Posts Tagged ‘Orange Nation’

Last year, during the off-season, I began a series on the Great Games played by the Tennessee Volunteers football team over the many years as seen through my eyes.  As I am wont to do, I seem to have lost my focus and have not exactly done a capital job of keep that series going.  Imagine that.

Since the off-season is once again upon us—paired with the fact that I have been coming up pretty spare in terms of ideas lately—I’ve decided it is time to once again take a walk down memory lane and re-live some of the greatest games in Tennessee history.  For those of you who missed the 2008 installments of this series, here are the ones I’ve covered thus far:

The “Great Games” Series:

• Ole Miss 1991
• Florida 1992
• Alabama 1995
• 1996 Citrus Bowl
• Florida 1998
• Lawvol’s All-time Top-10 Games

In addition to my list, Will, one of the sages over at RTT has been counting down the top-50 games of the Phillip Fulmer era in grand style.  Predictably, some of his favorites are on my list as well.  Trust me, his list is worth a look (and is far better researched, far more thoughtful, far better written, and … well … just far better than my little foray into the ghosts of games past).  Since I don’t want to be accused of stealing his thunder, I will be citing to his accounts of his favorite games liberally.

In fairness, it might be best to just skip this article altogether and just go read his work.  Lord knows I would but for the fact that I have to write it…

22 November 1997

vs.

(5) Tennessee 59 •    Kentucky 31

Commonwealth Stadium  •  Lexington, Kentucky

Some folks might think I am crazy for including the 22 November 1997 contest between Tennessee and the Kentucky Wildcats on my list of great games.  I can understand why they might question my thoughts on this (or my sanity).  This game was anything but a flawless game for the Vols and was hardly the Tennessee defense’s finest hour.  In fact, the game as a whole was pretty darn sloppy, as was the weather.  Still, for reasons which I will attempt to explain (a feat I will likely fail utterly to accomplish), this game still ranks as one of the great games in Tennessee football history.  The short answer as to why can be summed up in two words:

Peyton Manning

I make no bones about it.  I am a huge fan of the guy  who wore No. 16 for the Vols from 1994 to 1998.  As many have pointed out, both Andy Kelly (1989-91) and Heath Shuler (1991-93) could—in their own right—claim to be the greatest Vol quarterback in the history of the program during the time they wore an orange shirt.  Then, starting only a few snaps into the 1994 game against the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl, everyone in Orange Nation began the process of forgetting everything they ever knew about quarterbacks at Tennessee, as true freshman Peyton Manning took the reins from senior Jerry Colquitt, who quite tragically (and downright depressingly) suffered a career-ending injury in the first series of his first start at quarterback.

The rest, as they say, is history…

Read the rest of this entry »

No, I didn’t quit writing, join the circus, get attacked by Somali Pirates, or decide to take up ad hoc piloting of random airplanes falling pilotless from the sky.  I just decided that it was time for a few days off.  This was due to a number of things.  First there was the fact that—after the conclusion of the Final Four—there wasn’t much to talk about last week.  Secondly, I have been working on trying to get a few things done which, hopefully, will improve a few things here at the Gate in anticipation of football season (and I do really hope that this is the case).  Furthermore, my non-blogging life has required that I do things other than fixate upon football season which, according to the tell-tale little widget over on the right sidebar (that’s this way for those of you who are directionally challenged), is still more than 140 days off.  Finally, there were three big points which put me in bit of a funk, one which I decided to wallow in for a day or so, those points are as follows:

Pretty much sums up my luck...

1. Florida Gators, National Champions;
2. North Carolina Tarheels, National Champions; and
3. Connecticut Huskies, National Champions.

I guess 2008-09 just wasn’t meant to be my year.  So it goes…

Anyway, all of that said, here I am back again with a number of stream of consciousness observations that I wanted to chase down, and now seems as good a time as any…

Who knew that Home Depot was a hotbed of College Football Conflict…

I live in Eastern North Carolina, I am within 20 miles of the University of North Carolina (a/k/a “Tarhead U”), Duke University, and NC State University.  I am anywhere but in the heart of SEC country and quite a distance from anything resembling real football.  The closest team of consequence would probably be the Carolina Panthers, which is not exactly the same thing.  For this reason, I was a bit surprised this weekend at a brief exchange I had in the parking lot of my local purveyor of all things home improvement related:  Home Depot.

My goal was simple: collect 18 bags of mulch for the yard.  My mind was focused on trying to figure out if there was a way to get out of spending the rest of the weekend playing with wood chips and was less than attuned to matters related to football.  I had already dumped 12 bags of the stuff, and thus was less than cognizant of my “yard hat” which has “Tennessee” emblazoned upon it in letters which could be read from across the room … a large room.

