Three choices. Boycott it. Schiano it. Let it die.

[PC Jr.]

BTW, if you don't buy tickets, the WV fans will. Boycotting the bowl game is not hurting the bottom line (ticket sales and TV contract revenue) if that was your intent.

They will not miss you … or any of us.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Blind loyalty won't fix the program folks. It's as common sense as it gets. We're all prideful and loyal, but we can't be loyal to a fault anymore.

Yes, yes we can.

We absolutely can.

Look, you seem to assume that the leadership of the University of Tennessee requires motivation from you and me so that they'll try harder to field a great, championship-caliber football team.

That's too typical of the culture these days. Some 15 year old in the Netherlands thinks it's on her to fix global warming. A freshman congresswoman thinks it's on her to rebalance the income levels of all Americans, and turn us all vegan in the process. And a significant (and very vocal) minority of Vols fans think it's on them to correct the motivational issues of UT's leadership when it comes to sports.

Well, you're wrong. It's not on you. It's not on me. The leadership already want our football program to be championship caliber. They really do, sincerely and dearly. All other things being equal, it's good for recruitment, not only in athletics but in academics as well. More young folks come to Tennessee for an education when the football team is elite (Tennessee's not unique there, it happens across the US--it even has a name, "The Flutie Effect," and has been recognized as real since not long after Doug played at Boston College). And higher enrollment has a number of salubrious one-off effects, like better academic indicators, which lead to higher ranking in the annual college ratings by a variety of institutions.

In short, the university doesn't need your motivation. They already want this, badly. Just as badly as you or me. They may not have succeeded at it lately, but they really, really want to.

In short, you are not the Greta Thunberg of Vols football. There's no need.

But yu do you. I'm going to be loyal. To a fault.

 

[GVol1966]

BTW, if you don't buy tickets, the WV fans will. Boycotting the bowl game is not hurting the bottom line (ticket sales and TV contract revenue) if that was your intent.

They will not miss you … or any of us.

Public image. When UT games are like Vandy games and Orange is outnumbered 4/1 and ESPN and everybody else makes it a point to show the crowd twice as much as normal, They definitely will miss you

 

[photovol]

Maybe there's a small hope that higher ups still get rid of Fulmer and Pruitt soon. But in the chances of that not happening, we have three choices as a fanbase right now.

One. Boycott it. We can speak with our wallets and money. Do not even think about going to a game next year if Pruitt is back. Do not buy merch. Nothing. Hell don't even watch it on TV. It will be hard for a lot of us, this is the most prideful and loyal fanbase in the country. But enough is enough!

Two. Schiano it. You cause such a **** show, you may just end up forcing their hands. Male sure the rock is painted everyday in disapproval, make sure crowds are protesting every day until change is made. People will make fun of the fanbase ect but they're opinions are irrelevant. Could hurt future potential coaches, but honestly I don't want someone coming in who's scared and has the though process of "well if I don't get it done here...." Anyways.

3. Let it die. It's on life support right now. Just pull the plug. It's what you're doing it you go to a game next year if Pruitt is back. It's what you're doing if you don't do anything. And honestly I don't blame anyone here. Apathy is a strong, hard emotion to break. The vast majority of us have had it for years now.


So what's it gonna be Vol Nation?

Not many Vol fans actually watched a complete game this year, it was just too painful to watch, especially the 2nd half of games

 

[JohnWardForever]

3-7.

Whoa! What? You're using too much LOGIC in here Man. Lol.

 

[Volfan1000]

I have not been to a UT home football game since 1986 and just consider football an appetizer while enjoying the basketball teams and their seasons.

Basketball was our big sport at Hiwassee College and we did not have a football team because we did not have the money or facilities to field a football team.

 

[LookinUp]

Boycotting is what most ex-fans are doing now. When UT came out in favor of a particular organization and was going to auction off the black jerseys and donate the funds to them I would say they lost half their fan base.

 

[TNnative]

Maybe there's a small hope that higher ups still get rid of Fulmer and Pruitt soon. But in the chances of that not happening, we have three choices as a fanbase right now.

One. Boycott it. We can speak with our wallets and money. Do not even think about going to a game next year if Pruitt is back. Do not buy merch. Nothing. Hell don't even watch it on TV. It will be hard for a lot of us, this is the most prideful and loyal fanbase in the country. But enough is enough!

Two. Schiano it. You cause such a **** show, you may just end up forcing their hands. Male sure the rock is painted everyday in disapproval, make sure crowds are protesting every day until change is made. People will make fun of the fanbase ect but they're opinions are irrelevant. Could hurt future potential coaches, but honestly I don't want someone coming in who's scared and has the though process of "well if I don't get it done here...." Anyways.

