THE most important game?

#1
orange+white=heaven

orange+white=heaven

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#1
With The Tennessean saying in two seperate articles today that this Georgia game is....

"...is the biggest game for Fulmer since the Vols played Florida State for the national championship on Jan. 4, 1999."

and...

"...The most important game in Coach Phillip Fulmer's tenure as the Vols' head coach comes Saturday, when Georgia comes to Neyland Stadium."


Is it? Really?
The implication being of course that this is the game in which Fulmer's job is finally on the line. With Alabama still on the docket in this year's case of Phillip Fulmer v. Job Security, I'm not certain this Georgia game is in fact, THE game.

What do you think?
 
#2
#2
I think this is it. I expressed it in Guitar shots, which is on the desk to be published as we speak.
 
#3
#3
He has had an open week to prepare...so yes I think this game speaks volumes.
 
#4
#4
IF he wins this Saturday I think that you could say every game from here on out this season is "the game" for CPF. But I agree, this week is the game for his future. Even a win over Bama may not save him with a loss to the Bulldogs.
 
#5
#5
orange+white=heaven said:
With The Tennessean saying in two seperate articles today that this Georgia game is....

"...is the biggest game for Fulmer since the Vols played Florida State for the national championship on Jan. 4, 1999."

and...

"...The most important game in Coach Phillip Fulmer's tenure as the Vols' head coach comes Saturday, when Georgia comes to Neyland Stadium."


Is it? Really?
The implication being of course that this is the game in which Fulmer's job is finally on the line. With Alabama still on the docket in this year's case of Phillip Fulmer v. Job Security, I'm not certain this Georgia game is in fact, THE game.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

The fans have had two weeks to sit around and listen to Fulmer and the staff's promises of "tackling, going back to basics, etc"

This is the game where he must back his word of working like heck. If he loses this game anywhere near the way we did Cal and Florida saying the natives are restless will be a huge huge understatement.

If he loses a close game he can throw that "one play" excuse up.
 
#6
#6
I think the biggest game for CPF has been changed many times. Bama in 95 was huge to getting UT on the right path again. 98 UF was kinda the same as bama in 95. 99 Fiesta brought the trophy to Knox so I still view that as maybe the biggest. 01 SECCG was bigger than this year's UGA.

Maybe they say it because his job is on the line but I just don't see it.
 
#7
#7
I think it is tied for the third biggest game in Fulmer's tenure.

1 (tie) UF in 92 & UGA 92
3 (tie) FSU in 98 & UGA 2007
5 Bama 1995, what a great game, this is probably #1 on my list

He is 4-0 in the other top games, so I am guessing he will be 5-0 come Saturday. (Then maybe lose to Bama when the heat is not as hot)
 
#8
#8
vol_sec said:
I think it is tied for the third biggest game in Fulmer's tenure.

1 (tie) UF in 92 & UGA 92
3 (tie) FSU in 98 & UGA 2007
5 Bama 1995, what a great game, this is probably #1 on my list

He is 4-0 in the other top games, so I am guessing he will be 5-0 come Saturday. (Then maybe lose to Bama when the heat is not as hot)
Click to expand...

The #1's can be looked on as after the fact big games.

This game is for his job. If he loses this game the Fire Fulmer crowd grows louder and louder. If he wins this game he shuts them up for at least a week. There is an optimisim after the Florida loss and if that optimism is killed then well there's nothing left.
 
#9
#9
I think he needs a game to silence his critics...and then, he needs a run to ATlanta to silence his critics.

A win in the SECCG at this point is too far of a pipedream to even consider.
 
#10
#10
I think it may have more to do with the fact that UGA has made Neyland Stadium its home away from home this decade than anything else. Biggest game.....I'm not so sure about that.....but you have to think that repeatedly not being able to hold serve on your home court in the BIG game makes it a justified topic for discussion.
 
#11
#11
orangeblooded_2 said:
I think he needs a game to silence his critics...and then, he needs a run to ATlanta to silence his critics.

A win in the SECCG at this point is too far of a pipedream to even consider.
Click to expand...

I read on another board (let me state I hate internet message board rumors and secret sources) that it is known to Fulmer than if he doesn't at least make it to the SECCG he's done after this year.

Take it for what it is, an internet rumor.
 
#12
#12
I think a loss in this weeks game is the beginning of the end.

Not to put too much on one game, but a loss this weekend could lead to at least two more lossses and possible repeat of 2005. A repeat of 2005 and he can move out of his office.
 
