Interesting perspective.

#2
#2
The writer argues as if what's "reasonable" to him is the standard for success. It isn't. It isn't what's "fair" that makes it necessary for a coach to show out early. It is the reality of image when it comes to fan support and especially recruiting. The best players look for successful coaches... or the shiny new guy who offers immediate playing time. The reason guys who don't win early seldom win big is that blue chips don't flock to coaches who've won 6 to 8 games for their first three or 4 years at a job. Even a great coach has a ceiling without great players. Added to that is the fact that those coaches have been trying to "build" with guys that the new guys probably cannot beat out to play early.

Coaches just get trapped by momentum and circumstances if they don't win early.
 
#3
#3
The writer argues as if what's "reasonable" to him is the standard for success. It isn't. It isn't what's "fair" that makes it necessary for a coach to show out early. It is the reality of image when it comes to fan support and especially recruiting. The best players look for successful coaches... or the shiny new guy who offers immediate playing time. The reason guys who don't win early seldom win big is that blue chips don't flock to coaches who've won 6 to 8 games for their first three or 4 years at a job. Even a great coach has a ceiling without great players. Added to that is the fact that those coaches have been trying to "build" with guys that the new guys probably cannot beat out to play early.

Coaches just get trapped by momentum and circumstances if they don't win early.
Extremely well said. Sadly this level of intelligent analysis and logical thinking is gonna go miles over most heads. It will confuse both 'negavols' and the ones with orange tinted glasses equally because it's neither. It's just a statement of truth. Life is never as simple as black and white, left and right. There are nuances and context matters. It's nice to see that volnation has all types that speak up because all our voices matter. Kudos to you sir.
 
#4
#4
The writer argues as if what's "reasonable" to him is the standard for success. It isn't. It isn't what's "fair" that makes it necessary for a coach to show out early. It is the reality of image when it comes to fan support and especially recruiting. The best players look for successful coaches... or the shiny new guy who offers immediate playing time. The reason guys who don't win early seldom win big is that blue chips don't flock to coaches who've won 6 to 8 games for their first three or 4 years at a job. Even a great coach has a ceiling without great players. Added to that is the fact that those coaches have been trying to "build" with guys that the new guys probably cannot beat out to play early.

Coaches just get trapped by momentum and circumstances if they don't win early.
I disagree, we just need to show improvement to sustain our momentum in recruiting. If we get to 7-5, with the only blowout loss being to Bama, that allows Pruitt to continue to sell that we are a team on the rise. Saban himself was never going 10-2 or 11-1 this year, with this roster.
 
#5
#5
I disagree, we just need to show improvement to sustain our momentum in recruiting. If we get to 7-5, with the only blowout loss being to Bama, that allows Pruitt to continue to sell that we are a team on the rise. Saban himself was never going 10-2 or 11-1 this year, with this roster.
Completely agree. That's what the article says, right? I think "winning big" with this roster in this part of this rebuild with as strong and deep as the SEC is would be getting 8 or 9 wins. I don't see UT going 10-2 this year in any circumstance at all.
 
#6
#6
Article brings up interesting point about DWA. Assuming OL/DL progress to normalcy, and JG ups his game, DWA could be a big factor in the offense, especially w/ Chaney at the OC helm. If he develops into a big weapon, then that's going to make the offense alot more balanced. Top level TE's like Jason Witten takes a special skill...first they need to be able to block...then there's ability to just find the open pockets in the defense. Witten has never been accused of being the fastest guy on the field, but always finds a way to get open...and lastly, if the TE has mismatch speed vs LB's and does the two previous things well, you've got a day 1/day 2 draft choice. Even when Witten was at UT, he wasn't utilized to his potential...in fact, UT has never really utilized the TE as a consistent weapon. If DWA makes all SEC, as a by-product of the offense, I think we'll have had a pretty good year on the field...at least on the offensive side of the ball.
 
#7
#7
I disagree, we just need to show improvement to sustain our momentum in recruiting. If we get to 7-5, with the only blowout loss being to Bama, that allows Pruitt to continue to sell that we are a team on the rise. Saban himself was never going 10-2 or 11-1 this year, with this roster.

