Reflection on VolNation and Fandom

#26
#26
There's plenty of bitterness. So many are either in a bad mood or like to pretend they are to drum up conversation due to boredom. It's hard to carry on a conversation about Vol football when it's the off season. Just nothing much to discuss except the past or the future. The present is void of excitement, so we go back and forth giving each other the business while trying to gain any and all new information concerning 121.

If you missed Tennessee Summer Tour on the SEC network, it's worth a watch.

Mckenzie referred to DAT Way as this year's cliche. When asked what the goals were for this year, he answered, win today, win tomorrow. Talked about focus. Worth a watch. I can't remember who posted when it's coming on, but thanks again.

Whoever posted the Hype video with "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, the dog fans were truely "Thunderstruck" by the Hail Mary.

It's the only game wining Hail Mary I'm aware of by the Vols(James Banks pulled one in from "Iceman" back in the day to end the half), it could be the only Hail Mary ever completed for the win against the dogs as well.

If you aren't having fun when we win and disgusted when we lose, you are doing it wrong. But don't turn your back on the guys in Orange.

The Thrill of Victory Vs The agony of defeat.

I've got a cigar in a glass case with 1998 NC on the glass. I will smoke it after our next NC.

I've got cigars to smoke after we beat bama.

Go Vols!
 
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#27
#27
VFL-82-JP said:
You walk into the bar. You've been a patron of this bar since you turned 18, many years ago. It's "your" bar, the bar closest to home, the one with all the folks you know, all your friends and ex-girlfriends and former enemies, even the moms and dads of some of your old high school classmates. It's as close to "home" as a place with a liquor license can be.

And everyone in this bar loves the Vols. Venerates them. Each and every game is played live on all seven TVs hanging in all the corners and side walls, and then played again at least four or five more times during the week. Orange is by far the predominant color, both in the decor and on the backs of the patrons.

It's okay to talk trash about the head coach, as long as it's clear you love the guy and would run through the wall for him. Not because his name is Butch, but just because he's our coach. Some of the folks in the bar think he's not the long term answer, sure, and plenty of beer has been spilt over heated debates on that topic. But even for them, while Butch may be an idiot, he's OUR idiot. Any fan of another school walks in that door and takes advantage of some insider criticism, and they'll quickly find out that the color orange is FAR more important to us than petty disagreements about any particular coach or player.

This is a Tennessee Volunteers bar. It's a second home. Arguing, dancing, or watching the game together, it is comfortable as the womb, because it's full of people who share a love. A Vols love.

...

break/break

...

That, that word picture I just drew, that's what a lot of us would like VolNation to be. An online version of your favorite bar, the place where you get together with friends to talk Vol Football.

Trouble is, Freak doesn't sell beer.

Okay, we can get beer out of our own refrigerators. So we'll overlook that one.

Trouble is, the social anonymity of the internet encourages people to act like jackwagons to each other.

Okay, that's just life online. Have to roll with that.

Trouble is, we're infiltrated with fans of other schools pretending to be Vols fans just enough that they can cause trouble. Not talking about 99gator or bamawriter, or guys like them. They're open and honest about who they support, they're guests in our house, and welcome for their (wrong, inbred and socially inept, haha) opinions. No, talking about the trolls who pretend to be Vols but are really just here to denigrate.

Again, that's just life online. Have to ignore them as best we can and get on with it.

...

break/break

...

This thread is really for and about the other group. Those folks who haven't yet figured out how to be a devout fan while criticizing. Those who, when they turn on the negative flow, don't know how to control it, who haven't developed their fine tuning enough to avoid being nasty, petty or boorish when they want to talk about how things aren't perfect.

Norm walks into Cheers, everyone shouts NORM! He sits down, orders a beer, and joins the chatter about the Red Sox. He's not a big fan of John Farrell, and he's free to explain why, BECAUSE he is so well known in the bar to be a consumate Red Sox fan. Because for everything critical he might say about the manager or one of the players, he says ten or twenty positive things about the team. And even if he's not the hugest fan of Farrell, he wouldn't for a minute put up with a Yankee fan walking into the bar and talking trash about him or any other member of the team.

Why can't we all be like Norm?

When did disagreement forcibly turn into hate and rudeness?

Something to think about.

Go Vols!



NOTE: Not saying anyone (other than the trolls, they know who they are and we do, too) isn't a fan. This isn't about defining fandom or excluding anyone. It's about suggesting that we, as a group of Vols fans, consider raising our game, becoming more the fan base that ALL of us can be proud of.
Click to expand...

Other than OP, did anyone actually read this tomb end to end?
 
#30
#30
VFL-82-JP said:
This isn't about changing people's views. It's not about stopping criticism.
Click to expand...

Mad respect for having the balls to start this thread. :)

Doesn't matter how you say it, some people just don't get..."IT". It is absolutely fascinating.