Thus, I was a bit taken aback when I stepped out of my truck to a firm and slightly louder than it should have been greeting from a man in a jeep with a huge-ish Gator head on the spare tire cover:

“BOOOOOOO!!  Kiffin!”

Again, not fully in command of my football fightin’ instincts at the moment, the best response I could muster was a thumbs up in my heckler’s direction, paired with a wink, and a half-perplexed “How ‘bout ‘cha?!”

The point of this seemingly inane tale of my trip to the hardware store (ahem, “Home Improvement Warehouse”) is not meant to warn of the pitfalls attending minor maintenance tasks, to assail Home Depot’s loyalties (I know they are based out of Atlanta, but their colors are orange and white, after all), or to provide a convenient excuse for getting out of those “Honey-Do” lists.  It’s far more subtle than that…

Lane Kiffin is in the Gators’ heads.

At least in my semi-unbalanced mind, my harmless little weekend run-in—paired with the profusion of “Tennessee” signs seen in the video posted by HSH—it seems that Kiffin’s little barbs have hit their mark far beyond the confines East Tennessee.  Some of the Gator faithful agree.  Of course, as the Hoopmaster General discovered, the sparring does come at a bit of price in the form of craziness from the less than sane and those with an axe to grind (or a deadline to meet). Still, as John Pennington pointed out the Blackjack General’s messages are not simply confined to sound bites and quips, but are rapidly approaching the point of real tangible substance.

With no disrespect to Coach Fulmer, I’m betting that in April 2008 my assailant says nothing at all.

I like it!

Moving Right Along … to the Orange & White Game

It’s Spring Football Time in Tennessee!

Yes, you can get a small football fix this weekend by attending the Orange & White Game, scheduled to start at 3:00 at Neyland Stadium.  All sorts of information on the game is available over at UT Sports.com.  Tickets are $5.00 and all proceeds will go to benefit UT’s Hodges Library.  Besides, when else can you get to see the Vols play for $5.00?

For those of you planning on attending the game, I would encourage you to consider meeting up with the guys from Rocky Top Talk who will be meeting in front of the hallowed ground of the Real Gate 21 on Saturday, for more information check out the faux-schedule for the meet-up.  Sorry to disappoint everyone, but Joel, Hooper, and Will will not be signing autographs, but many of the 2009 Vols will be, so don’t get too upset.

On a more substantive note, the Spring Outlook / Team Breakdown is now available for download as well .  It is full of stats and perspectives on the squad coming into the Orange & White game.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend, but hope to find somewhere to catch the game on the web.  The Orange & White Game is sponsored by Dish Network, however, apparently it will not be televised anywhere, including Dish Network.

Either way, this is the best chance for Orange Nation to get a glimpse of the new look Vols…

Finally, an amazing story from the non-sports world worth giving a look…

“Are you using the autopilot, or are you flying the airplane?”

• Southwest Florida Int’l Air Traffic Control

“Me and the Good Lord’s Hands are flying this one…”

• Airplane Passenger, Doug White

Those are not words you like to hear from a pilot trying to guide a plane in for landing, but that is what airplane passenger Doug White had to say during his brush with fate earlier this week.  If you haven’t heard about this story, you really should check out the article posted at CNN.com.  White, along with his family were flying home to Louisiana on a twin engine plane when the pilot unexpectedly died shortly after taking off from Fort Meyers, Florida.  There was no co-pilot on board.  As a result, White—who had flying experience, but only in single engine planes—was forced to land the plane on his own.

Fortunately, with the assistance of Air Traffic controllers, White managed to land the plane safely.

For me, the audio recording of White’s conversation with the tower are particularly compelling.  The FAA released the audio recording earlier today.  It is a little on the long side and has several periods of extended silence (5-10 seconds), but giving it a listen will remind you just how great it is to be alive.  From the tension and relief in White’s voice near the end of the recording, I am pretty sure that he is glad.  Seriously, if you have a few minutes give the full recording a listen.

AUDIO:  N559DW — Emergency Landing at Southwest Florida Int’l Airport (Ft. Myers, FL)  |  FAA.gov

That one makes my birthday seem like a blessing…

– So it goes…

Image(s) Courtesy of:  UTAD / UT Sports.com •  Home Depot / The Auto Blog ||  Audio Courtesy of:  Federal Aviation Administration ||   Statement on Fair Use

Then I’m walking in Memphis
Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale
Walking in Memphis
But do I really feel the way I feel

• “Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn

Well, it seems that Bruce Pearl will be staying in Knoxville for the foreseeable future, which is good.  The question, however, remains: What are we to make of this “Memphis Incident”?

For starters, I am greatly relieved that Bruce Almighty will still be wearing orange next season.  That is the good news, not that there is necessarily some “bad” news, but keeping Pearl on the sidelines in Knoxville is definitely very good.

