The 2009 Big Orange Roundtable. Vol III

It’s that time again…time for the Big Orange Roundtable and this week I get to be king! Now I know some of you readers have been e-mailing me and wanting me to behead the idiot coach who didn’t pick Tim Tebow as No. 1 Super Duper QB of the year that also walks on water and has a platinum halo, all because he can’t read and let someone else fill out his preseason ballot out, but there will be no bloodshed during this roundtable session. Let go straight to the questions! 

1. Now that we have covered the receivers & QB’s, let’s get to the running game. Just how much improved do you think the running game will be? 

Well considering Foster fumbled A LOT plus the fact he was slow you had to clock him using a sundial, I would say it be greatly improved. 

First off we have Montario Hardesty who was getting rave reviews throughout the spring practices, and then we have Tauren Poole from what I understand he might be the next starting running back this season when all is said and done. 

We did recruit some guy by the name Bryce Brown who happened to be the number No.1 overall prospect in the 2009 class by Rivals.com … Rated No. 1 at running back by Scout.com and No. 2 by ESPN. Oh yeah we also have David Oku the No. 1 overall all-purpose back and the No. 97 overall recruit in the 2009 class by Rivals.com. 

With an energized line and a simpler offense of play action pass and ramming down the other team’s throats, I believe the running game will have a huge impact on this upcoming season and rank somewhere in the top 20.    

We believe this was drawn up during last years game with Auburn...damn Clawson my head hurts trying to figure this out.

2. During the SEC media days, Kiffin made the comment “Do I love every single thing I’ve done my (first) seven months? No, I haven’t loved having to do it. But it needed to be done, in my opinion, for us to get where we needed to be.” What do you think he was talking about? 

I sincerely believe he was referring to the decisions he had to make about players and recruits. I believe he was referring too having to withdraw scholarships to those that were offered by the previous coaching staff and he was referring to letting some of the current roster go.  

3. Do you think giving Mike Hamilton a big raise and extension is a mistake before seeing how Kiffin performs as a head coach?

Yes! Let’s play what-if. What if Kiffin and this staff flops and everyone is canned, think about the money that will need to be paid out. If Kiffin does let go then surely Hamilton will need to be let go as well. You can’t the wave of the Bruce Pearl hiring forever. With this new raise then there’s even more money that will need to be paid out. It was a huge mistake on the university’s part in my opinion.  

4. What is the one game Tennessee needs to win this season? 

I said it last year and I’ll say it again. Beat the Shamecocks of South Carolina. There is no excuse for not winning this game. Both teams have new assistant coaches and as of right now both teams have questions about their quarterbacks. 

South Carolina lost a lot on both sides of the ball especially the defensive side. If Kiffin and this staff want respect within this league then beating the ole ball (sac) coach is the way to go about it. 

Please remember to visit the sites of my fellow Big Orange Roundtable brethren and see their replies:

MoonDogSports.com 

3rd Saturday in Blogtober

Vol Junkies 

Pigskin Pathos 

Rocky Top Talk 

Bleeding Orange 

Gate 21

Losers With Socks

The 2009 Big Orange Roundtable. Vol II

This weeks host is the Third Saturday in Blogtober. As always the same rules apply. They ask some question and I and other blogs will answer them. So let’s go to the Roundtable!

1. We will start with an easy one.  Last week, our beloved Rock was relocated across the street to make room for a new building on campus.  What are your thoughts on the Rock’s relocation?

While I was sad the see the Rock was being moved I understand the reasons why. Tennessee needs the new student health center and it’s beneficial to everyone.

2(a).  Wednesday is the beginning of SEC Media Days in Birmingham, which usually signifies that the season is just around the corner.  What would you prefer that Coach Lane Kiffin do this week: Speak up or shut up?

STFU! Don’t say anything stupid be kind with your answers and say “No comment” a lot.

2(b).  If you could take back one thing that Coach Kiffin has done or said to this point, what would it be?

Wow that’s a hard on. Don’t get me wrong, I like Kiffin (and his hot wife) but damn. Anywho calling Urban Meyer was stupid. I realize that he said to fire up fan base but it was stupid nonetheless.

