This is how you build a culture!

#76
#76
Gonna be really cool when they get the black helmets next year and I bet it's only a matter of time before we see those orange helmets with all orange uniforms too. Gen X'er here and I say bring it on..
 
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#78
#78
JRich said:
I mean, Butch did the same thing and the players reacted the same way, but ok. It's become a thing to ridiculously overreact to things or events. They aren't really that excited, it's an act. A bit juvenile, I know. No one, especially young football players should be surprised by alternate uniforms. It's become pretty common.

The only culture I want to see is one of confidence which comes from winning.

Curious, what USC traditions did Kiffin bring to Knoxville?
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Maybe the worst take ever. Lol. The players get super hyped to not wear the same jersey every game. We’ve only ever worn black one other time (that I know of). It’s a cool change. As a fan I’m a little more excited for the game than I might have been. So I’d imagine if I were a player I would be out of mind excited. And more than anything really it’s heupel doing something the players asked for. Drink a beer and pull that stick out man. I know the last couple of decades have been tough on us all. But I believe times are changing
 
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#79
#79
spyfish007 said:
You also have to acknowledge you could win without the culture change. You always have culture so the question is what is the culture. Does that culture help you win?

What you are talking about is the idea and belief that a specific culture will create sustained winning. Implementing a specific culture is one approach, not the only. I do tend to agree implementing a specific culture is a more likely way to be successful over time, even when times are hard.

Now you can debate what is a good culture. Jones, Pruitt, and Heupel have different views on this and well every coach believes in their culture. We have seen the breakdown in the Jones and Pruitt eras when the wheels fell off bus. Their cultures were either not implemented (at all or well) or their cultures were not capable of sustaining them. I would argue those cultures were not good.
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Television (and radio?) commentators have often talked about the "culture" of football and other sport programs. That has always seemed to me to be the wrong word. LIke they grasped for a phrase to capture a thought, even if it wasn't quite the right one.

Culture usually revolves around the arts in society. One definition says culture is, "the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group." But football programs don't have arts or social institutions or unique intellectual achievements. And the achievements they do have usually come in the form of wins or losses; something not unique at all, compared to the other programs around them.

I think what those TV personalities were trying to grab hold of were the values of the program. What it stands for, what it wants to be known for. Finesse? Fine-tuned perfectionism? Or rough-handed workman attitude, roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty? Misdirection and showmanship and sleight-of-hand, perhaps? Or raw power, steamrolling, no subtlety just pounding the rock over and over? Chivalry, or cut-throat piracy?

So. Values. What do we stand for, what do we value in ourselves?

That's what "culture" really means in the sports context, I think.

For Josh Heupel and Co, the values start with Family. Brotherhood. Love for one another. Commitment to one another. And then after that, quickness--mental quickness, to identify patterns and adjust to them, but also physical quickness to get back to the ball and get it snapped again before the other guy is ready.

That's the core of the new "culture," of the new value system for the Vols. Brotherhood, Family, Tight Bonds. And Quickness.

There's probably more. That's what we've seen so far.


p.s. Kiffin and Dooley and Jones and Pruitt all instilled a certain value system as well. None of them worked, but each of them were different than what came before. Kiffin's was all about irreverent fun, letting loose, thumbing your nose at the system while taking advantage of it. Dooley's was quasi-intellectual disdain, putting down those around you to make yourself look smarter. Jones was a showman, football as entertainment, Barnum and Bailey "lie to them as long as you're entertaining them, it's all a show." And Pruitt was built on mean-spirited hate. Respect no one, just go out and take what you want.

Clearly none of those worked. Because at the end of the day, none of them valued the players or the sport they were playing as noble causes in and of themselves. So none of them were sustainable.

And that's why we may just have a winner here. Finally be pulling ourselves up out of our Dark Ages. Too early to tell, but there's reason for hope.

Go Vols!


(2 am philosophical ramblings of a guy who went to bed too early the night before, lol)
 
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#81
#81
Eastknox865 said:
The one things that we need to understand like it or not ITS NOT ABOUT YOU. This is about the kids and what makes them happy.
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And more than what makes them happy, even. What gives them purpose. And confidence, and pride, and community. What settles them into a place in society where they feel comfortable, like they belong and are depended on and can depend on their brothers-in-arms.
 
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#82
#82
JRich said:
I mean, Butch did the same thing and the players reacted the same way, but ok. It's become a thing to ridiculously overreact to things or events. They aren't really that excited, it's an act. A bit juvenile, I know. No one, especially young football players should be surprised by alternate uniforms. It's become pretty common.
The only culture I want to see is one of confidence which comes from winning.
Curious, what USC traditions did Kiffin bring to Knoxville?
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#83
#83
I prefer the traditional orange and white, but if it helps recruiting, I'm ok with it.
 
