The Crew's Letters to Sports Santa.

The UGO Sports Saturday crew sat down earlier this week and composed our letters to Santa asking him for one sports gift.  Out Sports “Stan”dard trivia this week will involve you the listeners letting us know what your request to “Sports” Santa would be.  Please call in Saturday morning between 8 and 10 and let us know what you want for Christmas this year.  You may also submit your request by going to our show site at ugosportssaturday.com.  The top three requests, as voted on by our staff, will be our weekly winners.  We would love to hear from all of you!

Dear Santa,

My name is Adam Bates, AB my friends call me (I’m sure you knew that).  I am 26 years old, and I have been at least decently good this year.  So, for Christmas this year I am only asking for one thing: could you please help bring Major League Baseball back to relevancy?  I know it’s a tall order, but if you can visit millions of kids all in one night I believe you can fix this. It’s truly sad to see our “national pastime” slowly fade into oblivion as each year goes by.  Even those who still claim to be fans pay little real attention until about September.  And do kids even collect baseball cards anymore?  The game has been greatly tarnished by strikes and steroids scandals over the last couple of decades, and it may take a lot to bring it back to prominence.

 In my opinion, nothing would go further than instituting a salary cap.  This would slow large market teams from sucking up all of the biggest stars and promote less talent disparity among the teams.  Simply put, it would make it a bit more like the NFL in the way it is ran.  I think it would change the culture of the business, and people would start to care at least a little bit more about this once great league.  Not that long ago, people lived and died by baseball.  The World Series used to be on a level similar or maybe even greater than the current Superbowl.  With so much more competition in the entertainment industry we may never again see baseball at this level, but with your help I think we can do a lot to restore integrity and interest in the MLB.

Thanks Santa,

AB

Dear Sports Santa,

There is one thing I’ve always longed for more than anything else in my “sports life,” and since I’m asking for one “wish” then I’m going to use it for one thing I’ve always wanted.  I would like you to bring a Major League Baseball team to Nashville.  A new stadium development is about to pass for the city which will place a perfect baseball venue in downtown Nashville.  What better way to reward this new venue than with a MLB franchise rather than one of their minor league affiliates?  The defending American League East champions, the Tampa Bay Rays, would be perfect.  Their current situation is bleak; they rarely sell out games, and their organization fields a wonderful product that deserves better.  Also, the Summer months in the midstate are largely dull, leaving fans longing for football because it’s really all there is to look forward to during that time period.  The amazing sportsfans in the state of Tennessee DO NOT DESERVE THIS!  So I’m pleading to you Sports Santa, bring the Rays to Nashville and give them the homefield advantage they deserve.

I’ll leave you Oreos,

Stan Ledbetter

Dear Santa,
 
How is Mrs. Clause and the reindeers? I hope they are ready to go. The big day is drawing near. Make them all drink plenty of fluids and get their full 8 hours, so they can perform all of their Christmas Eve duties with ultimate precision. Santa, I've tried to be good this year. I really did. I hope you can bring me what I want!
 
Santa, I only want one thing for Christmas. That one thing is for you to give Tennessee AD Dave Hart the resources and fortitude that it's going to take to fire Coach Derek Dooley after this upcoming football season. With each passing day, it becomes increasingly clear to me that Dooley is not the right fit for Tennessee. I believe that Dooley will only produce marginal success at best as UT's head coach. And as proud a program as UT is, they should not have to settle for mediocre results. I truly feel that Tennessee is still one of the few "Plum Jobs" that is out there in college football, and I think with the right mindset by the search committee, that UT can hire a top notch coach. Tennessee has the resources available, (and when I say resources, I'm talking $$$$$) but they have shown a reluctance lately to "come off the hip" with it to hire a coach. This can't happen again, or else UT will be stuck with either another unproven coach or a re-tread coach. Dave Hart has seen what it takes to go out and hire a top coach (Saban) and it is my hope he can take that experience and use it to his advantage in his impending coaching search that he will perform next Fall. All of Vol Nation is in a state of despair currently. We need someone to get UT out of its current funk, and Dave Hart needs to be that person. And soon!
 
Santa, this is my wish, and I know you can make it come true. And if you do, I promise I will do my best to be a good boy from now on. Please make this happen, Santa!
 
