Posted by utchris2003 on March 17, 2008 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Not a bad article.

Posted by invisiblekid on March 17, 2008 at 3:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nice breakdown that included " a lot of ins, a lot of outs, a lot of what-have-yous" of the bracket building process. None of it really matters now though. I like the attitude of Tyler Smith about the whole situation :

“(North Carolina) is America’s Team, to take them down would be great,’’ Smith said. “It motivates us, but first we have to make it to North Carolina.’’

Posted by adamsck on March 17, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How does this impact your "not everybody is out to get you" theory? Is the selection committee excluded from your theory now?

I knew this would happen when Brando said on the Raycom broadcast of the championship game that we were a #2. Anyone that thinks Brando doesn't pick against UT at every opportunity is simply not paying attention.

Posted by cdldoc on March 17, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The boys still got hosed (disrespected) by the NCAA committee, ESPN and loudmouth Vitale. Your rationalizations do not change the truth, John. I hope they take it all. Go Vols!!

Posted by rockyknox on March 17, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Great insight John. Like I have said before, I don't agree with you all the time but I don't "disagree" with you all the time like I do with Mr. Adams. You will make a good sports editor for the KNS someday. Hopefully sooner than later.

Posted by mcbrim1998 on March 17, 2008 at 3:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If you are the best team in the nation, does seeding matter?

Posted by chrisw2967 on March 17, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

makes sense , either way we go we still have to play the games. I wasnt mad over it , cause your either good enough to make it the NC game or your not. I would of liked a #1 seed but it didnt happen.
If we had got a #1 seed and went out west or up north then what was the odds we would get to go see them play ? now they are closer to home and fans will have that chance.
I think if Tenn goes in and plays the kind of basketball we know that they can play then I think they can make it as far as they want to go. just my opinion.
lets just get behind them and go play some basketball.

Posted by adamsck on March 17, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Take care of your own business" is such a ridiculous statement. Of course if you win every single game you will be a number 1 seed. All the nat'l types that never give us the benefit of the doubt always say this. "If you had beaten UA you'd be a 1 seed" - Well, duh.

The point is that we never get the benefit of any doubt with national media types. If a UT team makes a mistake or shows any weakness we suffer in the rankings. If other teams show a weakness they (especially a few in the ACC) get the benefit of the doubt.

Look at the body of work. 6-2 against ranked teams. 12-4 against tournament teams. Look at Kansas, they only played 8 tournament teams all year. Look at Duke. Our body of work is certainly superior to them. But we got ranked below both these teams. Same goes for Texas. What would our record have been had we played Memphis' schedule?

Ask youself this. If we are No. 5 in the country then we should be a 2 seed, right? Of, course. But, if we are No. 5 in the country shouldn't we be the highest rated 2 seed? I sat yes. We weren't. Why? There isn't a good reason.

Only way to rectify this is to win. I sure hope we do.

Posted by chrisw2967 on March 17, 2008 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

did anybody get to hear Vitale Sat. when North Carolina played , you would of thought Hansbrough was the greatest thing to hit a college hardwood floor ? I bet if Hansbrough told Vitale to wipe his butt , Vitale would of used his tongue. I had to turn the sound off to watch the game. Its Hansbrough versus whoever he is playing, those other players on North Carolina might as well not show up cause he can do it all by himself.

Posted by GerryOP on March 17, 2008 at 3:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good analysis John! #1, #2, or #whatever, beat 'em all and win it all. In my mind, beating Louisville(Pitino) and UNC rates right up there with beating Memphis! Go get 'em guys -- beat 'em all!

Pearl and the players seem a bit down since Memphis. Do you suppose the Pearl/IU rumors are affecting them?

Posted by cdldoc on March 17, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

True, chrisw.

Posted by LargeOrange on March 17, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't know, but this article seems to make a lot of sense. I can see how it could play out the way he describes it. I think some of the quotes from the committee members I have seen seem to jive with this. They said they looked at all 8 top seeds as being potiential final 4 teams and tried to balance out the brackets. I don't have a problem with where we ended up and now it is up to us to make it work for us. On the other hand, if it is true, as the committee said, that they didn't put pay much attention to the conference tourneys, that leads me to believe that, IF UT had won the SEC tournament, they would have still eneded up a #2 seed, then I think I would be VERY pi$$ed with that seeding. But we didn't and so it is time to put the Orange shoes back on and go back to the aggressive D, contesting every shot, hit the boards, make some threes and FTs and we can beat anyone in the East bracket on any given day. Just do it!

