Auburn had plenty of motivation to beat Tennessee last Saturday, thanks to some Volunteer fans who went trash-talking via the postal service.
"There were several notes that were sent to us from Tennessee fans, especially to me," Auburn receivers coach Trooper Taylor said on the News Sentinel's radio show, The Sports Page, on Monday. "Coach (Gene) Chizik's and my mailbox were full.
"I've got one letter here. It's on my desk right now. Somebody tried to make it like it was Lane Kiffin sending it to me. It said 'You should have joined the most elite staff in the country while you had the chance. We will beat your - you know what - this weekend.'"
Taylor, who coached at UT from 2004 to 2007, said the card was signed by someone evidently impersonating Kiffin and UT junior safety Eric Berry.
Taylor said the point spread also motivated his team. UT was a two-point favorite despite a 2-2 record coming into the game. Auburn was 4-0.
"Obviously it was (motivation)," Taylor said. "We put that up (on the bulletin board)."
Taylor, however, maintained that winning on Saturday wasn't significantly special just because he coached at UT.
"It's better to win, period," he said. "I don't want to lose at all."
Taylor said the game was emotional because of all the relationships he still has among the Vols.
"It was tough because of the relationships but it was good because I got to see those guys," Taylor said.
Taylor said several Vols came over and talked to him before the game.
"They were giving me the blues," Taylor said with a chuckle. "But it was all in good fun."
The win against UT vaulted Auburn into the Top 25 for the first time this season. The Tigers are ranked 17th in the Associated Press Poll and 19th in the USA Today coaches' poll.
"It's huge because everybody wants respect and everybody wants to reap the benefits of their hard work," Taylor said. "This team, I think, deserves to be there. It's exciting for our program."
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 87
GahLee writes:
Still got love for Troop, wish him nothing but success.
ctexorange writes:
Good luck to you Trooper! You are a class act.
Madkels writes:
Nice work sending letters dumb azzez. I would expect that of gator fans, not our own.
knoxvol865 writes:
Trooper Taylor will alway be what he is...a position coach. He wasnt good enough to cut it under Fulmer, he wasnt good enough to cut it at Ok St.
GahLee writes:
If he ever gets the chance ( and I think he will ) to become an O.C., he will shine, it will probably be some time though cause he doesn't want to keep moving for his kids sake.
Witch_Doctor writes:
Witch Doctor like Troop but "letter" story sound dubious. Witch Doctor say nice motivation tool though.........Witch Doctor say Troop still got it.
Bones never lie
Witch_Doctor writes:
Witch Doctor say Fee Fi Foo Fum Witch doctor smell the work of the "foolmerite-club".
Bones never lie
Pullingguard writes:
Evidently we now know where one of those crazy motivational letters came from... His leaving Fulmer is just another notch as to why Fulmer is no longer at UT... He did a great job at UT..
Witch_Doctor writes:
Witch Doctor also notice the "foolmerites" talking quite a bit tonight........Witch Doctor notice.
Bones never lie
JV67 writes:
Miss you Troop! Every position he coached got better under him. Whoever sent those letters???? You are STUPID!!!! WHY would you go and do something like that? You are hereby expelled from the VOL nation.
JV67 writes:
and BTW....idiots like you are why people around the country (ESPN) hate us.
Phylco writes:
Right...and I have some land in the swamp I will sell you...these letters are fabricated all the time sometimes within the coaching staff themselves... you guys.....live in la la land.It's called motivational tools... Read in your spare time....it may be worth your while.
Witch_Doctor writes:
Witch Doctor question timing of story after thought. Witch Doctor believe this kinda a backhanded slap at Kiffin. Witch Doctor smell the work of a foolmerite.
Bones never lie
VOLKING writes:
Your mom swears it was from you.
US_Army_Vol writes:
I recollect some particularly unsavory letters to the editor directed at me and some of my fellow soldiers in the Afghan Terrorist Daily by the Taliban last summer. I cut it out, taped it to the butt stock of my M16A2 and went out on patrol the next day more motivated than ever to fight the dreaded war on terror. Yeah right...give me a break. This isn't news. Get a life Trooper.
volspaws writes:
Taylor wasn't UT material...the backward hat chest bumping routine, the playing for the television cameras "all about me" image that he represented will never win championships-it never won one when he was here...it just won him the love of a group of underachieving players that didn't represent our championship history..he's better off at Auburn with the weird sideline play signaling system, the stupid and gimmicky reverse passes, etc....in two years,we'll be playing for championships, Auburn will be 4-8, Gus Malzahn will be in a mental hospital and "Troop" will be signing on as receivers coach at Troy.
Volnauburn writes:
Good luck Troop!
Keeping it real
Go Vols!
Witch_Doctor writes:
Witch Doctor say you make absolutely no sense. Witch Doctor say it always fun to rattle the cages of the "foolerites". Witch Doctor say little minded bitter people show Witch Doctor just how good his life is. Witch Doctor say thanks!
Bones never lie
Halls3 writes:
I will bet you any amount of money you want to that UT will not be playing for any form of championship in football in 2011.
the10sevol writes:
while i applaud your intent to "coach up" the masses, you'll find yourself in the same quandry as clk: you can only work with the talent you have.
