The auctioneer is in the house

Did anyone besides me get the feeling that the old fast talking auctioneer Lane Kiffin sold out Tennessee in record time.

Has there ever been a faster talking SEC coach? The fast talking old balls coach at South Carolina couldn’t come close to matching Kiffen’s speed with his mouth and Spurrier at least is willing to give a school his best. Kiffin on the other hand is willing to give a school his dads best shot. If it wasn’t for his dads defensive coaching what would Tennessee have done this season.

Has anyone seen a reason he should be described as a good head coach? I thought not.

He spends not even a year with the Raiders, has a losing record and is fired and called a liar by Al Davis. And you betcha he is a liar as Tennessee fans and players will tell you. All you have to do is watch his lips move to know that.

He wins barely half of his games and hes considered a good coach at Tennessee but his lips were moving there all the time too.

Hes an embarrassment to not only Tennessee fans but all of us SEC fans as well and USC fans will find that out quickly. Thanks Lane and your dad would be ashamed of you but hes watched your lips move your whole life and knows not to get involved watching them and forget whats hes doing.

About the only thing left for Tennessee to do is put the head coaching job up for auction and let the fastest auctioneer get the school a new coach in record time.

BBR’s Weekly SEC Rankings

1. Alabama: Alabama’s win over Mississippi St was impressive enough to have them ranked at the top of the SEC. They have a sure win with Chattanooga coming to town this weekend then its off to Auburn for the final regular season game.

2. Florida: Former coach Spurriers South Carolina team was no problem. Next up Florida International where they might develop a passing game although there is no guaranteeing that.

3. LSU: After a tough win over Louisiana Tech the Tigers travel to Ole Miss for a thumping unless they can develope a better offense than they showed last weekend.

4. Ole Miss: A smoking win over Tennessee showed they weren’t ready to settle for a mediocre bowl. A win over LSU will show that the early season rankings weren’t to far off.

5. Tennessee: I wont talk about the thumping or the arrests. Tennessee had better pay attention to a desperate Vanderbilt team this weekend.

6. Georgia: Georgia needs this game to insure second in the east. Kentucky comes in with a good chance to win with receiver A.J. Green out with a shoulder injury.

7. Arkansas: After a easy game against Troy the hogs get Mississippi St at home. They should win this one but be prepared to be run all over.

8. Auburn: They lost a game to Georiga last weekend but the good news is they have this weekend off to get ready for Alabama.

9. South Carolina: If Florida had an average SEC defense they might have been able to win last weekend. They are off this weekend to prepare for a Clemson team that should spank them.

10. Kentucky: Bowl eligible thanks to shutting down Vandy in the second half last Saturday. The Cats travel to Georgia this weekend with a fair chance to leave a winner even if Randall Cobb doesn’t play.

11. Mississippi State: Alabama had little problems holding State to 3 points. They need to beat both hifh scoring Arkansas and Ole Miss if they’re going to become bowl eligible in Dan Mullen’s first season in Starkville.

12. Vanderbilt: They took a 13-10 lead into halftime last week against Kentucky, but were shut out in the second half. They have in state rival Tennessee to contend with this weekend.

It doesnt Glow Orange in Tennessee

After news of three players being arrested last week on attempted armed robbery charges, its emerging that Tennessee has another player in trouble with the law.

Freshman defensive back Nyshier Oliver was cited for theft after shoplifting at a Knoxville mall on Nov. 7. Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin emphasized Wednesday morning that defensive back Nyshier Oliver was not arrested in his first public comments since news broke. Apparently cited and arrested are two different ways of going to court. Way to split hairs Kiffin, you do it as well as phat Phil did over academic fraud.

Four days after Oliver’s run-in with the law, Lane Kiffin went on the SEC coaches teleconference and outright fudged when he praised his team for not having any arrests in 11 months.

I mean what is it about Tennessee that causes such behavior. Their former coach was afraid to go to Alabama because he might be served papers. There present coach fudges when talking to the fans. They were involved in massive academic fraud that by the way wasn’t investigated by the SEC till almost two years had elapsed. Probably as a present to phat Phil for his ecstatic cooperation over the Alabama recruiting scandal. During a four-year period Tennessee has tallied 21 arrests, make that 25 now with 10 of those being felonies. Still behind Georgia’s 30+ but who’s counting when its Tennessee.

And don’t get me started on how the Tennessee cheerleaders improve the face of the Tennessee football program.

I’ve been to Tennessee its a beautiful state. It sent a scoundrel like Andrew Jackson to the White House and a handful of volunteers to the Alamo. Its also the home of the country music recording industry and a first rate university named Vanderbilt.

