Georgia Game Post Game Thoughts…

Better late than never right?  It has taken me til tonight to get past what happened to the Vols on Saturday.  It was a hideous game, and here’s how it went down for me.  Please take in account, I am grumpy, upset, and will most likely be very tough on coaches and players in this post.  If you disagree, please talk about it in the comments, as I will probably change my mind once the depression leaves me.

Gimme a large wing special, extra hot, w/ bleu cheese... cheese on the fries.. budweiser. (The perfect order)

The weekend started out great.  Oskie rolled into town Thursday night, and we hit the golf course Friday morning.  After playing behind the slow pack of old fogies ever we finally reached the end of our round after a painful 5 hours.  Ghost joined us, and showed us how it was done with a powerful 100.  After a power nap Oskie and I met up with some good college buddies for a round of wings and beer at Beaureguard’s.  Nobody on the planet makes better wings the Beaureguard’s.  Sometimes I do get sick of it however, because i eat there a few times a week, and then every time someone comes in from out of town, they got to go to Beaureguard’s.  BDLC likey, BDLC wants wingie.  After a long night of beers and yaga bums, Oskie and I felt somewhat refreshed, aahem.  We headed up to Third Quarter Mustang’s house for some family time, and a nice lunch.

Can you tell I’m avoiding talking about the inevidable?

Lets get to the game.  What can I say… what can anyone say?  In last weeks blog I talked about how this game was the turning point to our season.  I was right, and unfortunately the scenario my gut was telling me was true.  We got destroyed, and ultimately have destroyed the rest of the season.  I really hope that this team doesn’t come completely unglued and will try to salvage some respectability the rest of the way out.  Right now, the attitude and desire isn’t there, and there are no real signs that any optimism I have left is nothing more than a fool’s dream. 

THE UGLY

Our team is undisciplined.  There were too many unacceptable personal fouls by our defense.  Granted, I along with the rest of the country believe that the PF on Morley was a crock, but Gerald Williams PF should have given him a suspension for a couple of games.  That is not how a Tennessee football player behaves Gerald, grow up… now it makes sense why it took you so long to get to Tennessee.  Grow up.  Welcome back Britton Colquitt.  Thanks for joining us.  We are happy you can put down the bottle for a couple of seconds and get that leg in fine shape for Game 6.  By the way, your cheap shot was Busch League.  Who are you trying to be?  David Leaverton?  Let me tell you this, David’s passion and desire is far beyond anything you have done for this football team.  He attacked folks (legally) on punt coverage, but you sir are a joke.  Head back over to West Knoxville, comb your Bama bangs and lube up good before you get behind the wheel again. 

THE BAD

The Offensive Line.  I knew this was coming.  Wait, how could you know BDLC, we only had 3 sacks last year… Oh Man we miss Erik Ainge and David Cutcliffe and the infamous 2 step drop.  Last year the Volnation masses asked where did the 5 step drop go to?  Why does Ainge have to release the ball so quickly.  He had to, because Cutcliffe and Ainge knew that he would be killed because our offensive line is not good at pass blocking.  A pocket was none existant Saturday.  Nick Stephens mades plays with his feet in the midst of escaping from the every collapsing pocket.  Run blocking which this unit has always seemed to have a knack for was miserable Saturday as well.  1 yard… 3 feet… 36 inches…  (thank you engineering degree) Terrible.  We have to get better and work like heck.  We’ll look at the film and get better right?  Maybe we should work like heck and find folks that want to do their job.

Great quotes, miserable blocks

THE GOOD

Eric Berry.  Simply the best football player skill for skill the University of Tennessee has seen since Dale Carter or Carl Pickens.  Such a sensational football player, wasted on a confused, disarrayed coaching staff, and third down mustang.  As the best DB in NCAA, Eric Berry makes Tennessee football worth watching this year.  Once again he shows is keen nose for the ball and superb return skills.  I could just hear him hollering, “Oskie, oskie, oskie!” as he tucked the ball coming out of Georgia’s endzone.  He was on all gang tackles, and man handled Knowshon Moreno. 

Nick Stephens.  Atta boy… thank you for keeping the scoreboard looking respectable.  With constant pressure, no running game, and jammed receiver I thought Nick did exceptionally well.  He proves once again he is not afraid to step into the pocket.  He proves once again he can throw a nice deep ball.  He proves once again that he has confidence in himself and his receivers, throwing into and completing in thick coverage a several occasions.  As I look for bright spots on this team, the emergence of Nick Stephens is definitely one of them.  I look forward to seeing him progress this season, and hopefully his teammates will have their heads in the game long enough to allow Nick to do so.  Besides, for Nick pimpin’ is easy…

Winners off the field..

 WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

Ghost put his feelings, and mainly mine as well perfectly here.  I know this post is pretty tough from a lot of angles, but I don’t know what to turn to now.  I desperately want the Vols to right the ship and salvage what we can.  Where do we go now, where do we go??  We welcome Mississippi State.  The dreaded Bulldogs of the land of Pine Trees and the Unwashed.  We are 2-4 overall, 0-3 in the SEC, and we ask how can we go lower.  We can go lower by losing again on Saturday.  Lets hope the once Mighty Vols, come with their muscles pumped and ready to play.  I will be there… screaming my head off, not sitting down, and ready to play ball.  Please Vols, give me that glimmer of optimism, hope and pure joy that is just waiting to come out of me.  I am ready for it… I need it.  Lets take it to the Dogs, and get ready for Alabama.  GO VOLS!