GBO
dowhatsright writes:
Writing like hateful posts doesn't help. It's just more bulletin board material and ungracious. Why do you want to talk that way? It makes UT fans sound like some other schools I won't name.
govols57 writes:
I LOVE OUR DUMB A** FANS!!! WHO DOES THAT? PRETENDING TO BE KIFFIN AND BERRY?.....REALLY?
halloffamebowler writes:
I suggest you learn to spell , use capitol letters, and puncuation marks before you write letters to anyone.
10volunteers98 writes:
And,my guess is you`re a MORON!
TommyJack writes:
The whole scenario seems bogus to me. I doubt any such letters existed.
LiveFaith writes:
Well, at least Fulmer's gone.
BigLebowskiPhan writes:
lol. keddle meat pot. hehe
mm29680#645909 writes:
Fulmerites are battling for a position behind the Big Pumpkin and that position is a nose up his azz. Still.
kabulvol writes:
Witch doctor right. Letters have postal stamp of Opelika not from Tennessee. Trooper good. Why I talk like witch doctor? :)
CoachFulmer writes:
Nice fellow Vol fans. Class act.
Joevolsxtra writes:
No wonder other SEC teams hate our guts! What a bunch of LOSERS! We don't need trash like you in the vol nation. Go pull for the Gators, that's about their speed.
marinevol writes:
So, if only some "UT fans" had not sent a letter to an immature asst. coach, Auborn would not have been motivated and we would have easily won the game. Was this really meant to be a serious story? Hard to believe that some of the posters are buying into this. I sure hope these mysterious "UT fans" don't send a letter to a Georgia coach. If they do, I'm afraid our quarterback won't be able to throw an accurate pass, our receivers will drop the passes that hit them in the hands and our special teams won't be able to cover a kickoff.
VOLstuckINky writes:
Go @%@% yourself dogtag.
TurboFan writes:
Any body hear about the text messaging UF's Brantley has been receiving from LSU fans? Idiot fans exist everywhere.
Being motivated by a letter from a fan who in no way, shape or form partakes or contributes on the field is just as low as letter itself.
Witch_Doctor writes:
'cause it fun!
Bones never lie
corrinebrown writes:
If he only knew how to rip his shirt off,then he would be UT material?
arkyvol writes:
almost as stupid as taylor's comments (assuming he didn't bother to check the postmarks, or if he did, posted the letters and trashed the envelopes) are the comments here by those who buy this story.
jcvol#215939 writes:
There were at least a couple of times during the game during timeouts when UT players were near the Auburn sideline talking to Taylor ... totally inappropriate behavior by our players during the game
CrankE writes:
Yes, more cute timing and class from opponents. UF had the FLU, AU got letters-probably written in crayon and sent from AU fans to Taylor as a false flag against UT fans.
And in a couple of years when Taylor leaves AU, they'll be in the same state as other schools he left behind.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
This is probably the biggest pile of shizcoff ever put on GVX.
tnbanker_govols writes:
I hardly think that Trooper needs any type of motivation. The man could get fired up at the carwash while washing his car. Sure do miss him....he was a class act.
smyrnavol writes:
I thought it was some sort of redneck ebonics. Who knows? GO VOLS!!!
vanbarnhill#637222 writes:
The fact is that UT fans are not looking very good right now. Some are whining about rebuilding and others are pulling dumb stunts like this. I thought UT football fans had a little more savvy than this...guess I was wrong!
midtnfan writes:
this shows you know nothing about football. take your meds and go back to the soccer thread.
tennezz writes:
More than likely this letter was from a gator fan still suffering from the whine flu! They would love to fire up the auburn team! Or from a bammer fan still suffering from the Fulmer blues!
BreatheUT writes:
The Chest Bumper doesn't sound too bright regarding this issue. How could letters falsely signed from Lane Kiffin and Eric Berry provide motivation? One, you know they didn't send any letters and two, these letters could have come from anyone not just UT fans. It doesn't take a genius to realize that.
Go Vols!
yeavols#228407 writes:
This news about UT fans sending articles impersonating Kiffin needs to be read with caution. People will do anything on both sides to get attention or a news story. Quite possibly Auburn fans or even someone in the media wants to perpetuate the Kiffin saga of angering coaches in the SEC. Who would want to waste their time writing letters to the new coaching staff of Auburn and to Taylor about a game that wasn't even played yet given our team's performance and overall record. I wouldn't even rule out Florida or Bama fans just to keep the pot stirred. If it was our fans, well just more stupid ones who really don't know anything about football. Trashing another team before the game makes good poster board material and motivates. Like we need to motivate another team to play ours. I am not buying it.
Vol86 writes:
I guess some people have enough time to write these letters hey troop.
Witch_Doctor writes:
Witch Doctor like how LSU trying to get inside gators head before game. Witch Doctor think it funny.
Bones never lie
CUSA_NEWS writes:
Just when I thought UT fans couldnt stoop any lower, they send trash talkin letters to their opponents!?! Simply classless to say the least.
No wonder your coaches run their mouthes so much (a la the fans) without bein able to back it up, it must be something in the H20 up in the darn hills causing such bafoonery.
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