Posted by budd on February 9, 2008 at 10:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

F@#$ Georgia and Florida. We are and always will be the class of the SEC. Go VOLS!!!

Posted by dash727 on February 9, 2008 at 11:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

John, who cares unless you are one of their fans. Why don't you move to Atlanta, Gainesville, or redneck bama land. You seem to be so infatuated with them. Maybe you could be friends with Urban, Mark or Satan.

Posted by Buckley on February 9, 2008 at 11:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Move on John. Oh you can't because people who are at the top of their profession have other companies wanting them. Look how long John has been in Knoxville. Is it because he loves it, no he hates it but nobody at another paper wants him because he has no talent.

Posted by fsslagle on February 10, 2008 at 12:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

obviously unless your a blind faith vol fan you are an idiot. sometimes those that bleed orange care more than anyone care where the program is going. our recruiting is in the vandy ky zone. open your blind eye for yourself. do a depth chart on the defensive line next 2 years if your are bored. I am willing to give the staff changes a solid step in the right direction but you "go with anything and everything the vols do " is vandy mentality. some folks say the bloggers on govols.com are the chosen ones and none can go wrong. if you can do the depth chart thing and still praise the vol Lord-more power to you. sorry the wake up calls are keeping me up at night for my team.

Posted by FWBVol on February 10, 2008 at 2:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

fsslagle, we had one bad recruiting year since Phillip Fulmer has been at the helm of the program. I'd hardly call that in the vandy, ky zone.

D-line could possibly be a problem in the next year or two, but CPF has been known to go to the juco ranks to get needed help in the past and I wouldn't be surprised if he goes that route in the future.

Dad gum it, I just can't help it if I'm an optimist.

Posted by redstickvol on February 10, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Budd,
Don't you think it a little hypocritical/ironic to say that UT is the class of the SEC in the same breath that you say f@#$ UGA and UF. Just a simple observation from a simple man.

Posted by pdhuff on February 10, 2008 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The article says Fla & Ga addressed immediate needs.

Most would agree that d-line is out most glaring need. 10th in the SEC on defense or so.

Did we address this need?

Before warm and fuzzy statements, consider 68th against the run. 84th in pass defense.

Offense you say, 71st in rushing. Big a fan as anyone, but a slightly bigger realist than some.

Beat Arkie and Rutgers.

Posted by bammerslammer on February 10, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

A realist might acknowledge that Florida and Georgia sat at home watching Tennessee give LSU a much better game in the SECCG than OSU gave the Tigers in the NCG.

A realist might acknowledge that the Vols have improved every year since the one bad season ('05) that the current leadership has put forth.

A realist might also acknowledge that West Virginia has fielded very good teams the last few years while never showing near the top of the recruiting rankings.

A realist might acknowledge that Florida State has lurked near the top of the recruiting ranking for years but can't beat Wake Forest now.

Redstickvol, your "simplicity" is a virtue many of these posters lack. They can't see the forest for the trees. Their negativity towards something in the program - the head coach, the kids, the money it takes to see a game - is evidenced by their inability to see even a glimmer of good about the Vols. Too bad for them.

Posted by arkyvol on February 10, 2008 at 10:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

it bothers me to see that so many vol fans are shrugging off this years recruiting, saying, 'oh well, its one out of many good years.' so it is, but pardon me, i don't think georgia, florida, bama, or lsu took the year off, and come to think of it, they've had a hell of a lot of good recruiting years, just like the vols. any way you cut it, the vols will be competing with teams who haven't had a year off in the rememberable past. i just hope we can survive it.

Posted by vol1994 on February 10, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with both points:

Ut did not recruit well this year nationally and needs help on d-line

I agree that Adams has NEVER like UT and its staff, never!! Even in 98 he was against the Vols and his reporting has NEVER been objective, always taking some angle of bias against UT.

As a result, I know for a FACT that the UT football coaches will not ever give him the time of day. Chavis made a comment to me at a community event in 2006 that "he cannot stand to breathe the same air as John Adams."

Yes we have needs and yes GA and Florida are ranked nationally by recruiting services. But we already know all this but Adams is trying to pour more salt on the wound!!

Lets see how the 08 season turns out before we want to lynch Fulmer and staff. Our program has been declining since 2001 but I am optimistic 08 can and will be a special year. Maybe I am wrong.

Adams- why do you want to antagonize the UT program? I lived in Raleigh, near VA Tech in roanoke, VA, Knoxville, and now in nashville and have never seen a writer go after a university as much as you do.

