As a boy, I remember my relatives talking about a Tennessee-Kentucky game from the early 1950s. I’m sure every family has a story like this one, but in the Pennington household it’s credited to my grandfather.
Back in those days, Kentucky just couldn’t beat the Vols. And as my grandfather and his orange-clad group were departing from yet another UT win in the Bluegrass State, a disappointed Wildcat fan shouted out, “we’ll get you next year.”
“That’s what your granddaddy said,” my own granddaddy quickly yelled back. Vol fans guffawed. Wildcat fans grumbled. At least that’s how the story goes.
Well, nearly 60 years later, we’re hearing the “wait ’til next year” line again. But this time it’s not coming from Kentucky fans. It’s coming from Tennessee fans.
Wait ’til next year? When did that become the theme for 2007?
Before the season, there was no talk of next year. There was only talk of this year. In fact, most of the talk was about disrespect. Don’t you remember what was being said back in August?
“How can a Pac-10 cupcake like Cal be favored over an SEC power like the Vols?” “Why don’t ESPN’s analysts ever give us respect?” “Starting at No. 15, if we run the table, can we reach the BCS title game?”
Granted, that’s what we fans do. If there is no hope of championships and undefeated seasons, then what’s the point?
But unfortunately, Cal didn’t have any more respect for the Vols than ESPN’s talking heads. The Berkeley boys torched UT for 45 points (the most Cal’s scored all year).
The spin machine quickly turned that loss into “a close game against one of the most talented teams in the country.” Funny how a cupcake can become a powderkeg overnight. (That powderkeg now has losses to Oregon State and UCLA, by the way.)
A solid second half versus Southern Miss the following week showed that the Big Orange were now in gear and ready for Florida. “The lights had come on,” if you will.
But despite the positive vibes heading into Gainesville, prepping to face the youngest bunch of Gators that coach Urban Meyer will likely ever trot out, that game left only Croc fans with a good feeling afterwards. The lopsided final was 59-20.
The spin? Cal and Florida were two of the best teams in the country. Maybe the best teams. What other team could have done any better than UT against those juggernauts?
(A month later, Cal and Florida are a combined 10-4. And in Florida’s other four conference games they beat Ole Miss by six, beat Kentucky by eight, lost to LSU by four and lost to Auburn by three. Only Tennessee got obliterated by huge double digits.)
On the field, corrections were being made and corners were being turned as UT outdistanced Arkansas State, 48-27.
Then came the Georgia game. A magical elixir that cured all. Why, that game was a baptism. The sins of September were washed away. The struggles of those first four games were forgotten in a 35-14 victory-fueled amnesiatic fog.
NOW the season could truly begin. This was Tennessee football. This was what we were expecting. The Vols controlled their own destiny. The chips were on the table and UT only had to take care of business to grab ‘em.
There was no talk of next year. THIS year could be a championship season.
(Insert sound of “needle scratching record” here.)
A 41-17 beating at the hands of what will probably be Nick Saban’s least-talented Alabama team has scuttled that talk for now. And seven games into the season, upbeat happy campers are telling us to start looking to next year.
This was just a rebuilding year all along, don’t ya know? Three blowout losses in 2007? No matter. Next year is the season we’ve all been pointing to.
In fact, I’m almost certain that I can recall folks in the middle of 2006 saying, “wait ’til the year AFTER next year! 2008’s gonna be a real ripsnorter!”
When the immediate future’s in doubt, we’re always reminded to look to the past.
After the 5-6 season of 2005, many folks said to remember what happened after the 5-6 1988 campaign, when the Vols rebounded to go 11-1 in 1989. And sure enough the Vols rebounded big from 2005 to 2006, too. All the way from six losses to four.
Now this year’s team is being compared to the 2000 squad. That team finished 8-4, but they set the table for a great 11-2 campaign in 2001. It can happen again, I tells ya.
Building blocks were laid in 2000, just as stepping stones are being deposited now. The future’s so bright I gotta wear shades.
So stop fretting over 2007 (or 2006 or 2005 for that matter). 2008 is gonna be the real deal. “Just wait ’til next year!”
Geez. What would my granddaddy think?
