Posted by 02champs on October 19, 2007 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pennington's an idiot.

Posted by eefor10c on October 19, 2007 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What a waste of space. Give it up Pennington--who were your anonymous sources for this article????????????

Posted by inquiry on October 19, 2007 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Agee, Pennington's a moron idiot

Posted by Ironcity on October 19, 2007 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good article. The detractors will hate on Pennington no matter what he says.

Posted by LazhilUT on October 19, 2007 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Anything less than 10 wins, not counting Bowl games, is a waste of season.

Posted by marc_ash on October 19, 2007 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow, how different ways can you say the same thing. Good thing this isn't a pay site anymore, I'd be asking for a refund.

Posted by Pullingguard on October 19, 2007 at 1:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The article is at the wrong time of year and wrong place.. Does not make a lot of sense at this particular time... Write about something happening now are that is about to happen... Quit scraping for scraps, we have grown beyond that.

Posted by 55Vol on October 19, 2007 at 1:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Anything less than an SEC basketball championship this year is also a waste of a season.

Posted by DennisVols on October 19, 2007 at 1:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

So the best thing that the first three contributors can do is name calling of the writer to this article.
If my children made statements like that about someone they would spend time in the mean chair to think about their childish behavior.
This year’s college football shows that predictions are just a guess. So many games involving top 25 teams that lost to teams outside of the elite rankings shows that the once powerful are vulnerable on any given game. When the NCAA decided to reduce the scholarships at each university did they envision such a weekend when the underdog would triumph?
Some whine because there are no defined powers this year. USC gone, TX gone, Florida gone and so on. What is exciting now is that anyone can win a championship, be it at the conference or national level. Now you have to pay attention, UT fans gave up on them winning an SEC title this year after the beating they suffered to Florida. A month later they are in a virtual tie with South Carolina and Kentucky.
Florida on the other hand is looking up at all three of them hoping to beat a KY team that just last week beat the #1 team in the country.
Pennington makes a good point about the parity that seems to have come to college football but who knows if it will stay that way. 8-4 will never be a great season but if the parity is here then we may have to accept it as a good one wither or not we like it or not.

Posted by LazhilUT on October 19, 2007 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As for the comment about basketball...
They have never made past the 1st round of the SEC tournament, so anything less than a 2nd round appearance or based on the talent this team has, anything less than top 4 in the SEC Tournament, the SEC East Title and anything less than the Elite 8 will be a waste.
Improvement is what defines a team...our football team hasn't improved at all lately...for all the hype and the talk the coaches have and the patience the coaches have received from the AD and UT, they better quit signing it and start bringing it.

Posted by eefor10c on October 19, 2007 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ironcity & company, you should know because that's all that you do on Fulmer.

Posted by bowerst on October 19, 2007 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You better believe parity is here. BUT…

8-4 depends on who you played. Against UT's schedule, you can be a decent team and lose 4 games. Not great, not bad, decent.

Big 10 schools with 4 losses are bad. So are Big 12 and ACC.

I have to say the PAC 10 has some teams this year. It's no longer USC, plus one good and maybe another halfway decent team.

The Big East has teams that impress you, but I think if they played a full schedule against SEC teams they would lose a lot more than 4 games.

As for people who want to run Fulmer off if UT loses 1 more game, better look at what is left of the Nebraska program and think it through.

Posted by aj_vol on October 19, 2007 at 2:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

LazhilUTDelt, I would like to invite you to become a Texas fan

That way you wouldn't have to change your username

Want fantasy world do you live in? Last time I checked Tennessee has 2 Natl Championships and 1 of those from the current head coach.

Evidently the only results acceptable to you are a top 5 finish (every year), an SEC East Championship every year, an SEC Championship 8 of 10 years, and a Natl Championship 5 of 10 years.

Is that about right?

Name any school in D-1 college football that is winning at that level for a sustained 10 years during the past 30 years.

Maybe Nebraska in the 90's would be closest and several of those guys ended up in prison

Posted by hiresanders on October 19, 2007 at 2:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Take your 8-4 season and East title, add in a loss to LSU in Atlanta, and another bowl game loss and suddenly you're 8-6. How does another 6 loss season taste then??

Posted by andy112382 on October 19, 2007 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good article, John. Some interesting points that crossed my mind before (you just took it a step or two further!) Lets just hope Tennessee can continue to control their own destiny and make it to Atlanta this year. GO VOLS!!!

