To BE The Man, You Have to BEAT The Man!

"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair was dead on with this legendary quote. The UFC fight between the light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and Maricio Rua last night was one that the average, blood-and-guts MMA didn't want to see. It was a tactical fight of karate versus muy thai kickboxing, in the truest sense of the terms. Rua felt that he had found a weakness in Machida's defense and set out to change EVERYTHING he would normally do in a fight, save this one.

Rua is an aggressive fighter, to say the very least, he made his reputation on being the aggressor in Pride winning 9 fights overall; 3rd behind only Mirko Cro Cop and Wanderlai Silva. He IS NOT a counter-puncher. Lyoto Machida IS a counter-puncher. So Rua's game plan, while looking good on paper, didn't materialize in the Octagon. Counter-punching, by definition can't be used aggressively. Yes, Rua absolutely gave Machida the toughest fight of his life last night. Some Machida skeptics even have him winning the fight outright. I disagree completely.

Rue didn't fight to WIN; he fought to not get embarrassed in the same jelly-legged fashion that Rashad Evans did. He fought too tentatively for his own good. Yes, there were points where he attacked Machida and did some real damage. (Machida's ribs were a glowing fuchsia color by the end of the fight) And while some might disagree with the notion, the have to TAKE the belt from the champion, and clearly Rua didn't do enough to sway the judges to even a split decision, much less a draw!

There will certainly be a rematch between these two; Dana White has said as much in his post-fight presser. Who wants to take the over-under that "Shogun" reverts back into his old (and very successful) self? You can't beat a counter-puncher like Machida trying to be a counter-puncher yourself!

TO BE THE MAN, YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE MAN!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Can you recall the days when EVERYTHING we talked about or did wasn’t politicized? Maybe it’s always been the way it currently is in the United States. Everything seems to be divided along the lines of red and blue, Liberal and Conservative, Democrat and Republican (not that those last two terms mean much anymore)

I was listening to my favorite local talk show this morning, and the topic was, of all things, whether or not Rush freaking Limbaugh should be able to become part-owner of the St. Louis Rams. Huh?
My very first response was “Who gives a rat shit?” But then, I listened a little more intently and the host, who is a master of communication, dug a bit deeper on the topic.

Apparently, there have been a couple of players on the Rams that have expressed their 1st Amendment right of free speech, and said, in so many words, that if Limbaugh was in any way involved with the team, they would not play. Huh? So, just so I’m following you’re “logic” on this issue guys, you’re not going to play a child’s game, get paid millions upon millions of dollars, and have thousands of adoring fans, because you disagree with the political affiliations of one of the owners? Since when does this matter? You do realize that the vast majority of owners in the NFL are Conservative Republicans, right?

Granted, Limbaugh’s viewpoints, however extreme, are better known than most due to his daily radio show. I don’t agree with more than ½ of what comes flying out of his pie hole, but he has the same 1st Amendment right to say it, that the NFL players have to say what they’re saying; only he doesn’t sound as stupid. I get it that you have personal convictions, but are you THAT entrenched in your personal beliefs that you’d give it all up? Come on now….Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m just too motivated by moolah, but if someone wants to pay me obscene amounts of cash to play football, I couldn’t care less who owns the team. OK, maybe I wouldn’t play for bin Laden, but I’d damn sure play for Castro if the money was there.

What I’m saying is…..it’s a game! Can’t we just sit back and enjoy the game for the sake of enjoyment? Do we have to divide everything and everyone based on their political affiliations? It seriously makes me want to puke! Believe what you want. Pray to the tree gods, I really don’t care. Dance around campfires buck-naked; whatever, but leave my sports alone! Some things shouldn’t be dicked with!! I was in the military and defended your right to act like an idiot. So act like a jackwad if you want to, but leave my sports out of your contctions!!!

Prozac and The Bootleg

As the game with Georgia drew closer, those of us not drinking the Jon Crompton Kool-aid, had little reason to feel as if U.T. would do anything different than they had in the previous 3 weeks; this means mass interceptions per game, a couple of missed field goals, and maybe a nice fumble just for shits and giggles.

As I type this blog, U.T. just finished bitch-slapping U.Ga. 45-19, and 16 of the 19 points that the pathetic 'tards from down South managed were non-offensive. A safety, a pick-6 and a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Gawd they really do suck hind tit....

Somewhere George Cafego is rolling over in his grave with the performance of the special teams today. It was pretty bad. But luckily, they can run until they puke yesterday's lunch at practice on Monday, and that should rectify the problem(s).

Now to make favorite target; Jon Crompton. Who the hell knew that a small dose of Prozac and the bootleg pass could solve his mental incapacities? Damn guys, I understand that this guy is a complete experiment week-toweek, but why did it take this long to get it ironed out? I know that U.T. did try to roll Crompton out in the past few games, but it never did really take. (I'm telling you, it's the Prozac) But, for right now at least, it looks as if Crompton is manageable if he's more mobile in the pocket as he was today. Crompton was 20 for 27 for 310 yards passing; a new career high! Outstanding Jon! Like I've said in previous posts, no one who's watched for more than 7 minutes has ever doubted your physical talent. It's the ol' noodle we're worried about!