John Pennington hosts the Hall's Salvage Sports Source on Sunday at 11 a.m. on WATE.
Memorable moments in Pat Summitt's…
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Phillip Fulmer through the years
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 131
dfreeman writes:
My granddaddy would be puking after that stomping at the hands of Alabama!! He must have rolled over and kicked St. Peters Dog! I am absolutely at a loss for what to think about this "football" team! Fulmer your times running out if it hasn't already! since 1893 no UT team has given up 40 or more points in a season as many times as this one has? Are you kidding me?? I just don't know what to think anymore! A man could always count on UT's opponents fearing the Big Orange! Now they laugh at us!!
volguy writes:
Puts things into perspective. Good article but a very sad realization
volintexas writes:
I like it John. Clint Stoerner could be a granddaddy before Fulmer gets this program straightened out. Clint should never have had to wait a year, but he did and he exacted a VERY small measure of revenge.
govols96 writes:
I think the KY basketball fans are now saying wait till next year.
volfans_1#225396 writes:
John " The Joke " Pennington I will not disagree that the VOL defense stinks or that the coaching staff needs refreshing but I do think the only people who have a true gripe should be the VOL FANS and not the so called press in Knoxville.You should have paid more attention to ol' grand dad instead of playing molly make up with the girls. You have a horrible sense of humor and the arrogance that emanates from you on the radio and tv is disgusting at best. John " Joker Face " Adams at least has some good one liners every other year or so when he's not too busy salivating over the gators or lsu. You need to go back to covering Clemson or wherever you came from and stop impersonating a sports writer.
P.S. Get a hair cut or a smaller head.
andy112382#209793 writes:
I don't recall many, if any, saying Cal was a PAC-10 cupcake........
Anywho, yea so today at my first day of training here in Charlotte for Alltel we were told to introduce ourselves and which market we were out of and if we could be one person for a day who would it be and why.....I was one of the last ones to go and my response to who I would want to be went like this:
'If my Tennessee Vols lose another game, I would like to be the AD for a day so I could make some changes'.......Granted, after three blowout losses this season, it almost does not take another loss. I think we will take the gamecocks down hard this week, their threat isn't exactly offense, but Kentucky kind of stands out just based on their passing attack and that is the type of team that has burned us. SC, Arkansas, LA-Lafayette, dont scare me as much based on how Tennessee matches up to them, but any team with a passing attack could burn us right now, I have no idea what to make of Vandy.....anywho, GO VOLS!!! Still looking forward to the trip to knoxville the weekend as always, despite how the season may be going!
DennisVols writes:
Excuses
Excuses
more Excuse
This last weekends game put an excalmation point on all the excuses we have heard.
"Staying the course":Only good if the course is taking you to the promise land (SEC/BCS titles)
"We need to fix the problems": How obvious of an answer is this? How about saying "we will fix the problems" and carring through on that promise
"I'm surprised Hardesty didn't play": Fulmer must have been the only person in the Vol Nation who did not notice this. I noticed that by the end of the 1st qtr that he was not on the field. How can a general not know were the soliders are?
Excuses do not answer problems they avoid them. We keep getting all the warm fuzzy answers that are suposed to make us feel better about the current team and the future of this program but where is the results?
Ever get a performance review that was good without a raise? You felt good inside but the quality of life didn't improve did it.
Give us results not excuse
dbush#231136 writes:
Sadly, I agree with Pennington. I have not seen the Vol Nation in such turmoil since October 1992. Push is coming to shove. Something has to give. We cannot allow our program to slip any further.
If Coach Fulmer doesnt have the answers, Hamilton and Peterson need to look in the mirror.........
SmokeDog72 writes:
Irregardless of the tone, Pennington did not say anything that was not true. We are a joke and our staff is too blind to see it.
BigUn writes:
"the Vols rebounded big from 2005 to 2006, too. All the way from six losses to four."
I like that line. Fulmer is 13-7 since promising to "right the ship". Ron Zook has a better 3 year record during his stint at UF than Fulmer has the last 3. Difference is, UF does something about it while the administration cowers to Fulmers every whim.