Posted by DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu on October 19, 2007 at 2:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hmm....the question for all of us, it would seem, is 8-4 or 9-3 GOOD ENOUGH FOR TENNESSEE?

We all have our own opinions.

Posted by cdldoc on October 19, 2007 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

John, good article, some people are just "morons" and "idiots" with nothing of substance to say.

Posted by Colliervol on October 19, 2007 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Easy answer. 8 and 4 is great for Vandy, South Carolina and Kentucky year in and year out. (At Ole Miss, 8 and 4 consistently would get you elected Governor.)

On the other hand, 8 and 4 (year in an year out) at UT, Georgia, Florida, Bama, LSU and Auburn is average at best and not cause for celebration in the streets. As a matter of fact, too many of those seasons can and should get you canned considering the fan support, budget, history, etc that each of those programs has.

Posted by Volchaz on October 19, 2007 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

8-4, could be considered really good in a re-building year, and not so good in a year we expect to compete for a NC. We have been in Reload mode for the past decade, when you have top 5 recruiting classes as often as we do, you expect more. So, IMO, there are plenty of cards left to be played. I see Ainge having a huge game vs Bama. GV

Posted by kb7398 on October 19, 2007 at 3:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Who's he got pictures of to not only have a radio show, but a column...

Posted by pdhuff on October 19, 2007 at 4:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Provocative thinking - 10-2 is acceptable in my Orange mind. Then win the bowl game(not lose to Penn St). I think it should be return on investment. For example, if we pay Phil huge $$$ (which we do), we should get huge returns i.e.10 wins. Not "We're going to work harder to get better". Any successful company with great returns for several years suddenly lost mega bucks(i/e. 5-6 record) would have a new CEO. I've enjoyed the ride for many years under Philapottamus but we're on a bumpy road. The best we can hope for is to win out and get thumped in the bowl game. Go Vols, beat Bama!

Posted by smokedoctor on October 19, 2007 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Is this column a repeat? I swear that I've already read this? Did I dream it? Did John talk about this on the radio last Saturday? Maybe that's where I heard it.

Posted by Ironcity on October 19, 2007 at 4:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

For PDHuff 10 wins is acceptable if we win the bowl game. I hope Florida has there version of pdhuff so they can ask for Meyers head after he wins 9 this year! By the way eefor just because you don't agree with a writer one time doesn't mean you can't agree ever. The article is actually a positive towards the program and speaks of the ridiculously high expectations of some fans. You stopped reading after you saw who was writing the article and wrote a comment about an article that ran two weeks ago. Pitiful!

Posted by pabashia on October 19, 2007 at 4:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What logic. "Our team isn't good enough to have 'great' years anymore, so let's lower the expectations."
Brilliant.
I won't comment on the writer but just say this is a makeup for the players' article bashing PF.
We should expect 10 wins every year. There is one extra game, we should expect to win it.
Settling for less will get you exactly that every time.

Posted by DadwasaVol on October 19, 2007 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff - these days many CEOs enjoy big salaries while their companies lose money. "Lost mega bucks" is tolerated - look at our president and Congress the last 6 years - no-one is clamoring for their resignations! Stay the course, again, right?

Posted by VolFan32 on October 19, 2007 at 5:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

John, you write for a Tennessee source yet all the negativity? What's your deal? You writing these articles will do nothing except make the true Tennessee faithful angry with you. I respect you as a journalist, but it seems to me that you have a grudge with UT football.

Posted by takebkknox on October 19, 2007 at 6:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pennington has lost any credibility he has ever had. He takes whatever scraps he can get from Hyams and Adams (and they are plenty willing to feed them to him, btw) and tries to make original points from them. He talks about topsy turvy SEC and then throws in this sentence -- "Tennessee keeps plugging along, too. Not strong enough to win SEC titles..." How can you have unpredictable and then make predictions? That's why he's an idiot.

Posted by finn on October 19, 2007 at 6:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is like saying 30 lbs overweight isn't really that fat anymore because there are lots of people out there 50 lbs overweight. Just because my neighbor's a lard a$$ doesn't make me any healthier. 8-4 is mediocre no matter how you spin it for a school like UT.

Posted by grvol on October 19, 2007 at 6:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Funny how the Fulmerons take every opportunity to take "negative" jabs at basketball and Pearl. Hypocrites all.

Posted by vol52 on October 19, 2007 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

8-4 is really 7-4. The 12th game should not count because it is a sure win. If that is the best coach Fulmer can do then he needs to step down and pave the way for a coach who has a little more on the ball no pun intended.

