It is not our job...

[Rockytopvol86]

I don't think anyone is calling for JP head, no one is happy with the results on the field. And it's not 100% Pruitts fault, however as I've stated before he's being compensated well enough to handle some upset fans. He hasn't lost this fan base yet and he's not close to in year one.

Unfortunately, there actually are fans that have called for his head and I’ve talked to some. There have also been others on this board that have come out even after the first loss and asked how long should we give him. This job, known by all, is one that would require time to rebuild and recruit proper SEC caliber players, train them in an SC program and learn a new system. Am I happy with the way things have gone .... absolutely not... but I have seen some improvement. It’ll take some time to get these butch jones brainwashed players to learn proper technique. It’ll also take time to recruit. The true measuring stick will begin next season. I’m a vol for life and will watch win or lose unlike some of our fair weather fans.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Okay, so this is an easy one to get offended by.

It's easy (wrong, but easy) to take the word "job" literally.

It's easy (wrong, but easy) to adopt a reducto ad absurdum position and claim the original point keeps us from discussing football.

It's easy (wrong, but easy) to assume that if you're not bitching, the only alternative is to be a cheerleader.

All these counter-arguments are wrong. Those who make them are either (a) choosing to misunderstand to avoid a point that maybe doesn't paint them in a positive light, or (b) truly not bright enough to see how those responses are wrong. Lazy counter-arguments.

There have been a couple of valid counter-points (the Schiano one was the best). Mostly, though, those who have disagreed have taken one of these lazy tacks.

Be a fan. Not a smart-ass, not a troll, not a douche, not a petulant child. Just be a fan.

 

[Jack Burton]

Never question.

Always follow.

Know your position.

Sounds a little culty OP.

 

[ptcarter]

Never question.

Always follow.

Know your position.

Sounds a little culty OP.

If you hold hands and concentrate, the “she shed’s” walls become invisible.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Okay, so this is an easy one to get offended by.

It's easy (wrong, but easy) to take the word "job" literally.

It's easy (wrong, but easy) to adopt a reducto ad absurdum position and claim the original point keeps us from discussing football.

It's easy (wrong, but easy) to assume that if you're not bitching, the only alternative is to be a cheerleader.

All these counter-arguments are wrong. Those who make them are either (a) choosing to misunderstand to avoid a point that maybe doesn't paint them in a positive light, or (b) truly not bright enough to see how those responses are wrong. Lazy counter-arguments.

There have been a couple of valid counter-points (the Schiano one was the best). Mostly, though, those who have disagreed have taken one of these lazy tacks.

Be a fan. Not a smart-ass, not a troll, not a douche, not a petulant child. Just be a fan.

Tough to be a fan around here sometimes when some posters use this forum as their personal soap box more often than not then throw out insults when it gets pointed out how silly some of their posts come across.

 

[SmokyRiverDog]

It takes a special kind of naivety to start a thread with that nonsense.

 

[deezvols]

This is an expensive job to have, and the company I work for seems to be poor at doing their job.

 

[RollerVol]

I'M ALL IN...

GO VOLS!

 

[TNnative]

I'm gonna take that as a "no," Hillbilly. That you're not gonna do the one job you signed on for.

Because you didn't sign on to mow the practice fields. You didn't sign on to help the nutritionist or the equipment manager. You sure didn't sign on to coach.

But you did sign on to be a fan. Proof: you created an account on these boards, and your name doesn't include "gator" or "dawg."

So okay, you're not gonna do your one job. Got it. Pity.

 

[VolAllen]

Well spoken...and GREAT to hear!

So...this will be your last post, and furthermore...the board will no longer be peppered with your self-medicating drivel? You’ll just be traveling to each and EVERY game...spending real $...be a TRUE “fan”...right? Because...THAT$ what it is ALL really about...the $. TRUE support...AT THE EVENT...through ticket, University and Knoxville area (other areas when away games and neutral sites are designated) economic support...and merch...lots and LOTS of merch. Get that annual donation ready and make it BIG please. You BIG “fan” YOU!

Looking forward to not reading your pablum anymore! See ya!