I love you,
 
Andrew Robertson

Dear Sports Santa

“CHING”…. “CHING”….”CHING”….  Can’t you hear those sleigh bells ringing? Oh please Santa if I could have anything in my little sports world I would wish to go back to January 30, 2000.  Mike Jones….”WHO”….Mike Jones stops Kevin Dyson on the one yard line to clinch a St. Louis Rams victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.  The call (Mike Keith and Pat Ryan):  "McNair drops, throws, right side for Dyson. He dives for the end zone!"…. "He didn't make it."…. "He came up one yard short. The Rams win by a yard!"    Yes ranked #35 on ESPN.com’s greatest moments of the past 25 years (as of 2007) is one of the plays that I will personally remember for the rest of my life.  Santa, I am not asking for a time machine to go back to the year 2000 so I can replay “The Play”, I am merely asking for you to make Kevin Dyson’s right arm 1 yard longer (Pre-2000).  Just one yard can’t be that big of a deal right?  If you appease my wishes I swear I’ll be good for the rest of the weekend till after Christmas.  If at all possible could you also maybe make sure that Matt Sims never gets anywhere near a Tennessee Vols football game again?  I really appreciate it Santa, you jolly rascal!

Your Lil Buddy,

Brian Dearing

PS – Could you maybe this year leave me cookies and milk instead of the other way around? I know those pockets have to be swole to be able to afford all those toy parts

Tim Tebow in Perspective (A slightly different take on Tebow-mania)

Imagine you are one of the most accomplished players in college football history.  You have a Heisman trophy and two national championships.  You were the first player to rush for 20 and pass for 20 touchdowns in a single season.  During your career you broke rushing records previously held by guys like Emmitt Smith and Hershel Walker.  You did all of this while playing QUARTERBACK in the toughest conference in America with coach’s game-planning to stop you week after week.  Simply put, you may just be the best college football player in the history of the sport.  Life is pretty dang sweet, right?  Now imagine being told repeatedly that you are not a first round pick.  Imagine that after one of the most celebrated quarterback careers in the history of college football that you may be asked to change positions in the NFL.  Imagine every part of your mechanics being constantly scrutinized as expert after expert predicts you won’t be a success.   

Tim Tebow isn’t the first player to be subjected to harsh criticism upon entering the NFL, but he is probably the best and definitely the most polarizing. Rarely (if ever) has any individual player in the history of sport enumerated more success while simultaneously coming under more scrutiny than Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos.  It seems that no amount of winning is enough to silence or even stifle critics of Tebow’s play.  It is a true oddity for the skill and abilities of such an accomplished and winning player to be continually questioned at such an elevated level.  We all know that his throwing motion is far from orthodox, and we all knew that he was a so called “system” QB coming out of college. However, last time I checked textbook mechanics pale in comparison to wins, and seriously, isn’t every quarterback a “system” quarterback?  That argument really needs a pillow no matter who you’re talking about.

We know he is unparalleled as a running quarterback, but the point of contention comes with his throwing right?  Conventional wisdom is he isn’t a good enough passer to have long term success in the NFL.  It is easy to see why many NFL insiders and former players have discontent for Tebow’s style of play.  He doesn’t fit the formula that everyone has always believed is necessary to win in the NFL of today.  Of course, the only thing that could get in the way of this is facts.  Tebow is the all time SEC leader in passing efficiency.  That’s right, he ranks above two Manning brothers, Matt Stafford, Tim Couch, JaMarcus Russell, etc.  He also had a passer rating 20 points higher than Peyton’s college mark.  No, I don’t think Tim Tebow is a better passer than Peyton Manning, but it’s hard to ignore those numbers. 

Tebow has been told at every level that he couldn’t play QB.  Yet, his determination has led him to be able to prove all of the “experts” wrong.  Currently, Tebow ranks among the top half of NFL QB’s in passer rating.  As a runner, his average yards per carry, 5.5, equal the best starting running back in the league.  Also, the real key to Tebow’s success, he does not turn the ball over!  He leads the NFL in best interception percentage.  Sure he throws less and runs more than conventional quarterbacks, but his Broncos have won 6 in row.  That is not luck.  Sure, the Broncos have been the beneficiaries of some good fortune, good calls, and timely plays, but honestly, what winning streak doesn’t involve those things?