#13
#13
orangeblooded_2 said:
I think he needs a game to silence his critics...and then, he needs a run to ATlanta to silence his critics.

A win in the SECCG at this point is too far of a pipedream to even consider.
Click to expand...

I like UT over UGA, LSU over UF, and USC over Kentucky.

So possibly on Sunday UT could be tied for 1st in the SEC East. (or completely out of the race and Fulmer possibly out of a job at the end of the season)
 
#14
#14
vol_sec said:
I like UT over UGA, LSU over UF, and USC over Kentucky.

So possibly on Sunday UT could be tied for 1st in the SEC East. (or completely out of the race and Fulmer possibly out of a job at the end of the season)
Click to expand...

could be tied with Vandy if they beat Auburn :p
 
#15
#15
Business said:
The #1's can be looked on as after the fact big games.

This game is for his job. If he loses this game the Fire Fulmer crowd grows louder and louder. If he wins this game he shuts them up for at least a week. There is an optimisim after the Florida loss and if that optimism is killed then well there's nothing left.
Click to expand...

That is true, after the fact, and after the fact big games for Fulmer. Not so much big games for UT, just indirectly through Fulmer.
 
#16
#16
vol_sec said:
I like UT over UGA, LSU over UF, and USC over Kentucky.

So possibly on Sunday UT could be tied for 1st in the SEC East. (or completely out of the race and Fulmer possibly out of a job at the end of the season)
Click to expand...

I see no scenario that puts UT in a tie for first after this weekend, regardless of the outcome with UGA, unless you're just looking at the loss column. The best we could do is 2nd.
 
#17
#17
I don't know that I'd say that Saturday is THE game, but this is definitely THE month. Georgia, Alabama, Spurrier, and a trip to Starkville to play a 3-2 team that beat a team that beat Florida. It's a minefield.

I'd say three wins out of the four would take some of the heat off, by which I mean that articles in the paper about the boosters' influence on Hamilton, etc. would probably stop appearing. Two out of four and the pressure remains firmly on, with the opportunity for Kentucky to deliver a potentially fatal blow. Lose three out of four, and it may be a moot point by the time we get to the Kentucky game.
 
#18
#18
They are all important in the SEC East race, but Alabama is the big rivalry game. I would consider Alabama the biggest. I think SC and Ky are probably better teams.
 
#21
#21
i think it's that important, it's just hard seeing it in print i think. here's the deal...each game on the schedule, especially games against coaches that CPF doesn't have a good record against, will be the 'next' biggest game until we finally lose.

but to the GA game specifically.....two weeks to prepare. at home. share of the SECE lead on the line. GA isn't 'great'.

this game is that important. Losing it after stating all of the above really just reaffirms everything that has been said about TN the past two weeks.

but should we beat UGA Saturday, i'd expect to see similar type pressure placed on SC, Bama, ARK and KY.
 
#22
#22
IMHO, I don't believe if he loses to GA that it's a given that Fulmer is fired. But if he loses to GA and then has one more SEC loss, then it's over.
 
#23
#23
How ironic would it be if UT ended up winning the SECE and Florida taking second, with Florida having spanked the Vols by 30? I guess its a possibility at this point.

I think that its unlikely, really, that either Florida or UT wins the SECE. UT is just not good enough to win out and Florida will lose Saturday such that it is going to need help to finish ahead of Kentucky, even assuming the Gators beat them.

Face it. The SECE is a complete mess.
 
#24
#24
I see that most of you are taking this matter relative to the SECE race.
My take was that the newspaper was contending the game was so important because it, alone, had somehow become an emporer's life or death thumb to Fulmer's future. A case that I am not certain is so.
 
#25
#25
orange+white=heaven said:
I see that most of you are taking this matter relative to the SECE race.
My take was that the newspaper was contending the game was so important because it, alone, had somehow become an emporer's life or death thumb to Fulmer's future. A case that I am not certain is so.
Click to expand...

You know that the media is going to overhype everything, so why not take advantage of the discontent around K-town?

Is it a big game? Sure. But what was the Florida game? Didn't we say the same thing before it? What were the bowl games -- supposedly our chance to prove how much better the SEC is than other conferences and to justify our season losses? What was virtually every game in 2005? And, if we win, won't Bama be Fulmer's chance to prove that he can win over the resurrected Saban?

I just tend to look at the season and the past 5 years or so overall when judging the state of our program.
 
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