Remember When We Were Football Fans?

#52
#52
Volosaurus rex said:
JP, all are points well taken. The internet, unfortunately, allows us the anonymity to impulsively say exactly what is on our minds, without exercising restraint, self-discipline, or diplomacy, if we so choose. On the other hand, the current angst in Big Orange Country is simply another manifestation of the monster that Neyland built. As evidence that very little is truly new, consider the following historical fact:

Denver Crawford, who was a captain on the 1947 team, came back at some point after completion of his playing career to express his appreciation for everything that Neyland had done for him and to discuss his plans to go into coaching. The ’47 and ’48 teams had performed well below Neyland’s customarily lofty standards, and criticism was abundant, with pundits asserting that Neyland was too old, his single-wing was antiquated, etc. Crawford informed Neyland, “Coach, I wanted to go into this game of football, but you’ve been here 20 years, and the way they’re after you, I don’t know if I want to go into that kind of game.”

Our revered Brigadier General grinned and slowly said, “Let me tell you, Crawford. I don’t care what field you go into. You can’t live on your clippings. You’ve got to produce.” See 100 Things Tennessee Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Craig T. Smith, pp. 30, 32.

At the time, of course, Neyland was beginning to lay the foundation for his last national championship-caliber teams. Only the optical power and unending use of the microscope with which we analyze current events has truly changed in critiquing coaching regimes.
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Really nice insights, Rex, thanks for them. Never heard that story before. :good!:
 
#53
#53
LibertyVolance said:
There isn't but one thing a man needs to know; and it's something our women folk learned long ago, and it's just this:

"From the moment a girl gets to be full grown,
the very first thing she learns,
When two men go out to face each other
Only one retur-r-r-ns.

Many a man would face his gun
And many a man would fall.
But the man who shot Liberty Valance
He shot Liberty Valance,

He was the bravest of them all.
Click to expand...


As tribute to one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time and one of the greatest tribute songs in cinematic history, I give you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDN4L7cAQf0.
 
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#54
#54
VFL-82-JP said:
So I glance down the list of threads I may want to check out on VolNation. Here's a bit of what I find:
  • "Listening to 1180"...host says Butch wasn't focused on the game Saturday, worried about something else....
  • "Shy Tuttle injury"...fight with Nigel Warrior?
  • "Where is Jennings??" (out for season with wrist injury, but thread asks why he's not on the sideline)
  • "Is Evan Berry really hurt..." or is there something else going on?
  • "Do we blame Jalen Hurd now?"
  • "Sad State of Affairs with UT football program if true"
Drama...drama...more drama.

We apparently now live for drama, rather than football.

Ask yourself this: when did you last have a good conversation about football? You know, Xs and Os, how teams match up against each other, real football?

A few can honestly answer "today," or "yesterday." For most here, an honest answer would be "weeks" if not "months" or maybe even "I never have."

What have we become?

~ ~ ~​

Here's my theory: the internet, having a virtual "news feed" available 24/7, has released the inner housewife/househusband in some of us.

If I tried to start a conversation about two Tennessee players getting into a fist fight back when I used to work on the farm for my best friend's dad, the fellas would've said, "who cares, only thing matters is they play hard on Saturday."

Sunday to Friday was the team's time on its own. We lived our lives, they lived theirs. Only got back together on Saturday for the game.

The 24/7 news cycle changed that. Internet's ability to tune into any topic you want, any time (like Vols football) changed it even more. Now we can saturate ourselves with the lives of 11 coaches and 105 players in a way we never did before.

So somehow we started thinking that whatever snippets of information came out of the training center during the week was "following football."

And now we're addicted to The Days of Vols' Lives just like any other soap opera.

Man, I sure wish this was still about football.



EDIT: zomg, how did I miss this nugget on the first pass?
  • QD dating Butch Jones God daughter
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I agree that there is an overabundance of information available. Some people just need to get a better filter for all of that. I get drawn in mostly in the off season because I'm desperate for information about ANY kind of college football. But during the season, I tend to stay away from the FF because that's when the crazies come out.
 