I could forgive most of the losses last year, except the one to Penn St, because at least we were competitive and should have beaten UF and LSU, and played with a backup QB at Arky.
This year is totally different story.
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
It's really refreshing to have a journalist in Knoxville that thier nose isn't planted firmly in Fulmer and Companies hind quarters. Hey, John, that "unnamed sources" story before Georgia did the trick to fire up Fulmer and the team.
Maybe you have one in the works for Saturday? Since Fulmer needs your assistance in getting the team fired up maybe you can help us out here buddy?
chucker6 writes:
I left UT immediately after graduation in '74 to enter the Army and have only lived in Knoxville for days/weeks at a time since then so can't comment on the local journalists other than what I pick up on this site, but in any other business whose goals are market leadership and superior results, Fulmer and Co would have been history before now, and certainly after the Alabama game, not the end of the season.
How can the AD think waiting until the end of the year to take a long overdue action could possibly help recruiting? I imagine Saban, et al licking their chops at all the Vol commitments who must be rethinking playing for a coaching staff who are far behind their competition in developing and motivating yong players.
There is no excuse for the deterioration of this program over the last 7 years, especially with the talent recruited. Losing games is one thing, any team can fall to the occassional upset, but losing with the lack of spirit and enthusiam that has characterized UT football too many teams ( 2nd half collapses are becoming a UT trademark, think Penn State, Florida and Alabama, just to mention a few most notable recent failures).
I doubt that is lack of conditioning, but a lack of heart, and that is Fulmer's fault, period. Past time to go Fulmer, staying in hopes of going out on a winning note are only making things worse.
RemembertheAlamo writes:
you know how we were embrassed by Cal and then a young UCLA team beat Cal.....well "WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR".........we open at UCLA......Guess we will be saying "WAIT UNTIL NEX YEAR" next year also......
west_tn_volfan writes:
Andy112382,there were alot of people on this sight saying Cal was a cupcake. They said Cal couldn't be physical enough to hang with the vols and we would have them rattled just like in Knoxville. There are still people talking about us winning out and hammering USC this weekend. I have no idea what they have seen out of this team that would make them believe we're going to hammer anyone. (except maybe La Laf)
volfans_1, the "so called press" is not supposed to be cheerleaders for UT. They are supposed to call it like they see it. Not one thing in this article by Pennington was off base. As a matter of fact, everything he said is painfully obvious to all but the blindest of fans. Also "the coaching staff needs refreshing" only if by "refreshing" you mean every last one of them is fired.
RemembertheAlamo writes:
My apologies...we open with UAB and then travel to UCLA.......same results...."wait until next year"
RemembertheAlamo writes:
CRVol....you missed one....how about the charts?????
RemembertheAlamo writes:
I said this about Sanders and I say it about Chavis and Cutcliffe.......When other schools are looking at your assistances for HC jobs then you have good ones.....what school has been interviewing Chavis or Cutcliffe....If Cutcliffe is so great why did not Bama interview him for the HC job, since he is from Bama......enough said....We want assistances that other schools are seeking.....We want a HC that other schools fear and respect....such as Spurrier, Meyers, Pete Carroll, the Bear, Lou Holtz....and list goes on.....I don't think other schools are talking about Phil in this matter.....we need a coach that other schools fear, knowing that the game will always be a fight to win. Sure sometimes the best can be beat.....but every year....it used to be that we couldn't beat Bama and Auburn in the same year....Now it is the "Big Three" (Bama, Florida, and Georgia)....We have only beat the "Big Three" all three in the same year twice since 1990 (1998 and 2004) And in 2004 Auburn beat us....so we only had respect 1 year since who knows when.....I could take 8-4 seasons if the opponent feared us and our losses were close ones, but blow outs, other teams are laughing about us....we are becoming the bottom of the ladder in the SEC...the laughing stock of the SEC.......And there is nothing we (the fans) can do about it.......I wish there was, but there isn't.....Hamilton will not listen.....I am sick of "Staying the Course"....and "Waiting until next Year".......
utmdm writes:
CRVOL
Good post. you might add
Make paper lists !!!!!!!!!!LOL!
