A Paradox for Fans

[WoodsmanVol]

Woodsman, you’re one of the best dudes on this site! Anyone that “attacks” you, is a punk and a clown!
GBO!!

Thank you. Appreciate the comment. It's no big deal about the spiteful ones. We have a certain faction on VN who dislike honesty that clashes with their personal bias. Plus, I freely admit my brand of humor doesn't sit well with some folks. It's all part of being human. In the end, we're all Vols fans, so at least there's that common ground.

 

[DaddyChad]

Yep. That's why the "we can't beat Florida" folks are so silly. They don't wanna admit that, while Florida hasn't been great since Urban left, Tennessee has simply been worse. If Tennessee is better than Florida in 2022 (and Tennessee should be), Tennessee will most likely beat Florida in 2022.

Defense still terrifies me. No doubt our offense will be dynamic, I just don’t see us being that much better on defense. Florida looked terrible down the stretch but they are a talented team.

I do think if Heupel is going to get them next year is the year.

 

[jonnon111]

Its better to habe loved and lost than never to habe loved at all.
I'm a Vol fan. That's what makes it sweet when we win, I DO care.

Its why being a ban wagon fan is no fun. Sure you root for a winner, but how sweet is winning really when you root for them because they won before you were a fan?

 

[kcvols1]

Bear with me, this does have to do with Tennessee football. It just won't be obvious at first.

As kids, for whatever reason, my brother and I decided we needed to pick out favorite pro football teams. Our dad was a huge fan of Vince Lombardi as a coach...so he watched the Packers. Not sure he really cared about the team, but he looked up to the man leading them.

So for whatever odd rationale that runs through the brains of 10-year-old kids, my brother picked the Cowboys. And I picked the Los Angeles Rams. I think Jack Reynolds may have had something to do with it, but not sure (remember him? Hacksaw Reynolds, a Tennessee Vol...and probably the most famous and notorious Los Angeles Ram at the time).

Anyway, I followed both the Vols and the Rams for many years. Decades, in fact. But the Rams never won a championship. Came close once or twice, were often a very good team, but never won it all while I followed them.

Some time in the 1980s, I got married and both my career and home life got super busy. I ran out of time for both college and pro fandom. Tennessee won out, of course, and I stopped following the Rams so close. Would keep up with game results, but not watch the games. You know that deal. Well, over time I stopped looking for the scores, too. It probably didn't help that in 2000 they beat the Titans, which I had started following. I was growing to actually dislike the team I'd picked decades earlier as "my favorite."

To get to the point: as everyone knows, the Rams won the Super Bowl last night. I didn't watch it, just don't care that much. But they did win. My wife and I were laughing about it this morning. And--here's the point--she said, "well, if you stop being a fan of Tennessee, maybe they'll win a championship." I replied, "yeah, in 20 years." She said, "You'll still be alive then." I concluded, "Yes...but I won't care."

And so that's the paradox I wanted to ask you all. I think I know the answer, for most folks anyway, but I could be wrong. Say you have the choice:

(a) You can stop caring about the Tennessee Volunteers, knowing they'll win a championship in a decade or two (but you won't care); or
(b) You can keep caring about the Vols, knowing that means they'll never win a national title again in your lifetime.

Which do you pick?

I mean, both suck. Absolutely suck. This is definitely a Sophie's Choice kind of thing. But is one less bad?

For me, I just can't stop being a fan of the lads in orange. Not even as a "sacrifice" so that the rest of you can get a championship some day. I think it's because it is about more than just winning championships--though striving for championships is vital (for me).

Anyway, I don't think I could stop following Tennessee; it's in my blood. Even if it meant they would never succeed. I just couldn't do it.

You?

B.

Took about .3 ms of thought, though.

 

[Tin Man]

I am an alumnus. As such, the affection and support I bear for my University and its sports teams is boundless and unending. I will die a Volunteer. GBO.

Accordingly, the OP's choice has no context for me. What was is recorded history. What is, is. What will be, will be. Whatever may come, I will find surety, comfort, and grace in the embrace of the orange and white clad who express unwavering support for the Volunteers and unbound hope for their victory with humility and grace and joyous fervor. Joyous fervor. Our fandom has the resiliency of faith. Even as we yearn for victory over opponents, we will remain good hosts to their fans (whether they merit it or not) and good guests at their campuses. We are the best Big Orange we can be. We bear the torch. GBO.