That said, what exactly are we to take away from the brief and furious flirtation (so brief and furious that I never even got a chance to comment before it ended) with the notion that Coach Pearl might bolt to the Pyramid City to take the reins as head coach of the Memphis Tigers?  The real answer is probably “nothing.”  Still there are a few thoughts that jump out to me—random observations, I suppose—which seem relevant, if less than timely.

Bruce Pearl is Happy at Tennessee…

It seems to me that Bruce Pearl sent two messages yesterday.  The first is a very positive one, namely that he is happy as coach of the Tennessee Volunteers and has no desire to leave behind what he has begun.  Bruce Pearl likes it here.

Why do I say that?  Well first of all is the obvious: he is staying here.  More importantly, however, is the what he said in his public statement last night.  To me, it makes it clear that Pearl is truly happy to be at Tennessee.

I truly love my job, and I want it to be clear that I’m not interested in any other job.  There’s no place in the country I’d rather be than the University of Tennessee.  My children are happy here in the Knoxville community—one is in high school, one is in middle school and two are currently attending the university.

My staff and I are building a consistent top-25 program and I’m honored and privileged to serve the greatest fans in the country. Tennessee has all the resources necessary to win championships, from our recently upgraded facilities to our ability to schedule.

It’s great to be a Tennessee Vol!

• Bruce Pearl commenting on rumors of him leaving Tennessee | UT Sports.com

Now in the era of sports double-talk and lip service (See Bobby Petrino at any point in his career), it is rarely advisable to take public professions of loyalty at face value.  I understand that.  Still, there are different degrees of lip service and there are different types of coaches.  Pearl’s statement was anything but tepid—it was largely unequivocal and pointed.  In other words, he could have simply said “I’m staying,” and left the other assurances out of the discussion; he didn’t.

Second of all, for reasons unknown to me (considering I have never met Pearl), I trust the man.  Maybe that owes to the side of him that exudes infectious enthusiasm about everything to which he is tied; maybe it is because of his well documented history of loyalty at Iowa and Wisconsin-Green Bay; maybe it is because he is a con man and I’m snowed.  Regardless of the reasons, Pearl is unique in my mind because I do believe that he is both loyal and trustworthy as a coach.  My gut tells me that if he was not happy and was considering a move, while he might not come out and say it, he would similarly not effervesce about how much he loves it at Tennessee.

Furthermore, if he had wanted to leave, it would have been hard to argue with his decision given the suggestion that Memphis was prepared to offer up to $ 3.25 million a year (approximately $ 1.25 million more per year than his new contract is reported to provide).

Thus, I believe him when he says that he never intended to leave, and that he truly loves coaching the BasketVols.  If he truly wanted to leave, he would have.

Yeah, yeah, I know—I’ve obviously been drinking the Kool Aid…

Read the rest of this entry »

This post is part of a continuing series, “The Cost of Sports,” examining the impact of economic changes on the world of major sports.  To see the other posts in this series, click here.

So how much is winning worth to you?

This is a question that many have asked and answered over the years.  The reality is that there is no right or wrong answer to this question—it is a personal matter, which really lives outside the confines of “categorical absolutes” and everyday reality.  We all have our limits.  Some are willing to go farther than others.  In the end, though, it is a question of conscience (or of getting caught).

That question is now being supplanted by a new consideration, one which is far more basic and fundamental, and which is bound by the world of reality.

How much are sports worth to you?

I say that this is now bound by reality due to headlines that have become all too common across the country over the last 12 months such as the one in my hometown paper earlier this week.

That's what you like to see first thing in the morning...

You hardly have to be a news wonk to realize that the economy is seriously in the crapper.  People from all walks of life are being forced to make changes in the way they spend their money and how they live their lives.  With all of the bad news about jobs being cut, investments tanking, and businesses going under many are being forced to cut back not out of thrift but necessity.

Most rational individuals faced with the predicament of making a mortgage payment with dwindling funds or even putting food on the table will usually start by cutting out the things they can live without, namely entertainment and recreation.

Over the past generation, the cost of attending or participating in sports as a fan has increased dramatically.  For example in 1995, the average cost for a ticket to a Carolina Panthers football game was $37.92, in 2008 that average had risen to $63.32, and the Panthers had the fourth lowest ticket prices in the league.  Of course those increases have not been confined to professional sports (which I will address in part 2 of this series).

While food and shelter are obviously not things that a body can go without, tickets to watch your favorite team play are.  That begs the question, is the horizon looking bleak for the financial feasibility and solvency of major sports as we have known them?

Read the rest of this entry »

Well, in case you were so overcome with joy at the news that “Kiffin the Elder” (a/k/a “The Full Monte”) would be joining Coach Kiffin next Fall in Knoxville—and I can completely understand why you might be—the news out of Auburn is much less pleasant.

