Despite their reputation, I had nothing but positive interactions with LSU fans. Granted there were some mitigating circumstances there, and their team (and ours) gave them nothing to chirp about, but still I was very pleasantly surprised. The two sitting behind me even mentioned that we have the best collection of coaches in the SEC across all the major sports. And you know what? I guess we do, now that I think about it. Still, it was jarring to hear that from opposing fans, especially after the past 20+ years of administrative incompetence in Knoxville. Are we living in the upside down?
I-10/I-12 sucks. It was bumper to bumper all the way from Mobile to BR. With all the cities and large towns along that Gulf Coast stretch, I-10 could probably stand to be widened to at least 3 lanes from Pensacola all the way to San Antonio. Anyway, I wouldn't want to make that drive again (and it's very possible we'll have another game in Louisiana this season.
).
I hate to be "that guy", but have you seen what's going on at CJH's alma mater? I've heard that he's not on good terms with OU. Still, assuming he doesn't completely choke this year, a big preemptive raise might be in order this winter. I mean BIG. Maybe not Saban money, but in that ballpark. OU MIGHT give Venables another year- but I guarantee he's not going to see the SEC if he continues on this path. They'll make a move before then. And along those same lines- I do hope Msrs. Gray, Lawrence, and Morris are enjoying their time in Norman.
We all know that this week is going to be the craziest atmosphere in Neyland in decades. I'm just gonna say it- I want bammer fans to be afraid to make this trip. I want the refs to think about their personal safety before they try to pull the same bullshizzle they always do in this game. While I don't want anything to actually happen, I want it to be in the back of everyone's mind. I hope the end of the OM game last year gets endless play this week, knowing that Saturday's crowd is going to make that one look tame in comparison. There. I said it. Come at me.
Watching the scene at the end of the LSU game from about 5000' up got me right in the feels. I remember as a kid just being a casual Vols fan. Neither of my parents went there, so my only tie was geography. And the Vols in those days defined "average"- regularly winning 6-7 games and playing similarly mediocre teams in Bowls named for obscure fruits. To be honest, if they had continued on that path I might've found another team to root for. Then came 1985, and we all know what happened there. That was the season that created a whole new generation of die hard Vols fans, myself included. So as I watched those thousands of orange clad Gen-Z'ers losing their minds in the closing minutes Saturday, it got me to thinking- could this season be THEIR 1985? I am so happy for those kids who jumped on this bandwagon when it would've been so easy to root for bammer or UGA or Clemson instead. I'm so happy that they're finally getting a taste of what UT football is SUPPOSED to be. Yes, they're going to do stuff that makes us cringe. But it's easy to say "act like you've been there" when you actually HAVE been there. They haven't. I hope this season continues to be magical. The kids deserve it. We ALL deserve it.