Posted by EastTNVol on March 17, 2008 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Most of the time I am not a big Dick Vitale fan. With that being said, even he, on the Mike and Mike in the Morning show said that Tennessee got a raw deal. I still feel this a motivation tool that Bruce will use to the fullest and the guy's will respond in the same way they did when no one give them much of a shot at Memphis.
Go Vols!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by chrisw2967 on March 17, 2008 at 3:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It all boils down to one thing , who wants it more ? they can use any kind of format they want to use and put us any place they want theres nothing we can do about it nor can Pearl. Im just glad they dont throw teams in a hat and have to pick ever round of the tourney.
Like I said before North Carolina may not even be there if we make it that far. we just never know. If they are its not the end of the world cause I know how we can beat them, just put all 5 guys on Hansbrough and we got the game.it should be Tyler Hansbrough #1 seed versus who ever.

Posted by asleep on March 17, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I like what Bob Knight said: Only on team EGO does the seeding really matter. He's right. As a number two seed, your road to the Final Four is insignificantly different than that of a number one. And in my opinion, we will play better as a number two with a chip on our shoulders than as a number one with a target on our backs. As miraculous as he has been, BP can't change the culture of mediocrity at UT in three short years. This team still has trouble winning games where they are the favorite, especially on the road. That will [hopefully] come with time and continued success but I think this team is right where they should be. They lost in the semis of their conference tournament and have forgotten how to rebound and play defense the last month. We will be much better off as a number two playing relatively close to home than as a number one in Detroit or Houston. Go Vols, show 'em they were wrong!!!

Posted by TommyJack on March 17, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Vitale and the M & M boys said we got a raw deal?
Wait a minute. Are they not on ESPN???

Posted by ralphie on March 17, 2008 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

butler beats the vols.

Posted by Basketball_Jones on March 17, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with this entire article, Tennessee si fortunate to be going where they are. The fans are lucky they're close to home so they can attend as well. I also like the fct that most of America will pick Petino and Louisville over us, more motivation. I worry about the 2nd game though, it could be tough. We have horrendous guard play and our defense has been terrible....Should make for an interesting 1st weekend

Posted by brownsvillevol on March 17, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i truly believe that the commitee in fact said here you go heels and vols(1&2in the rpi)if you guys make it to the fourth round and i mean IF you make it, the one that wins this game will eventually crowned nc.

Posted by DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu on March 17, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pennington, written like a true fan breaking it down while sober.

I'm in Atlanta. YOU EAST TENNESSEE PEOPLE HAD BETTER GET YOUR ORANGE BUTTS OVER TO CHARLOTTE AND SUPPORT OUR BOYS. CHANCE OF A LIFETIME. YOU COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE.

Presuming we make it there, of course...

Posted by THE_VOL on March 17, 2008 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

EastTNVol...Vitale did NOT say TN got a "raw" deal. He said "a case could be made for TN getting a raw deal." And last night he said on TV that he AGREED with the #1 seeds.

I will guarantee everybody one thing - you have seen the last of BP and Co. scheduling as many of the name teams in non-conf as they have these last 3 years. You won't see us playing nearly as many teams that are expected to get in the tourney either. Memphis and Kansas have proven that you don't need to do that and we have proven you won't get rewarded if you do.

I know these #1 seeds can be argued either way and I know that bottom line it's more of a pride thing than anything else but right is right and wrong is wrong. That said, keep in mind that on average only 2 #1's make it to the Final Four anyway. Looking at NC's results and having seen many of their games including a few in person, they are talented but not dominating and I like our chances!

Posted by Ironcity on March 17, 2008 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ralpie you need to worry about your Memphis. Good article. Pretty much the way I saw it. UNC is a good fit for us in that they play little defense and don't waste time working for lay ups. We do better against teams that want to run with us. Now we just have to get to a game against UNC.

Posted by tigervol9802 on March 17, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

THE_VOL

I seriously doubt Pearl's going to the cupcake schedule because of this.

All 4 of the #1 seeds won both their conference regular season and conference tournament. That's got to account for something. Granted, I'm as peeved as anyone having to go to the East with UNC and Louisville, but when we didn't win the tournament, we lost our claim on a #1 seed.

