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***Wednesdays With Wes, The Thread: 8/22/12 edition***

  • ADunc said...

    They would crack open some beers and play poker, IMO.

    Hmmm....Someone should paint a picture of that!roflmao

    hounddog

  • volfan28 said...

    How close is Bohannon to taking the starting job from Jaq?

    This was answered earlier, but Bohannon's only playing a little bit at Jack. He's playing Sam LB and DE in different situations, but not much Jack.

    If anyone took Smith's starting spot at some point, it would be someone like Jordan Williams. LaTroy Lewis can do some things there, too.

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    Senior Writer, govols247 Email: wrucker@247sports.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/@wesrucker247 Facebook: www.facebook.com/wesrucker247

    Wes Rucker ●

  • 4. Is this the quietest WWW thread so far? Would you attribute that to "question fatigue", the pending start of the football season, or the fact that the raccoons seem to have taken you off your game?

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    tntoak

  • AjaxVol47 said...

    Looking at UGA's schedule, are you taking the bulldogs over/under 9 wins?

    Over. I think.

    But I think it could be right at 9, pre-bowl.

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    Senior Writer, govols247 Email: wrucker@247sports.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/@wesrucker247 Facebook: www.facebook.com/wesrucker247

    Wes Rucker ●

  • tntoak said...

    1. Is Tennessee snakebitten at TE this year?

    2. Do you see yourself and other UT beat writers having less access to the football program as they begin preparations for NC State? Why or why not?

    3. Have you seen anything during this preseason to change your outlook for the team in 2012? If so, what was it?

    4. Apple's iWork suite or Microsoft Office?

    1. Yes. No question. But them's the breaks.

    2. Yes, because they don't want to be distracted going into a crucial game. I get it, at least to an extent. I think.

    3. No, not really. I think 7.5 (pre-bowl) wins is the over/under.

    4. I have both, so probably not a good question for me. Both have their benefits.

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    Senior Writer, govols247 Email: wrucker@247sports.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/@wesrucker247 Facebook: www.facebook.com/wesrucker247

    Wes Rucker ●

  • bleedorange1899 said...

    Have you ever taken one look at a freshman football player at UT and just knew the kid wasn't gonna make it? On the opposite side, did you just have the feeling a kid was gonna be a star? You don't have to name names, but I'd love a story, haha,

    I'm bad about getting an early impression one way or the other and sticking to my guns, but I think I have a pretty good track record when I get those impressions. Not anything close to perfect, but I've been right more than wrong with those hunches.

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    Senior Writer, govols247 Email: wrucker@247sports.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/@wesrucker247 Facebook: www.facebook.com/wesrucker247

    Wes Rucker ●

  • OrangeVol79 said...

    Will you be doing any remote broadcast the week prior to Georgia State? Who scores the first Tennessee touchdown of the season? Starlin Castro sucks!

    1. Not sure, but probably.

    2. A pass. Bray to Da'Rick Rogers.

    3. YOU SUCK!!!

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    Wes Rucker ●

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    Go Vols

    orangeasylum ●

  • CrockettTM said...

    Lost my job 7 weeks ago. Girlfriend of 6.5 years ended it last week. Yay, Team Me!

    What do I do, Wes?

    Wow. That's a lot of suck.

    I'd try like hell to find any way to be positive and remember that what will be will be re: women. As for your job ... man, I don't know. That sucks. I would just try to remember that a lot of very good people who are very good at what they do have lost their jobs in this economy ... but at the same time, don't get complacent about it. Keep pushing.

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    Wes Rucker ●

  • Do you still think the Cards are going to overcome the Reds?

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    "Old School"! A strong defense wins championships!

    volviking

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    Wes Rucker ●

  • Daye said...

    Would you say you're a betting man? I really want to spend (and hopefully earn!) some money this season but I'm worried the ol' orange tinted glasses might affect my judgement. I can get 12/1 Tennessee to win the East. Would you take a punt on the Vols with those odds?

    I'm really not a betting man.

    Not moral problem with it. I just don't do it.

    Those seem like decent odds to take a chance on the Vols, though. But I wouldn't dump too much money into it.