Posted by creepykev on October 19, 2007 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I read him and try to watch his TV show as well. I find him interesting and informative. The way they do their advertising is a funny throwback to the seventies. John, I do thank you for not writing the song lyrics again. I guess I got tangled up in the emotion of fire Fulmer fever for awhile. However, now that I am seeing improvement [and wins] I am cooling down a bit and being more forgiving towards Fulmer. What killed me watching the two losses was the fact that we weren't competitive towards the end. I thought at the time that no Fulmer coached team could beat a Meyer coached team. If he doesn't screw up real bad down the stretch I say we give him another chance.

Posted by nicksjuzunk on October 19, 2007 at 8:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think it is a good perspective. If you are super ticked with TN's two losses than you have to get rid of Florida, Georgia, Kentucky (maybe after Sat), SC will fall... Shoot, we've all got or will have two losses. Even LSU may trip at Auburn although unlikely.

I like his point about the top recruiting classes as this is a classic point brought up by the Fire Fulmer crowd. They say the coaching is poor because we are not developing these top recruiting classes. Well it looks like half of the other coaches at the traditional powerhouses are also not developing their talent.

Coach Bowden and Petrino. Nevermind 84 years of combined coaching. They're done.

Lloyd Carr of Michigan... I could really go on but I won't waste your time. Parity is a reality in college football now. Elite programs will rise again... for short periods... but all will have to go through short times of "descent" seasons.

TN has had "good" seasons with the one bad season of 2005. We will rise again. This year will mark the turnaround.

Posted by chefjorge on October 19, 2007 at 8:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I tend to agree with the parity argument. It's a different college football world. It's one where the lesser team has a shot at titles. For the average fan that doesn't have a vested interested in any one team (which clearly we're not), this has got to be the most exciting football they've ever seen. A season like this further drives home the point that this sport, like every other sport needs a championship playoff. There are too many one, and maybe even two, loss teams that deserve a shot.

Posted by murrayvol on October 19, 2007 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pennington makes some good points and he may be spot on regarding parity. My question is why did it take 31 years for scholarship restrictions to give us what we now have--a limited version of chaos. Much of it has to come from what John points out in recruiting rankings. With few exceptions we have no idea how high school seniors will fare in D-I football. Just look at the All SEC & All America teams (not preseason but the real ones). How many of those guys were on everybody's radar coming out of high school. Many but certainly not all. This conversation won't end when the curtain falls on the 07' season. Good column John!

Posted by Phowell23 on October 19, 2007 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey Pennington, learn how to write. You used one long paragraph which makes it painful to read. Where the hell did you go to school?

Posted by jim_bell on October 19, 2007 at 10:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lazhilutdelt,You need to check your info on UT's advancement in the SEC tournament.

Posted by scvols on October 19, 2007 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I said at the beginning of the year we would be 8-4 or 7-5. If we win the east and go to the SEC Championship game, then win or lose that is a bonus. I just hate it when we lose our bowl games to lesser teams.

Posted by Southland on October 19, 2007 at 11:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lets go to Atlanta oh are we ready for LSU now Have we forgotten UK in Lexington. Might not hurt to get by them first and if we do is there anyone that really thinks this team will get all fired up and out play LSU We didn't do it when we had more talent or does everyone forget this. Look, I like coach Fulmer. I just wish that he could get fired up like he used to. The only time he has had any fire this year was after Pennington's article. Maybe, just maybe he can recall how much all of us hate Bama and how they hate us and especially him and he can get motivated and then Spurrier wiull get in his head and get him rattled once again.

Posted by invisiblekid on October 19, 2007 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

From page 4 of the "True Vol Fan" handbook:

"in lieu of reasonable arguments or a valid point regarding an article, criticize and/or belittle author of the aforementioned article".

As far as expectations goes, I'll hold to what the head coach has talked about in HIS expectations for the program since he took over in '92: be in contention for the SEC championship EVERY year. I don't expect us to win every year or make the title game but there is no reason for a program with the tradition and resources of UT to not be on the short list. If the attrition of playing in the SEC has an 8-4 record winning the SEC then so be it, parity has set in and we'll adjust accordingly. Pennington is dead on in his comments about excellence coming from winning championships though. It's a cliche, but that's why they play the game.

Posted by DannyVol on October 20, 2007 at 1:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Good grief, it's bad enough that there isn't a single paragraph break in this story, but it reads like someone with Attention Deficit Disorder washed down a pound of M&Ms with a pot of coffee.