Posted by brownsvillevol on March 17, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i know i would hate to play indiana or arkansas in second round both have front courts that could give heels some fits.definitivley the most talented bracket of all.

Posted by 02champs on March 17, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pennington's an idiot.

Posted by TK on March 17, 2008 at 4:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As far as brackets go this is the best one for UT fans. With the games being driving distance a lot of ORANGE should be in the stands.The whole #1...#2...? goes out the window when games start. Always upsets big and small. Might as well be closer to home so UT can get better fan support. Bottom line is it is time to play your best for 6 games no matter who you face. No tomrrow.

Posted by chrisw2967 on March 17, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

from now on we should just play the normal SEC schedule and play the Memphis high school for crack heads 3 times a year and leave it at that.

anybody agree that Memphis dont make it past the 2nd round if they have to play Miss St.?

Posted by LargeOrange on March 17, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mbumburu - I am in Atlanta too and Birmingham is only 2 - 2.5 hours away, are you going to try and make it to Rnd 1 and 2?

Posted by bshone on March 17, 2008 at 4:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'd rather play Memphis at Memphis than play North Carolina in a location that is equally distanced between Chapel Hill and Knoxville. I'm sure some would disagree.

I look at teams like North Carolina, Kansas, and UCLA as teams that are going to have more fans no matter where they play. If we played UCLA in Nashville, I'd bet that UCLA fans would use their allotment.

Overall though, we didn't get jipped. Instead, we didn't take care of business in our conference tournament. From now on it doesn't matter - it's one game at a time and the first one starts on Friday at 12:15pm against American.

Posted by GoVol on March 17, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TN landed right where they deserved to be...#2 seed. When you don't even play for in conf. champ. game, and all other #1 seeds won their respective conf. tourn. what else was the committee to do?

TN has to play better defense to get to the elite 8 IMO.

Posted by TurboFan on March 17, 2008 at 4:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Another factor Pennington didn't mention is the balancing of the brackets to avoid rematches of teams that have already played this season. Particularly difficult for Tennessee because we have played so many. I believe that was part of the reasoning two years ago when we also got a surprise 2 seed.

Posted by DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu on March 17, 2008 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Google Maps tells me that Charlotte is 246 mi from Knoxville – about 3 hours 1 min, if you drive like my wife. CHARLOTTE CAN BE A HOME COURT FOR US IF YOU FOLKS UP THERE COMMIT TO BEING THERE. BUY THE TICKETS NOW.

Weather for Charlotte March 27-30: NO tornadoes forecasted, though 50 percent chance of orange hurricane.

Posted by DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu on March 17, 2008 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Large, I'm gonna do my best if I can change schedule. Might drive over and hold up a finger or two...one of them will be directed at the tournament selection committee...

Posted by sjt18 on March 17, 2008 at 5:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

CBP needs to be fired obviously. I mean let's face it... what a meltdown when it was all on the line... Never won a NC or tournament championship. Regular season? Who cares!!!

How on earth could he have squandered such great talent?

I bet his pre-game speech was completely lame...

Before those of you who don't know me have a cow... yes, I am being facetious for the benefit of our resident "nabobs".

Posted by LargeOrange on March 17, 2008 at 5:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Same here. I hope to see a lot of orange flags headed west on I-20!

Posted by gostanford on March 17, 2008 at 5:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree that UT is seeded correctly. The other factor here is that they have to consider conference in matching up the 1 and 2 seeds--NC and Duke could not be 1/2 in the same region and Kansas and Texas could not be 1/2 in the same region. It would also not make sense for Memphis and UT to be 1/2 in the same region. It seems logical to move the 2 seeds around to accomodate this. This draw is definitely better than making UT fly across the country and risk having to play a game that starts at midnight Eastern time.

Posted by chrisw2967 on March 17, 2008 at 5:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just toss the ball up and lets play some ball.
last year we took an early exit from the SEC tournament and toward the end of the year during the regular season we wasnt playing that great and when the NCAA tournament started we looked like a completly different team.

Posted by brownsvillevol on March 17, 2008 at 5:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i agree memphis loses to miss st

Posted by bamacheats on March 17, 2008 at 5:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PROPHECY: Mike Eades and Ted Valentine call UT vs. UNC. Hansborough has 40+ pnts. Crews, Chism, Williams, T. Smith, and the Chill foul out trying to guard the most protected player in college basketball history!

