Photo by Joe Howell
Tennessee defensive back Antonio Wardlow celebrates after intercepting Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Donovan to seal the Vols’ victory during the Outback Bowl on Tuesday in Tampa, Fla.
Hope.
According to Wikipedia (and who doesn’t trust Wikipedia), hope is the “belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life.”
“Hope implies a certain amount of perseverance … believing that a positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary.”
My dictionary describes hope as “the feeling that what is wanted can be had,” or “a feeling that events will turn out for the best.”
The ancient Greeks believed in Elpis, the goddess of hope. While all the evils of the world spread their wings and took up mischievous residence around the globe, Elpis stayed behind to comfort mankind. The Romans renamed her Spes and animated her as a young girl carrying a fresh flower.
Why all this chatter about hope? Nearly every religion teaches and preaches hope … “in the next life, it’ll all be better.” Everyone reading this knows what hope is. What gives? Is this a sports column or what?
I speak of hope because it’s the number one food stuff of sports fans. It’s necessary to our sports survival.
Hope is a basic part of a sports fan’s diet. Consider it our wheat. Without it, we all fall down and go boom. (Of course, for a truly well-balanced meal, hope should be served with a nice side of reality … but hey, this is about hope, not about keeping an even keel.)
Right now, it’s harvest time for hope.
There’s spring training in baseball. NFL draft day in pro football. The Daytona 500 in NASCAR. Midnight Madness in college basketball.
And there’s bowl season in college football.
Going into the Outback Bowl, Tennessee had lost five of its previous seven bowl games. Those losses led to dreary off-seasons. Since those seasons ended on losses, the naysayers were given the floor.
But with a hard-fought win over Wisconsin, the run-up to 2008 will be just as positive as the run-up to 2002 and 2005. And it should be. The Negative Nellies will yield the floor to the Positive Petes.
Do bowl wins and losses really have any impact on the next year’s campaign? Rarely. There are too many changes in rosters and coaching staffs. There is too much time between games.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not cause for hope. Bowl games do that. Your team may have a super regular season, but lose the bowl game and it’s like putting shoe-flavored icing on a delicious cake. You’re left with a pretty bad taste in your mouth.
At the same time, you can take an up-and-down season and turn it into a much better year with a bowl win. It’s like covering bad fast food Mexican grub with those little packets of hot sauce. The bland food would tide you over without the sauce, but the sauce makes it a lot more edible. It masks the flaws.
That’s what bowls do. And Phillip Fulmer just won his. The vibe will be positive for the next four or five months. It should be. Hope has been provided.
“I’m excited about where we are, and I’m even more excited about where we’re headed, even with the staff changes,” Fulmer said after Tuesday’s game. “I think that gives us a chance to even be excited about something new and different. I’m looking forward to it.”
UT’s coaching moves may well prove to be the best hires that Fulmer ever makes.
Tennessee’s offense might employ more elements of America’s new favorite plaything: The Spread.
The receivers may improve. The defensive line might gel. The quarterback may turn out to be the Superman that recruiting gurus and media members have built him up to be.
Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Auburn might all be easier wins than they look on paper.
If you think I’m being sarcastic, I’m not. All of those things CAN happen. And Tuesday’s victory will make Tennessee fans much more likely to believe that they WILL happen.
That’s the spin of a bowl win. That’s how big Tuesday’s game was … for the program, for its coach, and for the athletic director who’d already pulled out his checkbook before kickoff.
Hope is what makes sports fun. It’s why Cubs fans never stop believing. It’s why fans of every team in America always say, “don’t know why, but I’ve just got a feeling that our boys can do it!”
That’s hope. That’s what the Outback Bowl provided. And it sure beats the alternative.
John Pennington hosts the Hall’s Salvage Sports Source on Sunday at 11 a.m. on WATE.
Phillip Fulmer through the years
Barbara Dooley and Pat Summitt Go Red…
Tyler Summitt through the years
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 52
snowvol writes:
I hope Phillip Fulmer makes a legitimate, big-time hire in his next offensive coordinator. Not the one down the hall, closest to his office, who isn't leaving for Duke. The one that takes this unimaginative, predictable offense and turns it into something that strikes fear into our opponents. It doesn't have to be the spread, it doesn't have to be fancy...it has to be different than what we've been running for years and it has to be run with maximum efficiency and productivity.
newtonrail writes:
I HOPE you keep on typing John.