 

[Iam4utalways]

I’ll say this, If Tennessee/ Huepel doesn’t get this headed in the right direction, Tennessee football may be done for decades. Another scandal, abrupt coaching change, losing games by wide margins and I don’t think it’ll ever recover. Tennessee football has been through hell and hopefully back with Huepel. I have to admit, I don’t and won’t live and die with what a bunch of 20 year olds do on a Saturday. A loss used to suck so bad but for the last 8 years, it doesn’t bother me at all and that’s sad.

There just too much interest in the Vols having a winning program for us to never return to championship form. It sounds like you miss living and dying at the hands of some 20 yr olds.

Life keeps interfering with my sports watching. I turned on some golf a few years back and my wife said she didn’t realize I like to watch golf. As politely as I could I explained that I enjoy playing and watching sports, not just Vol Football.

I consider myself a sports fan. I used to participate in sports. The last time I played volleyball I broke my foot for a third time. Now I don’t play volleyball. The last time I played basketball I dislocated my shoulder. Now I don’t play basketball.

I think it’s about the competition that has our interest. We have fielded some less than competitive teams due to poor coaching decisions, it’s really hard to watch a non competitive game. When it’s your team, it’s easy to watch just out of pure interest, it just hurts your feelings more.

My middle son is getting into sports. Let me tell you I’m a huge fan of his, win or lose I’ll be there watching and rooting for him and his team. He says he will make me a VIP when he is playing for the Vols. It’s like hitting the lottery.

Us orange bloods got to stick together.

 

[Pickinhick]

So, if you quit being a VFL, what would you have to complain about?

 

[Iam4utalways]

So, if you quit being a VFL, what would you have to complain about?

Petty stuff like politics. I like to keep my complaining geared toward stuff that matters, Vol matters.

 

[Flipdaddy]

There just too much interest in the Vols having a winning program for us to never return to championship form. It sounds like you miss living and dying at the hands of some 20 yr olds.

Life keeps interfering with my sports watching. I turned on some golf a few years back and my wife said she didn’t realize I like to watch golf. As politely as I could I explained that I enjoy playing and watching sports, not just Vol Football.

I consider myself a sports fan. I used to participate in sports. The last time I played volleyball I broke my foot for a third time. Now I don’t play volleyball. The last time I played basketball I dislocated my shoulder. Now I don’t play basketball.

I think it’s about the competition that has our interest. We have fielded some less than competitive teams due to poor coaching decisions, it’s really hard to watch a non competitive game. When it’s your team, it’s easy to watch just out of pure interest, it just hurts your feelings more.

My middle son is getting into sports. Let me tell you I’m a huge fan of his, win or lose I’ll be there watching and rooting for him and his team. He says he will make me a VIP when he is playing for the Vols. It’s like hitting the lottery.

Us orange bloods got to stick together.

I coach baseball so that’s where I get my real sports fix.

 

[Iam4utalways]

I coach baseball so that’s where I get my real sports fix.

Despite my help, my oldest son could clobber a baseball. He broke his throwing arm playing tag at school in the 3rd grade and never got his arm back to what it was before. He was clobbering baseballs the whole time. It was fun to watch. I’ve always been afraid of getting hit by a baseball. I’m going to do my best not to mess up this one.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

(a) You can stop caring about the Tennessee Volunteers, knowing they'll win a championship in a decade or two (but you won't care); or
(b) You can keep caring about the Vols, knowing that means they'll never win a national title again in your lifetime.

I'll always keep caring because even if you told me they are never winning another one I would still hold out hope that you were wrong.

I follow UT's men's basketball because I'm a Vols fan. I know in my heart of hearts I'll likely never see them win it all, and I might not ever see them even make a Final Four. But I have hope it will happen and I can't make myself completely believe it won't. I follow baseball, and post Delmonico it was looking like the program was dying and Coach V has turned that around but even still I know winning a CWS is still a momentual challenge for a program like UT. But I keep watching.

In the end my position is even if it never happens, I don't want to miss it if it does. Think of all the Cubs fans who kept showing up year after year and sitting through diasters like 2003, 2008, 2009 and probably thinking "Yeah it's not going to happen". Until it did.