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
vols76,
I bet with the playing field and talent absolutley level Fulmer might be and this is a huge might in the top 70 percent of D-1 coaches.
cphil writes:
John, great article. I was surprised to see anyone still had the guts to still try to trash you like the one did above. You caught pure hell before for doing nothing more than telling the truth about the state of the football program at UT.
This past Sunday, there was as much difference as night and day between your tv show and the one that comes on an hour before on WBIR. I honestly felt sorry for Will Overstreet on that program. When a called asked about the coaching situation in the Alabama game, his response was basically, "the coaches were good to me when I played there so I'm not going to talk bad about them now." That is NOT journalism! Telling the truth is. With a few exceptions, like volfans_1, MissUT and a couple of others, I think now even the hard core Fulmer supporters are seeing what you've told the public from the start.
Keep up the good work.
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
cphil,
If Will Overstreet wants a broadcasting/ analyst career he needs to go some other school. He can't sit there and hold Fulmer's hand the whole time and balk at questions. Hearing him after the Florida game on the Post game show was laughable. I didn't catch the Alabama post game calls but I'm sure it was more of the same.
I bet Overstreet picks up breakfast for the coaching staff at Hardees every morning.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
We're simply a bad, poorly coached team with little chance of getting better! Philapottamus is blaming the players correctly and then he needs twice the blame! Uncoached, unready and unwilling to tackle. Out of position, no pass rush, slowest linebackers in conference, etc. D-linemen totally inept but things are great on Rocky Top because "we're going to work hard to get better". Phil has lost the fire and it's going to be a long cold winter. If it takes losing during this LOST season, so be it! We're in the dumper anyway, so let realism take over. We don't need to go to a mid-level bowl and lose to an Indiana!I stopped at a convenience market Saturday wearing my orange and a Vandy fan said "Man, i had to cringe at that effort while channel-surfing. You're tough to still have on a Vols shirt! Enuf, Phil just go away!
CrankE writes:
John Adams jr.
Yeah, it's the truth, but it's imitation.
utnutt writes:
FIRE FULMER! DO IT NOW AND START LOOKING FOR ANOTHER COACH. LETS NOT WAIT ANY LONGER. IM TIRED OF THE WAY FULMER BRINGS TEAMS IN UNPREPARED AND IM SICK OF THE phooey HE SAYS AFTER HE GETS HIS BUTT HANDED TO HIM. GET RID OF HIM NOW IT HAS BECOME AN EMBARSSMENT!
pete.broockman#629092 writes:
Did you see this guy and his Budies all dive for cover when they were asked if the coaches should be fired on the Sunday call in show? They tucked tail and ran instead of being men and saying what they believed. Guess they were afraid they would not be invited to the locker room or press box anymore. What a JOKE, what a bunch of WHIMPS!
GreerVol22 writes:
Hey Phil, your Daddy is in town. Don't worry though, its probably the last time you need worry about playing against him.
mtnvol writes:
John Adams Lite just wrote "Granted, that’s what we fans do." WE FANS?! Just a few weeks ago didn't you tell us you were objective?
FYI, Little Jack A$$, "fan" is short for "fanatic", not "fantastically bloated with self importance."
cgbtn writes:
CRVol missed another one: Phil is using Ben Martin and Chris Donald to generate a pass rush.
ColumbusVol writes:
Is Phulmer going to write us a dang letter yet or what? I am still waiting for some apologies.
Maybe we should hire Major Applewhite. I doubt he could do much worse with this program than is already being done. If you count the head to head he made championship winning coaches look dumbfounded.
inquiry writes:
Pennington is an idiot.. maybe he should be the new coach?
vscebail#247785 writes:
Building blocks? Stepping stones? More like an avalanche caving in on our defense! -- or one big rock tied around Fulmer's neck dragging him and our football program to the bottom of the sea.
imnotwithphil writes:
Maybe we steal another Kentucky saying... "Just wait until basketball season!!!" BTW, is it BB season yet????
agentorange writes:
pennington = idiot. he's got it out for fulmer especially since he got called to the mat. it's fine to be down on the team b/c they are not good on D, but when the media is just all sour grapes (like they are on the dolphins here in miami) it makes everyone stop paying attention to the team and the media.