There are about four SEC teams that would accept 8 wins as "good" this or any other year. So, there is no need to even thinly disguise what you are really talking about. The over/under for UT losses the rest of the season is roughly two games.

Sounds to me like the author is licking his chops and creating this discussion in anticipation of those two additional losses. He'd probably rather be "right" than see UT win out.

Posted by BuckFama on October 20, 2007 at 6:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

One paragraph?

I sense a Pulitzer. Maybe a few of those lyric snippets would seal the deal.

John Adams is a very good sports writer.

Posted by HiwasseeVol on October 20, 2007 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Do you know what a "paragraph" is?

Posted by hglover40 on October 20, 2007 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't understand how people can be so negative about a program with the 3rd best SEC record since 2001. I think we played for the SEC championship in 2001 and 2003, not that long ago. If you don't hope we make it again this year; you're not a TN fan and need to quit watching UT and find another team.
Now I agree that if we don't win the SEC in the next couple of years Fulmer will probably go and that's the way it should be. I just think he deserves a couple more years to see what he can do.
Everyone has an opinion and some folks are ready for him to go now( after FL I was pretty upset too). It's cool everyone can voice their opinions, but it's not cool the amount of disrespect that people show to coach Fulmer.
Why are folks so disrespectful of someone who has accomplished so much for UT. I'm sure he's done more for UT than any of the classless jerks who call him foolmer and flubber.
We get the point that you are ready for a change, but try to show some class and stop the name calling.

Posted by tngeoff on October 20, 2007 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

invisiblekid,

Great post. It always helps to use the Coach's own words to help those that need to find the road to recovery from the devastating condition known as "The Ostrich Effect." True condition. Look it up. There are many sufferers on this site.

Posted by waterskier3 on October 20, 2007 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

8-4 should be given at ut.... you can say what you want but our schedule is loaded with gimmies so you only have to win maybe 2 of the big games to be at 10 and that's where fat boy fails.... everyone is forgetting we're a powerhouse school and 8-4 doesn't get it...... sorry guys.... average is average....

Posted by why36knot on October 20, 2007 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well said hglover..... All Fulmer has done is run one of the least panalized programs in the history of college sports,win more ball games over his tenure than any other coach in the country,serve his community in an exemplary fashion,taken more verbal abuse and written abuse from know-nothing fans and know-little media members, go to work everyday with a positive outlook and a willingness to work that is second to none and fill Neyland Stadium every weekend there is a game. I know .. a long paragraph.

"if there's a bustle in your hedgerow..don't be alarmed so.. it's just a bubbly for the may queen"

Posted by IPOrange on October 20, 2007 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Quoting Zeppelin - now that's what I'm talking about!
GO BIG ORANGE!

Posted by CT_VOL on October 20, 2007 at 10:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

John, have you ever of indentation? Aside from following the basic rules of grammar, it also makes the article easier to read.

As a journalist, are you not aware of these things?

Jamie

Posted by nicksjuzunk on October 20, 2007 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ThaiVol and other international vol fans:

After an hour of searching I just found that the Alabama game will be FREE on yahoo sports online!!

This is my first game of the season!!! YAAAAAHOOOOOO!!

I hope you guys get this. Go VOLS!!

Posted by phi0129 on October 20, 2007 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You Fulmerons still supporting this idiot? Doesn't go for it on 4th and 1 to save 20 yards when our O line has been moving them ALL DAY LONG!!! Now instead of us maybe getting the last TD to go up now they are going to run out the first half with a TD and up 10. yeah thats great leadership...WE SHOULD BE KILLING AL!!!!

Posted by phi0129 on October 20, 2007 at 2:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And whoever mentioned the AL refs is for real. How the hell was that called pass interference? That was great D and a great interception. Then the very next play Hall pushes off and they don't call anything and get a TD. This is ridiculous!!!

Posted by utmdm on October 20, 2007 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Amazing how this play clock magically starts working when bama gets the ball back.

Posted by usnavyvolfaninva on October 20, 2007 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

utmdm

Thinking the same thing!

Posted by usnavyvolfaninva on October 20, 2007 at 3:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

3 is better than 7!

Posted by kalij on October 20, 2007 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

drubbed by alabama and florida in the same year!. Bye Phil! lets get a coach who can win!.

Posted by Colliervol on October 20, 2007 at 4:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just forget that little discussion about "winning out". I was delusional. Must have been a flashback or something.

Posted by BleedOrange on October 20, 2007 at 10:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lower the bar so it seems to be a good season!? Kind of like public school.

