Maybe things are changing for the better.

It would have been so much simpler to press forward in 2001 when Spurrier retired rather than go belly up like we did. Oh well...…...

For me, I started losing interest back in the mid-2000s. I should have seen it earlier, I suppose. The realization that UT (not talking about the fans) simply does not care as much about winning at football as Bama, Florida, Auburn, UGA or LSU finally set in and it has been difficult to be enthusiastic since.

I do believe that it is possible to get back on top but we will need a break here and there and once momentum starts, we cannot let off on the gas. In other words, win a big game we are not supposed to win and capitalize on that and don't look back.

Some of you guys are nuts! If Notre Dame and bama play for the NC, I will be the biggest ND fan for that one day. To hell with bama.

I used to post on this board every day, in or out of football season. I stopped posting on a regular basis about five years ago but I still lurk. I've enjoyed it a lot over the years and thank you, ReVOLver, for making this site and maintaining it for so long.

In a way I feel bad for Dooley. Everyone knows that he inherited a horrible situation. But then I think of how much money he is making and his buyout and some of the arrogant answers he has given to legitimate questions and all that goes out the window. Oh well, I hoped that things would turn out better for everyone but it doesn't look like they will. About the only thing that would save him now, IMO, is a win over Bama and that is very unlikely. A win over Georgia would be great but we all know that Mark Richt has a long and inglorious history with riding that program like a rollercoaster. Up one year, down the next. It just doesn't prove anything to beat Georgia. It's either Florida (too late now), Bama (extremely unlikely) or LSU (not on the schedule).

Well, they had better land a big'un or don't bother coming to the weigh in. No more small fry coaches.

trust me on this one.

it will be because Dooley out coached Muschamp. Just look back at the last however many recruiting classes to see that Florida has done much better than UT in that department. So, hope that Dooley has a good gameplan and be prepared for a battle but know that Florida has more raw talent and should win. If they don't, Muschamp will have no excuses. Dooley is on thin ice already so it makes little difference to most Vols what talent deficiencies we have. Win it, baby!

The one thing that gives me hope is that we have a good pass blocking O line and we have two elite receivers and Florida will play hell trying to stop them.

One other thing: Smack talk means nothing and I don't believe in jinxes. The only thing smack talk does is make the talker look like a fool if his team gets beat. So, talk trash if you like but don't do it if you aren't prepared for payback.

I think that Florida will win the game. UT has not done anything in a long, long time to suggest that a win over one of the better programs in the SEC is likely. Florida may be a bit disjointed as of late, but they still have deeper talent than we do. The gap has narrowed a little, however.

It would not surprise me if UT wins but, again, smart money would be on the Gators.

 

America's Team!

 

CW

Can't pull for the pups.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Davante-Bourque-92149

CW

I was not directing my comments at anyone in particular, Bandit. I was speaking more to the anonymous fans on other message boards and talk radio who, after Hamilton said what he said, have been poormouthing the program as if UT is some Conference USA program with zero history.

I think that Hamilton's ass should have been fired minutes after he uttered the words that the coaching job at UT was not one of the best in the nation. Like someone else said, this is a program that has been strong throughout the history of college football. You never heard UT fans, or anyone else for that matter, say such things and now it's parroted on a daily basis on UT message boards. He did the university and the football program a huge disservice by saying that. And why did he say it? Because he was a chickens#^! AD who didn't have it in him to run the program correctly. I agree with you, ReVOLver, Hamilton is why we are where we are.

Another thing: Since when did UT fans turn into such weenies? We should expect greatness from the coaches and players and anyone associated with the program. Even with all the mediocre football played in Knoxville since Fulmer decided to go on permanent vacation after the 2001 season, we are still very high in the rankings with regard to win %, bowl wins, all time wins etc., etc. Now, because of Hamilton and his ridiculous and totally inaccurate statements, we have become a 2nd tier program. Hamilton, Fulmer and to a much, much smaller extent Kiffin are responsible for the shape we are in. Poor ole Dooley probably isn't the guy and definitely should never have been hired but maybe, maybe he will grow into a great coach some day.

CW

by the way, I am old guard and I say keep preaching it, brother!

No, Fulmer was fired a year or two too late. I wasn't calling for his head after 2005 so I can't sit here and claim any "I told ya so's". But with regard to your question and having hindsight and all, it's obvious the old boy needed to be put out to pasture back then.

CW

and yet, we still beat Vandy.

 

CW

If we beat UK, I would rather play Miami.

CW

So sorry to hear that. Yes, I will be thinking of you and your family.

God bless you all.

CW

Certainly, you have mine.

Congratulations!

CW

My wife and I just welcomed our twin boys into the world on Sunday, October 30th.   They were born 3 months premature.  Kelar weighed 2lbs and Kennedy is 1lb-13oz.  Both are doing okay, but have a long road ahead and will be in the NICU for some time.  Any prayers are appreciated.

I doubt that I will be watching much of bama/lsu. I think too much is being made out of that game. People are acting like it is a "game of the century". I say "a" because it seems that every two or three years there is a "game of the century". Those ESPN marketing guys know their stuff, huh?

Has football fallen that far? I see two very good teams but they aren't that good. Two damn good SEC teams in a year when there are few good teams around the country. Yes, I understand it is a big game, but in the grand scheme of things, this isn't any bigger than any other "big game". It might be special in that #1 and 2 are from the same conference and that is a rarity. But looking at both teams and comparing them to great teams of the past, well, they don't stack up, IMO.

CW

I don't think we had too many takers at the time. No coach that was any good wanted to come because of the F^&*wad Kiffin leaving at the 11th hour and the already thin roster. It may have set us back a decade.

CW

So you are saying that you would have adjusted to allow Richardson to run all over us from the beginning of the second half. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. There were no good options.

Then everyone would be saying, "Why the F did Dooley change what he was doing? It was working perfectly and he screwed it up!" Or something like that.....

CW

I really didn't think you would take it that way. Neither of us are Oklahoma fans so no offense was meant. And, I do believe that Oklahoma has a penchant for losing to inferior opponents. Anyway, forget it. I've no desire to argue with you or anyone else on this board.

CW

I have no idea if Dooley is going to pan out. He might be nothing more than an average coach. I just can't bring myself to blame him much because of the situation we are in right now.

CW

Oklahoma has a pattern of losing games like that. And no, it's not always to a good team. And why don't you stop with the smartass routine. You don't do it very well and there's no need for it anyway.

CW

[I agree, but I refuse to accept that their offense is THAT MUCH better than our D.]

Then you refuse to accept the reality of our situation at UT. There's no doubt that Dooley has made mistakes but what happened last night could be seen coming from a mile away. Have you looked at Bama's roster? Ours is pitiful. It's a wonder the game was tied going into the half.

I'm all for giving Dooley hell when he deserves it. I'm still in the blame Kiffin and Fulmer mode. They are the ones who put us in this hole. If this crap continues and things are not much better by the end of next season, then it will be time to blame Dooley. Until then, the deck is stacked against him.

CW

I agree, but I refuse to accept that their offense is THAT MUCH better than our D.