re: Butch Jones: Bama-VOLS was kept because it is the best rivalry in the league

quote:

---

Iron Bowl is better.
Egg Bowl is better.
Auburn/Georgia is better.
Cocktail party is better.

Personally, I have no problem with maintaining permanent cross division opponents to maintain Bama/Tennesse, because it is a good rivalry, but to call it the best in the SEC is asinine.

My guess is that if you asked most College Football fans, "Which of these is not a rivalry?" and you list those 5 games, most people would say Bama/Tennessee.

Put it another way...

I don't think Alabama has ever refused to go play in Knoxville like they refused to play in Auburn for all of those years. One of the measuring sticks of a rivalry is just how discombobulated your program and fanbase gets due to the rival and vice/versa.

---