On one visit I stood on a railing looking down into the water at the beautiful green glow of a atomic reaction at Oak Ridge and realized that if God really loved Tennessee football he would have made the glow Orange.

Keep up the good work Tennessee. Louisville and Rick Pitino thank you for keeping them out of the spotlight.

BBR’s Weekly SEC Rankings

How do you decide who’s number 1 in the SEC. Its really not to difficult. I look at who they play, how many points they score and how many points they give up. This week the the same two teams are sitting at the top of the SEC again like a bad hair piece. Thankfully Alabama has played a tougher schedule so they claim the top spot because neither is a point scoring machine this year.

1. Alabama: After clinching the Western Division title and a trip to Atlanta to face Florida in the SEC championship game with their win over LSU. Alabama travels to Mississippi St this weekend for a game that could go either way.

2. Florida: Florida won over a feisty Vanderbilt, This weekend its off to tweak the old balls coach.

3. LSU: Alabama banged up the Tigers in the loss. With Louisiana Tech at home this weekend the Tigers will feast injuries or not.

4. Tennessee: An easy win over Memphis showed that Memphis isn’t read to move to a better conference. Ole Miss will be harder to handle but should be a winnable game.

5. Auburn: Furman was the sacrificial goat last weekend. Can Auburn get their 8th win at Georgia this weekend. This game could go either way.

6. Georgia: They beat up on Tennessee Tech last week, and next up is a home game with Auburn. Which Auburn team shows up will determine who wins this game.

7. Ole Miss: A win against Tennessee this weekend and they stand a chance of playing in a good bowl. A loss to the surging Vols and its a down turn is a once promising season.

8. Arkansas: After a quick baking of the gamecocks the hoge look to become bowl eligible this weekend against Troy.

9. South Carolina: Getting thumped by Arkansas raised the Old Balls Coaches blood pressure. With Florida coming to town could this be his last chance to get a meaningful win before he faids into retirement.

10. Mississippi State: After a week off Alabama comes to town. Look for this to be a better than advertised game.

11. Kentucky: After beating EKU in a break from SEC play Kentucky travels to Vanderbilt with a chance to become bowl eligible with a win. The Cats better come prepared to play against a desperate Vandy team.

12. Vanderbilt: How do you go from 4-4 in the SEC East to 0-6 in a year. Don’t score more than 10 points a game in the SEC. Vandy has its last opportunity to get a win this weekend when Kentucky comes to town. Beating Tennessee is out of the question in their last game.

Weep. Weep for the sale of Rights

A coach rants up the sidelines. They’re seething. A game official has made a call they thinks is wrong. It’s an important call. A game changer. And he/she is voicing their lack of agreement.
The official looks onto the field, stoically. Clearly hearing the rant, and knowing in their own mind whether they are certain they made the right call, or whether that’s a call they should not have made. They don’t even turn around, as the coach spews up and down behind them. Listening intently for the mistake that will take this over the long time agreed upon edge. The remark that makes this personal. The coach has until the next play or so to vent. All goes well, and the coach returns to coaching his team…. OR, the coach finally goes too far and starts talking about family heritage. Personal Technical foul time. Will they make the point and put it completely over the edge? Or will they buckle down, satisfied that they made their point?

Later, in the locker room, there is a crowd of reporters around the coach, and he again gives a tirade in defense of his team. Reporters ask about the big call, and the coach tells his side of it. The reporters scribble furiously, and the next day the teams local papers describe the robbery in detail. The other teams papers reinforce their teams dominance in victory. And the national media throws in a few cliff notes and pronounces the winner, regardless of the smaller issues in the game.

Ahh.. Those were the good old days. Freedom of speech for everyone. Freedom of press for every journalist. Like looking back at a mural of american past, the sportsworld and all it’s fanfare and the fans, much like the nation. Its government. Its voters. And the political shoptalk that colored the men and women of America in barber shops and boutiques across the land.

Welcome to the new millennium. The enlightened era. The government seeks to censure opposing views. Seeks to blackball journalists who don’t carry the party line. And to eliminate opposition of government philosophy in a manner that speaks more of Mafiosi strong-arm tactics than any belief in the conviction that the righteousness of their position will undoubtedly prevail.

Look today at the SEC. A body grown rich and powerful by it’s monopolistic enterprises. A body once a partner of the institutions that shared in glory and shame, now turned tyrannical ruler of it’s participants in a way not seen since corrupt monarchies that once marked most all the world’s nations.