OldNumber7 writes:
snowvol - well said. I am not sold on the spread as it can very effectively be defensed - as evidenced by Pitt, Michigan, Auburn, South Florida, etc......But the aspects of the offense this year that must be preserved is quarterback and ball protection; low penalties; and discipline. I attribute the ability of this team to get to where they were on a generally mistake-free execution all year (not always good execution however); a feature of the '98 offense that won a championship. Yardage production should be secondary to discipline and ball protection.
Volker writes:
Great article. Rocketvol, I'm with you. The spread is not the greatest offense ever. If you don't have a rushing attack (and a strong defense) you can't win championships. It's the difference between UF this year and last year. I think that UGA showed how effective a strong defense, that has seen the spread offense before, can defend it (Sugar Bowl). But look at WVU in the Fiesta, They shredded Oklahoma on the ground.
I HOPE Phil will make a good hire. I'm optimistic about our defense next year one way or the other.
Eric Berry for Heisman! Hope is a great thing.
jandjhome#228397 writes:
The Kansas Coach makes Phillip Fulmer look skinny.
VOLinDAWGland writes:
This is just an example of a wannabe writer who has nothing to say and trying to say nothing cleverly.
EZVOL writes:
Hope and faith are two different things. Knowing the players who are returning for UT next year, knowing the players who are NOT returning for our SEC opponents and the fact that everyone knows that there is no such thing as superman even in Gainsville, I have FAITH that we will win the SEC title next year. I just HOPE that Mayo and company return.
knoxtenor writes:
Hope means that prospects might've seen Tennessee's play and said either, "That's a great program! Maybe I'll consider Tennessee." or "Gee, whiz! Pretty lame. Bet I could beat most of their scholarship players out in spring practice."
Hope means that there's some as yet unrecognized offensive genius that will come to Tennessee and make us fans say, "Cut- who?"
Hope means that someone at UT will recognize that everybody and his mother is now playing the spread (Who didn't play the option in the late 60s and early 70s?) and will come up with something original and better.
Hope means that Fulmer will take heed of his single-year contract extension and not just "get by" in 2008.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Volker- good post. What a novel concept! Strong defense and rushing attack. What are you trying to do? Win. Man, whew.
It is much more glamorous to send the pig flying than to say your QB was 27 for 28 on hand-offs.
Watch Paul Johnson at GT drive them into the top 10 not on hoop-la, but pounding the rock. 2-3 years and he'll be there. Not exciting but the bulbs on the board tell the only tale that really counts.
Games are and will always be won and lost in the trenches. Loved the statement "run-up to 2002 and 2005". Boy howdy, how we run up will depend to Phil's comfort zone and d-line recruiting.
Great 2008 to all. And I mean all.
knoxtenor writes:
BTW, hope means that, in 2008, in my pre-coffee morning stupor, I don't look at an N-S sports headline that says "Pennington: Blah-blah Vols Blah-blah" and think, "Who cares what Chad Pennington thinks about the Vols? He went to Marshall."
GerryOP writes:
Then, of course, there is the definition provided by that erstwhile scallywag Ambrose Bierce:
Hope
n. Desire and expectation rolled into one. Cordial language for desperation.
Sheepscape writes:
Pennington you said on your Sunday show that ten wins was only so-so since it took us fourteen games to get there?
Winning the bowl game is superb, but let's not lose the war by making a lousy hire at OC.
TommyJack writes:
PD: Double Ditto
bill176 writes:
At least he doesn't have unnamed sources in this story.
orangebloodgmc writes:
If we can put any stock in Rivals.com, it appears that there are still some blue chip dt's and big strongside de's still uncommitted and listing the Vols as a possibility. Darn right there's hope.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Hope is when I am hungry at 9:52 and can't remember if Pizza Hut closes at 10:00 or 11:00.
Hope is when I run to the toilet and neglect to see if there is TP first.
Hope is that if 99gator is on this site enough, he may convert.
Hope is that 12times doesn't return to this site and stays in his delusional semi-psychotic state of mind which is that of an alabama supporter.
Hope REALLY is that Saban may bolt in two years for another school.
