Fellow VFL’s

[EverythingOrange]

I am Proud to say that I attended school with Peyton Manning, Leonard Little, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson, Jeff Hall, Deyon Grant, Tee Martin, Billy Ratcliffe, Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stevens, & many other faithful VFL’s.

I cannot imagine ANY one of them “jumping ship” for an NIL deal…..

— I really miss the old days when players “lived & died” for their University!……

That’s when Hard Work & Dedication meant something!

Who cares if you went to school with Henry To’o To’o or Nico, anyways?

 

[VolPack22]

If NIL and social media was around the entire time there definitely would have been several guys jumping ship all across the country just like they are now. Money and fame has always changed people over the course of time, so why do you think it would be any different 30 years ago? Good for you to have attended during one of the glory days but it’s naive to think anything would have been done differently back then.

 

[MAD]

If NIL and social media was around the entire time there definitely would have been several guys jumping ship all across the country just like they are now. Money and fame has always changed people over the course of time, so why do you think it would be any different 30 years ago? Good for you to have attended during one of the glory days but it’s naive to think anything would have been done differently back then.

Exactly

Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

 

[goldvol]

Are you also happy that those VFLs in the 90s were illegally robbed of pay for the product they put on the field while the university brought in hundreds of millions of dollars?

 

[OrangeInKy]

I am Proud to say that I attended school with Peyton Manning, Leonard Little, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson, Jeff Hall, Deyon Grant, Tee Martin, Billy Ratcliffe, Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stevens, & many other faithful VFL’s.

I cannot imagine ANY one of them “jumping ship” for an NIL deal…..

— I really miss the old days when players “lived & died” for their University!……

That’s when Hard Work & Dedication meant something!

Who cares if you went to school with Henry To’o To’o or Nico, anyways?

Ok. Do you feel better?
Players in past eras didn't have the choice. This is like an 85 year old saying “back in my day, kids wouldn’t dare look at bad stuff on the internet”.
It’s nonsensical to think players if past eras wouldn’t have taken advantage of opportunities to better their situations.

 

[OrangeInKy]

I am Proud to say that I attended school with Peyton Manning, Leonard Little, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson, Jeff Hall, Deyon Grant, Tee Martin, Billy Ratcliffe, Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stevens, & many other faithful VFL’s.

I cannot imagine ANY one of them “jumping ship” for an NIL deal…..

— I really miss the old days when players “lived & died” for their University!……

That’s when Hard Work & Dedication meant something!

Who cares if you went to school with Henry To’o To’o or Nico, anyways?

It’s so laughable to think that , for example, Chuck Webb wouldn’t have maybe have gone to OSU closer to his hometown if they came to him after his freshman year and offered a half a million more with an immediate transfer. Or, maybe someone a Shawn Bryson who was playing fullback and could’ve gotten a lot more carries as a starter with a half a million dollars more. Let’s say Bama , Auburn or another team called Tee Martin and promised a starting job (and a lot of money)after the 96 season meaning he wouldn’t have to sit another year or maybe be recruited over. These are just examples, not saying these players would, but you’re kidding yourself if you think all the players of that time were just super loyal VFL’s and wouldn’t passed on the opportunities now available.

 

[onevol74]

Are you also happy that those VFLs in the 90s were illegally robbed of pay for the product they put on the field while the university brought in hundreds of millions of dollars?

No. The university was the vehicle that provided them the path to make many times the amount college players are making now.

Right now I see some of the present players taking a larger paycheck now and gambling with their future. Players are taking the quick money to play in systems that may not profit or benefit their future status.

 

[TnVol!]

No one was illegally robbed.

 

[Special Ed]

Name dropper.

 

[goldvol]

No. The university was the vehicle that provided them the path to make many times the amount college players are making now.

Right now I see some of the present players taking a larger paycheck now and gambling with their future. Players are taking the quick money to play in systems that may not profit or benefit their future status.