Posted by 99gator on February 10, 2008 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

bammerslammer

just for fun......(i'll play devil's advocate, appropraite as i am a gator fan)

i realist would see that florida has beaten tenn 3 years in a row, the last one coming in embarrasing fashion.

i realist would see that georgia is everyone's popular pick for preseason #1.

a realist would see that winning programs that don't have high recruiting rankings.....don't play in the SEC. west virginia has better recruiting rankings than most of its big east foes.

a realist would see that florida state has inflated recruiting rankings based on kids who never got in school or kids that were signed as part of two or even three recruiting classes.....a trend that apparently is occuring at tenn.

i only do this because to me, the glass is both half full and half empty.

take the new offensive coord. it could be that fulmer made a great hire, going outside the box and getting a guy who gives the program new blood. or, it could be that hiring a guy who has coached at the level that clawson has is the dumbest move he has ever made. both are possibilities.

all this stuff is why they play the games. i don't think that people should dwell only on the negative, but it would be foolish not to acknowledge some of these things.

Posted by bammerslammer on February 10, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I heard that Urban Meyer was glad that his team couldn't make it to the SEC championship game. He said it gave him more time to scheme for Michigan in the Citrus Bowl!

My glass is at least half full (and yes, it's orange koolaid!).

Chomp.

Posted by bammerslammer on February 10, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And UT is 3-1 the past 4 years vs. Richt's Georgia teams.

Posted by bammerslammer on February 10, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't think that people should dwell only on the POSITIVE, but it would be foolish not to acknowledge some of these things.

Posted by pms151 on February 10, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This a good article as it points out that good recruiting means plugging holes, not merely finding 5 and 4*s. If you can do all of it at one time all the power to you. UT couldn't this year for a myriad of reasons. But you gotta point out that this is the first year in Fulmer's era it has not happened.

Posted by WhitePineVol77 on February 10, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I am a VOL fan living in Columbus Ohio...please, hold the apologies. I am no Gator fan, but I was ashamed for Florida watching them lose to Michigan of all teams in that bowl game. At least the VOLS beat Michigan the one and only time we ever played them. Recruit rankings can pound sand as far as I am concerned. To borrow an observation from OSU and Coach Tressel, James Laurenitis was a 2 star recruit when he came to Columbus...nuff said. Go VOLS

Posted by arkyvol on February 10, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

a stud like laurentis might have gone to osu as a two star signee and left as a no. one draft choice, but that might have something to do with coaching. i've seen a lot of four and five star recruits disappear in knoxville, but i can't recall off hand a one or two star who did the laurentis thing there. its great when a player like laurentis comes into his own, but in the long run, its good recruiting that makes a great program.

Posted by WhitePineVol77 on February 10, 2008 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Arkyvol...point well taken. I happen to be one of those that believes in improvement through coaching, or in other words, the environmental factor. Good analogy is racehorses. You can do a lot by improving genetics, but if you don't provide the right environment, feed, conditioning, etc., then the next stop is, well, you know. At any rate, I am an idiot when compared to many of the posters here, but I do bleed orange, and I will always be a VOL fan thru thick and thin.

Posted by 99gator on February 10, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

your points regarding recruiting are valid.....although rankings usually are more accurate than less accurate.

however, i wish you did not use laurenitas as an example. i think that kid is the most overrated, overhyped player in america.

Posted by budd on February 10, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

redstickvol a valid point I should not have shown a lack of class like that as a Vol.
A curse on their house

Posted by stroker on February 10, 2008 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bammerslammer that's funny: "scheme for Michigan in the Citrus Bowl! Plus other good posts, you go. CF has done well over the years recruiting against the schools with their big in-state advantage.
Just hope this year is an abberation.

Posted by volster on February 10, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

99gator, I see what you mean about how important it is to have a highly rated recruiting class. I mean, a team that had a top-rated recruiting class for 3 or 4 years would never finish 3rd in their division and lose to Michigan in a bowl game in their back yard. Wait ...never mind.

Posted by givehim6 on February 10, 2008 at 6:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Way to go jhon. we will see how uf & ug do in 2008, 2009, ect.

Posted by pdhuff on February 10, 2008 at 6:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If we should defeat both Ga & Fla this fall, both "ites" and "non-ites" should joing together for a buck and wing on the banks of the Tenn. Not being afraid to step out, I feel that this is out of the question.

Hopefully they will prove me wrong because like many, I live and die each Staurday with the Orange. As a 40-odd year fan, I know anything can happen during a game, but also know many tendencies hold true. O and D lines win ball games. QBs and RBs and WRs get the headlines.

Coach them up Phil. Make us proud, Clawson. And always, always, compete. There should never be a game we don't have a chance to win. Never!

Posted by 99gator on February 10, 2008 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

volster

i wrote nothing in an attempt to talk trash.

the last four schools to win national titles are usc, texas, lsu and florida. now, i don't know about you.....but that would tell me recruiting matters.

and i am not ashamed of florida's record considering the youth of the team.

i said before i don't talk trash, but how are you gonna throw the sec east title in my face after what happened in 9/07.