PharmDVol writes:
First off, congrats to the vols for surviving against Wisconsin despite the prevent defense and prevent offense that nearly cost us the game. I have long been a Tennesee fan and have supported Coach Fulmer despite questioning some game decisions that he has made. There are too many fair-weather wans that jump on the band-wagon of firing "fat Phil". However, I, as many other Vols fans were glad to see Randy Sanders pack his bags for KY. I also was happy to get Cutcliife back, as I anticipated returning to the Tennessee team that dominated our opponents. While I have appreciated coach Cut's undoubtable gift for developing QB's, I must question his play-calling. I wish him the best at Duke and appreciate all he has done for TN. All said, I think Kirk Herbstreet put it best when he stated on College Gameday that the Vols play the best when no one thinks they can win and struggle when they are favored. This shows me that the problem with the team lies with motivation and discipline. A Head Coach in a program like Tennesee needs to possess the firepower and personality to "stir the pot". However, Fulmer seems more interested in licking the spoon. I say a new OC needs to be able to fire the players up. We need someone who will get in player's faces and make them give it their all for Tennesee. Fulmer is too busy clapping his hands and fetching tacos for Chavis to do any motivating. Anyways, enough said. Fulmer isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but just maybe he will hire someone that can compensate for his insufficiencies and return the Vols to powerhouse status. That's the hope that I have! Go Vols!
TommyJack writes:
Nick: If anyone on here can convert ole 99gator, you have the credentials!
KENVOL writes:
If we can sure up our defense, we could give a lot of teams trouble next year. We might could even win the SEC. Hope remains high. Go Vols!!!!!!!!
DennisVols writes:
“Tennessee’s offense might employ more elements of America’s new favorite plaything: The Spread.”
This is what I have been saying since it was known the Cut was leaving. We don’t need a complete makeover. Selling out to the “Spread” would get us just what UF got this year. 3rd place finishes and losses in bowl games.
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”
Our offense, while more discipline under Cut, was too bland at times. You knew going in if you stopped the run early he would abandon it and go to the short pass. There were few if any surprise in both eras of Cut’s coaching here. If you look at Peyton’s yr.s at UT on film you can count the times he threw down the middle on one hand. If he did throw down the middle it was because he checked off to another receiver. Down the middle has a higher risk and coach Cut was never known for taking risks.
I am excited about UT football again and await the coaching decisions with a nervous excitement because we won’t know how good they are until next season. I like the fact that the decision was not made right away. It shows some consideration is actually being put into it. A lot of those who should be considered still had jobs to do or still have them to do because their teams are still playing. Including Fulmer who it seems placed the importance of beating the badgers over hiring replacements.
UT has had (3) 10 win season in the past 5 seasons, (1) 9 win season and the bad year in ’05. 3 times of those 5 years we were 1st in the East and once 2nd. No team in the SEC has that many 10 win seasons in this span, that does include GA, FL, AL, AU, and LSU so we are not that far from reaching our goal of title wins here. Some want to play the “If” and “But” game to belittle what was accomplished this year. You could take that same idea and reverse it to show how we were one inception away from the SEC title.
There are no * at the end of an SEC season stating “ifs” and “buts”. Just wins and losses. No one cares if you could have won a game “if only”.
So let’s look at the record of this year’s team, 10 wins and a bowl win over a ranked team. Compare that to where we were just 2 short seasons ago. We are going forward and let’s hope that the right decisions are made in the hiring to keep it going that way.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TJ, aw, ole gator was all right. Hated to see him get his legs taken out by a Big Ten squad giving it all for ol' Siwash with Carr leaving.
Well, we've got signing day and Nascar and fishing plus a little BB. The sun is shining on the lake thru the cold air. I think I'll just sigh and take off the refuse. (Ma gets mad if I say garbage or heaven forbid, trash).
We have hope because they wear the Orange. Old Neyland will see a return to the top 10. I hope we all live to see it.
JohnP writes:
Sheepscape,
I didn't say it was a "so-so year" on my TV show. One of my panelists said, "well, it's a 10-win season," and I simply said, "yeah, but it took 14 games to get there." To me, that's not the same as 10-2 or even 10-3. But it's not average, either.
I'm used to a 10-win season being good and a 4-loss season being a disappointment. It's hard to know how to feel about the records you get in these much longer seasons. So, I personally say it's good (10 wins is good), but not great (4 losses keep it from being great).
Also, nowhere in this column do I say that MY expectations have been raised by the bowl win. This isn't about ME having hope. Columnists and reporters aren't supposed to have "hope," their supposed to cover the team and write about it and talk about it dispassionately. At least that's what my professors passed along.
In the column, I said that bowl losses (like last year's) leave fans in a funk for 6 months. Bowl wins, on the other hand, leave everyone with a good taste in their mouths and full of hope for the future.
Most of the fans, I think, will now be hopeful that things are super duper... because their last view of the 07 Vols was a bowl win.
There's nothing wrong with that... things may turn out absolutely great in the future. But more people are going to feel that way and "be positive" BECAUSE of the bowl win.
