Paul Finebaum

[chargervol]

Finebaum is right about one thing for sure - Butch has lowered fan's expectations. 8/9 wins is now a solid year, and it is for most programs. There was a time that anything less than 10 wins was a disappointment.

Yeah, a lot of the Fulmer era, about it though. I believe we had like a 20 year span with only 2 10 win seasons, before Phil.

Oh, and of course Neyland if you change your post to percentage.

 

[dan4vols]

Several teams have proven that Alabama can be beaten, there's film out there to prove it and learn from it. The question is, is a coaching staff willing to put in the work and open their minds to make the changes in schemes, strategy, and staying on top of the players mindset and effort to get the job done. There is a gap between Bama and the pack. My question is why aren't teams willing to up their game?

 

[JacketVol]

I think Dooley did that and CBJ is raising the standard. "Win today, win tomorrow." Sounds simple to me that 121 expects to win every day.

How many fans on here have posted they expect to lose to bama? Too many. Sounds like a fan problem rather than a team problem.

Bearded Vol just proves by his post he expects to lose to Bama. I hope our coach never feels that way and just shows you guys are miserable little butt heads. I expect to win every time I compete and for you punks bowing to bear and bubba, go be losers somewhere else.

 

[CA_Vol]

I think Dooley did that and CBJ is raising the standard. "Win today, win tomorrow." Sounds simple to me that 121 expects to win every day.

How many fans on here have posted they expect to lose to bama? Too many. Sounds like a fan problem rather than a team problem.

Really? Because it's the team who keeps losing to them every year and it's the fans who keep showing up. Your projected self-loathing is absurd.

 

[BeardedVol]

Several teams have proven that Alabama can be beaten, there's film out there to prove it and learn from it. The question is, is a coaching staff willing to put in the work and open their minds to make the changes in schemes, strategy, and staying on top of the players mindset and effort to get the job done. There is a gap between Bama and the pack. My question is why aren't teams willing to up their game?

For the foreseeable future we aren't going to out-talent Alabama, so any chance we have of beating them is going to require a coach who can out-coach Nick Saban; there's the rub.

 

[JacketVol]

For the foreseeable future we aren't going to out-talent Alabama, so any chance we have of beating them is going to require a coach who can out-coach Nick Saban; there's the rub.

Almost beat him two years ago and was just one play away when martin fell. We get Bama after a very tough eight game stretch for them. Could have a chance to get them.

 

[volfan102455]

A team that does not believe or think it can win - will not win. I have not heard one member of Tennessee's team, coaches or players, say they expect to lose to anyone this year.

Some of you need to take your negative attitude someplace else.

 

[CA_Vol]

A team that does not believe or think it can win - will not win. I have not heard one member of Tennessee's team, coaches or players, say they expect to lose to anyone this year.

Some of you need to take your negative attitude someplace else.

The point of the conversation isn't about the teams confidence - it's about the actual ability of the head coach - as well as the portion of the fan base who seems be comfortable with mediocrity.

 

[Hairy Vols]

The point of the conversation isn't about the teams confidence - it's about the actual ability of the head coach - as well as the portion of the fan base who seems be comfortable with mediocrity.

What coach, other than a select handful, can put coach Saban?

Who, on the market, can out coach him?

What's the point of kicking a dead horse over and over if there isn't another one to ride?

 

[volfan102455]

Finebaum is right about one thing for sure - Butch has lowered fan's expectations. 8/9 wins is now a solid year, and it is for most programs. There was a time that anything less than 10 wins was a disappointment.

Finebaum is wrong and so are you. Expectations have not been lowered. Most fans, but obviously not you, expect the team to

(1) Give their all every game
(2) Go into each game with the expectation of winning
(3) Not roll over and let anyone beat them just because of what name is on their jersey

Tennessee has won 10 regular season games 6 times in the last 30 years. Counting post season games Tennessee has won at least 10 games 9 times in the last 30 years. I guess 24 or 21 years, depending on how you count the wins have been disappointing.

9 is actually closer to the true picture of Tennessee football history - I know it needs to be 10 to fit the current dialogue but it really isn't.

 

[Hairy Vols]

That being said with that Lul of an offensive coordinator hire we may be able to out coach em this year.

I'll take Shoop vs Daboll all day.

 

[volfan102455]

The point of the conversation isn't about the teams confidence - it's about the actual ability of the head coach - as well as the portion of the fan base who seems be comfortable with mediocrity.

FSU extended Jimbo Fisher for life after a 9 win season. I guess some fans have a different view of the number of wins that = mediocre.

 

[BeardedVol]

FSU extended Jimbo Fisher for life after a 9 win season. I guess some fans have a different view of the number of wins that = mediocre.

A 9-win season, in his second year as HC, has been Fisher's lowest at Florida State; try again.

