checker board Saturday? Kentucky game

[snarcks]

It's the third oldest rivalry in the SEC. Kentucky is a border state. We are their biggest opponent and rival in all sports. When Ray Mears was the basketball coach, Kentucky fans threw oranges on the court during games in Lexington (I'd love to see someone try that today). Trust me, it's a rivalry, regardless of the point spread or your personal opinions about the gambler's point spread. Watch Tennessee lose to these hillbillies just once and you'll learn real quick how much of a "rivalry" it really is.

Having lived in Kentucky for about 6 years, I can tell you that in no way, shape, or form do they consider us their biggest rival in “all sports” — That is, without question, Louisville. Especially in basketball. They look down on us in basketball much like we do them in football.

 

[Vol8188]

Spread has nothing to do with Bama being a rival or marquee game. You are welcome to consider anyone you wish a rival. The school itself doesn’t consider KY a rival (they even put it in writing this week), and I agree with them. If KY came in ranked and with a tight point spread, it would meet the “marquee” definition. A team can be both a rival and a marquee matchup. A team can be one or the other. This season KY is neither. Words mean things.

That doesn’t mean KY couldn’t come to Neyland and win, and it doesn’t mean the game isn’t important.

So you’re changing your own personal criteria? The idea that Kentucky was not a rival because of it being a 2 possession game was your idea, right?

 

[DuckinVol]

So you’re changing your own personal criteria? The idea that Kentucky was not a rival because of it being a 2 possession game was your idea, right?

Good God. Alabama is a rival and has always been considered a rival by UT. Being a rival has nothing to do with Vegas point spreads or rankings at the time. A marquee game is one where two really good teams are expected to play a very competitive game. KY is not considered a rival by the University of Tennessee nor by most UT fans. And this years game doesn’t meet the definition of marquee. If KY was ranked a bit higher and the spread was a bit closer, the game could be considered marquee.

If you’re still confused, please read the statement put out this week by UT regarding which games will always be played in traditional orange and white and which are open for alternate combos like gray or black. While reading it, remember that “rival” and “marquee” don’t mean the same thing.

This really isn’t hard. You, as a fan, are welcome to consider KY the biggest rival UT has. The fact the school, team and most fans disagree doesn’t mean you can’t circle it on your calendar and care more about it that any other game of the season.

Again, words mean things.

I’ll try an example. UT has played several games against Notre Dame, but no one considers it a rivalry. If we had a game this season against Notre Dame, they’d be coming in unranked and the spread would likely be pretty significant. For that reason the team could opt for alternate colors. However, if Notre Dame came in highly ranked and the spread was close, it would be considered a marquee game and only traditional colors would be worn. “Rivalry” has nothing to do with rankings or point spread. “Marquee” does.

This season, KY is neither.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Well, if Kentucky is not a rival to UT because we have beaten them regularly, then Bama and Florida likely view the Vols in same way. Not counting this year, Kentucky had beaten us twice in the past 5 years. We had beaten Florida and Alabama zero times, and only once in the past 15 years.

Kentucky is definitely a rival. We've played them more than any other team in the nation, right? Including Bama. Including Vandy.

Our current rivals are: Bama, Florida, UGa, Vandy, Kentucky.

Our past rivals include: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, and Georgia Tech.

But if you go back very far in history, Florida and Georgia drop off the list of rivals. They're a latter-day kind of thing, since the SEC split into divisions.

The constants through all those years: Bama, Vandy, Kentucky.

 

[Carl Pickens]

They’re a rival…. No doubt in my mind. I hate the butt licking house cats and always have.

 

[DuckinVol]

Kentucky is definitely a rival. We've played them more than any other team in the nation, right? Including Bama. Including Vandy.

Our current rivals are: Bama, Florida, UGa, Vandy, Kentucky.

Our past rivals include: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, and Georgia Tech.

But if you go back very far in history, Florida and Georgia drop off the list of rivals. They're a latter-day kind of thing, since the SEC split into divisions.

The constants through all those years: Bama, Vandy, Kentucky.

The University of Tennessee disagrees with you. Most fans certainly want to beat hell out of Kentucky, but I don’t think about them any other week of the year, and neither do most fans. For me this game matters no more than the USC, LSU or MO games. I give a nod to Vandy being in-state, but… UGA is only different because they are currently at the top of our division. Beat KY Saturday, and the UGA game meets the marquee definition.

Fans can pick and choose which are most important to them as a fan, and that often has to do with where one lives or having close family or friends who love a different team. I’ve no problem with that.

 

[luthervol]

Having lived in Kentucky for about 6 years, I can tell you that in no way, shape, or form do they consider us their biggest rival in “all sports” — That is, without question, Louisville. Especially in basketball. They look down on us in basketball much like we do them in football.

That's why we need to always keep reminding them that our all time winning percentage against them in basketball is much higher than their all time winning percentage against us in football.

Or in other words, however much better they view themselves than us in basketball, we are far more superior to them than that in football.