rexvol
The Minister of Defense
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2006
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This just in: Tennessees not the team bowl scouts are drooling over anymore.
In fact, its been that way for a couple of years now and was only reinforced this past weekend when the Capital One Bowl passed on Tennessee in favor of Arkansas.
But the reality, after checking with some of the people at the Capital One Bowl, is that the Vols were never really a strong consideration to go to Orlando this year.
The final vote came down to Arkansas and Auburn, and Tennessee wasnt even in the picture.
Thats despite Tennessee Athletics Director Mike Hamilton telling several people, including the Vols coaches, that they were headed to the Capital One Bowl if Florida beat Arkansas in the SEC Championship Game.
Arkansas Athletics Director Frank Broyles was determined not to let that happen and lobbied hard for the Razorbacks to be invited to the Capital One, the highest paying non-BCS bowl game.
That pushed the Vols to the Outback Bowl in Tampa to face Penn State, which is also an attractive New Years Day bowl at a nice locale.Truthfully, Tennessee didnt deserve to go to a better bowl than Arkansas this year. But in the SECs quirky bowl system, deserve often times doesnt have anything to do with it.
One things for sure, though. Tennessee had better sell its allotment of 13,000 tickets this year for the Outback Bowl, and the Vols fans had better show up in Tampa.
Otherwise, it might be a long time before the Vols are invited back to Florida again for a bowl game.
What happened to us?
In fact, its been that way for a couple of years now and was only reinforced this past weekend when the Capital One Bowl passed on Tennessee in favor of Arkansas.
But the reality, after checking with some of the people at the Capital One Bowl, is that the Vols were never really a strong consideration to go to Orlando this year.
The final vote came down to Arkansas and Auburn, and Tennessee wasnt even in the picture.
Thats despite Tennessee Athletics Director Mike Hamilton telling several people, including the Vols coaches, that they were headed to the Capital One Bowl if Florida beat Arkansas in the SEC Championship Game.
Arkansas Athletics Director Frank Broyles was determined not to let that happen and lobbied hard for the Razorbacks to be invited to the Capital One, the highest paying non-BCS bowl game.
That pushed the Vols to the Outback Bowl in Tampa to face Penn State, which is also an attractive New Years Day bowl at a nice locale.Truthfully, Tennessee didnt deserve to go to a better bowl than Arkansas this year. But in the SECs quirky bowl system, deserve often times doesnt have anything to do with it.
One things for sure, though. Tennessee had better sell its allotment of 13,000 tickets this year for the Outback Bowl, and the Vols fans had better show up in Tampa.
Otherwise, it might be a long time before the Vols are invited back to Florida again for a bowl game.
What happened to us?