3. Let it die. It's on life support right now. Just pull the plug. It's what you're doing it you go to a game next year if Pruitt is back. It's what you're doing if you don't do anything. And honestly I don't blame anyone here. Apathy is a strong, hard emotion to break. The vast majority of us have had it for years now.


So what's it gonna be Vol Nation?

I already did option One. It kept me sane, or as sane as I will ever be.

Option Two has been done to death. Doing it again? I hear KPD has some new German Shepherds. Might be fun to watch.

Option Three? Y'all gonna do what y'all gonna do.

You really need to put on your thinking caps, and devise some other options.

As to your view on Apathy? That is easy to break. The solution is winning.

 

[Grey_pilgrim]

Boycotting is what most ex-fans are doing now. When UT came out in favor of a particular organization and was going to auction off the black jerseys and donate the funds to them I would say they lost half their fan base.

Oh boo freakin hoo. I highly doubt we lost more than a few rednecks over that. Anyone who is still a fan now is a diehard in my book.

 

[AshG]

Forgive me for bringing politics into it, but the bunch of rugged individualists complaining about things isn't going to get crap done. You want your way? You're going to have to take some tactics from organized labor and community organizers to get things done. Collective action that's planned out and with the end goal stated from the beginning. Easy to follow steps so the least likely to get involved can feel like they've done something positive. Copy and paste letters. Direct phone numbers and emails. A "Follow these steps then pass it along" sheet.

Otherwise, you're throwing BBs at a barn wall hoping it will eventually collapse.

You want it done right? I'm glad to help.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Yes, yes we can.

We absolutely can.

Look, you seem to assume that the leadership of the University of Tennessee requires motivation from you and me so that they'll try harder to field a great, championship-caliber football team.

That's too typical of the culture these days. Some 15 year old in the Netherlands thinks it's on her to fix global warming. A freshman congresswoman thinks it's on her to rebalance the income levels of all Americans, and turn us all vegan in the process. And a significant (and very vocal) minority of Vols fans think it's on them to correct the motivational issues of UT's leadership when it comes to sports.

Well, you're wrong. It's not on you. It's not on me. The leadership already want our football program to be championship caliber. They really do, sincerely and dearly. All other things being equal, it's good for recruitment, not only in athletics but in academics as well. More young folks come to Tennessee for an education when the football team is elite (Tennessee's not unique there, it happens across the US--it even has a name, "The Flutie Effect," and has been recognized as real since not long after Doug played at Boston College). And higher enrollment has a number of salubrious one-off effects, like better academic indicators, which lead to higher ranking in the annual college ratings by a variety of institutions.

In short, the university doesn't need your motivation. They already want this, badly. Just as badly as you or me. They may not have succeeded at it lately, but they really, really want to.

In short, you are not the Greta Thunberg of Vols football. There's no need.

But yu do you. I'm going to be loyal. To a fault.

Please give us specific examples of direct, substantive moves that the UT administration has made to make this football team championship caliber over the past 13 years...

 

[bnhunt]

Maybe there's a small hope that higher ups still get rid of Fulmer and Pruitt soon. But in the chances of that not happening, we have three choices as a fanbase right now.

One. Boycott it. We can speak with our wallets and money. Do not even think about going to a game next year if Pruitt is back. Do not buy merch. Nothing. Hell don't even watch it on TV. It will be hard for a lot of us, this is the most prideful and loyal fanbase in the country. But enough is enough!

Two. Schiano it. You cause such a **** show, you may just end up forcing their hands. Male sure the rock is painted everyday in disapproval, make sure crowds are protesting every day until change is made. People will make fun of the fanbase ect but they're opinions are irrelevant. Could hurt future potential coaches, but honestly I don't want someone coming in who's scared and has the though process of "well if I don't get it done here...." Anyways.

3. Let it die. It's on life support right now. Just pull the plug. It's what you're doing it you go to a game next year if Pruitt is back. It's what you're doing if you don't do anything. And honestly I don't blame anyone here. Apathy is a strong, hard emotion to break. The vast majority of us have had it for years now.


So what's it gonna be Vol Nation?

Love the use of Schiano as a verb. Reminds of Kingpin (“Munsoned”).

 

[dbrasner]

Option 1 really won't work unless the big money donors stop giving money too. You'd also have to contend with people that are happy with simply having a seat at the table & those that feel they have to support the athletes regardless of bad AD leadership, etc...

Option 2 might be fun to dream of but it'd likely be short-lived if actually attempted since people have lives & such.

Option 3, aka the apathetic one, is sadly where people are going to be whether they choose to be so or not.

Big changes require big decisions by the big money. Regular fans are well down the list whether fair or right.