 

[BigOrange15]

I'd add that Butch is handicapped by fans who don't really expect much, thereby letting him skate without feeling any real pressure to move the program up the pecking order. Saban doesn't have that luxury.

Im not so sure about that. If Butch had won a NC in year 3 and then won another one about every other year, the expectations of our fans would be the same as theirs. Their boosters were all in from the start but their fans didnt start out as "championship or bust" but they are now. Ours would be too, as would most other major fanbases.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

Im not so sure about that. If Butch had won a NC in year 3 and then won another one about every other year, the expectations of our fans would be the same as theirs. Their boosters were all in from the start but their fans didnt start out as "championship or bust" but they are now. Ours would be too, as would most other major fanbases.

Butch would've been fired from Bama at the end of last season. They were going through coaches at a fast clip.

 

[CA_Vol]

FSU extended Jimbo Fisher for life after a 9 win season. I guess some fans have a different view of the number of wins that = mediocre.

Wow. So Butch is really Jimbo Fisher. A National Championship coach who has only gone below a 9 win season once as head coach.

 

[CA_Vol]

FSU extended Jimbo Fisher for life after a 9 win season. I guess some fans have a different view of the number of wins that = mediocre.

Wow. So Butch is really Jimbo Fisher. A National Championship coach who has only gone below a 10 win season once as head coach.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Butch would've been fired from Bama at the end of last season. They were going through coaches at a fast clip.

What?

 

[butchna]

Finebaum is right about one thing for sure - Butch has lowered fan's expectations. 8/9 wins is now a solid year, and it is for most programs. There was a time that anything less than 10 wins was a disappointment.

And we were disappointed a lot through the years. One of our epic seasons, in 85, netted 9 wins.

 

[butchna]

Really? Because it's the team who keeps losing to them every year and it's the fans who keep showing up. Your projected self-loathing is absurd.

So don't go to the games and don't participate on their mediocre fans message board? Lead the way! :gone:

 

[1chattyvols1]

And we were disappointed a lot through the years. One of our epic seasons, in 85, netted 9 wins.[/QUOTE

Yeah but that was a 12 game season (including the bowl) not a 13 game season. On top of that there were two ties, not three loses.

Butcha, you usually make good arguements but in this one you're just way off. The '85 season is just a one loss team.

 

[butchna]

And we were disappointed a lot through the years. One of our epic seasons, in 85, netted 9 wins.[/QUOTE

Yeah but that was a 12 game season (including the bowl) not a 13 game season. On top of that there were two ties, not three loses.

Butcha, you usually make good arguements but in this one you're just way off. The '85 season is just a one loss team.

Cuz we had TIES back then! UCLA had all the momentum at the end of the first game. That goes to overtime, today and we most likely have TWO losses and with that being the tone setter for the season. Somehow pull that one off and gear up for the Georgia Tech matchup. We were dead spiritually after losing Tony Robinson and Darryl Dickey somehow gets us into position for a Carlos Reveiz 50+ FG...to tie! Don't like that game in an overtime. With those ties, we catch lightning in a bottle and obliterate possibly the best team in the country. Those are losses and today we make threads about how crappy a team they are, why'd we hire Donahue and that we should get a million dollars and make Dan Devine say no.

 

[Boca Vol]

Cuz we had TIES back then! UCLA had all the momentum at the end of the first game. That goes to overtime, today and we most likely have TWO losses and with that being the tone setter for the season. Somehow pull that one off and gear up for the Georgia Tech matchup. We were dead spiritually after losing Tony Robinson and Darryl Dickey somehow gets us into position for a Carlos Reveiz 50+ FG...to tie! Don't like that game in an overtime. With those ties, we catch lightning in a bottle and obliterate possibly the best team in the country. Those are losses and today we make threads about how crappy a team they are, why'd we hire Donahue and that we should get a million dollars and make Dan Devine say no.

Maybe, maybe not. It's impossible to know. Last year UT had all the momentum against aTm going into OT. You just never know.

But, to your point, the ties and lack of conference title games made a lot of seasons "look" better than what they were.

I recall a few months ago John and Jimmy were having a discussion that included Bear Bryant and Spurrier and by the numbers it wasn't close. Not taking anything away from Bryant, but he coached in an era of ties and no title games. A tie at the top (regardless who went to the Sugar Bowl) meant all those teams claim the title. That can't happen today. So it's very difficult to compare teams & coaches from different eras because the circumstances aren't the same.

 

[wmcovol]

When Saban took over Alabama, yes they were coming off a 6-6 season where their starting QB was injured much of the year but the season before they were the best team in the SEC before Prothro got injured. They totally embarrassed UF that year.

 

[1chattyvols1]

A lot of seasons back then looked better than they really were. Some not as good also. Though we won back to back SEC Championships in '89 & '90 it really doesn't feel like it. I understand how things work but two of our SECC come on the heels of Fla being on probation.

Same feeling toward Fulmer backing into the '07 SECCG.