3.  The biggest news of last week on the football front was that seemingly our entire receiving corps is in the infirmary. Austin Rogers is lost for the year, Denarius Moore is going to miss several games at a minimum, and Gerald Jones has an injured wing that may cause him to miss some games.  Although it seems like it is time to hit the panic button, is there a way out of this for the Vols?

I’m not worried about it because even though I like Rogers he dropped more his share of passes. I know that’s a crappy thing it type but it’s true. I wish him the best and I do hope the NCAA grants him another year of eligibility. We have Nu’Keese Richardson, Quintin Hancock & Brandon Warren. All of whom I believe will be ready to play.

I also think we will get Gerald Jones by the second or third game of the season. Of course if Crompton is as bad as he was last year, will it really matter?

4. Basketball recruit Josh Selby decommitted from the Vols over the weekend, and many suspect it is because he wants to play for a Nike school.  Tennessee is an Adidas school, and there is speculation that future sponsorship money with Nike may be at stake if Selby doesn’t go to a Nike school like Kentucky.  This obviously has ramifications in all sports, so what do you make of all this? (NOTE: The NFL is a Reebok league, which is owned by Adidas.)

It’s funny that Selby is doing this because he was at the camp where LeBron was dunked on by a college player from Xavier University, who by the way is an Adidas school. Here is a link to a high def version of the video!!! Not the crappy cell phone version TMZ here.

LeBron gets dunked on.

Let’s look at one thing though. This kid committed when he was 16-years old. I’m not that surprised that he changed his mind…he’s 16 for goodness sakes. What is most disturbing is the fact he MIGHT feel pressured or “persuaded” by someone like “World Wide” William Wesley who as a rather public relationship with John Calipari. I think the bigger question should be: When will the NCAA ever investigate this guy?

Please remember to visit the sites of my fellow Big Orange Roundtable brethren and see their replys:

MoonDogSports.com

Vol Junkies

Pigskin Pathos

Rocky Top Talk

Bleeding Orange

Gate 21

Loser With Socks

The swag that the already rich got at the ESPY Awards

In case you didn’t know the ESPYs were held last night. The reason you might not know is because it won’t air until Sunday night. That doesn’t make sense since there was NOTHING sports related that was worth watching on last night. 

Here’s an interesting rule of thumb: The more money you make the more free crap you get. Of course free crap is what brought the celebrities out to the ESPYs last night. Let’s see what free crap they got. 

• Undefeated and EA Sports: Free duffel bags ($225 est). Thirty VIPs got a personalized, laser-engraved PlayStation 3 or PSP.
•  iHome: Free speakers, Keyboards and wireless laser mouse ($179.99), and laptop cooling pads.
•  Simmons Jewelry: The gold-encrusted necklace shaped like Larry Bird’s dick is my personal favorite.
•  NameDrop.com: Free Flip cams to anyone who signs up for their new “Facebook for the glitterati.” What he fuck is a glitterati? I’m guessing it means douche bag.
• Muze Clothing: T-shirts printed with classic movie lines. Don’t be wearing that Muze Clothing around here, or the Ninjas will get you.
•  Skullcandy: Fashion headphones. I own a set of Skullcandy headphones I’ll admit the sound quality is awesome.
• Wynn: VIP cards for the Vegas casino pool.  As they really need those to get in
• Marley Coffee: Coffee beans made by the son of a reggae legend. Hopefully for their sake laced.
• Axe:  Some guy products and body spray. That’s a body spray? I’ve been using it as pesticide. The other great irony of life is the more Body Axe I apply, the more people at work disliked me. 
•  Sentient: Coupons for private jets. That’s just sad but Lenny Dykstra would like to know more
• Patron: Got everyone drunk. 

Actually, the rest of the stuff they received sounds pretty worthless. It will be cluttering up mansions for years.

Minor League Baseball team better have their promotions cleared by Amnesty International next time.

Yeah I know this story is dated but I was on vacation at the time so there. It’s definitely a PC world when a promotion such as ladies night gets turned into a violation of human rights. Most sports promotion featuring a ladies night is to celebrate women unless you’re the Hudson Valley Renegades, a farm team for the Tampa Bay Rays, then it turns into even that maybe Amnesty International needs to investigate. Hopefully they’ll show up for the next free bat night. Please note the sarcasm because I’m laying it on rather think. 