JP not mature enough to not let VN ruin his day, so he starts a thread to change the innerwebz. I smarts he dumb.

Lol.
 
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#31
#31
OP has WAY too much time, and WAY too little of significant thoughts to share...

Please keep sharp objects away...
 
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#32
#32
I prefer people that go against the grain if they feel justified. If they don't think Butch is the answer, say so. Be adamant about it. Don't sit idly by while the team remains mediocre. If Butch proves them wrong, good for Butch. If we loved Dooley because he was our Dooley, he'd still be our Dooley. Be yourself. Be opinionated. And on the flip side, don't cry in a 5,437 word post about people who have different opinions. That goes for message board fodder and life.
 
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#34
#34
VFL-82-JP said:
Heh, it's actually a real bar, in my hometown, Tullahoma. I've no idea what it's like today, but I was being pretty faithful in my description of it back in the day. :)
Click to expand...

As for your OP I see where your coming from, but I also like that VN allows you to have an opinion. I know you didn't mean that no one is suppose to ever criticize anything, but I just don't want to ever see this place look like Vandys website where if you so much as think an ill word about Vandy your immediately banned.
 
#35
#35
We have to understand that we all don't have the same opinions. Some have their minds made up. Different views. Some have faith and some lost faith. Some voice their praises or concerns more than others. Our program has been at the bottom and also many fans have been kicked in the jewels many times and been let down from the thing we love.

We have to learn to ignore and or agree to disagree. Im assuming most of us are passionate and want championship level sports
 
#36
#36
VFL-82-JP said:
You walk into the bar. You've been a patron of this bar since you turned 18, many years ago. It's "your" bar, the bar closest to home, the one with all the folks you know, all your friends and ex-girlfriends and former enemies, even the moms and dads of some of your old high school classmates. It's as close to "home" as a place with a liquor license can be.

And everyone in this bar loves the Vols. Venerates them. Each and every game is played live on all seven TVs hanging in all the corners and side walls, and then played again at least four or five more times during the week. Orange is by far the predominant color, both in the decor and on the backs of the patrons.

It's okay to talk trash about the head coach, as long as it's clear you love the guy and would run through the wall for him. Not because his name is Butch, but just because he's our coach. Some of the folks in the bar think he's not the long term answer, sure, and plenty of beer has been spilt over heated debates on that topic. But even for them, while Butch may be an idiot, he's OUR idiot. Any fan of another school walks in that door and takes advantage of some insider criticism, and they'll quickly find out that the color orange is FAR more important to us than petty disagreements about any particular coach or player.

This is a Tennessee Volunteers bar. It's a second home. Arguing, dancing, or watching the game together, it is comfortable as the womb, because it's full of people who share a love. A Vols love.

...

break/break

...

That, that word picture I just drew, that's what a lot of us would like VolNation to be. An online version of your favorite bar, the place where you get together with friends to talk Vol Football.

Trouble is, Freak doesn't sell beer.

Okay, we can get beer out of our own refrigerators. So we'll overlook that one.

Trouble is, the social anonymity of the internet encourages people to act like jackwagons to each other.

Okay, that's just life online. Have to roll with that.

Trouble is, we're infiltrated with fans of other schools pretending to be Vols fans just enough that they can cause trouble. Not talking about 99gator or bamawriter, or guys like them. They're open and honest about who they support, they're guests in our house, and welcome for their (wrong, inbred and socially inept, haha) opinions. No, talking about the trolls who pretend to be Vols but are really just here to denigrate.

Again, that's just life online. Have to ignore them as best we can and get on with it.

...

break/break

...

This thread is really for and about the other group. Those folks who haven't yet figured out how to be a devout fan while criticizing. Those who, when they turn on the negative flow, don't know how to control it, who haven't developed their fine tuning enough to avoid being nasty, petty or boorish when they want to talk about how things aren't perfect.

Norm walks into Cheers, everyone shouts NORM! He sits down, orders a beer, and joins the chatter about the Red Sox. He's not a big fan of John Farrell, and he's free to explain why, BECAUSE he is so well known in the bar to be a consumate Red Sox fan. Because for everything critical he might say about the manager or one of the players, he says ten or twenty positive things about the team. And even if he's not the hugest fan of Farrell, he wouldn't for a minute put up with a Yankee fan walking into the bar and talking trash about him or any other member of the team.

Why can't we all be like Norm?

When did disagreement forcibly turn into hate and rudeness?

Something to think about.

Go Vols!



NOTE: Not saying anyone (other than the trolls, they know who they are and we do, too) isn't a fan. This isn't about defining fandom or excluding anyone. It's about suggesting that we, as a group of Vols fans, consider raising our game, becoming more the fan base that ALL of us can be proud of.
Click to expand...