Today, the SEC has issued a decree. And Let’s be frank about what the decree is. It is a statement. “We own you.” That’s the beginning and end. Not “We are partners with you.” Not, “We are joint entities.” No, the message was clear. “We have examined the breadth and depth of the state of this conference and have determined we have the might-bestowed right to injure you for your speech, TRUTH NOT WITHSTANDING.” “It matters not if we murder in the streets. It matters not that we steal, lie, or cheat. We are the government of these institutions and we have decided that no grievance we legitimately visit upon you, trumps our right to dictate your freedoms.”

Weep. Weep for more of the fall of America.

Imagine, if you can, the effect this decree would have had on Bear Bryant, Adolph Rupp, and the many, many others of legendary coaches who have walked gridiron or hardwood. Think of the fiery personalities that made them the legendary leaders. The will they exuded. The many quotes and statements they made that were scribbled or taped into infamy. Peers of the game, they were. Think of the statement that Adolph Rupp made when he rebuked the, then not so powerful, sports governments will, and flatly refused to allow his team to participate in their invitational tournament, due to punitive actions they intended to impose that he found unworthy. A statement of strength. A statement of individuality. A Declaration of Independence, if you will.

Where would you find such a will, today? Institutions have sold their rights for profit. And those profits now make them slaves incapable of asserting the rights they willfully squandered, and are now irrevocably beyond recall.

So, where does this last step leave a coach? Where does this leave a program? Where does this leave a fan base? We have no voice. The program surrendered it’s voice. And the coach has had his voice stolen at career knifepoint. Where does this leave us? What’s next for this family run by the controlling Don? He has silenced the critique of players with threats to their career, education, and lives. He has silenced the coaches in a single fell blow with the same. He has created Judas like disciples of the thirteen member institutions with the promise of empty silver.

What will he do next? It seems impossible that he could exclude journalists from media conferences, after they perhaps wrote an unfavorable piece on official conduct, game outcomes, or league maneuvering, doesn’t it? It seems impossible to think that he would reach through his puppeteer institutions and ensure that no contradictory opinion or conclusions can be uttered, doesn’t it?

Where does that leave us? The last bastion of hope. The last layer of desperation. A courtroom. Imagine it. You cannot achieve justice with written or spoken language. Perhaps the last thing we have is the presence of “evidence”. Why not? Each game is taped. Every game shown to thousands and thousands of witnesses. Are we now left to where, at the end of a season, a team like Arkansas, looks back to the bowl slot they were guaranteed barring the obvious misconduct or negligence. Might they then sue the SEC for the loss of revenues due to those issues? There will be ample video evidence. And little reason to think that justice will be achieved in the minds and hearts of men who, once upon a time, could be made to feel shame.

Then again, if you own billions of dollars of institutions, censure public figures, dictate arbitrary punishments to programs, coaches and player, you can probably buy your way into a courtroom as well.

Weep.

BBR’s Weekly SEC Rankings

How about that Alabama and Florida are both still unbeaten but neither looked like the best team in the country Saturday. You can say its because of SEC defenses but its because neither team has a championship offense. This week I have them both #1 in the SEC.

1. Alabama: Two blocked field goals by a overweight long haired gnome kept Alabama alive at the top. Next up the LSU defense against the Alabama offense????

1. Florida: Another closer than expected game for Florida. If they are gonna paddle like that they better hold on to their oars because the seas are gonna get a little rough with hungry Georgia team next weekend.

3. LSU: Their defense shut down Auburn 31-10 and their offense tied their season high with 31 points. Next up Tulane while hoping either Alabama or Florida stumble.

4. Tennessee: A loss to Alabama still moves Tennessee way up. Questionable calls by Kiffin might have cost them the game. Up this weekend S Carolina in a game that can go either way depending on how the SC offense plays.

5. Ole Miss: A spanking of Arkansas and the re-emergence of Sneads arm Have Mississippi looking better. Next up at Auburn against a team thats going to be desperate for a win.

6. Arkansas: The Arkansas defense and offense both lacked the beef to win this one.

7. South Carolina: Mr Hyde showed up for SC at Vanderbilt but he still managed to wimp his way to a win. They Get a SEC break with winless Eastern Michigan this weekend.

8. Georgia: After a week off Georgia Plays Florida. How much pride they show will determine how the game goes.

9. Kentucky: The Cats played a lackluster game after the first quarter but still won 36-13. Next up a improving Mississippi St in Lexington.

10. Auburn: Fans are still yelling wheres the beef after both the offense and defense faltered in the loss to LSU. This weekend they are at Mississippi so they better finally bring the beef or their season is well done.