Amen. Easily the most annoying poster on Volnation. I’m a really positive person, but this dude is on another planet.

And 13,000 posts in 3 years

 

[MurphyVol]

I'm telling everyone right now, Shane's Rib Shack may be. BBQ joint, but their chicken tenders are dynamite

 

[Vol737]

What's a good fan if they don't b**ch and moan?? That's half the fun!

 

[savannahfan]

It is not our job to fix things.

It is not our job to provide advice on how to fix things.

It is not our job to complain about how fast or slow things are getting fixed.

It is not our job to "apply pressure" or "let them know" or "put our foot down."

...

As fans we have one job, just the one: to support our team, to support our team fanatically.

Lot of folks in these boards seem to think we have other jobs. We don't.

We have just the one job.

I'm gonna do that. How about you?

Understand what you are saying. But it is our job to make commits about what we see and don't see and discuss them among ourselves. (else what is this site for?)
I do agree we have no idea how things should be done. When we do that, we display our ignorance as we know little about the "inside" of the program and what the overall plans going forward really are.

 

[volfannbama]

Yeah, absolutely. I'm not saying let's don't discuss the team (seems some folks here are interpreting the OP that way, but that's not what it meant). Just saying let's don't criticize for the sake of criticism, don't hate, don't throw tomatos, and don't lecture the coaches on how they should be doing their jobs (very few of us are qualified to do that last one, anyway).

Seems some of us get so focused on discussing the team that we forget to support the team.

Dont message boards exist for the sole reason of discussion? The fact that a person is on a vols message board should lead to some assumption that they support the team.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Understand what you are saying. But it is our job to make commits about what we see and don't see and discuss them among ourselves. (else what is this site for?)
I do agree we have no idea how things should be done. When we do that, we display our ignorance as we know little about the "inside" of the program and what the overall plans going forward really are.

I agree with you entirely, Savannah.

 

[SmokyRiverDog]

Dont message boards exist for the sole reason of discussion? The fact that a person is on a vols message board should lead to some assumption that they support the team.

I am going to disagree. I follow the team, but I don't support the team. I used to support the team, but now I am attempting to break that habit. I am down to following the information regarding the team, with an eye towards reducing that over time. I just didn't want to quit cold turkey.

 

[lifeVol]

I don't think anyone is calling for JP head, no one is happy with the results on the field. And it's not 100% Pruitts fault, however as I've stated before he's being compensated well enough to handle some upset fans. He hasn't lost this fan base yet and he's not close to in year one.

Not 100% CJP's fault ? It's not 1% CJP's fault. I'm glad we finally got a football coach instead of a used vacuum cleaner salesman.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Dont message boards exist for the sole reason of discussion? The fact that a person is on a vols message board should lead to some assumption that they support the team.

The OP doesn't say we shouldn't discuss. Even critique.

Discussing what went well, and what didn't, is fan activity, for sure.

Denigrating players and coaches--when we mostly don't know what we're talking about anyway--is silly. It's the polar opposite of supportive. It does no one any good.

I get that we all need to let steam off when things aren't going well. But don't do it in a destructive way, and don't aim the vitriol at our team. Go punch a bag, or run it off, or howl at the moon. Not our lads or coaches, who are all putting a hell of a lot more blood, sweat and tears into making things better than any of us are.

There. That's the less enigmatic version of the OP, for those who seem not to have gotten it.

 

[IPleadInsanity]

It is not our job to fix things.

It is not our job to provide advice on how to fix things.

It is not our job to complain about how fast or slow things are getting fixed.

It is not our job to "apply pressure" or "let them know" or "put our foot down."

...

As fans we have one job, just the one: to support our team, to support our team fanatically.

Lot of folks in these boards seem to think we have other jobs. We don't.

We have just the one job.

I'm gonna do that. How about you?

Yes, its clear our job is to pay and watch, Tv or in person. 100 million budget per year means we fans have invested 1.3 billion since 2005 to get the team to this point in the process. All of the coaches got their salaries in full plus pay offs, the players all got their scholarships, the athletic department filled the coffers and received donations for new facilities. What group got the least?