That's how important the win was for the program.
Didn't mean for it too look like this column contradicted what was said on the TV show.
Just wanted to clear that up for you.
Thanks for reading (and watching). It's appreciated
John
99gator writes:
i plan on remaining among the "godless hordes" and stay a gator for life.
i guess there are some who just can't be saved.
forgot to wish all of you a happy new year
Sheepscape writes:
John,
Thanks for the response. Personally I am glad to see some fresh faces on your program. Fred White is superb in his candor, and Beano provides a minority report that frankly we just don't hear from the sports animal.
Journalists should be impartial, but man...in this town that doesn't seem to be the case. We are used to the likes of those propagandists on the morning show at 990 rah-rahing the program and the current coach even in the face of the obvious. They all have ties that are too close to the program for my tastes.
We have fourteen losses in three years, got drilled by our primary rivals and lost to an entirely mediocre Cal team. That's a trend to me that won't be stymied by beating a woefully coached Badgers team. Fulmer needs to score some great assistants or 08 and 09 will be unappealing. My 2 cents.
eefor10c writes:
My hope is that Out of Touch-down Tn will find happiness and become a VOL fan.
auttat writes:
My hope is that some people will read their Bible more, or go play golf, tennis, pick up bb, flag fb, or find some kind of hobby and quit putting so much emphasis on UT winning a dang football game. It's not life or death, trust me!
eefor10c, that can be applied to several posters on this site.
DennisVols writes:
TouchUF was a bad roughing call against UT and a lucky break against USC last year from not getting to play in the SEC or NC game. Heck GA was a Vandy fumble on the GA 10 late in the 4th qtr from playing in the Chick-fil-A bowl this year. “If” Hawaii had not turned it over 7 times they beat GA. You just don’t know do you.
"If if's & buts were candy and nuts it'd be Christmas all year long"
Quit being a cry baby about this team winning 10 games and going to the SECCG and winning their bowl game.
There is not a season for any team that wins that you cannot find a lucky break that made the difference in their season.
Your position is only valid if you bring in "if they didn't" if we had had" phooey.
Yes this team needs to continue to improve but it is not all that bad unless you fail to look at any of the good.
Three 10 win seasons in the last 5. No other team in the SEC has done that.
UF went from NC to 3rd place in the SEC, will win up behind UT in the final rankings. GA has lost 2 straight to UT by blowouts and not beat UT in Athens since 2001. LSU is 1-1 against UT, lost to UT during a 5-6 '05 season and it took an interception to beat us this year in the SECCG.
Using your line of thinking I can say" LSU should fire Miles, they lost to UT in "05 and IF they had not intercepted Ainge they would not be in the NC game.
Man if your only fact is an "IF" and "BUT" then you are just wasting oxygen.
You thought this team was going to be 5-7 this year and since they proved you wrong you have a feeble attempt to try and justify your thinking.
Be a man, admit you are wrong. I did. I thought Fulmer had totally lost it earlier this season. But I am not too blind to see what they did do.
They managed to win 10, did it with a young untested defense, injuries, players Academically suspended and a coaching staff in limbo.
Not every decision Fulmer makes is correct and if you are looking for that coach you will always be looking.
downTN
utvols1 writes:
Hope is that Phil would actually let another OC run the offense. Hope is that we don't do a 180 and jump to a spred offense. Hope is that Phil retires and pretty soon. Real hope is that Hamilton gets the axe.
DennisVols writes:
Hope is seeing there is good to build on.
Hope is understanding there is bad that needs to be corrected in order to become a champion again.
The good:
1. 10 win season
2. Bowl win to end the season and start the new year
3. Improved defense that should continue to improve next year
4. Offensive line that allowed the fewest sacks in the country, all should be returning next year.
5. Finishing higher in the ranking than they started out. UT has failed to live up to expectations many times since ’98. After starting 1-2 on the season the prevailing thought was this year would be no different.
6. Three 10 win seasons in the last 5. No other team in the SEC has done that.
The Bad:
1. Big losses to Florida and Alabama. Losing to these two teams is bad enough. Getting beat by a combined 100-37 is unacceptable at all levels.
2. Rushing game is middle of the road for the SEC. Not being able to run the ball and control the clock hurt UT. In the losses to UF & UA UT failure to keep the ball, establish a time consuming drive played a big part in the defense give up so many points. Was it the failure of the OC to stick with it more, the running backs not hitting the holes or line blocking? Either way this MUST be corrected for UT to regain elite status not only in the conference but the nation as well.