11. Mississippi State: Would’a should’a beat Florida if they had SEC offense. In Lexington this weekend in what could be a interesting game.

12. Vanderbilt: With an offense they would have won. 10 points isn’t gonna get it done in the sec. This weekend they will be an a train wreck against Georgia Tech.

BBR’s Weekly SEC Rankings

The rankings are a little late due to computer problems. Alabama and Florida remain at the top for another week but after that its hard to sort the rest of the teams out.

1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide with the help of Mark Ingram demolished SC 20-6 last weekend. Ingram by the way is now sitting at the top of the Heisman list on ESPN. Up next a tough Tennessee defense at home.

2. Florida: Florida held on to win 23-20 over Arkansas thanks to a couple of to put it mildly lousy calls in the last few min. of the game. And a little walking on water by Tim Tebow. This weekend they travel to Miss St where they might get another scare from a SEC West team.

3. LSU: After a week off the Tigers get Auburn for their defense to practice on. This might be a harder practice than they are expecting but at least their offense will have a weak defense to play against.

4. South Carolina: Why have I got SC ranked 4th? I don’t have any idea other than the other 8 teams in the league don’t measure up to them. This weekend they get Vandy who has beat them the last two times they have played.

5. Ole Miss: After last weekends tune up with UAB they get a chance to righten their sinking program when Arkansas comes to town.

6. Arkansas: Arkansas was a couple of bad calls away from beating the #1 team in the nation. This weekend they travel to ole Miss in a pivotal game for both teams.

7. Tennessee: Can Monte Kiffen and the Tennessee defense find a way to stifle Ingram and the Alabama offense. Can the Tennessee offense rise to the occasion. Its doubtful but stranger things have happened in the SEC.

8. Georgia: They got by Vandy to keep from loosing three in a row. Off this week end to prepare for Florida.

9. Kentucky: The Cats played a perrrfect game in defeating Auburn 21-14. Next up La. Monroe in Lexington.

10. Auburn: Fans are still yelling wheres the beef after both the offense and defense faltered in the loss to Kentucky. This weekend they are at LSU so they better bring the beef.

11. Mississippi State: They got the chance to get a win at Middle Tenn. but dont expect another one this weekend at Florida.

12. Vanderbilt: Georgia put up 34 on Vandy. After scoring 59 points all year there isn’t much hope that Vandy is going to score much against SC.

This weeks SEC Rankings

Now the the SEC is in full glory several things are becoming clear. The SEC east if weak this year. Out side of Alabama and Florida the SEC isn’t as strong as national writers think. The yelling of “wheres the beef” is showing that LSU doesn’t have a offense, Auburn and Mississippi don’t have much of a defense, Georgia doesn’t have a offense or defense and South Carolina is plain over rated.

1. Alabama: The Tide did what they were supposed to do if they wanted to keep their top ranking in our SEC Rankings with a easy 22-3 win at Mississippi. Next up a thumping of the old balls coach.

2. Florida: The Gators went to LSU not knowing if Tebow would play or not. He played but looked tentative at times and the defense bailed him out with another stellar performance in the 13-3 win.

3. LSU: A good defensive performance kept the game close while little old ladies in the stands were seen yelling “wheres the beef” about LSU’s offense.

4. South Carolina: They escaped with a win over Kentucky but don’t expect that to happen next weekend against Alabama.

5. Auburn: Little old ladies were seen in the stands during this game yelling “wheres the beef” about Auburns defense while Arkansas dismantled them. The yelling of “wheres the beef” seemed to be a common occurrence this past weekend but hopefully wont become a national trend.

6. Ole Miss: They have been over rated the whole season so with UAB coming to town they better produce or Tennessee will soon be rated above them.

7. Arkansas: Auburn found out that Arkansas can finally play defense this year. Next up Florida where Ryan Mallett and the defense will have to have the game of their lives to keep from drowning in the swamp.

8. Tennessee: The Vols looked like a beast in their dismanteling of Georgia. They get this weekend off to prepare for Alabama.

9. Georgia: How embarrassing can it get for the Bulldogs. Monte Kiffin’s defense looked great but Georgia’s defense stunk. Grown men who made the trip to watch the Bulldogs were seen chanting “wheres the beef” about both sides of Georgia’s game.

10. Kentucky: The Cat’s just plain should have won this game. This weekend they get Auburn with a break from playing good defenses. With Hartline out for at least four weeks and corners Lindley out and Warford doubtful the Cats are going to step it up a bit.

11. Mississippi State: They gave Houston a game but came up short. This weekend they get a Middle Tennessee team that could surprise them.

