Do bad things come in pairs?

#1

VolunteerHillbilly

Spike Drinks, Not Trees
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
40,786
Likes
15,231
#1
I was thinking about the back-to-back games against UF and Aubie. Looking only at post-98 without digging into 2005, it's hard to tell whether the team gets any motivational bounce if they happen to lose the first of back-to-back games against quality opponents in consecutive weeks.

1. Sept. 30, 2000, the Vols lose to LSU and follow-up a week later with a loss to UGA;

2. October 4, 2003, the Vols lose to Auburn and follow-up on October 11 with a loss to UGA;

3. October 2, 2004, the Vols lose to Auburn but beat UGA the following week;

4. November 4, 2006, the Vols lose to LSU and follow-up with a loss to Arky on November 11;

5. October 20, 2007, the Vols lose to Bama and beat South Carolina the following week. This is probably my most dubious example since I really have a hard time saying Bama was a "quality" opponent last year based on anything other than the final score.
 
#2
#2
i don't think anyone would argue consistency has not been a strong suit for us lately.

the FL/Aub stretch in Sept is tough back to back. have to hope for a split. losing both would suck.
 
#3
#3
Don't really see how the examples you presented lean either way...
 
#4
#4
if we lose one game then lose another..........let me restart. if wea re winning at half time and lose a game, coaches werent giving anough praise at half time. if we are losing at half time and lose the game coaches didnt chew enough ass at half time. if we lose the game the week before and they didn't make them run till they puked the six days prior, the its the coaches fault.

now before i get bashed on these comments they are only half true and i realize that and some comic relief was its intention. we may lose some games but it should be due to injury, anything less is grounds for a butt chewing.

no we arent due for a repeat of 98 but as usual and for the history of tennessee football we are our worst enemy. my uncle taught me that and many of you can agree we beat ourselves more than other teams beat us.we have a sleeper team that with motivation we can roll this year. someone posted on crompton being fired up and getting and keeping team fired up. i thought that was a good point. if we play reckless man handling defense and smash mouth offensive football with a crompton cannon pass here and there i think we are team to beat. but got to want it!
 
Last edited:
#5
#5
i don't think anyone would argue consistency has not been a strong suit for us lately.

the FL/Aub stretch in Sept is tough back to back. have to hope for a split. losing both would suck.

Hoping for the sweep! Seriously though, if we beat Florida, I think we'll have the momentum to roll over Auburn.
 
#6
#6
I think we fans put too much stock in emotional bounce or let down. I'm not saying they don't exist, but just not as major factors at this level. Put it this way, if its early season and your team struggles to get up for a game against the likes of Florida or Auburn or Georgia -- regardless of the games before -- then you got bigger problems.
 
#8
#8
if we play reckless man handling defense and smash mouth offensive football with a crompton cannon pass here and there i think we are team to beat. but got to want it!

As nice as it would be for that to be true on any level for us this year, Georgia and Florida are far and away better than we are right now. Granted we could still do what we did last year and win the East, but it would take us going 10-2 at worst and probably 11-1 for that to happen. It'd be nice, but this year I don't think we have as much control over our season based on how we play as much as UGA/FLA have over how THEY play in terms of the SEC and our role in it.
 
#9
#9
I think we fans put too much stock in emotional bounce or let down. I'm not saying they don't exist, but just not as major factors at this level. Put it this way, if its early season and your team struggles to get up for a game against the likes of Florida or Auburn or Georgia -- regardless of the games before -- then you got bigger problems.
agree about the last statement 100%. but i think for us, as a rule, we put a lot in to the fate of the season on the FL game.

if we win that game.....i could see a scenario where they think they've accomplished a goal and it gets hard to refocus for a road game at auburn.......

and i would blame the coaches for that, but i've just seen it happen......and we've all heard the interviews with coaches in the past.......it's so hard to keep people up week after week after week.

likewise, it's real easy to get motivated after you've been embarrased.......we're famous for that....GA last year.......GA in 04 after getting throttled by Auburn....ARK last year.......and there are many more i can think of.......

go the other way......the week after we throttled Cal two years ago, we are a breath away from losing to Air Force at home.

anyway, that's on the coaches.