It looks like we are on the right track finally but lay off the fans, they have been there every step of the way and have earned the right to complain. The fans will not be a problem moving forward.

 

[lostsheep]

It is not our job to fix things.

It is not our job to provide advice on how to fix things.

It is not our job to complain about how fast or slow things are getting fixed.

It is not our job to "apply pressure" or "let them know" or "put our foot down."

...

As fans we have one job, just the one: to support our team, to support our team fanatically.

Lot of folks in these boards seem to think we have other jobs. We don't.

We have just the one job.

I'm gonna do that. How about you?

And the administration at UT is counting on you continuing to do just that...show up each and every Saturday and continue to spend crap tons of $ on their product, regardless of how it performs on the field.

 

[savannahfan]

Tennessee fans don’t need much criticism to be honest. The fact we are still top in revenue and attendance despite suffering the worst 10 year stretch in the programs history is pretty amazing.

Tennessee fans deserve much better than what we’ve been getting, and I wouldn’t blame a fan for throwing in the towel. It’s largely been a one-sided relationship since 2008, and honestly, it was going downhill for the 6 years prior to that.

Most fans are fans because of loyalty and pride... and there is little to be proud of in recent memory. Related to loyalty, at some point there has to be reciprocation.

I have said this before. The championship game against LSU was the start of the downfall. Playing for a trip to the finals and at the Rose Bowl no less to play as badly and as unsportsmen like, I said at the time would set the program back 7 years. Turns out to be much longer.

 

[savannahfan]

You're stupid! Fans have a right to complain,advise,whatever. How do you think changes are made? Who are you to tell anybody how to think and act?

When people make statements like this, I wonder if they would make them to a person's face.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

And the administration at UT is counting on you continuing to do just that...show up each and every Saturday and continue to spend crap tons of $ on their product, regardless of how it performs on the field.

If you are thinking of college football first and foremost as a financial transaction, you're coming at it from the wrong perspective.

This isn't about buying a car, or a can opener. You're not paying for a national title, an SEC crown, or even an X-win season. You're paying for the opportunity to watch lads in orange play football. Win or lose, you pay the same amount. You know that going in. I do, too. You have no right to demand wins instead of losses. That's not in the contract.

There. That's the financial angle. And if you don't find that satisfying, sure, I wouldn't either...if I looked at it from a financial perspective.

But it's not about finances. You're buying the right to go in the gate, that's all. After that, it's football.

 

[Vfl2407]

Dont message boards exist for the sole reason of discussion? The fact that a person is on a vols message board should lead to some assumption that they support the team.

My Lord, I’m agreeing with vfnb. As he states, that’s exactly the reason for message boards.
To discuss our teams, good, bad, and ugly.
OP’s message felt a little Zieg heil like cultist.
Coaches come and go and are paid to support our school and teams.
Players come and go and are paid with scholarships of room and board.
But, most fans remain loyal throughout their lives and they pay to support the program in many ways. We, therefore, have all of the rights to be critical when necessary while still remaining steadfastly loyal as this fan base has certainly done thru many lean years.

 

[lostsheep]

If you are thinking of college football first and foremost as a financial transaction, you're coming at it from the wrong perspective.

This isn't about buying a car, or a can opener. You're not paying for a national title, an SEC crown, or even an X-win season. You're paying for the opportunity to watch lads in orange play football. Win or lose, you pay the same amount. You know that going in. I do, too. You have no right to demand wins instead of losses. That's not in the contract.

That's the financial angle. And if you don't find that satisfying, sure, I would agree. If I looked at it from a financial perspective, I wouldn't like the arrangement, either.

But it's not about finances, for me. Or for many others, here.

I agree...it's not about finances for me either. It's about being a life-long fan and living and breathing UT football for as long as you can remember. Unfortunately we don't have the ability to turn that on and off...it's just there. However, the last decade has exhausted many fans in my opinion. We all can suffer through a few bad years because we accept that's just part of the cycle...but at this point, I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel, other than the freight trains of Auburn and Alabama heading our way.