Posted by volster on February 10, 2008 at 7:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You're dancing all around your previous post, gator. You were talking about projecting success based on recruiting ratings. You indicated that that is why florida defeated UT the last 3 years. I'll admit that florida gave us a solid beating (before losing to a team that suffered a solid beating in Knoxville), but to say that means that florida had a more successful season than UT is absurd. I wasn't throwing the SEC East title in your face, just taking issue with your premise that florida's success last year was due to superior recruiting. I guess that means that UT's greater success is due to superior coaching.

Posted by marinevol on February 10, 2008 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

99gator, I'm glad you don't talk trash, because you're really not very good at it. So you think Florida had a better season than Tennessee? Wow, you guys put a lot of stock in that one game, don't you? Is that game your whole season? I'll admit that had to be the bright spot of your season because you sure did stink it up after that. The loss to Michigan was an embarrassment to the SEC.

Posted by CrimsonTide on February 10, 2008 at 7:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Holy swamp water, 69gator. If you're going to talk trash, don't embarrass us trash-talkers. We beat Tn pretty bad, too. But I sure wouldn't say we had a better season than they did. What were you thinking?

Posted by marinevol on February 10, 2008 at 7:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Crimson, go home and take gator with you.

Posted by 99gator on February 10, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

good gracious people....

i still wasn't talking trash. and i did not say, florida beat tenn 3 years in a row because of recruiting. the points i made were reasons why there are people who are negative abou the program.

i admitted florida's season wasn't special. it was a rebuilding year after a national title.

you mention clinging to the fl-tenn game for the whole season. no. i brought up the game because you dare ridicule florida after they beat tenn 59-20.

do they give rings for winning the sec east? is tenn going to raise 2nd place banners now?

Posted by CrimsonTide on February 10, 2008 at 8:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

gator, are you rubbing it in because you beat tennessee worse than we did? Just wait till this season, we'll beat them a lot worse than you will.

Posted by CrimsonTide on February 10, 2008 at 8:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

But gator, I really don't understand you making fun of them for winning the East. That was a great accomplishment, and they almost won it all. Maybe a little sour grapes on your part?

Posted by marinevol on February 10, 2008 at 8:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What's going on here? Why do an Alabama guy and Florida guy come on this site to make small talk? Maybe you guys could get a room in Georgia.

Posted by volster on February 10, 2008 at 8:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Crimson, I'm glad that even a Bama fan can recognize that UT had a better season than florida, and that winning the division is not a bad thing. OK, I'll say it, Bama fans are smarter than florida fans, but don't expect me to ever say anything nice about Bama again.

Posted by CrimsonTide on February 10, 2008 at 8:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey volster, I'll give credit when it's due. As much as I hate the guy, your coach actually did a good job of pulling the team together after they took their Bama beatdown (which will now be an annual event). He is to be commended for bringing the team back the way he did and almost winning the SEC championship. Hey, I'll actually be pulling for Tn when they play Auburn.

Posted by marinevol on February 10, 2008 at 8:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The only good thing to ever come out of Alabama is I-65.

Posted by nicksjuzunk on February 10, 2008 at 9:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Guys,

You are bashing 99gator based on the fact that he is a gator. His points are pretty valid and stuff that we say ourselves. He isn't being rude so back off.

1. We all know that Florida waxed us this year and that we rebounded to win the East while the tailed off at the end with a difficult schedule and young team.

Now, Florida is older and WAYYYY stacked. This would be pretty intimidating except that our young fellas are coming into their own and FL has to come to Neyland. Should be a war.

2. Florida is in the heartland of one of the richest recruiting fields and could probably bring in a top 10 recruiting class by turning off the phones and locking all the coaches in a room to play bingo for 2 months. Tennessee has it much more difficult as the crop here is much more thin, we have to go out on to other's turf.

3. Bama beat us good... after that, they didn't win. I don't feel the need to respond to bama fans. They show their own ignorance by ignoring their 6-6 record. They have a great recruiting class and will surely only get better... if Saban sticks around.

Posted by bammerslammer on February 10, 2008 at 9:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It worries me that 'bama finally found out that if they paid their coach more than they paid FOR their players, then they would win more.

Posted by lempga on February 11, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

dash727, he is already friends with Satan, Mark and Rural. I, same as you, wish he would move.

I don't read his articles because they are anti-Vols. I just read comments and they tell me how most everyone feels.

JOHN ADAMS MOVE ON!

Posted by JWilly on February 13, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

First, although I'm a life-long Vol fan, I am NOT a Phil Fulmer fan. I really believe he is dragging the program down. That being said, it seems that some (including Coach Fulmer) feel the relative closeness of the LSU game is good reason to be optimistic. As I recall, LSU's starting QB and best defensive player did not play a down that game. This was a choice by Les Miles as both could have played if he believed he needed them. How would UT have fared in their last 4-5 games without Eric Ainge and their best defensive player not playing? Honestly, I don't see much cause for optimism and I really hate that.