Tennessee fans are up in arms about a post made by our Ronald Evans suggesting that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey should consider kicking the Volunteers out of the SEC. The post was made in response to the Tennessee State Legislature's ruling that basically made the University ungovernable in the NIL space.
The new law spits directly in the face of the NCAA and the other member institutions of the SEC. There are guardrails coming for NIL. Tennessee is thumbing its nose at it and essentially saying it will not be bound by the rules.
What happens in the workforce if you refuse to follow the rules? For the Tennessee fans reading, if you don't know the answer off the top of your head, go ask your union rep at the Knoxville Sanitation Department.
For years now, Tennessee has attempted to operate as if they aren't governed by the same rules as everyone else. The Jeremy Pruitt era in Knoxville was marred by an embarrassingly obvious pay-for-play scheme that Vols legend Phil Fulmer can pretend he had zero direct knowledge of, but everyone knows the truth.
But Tennessee has recently begun receiving its comeuppance. They got a black eye from the Pruitt saga. They also lost star QB Nico Iamaleava this offseason. Fans and those associated with the program acted surprised when the QB, who only went to Tennessee because of the obscene amount of money they agreed to pay him, would dare ask for a raise.
Tennessee being removed from the SEC isn't likely to happen. They're a founding member after all. But a brazen disregard of the rules shouldn't go unpunished. To put pressure on Greg Sankey and the SEC to ensure compliance by the Vols or risk expulsion, the team that runs the SEC should speak up.
Fulmer wanted Alabama out of business. Greg Byrne could offer payback 20 years in the making
Phil Fulmer is persona non-grata in the state of Alabama. He's the symbol for everything Crimson Tide fans hate about Tennessee. That symbol was well-earned.
Over 20 years ago, before the glorious run of Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, Fulmer ratted Alabama out to the NCAA for paying Albert Means to play football for the Crimson Tide. Fulmer wanted to put Alabama out of business. He almost got his wish.
Alabama fans have always hated Tennessee. What Fulmer did back then turned the intensity up to a white-hot burning passion. It's what made Alabama's run of 15 consecutive wins over Tennessee all the more satisfying. It's why that streak could have extended another 50 years and still not been long enough.
But simply beating them consistently on the football field isn't good enough. Fulmer and the Vols tried to end the program at Alabama. Tide AD Greg Byrne should return the favor and push Sankey to expel the Vols if they dare buck at the coming guardrails.
And really, what would the SEC be missing? Sure, the Vols have a great baseball program. Nobody cares. The two main revenue sports - football and basketball - wouldn't miss a beat. The Vols haven't won a National Title in football in 27 years. The streak is now too old to be listed on its parents' health insurance.
The basketball program, while consistently good, has never even made the Final Four. Couldn't be my team.
Tennessee fans will call this sour grapes by Alabama fans. They'll quickly run to point out that they've won two of the last three meetings in the series, desperately clinging to their one shred of relevancy since the George Bush administration.
The Vols are trying to gain a competitive advantage any way they can. What they've been doing is obviously not working, so they're willing to try pretty much anything at this point.
Maybe next a rabbit's foot or some Voodoo Magic might do the trick.
It's going to take something miraculous - or blatantly ignoring rules - for it to ever feel like '98 again.