What AB Sees:

Those who attribute Tebow’s success to simply luck or believe it to be a fluke are not seeing what is really there.  Tebow’s apparent knack for making clutch plays is not a mystery.  The guy has been succeeding and winning football games his whole life.  What sets Tebow apart are those intangibles that most people just do not have today.  He has always been outspoken and unapologetic about his faith in Christ Jesus.  Despite much ridicule, baiting, and joking, Tebow has always held to his faith with dignity and class.  Whether you are religious or not, you have to respect anyone who unashamedly stands up for what they believe in with such passion and vigor, even in the face of people constantly trying to tear him down.  His leadership qualities, determination, and confidence are, I believe, directly correlated to his faith.  He seems to be unafraid of failure; maybe because, unlike most prima donna athletes, he believes in something far greater than himself.  His teammates sense this about him, and easily gravitate toward his positive attitude.  He plays the game with integrity, sportsmanship, and humility.  As a friend of mine put it best earlier this week, “Tim Tebow is everything we say athletes aren’t anymore.”  I couldn’t agree more.  I am neither a Florida fan nor a Bronco fan, but how you could dislike Tim Tebow I’m just not sure.

I heard a guy on a sports talk show early this week who called in to say that no one (no preacher, book, family member, or friend) had done more to reaffirm his lost faith than Tim Tebow.  I don’t know Tim in any way, shape, form or fashion, but I have a suspicion that he would tell you that stories like that one are the real crowning achievements of his life.  Here’s to long career Mr. Tebow, God Bless!

The Great BCS Debate: Why College Football Fans Only Think They Want a Playoff!

It’s another year, and just like every season since 1998 the college football world finds itself amid much debate and turmoil.  During the past few weeks it has been difficult to turn on a sports related TV or radio program without being inundated with talk of instituting a playoff system in college football.  It has become commonplace for hosts, journalists, and fans to throw out broad based generalities to argue against the current BCS ranking system.  “It’s a flawed system.” “We all agree the current system is terrible.” “The BCS is a joke.” These are just a few of the repetitive statements that stick out in my mind.  While each season never fails to add its’ own complicated situations and scenarios that challenge the BCS system, is it really as bad as it is being portrayed?

To say that the BCS has been controversial since its implementation would be like saying Will Muschamp is emotional on the sidelines (an understatement of the highest order).  In light of the impending rematch between LSU and Alabama for this year’s championship, people seem to be more adamant than ever in pursuing a playoff system in lieu of the BCS.  However, as is often the case, most really have failed to put into perspective all of the unintended consequences that would surely result from such a drastic move.  I realize I’m standing with the vast minority here, but YES, I am going to stand up for the much hated BCS. 

Take a quick look around at all the BCS has given the college football fan.  Under the current system college football has risen to a level of popularity that would have been hard to imagine a couple decades ago.  From coast to coast people live and breathe the sport.  Just look at the stadiums, the coverage, and the ratings; they speak rather loudly.  But why do people care so much?  Why is it so popular?  Why will tens of thousands of people fill up a stadium to watch a game in which one team maybe favored by 30 or more points?  Because, under the BCS system, every regular season game is life and death for a team in contention.  Can you say that about any other sport?  The BCS is a system predicated on teams not losing, ever!  Many would point to this as a tragic flaw in the system, I say that it is the sole reason that college football is all that it has become.  It is why most fans never miss a game.  It is why this year’s regular season matchup between LSU and Alabama was the most widely viewed in history.  For a team that is competing for a national championship, the regular season schedule can hold any number of matchups that in effect become bowl games, title games, or championship games in a sense.  There is no room for a letdown from the first game to the last.  A team has to play at their highest possible level for all 12 or 13 games in order to get a shot at the title.  It’s a phenomenon you won’t find in any other league.