3. Playing in the SECCG was more than most expected after the Florida loss. UT cannot expect to get into the title game with 2 SEC losses. While playing for the title is good, UT needs to win this game more than once a decade.
4. Killer instinct: Too many times UT builds a lead and allows their opponent to get back into the game. Conservative play calling, getting away from what you do best cost UT style points that could have improved how this team was perceived by other teams and the media. Style points get you rankings and a better shot at a BCS bowl.
5. Another year without going to a BCS bowl. UT is no longer considered one of the top 10. You see it in the pre-season rankings and were they usually wind up in the final polls. It is good to play on New Year’s Day and many teams both in the conference and the nation will not get that opportunity, but UT should expect more. Standards have been set at UT and those standards have not been met this year or in the past few years.
Improvements have been made, the last 2 seasons following the ’05 season, so “hope springs eternal”.
UT is at a crossroads with the coaching decisions it must make at this time. Making the right decisions can answer all the “Bad” this and the past few seasons have shown. The talent is there in the players so the new coaching staff needs to have the ability to mold that talent into a champion. A winning history will not make you a winner in the future, but failing to learn from those mistakes will cause you continue to fail.
Be happy with a 10 win season, but never be satisfied with anything less than a championship.
scvols writes:
We will go undefeated next year and win another NC. Go VOLS!!!!!
99gator writes:
VOLstuckINky
i am a pretty young dude, but i have been alive long enough to be pretty sure of the following regarding watching my school compete in athletics.
1. sometimes you win, sometimes you lose
2. success is to be celebrated and not deemed to be a curse.
3. there will be people who make decisions or who behave in a manner that will make you feel shame and people who make decisions or behave in a manner that makes you proud
4. sometimes they are the same people.
i know this is a "miss america" type response. but, it's true. i can't control everything my school or people who represent my school do. i usually don't make it a point to reveal all the skeletons in another school's closet, because i know my school has its share.
if you follow the vols faithfully, then you should be aware of several things over the years that are not representative of tenn or the people who support tenn. yet, they happened.
orangebloodgmc writes:
Well-spake, 99gator.
orangebloodgmc writes:
And sjt18, thanks for the better info on recruiting. I will have a look at those links.
skyhawk836 writes:
Well said, 99gator.
I'm still looking at the final records of various schools for the, "should have lost", "lucky to win", and "didn't win big enough" columns.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Lots of Vol fans would have much more respect for UF if more of its fans were as classy as you seem to be, 99gator, even when we lose to them. It may well be that not every visitor to K'ville has a positive experience, but very few visitors to G'ville have one. Seriously, your "students" are all but out of control, and I am not the only one who has noticed it. As I recall, the SEC office has warned your authorities to get control of that situation more than once. OTOH, FWIW, many visitors to K'ville report being well-treated, whatever the outcome of the game. It really IS possible to enthusiastically and effectively support one's own team without abusing and even endangering the opposing team and its fans off the field! Your teams (generally) comport themselves better than that, though maybe there was a little too much "chippiness" in the bowl game against Michigan.
FWBVol writes:
I hope TouchdownTN will stop being so negative, or at least come up with some new material.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
sjt18- 3:44pm "Complain regardless". Correct. This is America, many are under this tent, some like this, some like that. Some are still trying to figure out if they are this or that.
Your unwavering defense of Phil is admirable. The bowl win will back the hordes away from the castle wall until the recruiting results are in. Then, you may have to sharpen your keyboard. Have a good 2008.
skyhawk836 writes:
sjt18-"It has nothing to do with this being "America" and everything to do with being fair minded, consistent, and objective. The program isn't where it needs to be nor is it any where near as bad as 2005... and the movement seems to be away from 2005."
------
That's it. No one, it seems to me, can argue that we have bounced and are trending up since 2005.
He broke it; he's fixing it.
skyhawk836 writes:
Especially no more tolerance of the off-field BS that went on earlier this decade.
Holding people to a behavioral standard should never take a day off.
Leave that other stuff to TDTN and his tailgaters.lol
That's ajoke TDTN. Don't threaten me with bodily harm.
skyhawk836 writes:
That's ajoke
Didn't space. Got anxious about mentioning TD.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
sjt18, etch that - "zero tolerance for backsliding" into our future outlook. As I have often said, What else can this program do for this coach? The $$$$ are there, the facilities are there, Lord knows the fan base (albeit somewhat riled) is there. What does he need?
What else does the University of Tennessee have to do to win the SEC champinship? Where have we come up short for 9 long years now?