Apparently, “War Eagles” are cannibals because at present, the Auburn Tigers are voraciously eating their own…

First of all, I want to make it absolutely clear that I am not purporting to offer any thoughts on whether Gene Chizik was a good hire from a “football” perspective.  First, aside from my remembering that Chizik was on the Auburn staff as a defensive coordinator in the 2004-ish era, I really don’t know enough about the man’s essentials to assess him one way of the other.  I have never been (nor do I plan to become) a devoted follower of the Iowa State Cyclones either, thus I also lack the knowledge to weigh whether Chizik’s 5-19 record as the head coach in Ames really means that much or not.

Second, as a Tennessee fan, I have little room and even less desire to point out the shortcomings of other programs at this particular point in time (“ahem… pot, meet kettle”)…

Third, I don’t have to really even get into the substance of Chizik’s qualifications to realize that all hell has broken loose on the Plains.

There are some very restless natives in Auburn.

Since Gene Chizik’s announcement as the new head coach, the Tiger faithful have literally declared a civil war on a scale which boggles the mind and confounds reason.  The only reaction I have been able to draw thus far is that, based purely upon the reaction of the fans, alumni, and talking heads—completely irrespective of his abilities—Gene Chizik is going to have a very tough time winning at Auburn.

The reason for this is that, with the exception of Auburn AD Jay Jacobs, and perhaps Kirk Herbstreit, there appears to be no one among the Tiger faithful who is, was, or believes that they will ever be happy with this hire.  Of course, this is an understatement of prodigious proportions—somewhat akin to saying that GM is undergoing a “minor financial adjustment” or that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has made some “unpopular decisions.”  Only two words accurately describe the situation among the Aubies:

Cataclysmic Meltdown.

For example, listen to the guy ranting and raving in the background as Jay Jacobs returns to Auburn after sealing the deal with Chizik over the weekend.

Jay Jacobs Gets a Welcome Back to Auburn

Wow, now that is some serious fan support!

Now, mind you this is occurring before the official announcement has even been made.  This was not, however an isolated incident.

This pretty much sums up the thoughts in Auburn

Over at Track ‘em Tigers, the reaction was enough to induce vomiting (you simply have to read through some of the comments), and I am pretty certain that a few of the commenters have since committed suicide.  In particular, the guy who wrote this letter:

Mr. Jacobs

I have no words to express how I feel about the hiring of Chizik as the head football coach at Auburn University. How can anyone be this devoid of wisdom. I have been an Auburn fan for 40 years. I went to school during the Barfield years for goodness sake. During this entire period I have never once even considered wavering in my allegiance to Auburn.

As of now I will turn in my tickets. (scholarship) I will not send another dime of support to the University, and I will join all efforts towards the removal of you and everyone else involved in this ridiculous hire.

You and Dr. Gogue may think you can sit in your ivory towers protected by the powers that be, (and you know to whom I am referring) but you forget Auburn is a grassroots university. Hard working men and women made Auburn the great university it is today. I hold fast to the belief that it is the spirit that lives in these same men and women which will cause us to band together and throw you and the rest of your crowd out on your ears.

It cannot happen soon enough!!!!

• via: Track ‘em Tigers — WarEagle99

The comments over at al.com’s Gold Mine Blog were fairly similar in their lack of … excitement.  My personal favorite was:

Excuse me while I go take down generations of Auburn memorabilia and burn my diploma.

• via: al.com — BigBlueHey

Of course, we all know that comments are often submitted in the heat of the moment, and are less than well thought out—I’m as guilty of that as anyone.  The bad news is that, by and large, even the cooler heads have shown strong misgivings at the hiring of Chizik.  One such “cooler head” is that of Will Collier at From the Bleachers who writes:

All that stuff about “don’t panic” and “they sky is not falling” and “Auburn will hire a good coach?” Never mind all that. Dogs and cats are, in fact, living together in the luxury suites of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

* * * * *

Gene Chizik is almost certainly the worst candidate interviewed during this utter farce of a coaching search. He is a poor recruiter who has completely failed to date as a head coach. Chizik’s own friends in the coaching community openly scoff at the idea of him being a head coach for a major program.

For Auburn’s program, he will be the equivalent of Mike DuBose, although hopefully without the cheating.

* * * * *

I don’t say this lightly, but, Fire Jay Jacobs. And while you’re at it, fire his buddy Tim Jackson, who inexplicably was invited along for the interviews, despite the fact that Jackson is Auburn’s… ticket manager. That makes as much sense as asking a halfwit greenskeeper to sit in on interviews for a corporate CEO.

• via: From the Bleachers

Two more particularly well done pieces can be found at The War Eagle Reader and The Pigskin Pathos as well as some ranting and raving from A Lifetime of Defeats.

