Rocky Top Talk: FanPosts

ROCKYFLOP OR ROCKYTOPPLED?

REAGANLOVEDLA — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:27:31 -0000

First, I love the site. Very cool. I was at the Rose Bowl and saw theUCLA v Tennessee game. It was a great game, one for the ages. Tennessee is a great team, with great tradition, and will bounce back from the loss. In truth, you guys were just outsmarted as a team, especially your coaching staff. Love the girls, though. Simply, beautiful. Thanks for sharing. (smile)

What I respect most is that you had the madhood to come out here twice in two years and play 3,000 miles away from home. Always difficult, just ask Alabama who came in here with a #3 ranking in 2000, and also lost to UCLA playing with a back-up quarterback (sound familiar). We have tried to get them to come back for the past 5 years but they wont take us up on the offer. Unlike many schools in the SEC, you guys actually schedule tough early. It doesnt take much to beat Tennessee-Chat. We actually laugh out here when we see teams in the SEC play teams of that calibur, score touchdowns, and then chest bump eachother like they are playing the New York Giants. WTF? We would rather lose the chance at a national title losing to a team like Tennessee, then win one beating up on little Tulane (note to LSU). That is why we schedule tough out of conference opponents out here in the Pac-10. If you dont, all of the other schools in the conference mock you, and laugh.

Also, enough of the "SEC is the best conference in college football", crap. The SEC is a great conference, with great players. The best conference changes from year to year, depending on the talent and the schedule. I dont think, nor does anyone living on the west coast believe that the Pac-10 is the best conference in college football just because since the BCS was implemented (1998), in 16 times the PAC-10 and SEC have played eachother, the Pac-10 has won 10.

Just an FYI: In the Pac-10, Stanford has the hardest academic entrance requirements. UCLA is second, and athletes at both schools are not given any special treatment.

I look forward to coming out to Neyland Stadium next year, and watching the sequal.

Volopoly

NO1UTVF — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:06:58 -0000

You just recieved a Contingency Card - GO TO FREE PARKING - you have the week off.

Home opener against UAB. Predictions: Jon will pick em apart in the air Foster will have a 100+ rushing game Hardesty will have a 100+ rushing game Defense shows up in 4th quarter and no PREVENT defense the whole game. Sorry bout the Duke comment Chavis. Just got up set over the prevent defense in 4th quarter against UCLA. Thought that was rather foolish to do but hey you the man. And Claw hope you can keep Joh's mouth piece in his mouth on running plays. And Phil pleeeeeeeeeeeze no more ORANGE PANTS!

Whatfense?

NO1UTVF — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 01:38:44 -0000

Can you believe that an offensive cord. the calabier of the CLAW ran an offense like what was displayed Monday Night? For starters when you have a very good QB and he's having an off game and you have 2 very good running backs that are having a good game what do you do as an offensive cord. First thing you don't do is have your QB keep throwing passes. Sure you need some to keep the running game going but get real, John was having an off game and Foster and Hardesty had thier game shoes on (and those ugly orange pants). And then you kick 2 fieldgoals at 50+yards and give up ground. And Chavis I hear they looking for a defensive cord. at Duke. The game was intertaining and it was a bad lose that should not have happened. WAIT WAIT I see it now Claw you sneaky devil, you just didn't want the Gators and the Bulldogs to see what we really have!

!#$^%& orange pants

thetennesseethumper — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:00:15 -0000

okay, we all know it comes down to execution and taking care of the ball ( and we had problems with both).but, the orange pants? c'mon, we're going to wear the effin', bleepin' orange pants? in the first game? i know those evil leggings did not cause foster to hold the ball like a dirty diaper at the six. they did not give a free pass to UCLA's special team players into our punter's face, make crompton appear to be throwing cinder blocks into the turf, or steal a safety & miss an ineligible down field(thankyou, zebras). the pants can't be held accountable for a lack of adjustments in all phases, can they? is it first game jitters? is it bugs in a new system that just need to be worked out? is it just more of the same old, sameold? hmmm...i blame those d@#n pants(for now).

