i think that's a pre requisite for anyone that's going to get in to that business...lol.
he does speak intelligently on the subject though, and generally has well reasoned takes....it's not just him making ish up and selling it as "fact".....and i haven't seen a take on TN from him that wasn't based in the reality of what has been TN for the last few years vs. what it is now vs. what it's developing in to. there's a lot of guys out there, like Rick Neuheisel, that are jumping head first in to the "tennessee is back" deal, when the reality is, and Pate's take runs along these same lines, it's more like "tennessee is ON THE WAY back"....
he gives solid reasoning on why one should take TN seriously, and solid reasoning why you can do that, and still not go overboard with expectations.....like some did wtih UK this year or aTm....basically, he's not skipping steps in chronicling this programs progress....