All of this begs the question, when does exercising your constitutionally (and in my opinion morally) protected “bitching license” leave you in the proverbial Catch-22?  It seems to me that even if Gene Chizik were the second coming of Vince Lombardi or (to put it more into context) Shug Jordan, that he is now doomed to fail.  In other words, no matter how good he is as a coach, he is already disliked by the fanbase before a single down of football has been played.  I understand that the Auburn faithful are not happy with the hire, and that many feel Tommy Tuberville was essentially fired for no good reason, but at the end of the day if you are an Auburn fan, if you don’t rally around your new coach, it is all but assured that the program will implode for at least 2-5 years, if not more.

Fortunately for Auburn, some of those in the blogosphere have recognized this, including Joe Cribbs Car Wash and Fields of Donahue who writes:

Alright, our new head coach is Gene Chizik.

We’re not happy.

It sucks.

The only thing to do now is support him. I don’t care if he was miserably bad at Iowa State. He is our coach now, and we need to get behind him…

• via: Fields of Donahue

I feel for the Auburn folks.  The Tennessee Volunteers are just coming out of the gloom of what is, without question, the single most difficult football season I’ve ever lived through.  All season long Orange Nation spent a great deal of time ripping one another to shreds before Smiling Mike Hamilton and the Great Punkin finally quieted things.  Like it or not, at least Smiling Mike had the decency and good sense to address the issue with Fulmer in as transparent and public a manner as was probably possible.  That helped start the healing process, and probably accounts for the general sense of excitement surrounding the ascendancy of the Blackjack General as Tennessee’s new football coach, despite the fact that many still have questions about his experience.  That is also precisely why Auburn AD Jay Jacobs is currently public enemy number one down on the Plains.  Still the situations are really not all that dissimilar.

That’s the odd thing.  From where I am sitting—from a purely “factual” perspective—both Tennessee and Auburn are looking at largely untested and unknown head coaches putting on their headsets next fall.  The only difference is that Tennessee is doing everything it possibly can to help boost their new skipper to success, while it seems that Auburn is obliterating every possible chance for their new hire to enjoy the same.  Both men have a tough road and a lot of work ahead of them, but—as things currently stand—it would appear that Kiffin has a much better chance of success simply because the fanbase is uniting behind him.

Right now, I am really appreciating Smiling Mike…

Hopefully, the Tennessee fans out there who are quick to attack will pay attention to this debacle at Auburn and learn.  Sometimes you have to come together, sometimes you have to put differences aside, sometimes you have to bite your tongue.  That is what it means to be part of a team or, as I have described it, a family.  Establishing a tradition always requires unity and sacrifice.

Learn from this, Orange Nation, lest you follow the Tigers down that bitter primrose path…

– Go Figure …

Image Courtesy of:  Joe Cribbs Car Wash

Due to the fact that I have been so tied up lately with annoyingly distracting things such as trials, work, and earning a living, I forgot to mention one key point that must be remembered about new Tennessee Volunteers head football coach Lane Kiffin:  He’s the 21st head coach for the Volunteers…

That’s right, lucky number …

Now I am not by nature a superstitious person … except when it comes to college sports.  Yeah, I’m one of those types that has certain routines which cannot be broken without risking disaster.  I have, at various times, had lucky shirts, shorts, ticket stubs, socks, and so forth.  I could even tell you the win/loss “record” of most of those items.  My father had a lucky outfit which he wore to every game from 1994-the early 2000s.  In 2005 he retired after he decided the “mojo” was gone.  At present, all of my luck, magic, gri-gri, or whatever you call it is focused on my lucky gameday towel, which I keep tucked into my belt at all times on football Saturdays.

Anyway, I just realized that Coach Kiffin—perhaps—has a date with destiny, due to the fact that he is the 21st coach of the Vols, which is a good omen.  You see, we here at Gate 21 are sort of partial to the number 21, for reasons which are—I presume—fairly obvious.  It is our lucky number.  Thus, maybe—just maybe—this is sign from the Fates of Football, a beacon telling all of Orange Nation that Coach Kiffin will usher in a new era of success for the Big Orange unlike any that Tennessee fans have ever known.

Of course it could also mean that—just like Gate 21—he will be a perpetual bore, wasting amazing amounts of time, considerable sums of money, promising much, but delivering little.

