So THIS is what it feels like to ACTUALLY win...

#1
Gandalf

Gandalf

The Orange/White Wizard
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Dec 7, 2012
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#1
the off-season.

No more covering over our lack of recruiting prowess or claiming 5* hearts. No more locker room drama. No more "who can give a better press conference on eye discipline". No more snide jokes on our coaches capabilities from other programs. No more losing a critical assistant. No more hearing sounds of pity from other coaches and even fans.

Actually winning recruits, currently #2 in the country - and yes, that may change (or may not if we stack out with 4-5*s) but its a helluva lot better to be in front trying to stay there than being in the back of the pack trying to get to the front. To hear the melodious sound of grumbling and the sniping of rival fan bases, such as we have not heard since the Fulmer era.

No, we are not yet feared again by the bubbas, puppies or Gators - not for 2020, though we could steal one - it will take another season or two of solid wins. But anyone with eyes can see Pruitt and staff (and Fulmer) are building TN back into a nationally relevant program again - not with flashy things but with core systems in training, in recruiting, in coaching, that will continue to be a threat to other programs year after year.

It is a joyous day indeed. I cannot wait for the game clocks to start running and we have opportunity to prove up our pudding - but in the meantime, I will enjoy winning the offseason.
 
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#2
#2
We're the talk of the nation right now, love us or hate us, it's still good press for us. I even read a site for the black shirts a Nebraska site, they were talking about us. If Pruitt can take one or two of the big four this year, we will be talked about.
 
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#5
#5
Boca Vol said:
OP, were you not around in 2013? There was a ton of hype during that summer....including this gem:

Click to expand...


Absolutely - and I know its easy to get caught in the momentary giddiness of hype. But succeed or fail, Pruitt is no Jones, no mid-major small puddle singing frog. Pruitt knows what success, real success looks like - up close - and that is what he is building for.

The difference in 2013 is the hype was coming from Butch and UT - in 2020 its coming from players and outside the program, I dont think the head coach would even speak to the press if he could avoid it.

Also, with the yeoman approach Pruitt has, it is hard to see how he doesnt get us back to top 10-15 consistently. Once you are in Top 10, anything can happen and who knows year to year and who is the Sabans and Dabos vs "merely" just a great coach.
 
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#6
#6
As a bonus all of these recruits are already Champions of Life and are coming with proper shower discipline; or as the evaluators like to refer to as "up side and back side intangibles".
 
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#7
#7
Gandalf, buddy we've been smashing offseasons for years now. You know that. Butch Stones, Elite coaching pedigree, Fear the Orange Pants, Best Staff in America, 3rd Down for What, Champions of Life, 5 Star Hearts, Deal With It, The Clawfense, Red Bull Machine, Diamonds in the Rough, Reevaluated to 4* next time, 9-3 floors, 63 Effort, and Sign Rocky Top All Night Long!!!

Is it any wonder that they now offer Alcohol at the games for $87 a cup ... and have a line to get it?

Edit: Forgot ... Leadership Reps
 
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#8
#8
livefaith said:
Gandalf, buddy we've been smashing offseasons for years now. You know that. Butch Stones, Elite coaching pedigree, Fear the Orange Pants, Best Staff in America, 3rd Down for What, Champions of Life, 5 Star Hearts, Deal With It, The Clawfense, Red Bull Machine, Diamonds in the Rough, Reevaluated to 4* next time, 9-3 floors, 63 Effort, and Sign Rocky Top All Night Long!!!

Is it any wonder that they now offer Alcohol at the games for $87 a cup ... and have a line to get it?

Edit: Forgot ... Leadership Reps
Click to expand...

You are very right - and your examples are perfect for why I am so hopeful that this time is different. Notice none of the items you mention are about football (except the self proclaimed BSiA). The stuff we are getting hype about today is football related. The start of last years season sucked but somehow we found a way to pull it together and win the next 6 games. Wasnt pretty or convincing but somehow, we dug down in spite of things and won out after imploding early and then getting crushed by superior talent. Recruiting was good last year (JP's first real year) considering results and is fantastic this year so far. We now have Chaney in his second year, we lost no major coaches and indeed have only added better and better coaching staff by all accounts. Only real concern is replacing Fitz at S&C and that is a challenge but I trust they will get the right guy.

Point is, the things we are excited about are not gimmicky sloganeering this time but what seems to be real improvement to core elements of the program. Time will bear out of course but it is much better footing than we have been on in some time IMO.
 
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#10
#10
Boca Vol said:
OP, were you not around in 2013? There was a ton of hype during that summer....including this gem:

Click to expand...


Exhibit A of why coach worship is dangerous.

Again, the joy from the past 2 weeks doesn't mean a thing if we fail to show it on Saturdays...
 
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#11
#11
livefaith said:
Gandalf, buddy we've been smashing offseasons for years now. You know that. Butch Stones, Elite coaching pedigree, Fear the Orange Pants, Best Staff in America, 3rd Down for What, Champions of Life, 5 Star Hearts, Deal With It, The Clawfense, Red Bull Machine, Diamonds in the Rough, Reevaluated to 4* next time, 9-3 floors, 63 Effort, and Sign Rocky Top All Night Long!!!

