Posts Tagged ‘Tennessee Football’

In case you didn’t know, Smiling Mike Hamilton will be holding a press conference at 1:00 regarding the departure of Lane Kiffin and what the future holds for the Tennessee Volunteers football program.

Streaming video of the news conference will be available via UT Sports, and streaming audio will be available via The Sports Animal.

I am sure all eyes will be on Hamilton and listening to what he has to say. I know I will…

…and if he values his job, I hope he looks mad.

According to the folks in Texas, Will Muschamp isn’t going anywhere:

No Muschamp news for now.

The rumors that defensive coordinator and Texas coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp is heading to Tennessee are in full force.

But people around the Longhorn athletic department aren’t worried.

One member of the Longhorns’ athletic staff said that “Muschamp was in the office yesterday and everything seemed normal. He talked about recruiting our players and our future. There was no mention of Tennessee.”

Another source said, “It would be very surprising if he left.”

Muschamp said a week ago that he was happy at Texas.

A month ago he said that every time one of these rumors pops up he runs down to Texas coach Mack Brown’s office and says that there is nothing to worry about.

According to a Knoxville News Sentinel reporter, Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton will be meeting with the media at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard time.

HT / via:  Bevo Beat / Statesman.com

Yesterday evening as I was reading about Pete Carroll’s departure from USC, I thought to myself, “gee, I hope they don’t come after Kiffin.” I dismissed this, however, due to the fact that it just didn’t make sense to me that something like that would happen.

Well, apparently it made sense to USC…

Like me, ESPN’s Pat Forde is a bit shocked, and isn’t quite sure how this is going to work out for any of the parties involved.

I suppose that is what I get for spending the evening falling asleep on the couch watching Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe…

I feel like I should say something on the departure of Lane Kiffin, but at this point it almost seems premature.  Obviously, this is going to have a hugely negative impact on not only short-term but perhaps the long-term health of the Tennessee football program.  Beyond that, however, I am really not sure what to think yet and the last thing I want to do is to rush to judgment.  Contemplative and plodding—that’s always been my mantra.

Basilio »”>Tony Basilio, however, already has his thoughts up for all to read, with which I don’t necessarily disagree.  The students on campus have also spoken—via the Rock (**NSFW: Language).  Of course, I can hardly blame them.  Tony Barnhart, on the other hand, is just sad—for Tennessee and for the game of college football.

In the meantime, (and in an attempt to be positive) I suppose I would be remiss if I did not take a brief moment to welcome and send best wishes to the 22nd Head Football Coach at Tennessee, Interim Head Coach Kippy Brown.  I’m not sure this is what he signed on for, but I do wish him all the best and look forward to hearing from him in the coming weeks.

Coach Brown, we’re all behind you and the team…

In the meantime, I have a feeling that Smiling Mike Hamilton is doing anything but smiling right now, and I expect that we will be hearing from him, and that right soon.

More to come…

– So it goes …

Image(s) Courtesy of:   UT Sports.com ||  Statement on Fair Use

2009 SEC Power Poll

All-SEC Team: Defensive Backs

Check out the Complete All-SEC Team at Team Speed Kills!

Well, due to a complete lack of judgment on the part of the SEC Power Poll brain-trust, Gate 21 has been selected to announce the Power Poll All-SEC Team selections at defensive back.   The following positions for the 2009 All-SEC team have already been announced:

• Alligator Army:  Quarterback
• Roll Bama Roll: Running Backs
• Hey Jenny Slater: Wide Receivers
• Team Speed Kills: Tight End

The rest of the positions are being announced today and tomorrow across the blogosphere.  In case you miss one, be sure to check in for the most up-to-date announcements over at Team Speed Kills.

The envelope, please…

The 2009 SEC Power Poll All-SEC Selections at Defensive Back are (in order of votes received): Eric Berry (Tennessee), Joe Haden (Florida), Javier Arenas (Alabama) and Mark Barron (Alabama). The reasons behind these should be obvious, but in case they aren’t here’s why these fine athletes are the cream of the crop:

Read the rest of this entry »

Okay, this pretty much sucks…

As the Vol Ambassador pointed out earlier today here on the Gate, according to the New York Times (which, as a general rule, avoids simply making stuff up), the NCAA is currently engaged in a wide-reaching investigation of recruiting at Tennessee under Lane Kiffin, with an emphasis on the use of the so-called “Vol Hostesses,” (with particular attention being paid to Hostess Lacey Earps), who routinely accompany recruits on visits to campus.  This investigation was confirmed by Mike Hamilton, though he declined to comment on the substance , and the UTAD has since issued an official statement.

The real interest appears to be trips taken by some of the Vol Hostesses to watch potential recruits play as high schoolers.  These visits, especially if they result in direct communications related to the recruiting of the athlete are potentially barred under NCAA regulations.  Times reporters Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans noted instances where Vol Hostesses had traveled as distance up to 200 or more miles to see recruits play, and had occasionally exchanged text messages with potential recruits.

As official representatives of the UT Athletic Department, contact by these Hostesses could lead to secondary violations, even if the contact was not sanctioned by athletic department officials.

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The Tennessee Volunteers confirmed this evening that they will represent the SEC in the 2009-10 Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year’s Eve at the Georgia Dome.   Tennessee will face the Virginia Tech Hokies, who will represent the ACC.

The game will begin at 7:30 0n New Year’s Eve in Atlanta.  Tickets for the game go on sale tonight at UTTix.com.

The Vols most recent trips to the Chick-fil-A Bowl resulted in two disappointing losses to both the Maryland Terrapins and the Clemson Tigers.

Given that the Vols were sitting at home during bowl season last year, I have a feeling that they will be more than ready to face the Hokies, who they last played in the 1994 Gator Bowl, where the Vols upset the Hokies 45-23.

Looks like the Vols will be eating their Christmas “Turkey” on New Years…

– So it goes …

Image(s) Courtesy of:   the Chick-fil-A Bowl •   UT Sports.com ||  Statement on Fair Use

Sure, he’s making fun of the Vols, but when LSUFreek speaks, people listen…

via:  LSUFreek  The Sporting Blog •  HT:  VolNation

I guess if Vols DB Nyshier Oliver didn’t want to get lampooned, then he shouldn’t have tried stealing shirts.