Posted by Indianavol on October 21, 2007 at 12:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The D that showed up for the UGA game was an abberation; the Vols secondary is awful. I was willing to accept the Cal loss and was furious after the Fl loss and gave Fulmer the benefit of the doubt. After UGA, I liked our chances because the D played great. But there is NO WAY, NO WAY those lying, cheating bastards in Tuscaloser are 24 points better than the Vols.

If the Vols play this way the rest of the season, we will be lucky to win 5 games!

I'm sorry Coach Fulmer, but it is time to walk away with dignity before you are shown the door!

Posted by TDTNVOLS on October 21, 2007 at 1:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

JUST RUN THE BALL!!! Cutcliffe made Chavis, the defense and Fulmer look incompetent. All you had to do was run the ball. Everyone already knew our defense was weak; so run the ball and keep our defense off the field. Foster was getting 7 or 8 yards per carry. Alabama had 8 in the box and they COULD NOT stop the run. I almost always favor a balanced attack, but clearly today was an exception. ALL WE NEEDED TO DO WAS RUN THE BALL. THEY COULD NOT STOP US. This was how be beat Georgia. But Cutcliffe has Ainge, and he just can't stand not throwing the ball. I love Ainge too, but Cutcliff and Fulmer let Ainge hand the game over to Alabama today, and we could not stop them. WHAT A SHAME. WHO IS IN CHARGE ANYWAY???

Posted by injunvol on October 21, 2007 at 2:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

with this crap will be lucky to go 5 and 7 this team is worse than 05

Posted by cphil on October 21, 2007 at 2:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

John Pennington, are you by chance related to Nostradamus? It's sure beginning to look that way. Funny how all the people that wanted your head a few weeks ago (along with John Adams') now have their heads hidden. Can't say that I blame them, though. I'd be ashamed if I were them too.

Posted by ncvol17 on October 21, 2007 at 3:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Did you mean 8 and 4 or we will be 84 b4 the next championship?

Posted by tngeoff on October 21, 2007 at 8:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You ready to do a REAL column now? You know which one I mean. Do it.

Posted by imnotwithphil on October 21, 2007 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hear, hear! Pennington is an idiot. This moron could only get a column in Knoxville. While we're cleaning house at UT, perhaps KNS could upgrade their sports department?

Posted by rwagner42 on October 21, 2007 at 8:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I can actually see his logic... the problem naturally is that there are too many other extenuating things... such as having two rivals put up 100 pts on you in two losses (i.e. in those 4 losses don't make us a laughing stock). I predicted 8-4 or 9-3, and now think 7-5 is not out of the cards... and I don't see enough big talent to seperate ourselves from the pack in future years, so we need a new coach that will help us gain the competitive advantage.

Posted by rickhillal on October 21, 2007 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Please join me in writing or emailing the advertisers on the Phil Fulmer Show that you plan to boycott their products and/or choose products made by their competition. Let's show the UT AD, Mike Hamilton, that our purchasing decisions will make a negative economic impact on keeping Fulmer at the helm. If UT/Bama is no longer of national interest (and thus less money paid to UT) and there is less money coming in for Fulmer's sponsors, then eventually Hamilton will have to made the decision to fire Fulmer based on money and not just emotions after a poorly defended game like yesterday's.

Want to have a quick way to offset the rest of the $1M donation by Coach Fulmer if he got fired? Make sure that there is an even bigger loss for UT if Hamilton doesn't fire him. If you want to make an impact, boycott the following advertisers on the Fulmer Show (and let them know you're buying from the competition) - Phillips 66, First Tennessee Bank, WVLT/CBS, Adidas, YellaWood, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Farm Bureau Insurance, Wyndham Vacation Resorts, UT Bookstore, Belk, UTK, Hardee's, Toyota (including local dealers Rusty Wallace Toyota and Fox Toyota), City Heating and Air Conditioning, Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge.

I agree that Coach Cutt is not a long-term solution but would be a great interim coach for the rest of the year while we shop for a permanent replacement.

Posted by dbs on October 21, 2007 at 5:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

7-5 is probably realistic - I expect Brooks and Spurrier to outcoach Fulmer and company. I just can't believe the team will fold completely. However, 6-6 is well within reach and 5-7 isn't impossible. :(

The positives - we have La. Lafayette and Arkansas on our schedule (yes, Ark has McFadden but they also have Houston Nutt).

I refuse to believe we'll lose to Vandy. I mean, they're Vandy..... Though they did spank Spurrier's Gamecocks yesterday.