I’m with this here. Just show improvement. Anything above 6 wins continues the momentum. More wins than that equals more buzz, momentum, excitement all around the program.

You can’t lose to Vandy or miss a bowl. Those are real buzzkills.

If Pruitt is an elite coach he can show it in year 2 with solid game planning. Even if we take the loss but the game plan was strong then you can make a case that better players are needed to execute. Just don’t create question marks like Butch did with his weird time outs and 4 passing plays from the 1.
 
#8
#8
I don't know if it came from 24/7 sports yakking, or if we've all just become "entitled" to having our fantasies fulfilled, but...

Today almost every fan seems to anticipate the season with a narrative.

"Here's what I want to happen," or "Here's what I expect will happen." Which produces the two Vol nations we regularly see acting out on our LCD screens: the film noir negavols and the Hallmark channelling orange-tinteds.

Once summer practice begins, it's hard to find (among the posting class) Vol fans who are content to sit back and enjoy the story being written in real time, daily determined by boys-becoming-men under the direction--but not control--of coaches in the top 98 percentile of their profession. For fans like us (who hold lofty goals for our team--but don't hold them as expectations) the story is not determined by the ending, but by the journey.

It really is all about the players. How will they respond to adversity? Who will rise to the challenge, and why was one ready to embrace it, and another not?

Thirty-four years ago, in a tight game at Legion Field, Tony Robinson went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Having already lost to #7 Florida, every VFL felt that our high expectations narrative for that season had ended. Everyone's story for the season got shredded with number 10's ligaments.

But how did the story write itself? An improbable defensive play by Dale Jones saved the 'Bama game. An unheralded but eventual hero* was introduced in 5th year senior, backup QB Daryl Dickey.

* Imagine what story negavol nation would have posted the following weekend, after Dickey could only manage a 6-6 tie against Georgia Tech

But the story continued to write itself, to an ending that no amount of Vodka-laced orange kool-aid would have dared anticipate in pre-season. Decades later we still tell our stories about the magic season of the "Sugar Vols."

Fans with preseason narratives want every season to be as special as '85 or '98. But the truth is, it's the average seasons, the disappointing seasons, and the seasons that begin with low or no expectations that lead us to those special, memorable seasons we will recount for decades.

The players always write their own season's story, regardless of the narratives we try to place on them before they don pads for the first time. We are fans. This is a game. Our self-image is not determined by what others achieve. Relax and enjoy. Our summer days of running wind sprints are over. It's someone else's turn now to do the tough work. Appreciate them and respect their effort.

Watch, cheer, and let the players do the writing.
 
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#9
#9
I don't know if it came from 24/7 sports yakking, or if we've all just become "entitled" to having our fantasies fulfilled, but...

Today almost every fan seems to anticipate the season with a narrative.

"Here's what I want to happen," or "Here's what I expect will happen." Which produces the two Vol nations we regularly see acting out on our LCD screens: the film noir negavols and the orange-tinteds of Hallmark Channel.

Once summer practice begins, it's hard to find (among the posting class) Vol fans who are content to sit back and enjoy the story being written in real time, daily determined by boys-becoming-men under the direction--but not control--of coaches in the top 98 percentile of their profession. For fans like us (who hold lofty goals for our team--but don't hold them as expectations) the story is not determined by the ending, but by the journey.

It really is all about the players. How will they respond to adversity? Who will rise to the challenge, and why was one ready to embrace it, and another not?

Thirty-four years ago, in a tight game at Legion Field, Tony Robinson went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Having already lost to #7 Florida, every VFL felt that our high expectations narrative for that season had ended. Everyone's story for the season got shredded with number 10's ligaments.

But how did the story write itself? An improbable defensive play by Dale Jones saved the 'Bama game. An unheralded but eventual hero* was introduced in 5th year senior, backup QB Daryl Dickey.

* Imagine what story negavol nation would have posted the following weekend, after Dickey could only manage a 6-6 tie against Georgia Tech

But the story continued to write itself, to an ending that no amount of Vodka-laced orange kool-aid would have dared anticipate in pre-season. Decades later we still tell our stories about the magic season of the "Sugar Vols."

