AP Top 25 College Football
Talk really is cheap and filled with consequences around college football. Consider these examples:
* The day of reckoning arrives for Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin and the sagging Vols with Saturday's trip to No. 1 Florida (2-0) at The Swamp. Almost everyone is familiar with Kiffin's mouth-that-roared approach upon replacing Phil Fulmer on Rocky Top, with several jabs directed toward Urban Meyer's twice-national champion Gators. Not that Urban Renewal needs any extra incentive to bludgeon UT (1-1 after yet another remedial offensive display in Saturday's 19-15 loss to UCLA). The 89-26 score of the last two years is part of UF's four-game winning streak in the series, longest since Steve Spurrier made Fulmer his perennial patsy back in the 1990's.
Las Vegas oddsmakers have noticed, favoring the Gators by a whopping 28-1/2 points, believed to be the largest underdog Tennessee has ever been. Just 7-9 since December, 2007, the Vols are 2-6 all-time vs. No. 1 teams including a pair of Gators' drubbings by a combined 64-21 in 1994 and '97. The ominous signs for Tennessee are more apparent than Kevin Federline's weight gain.
When Kiffin took the Vols job, he said he had his players' backs. Now they must pay up for Kiffin's bad-check babblings. How well UT hangs together after the ugliness in Gainesville will determine the program's immediate future.
* Quickly following in Kiffin's footsteps is Ohio State sophomore QB Terrelle Pryor. First, there was his incomprehensible defense of America's favorite dog killer (Michael Vick): ''Not everybody's the (most) perfect person in this world. Everyone kills people, everyone murders people, steals from you, steals from me, whatever." Which reminds us, we're late for committing this week's felony.
Then after Southern Cal gutted its way past the Buckeyes, 18-15, on Saturday night in Columbus, Pryor was oh-so-gracious in defeat: "We should have beat them by two or three touchdowns. Easy, man. The ball just went the wrong way, like I keep saying.'' Three words of advice for Senor Sweater Vest (Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel): Gag order, now.
Dismissing Pryor's nonsense, kudos to the usually high-flying Trojans for beating Ohio State at its own game, with freshman Matt Barkley quarterbacking no less. Troy gets backed into this kind of slug-it-out, caveman affair about as often as Bill O'Reilly and Al Franken have dinner together. Yet they still won.
* Back to coaches, we have Colorado's Dan Hawkins, who summed up his team's preseason goals thusly: "10 wins and no excuses.'' Well, after witnessing the immortal quarterback Aaron Opelt of Toledo doing his Vince Young impersonation (15-of-23, 319 yards passing, 4 TDs, 109 yards rushing on 8 carries, 2 TD runs) in the Rockets' 54-38 battering of CU Friday night, the Buffs (0-2) have no margin of error to get to 10. And Hawkins is sticking his chest out at the growing criticism. "I can't control what people think, nor am I willing. I know this: Inside our program, we're doing things right."
At 13-26 in his fourth season and his son, QB Cody, being lustily booed by the Buffs' students, you might think the Hawkins clan has had it in Boulder. Perhaps not. With a buyout reportedly approaching $3 million and the CU athletic department still awash in red ink, Dan Hawkins could survive. But with trips to West Virginia, Texas and Oklahoma State ahead, a win over Wyoming Saturday is a must.
* And finally under the category that too much youth can be a dangerous thing, Michigan freshman quarterback Tate Forcier sized up his heroic performance (310 total yards, 3 TDs including the game-winning TD pass with 11 seconds left) in beating Notre Dame: "I don't get nervous. I've been preparing for this my whole life. It's nothing new to me.''
Oh really? We know the Big Ten is a bit down, but it must take more than two games to master playing QB at Michigan. Let's check back with Mr. Know-It-All after UM's consecutive road games at Michigan State and Iowa in early October -- not to mention a little season-ender with Ohio State (five straight wins over Michigan).
UPSET PICK: Nonetheless, we thank Forcier for vanquishing Notre Dame and moving us to 1-1. So let's venture out on a limb Friday night with host Fresno State to stun 7-point favorite-WAC bully Boise State.
ALL MIXED UP: In a game of jumble, the CAA has become the ACC. Makes no sense? Just remember that the Division I-AA Colonial Athletic Association is now 4-4 against Division I schools after New Hampshire won at Ball State Saturday. It could have been even better if James Madison hadn't been nipped, 38-35 in overtime, at Maryland.