Yeah, I’m going with choice number one too…

Either way, this (unbelievably and irrationally razor-thin) connection between Coach Kiffin and the Gate is forever cemented in my mind.  Oh yeah, I’m feeling the vibe … Lucky Number 21, our luck-fueled general on the field leading the orange-clad warriors to victory.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I feel another addition to the Gate 21 Lexicon (uhh … that’s my “list ‘o words”) and another moniker or nickname being bestowed.  Now, along with Bruce and the Barbarians, the Great Punkin, Smiling Mike, the Tommy Bowl, the Big Dickey, Bruce Almighty, and other exercises in the creative abuse of the English language, I give you Lucky Number 21:

“The Blackjack General”

I figured that name sums up the role Coach Kiffin has assumed at Tennessee: a gambler at heart, a guy who will face a stacked deck from the start, and a guy who may have to do a little bluffing along the way.  It acknowledges his past with the Raiders and Bea Arthur Al Davis (e.g. everything they wear is, uhh… black), while focusing on the next task at hand.  It acknowledges that traditions of Tennessee and General Neyland, while making it clear it is a new day.  Furthermore, in all those old cowboy movies, the Blackjack dealer always wore a visor.  More than anything, it embraces good luck in the form of “21”.

The Blackjack General, Lane Kiffin, Gate 21, and some moron with a blog named “Lawvol”—yeah, I like it.  Cause that’s how we roll…

Clearly, I’ve lost my mind.  I have really got to stop sleeping next to the microwave…

– Go Figure …

I remember the night of the Tennessee Waltz.  Now I know just how much I have lost…

Once again we find ourselves staring the end of football season in the face, but this one is different.

Today Tennessee says goodbye to Phillip Fulmer…

Phillip Fulmer has been the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers at all but one of the more than 100 games I have attended since my very first game in the early 1990s.  I have such conflicted feelings about today.  I essentially said my “goodbye” to Coach Fulmer a few weeks ago in my post “Goodbye, Charlie Brown…”.  In that post, I finally explained to the world why it is that I have always called him the Great Punkin—not as an insult, but as a matter of personal respect.  I pretty much summed up my feelings for Coach Fulmer as a man and as Head Coach.

Needless to say, I have immense respect for Fulmer…

Today is the final “Tennessee Waltz” for Coach Fulmer.  Though I think most will agree that the Volunteers’ performance on the field could have been far better this year, Fulmer’s departure marks a turning point in the history of Tennessee athletics.  This season has been terribly difficult for Tennessee fans—not so much as a result of the wins and losses, but because of the divisions between the fans over where it is the program should be headed.  I think Joel at RTT is right, this is the Season of Constant Sorrow.  There is no joy in seeing a man who has served the University of Tennessee so honorably and steadfastly for over 30 years be forced out.

For me, this is a sad day—I dread the thought of Coach Fulmer running through the T for the final time.  I hate the thought of those last seconds ticking off the clock.  It pains me to think that the next time we all meet again, there will be a different leader of the Big Orange Nation.  I also feel that when that gathering occurs, next Fall, something will be missing.  We will no longer be the family that we once were.

All of this is, of course, compounded by the fact that—for reasons which are beyond my control—I am unable to be in Knoxville today.  I will be relegated to watching the game on television and saying my goodbye from afar.

Like Will at SESB, I honestly do not know what to say—nothing is appropriate, or fitting.

All I can say to Coach Fulmer, is what I have already said:  Thank You, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Thank you for guiding the Vols to an SEC Championship, then another, then to a National Championship.  Thank you for always honoring the institution that you represent.  Thank you for being a wonderful representative for the alma mater that we both share.  Thank you for your integrity, your class, and your example.

Most of all, thank you for your humanity.  I have always been so proud to know that you were not just another football CEO.  I for one appreciate the fact that you have always let the world know that you are human and, yeah, every single loss hurts.

Thank you for always understanding that Tennessee football is not just about wins and losses, it is so much more than that.  It’s about sons and fathers, mothers and daughters.  It’s about big dreams and hopeful expectancy.  It’s about a connection between generations and a tie to a shared pastime.  It’s about devotion, loyalty, respect, family, and friends.  It’s about looking back on the days spent on the Hill.  It’s about a beautiful East Tennessee afternoon, the Smoky Mountains framing the sky with their majesty.  It’s about camaraderie, it’s about a shared experience.  It’s laughing, it’s crying, it’s living a memory, it’s hoping for the future, it’s about dreams, and it’s about spending a few minutes in this frenetic existence just savoring the colors and sounds of life.  It’s something that keeps all of us coming back for more and it’s something that simply defies description.

It’s not just a game, and it never will be.

It’s about life, it’s about love, and it’s about being part of something bigger than any one person could ever be alone.  It’s about history and things to come.

Thank you, Coach Fulmer for always honoring these truths and for making all of us proud.

I have such hope for the future, but for now, I am sad, as Coach Fulmer’s “Tennessee Waltz” comes to a close, and an era ends for the University of Tennessee.  Though Tennessee will undoubtedly win many more games in the future, the Tennessee family will never be quite the same as it has been.  It is exciting to think of what it will be like next year—what the future holds—but there will be time for that later.

Today is Coach Fulmer’s day.