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    Senior Writer, govols247 Email: wrucker@247sports.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/@wesrucker247 Facebook: www.facebook.com/wesrucker247

    Wes Rucker ●

  • RunThruThe T said...

    New stricter academic standards imposed by the NCAA go into effect for high school freshman this year if they want to be able to play at the collegiate level in 2016. Does Tennessee or the SEC have anyone who works with high schools (via seminars, etc) so that they can get their athletes in compliance with these new rules?

    Altizer and his crew do a lot with kids, but I can't imagine they're doing much (if anything) right now with 2016 kids. Much bigger fish to fry than that at the moment.

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    Senior Writer, govols247 Email: wrucker@247sports.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/@wesrucker247 Facebook: www.facebook.com/wesrucker247

    Wes Rucker ●

  • utkdominic said...

    From everything I have read NC State’s strength on D is their secondary. I recognize that NC State has a pair of very talented DBs but their defensive passing numbers make you wonder, 'why does a team with so many interceptions have an average of 240 passing yards thrown against them each week?' I know you do not cover NC State but I would be interested in your explanation, theory or hypothesis.

    I would tend to think that indicates NC State has a top-heavy secondary — very good at the top, but weak at the bottom.

    A lot of those ACC teams like to chuck and duck a bit, though, because they don't have as many dominant players up front.

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    Wes Rucker ●

  • AtomicCityVol said...

    Is Susan Lucci still hot?

    GILF, IMO.

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    Senior Writer, govols247 Email: wrucker@247sports.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/@wesrucker247 Facebook: www.facebook.com/wesrucker247

    Wes Rucker ●

  • hounddog said...

    If dog fighting were legal, and Smokey was pitted against UGA, who would you bet on and why? what about Bullie from MS St?confused

    A blue-tick has better TWITCH - although it is impossible for Smokey to get lower pad leverage, he would "smoke" either of them in a 15' cage.

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    Its not a stupid question until you ask it.

    Ram_Lock

  • SRDC Vol said...

    Which Vols team was worse, 05, 08 or 11?

    Tremendous question.

    '05 was the most talented team and should have won many more games.

    Not sure whether '08 or '11 was worse, though. Both teams had more talent in the underclassman ranks than with the vets, though.

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    Wes Rucker ●

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    Wes Rucker ●

  • RunThruThe T said...

    Since you have been covering Tennessee, which team underperformed their talent level the most and which team over performed its talent level the most?

    2005 was a ginormous waste of talent. One of the worst I've ever seen.

    The 2007 offense overachieved a good bit, as did the 2009 bunch.

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    Wes Rucker ●

  • muskogeeVol said...

    Do you feel like not being a fan of a team you cover gives you an edge with your readers by having a neutral position on the team?

    Absolutely. No question about it.

    Lack of emotion helps a ton.

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    Wes Rucker ●

  • ..crap didn't quote...

    This post was edited by Ram_Lock on 8/22/2012 at 9:46 PM

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    Its not a stupid question until you ask it.

    Ram_Lock

  • shaverschoice said...

    A blue-tick has better TWITCH - although it is impossible for Smokey to get lower pad leverage, he would "smoke" either of them in a 15' cage.

    just the sort of insight i was looking for-i have both a blue tick and a bulldog in the backyard and your take on the situation is absolutely correct!- but FYI, the Mastiff just walks over and takes what she wants from any of them...why doesn't someone use one of those for their mascot?confused

    hounddog

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    signature image

    Its not a stupid question until you ask it.

    Ram_Lock

  • hounddog said...

    just the sort of insight i was looking for-i have both a blue tick and a bulldog in the backyard and your take on the situation is absolutely correct!- but FYI, the Mastiff just walks over and takes what she wants from any of them...why doesn't someone use one of those for their mascot?confused

    Being married to an MSU alum, I know that while I have better TWITCH, she is 4" shorter and has better leverage...I speak from experience. I would never marry a mastiff...but we all have different tastes.

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    Its not a stupid question until you ask it.

    Ram_Lock

  • Wes Rucker said...

    3. YOU SUCK!!!

    I will drop the ban hammer!

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    OrangeVol79 ●

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