jdcdjc#246285 writes:
Pennington is right on, and is just saying what the other writers are thinking but will not put on paper. This is shameful. Wait all year for the season to roll around and then another one of these. Come on roundball season.
volfans_1#225396 writes:
To the people on here that thinks John Pennington cares about UT you ARE drinking the Kool Aid not me. I plainly said that we as VOL FANS should be the ones speaking out not the so called objective Knoxville media.The true fans still love UT football and wish for us to win each and every game regarless of who the coach, quarterback,runningback etc.... is. I have posted on here before that I have always said Fulmer should be given the respect as a VOL to walk away and that now is the time to do so. I do not think that the media should be forcing the issue though, all that comes from that is fuel for other schools to show recruits and also possible coaching candidates how they will be treated once here if they come. I believe the media should be objective and speak the truth,there is nothing wrong with that unless you have hidden agendas which pennington obviously does.Good job John with throwing in the story about your so called trip with your so called pappy to soften up the audience. That really fooled a few on here, keep up the crappy work fat head.
Mr_Bandman writes:
Here's next year's schedule:
Aug. 30 UAB
Sept. 6 at UCLA
Sept. 20 Florida
Sept. 27 at Auburn
Oct. 4 Northern Illinios
Oct. 11 at Georgia
Oct. 18 Mississippi State
Oct. 25 Alabama
Nov. 1 at South Carolina
Nov. 8 Wyoming
Nov. 22 at Vanderbilt
Nov. 29 Kentucky
Looks like there's a decent chance we'll be 3-5 at this point next year.....and 5-7 at season's end.....yeah---I can hardly wait!!!!
finn writes:
Like them or not, at least Pennington and Adams actually come somewhat close to being honest about the sad state of our program. Most of the other clowns (radio and print) just tow the company line for fear they will lose access. Can anybody tell me how Zook's tenure and departure was handled by the press down in FL??? I have no idea but I am willing to bet they were a little more 'candid' when rating his performance.
Sheepscape writes:
We're 17-13 in our last 30. Pennington is speaking the truth.
arkyvol writes:
i keep logging onto this website expecting to see news that somebody over in knoxville has woke up, something like 'chavis tenders resignation-apologizes for unacceptable results', or 'hamilton has frank discussion with fulmer'. but no, its only tuesday. i didn't need to log on to find that out.
ibvolman writes:
Maybe Pennington would do an article on "Parity." You see that word being flung around a great deal lately. Perhaps John is the only one with enough guts in the media to tell the truth.
Talent wise, there is no doubt other teams in the SEC have stepped it up a bit. I do believe the talent pool is more even now than it has been, and yes, UT does have talent... albeit very under developed talent. Someone, perhaps on another thread, said the reason coaches like Spurrier, Miles, Urban, Tubberfield were brought into the SEC was because no one could beat Phil consistently. Enter "parity."
Yet, in the past many have said Fulmer out talented his opponents, much of which is true. While UT still has some very good players (who could become great players), there is still yet another problem. While other coaches were brought in to level the playing field a bit, and they did, the UT coaching staff has not grown with the game. They have not developed themselves to learn new schemes. They have sat still and let the other coaching staffs in the SEC pass them up. Exit "parity."
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
Some of you people are idiots. You know that. Just staright out the trailer park idiots. KNS is like any other paper. They need to sell ads. What makes adds shoot up into a premo price zone? Readership, or stats and numbers that someone is reading. You know stats those funny little things that prove fact.(See Fulmer's Stats since 98)
How many people would read the KNS Sports section or come to this site if every day another writer was stroking the UT Machine and saying "Oh it's okay guys we'll get them next time". "Fulmer will get us turned around just wait and see."
You know Pennington gets alot of comments on his stories. WONDER FRIGGIN WHY? Cause you rubes read it and can't take reality or don't have enough sense about you to understand what's happening. You all get all emotional and hit repeat on your CD of Rocky Top and bust out a comment that equates to "Pennington you're dumb"
Seriously, some of you all would be better signing off and reading a damn book or something. I heard Dr. Seuss came out with a new one, ya'll might want to check that out.