Meanwhile, the Atlantic Coast Conference is a lackluster 12-7 against non-conference foes with all but one of its games coming at home.
(John Lindsay is sports editor for Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com in Washington, D.C. E-mail him at lindsayj9at)shns.com)
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Softball: Tennessee 2, Georgia 1
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 63
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Living proof that something cannot be beat to death or maybe so Saturday.
tdforvols writes:
The Kiffin haters are coming out of the woodwork this week. Let's see what they all have to say on Sunday. Go Vols!
rockyknox writes:
Most notable point of article: Writer seems to have an affection for Kevin Federline.
CHS52VOL writes:
Copying this article to re-read after the game on Saturday. Professor Simek is going to let Coach Kiffin take the team to Gainesville, isn't he, if Kiffin agrees to play nice? Vols 27 Gators 24. Go Vols!!
volfanNPa writes:
The vol program was in a free fall. We had just gone 5-7 and with a new coaching staff coming in he had a choice. Get what recruits you can and hope next year it gets better or come out with a bang. He did that. got a top 10 class and working on a top 5 class for 10. Yes we may lose a few battles along the way to win the war. We are on our way back. I wouldn't change anything this staff has done so far. Go Vols Go Coach
TDTenn writes:
Don't care what the score is. I'm glad we have a coach that wants to take on Florida, Georgia, Alabama, rather than sit back and take it. His comment about singing Rocky Top was a joke and I would be angry too if I had a recruit that while is was meeting with had another coach continuously calling like a jealous x-boyfriend. I'll be glad when this week is over, and you writers will have nothing else to write about.
Kiffin has only said two things to Meyer. The media has done a good job using terms like "several" to describe these two mundane events.
volsfannsc writes:
If it were time to pay up for cheap talk, then Lindsey, Adams, and Strange should owe millions! I chuckle when every syllable of every word is taken so literal from ANY coaching staff. Is the media so pressed for news that they are willing to sensationalize and twist every quip that comes from a coaches mouth? During Kiff's press conference and introduction as new head coach, the reference about singing "Rocky Top all nite long after we beat the Gators" I understood to be a point in time to the future...not the immediate future. Grief, look at what kind of shape this team was in when he arrived. QB's with green jerseys, lack of discipline both on the field and academically- just shows we had a team that just showed up for games, they weren't being coached. As for calling Urbie a cheater, if I were entertaining a recruit for a designated weekend visit and his cell phone kept going off every hour from a coach at another school....regardless of how the rules are stated, is that ethical behavior from someone whose job it is to shape young men? I've always been taught to lead by example, not by pushing the envelope as to what rules say.
All this equates to the media attempting to blow things completely out of porportion just to make a story thicker...worth reading. Well if the truth of the story isn't worth reading, DONT REPORT IT!
I am also amazed at sports media reporters who obivously have never played a sport in their lives. Swagger, bravado and a certain amount of cockiness are all part of preparation for the game. If not, why bother to compete? Last year's team acted like a doormat because they were being coached to become doormats. I'm not slamming Phil- in fact I was a big PF fan and was disheartened at the decision to allow him to leave (which he never did). As spring and summer camps came into focus, it became apparent that PF had become complacent and old-school tactics weren't working for new-school atheletes. I see the effect new blood has given the atheletes at UT. I see the effect new blood has resulted in our recruiting classes. I see a desire to win in our team that was missing or lost last year. Come Saturday, win or loose, we should be singing Rocky Top all nite long.
PennVol writes:
And sometimes teams are able to back up their talk with their play. We may not win, but Florida will know they've been in a game thanks to this coaching staff. Keep the swagger!
the10sevol writes:
if i recall correctly, clk made the comment about singing rocky top all night long "next year", but immediately followed it by saying, "just kidding urban, mike hamilton told me to say that". if urbie is upset about that, he really is a thin-skinned little jerk. but we already knew that.
GBO
standfast#211788 writes:
I agree. It has been said that "good teams figure out a way to win." We are pretty close to being a good team, but we are not there yet. Stick with the Vols and this staff. Let's forget about last Saturday and move on.
moedad writes:
this is the best article and truth i have read all week long! god bless you
arkyvol writes:
i'm hoping that, short of a win, the vols never give up and regardless of the final score, they can be proud. and remember, what goes around, comes around.
finn writes:
If only Kiffin had said 'I plan to uphold the long tradition established by my predecessor of getting our azz handed to us by the Gators each and every year.' Then all would be well and we could rest assured that the benevolent Gators would only try and beat us by 21 points instead of 28.' Man, that would be so much better. CLK may not be able to back it up this year but, mark my words, that day is coming.
