Author | Lightnews

Wes Rucker

@wesrucker.bsky.social

1.8K followers 96 following 5.3K posts

Hank's dad. Lauren’s husband. Award-winning and award-losing journalist, now covering the Tennessee Volunteers for WBIR. Two-time learner of walking. Grower of legal flora.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · Nov 15

‘Sup, y’all? Welcome on in to my Bluesky page.”

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 10h

I think fans should always know the truth and always be respected enough to learn the truth, but I think fans would be happier if they generally understood that nasty betting stuff is *all over the place* but had plausible deniability that their own guys weren’t involved.

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 16h

PSA: Oakes Farm has an apple cannon this year, and Hank and I are about to spend a mortgage payment unloading artillery at a van.

This will occupy the rest of our day.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

It feels like a decade ago when I was gonna go get a haircut today.

God bless this business. We who love it are sickos.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

We've essentially been wall-to-wall with Tony Vitello coverage all day here at WBIR on the station, the stream and the site.

There will be more this evening and beyond, too. More reaction, including from former players.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

COLUMN: If you're lucky, you have friends and family to remind you the worst times never last forever. But the best times never last forever, either, so hopefully you enjoy them while they last.

www.wbir.com/article/news...

Rucker: The best times never last forever

Is the Tony Vitello era at Tennessee done and dusted? Not necessarily. But it’s at least on a hard pause.

www.wbir.com

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

People keep talking about Josh Elander, and I get it. I'm right there with you.

But Tennessee would do well to do everything imaginable to retain as much of Team Vitello as possible.

Frank Anderson, Quentin Eberhardt and Ross Kivett are among the very best at what they do.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

Self-preservation doesn't have to be Danny White's priority here. But if it is, Josh Elander is the slam dunk hire.

If you promote Elander and it doesn't work, you will be forgiven.

If you hire ANYONE ELSE and it doesn't work, you will not be forgiven.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

Tennessee's biggest problem right now: Some coaches win as much or nearly as much as Vitello. Some coaches have Vitello's charisma and ability to bring the fan base into the battle. Very, very, very few coaches can do both.

A style-vs-substance decision.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

If Danny White meant what he said when he said Frank Anderson was named interim so Josh Elander could focus on his candidacy rather than the day-to-day of being the interim boss, that's a smart decision, IMO.

If. Can't say for certain, obviously.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

Busy day here, obviously, with the Vitello news.

Just finished live streaming hit, and I'm missing the Danny White presser in person (Camille will be there) because I'll be live on air at 4:30, 5:30 and then again later.

Wall to wall Vitello coverage.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 1d

It won’t be the same, obviously, but the way Tony Vitello is wired, he’ll still be a walking, talking University of Tennessee ambassador as long as people don’t start burning his jerseys in the streets.

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 2d

When you win as much as Tony Vitello has won, and you do what he's done for a program and a school, you're allowed as much time as you want or need to make decisions like this.

This ain't a 50/50 power share. He holds the cards. Is what it is.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 3d

Vols RB DeSean Bishop: Football ends for everybody at some point, and God doesn’t care how many touchdowns I score. He cares how I treat people. I’m grateful He gave me this ability and this opportunity, and I use it for Him.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 3d

Vols RB DeSean Bishop: Defenses are throwing a lot of stuff at us trying to get us off our game. Three-down, four-down, four-down Star, other stuff. We’re seeing a lot of stuff.

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 3d

Vols RB DeSean Bishop: You have to be consistent in this league. When you’re on the wrong side of that, you’re gonna pay for it.

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 3d

Vols RB DeSean Bishop on Kentucky: That’s a good defense. A real good defense. You see it on tape. They’re good and they play hard. Looking forward to the challenge.

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 3d

Vols RB DeSean Bishop: A loss is a loss, but these two losses we have this year, we did it to ourselves.

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 3d

Vols RB Star Thomas: No disrespect to Georgia and Alabama. Those are two really good teams with good players. But we lost those games because of ourselves. We beat ourselves.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 3d

Vols coach Josh Heupel: We’re all disappointed from that [Alabama] game, but win or lose, you have to move on to the next game. It’s another week, another border war, another rivalry. It’s Kentucky week.

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 3d

About once every 3-4 years, I get stuck behind the random train that occasionally goes by right Neyland Stadium and Food City Center, and every time it happens, I’m late or almost late to a presser.

Today is one of special days, I guess.

Mondays, right?

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 4d

I have no idea whether Lane Kiffin wants the Florida job, but either way he needs to at least make people think he wants it — which would make Ole Miss give him literally anything and everything he wants to stay.

Bidness.

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 4d

Tennessee Taperoom production meetings are all-hands meetings here at WBIR HQ — at least when mommy is in Dallas.

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 4d

Been laughing to myself today imagining the counteroffers Tennessee is making to Vitello.

"Wanna live in the Sunsphere? You got it, dude."

"See those big mountains in the distance? How does 'Great Tony Mountains National Park' sound?"

"Dolly's will? Want it? Boom. Tonywood."

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Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 4d

COLUMN: It couldn't happen again. It couldn't possibly happen again. Until it happened again.

www.wbir.com/article/spor...

Rucker: It couldn’t happen again. Until it did.

Tennessee lost to Alabama at Tuscaloosa, 37-20, after a 99-yard interception from Alabama's defensive back, echoing another TN vs. AL game six years ago.

www.wbir.com

Wes Rucker @wesrucker.bsky.social · 5d

Obviously a lot more to discuss about that Tennessee loss at Alabama. And we’ll keep doing that.

Tons of coverage on WBIR site, as well as the SmartTV and smartphone apps.

Column will be up very soon. Tennessee Taperoom on Sunday night. Plus Vitello Watch.

The Show goes on.