Vols are ready for a rebound in 2006

Coming off the first losing season since 1988 the University of Tennessee is poised for a comeback in the SEC. There is a renewed excitement in Tennessee because history has a tendency to repeat ifself and if it does the UT Volunteers will be the SEC champs. The last time the vols had a losing season they won the SEC title two years in a row in 1989 and 1990. This season could very well have the same outcome. The vols are returning 7 on offense and 6 on defense along with the return of Coach Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator the vols will be hard to beat.

On offense UT will be led by Eric Anige coming off a horrible sophomore year he is looking to lead to UT to the SEC title game for a third time in six years. Finally getting all of the reps as the starting QB and with Coach Cutcliffe motivating him Anige will return to the superstar he was as a freshman. Anige will get a lot of help from a very talented group of receivers like Bret Smith, Jayson Swain and Robert Meachem, who underachieved last year but are ready to make a name for themselves. The running game will be as strong as ever with sophmore Arian Foster returning. Foster got his starting role last year when Gerald Riggs went down with a knee injury with five games to go in the season last year. In those five games which include games with Notre Dame and South Carolina, Foster ran for over one hundred yards in all five games, along with a two hundred plus yard game against Vandy. The offensive line has question marks but does return player with game experience.

The UT defense will be as dominant as ever with defensive coordinator John Chavis getting six starters back off of a defense that last year that ranked sixth in the nation. The majority of the experience returning comes in the secondary with players like Jonathan Wade and Jonathan Hefeny but the linebacking corp returns three players with experience starting in SEC football. Still with all the talent coming back on defense the vols have questions on the defensive line which lost three starters to the NFL draft.

The UT schedule will not be easy opening with #9 ranked California in Knoxville on Sept. 2, #7 Florida Sept. 16 and with games at South Carolina, Georgia and Arkansas winning another SEC title will not be easy. If there was a year that a team coming off a lossing record could win the SEC this could be the year. The vols could shock some very talented SEC teams if they are look over because of last year.

Defining the Braves Greatness

So what so great about a team winning their division? Yeah, you can celebrate with your teammates, receive a cash bonus, receive a divisional championship ring, and hoist a banner in the stadium so all can see. Does that define a team as great?
Every team starts out every season stating that the road to the championship starts by taking care of business in your own division. And that is very true. Winning your division secures you a spot in the playoffs, and determines how difficult your road to the championship can be. But, will that define you has great?
With the Atlanta Braves dominance in the National League East comes to a close with 14 consecutive division titles, the question is being debated with my friends and family. As a Braves supporter( i really can't say I'm a true fan for my team is Los Angeles,Calfornia Angels of Anahiem!!) and a follower since the wonderful season of '83, I have to say that the Braves will be defined as a great team.
Since the current playoff format began, the wild card team has won four of the last five World Series. And five wild card teams have won in the last eleven World Series( and the Florida Marlins have done it twice). However, those teams have not consistently been in the playoffs or a seroius contender for the crown. There have been only two teams that have been dominant during this span; the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves.
The Braves have been dominant in their division for 14 seasons. They have even won the NL East by 21 games. They have even won with less than steller names on their roster. Somehow, they found a way to do it. This has led to golden oppurtunities to appear in five World Series. The only knock against them is the fact they have only won one of those World Series( although I still think they got robbed in two of those).
Winning the division sets your team up to make the push to the Championship. And the Braves have consistantly done that through the years. With the parady in baseball today, the Braves have achieved an amazing accomplishment and credit should go to Bobby Cox, John Shuerholz and the entire Braves organization. With all the negative things going on in baseball, it is nice to see good things about the sport like the Atlanta Braves. And you can bet after a dissappointing year, the Braves will be back and re-tooled for the next 14 years.
Dayman Hammett