OldTimer’s Dugout - Off Topic Thread

#142,203
#142,203
I don't think players have to finish degrees to be a VFL. I take it to be purely a sports term. But it surely must be an awesome experience to graduate as player.

Insofar as fans identify as VFLs, that doesn't require that they have a degree from Tennessee or anywhere else, either. It means they love the Vols above all teams and always will. But having a Tennessee degree enhances their enjoyment, I don't doubt. And being an alum means they had the fun of an extended dose of Vols sports and unique Vols student camaraderie while they were at Tennessee. I have a brother who is a UT alum. I noticed when we used to go to games together (we had season tickets together) that it brought all sorts of memories for him which were fun to hear about. Also he knew all the best places to eat!
 
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#142,212
#142,212
MAD said:
What if Vitello kicks you off the team because you weren’t good enough and you are forced to transfer?
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MAD, there are less harsh ways to state that.😂 Anyway, most Vols fans I know root for those players wherever they go, so long it is not to a rival school and they are not playing us.

There was also the special case of football players like Eric Gray who were forced to transfer after dumb-dumb dumb-dumbed (thankfully!). I rooted for them all -- except the backstabber and trash cheap-shot artist and crybaby Toot. I still root against Toot if I ever happen to see him play. (Sorry @chuckiepoo)
 
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#142,217
#142,217
knoxvol52 said:
Do you consider Dane Bradshaw a VFL? I know of a few that says no... Not referring to myself either.
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Well, that's a good question, and it kinda makes my point. Who knows what Dane's inner thoughts, loyalties, and "tribal" identity are? Only Dane, and maybe a few people closest to him, could say.

Maybe professionally, for a period of time, he has set aside his public Tennessee loyalties to develop a career identity as a non-biased game voice. And who knows... his ultimate goal might be to someday return as the Voice of the Vols. It could be that, privately, he is an ongoing financial contributor to Tennessee. We fans just wouldn't know those things.

We should remind ourselves that an athlete's loyalty, following a successful college career, is (and should be) to the coaches who taught and challenged him/her to that success. For us fans, loyalty is more tribal. For the athletes, it's personal.

It might even be that Dane's greatest loyalty and appreciation was to Bruce Pearl or someone on his staff, who really enabled or inspired his success here. It could even be that Dane was so disappointed in how Pearl and Tennessee separated, that he is hesitant to offer his loyalty to anyone anymore.

The point is, none of us can say if he's a VFL or not. It should be his call to make, when and how he chooses to express it.
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I had an outstanding college experience (at a small school) but I've never supported that school... because soon after I graduated, they chose to dismiss (without cause, and illegally) a professor and an administrator--the two men I most admired and valued, and from whom I'd learned how to think critically.

It wasn't out of revenge or pettiness that I ceased to support my alma mater. The school just made a decision to change their direction and substantive identity, a decision with which I strongly disagreed. My "loyalty" didn't change. They were just no longer the school I'd appreciated and could now recommend to others.
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edited note to @knoxvol52: I hadn't seen your post when I wrote this. Agreed. Everyone can have different views on the VFL status. Just an interesting discussion topic.
 
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#142,221
#142,221
BruisedOrange said:
Well, that's a good question, and it kinda makes my point. Who knows what Dane's inner thoughts, loyalties, and "tribal" identity are? Only Dane, and maybe a few people closest to him, could say.

Maybe professionally, for a period of time, he has set aside his public Tennessee loyalties to develop a career identity as a non-biased game voice. And who knows... his ultimate goal might be to someday return as the Voice of the Vols. It could be that, privately, he is an ongoing financial contributor to Tennessee. We fans just wouldn't know those things.

We should remind ourselves that an athlete's loyalty, following a successful college career, is (and should be) to the coaches who taught and challenged him/her to that success. For us fans, loyalty is more tribal. For the athletes, it's personal.

It might even be that Dane's greatest loyalty and appreciation was to Bruce Pearl or someone on his staff, who really enabled or inspired his success here. It could even be that Dane was so disappointed in how Pearl and Tennessee separated, that he is hesitant to offer his loyalty to anyone anymore.

The point is, none of us can say if he's a VFL or not. It should be his call to make, when and how he chooses to express it.
-----

I had an outstanding college experience (at a small school) but I've never supported that school... because soon after I graduated, they chose to dismiss (without cause, and illegally) a professor and an administrator--the two men I most admired and valued, and from whom I'd learned how to think critically.

It wasn't out of revenge or pettiness that I ceased to support my alma mater. The school just made a decision to change their direction and substantive identity, a decision with which I strongly disagreed. My "loyalty" didn't change. They were just no longer the school I'd appreciated and could now recommend to others.
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TL;DNR. 😜
 
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#142,222
#142,222
BruisedOrange said:
I don't think of "VFL" as a conferred title, but as a choice by the individual.

I'm sure we've had 4-year grads who didn't have a good experience at UT, don't support UT, and cheer for some other team in their adulthood.

But there are many more who consider themselves VFLs by conversion. We probably have VFLs who played for another school but sent their kids to Tennessee, and now prefer to consider themselves Vols and lifelong members of the UT family.


Now, that said, we probably do need some kind of cleansing ritual for those requesting conversion from Florida, ...or ESPN.

🕯️⚰️🕳️📿🚿 > 🍊
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I had a great college experience elsewhere
and will leave it to @Volprofch05 to expound on the science behind VFLs
 
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#142,224
#142,224
W.TN.Orange Blood said:
I stopped somewhere coming back from Florida on vacation to get lunch. And it was a BBQ place. The waitress who takes the order at the counter would holler back to the workers to include a towel for people to wipe our faces with. 🤣
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Reminds me of a John Prine lyric (what, in life, doesn't?) from his Vietnam War era song "Rocky Mountain Time"

"I went in the restaurant,
for something to do.
The waitress yelled at me.
So did the food."


Thank you, John Prine.
 
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