Now it gets interesting

#1
orange+white=heaven

orange+white=heaven

VN GURU
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
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#1
First and foremost, let me say to every Tennessee player who has worked so hard, and done all the right things, and believed in themselves, their teammates, their coaches... Congratulations! We are proud of you. You earned that moment on Saturday because you fought for it. Yes, you kicked the door down.

To the coaching staff, good on you. The fire was white hot, and though you were starting to show signs it was wearing on you, you stuck to the work, and fashioned a classic at a time when only a classic would suffice.


The state's media wasted no time on Sunday concluding that the Tennessee question was now succinctly asked and anwered. Even offered Fulmer a chance to tell everyone to 'stick it'... an offer Fulmer declined(save for some choice words for Pennington).

The question I spent Sunday asking myself was, 'Is that the case?'. Asked and answered?

After 59-20, I pulled off of the Fulmer wagon, because there were many things I could explain away no longer. The primary reason was that my most important measuring stick.. continued improvement from the season in hell... was not meeting it's benchmarks.

As great as this win was, and as reluctant as I am to be seen as sniffing at it, there is a point to be made that this win underscores inconsistencies in this latter Fulmer era.

The thing to come back at me with is... How can you complain after a win like that?... I understand this. I shouldn't be. I also shouldn't have to. If there hadn't been so many blowout losses over the past several years, I wouldn't be. Inconsistencies.

This season now gets interesting because for the first time since, I think 2004, the Volunteers control their own destiny with Florida in the mirror. A consistently solid performance by this program we love could lead us to an SECCG. A consistently solid performance. Something that would indeed mean the Fulmer question had been... Asked and Answered.

Here it is before us. Now, it gets interesting.
 
#2
#2
Interesting indeed, OWH. Good post. :hi:
 
#3
#3
orange+white=heaven said:
First and foremost, let me say to every Tennessee player who has worked so hard, and done all the right things, and believed in themselves, their teammates, their coaches... Congratulations! We are proud of you. You earned that moment on Saturday because you fought for it. Yes, you kicked the door down.

To the coaching staff, good on you. The fire was white hot, and though you were starting to show signs it was wearing on you, you stuck to the work, and fashioned a classic at a time when only a classic would suffice.


The state's media wasted no time on Sunday concluding that the Tennessee question was now succinctly asked and anwered. Even offered Fulmer a chance to tell everyone to 'stick it'... an offer Fulmer declined(save for some choice words for Pennington).

The question I spent Sunday asking myself was, 'Is that the case?'. Asked and answered?

After 59-20, I pulled off of the Fulmer wagon, because there were many things I could explain away no longer. The primary reason was that my most important measuring stick.. continued improvement from the season in hell... was not meeting it's benchmarks.

As great as this win was, and as reluctant as I am to be seen as sniffing at it, there is a point to be made that this win underscores inconsistencies in this latter Fulmer era.

The thing to come back at me with is... How can you complain after a win like that?... I understand this. I shouldn't be. I also shouldn't have to. If there hadn't been so many blowout losses over the past several years, I wouldn't be. Inconsistencies.

This season now gets interesting because for the first time since, I think 2004, the Volunteers control their own destiny with Florida in the mirror. A consistently solid performance by this program we love could lead us to an SECCG. A consistently solid performance. Something that would indeed mean the Fulmer question had been... Asked and Answered.

Here it is before us. Now, it gets interesting.
Click to expand...

:yes:
 
#8
#8
good points OWH........the whole probelm is that questions still have to be answered year after year. it'd be nice to not have to ask once in a while wouldn't it?
 
#10
#10
Fulmer's fate is clearly laid out in front of him.....the planets lined up Saturday and the East is now there for the taking! Connect the dots coach..... George Stienbrenner is watching you!
 
#12
#12
Fulmer quote from today's Tennessean:

"We weren't that far away versus Cal or even Florida," Fulmer said. "That's hard to say with the scores that turned out, but the (Florida) score was not really reflective of the game, actually.
Click to expand...
 
#14
#14
Speaking of quotes...

Cutcliffe in the second half, encouraging Ainge to not make the dumb mistake with the lead...
"That's a Bentley you're driving out there. Don't dent it!"
:lol:
 
#16
#16
Great post.
Believe Pennington's article challenged this group of players to play Tennessee football against GA and hopefully for the rest of the season. I would love to hear that Pennington's article is taped to every player's locker.

But now we know the players can play it is up to the Coaches to show us they can still coach.
 
#17
#17
orange+white=heaven said:
This season now gets interesting because for the first time since, I think 2004, the Volunteers control their own destiny with Florida in the mirror. A consistently solid performance by this program we love could lead us to an SECCG. A consistently solid performance. Something that would indeed mean the Fulmer question had been... Asked and Answered.

Here it is before us. Now, it gets interesting.
Click to expand...

I would really love it, if we could get back to the SECCG and revenge that loss to LSU which kept us from the 2001 BCS Championship game. :dance2::dance2::dance2:
 
#18
#18
Pennington should not be congratulated with "game balls". Its nice that the team can feed off the negative energy he "created", but any decent journalist knows not to use quotes by anonymous sources. Sucky.
Anyways, does anybody remember the last time that the Big Orange blocked a daggumm punt? I've been watching the Vols for like 15 years and don't really remember one that sticks out.
 
#20
#20
Fulmer and company put on a great show saturday, that's undeniable. However, to silence me as a critic, we need 8 more encores.... At this point I'm willing to take a loss to LSU in the SECC, but I won't be able to handle a bowl loss
 
#24
#24
Wether it was coaching or playing off the negativity of the article or alien abductions, they looked like a different team Saturday and I for one like this team a whole lot better....GO BIG ORANGE!!!!
 
#25
#25
A lot of T-E-A-M this year. The players seem to have a better than usual rapport with the coaches and seem to care about what's happening with CPF.

Spot on with the comment about inconsistencies and all the "should'a, could'a" that the point brings to my mind.

Time will tell. I'm hoping this game will be a momentum builder for a young team and they continue to encourage each other and improve.
 
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