A lost generation of Vols fans

[Ole_Virgil_Cane]

There is no beating around the bush. We have lost an entire generation of Vols fans, and the University leadership is to blame.

I remember 97-03 pretty well. My graduating class at UT (2010) was old enough to remember when UT was a top 10 program year in year out. My first year in Knoxville, we destroyed Cal, and things were looking up. We went to the SEC championship, and then experienced the lows of getting demolished by Wyoming at homecoming, ultimately leading to Fulmer's demise.

Unfortunately, my class was one of the last that remembers the successes. It's not just the W/Ls, it's the national perception of TN being in the discussion every year. Right now, freshman in Knoxville were born in 1999. They were 7 years old when I went to college. They have no memory of success at UT.

This is why we need a complete overhaul in Knoxville. One generation is gone and if we do not make a home-run hire, it will take another decade to right the ship. We are the laughing stock of CFB. From the "Fire Butch Jones" signs, the 5 start hearts, the trash can, etc. - people don't even hate us anymore, they pity us.

For me personally, I have reached the worst possible place as a Vol fan. I simply don't care anymore.

Go Vols

 

[Biopsyman]

Cancel the program

 

[joevol33]

This is the most disappointed I’ve been. I have zero hope in us winning another game.

 

[Chilmonty]

Lot of Truth to this!

My son is 21 and daughter 28 have never experienced the highs of the 90's like I did.

They are VFLS's but getting pretty indifferent, as I am!?! :ermm::ermm:


.

 

[UT_King]

OP you're absolutely right. I think that's why you are seeing a lot of complacency/settling with a certain generation of Vols fans.


And worse, a good portion of that generation have become bama fans.

 

[scvolfan7]

Some of us have fought through it. I started watching seriously during the 2007 season and I was in the 5th grade. Been watching ever since. Maybe I’m just in masochism though

 

[Volfan2012]

The question is when will someone stop the misery and hire someone to take this program back to where it was with Fulmer in his first seasons. Right now no one seems to care about being at the top of the conference. Seems 8 wins a season is fine.

 

[RollerVol]

I hear what you are saying OVC, but of course we still have many of the "older" generation(s) that are still around that have experienced many ups and downs through the years, but..once a Vol...always a Vol...at least, to me, and as always...

PS. here's to better days ahead...:toast:

GO VOLS!

 

[Doberman]

Unfortunately, I believe you to be absolutely correct, OP.

It’s taken a lot of persistence on my part to turn my 11, and 16 years old sons in to VFL’s.

Almost none of the kids they go to school with are Vol fans, which was common place when I was their age. They give my kids are hard time over their Vol gear, and common thought is “Tennessee sucks! Why do you like them. “

Fortunately, I did my part and we’ve plucked 2 fans from this generation.

Time to right the ship, and get our National respect, and relevance back.

 

[LargeOrange1]

My daughter is 29 years old and was born in Atlanta. I took her to her first Vols game in Neyland when she was 9. Pretty much we have attended a game together every year since then with the most recent being Georgia Tech. She has always been a die-hard Vols fan. The other night she stopped by the house wearing a UGA sweatshirt. In the past, that would have kinda hurt my feelings....but this time I just shrugged my shoulders and went on. It did not bother me at all. WOW. Just WOW! Thanks Botch! :no:

 

[ATC_VOL]

Sadly you’re right OP. Will continue to hurt the University in the future because they’ll be several graduating classes with no interest in ever getting season tickets or making donations.

 

[JohnWardForever]

The "LEADERSHIP" Has screwed with Vol Fans Very Lives. Meanwhile, Bammers are living like Kings. A Complete Housecleaning is in order. We only get to travel this road ONCE! It should be a lot smoother. Hail Far.

 

[Hacksaw]

There is no beating around the bush. We have lost an entire generation of Vols fans, and the University leadership is to blame.

I remember 97-03 pretty well. My graduating class at UT (2010) was old enough to remember when UT was a top 10 program year in year out. My first year in Knoxville, we destroyed Cal, and things were looking up. We went to the SEC championship, and then experienced the lows of getting demolished by Wyoming at homecoming, ultimately leading to Fulmer's demise.

Unfortunately, my class was one of the last that remembers the successes. It's not just the W/Ls, it's the national perception of TN being in the discussion every year. Right now, freshman in Knoxville were born in 1999. They were 7 years old when I went to college. They have no memory of success at UT.

This is why we need a complete overhaul in Knoxville. One generation is gone and if we do not make a home-run hire, it will take another decade to right the ship. We are the laughing stock of CFB. From the "Fire Butch Jones" signs, the 5 start hearts, the trash can, etc. - people don't even hate us anymore, they pity us.

For me personally, I have reached the worst possible place as a Vol fan. I simply don't care anymore.

Go Vols

The estrogen is strong in this one.

 

[OnlyGodForgives]

I believe the SEC schedule should be expanded to 11 games, but I would entertain the idea of 10 or even 9. That would somewhat alleviate the handicap of being the only East team to play Bama every year. Any out of conference games against non-Power 5 opponents should not be included in the season ticket package. All of those tickets should be sold on a walk-up basis for one dollar or given away to try and repair some of the goodwill damage of the last decade. I know the school would never forfeit that precious revenue, just spitballing here.