In my view, the institution of a playoff will greatly diminish part of the uniqueness and excitement of the college game.  People often draw analogies to the current format for the postseason tournament in college basketball and how popular it has become.  I will certainly agree that March Madness is an absolutely awesome spectacle to take in; however, I will also tell you that outside of those few weeks in March, college basketball is largely irrelevant.  The reason is that the regular season simply doesn’t mean very much.  Yes, you have to win your games and do well enough to impress the selection committee, but teams have plenty of room for missteps.  Then there is the NFL argument to consider.  I am aware that the NFL is wildly popular and operates under a playoff system but still manages to have very meaningful regular season games.  A similar system would be detrimental to college football as we know it.  If you have a large playoff format, anywhere from 10 to 16 teams or more, you will have to reduce the number of regular season games.  It’s inevitable.  This would not be a good situation.  It would be nearly impossible for a team to have more than one or two games outside of their conference, if that.  Therefore, teams would be at the mercy, much more so than they are now, of how good or bad their conference is.  It would be even more difficult to evaluate who should be in or out of the playoffs than it is now to determine who is in or out of the BCS bowls.  For instance, how will you fairly choose who should get into a playoff between a SEC team with 2 loses or an undefeated mid-major?  For this reason, a playoff system would eventually lead to the abolition of conferences, or at least they would become so restructured they wouldn’t retain any of their current identity.  Is that really what you want for college football?  Age old rivalries will perish, and decades of history and tradition will give way to new super-conferences.

What AB Sees: 

To put it very simply, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!  Yes, I admit that there have been situations in which rational arguments can be made for teams that didn’t get a fair shake, but I also believe the BCS has done much more good than harm.  Now, think hard, can you honestly name a single BCS national champion that did not deserve the title?  People want to see the best two teams play for the title, and while there is no perfect system, I think the BCS has given us that by and large, including this year.  Going back to the basketball argument, do you really think that Butler has truly had the second best team in the nation the past two years?  That system, as exciting as it is, tends to reward the team who gets hot at the right time, with very little emphasis put on a team’s entire body of work.  College football loses big time if something like that takes place.  People are interested in college football year-round.  They keep up with coaching moves, recruiting news, practice reports, and any piece of news they can attain.  It is a type of fanfare that is second to none.  From the opening weeks of the season on, people love to play out hypothetical situations, matchups, and rankings.  That will largely fall by the wayside if you lose the BCS.  This year’s aforementioned “Game of the Century” wouldn’t have been advertised as such because everyone would assume that both teams would make the playoffs.  Therefore, the game would have garnered less attention.  Case and point would be this past weekend’s basketball matchup between #1 Kentucky and #2 North Carolina.  Perhaps I just missed them, but I don’t recall endless promotions or any fancy taglines related to this game.  Sure, it was a big game, but it wasn’t even comparable in ratings or interest to a marquee football matchup.  The reason being that ultimately it doesn’t really matter that Kentucky won that game; both teams will almost certainly get into the tournament as high seeds regardless of the outcome.  Yes, I know, as it turned out the LSU vs. Alabama did not keep either team from reaching the title game.  However, Alabama snuck in via a statistical anomaly that would likely not happen again for 100 years.  Everything had to play out just right for them to get their second shot at LSU, and it just so happens that this time it did.  

The current movement that seems to be afoot involves the institution of a 4 team playoff (in which #1 plays #4 and #2 plays #3 and the winners meet for the ‘ship) or perhaps a so called “plus 1 game.”  While I agree that these ideas sound appealing and would ease the grumbles of this season’s particular situation, it is a slippery slope when you start making drastic changes to suit a particular situation in a particular year.  Because, next year will undoubtedly bring with it a whole new scenario that the system may not have accounted for, and we’ll be right back to square one.  For example, let’s suppose that the NCAA was operating under the 4 team playoff and Oregon ended up ranked #4 in the nation behind LSU #1, Bama #2, and OK St. #3.  In this scenario, LSU would have to play a rematch against Oregon first round, and would then likely have to rematch against Alabama in order to claim the title.  So, you have LSU, the consensus #1 team in the nation, having to win not one but two rematches to solidify them as the top team in the nation.  Is that really better than what we have this year?  The fact is that you cannot create a truncated playoff system that will satisfy any given situation that might occur in the course of any given year.  Furthermore, you cannot institute a large playoff system without sacrificing the integrity of the regular season.

Regardless of your personal opinion on the BCS, one has to admit that it certainly fuels discussion.  People love to hate it, and it keeps college football in the forefront of the sports world at least from August to January.  While opinions are many, it is difficult to argue that such a fact is not a positive for the sport.  I say long live college football and long live the Bowl Championship Series!

Not telling you how it is, just what I see!

By Adam Bates

What If? (a look at tennessee football minus Lane Kiffin)

As there are in any equation, many variables will ultimately effect and shape the eventual outcome.  The apparent downward spiral of the University of Tennessee football program (and really athletic program as a whole) is no different.  There are many different variables that led the program down the weary road to where it now finds itself, at the lowest point in program history.  That statement may seem a bit melodramatic, but it is hard to argue when the program has just suffered through its first back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1910-1911.  Yes, I would call the worst two seasons in 100 years an all time low for Tennessee football, and although we never could have imagined it at the time, it all began in 2008 with the firing of one Phillip Fulmer.

