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Winning Out: Liberty or Music
Posted on 11/7/14 at 12:57 pm
Posted on 11/7/14 at 12:57 pm
Apparently both the Music City and Liberty Bowl have their eyes on us. The Liberty Bowl is second in line but wants us bad and has apparently wanted us for years:
VQ:
Let's get down to bowl chatter first, since there's no game this weekend; the Vols have new life; and it's an enjoyable speculative process. While Tennessee could theoretically be in line for a number of potential destinations, from Jacksonville, Fla., to Charlotte, N.C., to Houston to Birmingham. But forget it. Numerous people told us this week that if the Vols win out and close 7-5, they are heavily likely to land in the Music City Bowl in Nashville --- site of their last postseason appearance --- and would not slip past the Liberty Bowl. The Memphis-based bowl has long-coveted Tennessee; it hoped for the Vols in 2010 and associate executive director Harold Graeter has flat-out been almost a season-ticket holder in terms of his devotion to following the Vols' and fostering relationships in hopes of getting Tennessee to Memphis for the game. For way-too-early planning purposes, the Liberty Bowl is Monday, Dec. 29; the Music City Bowl is Tuesday, Dec. 30.
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Honestly, either the Music City or Liberty Bowl would be a win-win situation for us. With the Liberty Bowl - they want us bad and it just so happens that Memphis and West, TN Vols are starting to represent. I was really impressed by the turnout for Ole Miss and I think going to the Liberty Bowl could help us work on some recruits we've got our eyes on there and help renew recruiting in West, Tennessee overall. And obviously with mid-state recruiting being what it is now, the Music City Bowl is almost like a gift to the parents of a lot of home-state heroes.
Thoughts?
VQ:
Let's get down to bowl chatter first, since there's no game this weekend; the Vols have new life; and it's an enjoyable speculative process. While Tennessee could theoretically be in line for a number of potential destinations, from Jacksonville, Fla., to Charlotte, N.C., to Houston to Birmingham. But forget it. Numerous people told us this week that if the Vols win out and close 7-5, they are heavily likely to land in the Music City Bowl in Nashville --- site of their last postseason appearance --- and would not slip past the Liberty Bowl. The Memphis-based bowl has long-coveted Tennessee; it hoped for the Vols in 2010 and associate executive director Harold Graeter has flat-out been almost a season-ticket holder in terms of his devotion to following the Vols' and fostering relationships in hopes of getting Tennessee to Memphis for the game. For way-too-early planning purposes, the Liberty Bowl is Monday, Dec. 29; the Music City Bowl is Tuesday, Dec. 30.
---
Honestly, either the Music City or Liberty Bowl would be a win-win situation for us. With the Liberty Bowl - they want us bad and it just so happens that Memphis and West, TN Vols are starting to represent. I was really impressed by the turnout for Ole Miss and I think going to the Liberty Bowl could help us work on some recruits we've got our eyes on there and help renew recruiting in West, Tennessee overall. And obviously with mid-state recruiting being what it is now, the Music City Bowl is almost like a gift to the parents of a lot of home-state heroes.
Thoughts?
2
Posted on 11/7/14 at 1:13 pm to Prof
Can UT go to a bigger bowl with 7-5? IIRC 2009 team went to Chick-fil-a bowl with 7-5. Any bowl is fine with me though.
Posted on 11/7/14 at 1:50 pm to Prof
I will take any bowl, but if I had a choice, I would prefer to go anywhere other than Music City bowl, aka The frick Me in The arse Bowl.
Posted on 11/7/14 at 1:52 pm to Phat Phil
quote:
Can UT go to a bigger bowl with 7-5? IIRC 2009 team went to Chick-fil-a bowl with 7-5. Any bowl is fine with me though.
Yes. Chick-fil-a and Liberty were scouting us last year during the Vandy game and we'd only have been 6-6. Bowl committees know full well that if Tennessee makes bowl eligibility we're a great pick to have because our fans travel so well. Add in the fact that we haven't been to one in a while (the fanbase is starved for one), a hot young team that never gave up despite a grueling schedule, a dynamic new QB who led his team to bowl eligibility (or successive wins should we win out) and there will be plenty of bowl committees drooling at the chance to get Tennessee.
There are very few circumstances where non-BCS/non-playoff bowls can get a gift like this. They know the turnout will be up there with a BCS/playoff type bowl because we always travel well and now we're absolutely starving - we will be there no matter where it is or what it is or who we're playing. Actually, I expect the number of people we bring will rival some playoff bowls or come damned close. If you're a bowl committee, Tennessee and the narrative of its turnaround is very appealing right now even if we only get to 6-6.
We are pure money.
This post was edited on 11/7/14 at 1:58 pm
Posted on 11/7/14 at 2:03 pm to Phat Phil
The bowl selection process has changed greatly due to the playoff system and I don't think anyone knows for sure how it will play out.
The Peach Bowl is no longer mid-tier SEC vs ACC since its in the playoff rotation.
After the playoffs, the order goes:
Cap One Bowl
Outback Bowl
Gator Bowl
Music City Bowl
Liberty Bowl
Texas Bowl
Belk Bowl
The Peach Bowl is no longer mid-tier SEC vs ACC since its in the playoff rotation.
After the playoffs, the order goes:
Cap One Bowl
Outback Bowl
Gator Bowl
Music City Bowl
Liberty Bowl
Texas Bowl
Belk Bowl
Posted on 11/7/14 at 2:19 pm to NorthGAVol
quote:
The bowl selection process has changed greatly due to the playoff system and I don't think anyone knows for sure how it will play out.
The conference will have some say in the selections as well. Not sure how that will work - if they'll take a hands-off approach or just how much discretion they even have.
It's muddy as hell but the bottom line is bowl committees are there to make money for their destination city and that means they want as many fans to travel and spend money as possible. That makes us a much more attractive team than many schools even over several ranked teams that won't generate as much cash. Bowl selection committees will be very aware of that.
Posted on 11/7/14 at 2:35 pm to Vols&Shaft83
quote:
I will take any bowl, but if I had a choice, I would prefer to go anywhere other than Music City bowl, aka The frick Me in The arse Bowl.
The funny thing about the Music City Bowl is that we're a team that puts them in a bind. We buy our allotment and bring plenty of fans but there's one aspect of hosting a bowl game that we don't fulfill for them - we don't stay as long as others because it's a day trip for everyone in the state and their goal is to make the bowl a mini-vacation where folks stay overnight and take in the city and spend money.
Since the Music City Bowl is like a home game for us, we tend to go to the game and well, go home. They can't turn us down and they know we buy the tix but they really want us to stay in Nashville longer. IOW, they do love us but they hate that we're not tourists.
This post was edited on 11/7/14 at 2:37 pm
Posted on 11/7/14 at 7:28 pm to Prof
Sounds like me and the last one night stand I had, except opposite
Posted on 11/7/14 at 7:45 pm to Wishnitwas1998
Music City by far. Liberty Bowl stadium is an absolute dump.
Posted on 11/7/14 at 8:05 pm to Serraneaux
You are right it's a dump but is rather us go to the Liberty bowl just bc we haven't been there in decades, i hate the music city (probably bc of the total bullshite that cost us the game last time), and if it's in Memphis I'll definitely go and it'll be free
Posted on 11/8/14 at 10:25 am to Wishnitwas1998
i think gator bowl would be biggest bowl we could make
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