Went to Deadwood SD for the St. Patricks Day Parade and festivities. At dinner

[volsboy]

had an interesting conversation with some college football fans at my table. I asked them what they thought of the Vols as a program. They all said that UT is a typical SEC program, win at all costs. I asked them how so? They said well you've had Fulmer and Kiffiin, and you expected a lilly white program. They talked about tutorgate, about Kiffiins dance babes recruiting service. Now they say all of a sudden Jones is the second coming of Tom Landry, and the recruits are just falling all over themselves to go to UT. They were like, with all these other great teams in the SEC, these kids are just dying to go out of state to UT. They say just wait a few years and the tales will come out. Then they say look at Bruce Pearl, he had to be fired for lying, and you go and hire Tyndal and he is about as crooked as you get. They think it's just part of the SEC culture, you have to cheat to compete. And if you wonder, one was a N. Illinois grad, one was a Illinois grad and one was an Iowa grad and one is a Georgetown grad. Sadly the only one who disagreed with them and agreed with me was a UGa grad. He is a recently retired South Dakota Supreme Court justice. On one hand I was shocked by their perceptions and on the other could understand their reasoning. I think most people outside the SEC feels that the conference cheats constantly and plays to a different set of rules than other conferences. I guess I have always looked at it through orange colored glasses. Have any of you experienced this mind set with your non-SEC friends? And all of these guys are business associates of mine. They rent from me.

[Stogie Vol]

[LouisVOL]

"N. Illinois grad, one was a Illinois grad and one was an Iowa grad and one is a Georgetown grad."  That pretty much eliminates them from any intelligent conversation regarding football.

[Creek Walker]

Those conversations are two parts jealousy and one part truth...well, one part something that is somewhat grounded in truth. It's ruthless in the SEC. I see no point in denying it. Many of the less savory recruiting practices (over signing, gray shirting, etc.) got their start in the SEC because the competition here is so fierce. However, anyone who doesn't think other programs outside the SEC (Ohio State, etc.) are doing this is kidding themselves. As for what they think about UT, who cares? Whenever a program recruits well, people are going to cry foul. Go back a couple of years on this board and you'll find posts claiming that Ole Miss must have cheated to sign a Top 10 class. Heck, some posters still insist that Alabama must be cheating. So, naturally, there are going to be fans who look at UT's sudden recruiting success and their lack of football knowledge dictates that their minds be wrapped around the notion that it couldn't have happened without cheating. The fact is that UT is traditionally one of college football's best programs in college football's best conference, with facilities that are among the nation's best. It was a no-brainer that the right coach could recruit well. Throw in a few legacy recruits who were going to sign with UT if Elmer Fudd were coaching here, which helped get the ball rolling, and a high-octane coach who doesn't rest, and it's no wonder UT is having a lot of success on the recruiting trail. It has nothing to do with throwing bags of cash at recruits. It has to do with recruits wanting to go be a part of what they see as something special emerging.