Talk about a cold shower....

MeytonPanning — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:02:31 -0000

This Labor Day weekend was almost awesome. I had Friday off so I gorged on Wings and Beer Thursday night, actually giddy that a Steve Spurrier team was shutting out NC State.

I went to Boone Lake the next day, watched a crap ton of Football, jet ski'd my heart out, got one last sunburn for the summer and looked forward to my Monday of no work and Big Orange Football. The first weekend of Football. These are the types of weekends you dream about in February and March when the only thing you think is, "How long must I wait for the sweet sweet scent of Fall Saturdays?" Its not supposed to get any better than this.

And then Rick Nueheisel pee'd in my cheerios.

I'm not gonna go Paul Finebaum on Phillip and Co. I'm not gonna scratch out Randy Sander's name and pencil in "Clawson" on all those letters-to-the-editor. This was a disaster to be sure, but it's something that Vol Nation can recover from....I think (right?).

This game was not lost because of offensive philosophies or playcalls. It was lost because of a lack of preparation and, most importantly, a lack of attention to the little things...the details. Little things like new punt protections. Little things like protections to address the two-headed monster at D Tackle. Things like handing out new play wristbands in between series because some people may have had the wrong wrist bands. Details like Quarterbacks dropping back directly into their backs who may or may not have been in the right position to block. The small things killed the Vols last night. Obviously the staff has details to iron out. Thank god for the early bye.

And I'll leave with a post game haiku called Cold Shower, Labor Day 08.

Richard Neuheisel

Dropped Trou and Urinated

in my Cheerios.

I'm sure it's just conditioning, right?

volinkentucky — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:53:43 -0000

After watching the post game Rick Neuheisel love fest on the world-wide leader, trying to find the ability to just go to bed and not see the prevent defense in my dreams, I noticed that Coach N had said that he felt that UCLA had better conditioning and that "Tennessee got tired."

How can you get tired playing 10-15 yards off every wide receiver and tight end in the 2nd half, while the opposing QB is passing 5 yards deep every time? (One thing I am certain of, Chavis is out of shape.) Is it that Chavis has gotten too predictable in the last few years? Is it defensive talent or lack thereof? I'm sure it's just conditioning right? Why would you handcuff one of the best secondaries in the nation by playing soft and not bringing heat from the safeties or corners?? Did anyone hear Eric Berry's name in the second half. One of the most dynamic players in the country made to play a soft cover 2 most of the game?

I understand this is just one loss, but did anyone else notice how the offense lacked the same creativity during the middle of the game that it had in the 1st quarter? We saw some different things early and then all of a sudden, cute and soft. Dink and dunk in the passing game out of new formations. The running game was pretty solid when they actually got to RUN THE BALL! Throwing 40+ times a game with a first time starter with mostly solid tailbacks? UGHHHHH!!!!! Briscoe had the best catch of the night. Well, at least we don't play Florida soon. Oh, wait........

Terrible.

wvvol — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 04:45:22 -0000

That's how Jonathan Crompton played in the UCLA game.

When a team hands you 4 interceptions in one half and you convert them to 7 points, you'll lose more than you win.

When you can't hit an open receiver with an effin 2 x 4, you'll lose more than you win.

When you stand with the ball like a statue in your offensive backfield until someone from the other team knocks you on your ass, you'll lose more than you win. (I'm sorry I ever doubted you Erik Ainge, you quick-throwing sonofabitch)

When you have a 4 point lead with 2 minutes left and decide -- despite mountains of evidence to the contrary (at least 3 hours of videotape for Florida games alone) -- that a prevent defense is the best way to win the game, you'll lose more than you win (and you should).

Here's how I would rate the position play:

QB: F - Just terrible all-around. Nerves might have explained the terrible start, but he never got better. Inaccurate throws, holding the ball too long, looking like a moron with his mouthpiece stuck in his facemask, terrible from start to finish.

