GiveHim6

Talk about overrated, Florida loses twice to unranked teams and drops from #6 to off the radar.

Do I get a badge or something? Just kidding. Nice surprise & I'm happy to oblige.

Never underestimate a Rick Barnes coached team.

FWIW the Vols get some love from ESPN in their new power rankings.

So the Dawgs & Bama flip-flopped. Because the dawgs win on the road against a 2 loss Auburn team was more impressive than Bama mauling Miss. St. or because of Tua? Probably both. The one that matters comes Tuesday.

The voters either wrote off Barnes & the Vols in the preseason after losing the Big 3 or decided to take a wait-and-see attitude. This year's edition is off to a good start. Maybe they will get some attention this week.

Fifty years ago today, Nov. 15, 1969 was a sad Saturday for the Vols who lost to Archie Manning and Ole Miss 38-0 in what is known as "The Jackson Massacre". I was a tenth grader at West High in Knoxville and remember it well. Listened to John Ward's call on the radio. We lived in a married student apt. complex on Sutherland Ave. where the new intramural fields are now. Anyway, several players on the team lived in our complex & I had seen them around from time to time. I remember how mad they were that at the end of the season the best bowl offer they got was the Gator. That team, chock full of All Americans and talent had just blown through the schedule to that point. Big wins over Auburn, Georgia and Bama already in the bag. And then Kiner had to open his big pie hole. Here's the write up in the following week's Sports Illustrated, by Pat Putnam. Answer to a foolish question

I worked in the City of Columbus Engineering Dept. for 5 years and I remember being shown a map of the city from the 1920's which was done by some outfit up in Boston. It was a really nice professionally done map and had in beautiful script: "Phoenix City, Alabama". All the folks over there could say was that those dumb city slickers up north don't know how to spell Phenix.

After living in South Cackalacky for the last 10 years I have to say Clemson and South Carolina fans are much easier to get along with. The other day my wife and I were walking into the local Publix and I had a Tennessee shirt on. There was a lady standing by the entrance and when we walked by she said "Yay Vols!". I laughed and gave her a thumbs up. Then later I started thinking, well she's probably a Clemson fan who just likes to see the Cocks lose.

I guess it depends on where you live as to who you consider the worst fans but after living in Columbus Georgia for over 35 years I'm with XL. I love to see Georgia lose anything against anybody because of all the crap dawg fans gave me. In Columbus you've got Phenix City Alabama right across the Chattahoochee so I was surrounded by Bama, Auburn, and Georgia Tech fans too. I had my share of abuse from those folks but dawg fans were by far the most consistently obnoxious. Yes, even worse than Bama fans.

Don't forget Tony Vitello. Things are looking up for the BaseVols too.

We watched some of that game. Evansville sure didn't look insignificant to us. They were solid on defense, forced some turnovers, held the Cats to 37% from the field and played them straight up from the opening tip. It always seems to take some time early on for Calapari's guys to gel. They'll be tough when it matters. Still, it's funny that Kentucky knocks off #1 Michigan State and comes home to lose to an unranked foe. They probably thought all they had to do was show up. First time ever two top ranked teams in the AP poll have lost in November.

Going down to Charleston for the weekend. Going to a Stingrays hockey game Sat. night.

I watched some post game show on ESPN Saturday evening & the two analysts (I forget who they were) said Ohio St. deserved to stay #1. To them it was more impressive that the Buckeyes were playing a schedule of clearly inferior teams and steamrolling them, than LSU which has beaten I think 4 Top 10 teams this year already. Oh well, the only poll that matters now is the playoff poll.

Still amazing that we could even have a November conversation about not if but which bowl the Vols might get to go to after the 1-4 start. A warm weather destination would be a great reward for all their dedication and effort. Can't take anything or anybody for granted this crazy season but if they can get 7 wins it should at least get them out of having to go to Birmingham or Shreeveport.