I have always considered the Vols a Blueblood program. Am I wrong? Or have we

[volsboy]

fallen so far the last 10 years that we aren't one?
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/17336754/alabama-crimson-tide-notre-dame-fighting-irish-ohio-state-buckeyes-oklahoma-sooners-usc-trojans-lead-list-college-football-blue-bloods
Why can't I get these links to work? Ever. Someone school me.

[droner]

Fixed it. When you click the button, you have to then make sure you paste your link correctly between the brackets.

[volsboy]

Fixed it. When you click the button, you have to then make sure you paste your link correctly between the brackets.

Thanks. I thought I did that. But you can't fix stupid. What do you say about the subject? Are we a blueblood?

[Creek Walker]

If we're talking the past 30 years, I really have no qualms with any of those programs being ranked above us. However, if we're truly talking about the way each program has impacted the history of the game -- as the article says at the outset -- then Tennessee is certainly a top 10 program, probably closer to top 5.

The Neyland era alone revolutionized college football. Look at how many of the game's innovations were directly due to Neyland. He wasn't the first coach to use pressbox-to-sideline phones, but he did start the trend towards every coach using them. Who introduced the concept of breaking down game film? Neyland. Before him, no one reviewed game film. Although they aren't used any more, tear-away jerseys were Neyland's idea. Low-top shoes were Neyland's idea. Light-weight hip pads were Neyland's idea. And that's all besides the fact that Neyland's game maxims are used by coaches in every level of football -- including many who have no clue who Robert R. Neyland was.

Tennessee had the SEC's first black player, and first black starting quarterback. Again, revolutionizing the game.

There's much more but that's plenty to start. No way to programs like Florida State belong ahead of UT on that list.

[BanditVol]

The only SEC school that should be ahead of us is bammer (and....  )

LSU might have a claim only for having one more "official" MNC, but we have more SEC titles, a better win percentage, more wins and lead the series by a huge margin (although head to head was not considered).  Obviously they are being rewarded for their more recent success.  Which, BTW dates to their big win against us in 2001, when they were coached by .... who?    That short little fizzleer has done more to hurt our program than anyone in the history of the game.  I hope we finally beat his bitch ass this year.   

Furthermore, Florida is debatable but they do have 3 NCs as well. They are even worse than LSU on most comparisons (though they finally did catch us in head to head).

But there should be no debate about UGa.  They only have one MNC, fewer SEC titles, fewer bowls, a worse win percentage and fewer wins. What other comparison is there?  And oh yeah, we lead head to head(if only by one game).

Of course, they gave weight to Heisman winners.  But I never have, and not due the Vols bad luck with them.  It's a team game. Individual players can add glamor for sure, but all that matters in the end is wins and championships.

And let there be no doubt...the Vols have the greatest collegiate player to have the Heisman stolen by ABC for Rose Bowl profits  not win the Heisman hands down, although I am much less butt hurt about that than some.  But does Peyton Manning add a bit of glamour to the Vols?  Uhmmmmmm....could be!   

[Tnphil]

I've been a UT fan for 61 years and I think it's fair to say that UT fans under about 40 years old only remember for the most part the heydays of the 90's and think it was that way before that. Folks my age remember several lean years not as bad as the last 9-10 but some pretty bad years.

Some Numbers that I found interesting I read on another site....I checked most and they were pretty much correct.:

Tennessee's "heyday" was in the 1940s and 50s.

Since 1970 (about when the SEC integrated), UT is 5th in the SEC in winning % and 6th in the number of SEC titles. That obviously includes the 1990s.
Since 1970, UT's winning % is 17th in the nation, and 5th in the SEC.
Since 1960, UT is 16th in the nation, but 6th in the SEC.
2010-2015: Tied with Middle Tennessee State at 75th in the nation, following Tulsa, Duke, Ball State, Rice. Trails 10 SEC teams, including Missouri.

2000-2015: 35th in the nation, following Northern Illinois, Toledo, South Carolina, Missouri. Ranks 8th in SEC.

1995-2015: 19th in the nation, behind 5 other SEC teams.

1985-2015: 13th in the nation, behind 4 other SEC teams.

1975-2015: 18th in nation, behind 4 SEC teams.

1965-2015: 14th in nation, behind 3 SEC teams.

[BanditVol]

Interesting....

I was going to say that if you chop off the last 10 years, our numbers probably go way up. I think you show that.  Yes, under Dooley we dropped to a midmajor.   

I guess if the article had stipulated "blue bloods since 1960", then our ranking is much more accurate.

[FLVOL]

Yes, under Dooley we dropped to a midmajor.   

This further strengthens my position that Dooley should be kicked in the batteries repeatedly

[LouisVOL]

All-Time definite blueblood.  Recent history, not.  The problem with Tennessee has been the down cycles.  We have had too many and too often.  Certainly Neyland was a peak cycle, Dickey was an up cycle, Fulmer was an up cycle, and hopefully we are getting positioned for another up cycle.  Unfortunately, between each of those cycles are some pretty deep down cycles, with a few exceptions (latter part of Majors, but I count that in the Fulmer cycle).  All schools have down cycles, but most of the top of that list has down cycles that are not as deep and are of shorter duration than ours.  Still based on Neyland alone, we are an all-time program.

[Tnphil]

All-Time definite blueblood.  Recent history, not.  The problem with Tennessee has been the down cycles.  We have had too many and too often.  Certainly Neyland was a peak cycle, Dickey was an up cycle, Fulmer was an up cycle, and hopefully we are getting positioned for another up cycle.  Unfortunately, between each of those cycles are some pretty deep down cycles, with a few exceptions (latter part of Majors, but I count that in the Fulmer cycle).  All schools have down cycles, but most of the top of that list has down cycles that are not as deep and are of shorter duration than ours.  Still based on Neyland alone, we are an all-time program.

Majors took over a program that wasn't as bad as Butch did.....but not all that real far off. Battle had let the program and recruiting slip big time....and the facilities were not in the best of shape. It took Majors about 4-5 years to get the program back to respectable. Give Hamilton credit for the major upgrades to facilities which made it easier for Butch to get the program back as quick as he did. 

[volsboy]

The biggest puzzler to me is our losing streak to UF. Doesn't make sense. They have always just matched up well with us athletically though, even in our SEC championship years. Last year was just pitiful. Then there is Bama. But if you take away those two losses each season the last 11 years, there would be a couple of good seasons for the Vols in there. Silver Lining?

[BanditVol]

The biggest puzzler to me is our losing streak to UF. Doesn't make sense. They have always just matched up well with us athletically though, even in our SEC championship years. Last year was just pitiful. Then there is Bama. But if you take away those two losses each season the last 11 years, there would be a couple of good seasons for the Vols in there. Silver Lining?

The Florida streak will end. Bank it.

[PirateVOL]

The Florida streak will end. Bank it.

Unless the crocs are going to suit up his dad I agree