What has Tenn not provided that the other schools who have won the SEC did?
Just curious.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
tngeoff-trying to be "nice".
Just trying to ascertain where the school if failing?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
#$#$$### try "is failing". I'm failing in typing after 2 Buds.
DennisVols writes:
tngeoff
That answer would be none!!
3 of the past 5 seasons UT has won 10 games. No other SEC team can say that. 3 of those 5 years we were first in the east and once we were second.
Now we all know what happened in '05, but crying about that won't change it.
If Fulmer was to be fired it should have happened after that. Since '05 we had a 9-4 season in '06 and a 10 win seasom with decisive wins over GA, AR and a bowl win over a ranked team.
Now that is a major change from the direction we were heading going into '05.
I am NOT satisfied with were UT is and no one from Fulmer to use FANS should be.
We should however be happy with the direction we are headed.
No coach out there makes all the right decisions and every season has a "if" in it or a questionable call that changed a game or a season.
We need to hope the right decisions are going to be made by the university in who they are about to hire. Thinking positive those right hires can take what we have seen the past 2 years and get UT that title.
Keeping it Real!!!!!
Go Vols!!!!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
dlskaggs -What has Tenn not provided that has kept this staff from winning the SEC? Where has Tenn failed?
Is it lack of support or......
DennisVols writes:
pdhuff,tngeoff
My feelings, and could be proven wrong, but my feelings on why we haven't won the SEC title is not the system we play be the man in the booth calling it.
Don't get me wrong David did a lot of good at UT, brought back discipline and order, he trianned Ainge and others really well but his limits were met in what we saw on the field.
I stated before if you look at Peyton's UT years you will see 90% conservative passes. Now Peyton had more arm strength and could thow longer but look at the # of sideline passes. Those are a lot safer. You throw over the outside shoulder and either the reciever catches it or it goes out of bounds.
If we bring in the right kind of OC. One who will open it up more, take more chances, and can teach the players to excute just as good as David did then that will prove me right.
That will take this team to the next level. We are close and for all the Fulmer gripping on here and elsewhere his biggest fault may have been his loyality to his best friend.
A rule I alway heard was not to hire family and David and Phil are as close as that. May have been too hard to critize you know.
The talent is there now and the system is truely more successful than the spread when, I said "when" it is excuted properly. (see GA vs UF)
I'll be convienced when I see who is hired and they are given the chance to prove to us they are different.
We ain't that bad but yes we can and should continue to get better.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
dskaggs- good return- If Cut was the problem and that problem is now out of the way, what else has Tenn failed at or do you think, now they will now win the grail?
As an old college debater, I'm just trying to pin down how many free passes one can get. Is it like trying to push down on a tiny spot of mercury like will get away every time? When does the dragon of accountability finally raise his ponderous head and take a direct look at the problem? Enjoy the reparte!
sidwalkvol writes:
sometimes we forget we are talking about a game, not a science. In the latter, variables are controlled, in the former they remain unpredictable. To quote Billy Clyde Puckett, the danged ol' football is not round. It can bounce in funny ways. Which is to say it can curl and sail and float and roll in strange arcs and trails. Some of the posters seem to think that the various pieces always go together to make a whole pie... ask the Yankees if that is true.
Is the problem in Gothan Joe or George? Joe gets fired but that only makes George look silly. George is reprehensible in part becaus because he truly imagines that becaue of this or that--money, facilities, tradition-- he ought to win every game. But there are other players, other teams, other motivations, other variables.
The "If only," or "yes but" arguments of some folks make them sound a lot like The Boss (and I don't mean Springsteen). They sound silly as George because anyone who has played knows that things happen in games. I am pleased, not at all offended, that the ball bounced our way a few times this year. I can remember other years when the reverse was true. One cannot blame the coaches for both things at once (either that we got some breaks or didn't) and maintain any kind of street cred.
Add all of that to that the fact that the players are kids--really big kids, but kids--and the mistakes/variables component multiplies.
Football is a game. Things happen. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with this who weep and thank God we have little enough other worries so as to be able to read and respond to these articles and conversations.
invisiblekid writes:
I hope that Fulmer finds an offensive staff before 2/6/08. I hope that the defensive players they signed last year are ready to contribute next year, especially Langley, Brimfield, Martin, and Walker. And with that, I'll leave you guys with a line from one of my favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption:
"Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane."
Basketball_Jones writes:
Last time we won a bowl game and had high hopes for the next season we went 5-6....stay the course
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