VOLuntarilyConservative

Last Wednesday, I watched the ETSU Buc Baseball Team cruise into Knoxville and outplay the nationally-ranked UT DiamondVols. At the time, I said that it wouldn't surprise me if ETSU swept the DiamondVols because UT is overrated this year while ETSU is much better than people expect (although getting swept this past weekend by Belmont didn't help their quest for respect).

Well, the Bucs made me look good, completing the season sweep of the Vols in Johnson City Wednesday night. It was the first time that ETSU has swept a season series from UT in baseball since I was 2 years old.

Both teams are chocked with Tennesseans (UT has 16, ETSU has 15), and I am unquestionably a fan of both teams. Of course, the underdog in me remembers all of the losses that UT (led by Todd Helton) dealt the Bucs in the 1990s, so I have been a bit partial to the boys from Johnson City in this rivalry.

Regarding the DiamondVols, I am a bit wary of No. 29 LSU coming to town this weekend, but that is due more to LSU's traditional strength and not this year's team, which was swept by No. 1 South Carolina last week. UT really needs to take this series, because the momentum is going against the team right now.