RB: C - Arian Foster's fumble keeps this from being a B. Hardesty came in and provided a change of pace.

FB: B - Cooper made a few plays from short passes

WR: B - Did well when they could touch the ball. Too often the passes were terribly off-line: short, long, high, inaccurate.

TE: C - Caught a few balls, but like the WRs weren't able to showcase their talent.

OL: C - Much was written about how great this offensive line is. I think they've spent the past few weeks reading it. That being said, if the QB wouldn't have held the ball so long

DL: B - Held UCLA to 29 yards rushing. Ran out of gas because the QB was unable to keep them off the field in the 2nd half.

LB: C - Really didn't have a standout game, but I noticed few unforced breakdowns. Spent too much time on the field in the 2nd half.

DB: B - Three picks, one TD. A few punishing hits. Played pretty well until they started to run out of gas in the 2nd half. And then the "John Chavis Prevent Defense ™" put them in a no-win situation.

Special Teams: C - One dumbass formation allowed the blocked punt deep in UT territory. 2 50+ missed field goals gave UCLA good field position and the missed 34 yarder in overtime lost the game. Grade would be much worse were it not for some great returns by Gerald Jones and Eric Berry.

Coaching: F - "Clawfense" hampered by terrible execution from the QB, but the DC still managed to screw up a definite win with his Prevent Defense. Won't satisfy any diehard Vol fan.

UCLA Beats Tennessee Football in Overtime, Daniel Lincoln Missed Field Goal

echinsuocha1 — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 04:41:14 -0000

In a gut wencher for UCLA , Craft pulled a 180 and brought the BRUINS an amazing last minute victory! This kid is going to be the man around campus…….At least this week. UCLA looks good but not GREAT and with their schedule they are going to need to step up to the plate.

Kevin Craft: 25 of 43 on the night with 259 total yards, no TD’s and 4 picks. His numbers aren’t great but this guy made a compelete 180 to bring his team back at the end of the 4th quarter. What a clutch performance by him and his O Line.

Tennessee Kicking
FG PCT LG XP PTS
1/4 25.0 47 3/3 6 Daniel Lincoln

1/4 25.0 0 3/3 6 Team

[edit]

Tennessee vs UCLA: Season Opener

BloodSpite — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:11:22 -0000

This ought to get you going! Thanks to BloodSpite for the video. Let me just say one thing:

WOOOOoooooooooo!!!!!

-- Joel

P.S. Jackson says "woo", too.

Ok folks here is the season opener video!

Rocky Top Talk puts it the best today

Tennessee does it better than anyone. While there are myriad reasons college football inspires fanaticism among its followers, one stands above the rest.

It's the anticipation.

Today's on-demand technology has rendered that state of human emotion known as anticipation practically extinct. Do you remember, back in the day, when your t.v. received programming from a grand total of three channels? Back then, programming was fixed in time and therefore scarce. Frosty the Snowman was shown once in December, and if you missed it, well, you just missed it.

Far be it from me to dress it up better than Joel does. He has it on the money.

Win or lose, this is my team. Its my alumni. Its my school. In many ways its my way of life.

Most of my freinds are Pro-Football fans. They have a hard time understanding my obsession with a college team, a team whose players are constantly in flux, a team who wins big, loses big, and makes no money and whose ranking system is more confusing than your Uncle Bobs instructions on fly fishing.

I can only boil it down to one thing: It's my team.

We are now at 11 hours and counting.

Game time, tonight. On ESPN.

NEW: Event Tagging (Use It)

Joel — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:26:59 -0000

Totally stolen from Peter, because, well, motive, opportunity, and all that.

While some of the features of BON 2.0 might be considered 'take it or leave it,' depending on your preferences, one of the new site functionalities we'd really love to see everyone take advantage of is Event Tagging.