Fans with preseason narratives want every season to be as special as '85 or '98. But the truth is, it's the average seasons, the disappointing seasons, and the seasons that begin with low or no expectations that lead us to those special, memorable seasons we will recount for decades.

The players always write their own season's story, regardless of the narratives we try to place on them before they don pads for the first time. We are fans. This is a game. Our self-image is not determined by what others achieve. Relax and enjoy. Our summer days of running wind sprints are over. It's someone else's turn now to do the tough work. Appreciate them and respect their effort.

Watch, cheer, and let the players do the writing.

While somewhat I agree with the overall sentiment of what you are saying, it is just a game, the kids playing and men coaching determine the true outcomes not us, so sit back and enjoy.

However, your are forgetting the underlying concept of a fan. Fan is short for fanatic.

We will never stop the anticipation of a new season, new recruits and coaches, returning players and coaches, what will the record be, who on our schedule is beatable or should be beatable. That's what makes us fans. If we just sat back and never did anything until comment until after the game is played, well, where's the fun in that?

Anticipation, speculation and mixed in with all that comes with the emotional ups and downs of the season and the reflection of seasons past - These are what makes the game what it is and our fan base what it is.
 
#10
#10
It’s almost August, we’re undefeated, healthy and ready to shock the world.

I want a bowl game this year and would be tickled to get 8 regular season wins. I hate that teams like South Carolina, Missouri and Vandy have dominated us...I don’t like losing any games but those really hurt.
 
#11
#11
I don't know if it came from 24/7 sports yakking, or if we've all just become "entitled" to having our fantasies fulfilled, but...

Today almost every fan seems to anticipate the season with a narrative.

"Here's what I want to happen," or "Here's what I expect will happen." Which produces the two Vol nations we regularly see acting out on our LCD screens: the film noir negavols and the orange-tinteds of Hallmark Channel.

Once summer practice begins, it's hard to find (among the posting class) Vol fans who are content to sit back and enjoy the story being written in real time, daily determined by boys-becoming-men under the direction--but not control--of coaches in the top 98 percentile of their profession. For fans like us (who hold lofty goals for our team--but don't hold them as expectations) the story is not determined by the ending, but by the journey.

It really is all about the players. How will they respond to adversity? Who will rise to the challenge, and why was one ready to embrace it, and another not?

Thirty-four years ago, in a tight game at Legion Field, Tony Robinson went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Having already lost to #7 Florida, every VFL felt that our high expectations narrative for that season had ended. Everyone's story for the season got shredded with number 10's ligaments.

But how did the story write itself? An improbable defensive play by Dale Jones saved the 'Bama game. An unheralded but eventual hero* was introduced in 5th year senior, backup QB Daryl Dickey.

* Imagine what story negavol nation would have posted the following weekend, after Dickey could only manage a 6-6 tie against Georgia Tech

But the story continued to write itself, to an ending that no amount of Vodka-laced orange kool-aid would have dared anticipate in pre-season. Decades later we still tell our stories about the magic season of the "Sugar Vols."

Fans with preseason narratives want every season to be as special as '85 or '98. But the truth is, it's the average seasons, the disappointing seasons, and the seasons that begin with low or no expectations that lead us to those special, memorable seasons we will recount for decades.

The players always write their own season's story, regardless of the narratives we try to place on them before they don pads for the first time. We are fans. This is a game. Our self-image is not determined by what others achieve. Relax and enjoy. Our summer days of running wind sprints are over. It's someone else's turn now to do the tough work. Appreciate them and respect their effort.

Watch, cheer, and let the players do the writing.

Well said, correct perspective IMO. May print this post off and tack it to my bulletin board.
 
#12
#12
I disagree, we just need to show improvement to sustain our momentum in recruiting. If we get to 7-5, with the only blowout loss being to Bama, that allows Pruitt to continue to sell that we are a team on the rise. Saban himself was never going 10-2 or 11-1 this year, with this roster.
What's in bold simply doesn't matter. You have a sense of fairness where you think it should... but it doesn't. Kiffin inherited a hole. Dooley inherited a hole. Jones inherited a hole. The last two were fired. No one knows where they would have gone if they'd inherited more talent and stability. It happens over and over because recruits want to see wins or the new guy selling early playing time.

