After thinking about it some more, here's how important I consider this issue. If the rest of the SEC, after being told by UT administrators how important the continuation of the Alabama series on an annual basis is to Tennessee, votes to take action contrary to Vol wishes, it's time to find new partners. I'd call the ACC, Big 10, and Big 12 as soon as the vote making 'Bama a rotating opponent was over.
You have to. You can't become the Purdue or Washington State of a conference you helped to put on a map. I can think of several members of the ACC and a couple in the Big East that would crawl to Knoxville to be in that conference. I also imagine Kentucky might bolt as well given the realities of football/basketball for them.
I was thinking the same thing, but I feel like that may hurt us in the long run. UT has been depended on recruiting places like Florida, Georgia, etc. Not playing those teams could really hurt in the long run, IMO.
Out of curiosity, what exactly are you referring to by Saban's comments? He didn't exactly talk up the rivalry, but I didn't hear him say anything to the effect of the game not being a big deal.
Basilio wrote in his blog today that this is a rivalry worth fighting for and then linked this article on the 8th maxim.
Dave Hart: It's 'critically important' Alabama-Tennessee rivalry maintained ยป GoVolsXtra I just can't see any feasible way Tennessee and Alabama do not play each other, but crazier things have happened.