I so wish I could have made it to Knoxville today for the game—to be part of the masses in giving Coach Fulmer his day.  That, unfortunately was simply was not meant to be, and thus I will have to thank him from afar.

Still, despite my distance, as the Phillip Fulmer era comes to a close, I encourage everyone who loves the Orange to take a moment of pause as you enter the stadium, as you take your seat, as you settle in to watch the game on television or listen on the radio—take just a moment and reflect.  Take just a moment and thank Coach Fulmer in your own way for always working so hard to make us proud to wear our orange.

Along with wanting to be in Knoxville today, I had also intended on putting together a tribute video for Coach Fulmer, but due to the fact that I have been forced into another trial starting on Monday, I was simply unable to get it put together in time.  For that, I am sorry.  Thus, all I can offer is this small token of my appreciation, which I was able to get together in the time I had.

Phillip Fulmer’s Final Tennessee Waltz | Gate 21

(Note: as of the time of this post, the video above was still being processed by YouTube.  It should automatically appear once that process is completed.)

I wish I had something more profound, more “weighty,” more poignant to say to express my thanks to Coach Fulmer, but words fail.

Thus, I’ll simply thank Coach Fulmer for giving so much to all of us, for working so hard to make the Vols shine, and for never wavering in his dedication to Tennessee.  I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Coach Fulmer, I—and so many others—will never forget your Tennessee Waltz…

– Go Figure …

… I simply cannot decide what it is that I really want to say.

I suppose I have really fallen short of being “on top” of things as a so-called sports blogger by not posting anything of substance (other than a message via the header here at the Gate) regarding the departure of Tennessee Volunteers’ head football coach Phillip Fulmer (whom I affectionately—and without any insult intended—refer to as “the Great Punkin”).  the problem for me over the last few days has been that I simply am not quite sure what I want to say, or even what I think about Fulmer’s departure.

I suppose, on one hand, I have been simply sitting back watching all of the hullabaloo play out—perhaps to see where the chips land.  On the other hand, I think I have also been too transfixed by the drama—both official and unofficial—that has attended Fulmer’s resignation.  I suppose I have also been a little too willing to stand on the words of others, including VolzRChamps and the upcoming post from HSH.  Finally, having seen players, members of the media, and common fans lash out both in support and opposition to Mike Hamilton’s decision to ask Fulmer to resign, I suppose I have been a bit overly cautious in publicly expressing my thoughts on the situation—mainly for fear of regretting what I might say due to emotion or a knee-jerk reaction.

Still, at some point I guess—if I take Gate 21 seriously—I have to comment in some form or fashion…

I guess I am just tired of all of the negativity, tired of all of the complaining, tired of all of the unrest in the Orange Nation.  I love the Vols, have been a season ticket holder for nearly a decade, and  spend more time on issues pertaining to Tennessee athletics than I care to admit.  Still, I’m just very, very, tired after all that has transpired this football season.  Of course, I am sure that Coach Fulmer is far more tired than I am.

I have a morass of perspectives bottled up in my head that I want to express, but—just as Coach Fulmer was not probably not ready for it to end—I’m just not there yet.

This change, is a big deal for the Tennessee Volunteers and their fans, and I simply do not want to just fire off some random thoughts (with no slight intended to those who have done so).

I suppose I am now making excuses for my excuses…

At any rate, my goal is to finally get my mind around my perspectives on the resignation of Coach Fulmer, the future of the program, and who it is that should take the helm.  I have started an article on 4 different occasions, but each time I’ve deleted it.

Sometimes, you just don’t have it in you to re-visit the firestorm from which you just emerged.  Sometimes, you just want a little good news…

I’m hoping that Bruce Pearl and Pat Summitt can provide us with some of that—and soon.

– Go Figure …

Great words on how the Orange Nation should respond to Phillip Fulmer’s resignation from VolzRChamps…

A Call to Arms

I agree with every single word…

The address for sending wishes to Coach Fulmer:

Phillip Fulmer

Tennessee Football Office

1704 Johnny Majors Drive

Knoxville, Tennessee  37996

– Go Figure …

Videos Courtesy of: VolzRChamps / Blazer Chronicles

Running a little behind, still hacking up a lung and sputtering, but moving purposefully…

As I mentioned earlier, the Northern Illinois game will be a watershed event.  That is especially true considering the news coming from the football program today.  Contrary to what most fans and prognosticators may have believed pre-season, this weekend’s game may be the single most important game of the season for the Tennessee Volunteers.

First, if the Tennessee Volunteers are going to turn this season around, it starts this weekend.  On one level, there is the obvious goal of getting another win in a season where those have been increasingly difficult to come by—thereby closing the win/loss gap for the season.  This helps on paper and in terms of respectability, but that sort of thing means nothing unless the team also progresses.