That said, I think he could make it with 7 wins as long as year three was an incredibly special year. But 3 years is more or less the line. We saw Jones' recruiting drop off after he choked his 3rd year. Even Fulmer struggled to recruit quality linemen after his losing season and inability to compete with Saban and Meyer.

Saban is an exception. His first great season was with a team not entirely unlike this one. He had some really good recruits that were able to play early to go with some good but not great older players that he developed to their fullest. But more than that he stepped into an SEC West that wasn't great and his big cross division rival on the decline which is not the case for Pruitt. It was a "perfect storm".... plus he's a great coach.

The "guy" will win exceed expectations. He will win the ones he's "supposed" to win more than his share of equal battles and some upsets. If Pruitt or anyone else fails to do that... they're likely to win big and survive.
 
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#13
#13
It’s almost August, we’re undefeated, healthy and ready to shock the world.

I want a bowl game this year and would be tickled to get 8 regular season wins. I hate that teams like South Carolina, Missouri and Vandy have dominated us...I don’t like losing any games but those really hurt.
You know... that's more than we could say in most of Jones' years. One of his biggest flaws is that he didn't know how to keep guys healthy while preparing them to play.
 
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#14
#14
What's in bold simply doesn't matter. You have a sense of fairness where you think it should... but it doesn't. Kiffin inherited a hole. Dooley inherited a hole. Jones inherited a hole. The last two were fired. No one knows where they would have gone if they'd inherited more talent and stability. It happens over and over because recruits want to see wins or the new guy selling early playing time.

That said, I think he could make it with 7 wins as long as year three was an incredibly special year. But 3 years is more or less the line. We saw Jones' recruiting drop off after he choked his 3rd year. Even Fulmer struggled to recruit quality linemen after his losing season and inability to compete with Saban and Meyer.

Saban is an exception. His first great season was with a team not entirely unlike this one. He had some really good recruits that were able to play early to go with some good but not great older players that he developed to their fullest. But more than that he stepped into an SEC West that wasn't great and his big cross division rival on the decline which is not the case for Pruitt. It was a "perfect storm".... plus he's a great coach.

The "guy" will win exceed expectations. He will win the ones he's "supposed" to win more than his share of equal battles and some upsets. If Pruitt or anyone else fails to do that... they're likely to win big and survive.
Dabo Swinney went 6-7 in year 3, too bad Clemson didn't can him.
 
#15
#15
I don't know if it came from 24/7 sports yakking, or if we've all just become "entitled" to having our fantasies fulfilled, but...

Today almost every fan seems to anticipate the season with a narrative.

"Here's what I want to happen," or "Here's what I expect will happen." Which produces the two Vol nations we regularly see acting out on our LCD screens: the film noir negavols and the orange-tinteds of Hallmark Channel.

Once summer practice begins, it's hard to find (among the posting class) Vol fans who are content to sit back and enjoy the story being written in real time, daily determined by boys-becoming-men under the direction--but not control--of coaches in the top 98 percentile of their profession. For fans like us (who hold lofty goals for our team--but don't hold them as expectations) the story is not determined by the ending, but by the journey.

It really is all about the players. How will they respond to adversity? Who will rise to the challenge, and why was one ready to embrace it, and another not?

Thirty-four years ago, in a tight game at Legion Field, Tony Robinson went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Having already lost to #7 Florida, every VFL felt that our high expectations narrative for that season had ended. Everyone's story for the season got shredded with number 10's ligaments.

But how did the story write itself? An improbable defensive play by Dale Jones saved the 'Bama game. An unheralded but eventual hero* was introduced in 5th year senior, backup QB Daryl Dickey.

* Imagine what story negavol nation would have posted the following weekend, after Dickey could only manage a 6-6 tie against Georgia Tech

But the story continued to write itself, to an ending that no amount of Vodka-laced orange kool-aid would have dared anticipate in pre-season. Decades later we still tell our stories about the magic season of the "Sugar Vols."