All i will say is.........let's beat FL and see what happens the next week.

I'd be ok with that.:)
 
#10
#10
Florida and UGA are far and away better than we are right now.

I disagree. They may be better, but far and away implies that we are Mississippi State (or whomever). There is no reason we cannot beat either UF or UGA, despite what some opposing and Vol fans would lead you to believe.
 
#11
#11
I disagree. They may be better, but far and away implies that we are Mississippi State (or whomever). There is no reason we cannot beat either UF or UGA, despite what some opposing and Vol fans would lead you to believe.


You are not Mississippi State, but if you lose to Florida, Auburn, and Georgia, there will be an argument that you are South Carolina.
 
#14
#14
I disagree. They may be better, but far and away implies that we are Mississippi State (or whomever). There is no reason we cannot beat either UF or UGA, despite what some opposing and Vol fans would lead you to believe.

Seriously!!!!!

100% Agree.

We smoked UGA last year, and I believe it will be a closer game but I am sorry I am not jumping on the band wagon for Strattford because he played a good game against Florida....What happened to him against Tennessee.....( oh thats right he watched the game from his ass).
This year we will be able to blitz more because our Secondary is gonna be unreal. So with less time to throw the ball its gonna be a guessing game on what coverage we may be in for the opposing QB.
And with Florida.....
Last years game Tebow ran a lot but when he did pass it was against a very young and inexperienced secondary and they got burned...Hands down that is all you can say....Hell even Eric Berry had 2 touchdowns thrown over his head. That will not happen this year. So if we can stop the run and force the QB's to throw the ball early then we will make a good run this year.
 
#15
#15
You are not Mississippi State, but if you lose to Florida, Auburn, and Georgia, there will be an argument that you are South Carolina.
Were not south carolina and will never be. To much tradition and history. LG that was about the worst statement you've ever made. Rather arrogant,but i'am not surprised by the statement. Afterall florida football didn't exist until 1990. South Carolina yeah right.
 
#16
#16
bruno, given the problems with the front seven I don't see how the Vols are going to be blitzing all over the place.
 
#17
#17
I disagree. They may be better, but far and away implies that we are Mississippi State (or whomever). There is no reason we cannot beat either UF or UGA, despite what some opposing and Vol fans would lead you to believe.

:good!: I agree! We shouldnt be counted out of any game.
 
#18
#18
I'm gonna probably be murdered on this one, but I would be thrilled to finish 10-2 this year. I just hope both loses aren't to East opponents (GA, FL). I say we will redeem both Bama and Florida, but get outcoached by Tubby like usual. Georgia, well until Stafford comes close to beating the Vols, all my money is on the Vols.
 
#20
#20
As nice as it would be for that to be true on any level for us this year, Georgia and Florida are far and away better than we are right now. Granted we could still do what we did last year and win the East, but it would take us going 10-2 at worst and probably 11-1 for that to happen. It'd be nice, but this year I don't think we have as much control over our season based on how we play as much as UGA/FLA have over how THEY play in terms of the SEC and our role in it.

Disagree. Florida is better, but UGA is not.
 
#21
#21
I guarantee a loss to Auburn (barring anything significant suspension, injury, etc.). It's at Auburn and they have an excellent defense, Tuberville has outsmarted Fulmer in the three games they've coached against each other. The key is to get 1 of the 2 vs. uf,uga. I think we can beat uf and i guarantee we beat uga (unless somethin happens). Get to me on Sept 20th at 3:29 a/b the uf game (as of right now)
 
#22
#22
I'm gonna probably be murdered on this one, but I would be thrilled to finish 10-2 this year. I just hope both loses aren't to East opponents (GA, FL). I say we will redeem both Bama and Florida, but get outcoached by Tubby like usual. Georgia, well until Stafford comes close to beating the Vols, all my money is on the Vols.


Huh? Why would you be murdered for saying that? I daresay 90% of the regular Volnation posters would be glowing with delight at a 10-2 year.
 
#23
#23
Too much of the schedule has been 'guaranteed' away from us this year to even think about winning 10. Interweb guarantees being as certain as they are...


*throw in "mark it down" and "you heard it here first".... we're lucky if we win 4.
 
Last edited:
Advertisement



Back
Top