Now, lots of people will suggest to you that they don't like to deal in “what ifs.”  They will state that it is simply a waste of time to worry and argue over what mighta woulda coulda maybe shoulda if we only knew what was gonna happen.  Seemingly, there isn’t much to gain from these types of conversations except for an ensuing headache.  However, if you are a sports fan, your world is built around the hypothetical.  Think about it; when you are talking sports you likely spend more time talking about might have been and speculating about what could be than you do discussing what actually happened.  It is those conversations and prevailing interest in them that allow sports writers and sports talk radio to even exist. So, in that speculative spirit, let’s examine a couple hypothetical situations concerning Big Orange Football.

Situation #1 Phil Fulmer never gets fired.
It maybe a hard thing to imagine for Vol fans, as most were at least ok with the move to oust Phil, but chances are a Fulmer coached team would have fared better than 5-7 this season.  Understanding this is all guessing and projecting, let’s look at what might have been.  It is difficult to project what players would have been in the line-up three years removed from a Fulmer coached team, but we will make a few assumptions just for kicks.  In the backfield you would almost certainly have Tajh Boyd taking snaps as the Tennessee QB.  The former UT commitment burst on to the national scene this year as he led Clemson to one of their most successful seasons on record.  This multitalented playmaker has proven to be the real deal, leading the ACC in passing yards and touchdowns, and even appeared on many Heisman watch lists earlier in the season.  I am not blaming UT’s past two seasons in any way on Tyler Bray.  Most agree that Bray is an exceptional talent and could be a special player; however, his stats in big match ups when his team is not favored are less than stellar.  Boyd is a proven winner and Tennessee would have been more than happy with him I believe. 
Then there is the defensive side of the ball to consider.  I’m not certain what players may have been on the field for UT, but I do know who would have been in the booth calling the shots, John Chavis.  You can say what you want about how he always gets great talent etc. etc., but the bottom line is the guy oversees outstanding defenses.  Since he made the move to LSU, he has had their defense playing at a national championship level.  It is hard to recall a Chavis defense that was not at least classified as good.

That all being said, I think absolute worst case scenario Fulmer goes 8-4 this year.  Yes, of course, in any season anything could happen and you can never be certain, but let’s run it all down.  UT won 5 games this year; a Fulmer coached team wins all of the same games.  Coach Fulmer simply did not lose to Kentucky, so that gets us to 6 wins.  I think that Tennessee defeats the injury ridden South Carolina team they faced rather easily, which gets you to 7 wins. I also believe that the Florida and Georgia games were both very winnable this year, and I believe we would have won at least one of them with our hypothetical team and staff.  It is worth nothing that Phil lost more than 4 regular season games only once (discounting 2008 when he learned he was being terminated) in his tenure.  His predecessors have lost 5 or more regular season games in the past 3 years.

Situation #2  Derek Dooley is hired immediately after Fulmer.
It is a little known fact that Dooley was interviewed for the job prior to the Lane Kiffin hire in 2009.  What if they would have hired him at that point in time?  Well, first off fans would have probably been upset and confused as to where this guy came from.  They would have not been pleased in the least with the hire I don’t believe.  It is a bit more difficult to project this situation in my opinion but we’ll give it a shot.  You most likely would still have Boyd as your QB.  Tennessee would not have been able to retain Chavis as he would have left when Fulmer did regardless.  So, how would it be any different than what we currently have?  First off, Dooley would not have had to take over a completely depleted program.  Please understand clearly what Lane Kiffin did.  He basically came riding in, kicked off many “Fulmer guys,” replaced them with his own, and then took them and his commitments with him to USC.  Now, it’s a bit more complicated than that but not too much.  Think about how much we have heard about the youth of Tennessee.  It is because they have no Jr. class and a depleted Sr. class!  Kiffin destroyed a whole class of players, and that is just not something that can happen to a school in the SEC if they are going to be successful.  So, Dooley would have inherited a much better roster and recruiting class.  Also, this past year would have been Dooley’s third.  All of his freshmen and sophomores that were all over the field would likely be playing under a Jr. or Sr. that never got destroyed by Kiffin.  I would say at the very worst this team would be 7-5 and going bowling.  This would not be satisfactory for Vol fans, but it would be much better than where we currently find ourselves.