Posted by invisiblekid on March 17, 2008 at 5:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mbumburu, tickets for Charlotte sold out months ago. A drawing was held last May to determine who would be eligible to buy the tickets. If anyone is planning on going to the games, get ready to pay double face value through Stubhub or some of the other on-line scalpers. Luckily, I got my tickets based on my winning personality and smile LOL.

Posted by King30 on March 17, 2008 at 5:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

<<Google Maps tells me that Charlotte is 246 mi from Knoxville – about 3 hours 1 min, if you drive like my wife.>>

It's only 141 miles from Chapel Hill to Charlotte.
WE WAS ROBBED!!!!

Posted by Kwitcherbellyachin on March 17, 2008 at 5:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I can't disagree with Pennington's assessment... it's the whole process and its lack of consistency that have bothered me. Teams seem to have been seeded based on different criteria. RPI mattered for some, not so much for others. Same goes for SOS. The appearance to most of us is that the committee chose and seeded teams quite whimsically, without a reproducible process. This makes the whole ordeal smell more like the BCS than it should.

As far as teams who were wronged, I feel bad for Butler, Gonzaga (playing essentially road games to lesser seeded teams), and ASU (who beat AU twice, had a better record, and didn't even make the tournament). And if I were Memphis and UNC, I'd probably be angry too.

Posted by pjhaddix on March 17, 2008 at 6:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

John, if I'm not mistaken, our record is 29-4, not 28-4, as incorrectly listed here, as well as on all the RPI charts I see. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that a win was not added onto the RPI charts...and now it's carrying over to this site. It is correct in other articles here. Just want to give the guys credit for all their wins...as well as losses. pj

Posted by LargeOrange on March 17, 2008 at 6:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Charlotte Regional tickets are on EBay going for around $700 for a pair for both days for Upper-Corners. More for some uppers and lot more for lowers. They have over 50 pairs for sale right now.

Posted by mtnvol on March 17, 2008 at 6:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow! Little Adams used facts to write an article instead of unnamed sources or lyrics to hair-band songs. I wonder who did the research for him?

Posted by marc_ash on March 17, 2008 at 6:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think a great many fans have their opinion based on influence from the media. Whether we like to admit it or not, the day in and day out drubbing from ESPN weieghs heavily on peoples opinion on things.

Often, you hear the term "court of public opinion". It seems more often than naught that poeple are swayed by what they hear on tv or read in published reports. I think this holds true when you think of any body of people that are invested in a particular topic. IMO, this is what happened in this case. I think UT fan's were caught up in what "should" have happened and I am guessing the NCAA committee embraced imput from what they've heard over the weeks.

There must be something to this, as jury's trying court cases do not allow the jurors to be influenced by outside forces and often ban them from reading the papers or watching tv during cases as not to sway their opinion. Not that this was the case, but at least consider how the media has influenced where the Vols are today.

Posted by bshone on March 17, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Honestly I don't want to get caught up in the whole seeding thing, but just to add to the discussion - I did find it interesting that broadcasters and commentators who called SEC games (including many TN games) like Jimmy Dykes were the ones saying that TN deserved a #1 seed. Seth Davis was all for UT being a #1 seed also. I guess this isn't too interesting. I personally believe we were given the proper seed (#2) but I would have rather had us in the Memphis or UCLA regions... Doesn't matter once the ball is up in the air. GO VOLS

Posted by grogpaw on March 17, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

02champs: You stated that Pennington is an idiot. Well, by making that statement it seems as though you are glamorizing your own brilliance. With that assumption being made, could you please explain to us inferior folks what facts you used to establish that Mr. Pennington is in fact, an idiot. Or could the reverse be true: you simply disagree with Mr. Pennington and are not capable of making an intelligent case for your position and simply reverted to name calling?

Posted by mparker on March 17, 2008 at 6:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Look, it's kind of like stats, you can twist them how you want.

In my little pea-brain, it is pretty simple. UT is in a group with 8 teams that cuuld be 1 or 2. UT finished the season rather weakly after the Memphis game. So...... the committe looked, and said "UCLA, Mimphis, UNC, Kansas are all hot and on top of their game; all things being roughly equal, they are our One seeds.

Now, as far as 2's: Duke is a 2, but won't be in UNC's region. UTex is a 2, but won't be in Kansas' region. That leaves Gerogetown and UTenn to get moved around.