When composing a Fan Post or Fan Shot for RTT, authors will always have the option to tag the story using the various mechanisms on the right side of the posting page (shaded in blue). Note that one such mechanism is labeled "Events"; with it, an author can tag his story to a specific game/event in the site database. The beauty of the system is that all content tagged to any given event will appear on that game's event page.

For example, I've now tagged several stories to the Tennessee-UCLA game. By clicking on the "COMPLETE COVERAGE" button at the bottom of the "Upcoming Game" box in the left sidebar of RTT's main page, a reader will be taken to the contest's game page.

Of all the tagging tools available on this site (there are many, they all are wonderful), this is by far the most useful. This site is driven in no small part by community-generated content; if all of you start event tagging when posting an item relating to a specific game, we'll all be the better for it by being able to browse pre-sorted game-relevant content in one tidy page.

And now, in case you struggle with basic drop down menus, some pictures. Hooray.

The only possible confusion might arise from that top right menu, which you'll need to change to 'Upcoming' for a game not yet played. If, however, you're writing on a Monday about the past Saturday's game, you'll leave the menu in the 'Completed' slot and choose the appropriate game before clicking 'add'.

It's that simple. Thanks in advance.

Really? When is the NCAA just going to let the kids play?

CT4UT — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:14:25 -0000

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3544920

I hate to see guys get hurt, but i feel like the NCAA just continues to try a critique there rules only to change their minds a year later. Can we just leave the game alone? It seemed to be working fine before.

Specifically i want to know you guys thoughts on this new 40 second clock. I smell some post-game press conference remarks come sometime in october when people figure out this opens up the door for ugly and anticlimactic 9 minute drives. Teams like west virginia and Ohio State should pick up on the ball control possibilities real fast and understand that this seriously diminishes the opportunity for big time upsets in college football. I can just here ron zook with one of those "if it wasn't for...we would have won" remarks

Who knows maybe Michigan headed up the whole ordeal so they wont have to throw the ball but just a few times against Toledo...no chance for that whole appalachian state thing again

Was the Hobnail comment necessary Larry?

guilded — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:34:03 -0000

So i am watching CBS Rewind the other night and i am forcing myself to sit through the infamous "Hobnail Boot" game and i witness this "apparent" first quarter TD catch by Kelly Washington.

Remember, no replay in 2001 and check the terrible angle of the ref in this video.

No Hobnail (via guilded)

The CBS truck ordered this replay and the announcers paid no attention...but HE DID NOT CATCH THE BALL. At least not anymore than Jabar Gaffney did...that one time.

I post this for two reasons:

1) This CBS channel rules even though they show too many Vol losses.

2) That Munson call rips through me like a saw on the intro to the game every year and in some small, insignificant way, knowing KW did not catch this first quarter TD pass nullifies some of that pain.

One more thing, if Travis Stepehens would have been pulled down at the one on that long, lead taking TD run in the fourth, and the Vols had run a play or three to get in...none of this would be necessary.

At the time of TS's TD i seriously bemoaned to my Dad that the quick strike run left too much time on the clock.

Painful.

Hooper...care to rerun '08 recruiting analysis?

volinal — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:33:55 -0000

It's been over six months since the dust has settled on the 2008 recruiting class, and thanks to Hooper, I've been eagerly awaiting an equivalent time period to now ask for his follow-up anlysis of the 2008 recruiting class (ref: posting date, 8 Feb 08). As I recall, the total number of university recruits influenced the schools' recruiting class ranking. Certainly, some of these recruits may have been deemed academically ineligible in the interim, or more specifically for this season. Thus, the ranking analysis may yield quite different results; don't know...just like to see what the effect is, if any.

Fantasy Football

BlueVol03 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:14:40 -0000

Just wanted to put this out there.. I am in an online keeper league (using Fleaflicker) and we have 2 openings for teams this season. We need to get these filled ASAP so we can get the rosters reset and a draft date scheduled. One of the teams has Tomlinson and Brady while the other has Peterson. Please let me know your email address if you're interested in playing and I'll send you a league invite.

