New statues going up

[GAVol]

I don't agree with this at all. That was Al Wilson's team, period!

Lol . . . I didn't agree with 1, 2 or 4. But no problem with the statue - if you're going to put up statues for athletes - which is a whole other debate.

 

[zjcvols]

Had only you posted first, you could have racked up a hundred likes and set a positive tone for this thread.

Do better.

 

[golfballs]

Also, how were they trailblazers for racial equity? That implies their success is related to special treatment due to their color of their skin. Seems to me it would be the opposite. Don’t they mean equality?

 

[vol66]

I really don't know what to think about this. It's great, I guess, that UT wants to honor themselves for being pioneers in racial integration, but they were still behind much of the nation. Also, I can't help but think that coaches and administration in those times were merely trying to win ball games and not be racial "pioneers." Maybe some of you guys know better. Not sure Tee had to go through the same stuff as the other guys.

Someone had to be first, I guess it's cool it was UT? Last to leave the Union and first to rejoin?? The whole thing seems kind of morbid and I can't help but think that they are just jumping on board with the latest media hype about race. The action seems almost apologetic.

All fair points. My response is better late than never. While we are at it, Candace Parker, Monica Abbott…hell…Condredge Holloway should get a statue for all he’s done, post playing days…R.A. Dickey…point being, you can celebrate other folks accomplishments without tearing it all down.

In this particular case it’s about football, more importantly how does it hurt anything?

 

[zjcvols]

Lol . . . I didn't agree with 1, 2 or 4.

Honestly, where am I wrong? And by the way I understand that 98 was Al Wilson and Peerless Price (and the OL) but Tee is the most recognizable player from that team on a national scale

 

[jackieaprilesr]

Check this out. I think this a pretty good move.

its pretty f'd up that they didnt do this before now based on their impact. this is a bad look for the university to attempt to play catch up on racial justice and use these players to do so.........completely diminishes the body of work based on when it took place, instead they are using them as pawns when there is sudden pressure to defend against a populous group of people.

 

[95 Vol Alum]

Honestly, where am I wrong? And by the way I understand that 98 was Al Wilson and Peerless Price (and the OL) but Tee is the most recognizable player from that team on a national scale

It's still Al Wilson. But glad to see Tee and the others be honored.

 

[zjcvols]

That's exactly my point. The fact that he is black is only a bonus for UT. Tee Martin has always been Tee Martin, and it's been 23 years and no statue, but now that race is a hot topic, boom statue.

Yes you can take the cynic’s views and yes plenty of companies have used that type of thinking to profit and/or garner business…and maybe I’m being too generous in thinking they are different. But I’d like to think Plowman and White instead said “hey you know what? With the increased awareness of what black people have accomplished in this country in lieu of recent events…what a great way to honor four significant black football players in our programs history and highlight their success’ by giving them statues.”

 

[GAVol]

Honestly, where am I wrong? And by the way I understand that 98 was Al Wilson and Peerless Price (and the OL) but Tee is the most recognizable player from that team on a national scale

#1 is a pet peeve of mine since the system was just so different back then and the NCAA recognizes it.
#2 is a debate that is hard to prove. That was a true team and just didn't have standouts but was loaded with talent.
#4 I'd have to put Heath Shuler at 2 and put Tee just behind him. I mean, the guy got elected to Congress.

But . . . like I said, I'm just arguing with you; not saying there's anything wrong with including Tee Martin in the statue.

 

[zjcvols]

#1 is a pet peeve of mine since the system was just so different back then and the NCAA recognizes it.
#2 is a debate that is hard to prove. That was a true team and just didn't have standouts but was loaded with talent.
#4 I'd have to put Heath Shuler at 2 and put Tee just behind him. I mean, the guy got elected to Congress.

1) Fair enough, maybe I should say “consensus” national title then.

2) Agree…I just believe Tee is has become the public face of that team, against I’m not saying he was the best player, just the most recognizable in 2021.

4) maybe…it’s a good debate

 

[JRich]

Yes you can take the cynic’s views and yes plenty of companies have used that type of thinking to profit and/or garner business…and maybe I’m being too generous in thinking they are different. But I’d like to think Plowman and White instead said “hey you know what? With the increased awareness of what black people have accomplished in this country in lieu of recent events…what a great way to honor four significant black football players in our programs history and highlight their success’ by giving them statues.”

Guilty! I tend to be very cynical. I've been disappointed too many times in this life by humans.

Keep the faith in humanity going, I will continue to expect the worst. It's a balance.