This is a good analogy 82!!

I'm hoping I can be around long enough to have my post count as high as yours and some others. We'll have to wait and see about that when the season starts. I tend to get "emotional" sometimes and that doesn't always set well on here.

Saying that, I've never insulted anyone on here. Never called them names or belittled anyone. I don't care how much I disagree, that's just not the right way to do things.

My ole' buddy KB and I have exchanged debates on here for years relating to the Fulmer/Majors deal and contributed a lot of posts to the Fulmer Extravaganza thread. Finally though, I did understand his point of Fulmer helping Majors build the program.

My point, it's good to be a fan. It's good to be passionate. But, there is a line when it comes to attacking other posters. Even the trolls.:hi:
 
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#37
#37
VFL-82-JP said:
You walk into the bar. You've been a patron of this bar since you turned 18, many years ago. It's "your" bar, the bar closest to home, the one with all the folks you know, all your friends and ex-girlfriends and former enemies, even the moms and dads of some of your old high school classmates. It's as close to "home" as a place with a liquor license can be.

And everyone in this bar loves the Vols. Venerates them. Each and every game is played live on all seven TVs hanging in all the corners and side walls, and then played again at least four or five more times during the week. Orange is by far the predominant color, both in the decor and on the backs of the patrons.

It's okay to talk trash about the head coach, as long as it's clear you love the guy and would run through the wall for him. Not because his name is Butch, but just because he's our coach. Some of the folks in the bar think he's not the long term answer, sure, and plenty of beer has been spilt over heated debates on that topic. But even for them, while Butch may be an idiot, he's OUR idiot. Any fan of another school walks in that door and takes advantage of some insider criticism, and they'll quickly find out that the color orange is FAR more important to us than petty disagreements about any particular coach or player.

This is a Tennessee Volunteers bar. It's a second home. Arguing, dancing, or watching the game together, it is comfortable as the womb, because it's full of people who share a love. A Vols love.

...

break/break

...

That, that word picture I just drew, that's what a lot of us would like VolNation to be. An online version of your favorite bar, the place where you get together with friends to talk Vol Football.

Trouble is, Freak doesn't sell beer.

Okay, we can get beer out of our own refrigerators. So we'll overlook that one.

Trouble is, the social anonymity of the internet encourages people to act like jackwagons to each other.

Okay, that's just life online. Have to roll with that.

Trouble is, we're infiltrated with fans of other schools pretending to be Vols fans just enough that they can cause trouble. Not talking about 99gator or bamawriter, or guys like them. They're open and honest about who they support, they're guests in our house, and welcome for their (wrong, inbred and socially inept, haha) opinions. No, talking about the trolls who pretend to be Vols but are really just here to denigrate.

Again, that's just life online. Have to ignore them as best we can and get on with it.

...

break/break

...

This thread is really for and about the other group. Those folks who haven't yet figured out how to be a devout fan while criticizing. Those who, when they turn on the negative flow, don't know how to control it, who haven't developed their fine tuning enough to avoid being nasty, petty or boorish when they want to talk about how things aren't perfect.

Norm walks into Cheers, everyone shouts NORM! He sits down, orders a beer, and joins the chatter about the Red Sox. He's not a big fan of John Farrell, and he's free to explain why, BECAUSE he is so well known in the bar to be a consumate Red Sox fan. Because for everything critical he might say about the manager or one of the players, he says ten or twenty positive things about the team. And even if he's not the hugest fan of Farrell, he wouldn't for a minute put up with a Yankee fan walking into the bar and talking trash about him or any other member of the team.

Why can't we all be like Norm?

When did disagreement forcibly turn into hate and rudeness?

Something to think about.

Go Vols!



NOTE: Not saying anyone (other than the trolls, they know who they are and we do, too) isn't a fan. This isn't about defining fandom or excluding anyone. It's about suggesting that we, as a group of Vols fans, consider raising our game, becoming more the fan base that ALL of us can be proud of.
Click to expand...

It's a two way street though. I've had more than one post whether I was called names by the Pumpers since it wasn't positive enough and was called names by the Negas since it wasn't negative enough. Most of the rude comments I have received have been from the Pumpers that sh-t out orange tinted rainbows.
 
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#38
#38
BigOrangeMojo said:
It's a two way street though. I've had more than one post whether I was called names by the Pumpers since it wasn't positive enough and was called names by the Negas since it wasn't negative enough. Most of the rude comments I have received have been from the Pumpers that sh-t out orange tinted rainbows.
Click to expand...