Thank you.

Attn: Vol Navy

Holly — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:59:26 -0000

Good evening, Volunteers--

I'm hard at work on what I hope will become a regular tailgating column on a website I'm obligated not to name at the moment, and one of the first sites I want to feature is, of course, good ol' Rocky Top. I'm particularly focusing on the Vol Navy side of the tailgating scene. If any of you have wild anecdotes and/or pictures of yourselves, your family or friends rocking the Orange and White on the river, and you'd be interested in being interviewed or having your shots featured in the piece, hit me up via the contact email in my profile. Thanks so much!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE "A-11" OFFENSE?

LOUtheMETfan — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:09:54 -0000

Two Northern California high school football coaches have designed an offense known as the A-11 that may just change the way football is played in the future. It appears to use speed and smaller players to its advantage. Take a read and tell me what you think. (I'm sure the Florida Gators are salivating over this). Speed kills!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081102806.html?sub=AR

UT v UCLA Tailgate Party

TNPhilthyinLosAngeles — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 02:08:02 -0000

Hey Vol Fans!

I'm a UT boy (class of '00), living here in Los Angeles, CA. As you know, our boys in Orange are coming out to whoop up on the Bruins on September 1, 2008. I have family and friends coming out, and we'll be throwing a tailgate party on the golf course (Parking Lot 6 or 7) at the Rose Bowl. We'll be getting there early, so we can get a spot in the shade along the fence boardering West Drive.

http://www.rosebowlstadium.com/parking.htm

Anyone who is coming to the game, and wants to party with some fellow Volunteers, stop by and say hey!

Go Vols!

Phil

http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?a=2309869772

Brandon Warren?

Travass — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:33:43 -0000

I was wondering if you were as confused as I am about why his eligibility is taking so long? Did Emanuelle Moody not leave USC and go to Florida and is eligible this year without having to sit out a single season? I was also thinking that Slive the SEC president is a Florida alumni, I wonder if this is playing any role in the decision? Kinda fishy a Florida player comes from another D-1 school and is eligible right out of the gate, but Brandon had to take a year of at a community college to just try and see if he gets to play. Just my opinion let me know what you think!

Aerobab Update

Aerobab — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:27:36 -0000

Hello all, from lovely Montgomery, AL! Weeks ago when I provided an update, I had no clue about what the following weeks would entail. I was struggling with the early-early mornings combined with the late-late nights. Well, I wish I could say that the sleep-deprivation situation has improved...but we've at least learned how to deal with it. As our upper class always contested: "things don't get easier, but they do get better." Now that we're at week 7 in the program, we're half way done! WOOO! I know y'all can't wait to have me back on here! Right?

I'm able to check RTT pretty much daily now and I love the discussions that have taken place. I just wish I could contribute a little more, but hey...such is life. I've now got secured tix to the UT-Auburn game on 24 Sept., so let me know if you'll be there as well.

See you all soon!

OT Aerobab

TENNESSEE GETS GEORGIA PEACH

volman — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:35:30 -0000

Tennessee got another commitment Friday, Nigel Mitchell-Thornton from Stone Mountain Georgia. Thornton is a 6'-2" 225lb. Middle linebacker, Thornton rated a 3* player by Scout.Com. is from Stepheson High School.

Burke Hayes of scout.com reports that Thornton is rated as one of the top Linebackers in the state of Georgia. He has very good size, is aggressive and plays hard. He has put on some weight, but still has range, so he should stay at line backer. Runs well and is not a match - up liability Very poised and plays through adversity.

Thornton had 106 tackles, 6 sacks, and 12 tackles for loss last season. Thornton picked Tennessee over Michigan, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Miss St., Marshall, North Carolina State, and Oklahoma State. Welcome to Tennessee Nigel. More News To Come, Go Vols !! Old Smokey