What if we had won the East....

#1
jps2194

jps2194

Vol for Life
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#1
I've seen a ton of griping, complaining and calling for Butch's head because we didn't win the East this year.

But what if we had won the East. With our current defense, Bama probably hangs 60+ points on us and we would have stood a great chance of getting blown out worse than the last time we played them. Getting absolutely embarrassed would have caused the following to happen:

1. Volnation would have completely melted down - worse than it already is. We would have more of Butch is great and more of he must go and a further divided fan base. But who cares, that doesn't really impact the team in any way it just frustrates us.

2. Butch would have another cliche or he would not say what some wanted him to and we would see about 47 threads on his post game speech.

3. Our team would be demoralized after getting embarrassed and would likely affect our bowl preparation and could lead to us laying an egg in the bowl.

4. The game could potentially affect recruiting - can you imagine a 4 or 5 * recruit watching the game and saying, wow, TN is bad. I'm going somewhere else.

The fact is, we are so depleted with injuries I think we are better off not having won the East. This will give us time to get healthy and head into the bowl preparation with a positive attitude and finish strong. Furthermore, not getting thrashed by Bama potentially improves our bowl pick. Not sure, I don't exactly get into the weeds on bowl possibilities...

Obviously winning the East would have been awesome since we would head back to the SECCG, but the stars weren't aligned and I think we are better off for it.

I know there are differing opinions, but that is how I look at it. I also don't think this season has been a bust. We have 3 losses (1 of which was unexpected). Given our historic injury bug, I think it's remarkable we haven't lost more.

Regardless of how we finish the season, I'm a VFL and will cheer for them until I die. Go VOLS and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
 
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#4
#4
Don't forget #5 reaction,

5. How stupid Butch jones is for the east champion rings he got them.

Your wasting your time on the 20 or so ignorant a**holes thats on here.
 
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#8
#8
My minimum expectation for the season was to represent the East in the SEC title game. There are NO reasonable excuses for that not happening. If bama beat us like a rented mule again I would have accepted it as they are clearly the better team. IMO this year was a failure. Some make excuses and some see what's about to play out. We'll have to wait at least another year but a new HC is inevitable. Problem is we'll see recruiting continue to suffer and the new coach will be in a huge rebuild AGAIN by the time he's hired.
 
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#14
#14
Before last Saturday, it was mostly "We want another shot! We will do better against Alabama this time! We can make the playoffs".

Funny how one weekend changes all that, and now the tone is "Meh good thing we didn't win the East, Alabama would kill us".

You can't be changing the story because things didn't go our way. If LSU had one, the same people that were saying before Saturday we had a decent chance to upset Alabama would still be saying the samet thing.
 
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#16
#16
VolsSportsFan said:
Before last Saturday, it was mostly "We want another shot! We will do better against Alabama this time! We can make the playoffs".

Funny how one weekend changes all that, and now the tone is "Meh good thing we didn't win the East, Alabama would kill us".

You can't be changing the story because things didn't go our way. If LSU had one, the same people that were saying before Saturday we had a decent chance to upset Alabama would still be saying the samet thing.
Click to expand...
I never changed my story and never had any grand illusions we could hang with Bama. If we were healthy, it would be a different story.
 
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#17
#17
Lawrence Wright said:
Winning the division should always be the primary goal.

Bama might beat us 63-7, so be it.
Click to expand...

Yep. You get into year 3 and 4 of a tenure at a place where its attainable and it should be. The conditions have been right for the last 2 years.

Im going with 37-13
 
#22
#22
no one expected us to go in to the SEC CG and pull a W before the injuries. i don't think anyone's expectations would change now had we made the trip to ATL.

heres what bothers me about not going to ATL:

Jim Mcelwain back to back SEC E division titles.

Butch Jones....nada.

and the EAst is garbage. and we still couldn't do it, with the best team we've had in a decade. and i just don't see FL and GA going backwards anymore. USCe has built some momentum this season.

we're life champions and happy about 8 wins. we have players leaving the program. we have players decommitting.

and i'm not one of these overreacting fans. i get that in reality, each of these things, singularly don't mean much.

but when you start stringing them together, the perception of the program starts to change from "up and coming" to "stale and flat". and i'm afraid that's what's happening right now.

could i be wrong? sure. we'll keep finding out as we play Vandy, get more in to the post season, see what bowl we go to, how we do in the bowl, and then on Signing Day.

but my gut says it's leveled off big time. and now that we're trying to justify why we should feel good about not winning the EASt because it would save us the loss against BAma....well, let's just say that's another reason to think it's flattened out.

now we don't want to win the East for fear of losing. ringing endorsement there!
 
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#24
#24
I'm less bothered by not winning the East and having to face Bama again than I am by the reason UT didn't win the East.

Jones was once again outcoached by MUSCHAMP and this time with a VASTLY inferior roster.

Let that sink in awhile. That is NOT the kind of game a championship caliber coach loses... EVER
 
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#25
#25
Lawrence Wright said:
Are you suggesting playing for an SEC title without making the CFP is a bad thing?
Click to expand...

You still have a shot to play for the CFP (gotta beat FSU)

But no, I didn't say it was a bad thing. I said it was arbitrary.

If UT had won the SEC Title game we would play in the sugar bowl. Right now it looks we will play in the sugar bowl.

Same outcome, except I guess we would feel better about ourselves
 
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