OneManGang
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- Sep 7, 2004
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Truth hurts.
Any incoming head coach is going to have an uphill battle against nearly a quarter-century of mediocrity, a declining recruiting base, a revolving door of athletics directors, a Chancellorette who spent her nights last year traveling around Ft. Sanders looking for students daring to have a party, a UT President who is distracted by a project to bring minor league baseball to downtown Knoxville, and a fan base that is battered and weary of it all.
There can be no turnaround a'la Bruce Pearl after Buzz Peterson (AKA "The White Wade") due to one simple fact: in basketball two or three stud players can get you back in contention, five or six get you deep in the tournament. In football the minimum is 22. Right now, by this author's evaluation, the Vols have maaybeee 10-12?
I have belabored this point but it is worth repeating. I have a copy of the 1999 UT Football Media Guide. In the "Meet the Vols" section, on virtually every page, there are one or more players who went on to the next level. Not only that but YOU KNEW when you saw them in '99 who they were.
Do that same little experiment with the 2021 Media Guide (should be up on UT Sports website soon) and get back to me.
Make no mistake. I am a Vol and shall be one 'til I breathe no more.
But I'm not going to peddle sunshine either.
The Gen'rul (UT Sports)
Any incoming head coach is going to have an uphill battle against nearly a quarter-century of mediocrity, a declining recruiting base, a revolving door of athletics directors, a Chancellorette who spent her nights last year traveling around Ft. Sanders looking for students daring to have a party, a UT President who is distracted by a project to bring minor league baseball to downtown Knoxville, and a fan base that is battered and weary of it all.
There can be no turnaround a'la Bruce Pearl after Buzz Peterson (AKA "The White Wade") due to one simple fact: in basketball two or three stud players can get you back in contention, five or six get you deep in the tournament. In football the minimum is 22. Right now, by this author's evaluation, the Vols have maaybeee 10-12?
I have belabored this point but it is worth repeating. I have a copy of the 1999 UT Football Media Guide. In the "Meet the Vols" section, on virtually every page, there are one or more players who went on to the next level. Not only that but YOU KNEW when you saw them in '99 who they were.
Do that same little experiment with the 2021 Media Guide (should be up on UT Sports website soon) and get back to me.
Make no mistake. I am a Vol and shall be one 'til I breathe no more.
But I'm not going to peddle sunshine either.
The Gen'rul (UT Sports)