Is it any wonder that they now offer Alcohol at the games for $87 a cup ... and have a line to get it?

Edit: Forgot ... Leadership Reps
Click to expand...
can’t forget
4895BE5F-056E-4134-A0C8-009581CB02B5.jpeg
 
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#12
#12
Boca Vol said:
OP, were you not around in 2013? There was a ton of hype during that summer....including this gem:

Click to expand...

This song could have changed the music industry. It touched my heart in ways a heart should never be touched. I honestly think every football fan should see this from beginning to end at least twice. As an example of how it's NOT done. Coaches don't get songs until they at least win an SEC championship. But if they do this guy should write them.
 
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#13
#13
pimo1 said:
This song could have changed the music industry. It touched my heart in ways a heart should never be touched. I honestly think every football fan should see this from beginning to end at least twice. As an example of how it's NOT done. Coaches don't get songs until they at least win an SEC championship. But if they do this guy should write them.
Click to expand...

JCO is one funny human. His videos are hilarious.
 
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#16
#16
livefaith said:
Gandalf, buddy we've been smashing offseasons for years now. You know that. Butch Stones, Elite coaching pedigree, Fear the Orange Pants, Best Staff in America, 3rd Down for What, Champions of Life, 5 Star Hearts, Deal With It, The Clawfense, Red Bull Machine, Diamonds in the Rough, Reevaluated to 4* next time, 9-3 floors, 63 Effort, and Sign Rocky Top All Night Long!!!

Is it any wonder that they now offer Alcohol at the games for $87 a cup ... and have a line to get it?

Edit: Forgot ... Leadership Reps
Click to expand...

Just think if Don McClean could pen a song about UT football - along the lines of American Pie - and put all these terms in as lyrics. It's the same kind of journey.
 
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#17
#17
Gandalf said:
Absolutely - and I know its easy to get caught in the momentary giddiness of hype. But succeed or fail, Pruitt is no Jones, no mid-major small puddle singing frog. Pruitt knows what success, real success looks like - up close - and that is what he is building for.

The difference in 2013 is the hype was coming from Butch and UT - in 2020 its coming from players and outside the program, I dont think the head coach would even speak to the press if he could avoid it.

Also, with the yeoman approach Pruitt has, it is hard to see how he doesnt get us back to top 10-15 consistently. Once you are in Top 10, anything can happen and who knows year to year and who is the Sabans and Dabos vs "merely" just a great coach.
Click to expand...
I think for me the biggest difference is that player development is evident with Pruitt, whereas it was nonexistent with Botch. All of the biggest wins we had with Botch were miraculous come-from-behind or last-second-keep-from-blowing-it sort of wins; we never just dominated another team start to finish, like we have against multiple good teams multiple times in the past two years (Auburn, Kentucky, etc.). The next step is to begin beating the big boys, and beat them consistently; that's when we will definitively know we're back.
 
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#19
#19
Warriorvol said:
We're the talk of the nation right now, love us or hate us, it's still good press for us. I even read a site for the black shirts a Nebraska site, they were talking about us. If Pruitt can take one or two of the big four this year, we will be talked about.
Click to expand...
Good FREE press.
 
#23
#23
bigorangepoppa said:
Ya know, if they would have put "is" out from opportunity, then they could have put "now" more to the left with the proper spacing from "here" and it would have made sense.
Click to expand...
Valid point. Never looked at it that way. Just been wrapping my head around the motivational impact of essentially There’s No Opportunity.
 
#24
#24
Gandalf said:
the off-season.

No more covering over our lack of recruiting prowess or claiming 5* hearts. No more locker room drama. No more "who can give a better press conference on eye discipline". No more snide jokes on our coaches capabilities from other programs. No more losing a critical assistant. No more hearing sounds of pity from other coaches and even fans.

Actually winning recruits, currently #2 in the country - and yes, that may change (or may not if we stack out with 4-5*s) but its a helluva lot better to be in front trying to stay there than being in the back of the pack trying to get to the front. To hear the melodious sound of grumbling and the sniping of rival fan bases, such as we have not heard since the Fulmer era.

No, we are not yet feared again by the bubbas, puppies or Gators - not for 2020, though we could steal one - it will take another season or two of solid wins. But anyone with eyes can see Pruitt and staff (and Fulmer) are building TN back into a nationally relevant program again - not with flashy things but with core systems in training, in recruiting, in coaching, that will continue to be a threat to other programs year after year.

It is a joyous day indeed. I cannot wait for the game clocks to start running and we have opportunity to prove up our pudding - but in the meantime, I will enjoy winning the offseason.
Click to expand...
And to think there were several around here asking Fulmer to fire Pruitt and take over the team last year. I was unsure about PF as an AD until he did not panic and fire Pruitt and take over as coach. That assured me we have the right guy in charge..
 
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