(07-14-2013 01:08 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  New markets for the SEC and ESPN to show the conference in. A new strong regional rival for Tennessee. The Tennessee Brand seriously needs some help. It would be so awesome for the hilltoppers if you guys could land both VT and WVU.

A lot of talk from Tennessee is that they dont like to play VT due to recruiting competition but if the SEC moves to four divisions and those schools are all in the same division then that helps Tennessee rebuild it's program back to what it was. Strong rivalries in division that Tennessee can actually win on a regular basis.

Tennessee is one of the schools that really needs to look to the future and the changing atmosphere. Holding back progress and protecting the Alabama and Florida rivalries at the cost of continuing to slide downwards as a program, that is just not a winning scenario for the Volunteers.

He1nous,

Are you suggesting that UT can't win b/c of the ascension of other SEC programs? If that's the case then it won't matter what divisions/teams the Vols end up in. The reason things are terrible in Knoxville is b/c of former AD Mike Hamilton and his coaching decisions after firing Phil Fulmer. UT play in the SEC championship game as recently as 2007.

I'm not really sure how UT's position is that dissimilar from Auburn's. But schools rely heavily on out of state talent and are other overshadowed by more prominent programs. Both have endured a spat of terrible coaching hires which have knee-capped overall performance.

Bit,

Maybe it's b/c I was a Midshipman at the time, but during Navy's visit to Morgantown in 1999, I had a great experience. It was a competitive game and the fans were very generous and helpful (we did have to wear our SDB's to the game) and I don't recall one instance of couch-burning during my visit.