zander - where are you?
All trash talking aside, Rose is the real deal. Impressed me with his play. Didn't showboat, made shots, turned around and played defense. For next year's sake, hope he is "one and done."
Calipari and his PJ thing is typical of Cal. Will he learn from his mistake? Wouldn't count on it.
Colliervol writes:
Bluetick, to give a little credit, Rose was so winded because he was tired of carrying the load by himself. If not for him, they lose by 15. The rest of his team deserted him especially their vaunted big men. He'll be taking his game to the NBA after this season.
CrankE writes:
In May of 2005, at a Big Orange Caravan stop in Birmingham, Alabama, I got to meet Bruce Pearl and hear him speak. He told us in essence that he wanted folks in Gainesville and Lexington and Tuscaloosa to boo him. He wasn't here to be liked by our opposition. I heard what he had to say and liked how he said it. I was convinced then that he was the right guy. He's proving that out and writing himself into Tennessee legend.
Ah, those Memphis Tigers. One of the best ONE LOSS teams Tennessee has played all year.
EDis4UT writes:
This will be the situation in R.C. Johnson(memphis AD) office tomorrow morning:
Cal storms in; Door SLAMS shut; RC frantically gets off the phone as soon as possible:
_________________________________________________
RC: Wa..wa..what can a do for you coach?
CAL: I want the series with those @$%%@#!! toothless hillbilly rednecks canceled immediately unless they are willing to play by $%^*#$@! rules!!! Got that Johnson!!!!!
RC: Bu...bu..but coach they said if we don't play them home and home they will cancel us in football and we need that reven....
CAL: Shut up! I'm the kingpin around here you *@$!^&! idiot! I got you to #1 didn't I? And all the national pub?
RC: Yes...Yes...You are the man! But why cancel the series?
CAL: Because you idiot, I have made this pile of $%&! program you gave me and within 8 years I turned them into America's Team! And now that ^&#$%! &*#$%^& Pearl is came here and within three years stolen my glory!
Don't you see Johnson, they come down here and beat us in house is going to put me in a negative light. People might start 2nd guessing me. I'm the man in this state Johnson! Now, get on that @^%^#*!! phone and fix it, NOW!
RC: But...but....I don't where to even start?
CAL: Holy @$%&! I need a miracle everyday with you people! You can start by calling that hack reporter Adams! He can drudge up some dirt on Pearl and run him out of town!
RC: Yeah! Is he the one that helped in getting Dale Brown to leave LSU in shame?
CAL: Yes. Johnson. Funny how that works. The fans in Baton Rouge ran him out of town over that, and he has been in Knoxville ever since. Now get that hack Adams on the phone by this afternoon! I want to talk to him.
RC: Yes Sir! And get the UT game moved to Nashville or else.
CAL: Yeah...are else!
________________________________________
Cal storms out and when going to his car he gets stop by a reporter:
REPORTER: Coach Cal do you want to add anymore comments about the game Sat. night?
CAL: Well, what more can I say. They are a great team with a fantastic coach. I was just up in R.C. Johnson's office and we were just discussing how great this rivalry is and keeping the series alive home and home. It's great for the nation and the state! Yeah, I just can't say how much I respect those guys.
________________________________________
I know this is way over the top. This is my little way of getting back to Calamari for all those cheap shots and daggers he has thrown to our players, coaches, and our administration.
I'll have my fun today and start thinking about Vandy tomorrow.
GoVols77 writes:
I live in Memphis, but am a life-long BIG ORANGE fan.
Three points
1. Did you see Calamari's post-game handshake with Pearl? Calipari? More like Calipu**y. I've never seen such a crybaby bad sport.
2. Did you see Memphis THUG #23545 Dorsey try to get in J.P. Prince's face at the end of the game when Prince was on the foul line to shoot? Classic Memphis thuggery... disgusting. As Dick Vitale said, just play the game. There's no place in the game for that bullcrap.
3. Don't be sad Tiger High!! You still have this year's Prom to look foward too! HA HA HA HA GO BIG ORANGE!!!!!
mtnbikrtn writes:
I need to file a missing person report for "ZANDER." If anyone knows where he is, tell him to call home. That kinda sounds like a song, "Long distance information, give me Memphis Tennessee..." ZAN-DER, ZAN-DER...
It's just not right to not show back up. I've been on the MCA website under my alias RED_REBELS.
murrayvol writes:
Anyone else surprised that the Memphis players stiffed the media after the game? Teams do tend to reflect their coach don't they? I'd like to think if our guys had lost they would've sucked it up and gave interviews.
murrayvol writes:
BTW, I'm guessing everyone saw the ESPN graphic on fans picking the outcome:
Natl: 53% UM 47% UT
Tenn: 68% UT 32% UM
If there was a sliver of doubt about where roundball fandom in the Volunteer State stood, those #s should settle it.
lail#204076 writes:
@bossvol351
Thanks, I removed the 404 headline. I guess that was the early print edition version.
GoVol writes:
I knew the win was sealed as soon as 2 of 3 ESPN guys chose Memphis State.
IMO, this further turns the heat up on Fulmer..indirectly.
ryjenkins writes:
Bring on the Grizzlies!!!
Colliervol writes:
ED, I don't think that was over the top at all. From what I understand, that's the way ole Coach Firm and Fair talks to Elvis Johnson all the time. The only thing you didn't cover is him having to explain that flame-out to those stud recruits that they brought in for this game. Classic.
Colliervol writes:
Bossvol, I may have been a little bleary eyed last night at about 1 am (too excited to go to sleep) but that story was probably pulled after one of our drunken Vol fans named Ned unleashed a stream of extremely profane posts. And they didn't get removed immediately which was pretty strange. They must have finally put the lethal injection to that thread before morning hit.
EDis4UT writes:
Collier:
Stud Recruits? Hell, he already has FIVE Mc D's all-Americans All-Stars on his team now! That's all we have been hearing all season! Our poor little squad has none. Can you imagine if Pearl could just get one?
I would be curious to know how many profane words came out of Calamari's mouth Sat. night? I wonder if Vegas put a over/under on the number?
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