A critical moment came in the second quarter after Georgia ran the kick-off back 100 yards to tie the game. I was thinking that Jon would crumble just as he's done nearly his entire U.T. carer. It was make or break time for him, and he stepped up to the fucking plate and knocked it right outta' the park!!! Well played J.C.! Glad to see the lobotomy that Coach Orgeron performed during Tuesday's practice last week worked.

Coach Kiff got the proverbial Gatorade bath after the game; his first SEC win. It's gotta' feel good. But let's remember to stick to the 24-hour rule imposed by Coach O: enjoy this win for 24 hours and then forget it, just like you've dome for the 3 previous losses, for Aladamnbama comes a' callin' next Saturday. And you know how the old money of U.T. hates to lose to Aladamnbama.

I don't think that anyone truly expects us to win that game, but just like Florida, we should compete and at least make it interesting.

Good job fellas......enjoy it. You've certainly earned it!

Obama Wins! Obama Wins! The Nobel Peace Prize??

Now I know that my left-leaning relatives and friends probably won't take kindly to this. I'm not here to rip President Obama. This is more about the judges that have gotten caught up in his celebrity and awarded him the freaking Nobel Peace Prize! I know nothing about the requirements for winning the award, or even what the judges look at when deciding; but seriously now, what has he done to warrant such an award. This is paramount to Charles Woodson winning the Heisman instead of Peyton Manning, just because....(remember that Vols fans?)



I don't even know anyone who was in the running; had no clue that it was even time to award the damn thing, but is this the best we've got? He's not even been in office a year yet. How can there be no other person on the planet that's doing more for peace than Obama?



Was Obama running against Hugo Chavez, or Osama bin Laden? Was Hillary Clinton not available at the time? Hell, I should've thrown my name in the hat. A Nobel prize would look good on the ol' resume! :)



Maybe my youngest daughter should've applied, she's kind of a peace-maker during her soccer matches with the other 8-year-olds. Now, in all fairness he did convince an entire nation to chant "Yes we can!!" so maybe that's what put him over the top in the balloting. He is a smooth orator, and dresses really nice. Wait! I know now what the deciding factor was....OPRAH! Obama and Oprah are buds as thick as thieves and EVERYBODY loves Oprah. (Except for me!)

I found out earlier to day that Obama was only in office for 12 days when the nominations were completed! 12 days? I don't even get paid in 12 days!! This award is now, unfortunately added to the list of other awards that are based on nothing.....nothing save the recipient's celebrity. The fact is that Obama won this award for no other reason than the color of his skin. It can't be anything other than that, because he hasn't DONE anything even remotely deserving of the Nobel prize. At least Jimmy Carter, for all his shortcomings, had serious peace talks with the powers of the Middle East at the time of his presidency.

Weekly Poll: What's the Best Offensive Option for U.T. against Georgia?

I've thought about adding a poll to my blog for sometime now, and having seen a few floating around, I've decided to give it a go. I will try to post at least one each week.

This week's poll question: "What is U.T.'s best offensive option against Georgia?"

A. Run the 2-minute-drill the entire game

B. Put in Nick Stephens and hope for the best

C. Take Jon Crompton for a very long ride in the Vol Navy

D. ANYTHING not involving Jon Crompton taking snaps


Please cast your vote wisely......

The Vols, J.C. and Tailgating, SEC Style

Well, The Jonathon Crompton era continued in vain last night as my beloved Vols fell to the visiting Auburn Tigers / War Eagles / Plainsmen or whatever the hell nickname they're going by this week. Guys, I really am tired of bashing J.C. every single week, but it's just so damn easy! (I know, I'm taking the path of least resistance) But I will continue to do this until there's a change made at QB1, and at this point I really couldn't care less who it is. Hell, line up and run the Wildcat formation 25 times a game. IT SERIOUSLY CAN'T BE WORSE THAN WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.

I was at the game last night tailgating with some friends of ours, Rocky and Kristin. (Love you too Bledsoe) And I do believe that brother Rocky's disdain for Crompton outweighs mine. Hard to believe, but true. We sat and watched J.C. miss on a 3-yard screen pass into the flat!! Actually, for the sake of full disclosure, I didn't physically SEE it, but thanks to Rock's excellent, profane-laced description of the fiasco painted the picture for me beautifully! Thanks Rock!
This is why tailgating in the SEC, and at U.T. in particular, is second to nothing as far as non-sporting, public events. You have great friends, great food, and SEC football......it's damn near impossible to screw it up!

OK back to my whipping boy, J.C......
It seems as if the more that the staff over there tries to simplify the gameplan for Crompton, the more he fucks it up! If I had a nickel for every conversation that I overheard last night talking about how incredibly shitty J.C. was/is, I would be blogging from Fiji and now really giving a rat shit about U.T. football or who was playing QB1. Is Coach Kiff really that set in his own mind with Crompton as QB1?

*********We competed with Florida IN SPITE of Crompton***********

*********We competed against Auburn IN SPITE of Crompton**********

Can you imagine what we could do with any local high school QB / village idiot taking the snaps? Hell, we would be undefeated and likely ranked in the top 10 if not the top 5 in the nation. Thank god for tailgating and mass amounts of Heineken Light!!!!!