 

[Vols4us]

OP is spot on. If UT plans to become relevant again in football, now would be the time of commit to the best hire available long term. If they don't it will get even worse, which takes even longer to restore. There are too many others things to do and spend money on than bad football, regardless of allegiance to the orange. We will see if they care enough to restore the program by who the next head coach is.

 

[coach31]

It needs to come around quickly. You see more and more Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame shirts and hats. People in their teens and 20s are casual fans of those teams the same way they watch the Cowboys, Raiders, and Packers, it doesn't matter the location.

 

[utvolpj]

I don't really buy it. The 80s wasn't the easiest decade to grow up watching UT either. There were definite highlights but plenty of low ones too. Most of us grew up vol fans anyways

 

[GreveHaller]

There is no beating around the bush. We have lost an entire generation of Vols fans, and the University leadership is to blame.

I remember 97-03 pretty well. My graduating class at UT (2010) was old enough to remember when UT was a top 10 program year in year out. My first year in Knoxville, we destroyed Cal, and things were looking up. We went to the SEC championship, and then experienced the lows of getting demolished by Wyoming at homecoming, ultimately leading to Fulmer's demise.

Unfortunately, my class was one of the last that remembers the successes. It's not just the W/Ls, it's the national perception of TN being in the discussion every year. Right now, freshman in Knoxville were born in 1999. They were 7 years old when I went to college. They have no memory of success at UT.

This is why we need a complete overhaul in Knoxville. One generation is gone and if we do not make a home-run hire, it will take another decade to right the ship. We are the laughing stock of CFB. From the "Fire Butch Jones" signs, the 5 start hearts, the trash can, etc. - people don't even hate us anymore, they pity us.

For me personally, I have reached the worst possible place as a Vol fan. I simply don't care anymore.

Go Vols

.

 

[butchna]

Drama.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

As Jones says, "love is conditional".

Well, this program and it's leadership haven't loved its fans in nearly two decades now.

It's fed the fan base alternating doses of incompetence in Dooley, contempt in Kiffin, complacency in Fulmer, and now derision by letting Jones in front of a mic and turning the whole thing into a laughingstock on and off the field.

Jones has actually managed to manifest all of those qualities into one coach to an extent. He is fine with scraping by with bowl games like Fulmer.... has made many more on the field gaffes than Dooley ever did..... and continues to enjoy blaming the fan base for HIS failures as a coach for it's negativity which shows a level of contempt for the program like Kiffin did when he skulked off.

 

[Backwards K]

Wow. The drama is thick in this thread. Dang guys, don't take it personally. The team is not losing just to insult you.

Seriously, who talks this way. I have never had a conversation where a friend said, "Well, I guess if Tennessee keeps losing my kids will grow up to be Alabama fans." That's an easy fix. Just don't give em any money and if it continues cut off the food. They will come around.

 

[VolGirl81]

Well I'm really giving my age here, but my freshman year was Johnny Majors' first year. Some of you might remember, "there has been a MAJOR change at Tennessee!" My point being, we had one winning season during that time, BUT, everyone even with that believed in Tennessee football. On Saturdays, we always went to the game. The thing that bothers me the most is the apathy towards it now. It didn't used to be that way. I check everyday to see if Butch has been fired yet. I have followed Tennessee football for over 40 years and it's sad to see the state of the program and where it's reputation is now.

 

[Daddy Gee]

As Jones says, "love is conditional".

Well, this program and it's leadership haven't loved its fans in nearly two decades now.

It's fed the fan base alternating doses of incompetence in Dooley, contempt in Kiffin, complacency in Fulmer, and now derision by letting Jones in front of a mic and turning the whole thing into a laughingstock on and off the field.

Jones has actually managed to manifest all of those qualities into one coach to an extent. He is fine with scraping by with bowl games like Fulmer.... has made many more on the field gaffes than Dooley ever did..... and continues to enjoy blaming the fan base for HIS failures as a coach for it's negativity which shows a level of contempt for the program like Kiffin did when he skulked off.

It started with Tennessee players leaving helmets on the field in 2005 after Vandy, and it hasn't stopped.

 

[Hacksaw]

Wow. The drama is thick in this thread. Dang guys, don't take it personally. The team is not losing just to insult you.

Seriously, who talks this way. I have never had a conversation where a friend said, "Well, I guess if Tennessee keeps losing my kids will grow up to be Alabama fans." That's an easy fix. Just don't give em any money and if it continues cut off the food. They will come around.

A Vol fan after my own heart!

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

I get that some of you feel that the OP is being dramatic, but there is a good point to be made here. Long term, if our fan base, donors, boosters, and just amount of money spending at games in general shrinks.... nothing good can come from that. It hurts the school, it hurts the other departments that benefit from a financially sound football team, and it hurts the football program.

This is not something that will be felt this year, next year, or maybe even five years from now, but if we are mired in perpetual mediocrity on the field, why wouldn't that status be made permanent if the fan base simply doesn't care anymore? It's obvious the administration doesn't/hasn't cared for a while. A change needs to be made before last place in the East becomes the new normal for us.