Someone tell me about the good times.

#1
Adam2014

Adam2014

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#1
When Tennessee never had to worry about losing to Alabama or South Carolina or Florida. Tell me about 98 I was only 2 then.
 
#5
#5
Let’s take the long historical perspective on Tennessee football. From 1926, when Neyland took the helm, until 2001, Fulmer’s last outstanding season, UT had the highest winning percentage (.73305) of any major-college program (I-A Winning Percentage 1926-2001 ). We trailed only Alabama in overall wins for that period (592 to 589). Even if you include the declining years of the previous decade, we are (for the period 1926-2010) 3rd in winning pct. (.71785) and 2nd in overall wins (659, compared to Oklahoma’s 665) (I-A Winning Percentage 1926-2010 ). I hope that makes you feel a little better.
 
#6
#6
Well son, back in my day we didn't worry about games against Bama and the chickens. Florida on the other, well let's just say it was good that game was early on in the year.Those were great Saturdays because we were getting wild and partying hard because we knew there was a victory ahead that night.

You youngins hang in there, Tennessee will be back.
 
#8
#8
98 was an amazing year, Tennessee seemed to pull out a victory no matter what. T. Martin was a special player if we needed a yard he got it, he found a way. My favorite player from that year was probably Raynoch Thompson a head hunter something we need on todays team. The one handed tip interception by Deon Grant in the Florida game is a play i will never forget as long as i live. Those were the best of times that i can remember about UT football. After that year i could never bring myself to cheer for another team, i don't care if we lose every game. I am VFL.
 
#9
#9
slh1089 said:
Imagine what a rainbow would taste like, then you will have the good years.
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skittles.jpg
 
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#10
#10
Adam2014 said:
When Tennessee never had to worry about losing to Alabama or South Carolina or Florida. Tell me about 98 I was only 2 then.
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They worried about them every play of every quarter, and worked their butts off with complete focus, and a refusal to let each other down...

Great teams worry still......but they use that as a motivator to not mess up.

As for the fans......most fans haven't a clue what's going on, trash talk, or whine over all sorts of meaningless drivel. 1998 was won close call after close call.....Arkansas game alone seemd to take an act of God an invisable finger, or the will of a million Vol fans saying "just please make him drop the ball"......that team was not remotely the most talanted team we have had in that era...they just seemed more determined, and more cohesive....made no excuses, and pushed each other and had lots and lots of pride. I don't think they took anything for granted.
 
#11
#11
I was a senior in high school when we won the NC. Was great to only really worry with having to beat Florida.
I met this smokin chick at a party for the UF game that year. I was a senior and she was a sophomore so I she thought I was cooler than I really was. I got her number that night, and as I type this, she's reading a bedtime story to our oldest of two sons.
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#12
#12
Sgt_Nick_Fury said:
They worried about them every play of every quarter, and worked their butts off with complete focus, and a refusal to let each other down...

Great teams worry still......but they use that as a motivator to not mess up.

As for the fans......most fans haven't a clue what's going on, trash talk, or whine over all sorts of meaningless drivel. 1998 was won close call after close call.....Arkansas game alone seemd to take an act of God an invisable finger, or the will of a million Vol fans saying "just please make him drop the ball"......that team was not remotely the most talanted team we have had in that era...they just seemed more determined, and more cohesive....made no excuses, and pushed each other and had lots and lots of pride. I don't think they took anything for granted.
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My dad let me skip church for that game :) i think that may make God a Vol fan...
 
#14
#14
As much as destiny, luck or “the breaks” favored Tennessee in ’98, the iron will of Al Wilson was the glue that held that team together.
 
#15
#15
I remember looking at the polls every sunday and monday to find out where UT was ranked this week, and hoping other teams lost so we could move into the top 10.
 
#16
#16
As a fan, you walked to the stadium or turned on the TV with an anxious, but confident feeling. Expectation EVERY game that you would win. Not alot of feeling "hope we can keep it close", and maybe some good fortune will shine down on us and a victory would fall our way.

We'll feel it again. Just hope it's sooner rather than later.
 
#17
#17
Volosaurus rex said:
As much as destiny, luck or “the breaks” favored Tennessee in ’98, the iron will of Al Wilson was the glue that held that team together.
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+1

If I had to deal with a pissed off Al Wilson or a pissed of Sergeant Hartman...well I'd rather go ahead and choke myself on Hartman's hand.....then explain myself to big Al.
 
