From Matthew
What's your take on Haynesworth Tweet?
Matthew -
For those unaware, here's what Big Albert tossed out:
Great news is on the horizon for us VFLs!!! It is just a matter of when! Thank you Mr. Haslam for trying to make Tennessee great again! #VFL
Wow, that sounds like some insider dope, right?
And there's no sugar coating that. The only was that is not discussing the removal of Butch Jones is if Albert believes a change is coming for Holly Warlick and the women's hoops bunch. (A discussion for another time, but not necessarily out of the question, especially since this is the definition of a make-or-break season.)
We have heard from multiple folks that Sunday will be the day, and this seems to add to that.
It's going to be a crazy football weekend for UT fans, and that has little to do with the game, since we know what's going down Saturday in T-Town.
In fact, here's a thought if it doesn't happen Sunday, then it becomes more likely in our view that Butch may survive this.
If it doesn't happen Sunday, you can't drop the hammer if he beats Kentucky, and if he loses to Kentucky and gets the axe, the message there is, in truth, all of it came down to one game against a team that no Johnny Vols Fans anywhere views as a true peer.
Interesting weekend for sure, and Albert seems to believe a change is on the horizon.
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From Carl
After that (loss) at LSU, Malzahn needs to be fired. How many SEC schools will be looking for coaches this offseason?
Carl -
We'll go with three, and that includes Malzahn.
Saturday was such a painful and monumental loss for him and his program. And it was totally avoidable by all measures.
Because now, 8-4 with painful losses to Alabama and Georgia are going to make it tough to keep Malzahn, considering this bunch was in the top 10 and controlled its destiny and lost to three very good teams and one very mediocre team and continued to spin its wheels.
(And if you are thinking: Dude it's Auburn, what do you expect, well, know this: If the November double-play sweep happens again, that will make Malzahn a collective 2-8 against Georgia and Alabama, and each of those wins were miraculous finishes in 2013. That's not going to sit well with a fan base that is watching its biggest rival enjoy the best run in college football history and its second-biggest rival - especially for the well-heeled alumni in the ATL - become a national player in year two of Kirby Smart.)
We believe Butch has seen his last Monday on the job in Knoxville.
And we also believe that even with a recent turnaround, Kevin Sumlin's bunch will fall short of the needed nine wins for him to stay there.
So that's three, and time - considering the need to replace a coach in time for the early signing period and the competition from others looking for a reboot - will be of the essence.
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From Fat Vader
What are your thoughts on the hit that took out A A Ron? He seemed to think that it was a dirty hit and there should have been at least a flag, but I thought it was a seemingly harmless hit. Did Barr need to bring him to the ground? who knows, he was already wrapped up by the time Rodgers got rid of the ball. Could he have pulled up? Maybe, but he was trying to make the play and injuries happen.
Dark Lord of Husky -
It was a sad play. It was an unfortunate play. It was, if Aaron Rodgers is on your fantasy team or if you are a die-hard Green and Gold fan or a Packer Backer, a devastating play.
But I don't believe it was a dirty play.
And if they try to legislate that, well, they are going to do more damage than good to be honest.
There is so few chances to actually get a hit on a Brady, Rodgers, Brees, et al., that you can't blame any defensive player for finishing the play.
In fact, a big part of the game plan is - and you here it over and over - to pressure those guys and get as many hits on them as possible to try to derail their rhythm and comfort levels.
Part of the deal, and in this case, for those of who loved to watch Rodgers play - and would make time for it when the Packers were on (a rarity among individuals in today's team-centric, gambling heavy NFL) - one in which we all lose.
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From Chris
Jay, heard you talking about the Celtics player injury and you guys were talking about some of the worst ones ever. Did you do a Rushmore? (Sorry, I had to get out of the car.) If so who made the worst sports injuries ever Rushmore? Thanks and love the show.
Chris -
We did discuss that after the Gordon Hayward broken leg and completely shredded ankle from opening night.
It was a rough week for the NBA with several serious injuries, from broken faces to trashed knees to Hayward's all-but season-ender that really damaged the Celtics' grand design to challenge the Cavs for supremacy in the East.
Here's our Rushmore of the worst sports injuries we saw (now this does not include the basketball player overseas who had his eye pop out on the floor or the hockey player who had his neck sliced open by a skate):
Dave Dravecky's arm all but coming off by simply throwing a pitch;
Speaking of that, let's get to this week's Rushmores: Louisville's Kevin Ware in the NCAA tournament; Paul George's leg; and Tim Krumrie in the Super Bowl.
Rushmore of boxing nicknames: Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns, "Manos de piedras (Hands of stone) for Roberto Duran, Smokin' Joe Frazier and of course, The Greatest." (As for some of the lesser known ones, thought these were great too: James "Bonecrusher" Smith, James "Lights Out" Toney - and that one is awesome - and of course there are a ton of others.)
Rushmore of Chuck: Chuck Taylors, Chuck Norris, Chuck Berry, and Chuck Knoll (and yes, leaving Chuck Yeager off was tough)
Rushmore of Italian entrees: There will be no universal Rushmore here. Entirely too much personal preference. We'll offer in general terms, pizza, spaghetti, lasagna and chicken parmesan knowing that there's such a mix-match collection of options and such that this is impossible to nail down. In truth, simply a terrible Rushmore category. Who's the yahoo running this joint?
Rushmore of TV/movie maids: Mary Poppins, Alice, Mrs. Doubtfire and Florence Johnston from the Jeffersons. (And yes, it was tough to leave off the two maids in "Gone With the Wind, especially the one that uttered the all-time line, "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies, Miss Scarlet. But in the end, they worked against each other in the voting, a lot like how KD and Steph will work against each other in the MVP race. Also, Mrs. Garrett almost edged ahead of Alice from the Brady Bunch because, well, Mrs. Garrett, like Florence got a spin-off her maid work was so good.)"
As for Oct. 20, well on this day in 1864, Ol' Abe Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday.
In 1955, J.R.R. Tolkien releases "The Return of the King" as the third and final installment of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Hey, Frodo gets it done in the end. Sorry. Spoiler alert.
Mickey Mantle would have been 86 today. Bela Lugosi was born on this day in 1882. He famously played Dracula in the old-school movies, and we can say we've never seen Bela and Rick Pitino in the same place at the same time.
Connie Chung is 71 today, and she is not related to Wang Chung. Snoop Dogg is 46 today.
Burt Lancaster died on this day in 1994.
(Side note: We're running low on time. We'll update with our NFL picks around lunch. Deal? Deal. And use that knowledge however you need to, considering we were 1-3 last week and now are a far-from-entertaining 12-13-1 on the year against the spread.)
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And this week's fan mail (edited in spots to protect the F-O-I-B nature of the 5-at-10):
Your opinion on Kaepernick is (crap). What do you know? Are you black?
Here's an idea: The next time you want to write about the protests, don't.
The owners can't tell the players want to say -- we still have Freedom of speech at least until (butts) like you and President Orange take that away too.
Good start
Jay --
I've read your stuff before. Not anymore.
We need caring voices of compassion like David Cook, not people like you who take sides and antagonize people.
It seems you are not very nice most of the time.
Good day.
Getting close (And I have to you the polite hate mails are way worse than the hateful hate mails. Which brings us to)
Hey big shot --
Nobody up here cares what you or the rest of you liberal big city (buttholes) have to say about our football. Yes, they messed up and they will be punished.
But you don't know nothing about it. And I damn sure know you never played any type of sport or you would know better.
I'll never read your (crappy) writing ever again.
Go to (not Heaven).
Good talk.
