Bowl Preview: Chick fil-A Bowl

Chick fil-A Bowl
GeorgiaDome, Atlanta
Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee
Date: Dec. 31
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Line: Virginia Tech -5

About Virginia Tech (9-3): Typical Va. Tech. Run the ball, defense, special teams. Don't pass well and have a self-inflated team ego because they hammer crap teams in the ACC. And hell, they couldn't even win that league this year.

Intangibles:
Blacksburg: -1
Bruce Smith: +2
Corey Moore: -1
Michael Vick: -2
Marcus Vick: -4

About Tennessee (7-5): Our boy, Lane Kiffin, did a decent job with a Vols team that was questionable at some key positions. Tennessee managed to win seven games essentially without a passing game. Now, if Lane could just keep his big mouth shut. And not violate an NCAA rule every five minutes. That would be good.

Intangibles:
Daddy working for you: -1
Stupid NCAA with their "rules": -4
All Orange Unis: -4
Vol Ladies: +3

Impact Player: Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton. Seriously, dude, complete some passes and your team has a good chance to win. Play the way you normally due and, well...

Bowl slogan: "Winner, winner, chicken dinner."

Little Known Fact: Phil Fulmer really loves Chick Fil-A.

Watchability (1-5): 4

The pick: Tennessee 21, Virginia Tech 18

More Eric Berry for Heisman

Both the 'Eye and the 'Eer would love to have Eric Berry on their respective teams. It's just too bad he's been stuck at Tennessee the past few years. He's too good for the Vols and he might be a legitimate Heisman candidate if he were playing for a more competitive team. Good news, he's going to get paid well next year.

Eric Berry and the Heisman campaign

Could Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry really win the Heisman Trophy? Probably not. He may need to pick off about four Tim Tebow passes on Sept. 19 in The Swamp. But after watching this video I could see support picking up for him.



This almost has the feel of one of those FreeCreditReport.com commercials. Love the reference to Peyton Manning getting jobbed the year Charles Woodson won the Heisman. This is the second video. New ones are scheduled to come out each week of the season. Here is the first Berry video.

Premature commitment to UT

I read today that 13-year-old Evan Berry committed to play football at the University of Tennessee in ... five years. Seriously, a 13-year-old has committed to something? I know 40-year-olds who still can't commit.

OK. Maybe Berry is a little different. He is the younger brother of Tennessee safety Eric Berry. Evan, who has yet to step foot on a high school campus, is ready to follow the path already paved by his brother and father, who also played for the Vols. Evan was actually quoted as saying, "I want to play in the secondary and I want to play for coach (Monte) Kiffin."

Hey Evan, Monte is like a 103. Do you really think he'll be around in five years? I'm not even sure Our Boy Lane Kiffin will be around in five years.

Look, I'm sure Evan is talented. He has the bloodlines. But is there any good reason to make this announcement now? He's already a target for high school teammates and opponents who can't appreciate the arrogance of making this announcement. Who knows, he may not warrant a scholarship to UT.

Congratulations Evan Berry. I hope this works out for you. Just be careful about any other premature commitments in the future.

UPDATE: Here is a YouTube video of Evan and his fraternal brother.