Dang I was gonna start my own thread but VolFreak has WISELY put a limit on the newbs starting threads. I apologize in advance for going off topic or hijacking the original post
I mention right off this is my first post on the Volnation, Some will stop reading here because after many many months of lurking on this board Ive learned first timers opinions are not often valued here. No matter how long you have been a volunteer. After this past week I am driven to speak my opinion, god knows there were plenty.
First, I welcome Coach Dooley and support you 100% you are my coach. My reasoning is the team I love hired you so, you get my unconditional support. The only thing I know about you so far is what I have learned from other Volnation members reading their posts and research. The AD thinks youre the best fit for the job given ( his ) no win situation he was placed in. I do appreciate the position our offer put you in, to walk away from the team you built and your incoming recruits.( As Vol fans we know how that feels )
To my fellow Vol fans when did we become the school of whiners ?? Coach Dooley said it in his press conference
I do feel sorry for the recruits who were mislead, but life gets harder than this,, its a life lesson. Lane Kiffin had me excited about the future at UT as he did many of you. I bleed orange but life goes on. The sky is not falling it just appears that way. There are big wins in our future and heartbreaking losses just like life. This is a revelation to NO one but
Where did our sense of entitlement we feel come from ? Our last national Championship was 12 + years ago. Many fans have assumed and acted like we could just buy any big name coach of our choosing to save our recruit class. Is our check book and lust so big it should override any morale obligations the coaching candidates had to their program they built and their incoming recruits. We demand that you dont screw us over and leave until we get tired of you . However we as fans reserve the right to complain and criticize before you ever loose a single game.
In five years I personally would be very proud to be a Vol Fan whos team went 7-4 and wasnt the highlight in the latest police lineup. Thats the true negative for this program, hiring an unknown coach
Is a huge risk...but its not a felony.
How about this approach
recruit 3-4 star Student-Athletes who want to play first and foremost for the real and only UT. If you are exceptionally talented the NFL knows where Knoxville is. Instead of trying to buy a championship with coaching we earn it with hard work and desire .Like 99% of you, what little I have in life I worked for. Maybe we just out play the other teams with preparation and effort ? Anyone remember the 86 Sugar Bowl and the NFL roster we crushed. How about this year
we beat the National Champions up and down the field, yeah we lost the game but you know you were proud of OUR PLAYERS.
Hey the last thing I want to sound like is a saint that, is above arm chair quarterbacking and talking football. Some of us got whipped into an embarrassing frenzy this week. ( GUILTY, I was here 22 hours Wednesday myself ) The entire college football world watched this board this week was this the message as Vol fans we wanted to send out ??
Is Dooley the right coach ??? Is Hamilton an idiot or genius, my crystal ball is broke I DONT KNOW
My one and only point is simple and it is this
We ask our coaches and 18-20 yr old men to touch that sign as they leave the locker room. Before they battle the best athletes in the country and risk injury. In front of a live TV audience an 100,000 fans . We make them swear and promise.
I WILL GIVE MY ALL FOR TENNESSEE TODAY.
Do we as fans get off just buying a ticket
Or
should we as fans be as loyal to our team as we demand our coaches and players to be.
VOL FOR LIFE