VOLatile writes:
Volfannsc....Man that is the "money" post of the year!!!Good work!
bobbarbilly writes:
"It ain't bragging if you can do it."
-Dizzy Dean
TommyJack writes:
Who the hayel is John Lindsay?
VOLatile writes:
CatLoser...You have enough to worry about North of the Border. Don't being throwing stones in cathouses..See you in November!
gbeejr#1354500 writes:
You are good. Your piece is better than anything Adams ever wrote. Thank you for your perspective.
tennisvol writes:
The time has arrived for Coach Kiffin. All the talking is over and it is time to back up the talk.
Hudro writes:
Seems to me that in the hoopla over what the margin will be, etc. that we don't see much being written about how hard the staff is working to rebuild our program. Did anyone notice that even after a defeat we got commits from two of the best defensive players in SC and we got a commit from one of the top players in Okla ? Regardless of the outcome this Sat we need to appreciate Kiffin and company for they are building the foundation for a return to the top.
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
Dear media,
What if... by all craziness possible, Tennessee wins?
Sincerely,
Big Orange Nation
I can tell you this much, if we do pull this off, we owe the entire United States one massive middle finger. This is total overblown cr@p and all these morons are like "I hope Tennessee gets stomped." I hope the Volunteers know that we all have their backs.
On a side note, if anyone knows the hotel the Gators stay at in Gainesville, how about we rush in, duct tape their doors shut, and blast Rocky Top as loud as possible in front of their doors.... ALL NIGHT LONG
SaEvr writes:
LOVE THE POSITIVITY ON THIS THREAD. GO VOLS!!! I AM BEHIND ALL OF OUR PLAYERS AND COACHES, ALL THE WAY! Not a d**n one of the people who comment on this website knows the game of football like our players, especially any UT QB, and not as well as our coaches. Man up on this one ;) Its 101% true.
corrinebrown writes:
Oh,it was a joke alright
EugeneTheVol writes:
Yeah, Go CLK , Go Vols!!!! So what if they bury us Saturday?? Coach should still go on talking smack!! It doesn't matter if Crompton throws 12 more interceptions, he should talk smack too!!! Crompton is our boy and I am looking forward to seeing him all season no matter how much his brains turn to jelly during the game!!! Saturday is going to be loads of fun!!! Hey we destroyed WKU, right??? Gators can only play 11 at a time too, right??? GO Vols!!! Go Vols!!! GO Crompton, he's our Leader!! Go CLK!!! GO Vols!!!!
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
I'll settle for us being David and you being Goliath... because you're right, no one wants to be us... but I like how that story ends...
My guess is that if we still had Fulmer, the rest of the world would be pulling for us to win. But you know something? We really don't care about them. We're Tennessee, and if you're not fully on board, you're dead weight.
TommyJack writes:
I wish there were more gator fans. So I could hate'em more.
Down_The_Field writes:
great point. how many gay-turd coaches and fans would have screamed to high heaven if CLK would have been calling a recriut while visiting urbum crier?
he even qualified his "singing rocky top.." statement after he made it. plus, i DON'T care. i wish he'd insulted the whole stinkun, ugly, pathetic, yankee infested state.
another good comment. a coach that's not afraid of taking on the big boys. i heard a comment on the chattanooga sports talk show last night that gerald riggs is on a lot. the host said that riggs himself admitted privately that fulmer was ALWAYS shaken/frightened by flar-duh. he went on to say that riggs would never admit this in public. dang, how bad it this?! i believe that if the right plan is taken, either win or loose or loose big, we can make sunday a painful day for some gay-turd players.
i heard a player once say to a fan that asked him it his team would win. his response, "if we don't win the game, we'll win the fight after."
EugeneTheVol writes:
You're mean, Delta! Coach K and his daddy are going to teach you boys a lesson!! I bet Crompton only throws 2 interceptions against you!! He's great!! GO Vols!!! You guys better watch out for our mascot too, cause he is a big growling dog and he will growl right at you!! Right Guys???
CRFVols writes:
Congrats, who cares. Receivers are a position that will translate to the pro style from the spread.