12. Vanderbilt: How bad can their offense get? Stay tuned as even discerning Vandy fan have stooped to yelling “wheres the beef”.

BBR’s Weekly SEC Rankings

BBR’s Weekly SEC Rankings

1. Alabama: After a win that wasn’t as good as the score over UK the Alabama travels to Ole Miss where I expect a true blow out to occur.

2. Florida: The Tebow saga continues. After being off last weekend they travel to play speedy LSU.

3. LSU: Held on to beat Georgia. Next up Florida. LSU can win this game if they can generate points.

4. Auburn: Won a tough game against Tennessee. This week on the road against Arkansas who easily handled Texas AM away.

5. Georgia: Lost a close one to LSU. This week they could be walking into another loss at Tennessee if Crompton can put a whole game together the Tennessee defense will win the game.

6. South Carolina: In last weeks win against SC St. they gave up 14  points. This could bode well for Kentucky this week.

7. Ole Miss: Beating Vandy doesn’t count for much. Beating Alabama this weekend will count for a lot.

8. Arkansas: Demolishing Texas A&M might have given Arkansas a boost going into this weekends game with Auburn. This should be a shootout where the last team with the ball wins.

9. Tennessee: Lost to Auburn and with Georgia coming in this weekend as Crompton turns so Tennessee turns.

10. Mississippi State: They put up 31 points in a loss to Georgia Tech this past weekend. With Houston up next 31 wont be enough for a win.

11. Kentucky: After the loss to Alabama this weekends game at SC comes down to mistakes. Don’t make mistakes and the Cats are in the game.

12. Vanderbilt: At Army this weekend after a loss to Ole Miss. at home last weekend. A no offense no win situation for Vandy.

My Thoughts on Tebow

Look, simply put, he should not have been in the game. I don’t know if any of you caught the Mike and Mike clip about it, but I agree with Golic. The game was done. It was clear UK was not going to win, even if Florida turned the ball over twice. He was sick, the game was secure. He should have been out, or Florida should have kept running it to chew clock and protect him.

-So, there is some debate as to why he was in the game. My opinion, simply put, because he’s not having a Heisman year. His numbers for the season are good, and his abilities are prolific, but he’s not having the numbers that he needs to be comparable to the other top QBs in any way other than team wins. And, while we all know that team wins are where the meat of your goals are, it’s individual stats that get reviewed when they go Heisman hunting.

Look at this: 4 games into the season Tim Tebow has thrown for 643 yard and ran for 271. He does have 11 total tds. Good numbers, but where are they in the Heisman race?

Look at Colt McCoy who, in four games, has thrown for 1145 yards and run for 63 yards and has 10 tds. That over 1200 yards of offense that he’s responsible for, compared to just over 900 for Tebow.

Let’s look at some stuff that’s comparable. How close would you think these guys would stack up?

Michigan’s Tate Forcier =671 passing yards, 127 rushing yards 4 wins, 9TDs.

Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen = 1122 yds thrown, 10 tds, 1 pick. 3-1 record.

Bama’s Greg McElroy = 938 yds, 33 rushing, 8 total tds, 1 pick, 4 -0 record

Boise St’s Kellen Moore= 932 yds, 10 tds, 1 int, 4-0

Kansas’s Todd Reesing = 1137 yds thrown, 89 rushing, 11 total tds, 2 picks 4-0

Ohio State’s Pryor =695 passing yards, 235 rushing yards, 7 tds, 4 picks, 3-1

Then take a really really good look at who these teams have played compared to Florida’s schedule.

Michigan and Notre Dame
Ohio state and USC
Boise and Oregon

It’s really not even close.

So, there is your answer to why Tebow was in the game. Because it could very fairly stated that his performance isn’t distancing himself. So, he was in the game so that Meyer could pad his passing stats. It was plain to see. Meyer could see that he was running on us like a video game, but Demps and the other back are better runners than Tebow, and were eating the field up. So, in order to make Tebow look better, Meyer starting calling passing plays. And, you’ll notice that I pointed this out during the game talk, and pointed out florida started looking bad when they committed to throwing. Or, at least, didn’t look as good.

That being said, I don’t think Tim will be back for the LSU game. There’s no way he can take that level of a concucssion, and then play the way he plays this soon. If he were a pocket passer, he might be able to get back early. Tim is a bull rusher who takes a lot of hits.

Mind you I’m no medical expert, and any who are feel free to chime in, but I just don’t see it. You just get into a whole new threat to your career and life when you start down the concussion highway. These things end pro QB careers with regularity.

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