More importantly—in a fundamental sense—this team needs to find its identity, to find its leader…

This team has yet to “find” itself and to define its persona as a team.  At present it has two distinct and different identities, reflective of the fact that it is essentially two different teams.  On one hand, the defense—though not perfect—has shown its mettle as a hard-knocks, full-tilt, never quit squad of young men.  This is especially true in the case of Eric Berry and Rico McCoy—two of the more visible leaders for the defensive unit, which has been solid since the start.  This defensive unit has has refused to concede anything, even when facing near-impossible odds.  The defense has come ready to play.

The old adage is that “offense sells tickets, but defense wins games.”  I believe this to be true, but there are always extremes which serve as exceptions to the rule.  Thus far, the 2008 Vols are such an exception.  Actually, that is not entirely true.  When the offense takes care of its business, then defense wins games.  Some semblance of an offense is required if a team is going to succeed.  The defense, to its credit, has not engaged in finger-pointing, but must be getting tired of making excuses for the lack of offensive production.

In my opinion (which mean nothing) the defense has done enough to win all of the games this year—especially versus the UCLA Bruins and Auburn Tigers…

The offense, however, has really failed to do its part from the very start.  The offense does not seem to have improved at all as the season has progressed and a fair argument can be made that it has actually gotten worse.  For the record, I do not blame Offensive Coordinator Dave Clawson for this.  While I am hardly an authority, I do not think we have even begun to see the real face of the “Clawfense.”  I simply do not feel that he has had a chance, or the players, needed to give his changes “legs” on which to run.

No, the reason for this lack of leadership on offense is not due to coaching, but in the lack of players stepping forward to lead the team.  While I agree that coaches can and should help mold leaders, I do not believe that they can simply create them out of nothing.  Real leadership ability comes from within.  Thus far, it seems that the Tennessee coaching staff has found no one who has both the desire and the ability to lead on offense.

It is obvious that Jonathan Crompton wants to be a leader—or that he believes himself to be one—but the fact is that he has yet to show the ability lead.  Does he have what it takes?  Perhaps, but I am not going to pretend that I actually know.  What I will say is that, based upon his performance on the field he has not yet shown it.

To be effective, those being “led” must believe that their leader will help propel them to victory—this is true in any endeavor, football or otherwise.  Part for showing that ability is shouldering the load, part is walking the talk, part is putting team before self.  So far, Crompton has seemed more focused on “being the guy” in title, than he has been on “being the guy” in fact.  That is not to say he cannot rise to the occasion, just a recognition that so fare he has not.  In fairness to Crompton, no one else on offense has exactly stepped-up either.

Given the fact that, it has been announced that sophomore Nick Stephens will start this weekend at quarterback, it seems apparent that the Great Punkin agrees…

Traditionally, leadership comes through experience.  This year, however, sophomore Eric Berry has shown that is not always true, as he has grabbed hold of the mantle of leadership for the defense.  Perhaps, another sophomore—Stephens—will do the same for the offense.  While this season will likely not be a championship year for the Vols, it has yet to be determined what the ultimate legacy is for this team.  Could this season be the start of the next era of Tennessee football—albeit a bit bumpy from the outset—or will it devolve into a disaster on the order of “The Season of Which we do not Speak” (2005).

Is Stephens ready to lead?

For my part, I am not looking for the Vols to be world-beaters this year.  I am, however, looking for improvement each week.  I am looking for this team to take steps toward the future.  I am looking for purpose.

More importantly, I am looking for this team to actually become a team—not simply a defense and an offense who happen to wear the same color jerseys…

The defense is doing its part.  It is now up to the offense to “find itself,” for its leader to step forward and meet the defense half way.  Either way, this week’s game against the Huskies will like be either one more step toward failure or the first game of a new season.  I hope the orange-clad faithful will put their issues with the coaches aside and support this team—and its new quarterback—fully.  Though I understand the frustrations that Vol fans are feeling, I personally believe the fans owe that to this team and Nick Stephens.

This season is not over—not by a long shot.  For Nick Stephens, the season is only just starting.  For the rest of Orange Nation, this season officially starts over on Saturday night.

Sometimes in life we learn by trial and error—this can be true in any setting.  Sometimes we learn as much from failure—sometimes more—than we do from success.  I have a feeling that Nick Stephens will be focused, first and foremost, on doing what he needs to do to win.  Succeed in mastering the basics, and Stephens will have taken a huge step toward showing everyone that he is ready.  For Nick Stephens’ sake, for Phillip Fulmer, Dave Clawson, Eric Berry, for this team, for each and every person who wears the orange and wears it proudly, I hope we discover who is ready to lead.

I also hope we learn from the mistakes of those who were not…

Go Vols, Beat the Huskies!!!

– Go Figure …

Image Courtesy of: UT Sports.com / the University of Tennessee