However, Percy Harvin, when asked about the Bret Favre made the comment that "Bret does this thing where he won't look at you, then BAM the ball is coming your way". That's called looking-off the D-backs. This tells me that was something he never saw with the great Tebow. That's something any good QB can do.
Wish JC could do that.
Cldvols1 writes:
Articles too long for me to waste my time reading how the Gayders are out for revenge. Seen it, heard it and sick of it! Too perfect of a game for UF, look for there to be a big surprise this weekend. Go Vols!!!
Hardrocknox writes:
so , this story is about CLK running his mouth and urban cry'er is going going to run up the score (if he can), then what did phil say last couple of years for them to run the score up ? the point is who give a phooey what florida thinks !one thing urban better understand , this ain't good ole phil , playing not to lose ! CLK plays to win !
murrayvol writes:
He'll say "well played" and leave.
If you're going to beat Kiffin & Co. better get your licks in early Scratch. After this year the train will be picking up speed in addition to top recruits.
VolunteerLifer writes:
Linday is a typical journalist punk - lambasting 'cheap talk' of Kiffin while directly engaged in it himself. How many times can 'writers' go to the well for this easy storyline? How lazy is it to do the SAME writing that everyone else is doing: "Kiffen opened his big mouth, and now, boy is he ever gonna get it shut. Heh, Heh!!!"
Florida, who has been dog whipping Tennessee for fiteen years under Fulmer, is the defending NC, with the best QB to ever play the game. Tennessee is a 5-7 team with thin cupboards of talent. So, Florida needs needs some bulletin board material to get excited for this game?
Better not talk smack to Florida. No sir. They are the Annointed Ones in the SEC. They are the Chosen Ones. We at UT are the great unwashed. It was fine when Spurrier talked smack to UT and everyone else in the SEC, but you'd better not talk back that way against Florida. No sir. They are the Protected Ones. They get to win championships and remain protected from the smack talk that they have always given out. And they are protected from that same smack talk by hack, lazy, status quo prostitute 'journalists' like John Lindsay.
Cldvols1 writes:
Well said murray!
gnm53108 writes:
Thank you TJ.
I needed that.
spvol writes:
Urbie and the rest better enjoy kicking us while we're down. Payback time is coming.
10volunteers98 writes:
Go crawl under a rock,John Lindsay.Nobody cares what you think.GO,VOLS!!!
murrayvol writes:
A John Lindsay was once Mayor of NYC, but I think he's gone to his reward.
murrayvol writes:
And how about those qbs?
Volunatic writes:
"Just 7-9 since December, 2007"
Actually, the Vols are 8-9 since December '07, since they won their January '08 bowl game.
"Talk really is cheap"
Yours certainly is, Mr. Lindsay.
Volunatic writes:
Doh, make that 7-8 since December '07.
Dadgum decaf.
tennezz writes:
Let Cryer run up the score, we want forget and it will come back to him before long! He better look at our recruiting before he gets to carried away! I hope kiffin remembers this and gives him the same thing in a few years because fla. is on the way down after this year and do not know it yet!
crimsonviper writes:
I hear what you are saying Big!This horse was beat to death six months ago.
AFVol423 writes:
What a negative piece of drivil this is. Why not take a pot shot at Florida. Does it decrease our chances of winning? Nope, not a bit. Now, I'd like to see Coach Meyer expand his horizons soon. I'm thinking The Redskins could use a new coach.
crimsonviper writes:
I never have heard of him MV,but i will tell you what is really sad.I know more about the Vols than this clown does.KNS will reprint anything i guess.....Vol fans deserve better
ORANGE5 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
huntined#565710 writes:
It hurt me more for losing that game last week then it would if we lose by 50 to FLA. We are playing the number 1 team in the country and we are way down the charts so after a 5-7 program last year and we can't beat a unranked team we should lose real big..It is a win or lose the score is not what counts If FLA can't beat this team by 50 points thay may not be as good as everyone thinks. We are beat-up on the line, don't have a Q.B. that is anywhere near the SEC standards so they should win easy even with their second string playing a lot. Fact is Fact right now TENN don't have a good team and will need one or two more years to get the right players again and we will be o.k.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
He is a 1st cuzin to the prez of the Clap-Clap-Clap club.
SwampMusic writes:
I really am impressed by the optimism shared by so many Vols fans. It's heart-warming.
dma38256#264746 writes:
I'll second that all the way....
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