 

[EricStratton]

Condredge totally deserves this, and much more.

 

[J C Higgins]

It isn't relevant to this topic but as I recall the first black player to be offered a football scholarship to UT was somebody other than McClain.

 

[njvols]

Reggie is enshrined in the Ring of Honor. He's there with the only other two NFL hall of famers from UT, Doug Atkins and Peyton.

(I just say this to point out that he is not being overlooked or not celebrated)

I just wish we had a ring of honor without the retiring of jerseys...with the exception of Vols lost in combat in WW2. You'd have folks lining up to wear 16 or 92... Bama can still honor Joe Namath and Ken Stabler while letting current players bear the burden of playing up to #12 greatness. Just my opinion.

 

[Voltopia]

Also, how were they trailblazers for racial equity? That implies their success is related to special treatment due to their color of their skin. Seems to me it would be the opposite. Don’t they mean equality?

They both do and don't. The people this press release is meant for use the word equity, regardless of the actual definition of either word. But that's where we are today. Different languages for different tribes.

 

[Evergrenevol]

I don't really understand why Tee is on there

This may help your understanding:

 

[fifties fan]

Three enduring CH memories 1. TD run against GT. Unbelievable 2. Coming out of the east side tunnel after a first half injury. As he ran around the boundary of the field the crowd stood and cheered like crazy. The first 'wave' in Neyland? 3. The 'no call' on the facemask tackle by Bama. Raises my BP decades on. Still, fifty years later he remains one of the great ambassadors in UT history.

Lester McClain as part of the group is an absolute no brainer. JW and TM, as shown above, easily defensible.

 

[RhodesVol]

Tyler Bray deserves a statue. The guy tore up the strip every night #legend

I anticipate that most, if not all, of the establishments that he frequented are no longer around, unfortunately. That said, a Tyler Bray statute, of him in the act of chucking a beer bottle out in front of, say, Cool Beans, would be a landmark I would go to see.

 

[Doberman]

This may help your understanding:

The forgotten QB.......puhleassseeee

 

[peaygolf]

Check this out. I think this a pretty good move.

Jackie Walker should be in the College Hall of Fame, for the simple fact that he was a stud football player.

5 ints returned for TD's as a linebacker and a 2X All-American.

 

[Wylo]

Sick of this equity nonsense. These guys deserve to be honored on the merits of being great football players.

Think maybe perhaps inequity is the reason the statues haven't gone up already? Heaven forbid things get corrected from time to time...

 

[utvolpj]

This may help your understanding:

Thanks but I watched all and attended most. He was a good QB but not sure how contributions rise to the level of the other 3.

I feel the same about retired numbers

 

[golfballs]

Think maybe perhaps inequity is the reason the statues haven't gone up already? Heaven forbid things get corrected from time to time...

What other statues are at Neyland?

 

[Hacksaw]

Because people are different colors. It's not something that should be ignored. It's something that should be celebrated. Everyone of us is human, but its also important to understand peoples origins and life experiences. I get you mean good, the first thing you see in someone shouldn't be the color of their skin. I agree fully, but the color of someone's skin is a part of who they are. And that's okay. Because that diversity makes the world a much more interesting place. It's about accepting people the way they are, not turning a blind eye to it. You have the right idea, we should be human beings first regardless of race, but someone's race is a part of them and that's okay. The goal is to eliminate racism, not race.

What I said is that until we stop dividing ourselves based on arbitrary physical characteristics, we're never going to advance as a species. You viewed that statement to be sooo controversial that it required a short lecture about diversity.

Frankly, I love diversity. But I really don't have faith that we are capable of dealing with it. I think it would be better if we just all had sex with different races until we are all one homogenous hue. Of course, then we'd divide ourselves based on eye color, height, left-handed vs. right-handed. There will always be people who want to divide us.

MLK said we should strive to create a color-blind society, where we are all judged based on the content of our character. The loudest voices for diversity today clearly no longer believe in that. It's sad.

 

[keenobserver]

I've always felt uneasy and a little weird for some reason staring up in adoration at a statue. Even more so because they rarely resemble the real person.

With that said, I'd be completely fine with ONLY having a General Neyland statue at Neyland stadium forever.

(A) that saves fans from fighting each other about who deserves a statue and who doesn't
(B) saves money when idiots want to desecrate it 50 years from now when they figure out the idol might not have been a perfect person

Find a unique ring of honor type deal displayed for everyone to see in the stadium.

Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of statues. Let's find a way to hang some banners and hoist some 🏆