Crimson Vols?
Tennessee and Alabama are underway in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide are short-handed because five players have been suspended for "impermissible receipt of textbooks." In Alabama, you see, they don't believe in textbooks.
Anyway, 'Bama leads 3-0 after opening the game with an onside kick, and recovering it -- then failing to capitalize fully, managing only a long field goal.
This game is, of course, a huge rivalry and grudge match down in these parts, as Jay made clear. But not everyone feels quite the same way. In the last few days, I've noticed a couple of interesting cars on Knoxville-area roads, to wit:
Ugh. How could anyone possibly root for both Tennessee and Alabama? Clearly, if you support both teams in a huge rivalry like that, you aren't a real fan. ... What? Oh. Right. ;)
Anyway, Go Vols, Beat Bama!
UPDATE: Tennessee trails 24-17 at halftime. Meanwhile, also at halftime, Vanderbilt is winning 17-6 at #6 South Carolina. Again with the chaos!! #2 South Florida losing at Rutgers on Thursday wasn't really an upset; this, however, would be an upset. And of course, a win by either 'Bama or Vandy (nevermind both) would rob next week's South Carolina-Tennessee game here in Knoxville of an awful lot of its cachet. (As things stand now, the Vols and Cocks are the only teams that control their destiny in the SEC East. But maybe not for long.)
Iowa State is beating Oklahoma 7-0 at the half.
I have a feeling that Oklahoma will pull out of that one . . . but still, that looks problematic for the Sooners.
Posted by: B. Minich | Oct 20, 2007 2:26:39 PM
Oh, and Vandy is beating South Carolina. That'll put a dent in their SEC title hopes if they can't escape Vandy.
Posted by: B. Minich | Oct 20, 2007 2:27:27 PM
Yeah, it's those "House Divided" plates where some lucky stiff from Alabama has managed to snare one our Tennessee babes.
It's not exactly the same phenomenon as an Irish Trojan, where there's only one week a year where you don't pull for one of your teams.
It's more of a statement of "I have to put up with his Bama s#!t all year, but I don't have to like it, and I'm still a Vol."
I know Tennessee's defense isn't that good this year, but c'mon guys, seriously.
Posted by: Jay Johnson | Oct 20, 2007 2:34:12 PM
Vandy wins, which drops the other USC to 6-2, with two conference losses I believe.
Posted by: B. Minich | Oct 20, 2007 3:41:20 PM