All in all, I don't think the committe worried too much about Tenn, figuring that 'if they are good enough, they will win'.

Now, as far as Butler, and Louisville,.....damn.

Posted by johnlg00 on March 17, 2008 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I hope there is a lot of orange in Charlotte, but I will be surprised if the place is not a sea of Carolina blue with a few orange specks here and there. Carolina fans are relentless in tracking down tickets to 'Heels tourney games. They are the kind of fans who buy tickets to arenas where they think their team MIGHT play, and will pay any price to get them. I won't be there because I will have to work, although I am only about 100 miles away. I hope lots of the rest of you will be there, but I hope even more that the VOLS are there! Let's take care of business one game at a time--THEN we can worry about Carolina. GO VOLS!!!

Posted by mparker on March 17, 2008 at 6:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Okay, dammit, I HAVE to say this.

We can NOT take it one game at a time!! We MUST play all 6 at onec.

As fans, we need to be discussing all at once. Enough of this sports cliche' stuff.

BTW, lose the dang black shoes. Maybe orange, or, gosh, even white???

Bang that ball inside all tourhament. Every game. Let all the other ocaches and talking heads talk about Chris and Jajuan shotting 3's, all the while we drive it in EVERY play.

Tyler needs about 20 shots per game, Wayne another 15.

Let Chris penetrate and dish.

Wear those buggers on the other teams out, just as we did to Memphis.

Posted by King30 on March 17, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Rome is Burning...for the Big Orange (don't forget to use your best Jim Rome inner voice):
"Overall I thought the selection committee did a pretty nice job this year in filling out the field for the NCAA tournament, but you can always take exception to some of their choices and this year is no different.
"For instance, how do you give Kansas a top seed over Tennessee? The selection committee says it doesn't place too great an emphasis on conference tournaments, but, it hits the Vols with a two seed and puts them behind NC, who's the number one team overall? I mean, what is that? Tennessee beat both Memphis, a one seed, and Xavier, a three seed on the road. Kansas' best road win came against USC, a number six.
"The Vols played the toughest schedule in the country; Kansas played the 50th. I think the Vols should've been a number one regardless, but, if Kansas' conference title got them their one and Tennessee's loss in the SEC semis knocked them out, then just say it.
"If the conference titles really don't weigh that heavily, then the Vols got jammed.
"Either way it's just one more thing for Bruce Pearl to rally his guys around, and it puts an even bigger bullseye on Bill Self's back, who has had two horrible first round losses with the Jayhawks."

I couldn't have said it better myself.
RTYAB!

Posted by rabidvolfan on March 17, 2008 at 7:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

That was the most stupid and retarded article that man has every wrote.

Posted by bordenride on March 17, 2008 at 7:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Remember where you heard it. North Carolina does not make it to the elite eight. UT will be lining up agaisnt a different opponent in Charolette. Cause UT will make it. Just hope there not to dissapointed that they don't have chance to take down America's team.

Posted by TurboFan on March 17, 2008 at 7:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You're foaming at the mouth, rabid. Do you want somebody to shoot ya to put you out of your misery?

Posted by dqnapier on March 17, 2008 at 8:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bama cheats is right on the money. If we make it to Charlotte and play UNC we will have to play the Tar Heels and the zebras. UNC gets the most favorable officiating of anyone in the country. Especially if they have a media darling like Hansbrough. It took a miracle for Georgetown to beat them (UNC and zebras) last year to make the Final Four.

I think we could beat them if the zebras swallow their whistles, but it won't happen. Let's hope UNC get knocked out before the Elite 8.

Posted by TNisPeerless on March 17, 2008 at 8:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Interesting article, but the pundits (Rome, Vitale etc) agree with the Orange Faithful: we were hosed. Regional games are nice, but if you cannot get out of the sweet sixteen because you're playing another top 10 team (3 seed) then it's no bonus. There is a HUGE dropoff between playing against a 3 and a 4. Noone would deny that a 2-3 game is a toss-up and that a 1 is clearly favored over a 4.

Posted by rabidvolfan on March 17, 2008 at 10:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I shouldn't talk bad about John P. Afterall he won the Georgia football game for us. The media is the only leadership the football program has. They haven't even got in trouble since the well written Adams article.

