Kiffin Has To Draw The Line

Due process, gather the facts, let things play out… Call it whateve you want, I call it stalling. Early Thursday morning 3 Tennessee football players were arrested and charged with armed robbery. In my book, that’s a big boy crime and Lane Kiffin has to kick them off the team immediately.

Knoxville Police arrested Nu’Keese Richardson, Janzen Jackson and Mike Edwards this morning after a reported armed robbery at a gas station near campus. The three victims claim 2 men with black hooded jackets on approached the car and threatened them with a handgun saying, “Give us everything you’ve got.” The robbers left shortly after the victims gave them their wallets. The arrest came only minutes later after the call went into police who found 3 black hooded jackets and a pellet gun in the car.

Crime and a lack of control plagued the last few years of the Phil Fulmer era, Kiffin has to make his stand and make it immediately. If he doesn’t he will show he’s no different than many of the coaches out there, win at all costs, even if that means fielding criminals.

How he handles this situation will define the first year of Lane Kiffin’s era and everyone’s waiting for the answer.

Titans make it 2 in a row

The West Coast is finally kind to the Titans. It’s just Head Coach Jeff Fisher’s second win on the West Coast….and a ton of the credit goes to Chris Johnson. This guy continues to amaze me game after game.
San Fran KNEW the Titans were going to run the ball, and they knew they were going to do it with CJ and still couldn’t stop him. On their second TD drive, CJ accounted for every single yard…7 plays 36 yards, and all of them to CJ.
While he was phenomenal…the Titans defense is what impressed me the most. This is the defense I picked up in my fantasy league at the beginning of the season. Having Vinny Fuller and Cortland Finnegan back in the secondary is all the difference. As Cory said all day long, they help the defensive line play better. The line finished with 4 sacks…William Hayes had 1.5 sacks and was a huge presence out there today. Jevon Kearse might have played his last game…
Some of you might say that Vince Young is the difference in this team’s newfound success…and I will say this-Young hasn’t been phenomenal the last two games, but he has been mistake free. No turnovers…and his receivers have learned to catch the ball. (ie: Justin Gage, talk about some big catches today! Welcome back Gage!! Good to see you!!)
No matter what this team is coming together on all fronts…it just might be a little too late.

10 in a row? How about 1 at a time.

No league over reacts to a single game more than the NFL. Each week it seems like we’re ready to crown someone else Super Bowl Champs. By the way, this week it’s New Orleans.

Just a week ago Titan fans were worried their team would finish 0-16, but it’s amazing how that’s changed after a 30-13 win over Jacksonville. Suddenly, there’s talk about going 10-6. That’s right, running the table.

Yes, this is virtually the same Titan team that opened last year with 10 straight wins, but it’s just very, very difficult and it was only one win. Surely, they could not have fixed everything that got them to 0-6. They did fix a lot though, running game looked good, Finnegan and Fuller returned and 0 dropped passes!!!

Now, I will say this, I understand. Looking at the schedule it does look considerably easier than the first six games, but it does include a trip to Indianapolis and 2 trips out West and the Titans are 1-9 in their last 10 games out West.

“They” always say one game at a time. I will simply say this, every streak starts at one. As for 10 in a row, why don’t we just focus on 2?

Titans Win! Titans Win! Titans Win!

That’s right, the long wait is finally over! The Tennessee Titans are in the win column drubbing the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-13 Sunday at L-P Field.

Yes, Vince Young started and played well. He was poised and confident going 15 of 18 for 125 yards and a touchdown. Yes, those stats are modest but they kept the chains moving and committed 0 TURNOVERS!!!!

Cortland Finnegan and Rod Hood started at cornerback and really solidified things for a defense that was struggling. They both came up with a pick and gave the d-line time to get after David Garrard.

Oh yeah, Chris Johnson went for a team record 228 yards! The whole team played better.

......Why, Why, Why, Why???????

Why mess with a good thing?  This can certainly apply to the TSSAA’s decision to add another classification to the high school football playoffs.  For years, it was 1, 2 and 3A that fought for the titles.  Then they went to 5 divisions.  And then they added 2 private school catergories.  Then for the 2009 season, they added a 6th division.  Now there are 1-6 classes and 2 private school ones.

The reason I am angry is that now, basically any team can get into the playoffs.  White County went 1 and 9, they are in.  Smyrna goes 5 and 5, plays in the toughest division in the state they don’t get in.  Smyrna played their tails off and didn’t get in, and I know they are crushed but White County at 1 and 9 gets it, makes no sense at all. 

So my thing is, why, why, why??? They had a great system set up and they went and messed with it.  When football coaches are telling me all season, that they have no idea how the playoff system works, then you know it is a problem.

I just don’t understand why.  Why have a regular season?  Just let everyone get in the playoffs.  Give everyone a pat on the back, award them a trophy, etc.  Why not?  You know it is football.  There are winners and there are losers.  Simple.  You win the title, you get a trophy and the pride of winning a championship.  You come in second, applaud your effort but you didn’t win. 