One week ago the Hudson Valley Renegades attempted to hold a ladies night for their female fans by calling it “Ball-Less Baseball” night. There were some unique options for the ladies such as massages, free makeup & mani-pedis. Whatever the hell those are. Men were not allowed into the stadium until the 5th inning. They’ll let the men in just in time for the Seventh-Inning Pilates Break and a rousing rendition of “Since We Got Married, You Never Take Me Out To The Ball Game Anymore” Well this caused a rather stern letter to be written by officials in Dutchess County, NY, who also owns the park. 

“At best, the promotion is in poor taste. However, I write to warn that the promotion likely violates the New York State Human Rights Law and probably violates the guarantee to equal protection under the laws contained in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” the letter reads. “New York State Human Rights Law (Executive Law Section 296) expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in any place of public accommodation. Clearly, your plan to prohibit admittance based on gender runs afoul of this provision.” 

“Dutchess County cannot in good conscience remain silent while its citizens are subject to invidious gender discrimination.” 

Wow! To the credit of the Renegades origination they were planning a tailgate party for the men and they were forced to admit on their website that they would not actually prevent the testosterone set from entering the building. Only in a lawsuit happy America could people actually find it necessary to bury their sense of humor and lodge a formal complaint against something so silly. 

Honestly I’d imagine your typical Ladies Night in the Hudson Valley involves a bit less baseball and a lot more chloroform.

It’s time to kick off the 2009 Big Orange Roundtable

What you think one bad season was going to break-up the mighty roundtable? To that I say HA! <flips you the bird>

Before we begin I would like to welcome out newest Big Orange Roundtable members to the brotherhood: Vol Junkies, Pigskin Pathos & Bleeding Orange welcome aboard!

For those that aren’t familiar with the Roundtable I’m going to quote Moondog because he’s cool like that.

For those of you not familiar with the roundtable, each week leading up to the start of the season one of the participating sites will serve as the host, asking questions for the other members of the roundtable to answer.

As the week progresses and the member web sites answer the questions, we’ll post a link to their responses. This year nine sites will be discussing every aspect of the upcoming season and for Volunteer fans, it’s a great opportunity to present your views.

In addition to MoonDog Sports, the Big Orange Roundtable consists of the 3rd Saturday in Blogtober, Your Mother Slept With Wilt Chamberlain, Vol Junkies, Pigskin Pathos, Rocky Top Talk, Bleeding Orange, Gate 21 and Losers With Socks.

At the end of the week after all of the sites have had a chance to respond, the host site will post a review with the best answers to the week’s questions.

We’re less than two months from Football Time in Tennessee so let’s get this year’s version of the Big Orange Roundtable kicked off.

Moondog and his awesome site, MoonDogSports.com, are the first blog to host the Big Orange Roundtable. Let’s see the questions he has for us.

1. In my mind, this season’s success — or failure — centers around one man, Jonathan Crompton. What is your opinion of Crompton’s ability to run Lane Kiffin’s pro-style offense? Can Crompton overcome his miserable 2008 season and lead the Vols to a winning record?

If Crompton can be the Crompton who played extremely well while filling in for Erik Ainge a few years ago then he should fine. However that being said I’m not like some of us who believe he will have a breakout season because he won’t. Crompton is not smart enough to be a great QB. I’m sorry but it’s true, but he does have the tools physically.

Trust me the caveman might be smarter

The story is that last year the Clawson offense was confusing and the players were not the right fit for it. From what I saw in the spring game, King Kiffin® has simplified the offense and kept it simple. (I’m sure Crompton is thankful for that.) Crompton was productive in the spring game and Stephens was also productive.

I believe Crompton can lead the VOLS to a winning record but not by himself. There will have to be a lot of hand holding on Kiffin’s part for Crompton to succeed. If Crompton doesn’t succeed then for the love of God, yank him and put Stephens in.

1. Last season, the kicking game was mediocre at best, and the special teams — especially the punt coverage unit — was a disaster. Daniel Lincoln returns as the kicker and Chad Cunningham will return as the punter. What are you thoughts about the Vols kicking game and special teams?

