One week from today, Mike Slive will step to a microphone in Hoover, Ala., and expound on the wonder of SEC football.
To an auditorium full of media types, the commissioner will tick off a list of impressive figures to quantify the greatness of the nation's greatest football conference.
Oh, how the good news abounds:
n Four national titles in a row and defending-champ Alabama favored to make it five in 2010.
n Armored cars hauling TV revenue to every campus.
n Two of the past three Heisman Trophy winners, including the reigning king Mark Ingram.
n Leading the nation in attendance 12 seasons running.
n Ten of 12 teams played in bowl games last year (six won).
n Lane Kiffin is now the Pac-10 commissioner's headache.
This is the traditional opening ceremony of SEC Media Days, the annual ritual that signifies preseason camp is just around the corner.
For Tennessee fans, it can't get here fast enough.
To say UT's fan base is feeling beleaguered is an understatement.
Phillip Fulmer's end in 2008 was a painful divorce. To those scars add a case of whiplash, courtesy of Kiffin's abrupt exit.
Name me another proud, big-time program going on its third head coach in three years. That just doesn't happen at Tennessee.
But it did. Over the past couple of months, Vol World was warming up to its shotgun groom, Derek Dooley, seeing encouraging signs.
That feel-better vibe took a broadside Friday at Bar Knoxville, the athletic department's third headline-grabbing notoriety in nine months.
What this program needs is some on-the-field news.
After the November stick-up, the Vols had a game to play in 48 hours. Granted, they got hammered at Ole Miss, but at least the focus was back between the white lines.
When the basketball program was rocked by arrests on New Year's Day, Bruce Pearl's short-handed Vols shocked the world by upsetting No. 1 Kansas.
No such luck this time. What else is there for talk radio or message boards to belabor? Home Run Derby? The Tour de France?
The NCAA should consider a hardship clause. In this world of 24-hour media, once every decade a program should be allowed to start practice early to ease the collective angst of coaches, players and fans.
If such a provision were in place, Tennessee - and perhaps Georgia - would take advantage of it. Like yesterday.
I'm not sure which is a tougher pill to swallow: your athletic director resigns in disgrace, or your starting defensive tackles are hiring lawyers after a bar brawl.
We don't know exactly how good the news is going to be once the pads go on. Let's just say the Vols have issues.
Still, on the field is where the news, good or bad, is supposed to generate. Better to get bull-rushed by Florida than the KPD.
However, there are a couple of positive tidbits that have been trampled in the outcry over the incident on The Strip.
Quarterback Matt Simms drew rave reviews from NFL analyst Chris Mortensen (and Alabama QB Greg McElroy) while working at the Manning Passing Academy over the weekend.
Furthermore, I'm liking the announcement that ESPN's College GameDay show is expanding to three hours and adding Erin Andrews.
I know, it doesn't balance the scales. For another week there's not much to do except speculate as to how much damage the Vols are going to absorb as the investigation continues.
At the moment, there's really not much even Mike Slive can say to make Tennessee fans feel any better.
Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6276.
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Comments » 22
BillyVol writes:
Well now.
orangecountyvols writes:
Well Mike, finally near the very end of your report came some very welcome news. Good report about Simms and of course Erin Andrews.
So the article, while being accurate concerning what has transpired recently on Cumberland, closes with a flourish. Thanks for that.
Bogus writes:
This is what Mortensen twittered about Simms from the camp:
The wow guy tonight was Simms - he wowed his peers with arm strength especially, accuracy and spinning it.
Other QBs thoughts Simms won it in the first final round but they had a 2nd final round & Potts hit it - using a little "softer" style.
Manning Camp QB Exhibition and Skills Competition is over: Texas Tech's Taylor Potts beat Tennessee's Matt Simms
Apparently Greg McElroy said he wished he had Simms arm strength.
So where was this Simms during the spring game?
DaddyVol writes:
Did the Alabama QB compliment Simms? Or...was Mortensen complimenting both QB's?
Bogus writes:
They both complemented Simms.
flatrock writes:
Q. Where was Simms during the spring game?
A. Running for his life.
A1A writes:
You're kidding right?
VOLINCALI writes:
who approved this?
PrideOfTheSouthlandBand writes:
Can we please get a recruit commit? I'll take a 3* or 4*, I mean I want 10 5*'s, but I need some good news. We aren't gonna get much during the season. That is with what I think was a great coaching decision by Mike. Dooley will do great things. Let us VOL Nation not be to quick to judge him. He needs 4 years. If he isn't winning in 4 years, that will give him a team of his own recruits, then we will talk about what to do. But let's not be like the Arkansas fan bases of the world and demand an undefeated season in dude's first year. We will be fine Big Orange. Let's show some grace and class in this time of harm and hatred. We Shall Overcome! We Are UT!
PopsinCapetownSA writes:
Fire whoever is recruiting these thugs with their pants hanging off their a____s. Recruit real men like Steve Kiner who would have cleaned out the bar by himself and whipped you if you had stepped into the fight. These thugs have no pride. POP$
sol_way writes:
geez dude, you a fairy?
10volunteers98 writes:
Yeah,and how about Jack 'Hacksaw' Reynolds,and Ray Nettles?Remember them? GO,VOLS!!!
VOLinATL writes:
Great....GameDay is now 3 hours. More fluff pieces on players whose Daddy can't watch them play due to being in jail. I guess that is why Erin Andrews is getting more airtime.
gnm53108 writes:
Pretty obvious doldrum article.
Thanks for reminding me that sec media days is next week.Damn I need some football!
Bigger_Al writes:
Agreed, but if he did that in 2010, he would be arrested, put on the espn.com ticker, and kicked off the team.
Chris4Vols22 writes:
That girl is soooooooooooooo stuck up. I don't like her either.
tnsportsman writes:
LOL, NO Erin Andrerws is a FL Swamp Lizard enought said!
GO VOLS, WE ARE UT!
MemphisVol1485 writes:
Jamarcus Russell did pretty well in college with only one of the various essentials.
murrayvol writes:
Has to be.
imw8n4u writes:
In other news, hungry man needs food. Also, Bobby Johnson resigns at Vandy.
Raynoch writes:
Russell had LSU talent on the offensive line and all around him in the skill positions.
sol_way writes:
im taking that magazine out of my bathroom A S A P
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