Fans with preseason narratives want every season to be as special as '85 or '98. But the truth is, it's the average seasons, the disappointing seasons, and the seasons that begin with low or no expectations that lead us to those special, memorable seasons we will recount for decades.

The players always write their own season's story, regardless of the narratives we try to place on them before they don pads for the first time. We are fans. This is a game. Our self-image is not determined by what others achieve. Relax and enjoy. Our summer days of running wind sprints are over. It's someone else's turn now to do the tough work. Appreciate them and respect their effort.

Watch, cheer, and let the players do the writing.
Well articulated example of what we're all holding our breath for...players taking their circumstance, and deciding for themselves that past history isn't going to determine their future.

We aren't in a talent spot like Bama, UGA, LSU, maybe UF...but we aren't totally devoid of talent either, and think we should expect to compete pretty well with all others. I do have to admit, though, that the over all competition base in the SEC today is light years ahead of where it was in the 70's, 80', and even 90's.

To me, Chris White, FS for the Sugar Vols, most symbolizes what we need out of this year's team. A 5th year senior who had very little previous playing time, came off the bench to lead the team with NINE interceptions, earning All American honors.
 
#16
#16
What's in bold simply doesn't matter. You have a sense of fairness where you think it should... but it doesn't. Kiffin inherited a hole. Dooley inherited a hole. Jones inherited a hole. The last two were fired. No one knows where they would have gone if they'd inherited more talent and stability. It happens over and over because recruits want to see wins or the new guy selling early playing time.

That said, I think he could make it with 7 wins as long as year three was an incredibly special year. But 3 years is more or less the line. We saw Jones' recruiting drop off after he choked his 3rd year. Even Fulmer struggled to recruit quality linemen after his losing season and inability to compete with Saban and Meyer.

Saban is an exception. His first great season was with a team not entirely unlike this one. He had some really good recruits that were able to play early to go with some good but not great older players that he developed to their fullest. But more than that he stepped into an SEC West that wasn't great and his big cross division rival on the decline which is not the case for Pruitt. It was a "perfect storm".... plus he's a great coach.

The "guy" will win exceed expectations. He will win the ones he's "supposed" to win more than his share of equal battles and some upsets. If Pruitt or anyone else fails to do that... they're likely to win big and survive.

Absurd. You’re giving Pruitt 3 years to put up or shut up with this roster? At 3 years he’ll still have a senior class full of Butch’s recruits.
 
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#17
#17
When Saban first got to Alabama he didn't win right away. A lot of their fans wanted him fired. Saban had to clean up the mess there that the previous coaches left him. The same can be said for Pruitt. Even though i got to believe he has a bigger mess to clean up at Tennessee than Saban did. You will see a different Tennessee team this year. Pruitt is recruiting against the Bama's Georgia's and Clemson's of the world. We haven't been able to do that in a long time. Pruitt will build a football team here that will be at the top of the SEC before long. And if your at the top of the SEC. You will be in the championship games for the final 4.
 
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#24
#24
Absurd. You’re giving Pruitt 3 years to put up or shut up with this roster? At 3 years he’ll still have a senior class full of Butch’s recruits.
No. I'm not doing anything of the sort. I'm simply recognizing the historical realities. Coaches that don't "put up or shut up" within the first 3 years just don't have anything to sell recruits and lose fan support. The ONLY other way they succeed is by finding a bunch of "diamonds in the rough" recruits then developing them to get attention. You don't want to put your money on that.
 
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#25
#25
Dabo Swinney went 6-7 in year 3, too bad Clemson didn't can him.
Are you being dishonest or are you ignorant? Swinney won his division and 9 games in year two. That is "early success" and recruiting reflected it. Even so, there was A LOT of grumbling after year 3... until he won the ACC and 10 games in his 4th year. Recruiting then went nuts and he hasn't won less than 10 in any season since.

Swinney is the CLASSIC example of what I'm saying a coach needs to do to "win big".
 

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