The main reason I believe the kicking game was in disarray is because some former coach <cough Phil Fulmer cough> didn’t believe in having a special teams coach. Well that’s been rectified. With the addition of Eddie Gran more time can be spent on special teams and with the kickers. I believe this to be a major factor and I believe that Lincoln Logs and Cunningham will be just fine this coming season.

1. Tennessee’s offensive line was thought to be a strength in 2008, but like the rest of the offensive unit, didn’t perform well. What are your thoughts regarding the offensive line for 2009?

First let me start that last year our offensive line couldn’t block their way out of a Gymboree. I know this might sound like a cop out but again I think Clawson had something to do with this. I know offensive linemen are considered to be smarter than other players but after looking at some of the schemes from year I believe some bio chemists couldn’t figure what he wanted to run.

I believe this year the line should be much improved which will also help in other areas of the game such as QB and the running game.

1. Tennessee finished 5-7 last season, a huge disappointment for a team expected to perform much better. How do you believe the Vols will finish in 2009?

Eight & four. We will lose to Bama, Florida, Ole Piss and Georgia. We should win the rest of our games hands down. For once we have an easy schedule with only four road games.

That’s it for this weeks Roundtable be sure to check the other blogs to see their answers to these questions.

3rd Saturday in Blogtober

MoonDogSports.com

Vol Junkies

Pigskin Pathos

Rocky Top Talk

Bleeding Orange

Gate 21

Loser With Socks

A Blue Hen gets stabbed…by themselves….maybe…

The University of Delaware’s top wide receiver was arrested for a stabbing, except he might have been the one that was stabbed. Unless he wasn’t the stabber. It’s confusing. Let’s chase this vortex of confusion a little further. 

The Blue Hen’s best offensive player, Mark Duncan, might not be ready for the upcoming season due to getting stabbed and being charged with filing a false police report. Duncan was admitted to the hospital because of a stab wound on 05/30/09, and told the police he was attacked and victimized by some stranger while playing basketball. I’m sure things like this happen all the time in the state of Delaware so of course that version of the story is believable. 

Then something happened to his story and it changed. Duncan then said he knew his attacker however he refused to give him or her up to the local Po Po. I believe something was whispering in his mind’s eye: Stab wound? That’s nothing. Only bitches get stitches. 

A few days later the story changed again. In this version Duncan states he was out walking and four men jumped him. 

Newark (Del.) police issued a warrant this week “after determining that he’d switched his story too many times,” which goes to show that three times is the charm to go from hapless victim to lying football player with a hole in him. 

What still hasn’t been answered is: Who really stabbed Duncan? Did he stab himself as a way to get out of the state of Delaware a year early? Oh and he threw a ball at the cop in the National Championship game.

Erin Andrews can take balls to her chin & this blog ain’t dead!

What you thought you could kill us off that easily? Truth is I’ve been on vacation but I’m back now and look for me to be writing in full rotation starting next week. However let’s get on with this shocking Erin Andrews news. 

This is not a drill; I repeat this is not a drill. When I break this news please do not go running into the streets with blind rage and confusion. Please brace yourselves for the next paragraph. 

According to TMZ, ESPN’s sideline princess, Erin Andrews, was struck in the face by a foul ball by New York Mets player Alex Cora. 

 Andrews — who serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN — was struck in the chin by a foul ball hit by New York Mets player Alex Cora during the 4th inning. 

This DOES NOT give anyone the right to kill any Mets fans upon sight unless they were stupid enough to lose gold teeth in a toilet at Citifield or if you want to pretend it was a Yankees player that was the cause of this, then by all means kill away. 

I know the shock of this is unsettling. My first thought was: It hit EA’s chin and missed Dana Jacobson’s? No justice!!! But I’m able to control myself. 

Erin is OK. I repeat she is OK; she only suffered a bruised chin. 

I’ll keep you posted of any updates as soon as they are made available to me. 

Number of wins the Mets have in the last week: 1 Number of sideline princesses has been hit with a foul ball at one of their games in the last week: 1 …Christ…

R.I.P. #9

(pic of Gridiron9 courtesy of Melanie McGee-Pace)

It has been 3 days and I am still in shock. Though he died in, to say the least, odd circumstances, for a community, city, state, and fans scattered across the world, our QB has left us.