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#57
#57
Hacksaw said:
I actually did start a thread similar to that last week, where I asked the more negative fans to give us one thread for some reaffirmation of fan loyalty and positivity.

The first reply accused me of not caring about winning (willing to accept mediocrity). It turned into exactly what you described. It was even suggested that if I didn't like all the negativity, I should just stay off of VN altogether. You get that? I suggested maybe we could have just one thread for positivity and they suggested that I should just go away. Ha!
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I commented in that thread that I was all Vol and immediately got attacked and my fandom called into question for the amount of post I have versus amount of time being a member just because I didn't voice any negativity
 
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#58
#58
weallvol said:
I commented in that thread that I was all Vol and immediately got attacked and my fandom called into question for the amount of post I have versus amount of time being a member just because I didn't voice any negativity
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I don't think fewer posts over time is a negative. In fact, the opposite is probably true.
 
#63
#63
I remember lots of things like my first car, '59 Studebaker Silver Hawk, but it's a memory. Things change. College ball is big business now, idk.
 
#64
#64
Part of the problem lies in a a few posters who literally only post controversial topics/comments to stir up people. We, myself included many times, feed into that and it only worsens.

But most of VN are passionate fans, so obviously I believe you get some of the worst along with some of the best. It's a place to vent, so I understand why in these difficult times under Butch people tend to freak out and go on and on about "drama". It's somewhat natural when the environment is so unsteady. Butch doesn't help at all either.
 
#66
#66
I'll be in Neyland this Saturday screaming my head off. You guys can join me or sit at home and pout
 
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#68
#68
CountVolcula said:
That all ended when athletes began to pretend they are actually more important to our daily lives than they actually are
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But who's fault is it that they act this way??? Fans treat them as if they cured Aids and Cancer all n the same day. I know you read the recruiting forum, people fawning over 17-18 year old kids like they're gods. Following them on twitter, facebook etc..asking/begging them to come to your school. Now that's just the fan base...

Imagine how these kids were treated as children and young teens. Everyone just telling them how great they are and how they're going to the NFL. Some teachers and coaches letting them get away with anything because they can carry a football or shoot a basketball

These kids don't just get this "I am greater than all" attitude by themselves. 99% of the people around them...family, hanger-ons, fans, social media etc. This will get so much worse before it ever gets better.
 
#71
#71
VFL-82-JP said:
So I glance down the list of threads I may want to check out on VolNation. Here's a bit of what I find:
  • "Listening to 1180"...host says Butch wasn't focused on the game Saturday, worried about something else....
  • "Shy Tuttle injury"...fight with Nigel Warrior?
  • "Where is Jennings??" (out for season with wrist injury, but thread asks why he's not on the sideline)
  • "Is Evan Berry really hurt..." or is there something else going on?
  • "Do we blame Jalen Hurd now?"
  • "Sad State of Affairs with UT football program if true"
Drama...drama...more drama.

We apparently now live for drama, rather than football.

Ask yourself this: when did you last have a good conversation about football? You know, Xs and Os, how teams match up against each other, real football?

A few can honestly answer "today," or "yesterday." For most here, an honest answer would be "weeks" if not "months" or maybe even "I never have."

What have we become?

~ ~ ~​

Here's my theory: the internet, having a virtual "news feed" available 24/7, has released the inner housewife/househusband in some of us.

If I tried to start a conversation about two Tennessee players getting into a fist fight back when I used to work on the farm for my best friend's dad, the fellas would've said, "who cares, only thing matters is they play hard on Saturday."

Sunday to Friday was the team's time on its own. We lived our lives, they lived theirs. Only got back together on Saturday for the game.

The 24/7 news cycle changed that. Internet's ability to tune into any topic you want, any time (like Vols football) changed it even more. Now we can saturate ourselves with the lives of 11 coaches and 105 players in a way we never did before.

So somehow we started thinking that whatever snippets of information came out of the training center during the week was "following football."