I heard Bobby Bowden speak one time to his team.  His coordinators spoke for about 5 minutes and then Bowden got up.  He looked at his team and said, ‘Boys, it comes down to two things.  Blocking and tackling.  You do them better than the other team, you will win every time.’

Simple enough, but this playoff system, ridiculous.

.......WEEK 10 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES.....

East
Alcoa 24 , CAK 7
Bearden 35 , Knoxville Catholic 16
Bledsoe County 63 , Chattanooga Christian 34
Boyd Buchanan 35 , Copper Basin 0
Bradley Central 40 , Walker Valley 14
Brentwood Academy 42 , McCallie 28
Chattanooga Central 36 , East Hamilton 0
Cherokee 60 , Cocke County 40
Clinton 35 , Anderson County 21
Coalfield 33 , Oakdale 0
Daniel Boone 28 , David Crockett 7
Dobyns Bennett 37 , Volunteer 0
East Ridge 20 , Howard 18
Elizabethton 38 , Sullivan East 14
Farragut 45 , William Blount 0
Father Ryan 21 , Baylor 11
Greeneville 45 , Claiborne County 0
Hampton 18 , Cloudland 7
Hancock County 41 , North Greene 6
Happy Valley 14 , Johnson County 6
Jefferson County 26 , South Doyle 14
Karns 12 , Hardin Valley 7
Knoxville Grace 49 , Greenback 42
Knoxville Halls 34 , Knoxville Central 20
Knoxville Webb 14 , DCA 3
Knoxville West 39 , Heritage 22
Loudon 36 , Kingston 7
Marion County 30 , Lookout Valley 6
Maryville 27 , Lenoir City 14
McMinn Central 41 , Sequatchie County 25
McMinn Central 41 , Sequatchie County 25
McMinn County 20 , Ooltewah 17
Morristown West 8 , Seymour 3
Oak Ridge 33 , Campbell County 3
Oneida 42 , Jellico 6
Polk County 42 , Meigs County 0
Red Bank 42 , Hixson 14
Rockwood 35 , Harriman 7
Science Hill 35 , Sullivan Central 14
Sevier County 38 , Morristown East 27
Signal Mountain 46 , Whitwell 0
Soddy-Daisy 42 , Cleveland 21
South Greene 33 , Chuckey-Doak 18
South Pittsburg 53 , Chattanooga Grace 0
Sweetwater 17 , Sequoyah 7
Tellico Plains 36 , Midway 7
Tennessee High 38 , Sullivan South 22
Tyner 21 , Brainerd 7
Unaka 21 , Cosby 8
Unicoi County 41 , Sullivan North 6
Wartburg Central 15 , Sunbright 8

Middle
Beech 47 , Mt. Juliet 46
Blackman 14 , Riverdale 13
Cannon County 35 , Upperman 7
Clarksville 29 , Kenwood 7
Clarksville Northwest 20 , Clarksville Northeast 17
Columbia 17 , Franklin County 16
Cookeville 44 , Coffee County 6
Cornersville 21 , Perry County 20
Creek Wood 20 , Cheatham County 12
David Lipscomb 17 , East Literature 13
East Robertson 35 , Houston County 0
Ensworth 35 , BGA 9
Fairview 30 , Hickman County 13
Forrest 46 , Moore County 10
Friendship Christian 55 , Monterey 0
Giles County 49 , Marshall County 7
Glencliff 42 , Cane Ridge 7
Goodpasture 7 , Greenbrier 0
Gordonsville 42 , Pickett County 6
Grundy County 21 , Notre Dame 7
Harpeth 18 , Stewart County 0
Hunters Lane 32 , McGavock 20
Lawrence County 36 , Tullahoma 7
Lewis County 34 , East Hickman 0
Lincoln County 21 , Shelbyville 14
Livingston Academy 35 , DeKalb County 14
Loretto 35 , Richland 14
MBA 35 , Pope John Paul 7
Middle TN Chr. 17 , Eagleville 10
Mt. Pleasant 26 , Columbia Academy 2
Nashville Overton 47 , Hillwood 6
Oakland 14 , Smyrna 0
Pearl Cohn 10 , CPA 0
Ravenwood 19 , Independence 6
Rhea County 44 , Warren County 40
Riverside Christian 13 , Mt. Juliet Christian 6
Siegel 7 , LaVergne 6
Spring Hill 13 , Page 8
Springfield 48 , West Creek 14
Station Camp 27 , Lebanon 14
Stone Memorial 20 , Scott County 7
Trousdale County 40 , Red Boiling Springs 0
Watertown 38 , Jackson County 13
Waverly 12 , Montgomery Central 6
White County 21 , Cumberland County 14
White House 7 , Sycamore 6
Whites Creek 5 , Maplewood 0
Wilson Central 14 , Portland 11
York Institute 28 , Smith County 0
Zion Christian 7 , Lancaster Christian, TN 0