:lolabove::lolabove::lolabove::lolabove:
 
#39
#39
CZA was on Swain this morning and he put it best...."volnation may bicker in and amongst themselves about this or that, but don't let an outsider come in and do the same, then you'll feel the full force of volnation....it's like a family that can say whatever it wants to each other, but someone outside tries to, it's on."

so, sure i get it JP. but at the end of the day, one of the things about this place that is fun is you can say crap to someone you know you probably wouldn't say face to face....

plus, most of us that would say it face to face would be in that sarcastic buddy way of saying you're fos.

you can't get mannerisms and body language and tone on a message board, so the receiver of the message is free to interpret any comment any way they choose.

with that.....stfu and get over it.
 
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#40
#40
jakez4ut said:
CZA was on Swain this morning and he put it best...."volnation may bicker in and amongst themselves about this or that, but don't let an outsider come in and do the same, then you'll feel the full force of volnation....it's like a family that can say whatever it wants to each other, but someone outside tries to, it's on."

so, sure i get it JP. but at the end of the day, one of the things about this place that is fun is you can say crap to someone you know you probably wouldn't say face to face....

plus, most of us that would say it face to face would be in that sarcastic buddy way of saying you're fos.

you can't get mannerisms and body language and tone on a message board, so the receiver of the message is free to interpret any comment any way they choose.

with that.....stfu and get over it.
Click to expand...

I don't see it that way at all. In fact, I think that is what JP was trying to say it should be like. He can correct me if I'm wrong, but I see it not even close to what CZA described.

Edit: I do see it with a few individuals, but not as a whole.
 
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#41
#41
volfanbill said:
I prefer people that go against the grain if they feel justified. If they don't think Butch is the answer, say so. Be adamant about it. Don't sit idly by while the team remains mediocre. If Butch proves them wrong, good for Butch. If we loved Dooley because he was our Dooley, he'd still be our Dooley. Be yourself. Be opinionated. And on the flip side, don't cry in a 5,437 word post about people who have different opinions. That goes for message board fodder and life.
Click to expand...

That ^^^^

Bravo.
 
#42
#42
Behr said:
I don't see it that way at all. In fact, I think that is what JP was trying to say it should be like. He can correct me if I'm wrong, but I see it not even close to what CZA described.

Edit: I do see it with a few individuals, but not as a whole.
Click to expand...

eh, push comes to shove....i think it is. sure there's a few regulars here, that we all think are pretty good, and we agree or disagree with some of their assertions. but on the whole, when we've seen the new GT fan, OU fan, NW fan, NEB fan, VT fan, bama troll, gator troll, ga troll etc....we kind of handle it exactly how CZA describes.

but no, it's never going to be that way for ALL or EVERYONE....
 
#43
#43
creekerballer said:
As for your OP I see where your coming from, but I also like that VN allows you to have an opinion. I know you didn't mean that no one is suppose to ever criticize anything, but I just don't want to ever see this place look like Vandys website where if you so much as think an ill word about Vandy your immediately banned.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I absolutely agree with you.

I think there's plenty of room in between those two extremes. We could find a happy medium where we all feel like an extended family while being free to laugh and trash talk each other, disagree frequently, argue, drink together, and get along.

Lot of space in between those extremes.
 
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#44
#44
BigOrangeMojo said:
It's a two way street though. I've had more than one post whether I was called names by the Pumpers since it wasn't positive enough and was called names by the Negas since it wasn't negative enough. Most of the rude comments I have received have been from the Pumpers that sh-t out orange tinted rainbows.
Click to expand...

You're right, Mojo, civility has to come from both sides. We gotta recognize the ties we have, the good ties, the orange ties, and let those overcome petty differences after we're done arguing about this coach or that game, this player or that play.
 
#46
#46
Jake and Behr, I don't understand your disagreement.

We're talking about community. Right? Community that transcends differences of opinion, that binds us together like the underlying glue of the Vols universe.

Right?
 
#47
#47
VolunteerHillbilly said:
Englands?
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I don't even know the name, Hillbilly. We just called it "the bar" back then.

Can tell you where it is, maybe you can tell from that if it's the one you were thinking of.

Starting on top of the Viaduct, since that's a prominent navigation point on that end of town. Head east like you're going to Manchester. At the old shoe plant, turn right onto Anderson Street, like you're going to AEDC. Then, about a block and a half from that intersection, the bar is on the left. Old cinderblock building with a gravel parking lot around three sides.

That the one you were thinking of?

Heck, for all I know, it may not even be a bar any more....
 
Last edited:
#48
#48
VFL-82-JP said:
+1 for Cheers gif.

-1 for Norm not being in it.

:)
Click to expand...


VFL-82-JP, Norm was running late.. here ya go!
NormCheers.gif
 
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#49
#49
VFL-82-JP said:
Jake and Behr, I don't understand your disagreement.

We're talking about community. Right? Community that transcends differences of opinion, that binds us together like the underlying glue of the Vols universe.

Right?
Click to expand...

sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo if you ask me
--Han Solo, 1977
 
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