re: IM at the tractor pull

This makes me feel all warm inside.

Um, Do not call me honeybee

That's fine, I know you are. you guys made me feel less annoyed and helped me to calm down.

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Just stopping in again to say hey. I'm about to start drunk posting I think, fwiw

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I've been drunk posting for the last 2 hours.

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That's fine, I know you are. you guys made me feel less annoyed and helped me to calm down.

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I told you, if we called you that it would work.

You still there or did u pass out already?

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I'm high too. and I am driving HBT home.

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Drunk, high, driving and texting? Maybe GP should hook her brother-cousin-Nolan up with you.

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So with that said, how do you see Tennessee this year? I ask you because I see you every night in the Im thread and you seem like a nice guy and would give an honest opinion.

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I seem like a nice guy but I only play one on this board.

Tennessee is going to be significantly better than they were last year. However, they have the worst possible draw from the West in Arkansas, Alabama, and LSU. They have no chance of beating Alabama, next to no chance of beating Arkansas, and we usually play LSU close but I am chalking it up as a loss too; they are way more talented than we are.

The East is kind of a different story. Tennessee could conceivably sweep all of the teams, but it's not necessarily likely. We should beat Vanderbilt and Kentucky. We shouldn't beat Florida, but we could if we get some breaks. I see Georgia and South Carolina as toss-ups, but I give slight leans to both of those teams. South Carolina has beaten us only one time in Neyland Stadium, and the last two times Georgia came to Knoxville they got massacred. South Carolina does have Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery, but they also have Stephen Garcia. And we gave them a really good run last year...had we played Bray the whole game, I'm not so sure we wouldn't have won.

As for Georgia, they kicked our arse up and down the field. But, to be fair, the LSU game was the week before and I don't think anyone was in a good state for Georgia. We played our absolute worst football of the season against Georgia (though UAB was a close second), and Georgia played their best. It should be close this year.

Our baseline should be 6-6 if the playmakers stay healthy. We should beat Montana, Cincy, Buffalo, MTSU, Vandy, and Kentucky because we are significantly better than all of them. However, just because you should win the game doesn't mean you will. Cincinnati scares me because they remind me of UCLA in 2008 and 2009. We are better than they are and we should beat them, but who knows how it will actually go down.

I'm also legitimately scared of Montana because I see it as a lose/lose. I've seen too many FCS teams upset FBS teams, and Montana's one of the good ones. We got this game because North Texas backed out, but I would much rather have played North Texas. However, if we do lose to Montana, it will have been a colossal screw up on the part of the coaches.

All that being said, Tennessee has nowhere to go but up after 2010. That team was the worst Tennessee has fielded since probably the late 1970s. Still, being significantly better, we may not see any different results. 6-6 is a very real possibility.

I'm being optimistic and picking 8-4, but 7-5 is probably a bit more attainable. If we go 7-5, I'll be fine. 8-4 and I'll be thrilled. I will accept 6-6, but 5-7 or worse will be a tremendous disappointment. Tennessee should be a good offensive team, but the defense still has a ways to go. Getting back Jackson helps, but there's not enough experience or depth at linebacker.

2012 should be the year that we are contending for the SEC title.