You realize there are 5 times as many Vols on that 97 team that didn’t make the pros and work in other jobs. Even by your strange logic, you are happy they too weren’t compensated financially for their work? It would have been a significant chunk of money for those 20 year olds…

 

[goldvol]

No one was illegally robbed.

How would you define antitrust violations?

 

[SpookyAction]

I am Proud to say that I attended school with Peyton Manning, Leonard Little, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson, Jeff Hall, Deyon Grant, Tee Martin, Billy Ratcliffe, Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stevens, & many other faithful VFL’s.

I cannot imagine ANY one of them “jumping ship” for an NIL deal…..

— I really miss the old days when players “lived & died” for their University!……

That’s when Hard Work & Dedication meant something!

Who cares if you went to school with Henry To’o To’o or Nico, anyways?

$10,000 per year, a sports car, and a new apartment for their parents was the type of payoffs in their day.
When you are talking 500x as much money, loyalties change fast.
That is when team loyalty becomes 2nd priority compared to wealth form CFB.

I love my job, but pay me 2x or 3x as much and I'm gone. I wouldn't bother to clean my desk out. I'd get my family photos and move on.

 

[kell7517]

Are you also happy that those VFLs in the 90s were illegally robbed of pay for the product they put on the field while the university brought in hundreds of millions of dollars?

That university was built before those players arrived. So the benefits those players enjoyed for free where there before their arrival. Those players didn’t build the university May have helped continue to bring revenue to the university so it could still provide said benefits to future players as what they got to enjoy.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

I am Proud to say that I attended school with Peyton Manning, Leonard Little, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson, Jeff Hall, Deyon Grant, Tee Martin, Billy Ratcliffe, Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stevens, & many other faithful VFL’s.

I cannot imagine ANY one of them “jumping ship” for an NIL deal…..

— I really miss the old days when players “lived & died” for their University!……

That’s when Hard Work & Dedication meant something!

Who cares if you went to school with Henry To’o To’o or Nico, anyways?

Travis Stephens absolutely would have transferred if he played today and his career played out similarly.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Are you also happy that those VFLs in the 90s were illegally robbed of pay for the product they put on the field while the university brought in hundreds of millions of dollars?

They weren’t illegally robbed.

 

[livefaith]

OP

I am Proud to say that I attended school with Peyton Manning, Leonard Little, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson, Jeff Hall, Deyon Grant, Tee Martin, Billy Ratcliffe, Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stevens, & many other faithful VFL’s.

I cannot imagine ANY one of them “jumping ship” for an NIL deal…..

— I really miss the old days when players “lived & died” for their University!……

That’s when Hard Work & Dedication meant something!

Who cares if you went to school with Henry To’o To’o or Nico, anyways?

OP, you're living in fantasyland my friend. You have a tremendous romantic notion about the nature of man 30 years ago. If it makes you feel better you probably should just remain in that fantasy land and believe it. Maybe it'll make you feel better. Unfortunately, if UT had not paid a competitive wage in a college football landscape with no guardrails in the mid 1990s, then most if not all of those players would have transferred somewhere where there skill would be rewarded according to the market.

 

[EastTNVol6240]

Are you also happy that those VFLs in the 90s were illegally robbed of pay for the product they put on the field while the university brought in hundreds of millions of dollars?

What a ridiculous take. They got the best education and resources, all while getting a pedestal to get to the league and be set for life. This really is a socialistic take. CEOs and companies make big money on the backs of the low level employees everyday. Are you also advocating the line worker putting the screw in the Tesla frame shoukd be making Elons salary because the company is “making millions” off of them.

 

[goldvol]

What a ridiculous take. They got the best education and resources, all while getting a pedestal to get to the league and be set for life. This really is a socialistic take. CEOs and companies make big money on the backs of the low level employees everyday. Are you also advocating the line worker putting the screw in the Tesla frame shoukd be making Elons salary because the company is “making millions” off of them.

