In Eckleburg's Eyes - 2/2/2009, Part 3

News & Notes from Saturday, January 31st, 2009, Part 2

-When I returned home from class on Saturday I needed to relax. I watched The Lucky Ones on DVD, which I had purchased the previous night. I enjoyed the film and as always when Rachel McAdams is involved, I fell in love with her through the course of the movie. In my eyes, she is a leading contender for second most beautiful woman on the planet. She can also act. In this movie she plays a southern girl with a limp after having been shot in the leg overseas. In real life, she is from the north (specifically Canada) and has never actually been shot. I believe in the industry that this is known as “range.”

-On Saturday night, I met KL and MPW at Thompson-Boling Arena to watch the Tennessee basketball team play arch rival Florida.

-While I waited for my friends, I talked to Coach Lindsay (CDL), who sits five rows in front of me in Section 317. As noted in that night’s Prayer Blog, keep a job opening in your prayers. He did have some great news. Friday, February 13th, will be Chris Lindsay Day at West High School. In conjunction with the festivities, the Rebels will play Bearden. Coach will be honored at a pregame reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria and at halftime of the boys’ game with Bearden. If you are in the area and can attend, come out and support my good friend.

-KL and MPW arrived just as the game tipped off. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric. ESPN had been in town covering the game throughout the day. Hall of Fame announcer Dick Vitale and Hall of Fame coach Bobby Knight were both on hand. The game was also pivotal as a loss would have sent the Vols home with a 12-8 record and spiraling downward.

-The students who had not attended the LSU game on Wednesday came out in full force. Further enhancing the atmosphere was that the majority of the arena was filled with fans wearing OUTLIVE t-shirts. Fans in one section of the stadium were provided with orange t-shirts in the “whited out” stadium to form the shape of the Power T. (See photo for visual.)

-The Vols responded by playing one of their best games of the season, winning 79-63. They never trailed in the game and the Gators never got closer than ten points in the second half. The team also hit a season-high twelve three-point baskets, eight of which were made in the first half.

-The game may have been won when Florida star Nick Calathes picked up his second foul three minutes into the game. He played only nine minutes in the first half, but still scored 21 points in the game. His replacement, 5'8" freshman Erving Walker, played one of the worst games I have ever seen in the SEC. He was a mistake waiting to happen (and only shot 1-of-6 from the floor). In truth he might have been the Vols’ most valuable player on this night.

-Tennessee has now won six of seven from Florida (who has one two national championships in that span). Bruce Pearl has won all four home games against Florida in his tenure at UT.

-The Tennessee football team also benefitted from the great night. Recruits were on hand for the game. If they were looking for adulation, they should sign here. When All-American defensive back Eric Berry was presented to the crowd, the response was deafening.

-At halftime, I predicted that we could not stoop lower than Steve Max leading Simon Sez from the previous game. I was correct. We improved by having no halftime show at all. The basketball team presented a $60,000 check to doctors John L. Bell (JLB), Dan Green (DMG), and Fred Klein (FAK) of the UT Medical Center in conjunction with the OUTLIVE t-shirt promotion. Chris Lofton’s parents, Frank and Kathy, were also announced.

-There was also a recreation of the 2006 Dane Bradshaw lay-up that beat Florida. It was anticlimactic. In short, I could not cheer a shot I could potentially hit. Just for hitting the layup the fan garnered a year’s supply of Coca-Cola Zero and Reese’s Cups.

-After the game, I moved down some and stayed for the first half of The Bruce Pearl Show to let the crowds die out. The Player of the Game was Scotty Hopson. The highly touted freshman scored a career high 20 points and hit four of six three-point attempts. He played great but I still contend that Florida freshman Erving Walker was Tennessee’s MVP on this night.