Posted by ect1983 on March 17, 2008 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The team that really got hosed was BUTLER...ranked 10th, loser of 3 games by a total of 11 points. The biggest travesty was lining us up to play Butler in the 2nd round. There are too many people talking about Charlotte....remember Witchita State ?

Posted by AppreciativeAlum on March 17, 2008 at 10:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The committee did not want to separate teams from their fans. It is about good basketball. It is not particularly about fair. Anyone looking for fair is likely to be disappointed. This is about good basketball. Tennessee has a once in a lifetime chance to play great basketball on a national stage, and Tennessee fans have a once in a lifetime chance to see it. Thank you NCAA committee for making the dance about great basketball!

Posted by mparker on March 17, 2008 at 10:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hey, turst me, no vol fan is overlooking butler or any other school.
The vols don't have a guy who can load up 25 points without thinking, so every game is an adventure.

Glad we played butler last year, the men will be dead serious this year (if we get to butler).

Posted by murrayvol on March 17, 2008 at 10:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

marc_ash, you make some good points but I think mparker got it right with how we played (excepting the 2nd half vs SC) after the Memphis game. If we beat Arky & UGA, we're a #1. We didn't and we're a #2. And it doesn't make a damn bit of difference how we feel about it.

Beat American please.

Posted by T0MMYJACK on March 18, 2008 at 5:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"No. 2" is the best description of your writing, Pennington. At least you waited until the second sentence to start tooting your own horn. What a joke.

Pure "No. 2".

Posted by schymtz on March 18, 2008 at 7:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I thought the Vols would get a #1 seed and was a little disappointed when the brackets came out. I was also mildly suprised that Georgia's win didn't knock UK into the NIT. [Rumor mill all over the Kentucky boards, everything from a 20 Million Dollar Contract to "the coach may leave for the Big 12."]
History is important, and UT has a history of better than expected seasons and less than expected post season performances, including this year's SEC tournament.
NOW is the moment! UT CAN DO THIS! GO VOLS!

Posted by schymtz on March 18, 2008 at 7:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

All this seeding stuff is now a done deal and can serve only as a DIVERSION. BEAT the next team up or go home. Focus! Ready, Aim, Fire! Take every opponent for real. They can all play ball or they wouldn't be here now playing their hearts out. The purpose of a strong season schedule is to be ready for this, not to impress writers and bracket makers. The VOLS did the classwork this year, now ace the FINAL EXAM! GO VOLS1

Posted by pdhuff on March 18, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, one little thing I'm looking forward to is Texas cleaning Memphis's clock. At least they better if I'm going to win the bracket contest.

I expect good things out of MSU Mayroons. Got a feeling, just a feeling, that ol' Jawga and Kaintuck won't need to pack too many clean drawers for their trip.

We'll see, that's why they play and why more balls bounce out than go thru the hoop. Gotta try though.

C'mon Vols, dispatch American Pie first. Doldrums are here.

Posted by dirtdobber1 on March 18, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

you ought to work in da Bush or da Clinton administration with that type of SPIN!

Margin of victory...you have to be kidding me! Tennessee has the largest margin of victory in SEC this year!

As far as Im concerned...you can take your number 2, and stick it up number 2!

Posted by johnlg00 on March 18, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You make a good point that I think others have missed, schymtz. Some disappointed posters have said that the Vols should forget about scheduling tough teams out of conference because our high RPI and SOS didn't seem to help our seeding much this year. The MAIN reason, IMHO, why a team schedules tough non-conference opposition around the the country is to get the team ready for post-season play. A team which has played in a variety of venues before hostile crowds and unfamiliar refs against quality opposition using various styles of play ought to gain confidence that they can handle anything they might face in the NCAA. I think and hope that CBP will continue to schedule the best opponents he can get. Recruits want to play against the best. Besides, who knows, the NCAA selection committee might someday in fact take schedule strength into account for seeding again(;-P)!

Posted by CurtNYC on March 18, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I can handle our seeding and placement, but what is patently unfair is allowing North Carolina to not have to leave the state of NC until the Final Four. Chapel Hill is nothing more than a suburb of Raleigh/Durham. There should be a rule that teams must be placed 50 or 100 miles away from their campus in first rounds. Why not put Carolina in Birmingham for first two rounds and then move to Charlotte the next weekend? No wonder they always make it to the Sweet 16.