What AB Sees:  Whatever your hypothetical opinion may be, I think one thing is clear, the Fulmer firing and the Lane Kiffin hire has equaled disaster for this storied program.   Tennessee is one of the top 10 college football programs of all time, and Kiffin treated it as merely a footstool to attain his real goal at USC.  Tennessee is in a much better position today if Kiffin is not a black mark on our proud history.  There is plenty of blame to pass around.  Mike Hamilton has certainly paid the price for all that has transpired in Knoxville in recent years, as he is no longer the athletic director.  The whole athletic department has gone south in a hurry under his watch, and he was rightfully held accountable.  Derek Dooley also doesn’t receive a free pass. Yes, he inherited a less than desirable situation, but he knew that when he took the job.  His honeymoon period is long over and he will have to face the fire all year long in the 2012 season.  It is time for him and the Tennessee football team to stop making excuses, accept some blame, and start producing wins.  The Tennessee tradition of excellence demands it!  Tennessee fans are tired of living in the hypothetical. 
Not telling you how it is, just what I see!

Bottoms Up! (New Outcry to Restore Old Tradition)

Let’s be honest, what says college football more than a keg of beer? On any given Saturday you will find these heralded little containers strewn about college campuses from the parking lots to frat houses. Whether housed in trash cans filled with ice or in the ever popular kegerator, the keg has become a symbol synonymous with college football (and if we’re honest college in general).
This weekend will mark the 107^th all time football meeting between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kentucky Wildcats. Although the all time series is a bit lopsided in the Vols favor (74-23-9), it is a rivalry steeped in history and intensity. Until recent years this annual meeting was famously known as the “Battle for the Beer Barrel.” While this moniker may cause younger fans to begin scratching their heads in ignorance and salivating at the mention of alcohol simultaneously, more seasoned fans still remember the tradition well.

The first “Beer Barrel” appeared ironically enough in 1925, right in the middle of the Prohibition Era. It was created by Kentucky students as a tangible sign of the rivalries victor. The first “Beer Barrel” trophy was rolled out onto the field with the words “Ice Water” written on it, for obvious reasons. The half blue half orange trophy was given to the winning team until the tradition was discontinued in 1998 via mutual agreement of the two schools in the wake of an alcohol-related car accident involving two UK football players. Tennessee, led by Peyton Manning, hoisted the last victory drum overtop their heads in 1997 following a 59-31 victory over the Wildcats, led by star QB Tim Couch.
Recently there has been a growing movement to bring back this games traditional sudsy name. On one side you have the hardcore traditional (and likely red-faced) fan that says there is no harm in bringing the tradition. After all, people are going to drink at any football game regardless of any alcohol-related name or lack thereof. It is a bit illogical to posit that more beer drinking will occur if the game once again becomes known as the “Battle for Beer Barrel.” It would also be a stretch to assume that the accident that caused the termination of the tradition would not have happened if the game was not known by that name. On the other hand, you will have those of more conservative mindset that will state that it is irresponsible to have an event in which many of the participants aren’t even of legal drinking age to be named for a drum of beer. In our society’s ever increasing push to be politically correct on all fronts, we certainly want to put a tag on a football game that might make someone uncomfortable. While opinions are many, it is hard to argue that the renewal of the nickname could add a new luster to this rivalry that has seen the Vols win a nation leading 26 consecutive games over the Wildcats.

What AB Sees: I say bring back the “Battle” and all its glory! Now, let it be known that I am by no means a proponent of underage drinking or even drinking in general (I myself am not a drinker), but the simple fact is it’s going to happen. I believe no matter what you want to call the game, the same amount of alcohol will be consumed either way. However, I'm in a compromising mood so I will put forth this little piece of simple brilliance. How about we restore the tradition of the name and barrel trophy but simply call it the “Battle for the Barrel.” Also let’s restore a little more history in doing so and put the words “Ice Water” back on the barrel just like that first one way back in ‘25. Doing this will really fool no one, and we will all know that it is essentially a beer keg. However, it will allow the institutions to successfully refute any negative claims or ramifications that might come their way as a result of the former alcohol-infused name. Problem solved. Not telling you how it is, just what I see.