West
Bartlett 28 , Craigmont 0
Bishop Byrne 12 , MAHS 6
Brighton 41 , Dyer County 0
CBHS 38 , St. Benedict 0
Cordova 16 , Bolton 13
Dresden 27 , Gleason 0
Dyersburg 24 , Haywood County 14
Fayette Academy 6 , Jackson Christian 0
Frayser 6 , Raleigh Egypt 0
Germantown 35 , Memphis Overton 6
Hardin County 6 , Jackson Northside 0
Houston 28 , Southwind 0
Humboldt 28 , Halls 7
Jackson South Side 41 , McNairy Central 18
Kirby 18 , Ridgeway 3
Lexington 31 , Jackson Central-Merry 6
Liberty Magnet 41 , Chester County 13
Manassas 27 , Kingsbury 16
McKenzie 17 , Huntingdon 0
Memphis Northside 14 , Douglass 12
Milan 26 , Crockett County 0
MUS 41 , Briarcrest 6
Oakhaven 28 , Carver 0
Obion County 20 , Ripley 12
Peabody 42 , Gibson County 6
Riverside 34 , Middleton 8
SBEC 15 , FACS 7
Trezevant 36 , Hamilton 0
Trinity Christian 40 , Scotts Hill 0
Union City 41 , South Fulton 0
USJ 42 , Rosemark 0
Westview 54 , Covington 13
Westwood 22 , Munford 20
White Station 30 , Mitchell 7

......IT IS OFFICIAL......VY ALL THE WAY.....

After much speculation and not to much of a surprise, Jeff Fisher named Vince Young as the starting quarterback of the Titans.  Not just with Sunday’s game against Jacksonville, but the rest of the season. 

Fisher said he is not a coach who plays musical chairs with his quarterbacks so Vince is going to take them the rest of the way.  Now it is up for debate if this was only Fisher’s decision or did Fisher and team owner Bud Adams make it together, or was this solely Mr. Adams decision.

Whatever it is, one thing is certain.  When the Titans offense takes the field on Sunday, Vince Young will be leading them.

Your thoughts?  It is certainly a hot topic issue.  ESPN had it as their number 2 story behind the World Series and other websites are doing the same.  But what do you think?  Is this the right decision?  Vince over Kerry?  Only time will tell.

.......AS THE TITANS TURN....

I am not sure a soap opera could give us this much drama.  Who will be the quarterback of the Titans is now the million dollar question.  Will it be Vince or Kerry come Sunday?  Jeff Fisher said he will make an announcement on Thursday.  He DID NOT SAY he will be naming a starter, he just said he will have an announcement for everyone on Thursday.

I am betting that Jeff Fisher will tell us, that he will tell us on Sunday, who the starter is going to be and who could blame him?  I would.  Why let Jacksonville find out who the QB is going to be?  Just do it on Sunday.

In the lockerroom, almost every player said they would support whatever decision Jeff Fisher makes.  And as for Bud Adams wanting Vince to play, he is the owner and it is his team, so whatever he wants, he should get.  But Bud Adams hasn’t been around football a couple of years.  He is a smart man who will probably defer the decision back to Jeff Fisher.  But then again, who knows.

Drama, drama, drama, …….

Preseason Top 25 Basketball

I’m taking on a new and exciting challenge this winter, I’ve been asked to be a voter in the Assocatied Press’s weekly Top 25 Basketball poll. I’ve always enjoyed covering college basketball, but I know this is going to take a huge committment on my part to know as much as I can about teams coast to cast.

I just emailed my first ballot in, it also includes my preseason All-America team. I hate preseason polls, but it’s part of the game!

OK, so my reason for posting this is I plan on posting my Top 25 each week during the season for you to checkout. I’ll post my preseason poll as soon as I get the “go ahead” from the A-P.

.....A Brand New Orange....

Last year, the Tennessee Vols were bad down the stretch.  And that is being nice about it.  They lost to Wyoming, who were so bad, their entire coaching staff got fired at the end of the year.  They were lifeless, dull and worst of all, had no passion.

Fast forward 12 months and it is a brand new orange we are seeing now.  I was at the game in Tuscaloosa on Saturdy and saw a Vols team mad that they did not win.  I saw a Vols team that could have packed it in and said, oh well, we tried but that did not happen.  I saw a Vols team that just kept hitting and hitting and fighting and scratching.  Lane Kiffin said every game he wants his guys to leave everything on the field and against Bama, they did that.

The Vols might win 6 games this year, but give Lane and his staff a couple of years, they will be lighting it up.  And you heard it hear first, dont be surprised if next year, the Vols win the SEC East.  Jus’ Sayin because with this team, quitting is not an option.

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