I see everyone saying we neednt a VFL staff because they get the culture....What do you mean? The culture that means we want to win? The culture of we used to be good?
Do you think the issue with Butch and Dooley was that they didnt realize we wanted to win? Not trying to stir the pot, I just dont understand this idea that somehow hiring a guy that played here will turn this thing around.
Culture is a certain set of beliefs and ways of doing things.
In my culture, at home, we gathered for Sunday dinner. It was at a specific house, at a specific time, after going to a specific church.
Now others may believe in going to church, and gathering for family dinner. But ours is unique. It is unique to us.
Even among my family, certain things are unique. My wife can't make a certain dish the way her Grandmother could. She has the same recipe, but it's just a little different. So, culture isn't a panacea. It doesn't guarantee success. But my wife makes that dish the closest to her grandmothers than any we have found.
The culture at Tennessee has changed. We no longer do things the way we used to. Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad. Maybe it's just different. My family used to cook everything on cast iron, now they use no stick pans. It does effect the flavor, but is it better or worse, I don't know.
People talk about restoring a VFL staff, because it's like family. Look at it like a falling out among family. We run off our cousins that always was at Sunday dinner. They quit bringing their side dishes. The meal hasn't been the same since. We don't eat at the same time anymore. We have a TV on now during the meal. It changed our culture.
People long for familiarity. It gives us comfort. Fans want the family to come back and restore our culture because it gives us that same feeling we get from having Grandma's biscuits again. Some people call it nostalgia, but I personally believe it is more than that. It is almost an instinctual need to restore that which gives us comfort. We are creatures of habit, after all.
Getting back to VFLs will restore culture somewhat. An Al Wilson knows only one way to be a leader. A Tee Martin knows what was expected in daily practice. A Kevin Steele remembers what we did day in and day out, and how it worked on game day.
It may not always be the best way. But it was our way.