Posted by jonathan81254 on March 18, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Extremely good analysis, and it calms me down a bit about feeling jobbed. (Which of course is extremely ironic, as Pearl pointed out.) Of course, I'm also still in shock that Hill hit a shot, and that Lofton's final shot didn't go in, so maybe that's the shock talking. Nah, that's not it; Pennington just did the analysis and arrived at defensible conclusions based on evidence. Nice to see that happen anywhere, but especially nice to see happen in sportswriting.

Posted by asleep on March 18, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

pj...,

Tennessee's record of 28-4 is correct according to the selection committee's criteria. They only count wins against Division 1 opponents. Our win over either Ark-Monticello or Prairie View doesn't count in our NCAA tournament resume'. It's still a win, the committee just ignores it. That's why it's listed that way on the RPI.

Go Vols

Posted by mparker on March 18, 2008 at noon (Suggest removal)

Bruce has said he schedules teams with several goals: to get his team better, to increase exposure, and of course with an eye to the RPI and SOS.

What is enjoyable to me is to click on the teams UT played and see have they've done. I think it was even more impressive in 2006-2007.

Posted by goeltzd on March 18, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

don't you have a tv show?
please tell us about it.

Posted by vols50 on March 18, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There is only ONE UT, burnt orange can't hold a candle to BIG ORANGE!!!!!!

Posted by pjhaddix on March 18, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Asleep, thanks for the info. I didn't know that. pj

Posted by HotlantaVol on March 18, 2008 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We needed a wake-up call. That's for sure. Between Arkysaw's win and our #2 seed, maybe the boys will deflate a bit and go out there to play ball and prove they can be champions. Nobody's going to lift them up and hand them scissors just for having a great season. They need to earn those scissors and earn the right to cut down those nets. Use this for motivation!! Play with a chip on your shoulder. To this point you've earned nothing but a regular season title in a 'down year'.

Posted by pdhuff on March 18, 2008 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Never, I repeat, never has all 4 #1's made to the Final Four.

I'll be happy to beat American U.

Posted by pjhaddix on March 18, 2008 at 5:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nice, big article on Pearl on ESPN today:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/column...

Posted by pjhaddix on March 18, 2008 at 6:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And we can still vote for Chris Lofton once a day until this Sunday for the Lowe's Senior Class Award: http://basketball.seniorclassaward.co...

Posted by gillblog on March 18, 2008 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I really really wish that Dick Vitale would go back to being on sick leave so we would could enjoy some of these games without having to turn off the sound.

Posted by LargeOrange on March 19, 2008 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

gillblog, if you have a dvr reciever on your cable or Directv box, you can pause the action for a few seconds and get the timing right with the Vol Network, I watch all the games this way, occasionally muting Bob Kessling and liteneing to the TV and switching back and forth. I have to listen to the Vol network over the internet since I am out of state which can make it a little challenging, but it beats hearing BAAYBEE over and over.

Posted by LargeOrange on March 19, 2008 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pjhaddix - Thanks for the link on the CBP article, very interesting, I did not know about the whistle blower deal with Illinios. Coach Pearl and Coach Fulmer have another thing in common, they both have learned how to run a clean program becasue of the target they put on their backs by cooperating with the NCAA and getting another school (Bama) caught cheating. It takes guts to stand up for what's right and live under a microscope becasue of it. I say, good for both of them.

Posted by VOLstuckINky on March 19, 2008 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Committee said ... only play Conf USA teams or cupcakes.

Posted by rabidvolfan on March 19, 2008 at 11:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pennington, I changed my mind. You suck. Until your Sunday morning show starts covering 100% UT basketball and no football our women's sports, your show sucks. We are in the midst of the greates post season event in the country and you get off subject too much. Your show has potential though. You do a good job from May to August when there's nothing to really talk about.

Posted by General_Watermelon on March 20, 2008 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The NCAA likes to put the #1 seed close to home to award them for their top seed. UCLA is in Anaheim. Memphis is in Little Rock (2 hours away, Kansas is in Omaha, and UNC is in Releigh.

I suppose that Tennessee would have had to travel to Omaha had they won the SEC as Kansas is the team that bumped them from the #1 seed. Looks like TN losing did the NCAA a favor in being able to getting Kansas in Omaha. At least UT is not having to travel far as a #2 seed even though it is in enemy battle grounds (Birmingham). Thoughts?