Few people expect the third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs to stumble when they visit Neyland Stadium and the bumbling Tennessee Volunteers on October 5. UGA head coach Kirby Smart has his finely-tuned machine hitting on all cylinders, while Jeremy Pruitt's team is about as reliable as this truck breaking in half for no apparent reason.
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UGA quarterback Jake Fromm and company should come out with a victory, but there's definitely no love lost when it comes to these SEC East rivals. That fact cannot be explained any better than seeing how fans reacted when a mistake by ESPN listed Georgia football's next opponent as the Tennessee Lady Volunteers.
The Lady Vols name is typically reserved for the University of Tennessee's female sports teams. From the eight-time national champion women's basketball team to the Lady Vols softball team that's made the NCAA Tournament 16-straight seasons, these girls command respect that they're rarely given.
But confusing them with Knoxville's has-been Tennessee football program? ESPN's mistake has fans laughing.
ESPN Lady Vols Logo
Tennessee enters its football game against Georgia with a 1-3 record. The Vols dropped its season opener in a historic loss to Georgia State, lost to BYU and freshman quarterback Zach Wilson in double OT, and were smoked by the Florida Gators on the road in Gainesville. The team's lone win so far was a 45-0 matchup with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs, an FCS program.
It's been a long, hard fall from grace since the days of Phillip Fulmer and UT legends like Peyton Manning and Tee Martin. The Volunteers don't appear close to turning the corner, and Tennessee fans are starting to get restless with Jeremy Pruitt at the helm.
Lost in the wash here? People are laughing because ESPN accidentally called men a bunch of women. Do you see the problem? Better yet, do you even want to talk about the problem?
It'd be one thing if ESPN used the shit emoji instead of Tennessee's iconic 'Power T' logo. But because they're women, that instantly made them inferior. Society's snap reaction was to scoff and say, "HA! Tennessee sucks so bad, they're like women on the field!"
Don't worry, I'm well aware someone will call me out for my opinion and say I should "learn to take a joke" or whatever. They can shove it. I'll defend women's athletics until I'm six feet under. Nothing about that is going to change.
Have your laugh and move on. Oh, and while you're at it, buy some Tennessee Lady Vols gear and support Southeastern Conference teams that actually win.