And now we're addicted to The Days of Vols' Lives just like any other soap opera.

Man, I sure wish this was still about football.



EDIT: zomg, how did I miss this nugget on the first pass?
  • QD dating Butch Jones God daughter
Click to expand...

I get what you are saying. But less than 7 days ago we were discussing shotgun snaps and pass pass pass inside the 10 yard line on two separelate possessions. So, we have discussed X's and O's.

I do agree that QD and whomever he is seeing is a topic that does not need to be discussed ever.
 
#72
#72
VFL-82-JP said:
So I glance down the list of threads I may want to check out on VolNation. Here's a bit of what I find:
  • "Listening to 1180"...host says Butch wasn't focused on the game Saturday, worried about something else....
  • "Shy Tuttle injury"...fight with Nigel Warrior?
  • "Where is Jennings??" (out for season with wrist injury, but thread asks why he's not on the sideline)
  • "Is Evan Berry really hurt..." or is there something else going on?
  • "Do we blame Jalen Hurd now?"
  • "Sad State of Affairs with UT football program if true"
Drama...drama...more drama.

We apparently now live for drama, rather than football.

Ask yourself this: when did you last have a good conversation about football? You know, Xs and Os, how teams match up against each other, real football?

A few can honestly answer "today," or "yesterday." For most here, an honest answer would be "weeks" if not "months" or maybe even "I never have."

What have we become?

~ ~ ~​

Here's my theory: the internet, having a virtual "news feed" available 24/7, has released the inner housewife/househusband in some of us.

If I tried to start a conversation about two Tennessee players getting into a fist fight back when I used to work on the farm for my best friend's dad, the fellas would've said, "who cares, only thing matters is they play hard on Saturday."

Sunday to Friday was the team's time on its own. We lived our lives, they lived theirs. Only got back together on Saturday for the game.

The 24/7 news cycle changed that. Internet's ability to tune into any topic you want, any time (like Vols football) changed it even more. Now we can saturate ourselves with the lives of 11 coaches and 105 players in a way we never did before.

So somehow we started thinking that whatever snippets of information came out of the training center during the week was "following football."

And now we're addicted to The Days of Vols' Lives just like any other soap opera.

Man, I sure wish this was still about football.



EDIT: zomg, how did I miss this nugget on the first pass?
  • QD dating Butch Jones God daughter
Click to expand...
i agree with all of this. for better or worse.

and it's unfortunate i think that the social media phenomena has come about during the last decade, coinciding with one of our worst decades in football history. i honestly don't know how we'd react if we were good again...lol.

and as bad as it is right now, i think the biggest area the internet and 24/7 cycle has affected is in recruiting. the amount of information that's available now...is mind boggling compared to what we knew about recruiting back in the day (10-15 years ago). the expectations we (college fans in general) have on these kids coming out of high school is border line insane. if a kid that's highly rated isn't an All conf contributor by year 2, he's a bust. in with the next new guy that's going to be awesome.

over simplification on my part...granted. but sometimes i think it's a bit unfair for the player, and the program, to just say 4*/5*=immediate greatness, and when it doesn't happen that way, everybody sucks.

so yeah, big picture, 30,000 feet, i agree with your premise.
 
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#73
#73
Behr said:
Is what it is JP. I can choose to participate, or not.

I know you know that, just thought I'd agree. :)
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yeah. exactly. i just can't quit VN. even if i know it'd probably be good for my TN Football psyche sometimes.:)
 
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#75
#75
VFL-82-JP said:
Could be. But I'm not sure I buy that. There are just as many of these drama-focused threads after a good win as there are after a weak win or a loss.

I think the drama is probably here to stay. Sign of the times. Reality TV, fan forum version.

So the football fans and the drama fans (and a lot who are both) are just gonna have to live together at places like VN.com.

Pity. I'd much rather hang out with the football fans, even if there were only 10% as many threads. At least they'd mostly be about football.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. VN needs to focus on actual football and not drama OR SHUT DOWN.
 
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