#84
#84
lulz

For the millionth time on VN, there’s a fight in the comments section over uniforms. Because that matters, apparently.

And none of you are going to wear it anyways. No one reading this has ever been good enough at football to play at UTK.

If your dad had been the high school coach then maybe you would have gotten more playing time. But it’s too late to fix that.
 
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#85
#85
JRich said:
I mean, Butch did the same thing and the players reacted the same way, but ok. It's become a thing to ridiculously overreact to things or events. They aren't really that excited, it's an act. A bit juvenile, I know. No one, especially young football players should be surprised by alternate uniforms. It's become pretty common.

The only culture I want to see is one of confidence which comes from winning.

Curious, what USC traditions did Kiffin bring to Knoxville?
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I bet you’re a blast at parties
 
#86
#86
utvols74 said:
Has Alabama changed their unis lately?

From a "branding" perspective, it doesn't make sense.

From a "player motivation" perspective, perhaps it does.
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We ain't Bama. Tennessee doesn't poke its nose up Bama's rear hole to decide what aroma of cologne or uniform to use.
 
#88
#88
I agree. It's time we spiced things up. Not that the classic looks and traditions aren't important. They're our bedrock, but there's nothing wrong with a few other looks to put into our gameday wardrobe. And no, I'm not some young 'un. This is from a guy who saw his first game in '65. Not sure about the impact on "culture", but I like the black in our uniforms.

After seeing that troll butch jones going ape chit on the sidelines this week, it struck me how a bad fit like him and the gump could destroy morale and culture. Getting rid of toxic personalities like those have done far more to change the culture than any uniform could.
 
#90
#90
JRich said:
Not at all. That's a strange conclusion. I am merely commenting on the OP's thread about the team's reaction to new uniforms being "building culture.". I don't feel that alternative uniforms are "culture." A positive culture on an athletic team comes from positive results on the field, not new uniforms. Just my opinion, not bitching. I couldn't care less about alternate uniforms.
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Actually, the OP didn't claim that adding alt unis is building culture. The OP indicated that the players' reaction is probably an indication that culture is being built. You have a cart/horse problem.

And no. Results on field isn't a singular creator of positive culture on a team. Often, field results are the outcome of culture, which is built by other things, such as trust, familial feel, happiness, confidence...which are all built in large part off the field.
 
#91
#91
VFL-82-JP said:
That's blue? Really?

All these decades, I always thought that was black below the orange and white!

55f21e8838e90.image.jpg


Well, my wife does always tell me that I can't tell colors apart worth a spit. :)

Go Vols!
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I was actually allowed to keep my band uniform by Dr Julien. It was my reward for being Saxophone section leader and 1st chair concert band. It is actually navy blue. The uniform is the concert band uniform minus the hat and overlay.
Of course, I am old and the may have changed the tux color in the last 40 years, but I don’t think so. Can one one the younger former PRIDE members clarify?
 
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#92
#92
GBOplayer said:
Watch: Tennessee Players React to Getting to Wear Black Uniforms - Sports Illustrated Tennessee Volunteers News, Analysis and More

"Look good, feel good, play good"

Coach Heupel is building something we have been lacking the past decade....all the previous coaches did not care to build culture. Even Lane Kiffin could carr less about all the UT tradition, he just brought in all the USC traditions and hyped up past USC players like Reggie Bush.
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I don’t know how anyone could watch that video and not be excited for the players REGARDLESS of their own opinion of black uniforms.
 
#93
#93
Pride85 said:
I guess it is a good thing you have no say in how this coaching staff motivates this team. Whew!
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Well, I made no comment on motivation but if you need an alternate uniform to motivate your team to play a scheduled conference game, you’re doing it wrong.
 
#94
#94
chattavol420 said:
Maybe the worst take ever. Lol. The players get super hyped to not wear the same jersey every game. We’ve only ever worn black one other time (that I know of). It’s a cool change. As a fan I’m a little more excited for the game than I might have been. So I’d imagine if I were a player I would be out of mind excited. And more than anything really it’s heupel doing something the players asked for. Drink a beer and pull that stick out man. I know the last couple of decades have been tough on us all. But I believe times are changing
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No, it’s a fair take. I don’t mind the uniforms. My comment is about “building culture.” I’m allowed to disagree.
 
#98
#98
Orange_Crush said:
Actually, the OP didn't claim that adding alt unis is building culture. The OP indicated that the players' reaction is probably an indication that culture is being built. You have a cart/horse problem.

And no. Results on field isn't a singular creator of positive culture on a team. Often, field results are the outcome of culture, which is built by other things, such as trust, familial feel, happiness, confidence...which are all built in large part off the field.
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Read it again, I said the teams reaction and as far as the rest, I disagree.
 
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