As much as UT is a machine KNS is too, and they are playing you under educated like fiddles.
ggcolyer#634308 writes:
Fans, Fans, please lets stop and think about the new signees to be. Arron Douglas, and a host of others that are the lifeblood of Tn. Football.
If they are looking at thier future? Isnt it time Hamiltom makes a decision. For UT and the players who are betting thier future on this program. GO VOLS
Volunatic writes:
Stupid article. I haven't heard ANYONE say "wait 'till next year". Pennington doesn't have to make up a lame premise like that in order to fill his quota of Fulmer-bashing. All he needs to do is point out the mediocrity to which we have grown accustomed as Vol fans.
I suppose this article isn't as bad as the YELLOW journalism in his "unnamed former players bash UT" article a few weeks ago, though.
Seriously-- it isn't that hard to bash UT football right now. You don't need to make stuff up in order to do so.
Pennington should stick to TV-- his show is pretty good, despite being basically an hourlong commercial for State Farm agents, Madisonville Marine, that tobacco shop, and (of course) David Hall's store, with occasional comments by former UT football players and one respectable journalist (Strange) thrown in for content.
ibvolman writes:
The "Feared Mustang Package" isn't so feared by opposing offensive teams any longer.
phi0129 writes:
Feared: I not only love your name, but that was one of my favorite posts ever. I feel the same way. All these retarded cry babies complaining about sports writers? Are you kidding me? At least we can thank these people for picking up our trash or refilling our coffee every day. What a joke. No wonder America has a bunch of fat, lazy, underachieving citizens. With attitudes like the "trailer park idiots," failure in life is an absolute. And ggcolyer, I have no idea what you are trying to say in your above post. Please return to 2nd grade English class and then give me a shout...thanks
Basketball_Jones writes:
How come no one is ripping TouchdownTN and CRVol anymore? Man according to about 90% of you they were idiots after we rolled off 3 wins in a row and now they are right. This team and this program has been in shambles for years now. Many of us have been saying how bad a coach Foolmer is and Vols76 I have said the exact same thing for years. No one wants our coaches, yea Cut got hired at Ole Miss but once he lost little Manning he showed his talent for coaching and recruiting. Don't worry Vol fans he's gone once the regular season ends. UT will be gracious and let him coach the bowl game (if there is one) during that time we'll be hunting a new person. Then on January 8th Mike Hamilton will announce the new University of Tennessee Head Football coach is Norm Chow.
VolsRoadRash98 writes:
Fulmer's a nice guy. He did get us our first national championship in half a century. Players and assistants come and go, but he's the constant. Our 90s style of football has become old and predictable. It's time for a change. Johnny Majors was a nice guy too. I think in order to stay competitive, you have to change your coach at least every 10 years or so.
ibvolman writes:
Hamilton is $$$ hungry, and will not opt to pay the excessively large buy out to dismiss this current lack-luster coaching staff. Lets just face the facts. We have at least one more year of this to look forward to... if it is possible to look forward to it.
bowerst#242774 writes:
My guess is that Fulmer won't be the coach next year. I see at least two, if not three, more losses and 7-5 or 6-6 should finish him.
I think UT needs a new direction, but I am concerned that things could get even worse. Mike Hamilton scored big with Pearl, and he will have to pull another rabbit out of his hat or the football program could slide much further.
I know everyone thinks Neyland Stadium and the preactice facilities draw the recruits, but the fact is we don't have that many top players on this end of the state most years. Who ever takes over better be able to match Fulmer in recruiting or we may be on the verge of becoming the SEC's other basketball school, with one decent year every other decade. It could happen.
instigator writes:
It's kinda sad to see what used to be a great program now consumed with internal turmoil. The rest of the conference is laughing. Alabama is getting their swagger back. They blame Fulmer for their woes these past few years. Florida is pleased with the way Tennessee is gasping for air because of what UT did to us in 84' and 90' with respect to the SEC. Teams like Vandy and Kentucky are circling like vultures because they know there is a stench on the ground in Knoxville which means something is dead and they can feast. Spurrier is in his glory. Life is good.
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