#19
#19
Panthro said:
I was a senior in high school when we won the NC. Was great to only really worry with having to beat Florida.
I met this smokin chick at a party for the UF game that year. I was a senior and she was a sophomore so I she thought I was cooler than I really was. I got her number that night, and as I type this, she's reading a bedtime story to our oldest of two sons.
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Awesome!! Defining moments in a young man's life, thanks for sharing.
 
#20
#20
Sgt_Nick_Fury said:
God has always been a Vol fan.....just as the "Other" one...has always been a Spurrier fan.
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This reminds me of a joke I once heard. You will undoubtedly dismiss the premise as sheer folly but Spurrier was allegedly greeted at the pearly gates by an archangel, who proceeded to give him a tour of heaven. Spurrier inquired about the college banners he observed here and there. As the archangel explained, the Florida State pennant signified the eternal residence of Bobby Bowden and the Penn State flag marked the home of Joe Paterno. An enormous orange and white pennant, however, towered over all others within his visual field, so the ever curious Spurrier asked why Phil Fulmer’s residence in the hereafter was so much larger than anyone else’s. The Archangel paused and said, “Ah, but that isn’t Phil Fulmer’s house; that is where almighty GOD lives.”
 
#21
#21
Adam2014 said:
When Tennessee never had to worry about losing to Alabama or South Carolina or Florida. Tell me about 98 I was only 2 then.
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You asked about 98, but the entire decade was pretty special. Most of the 90's was about 2 things: Bama and Florida. Beating Florida from 95-99 was the only thing standing between UT and a conference title. It was an exciting rivalry with a great build up and one of the nations best games each season. Think about the upcoming LSU-Bama game, it was like that. UT was feared and respected and there was a swagger that came with wearing your gear in other territory. It was an awesome decade. 98 was insane. I was at every home game and the conference title game. It was awesome to be the talk of college football. That team was one of the most disrespected national champ teams and still is. People say they were lucky. That's flat out garbage. Nebraska won a title be beating Mizzou in a reg season game by kicking the ball in the air and catching a deflection. The Ark fumble was luck, but people forget UT still had to score a TD on that drive. That season, and most of the decade, was awesome because you never really felt UT would lose. In 98, they were losing to MSU and Ark by a bit, and you didn't have much doubt they would find a way.(Had a doubt or 2 during Ark game I suppose). There was just a feeling that UT's year had arrived. After they beat Florida, we knew that that team had a real shot. It was awesome to not really fear Bama at that time, it was an expected win. I could go on and on, but it was special. The talent at UT at that time was spectacular, and Fulmer was a recruiting force. UT was feared and envied. The 80's had those moments too.The gameday atmosphere was unreal. Things have changed not just because of the on field stuff, imo.The fanbase has changed. Fans that are older than myself and have been through this type of stuff before, see the big picture better. I am pretty spoiled because most of the time that I remember UT football (84-present), was pretty awesome. A bad season in the 90's was 3 losses.I believe that the way UT football was when I was growing up(80's and 90's)wassomething special and hopefully that will return. I think it is more than just the winning, it's the fanbase, pride etc. Just so happens that winning takes care of a lot of that stuff. Many fans can't remember the darker days, and that could be a reason for much of the impatience. I suppose college football has changed as well. I know this is way more than you asked for, sorry about that. I'm gonna go pop in my "decade of dominance" video now and cry myself to sleep.
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#22
#22
Panthro said:
I was a senior in high school when we won the NC. Was great to only really worry with having to beat Florida.
I met this smokin chick at a party for the UF game that year. I was a senior and she was a sophomore so I she thought I was cooler than I really was. I got her number that night, and as I type this, she's reading a bedtime story to our oldest of two sons.
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Nanny?
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#23
#23
oklavol said:
I remember looking at the polls every sunday and monday to find out where UT was ranked this week, and hoping other teams lost so we could move into the top 10.
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God, I remember doing that too. In actual newspapers too.
 
#24
#24
Bama is bama....as far as I am concerned it's always about beating Bama..Wether their weak and we're strong, their strong and we're weak, we're both strong or weak.....it's always about beating Bama...cause F Bama.
 
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