For years, Tennessee did not have a professional sports franchise to call our own. Yes the Vols were kings of Tennessee college football and the Tigers were the kings of Tennessee college basketball, but we watched as Jacksonville got our NFL team. We watched as Vancouver got our basketball team (ironic huh???) For years, we could only imagine the possibilities of seeing our team going to a Super Bowl. We could only dream of going to pro basketball games with our parents, and one day taking our own children to those same games.

Thanks to K.S. “Bud” Adams, our pro sports thirst was finally quenched (with all apologies to the Nashville Predators). The then-Oilers would build a home in Tennessee. For a couple of years, they were a rag tag group of football players, first by playing in Memphis and then in Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville. But they were led by our QB, Steve McNair.

I remember when the Oilers would hold pep rallies on Beale St. in Memphis. Where as a lot of the players would look like they did not wanna be there, he made sure to lead the cheers. After those pep rallies, he made sure to sign as many autographs and take as many pics as he could. I had many opportunities to meet Steve McNair on many occasions, and on each one, he was always nice and smiling.

Later on, he would lead the team to Super Bowl XXXIV against the St. Louis Rams. We hung on every play. We knew we as Titans fans had a shot of winning the game in the 4th quarter because of our QB. We came up 1 yard short, which still eats away at our sports soul. But the thrill of being oh so close to glory almost makes up for not winning (almost).

We cheered when he won the MVP trophy. We cringed when Ray Lewis tackled him. We got pissed at Bud Adams & Floyd Reese for kicking him out of the door. We were glad to see him in the neighborhood after he retired. Through it all, he was our QB. He gave away free admissions to his football camps for needy kids. He gave shoes to high school football players who couldn’t afford them. He asked people to donate supplies during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and Middle Tennessee gave truckloads (he loaded the trucks). He opened a restaurant across the street from Tennessee State University when he could have opened it elsewhere. Most importantly, he did it selflessly and with a smile.

We don’t have the storied history of the Boston Red Sox, L.A. Lakers, New York Yankees, or Pittsburgh Steelers. He was our Ted Williams, our Kareem, our Joe DiMaggio, our Terry Bradshaw. Coach Jeff Fisher said it best:

“The Steve McNair that I knew was a great person. He helped put this organization on the map here in Tennessee, put it in our first Super Bowl. I will miss him, as you all will miss him. And I ask you to honor what he did on the field and in the community and he was a tremendous legacy. And that is his legacy and I am proud to have been a part of that.’’

The Stephen A. Heckling Society Of Gentlemen Present the NBA Draft 2009

Sadly this was the last year of this comic genius since Stephen A. Smith has been fired from ESPN. “You Oughta Know” will never sound the same again.

Darren Daulton is baseball’s Keith Richards

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that Darren Daulton isn’t exactly a saint by any stretch of the imagination, and yes it’s possible he for took in some illegal drug taking during his fourteen years as a professional baseball player. However Daulton wants to set the record straight and let everyone know-he was absolutely high the majority of his year in the majors. 

Daulton appeared on the radio with Philly sports talk host Mike Missanelli, where the two discussed his current charity work, Schilling’s blogging expertise and the mess that Lenny Dykstra is in. The conversation naturally turned towards steroids which turned into drugs in general and that’s when Daulton let us know that he is baseball’s equivalent to Keith Richards. 

If I told you all the drugs that I’ve taken, Mike, you would open that up as a can of worms (laughing). I don’t feel that you or anyone else needs to know anything that I’ve ever done to respect me. No disrespect, that’s just the way I am. I feel if I told you all the drugs I’ve ever taken that would reflect on someone else. I can assure you, there’s probably no one in any sport that has taken more drugs that I have. And I think people still respect me. It’s not what goes in, it’s what comes out. 

Apparently Daulton is still doing these drugs of which he speaks if he thinks people still respect him. 

Actually, a funny part of the interview is when a fan calls in asking how the Phillies—2.5 games up on the rest of the NL East—can “turn it around.” Ah, the genius of sports radio. 

The photo is Daulton minus the mullet he wore for years proving that Rogaine is the one drug he will not take.                                       

Darren Daulton: “I Can Assure You There’s Probably No One In Any Sport That Has Taken More Drugs Than I Have.”[Sports Radio Interviews]