How could any so-called Gator feel sorry for the toothless ones? Shame. A. Leon Polhill, Gator
________________________________ From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> To: gatortalk googlegroups <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 9:30:41 AM Subject: [gatortalk] RE: [gatornews] Today's Gatornews from Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post The worst part was - Tenn playing AT HOME - Kiffins second game - and the fans are booing the team. I almost feel sorry for the team and Kiffin - but Kiffins big mouth wrote checks that his team can't cash. -------- Original Message -------- >Subject: [gatornews] Today's Gatornews from Miami Herald and Palm Beach >Post >From: "Juno Gator" <[email protected]> >Date: Mon, September 14, 2009 9:19 am >To: <[email protected]> > > > > >Vols vs. UCLA: Loss called 'embarrassing' > >Kiffin takes the blame for inept performance > >Commentary by David Climer THE TENNESSEAN >KNOXVILLE— In his first nine months on the job, Lane Kiffin came off as >(choose your description) brash, brazen, confident or cocky. >Maybe all of the above. >After Tennessee's season-opening blowout of Western Kentucky last weekend, >Kiffin turned a bit smug. >Consider this, then, his official introduction to the current state of Vol >Ball. On a number of given Saturdays this fall, the unofficial post-game meal >will be Humble Pie. >Humility was served on this day at Neyland Stadium. After the Vols were >throttled 19-15 by UCLA, a second-tier Pac-10 team, Kiffin looked and sounded >like someone who now understands that the rebuilding of this program is going >to require patience and resilience. >Kiffin acknowledged he "didn't do a very good job" of handling things with >quarterback Jonathan Crompton. He said it was "my fault" for putting players >like wideout Gerald Jones on the field in key situations despite a lack of >practice time because of injury. >Kiffin needs to save some of that humility for later. The Vols play at Florida >on Saturday. Be afraid. Be very afraid. >From what we saw out of Tennessee on Saturday, this is a team capable of >putting up only token resistance at The Swamp. The Vols' offense had four >turnovers and managed just 208 yards and one touchdown against UCLA. >Kiffin, who oversees the offense and calls the plays, termed the offensive >performance "embarrassing." >Meanwhile, I don't know if you've heard about this or not, but Florida has >made Sept. 19 an orange-letter day on its calendar. Shortly after his arrival >at UT, Kiffin began taking verbal jabs at Gators Coach Urban Meyer. Some of >Kiffin's more colorful comments have been plastered all over the Gators' >practice facility. >After winning its first two games by a combined 118-9, top-ranked Florida >appears ready to flex its muscles. Tennessee? Well, let's just say the Vols >better be in survival mode. >"I'd say they'll probably be ready for us," UT defensive tackle Dan Williams >said. >The UCLA game was a painful reminder that Tennessee is very much a work in >progress. The opening rout of Western Kentucky was an illusion. The meltdown >against the Bruins was a reality check. >"We've got a long way to go," said freshman wide receiver Marsalis Teague, who >was held without a reception after catching six balls against Western >Kentucky. "We've got to learn from this and move on." >Much work remains. The change of coaching staffs may have given a number of >players fresh starts, but there still are some bad habits lingering from the >5-7 performance of last season. >Kiffin said he noticed some grousing and finger-pointing when he entered the >locker room after the UCLA game. He intervened. Clearly, Kiffin understands >that he must change the culture of this program. >"That's Coach Kiffin's job," Vols linebacker Nick Reveiz said. "He's going to >point that out and correct our mistakes. I think we came together as a team." >Repairing the Vols' collective psyche is one thing. Fixing UT's on-field >problems is another. >Let's face it: Tennessee is not going to beat teams of substance with this >kind of quarterbacking from Jonathan Crompton. His numbers — 13-of-26 passing >for just 93 yards, with three interceptions — were comparable to some of the >low points of last season. >The interceptions came on three consecutive series. On the first, he overthrew >an open receiver. On the second, he locked in on a receiver and failed to see >the cornerback jumping the route. On the third, he threw late and off-target. >In short, Crompton reverted to last year's form. And that's not good for the >Vols. >Asked if his struggles reminded him of '08, Crompton said: "I don't think >about last year." >It remains to be seen if Crompton can pull himself out of this. If he can't, >how long does Kiffin go with him? >As things turned sour against UCLA, Kiffin said he never considered benching >Crompton in favor of junior Nick Stephens, who started six games last season. >But if things don't get better, all bets are off. >And this just in: It's not going to get better against Florida. > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