Socialist huh?
Weird how Kavanaugh is the one that wrote NIL, and said it would have gone further due to antitrust violations if it had been posed. And how the NCAA is currently paying out billions because of this socialist take in ongoing litigation. And how Tennessee and Virginia recently triumphed over the NCAA in court because of this socialist philosophy. Weird socialist court system we have here

 

[Vol4life2]

What a ridiculous take. They got the best education and resources, all while getting a pedestal to get to the league and be set for life. This really is a socialistic take. CEOs and companies make big money on the backs of the low level employees everyday. Are you also advocating the line worker putting the screw in the Tesla frame shoukd be making Elons salary because the company is “making millions” off of them.

Tesla hourly employees get stock options…. Not quite Elons salary but maybe they can buy a burger when they are hungry.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

I am Proud to say that I attended school with Peyton Manning, Leonard Little, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson, Jeff Hall, Deyon Grant, Tee Martin, Billy Ratcliffe, Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stevens, & many other faithful VFL’s.

I cannot imagine ANY one of them “jumping ship” for an NIL deal…..

— I really miss the old days when players “lived & died” for their University!……

That’s when Hard Work & Dedication meant something!

Who cares if you went to school with Henry To’o To’o or Nico, anyways?

I was privileged to be at UT at same time as Eddie Brown, who gave up his front teeth blocking a kick.

OP, there's not a thing wrong with cherishing our best memories of our VFLs, and having high opinions of them.

 

[Boca Vol]

Tesla hourly employees get stock options…. Not quite Elons salary but maybe they can buy a burger when they are hungry.

So a star player at UT was treated and received the same benefits as a 4.0 student in Economics? Trust me, UT football players weren't hurting when I was there between '90-'94.

 

[onevol74]

You realize there are 5 times as many Vols on that 97 team that didn’t make the pros and work in other jobs. Even by your strange logic, you are happy they too weren’t compensated financially for their work? It would have been a significant chunk of money for those 20 year olds…

What is the value of a free college education? You have to be totally ignorant to say they were playing for free. They were getting something many of us could not afford for our own kids. Those kids were never the victims you are making them out to be. Especially with a degree or an NFL paycheck.

I could easily say the real victims are the ticket holders as easily as you say the players. Tickets keep going up each and every year and people buy them because they want to. Just like those players were playing sports because they wanted to.

 

[goldvol]

What is the value of a free college education? You have to be totally ignorant to say they were playing for free. They were getting something many of us could not afford for our own kids. Those kids were never the victims you are making them out to be. Especially with a degree or an NFL paycheck.

I could easily say the real victims are the ticket holders as easily as you say the players. Tickets keep going up each and every year and people buy them because they want to. Just like those players were playing sports because they wanted to.

Where did I say they played for free? The Supreme Court and more recently lower courts and the ncaa admit that the players were not being paid their value, that it was illegal to not allow them to be paid for their own name and likeness, and that it is obviously an anti trust violation how the schools and ncaa colluded to not pay players their fair market value. In other words, illegal

 

[Rocky Top T]

Are you also happy that those VFLs in the 90s were illegally robbed of pay for the product they put on the field while the university brought in hundreds of millions of dollars?

They got tuition, housing,food, medical treatment and other things, they weren't robbed.

 

[#1fulmerite]

I am Proud to say that I attended school with Peyton Manning, Leonard Little, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson, Jeff Hall, Deyon Grant, Tee Martin, Billy Ratcliffe, Peerless Price, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Travis Stevens, & many other faithful VFL’s.

I cannot imagine ANY one of them “jumping ship” for an NIL deal…..

— I really miss the old days when players “lived & died” for their University!……

That’s when Hard Work & Dedication meant something!

Who cares if you went to school with Henry To’o To’o or Nico, anyways?

That was back when opposing teams “weren’t sure they can beat that orange “ even before the game began.