October, 2006

The Vols are far from the perfect football team. But give them this-- they're very good when they have to be. Saturday night's win over South Carolina is the most recent example.

Marvin Mitchell's 17-yard interception return for the opening touchdown set the tone for one UT's strangest wins of the season.

Much has been made this week of the Phillip Fulmer vs. Steve Spurrier rivalry, but we're overlooking the obvious. And this is no slight to Fulmer. The real coaching showdown on Saturday night will be Spurrier vs. Cutcliffe.

Vol Offensive Coordinator David Cutcliffe's impact on Tennessee's offense has been dramatic and immediate. UT is among the nation's leaders in scoring, and passing offense. His play-calling has kept opposing defenses on their heels.

East Tennessee sports fans should take time to appreciate the role the Tennessee Smokies play in producing Major League Baseball talent.

Tonight's National League Championship Series offered just one example.

In the 5th inning, three former Smokies faced-off at a key juncture in the game.

St. Louis pitcher Brad Thompson faced NY Met slugger Carlos Delgado. Yadier Molina was catching for the Cardinals.

All three players spent considerable time in East Tennessee developing their baseball skills.

It's happened again. In recent years, you can count on Phillip Fulmer teams to win a signature road game each season.

Gainesville in 2001. Miami in 2003. Athens in 2004. Baton Rouge in 2005. All memorable for their own reasons. In 2006, it's Athens again!

On the Tuesday, Phillip Fulmer described this as a "legacy game".

After the game, Offensive Coordinator David Cutcliffe said the Vols may have finally come together as a team.

If 2006 turns into a special season, the Vols can point to their 51-33 win over Georgia as THE game that helped define who they are.

I vividly remember the vibe going to Athens in 2004. Totally negative. I remember the drive from Atlanta into Athens on that day, and not one Vol football fan who called-in to an Atlanta-area radio show gave Tennessee a chance to win. The Vol callers were passionate, supportive, and loyal. And they were ALL resigned to believing the Vols were going to lose.