Comments by AWOLVol

Written on Former UT football coach Phillip Fulmer visits Jasper to honor Pat Summitt:

in response to orangeman1:

Fulmer and Summitt's era will go down as the greatest era for UT in modern day athletics. Throw in the Jerry Green years and Pearl years and UT fans enjoyed a lot of success. Even as recent as 06 and 07 UT was ranked in all 3 sports. I hope these newer coaches bring UT fans back the success we enjoyed under Fulmer, Summitt, and Pearl.

And don't forget Coach Delmonico taking the Baseball Vols to Omaha twice during that same era.

Written on No opinion, but multi-year scholarships don't add up to Derek Dooley :

If a kid comes in, goes to class, gives good effort M-F and still never sees the field on Saturday, I have no problem with him keep his scholarship. If, however, you have a kid who fails to give effort on the practice field, lets his grade slip, and generally seems to be milking the system, I say a school should be able to cut him loose. As CDD rightly says, academic scholarships are very strict on such things as GPA (not to mention class load, subject matter of classes, etc), and they'll pull those scholarships in a heartbeat. Athletic scholarships should be year-to-year for everyone across the board. This is just another example of Mike Slive being weak and being too afraid of the PC police. Quid Pro Quo!!!

Written on UT now down 3 coaches with departure of Justin Wilcox, Peter Sirmon:

Uh...no. Randy Shannon was not hired at Arkansas. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/97...

Written on Pat Summitt named Sportswoman of the Year by Sports Illustrated :

My two words...Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong overdue.

Written on SEC coordinator of officials: Crew blew call twice in Vols victory:

Of course, Steve Shaw was such a bad on-field ref that he and his crew were banned from calling UT games for two years for costing us two consecutive Florida games ('99 & '00). I'm glad they "promoted" him off the field, but I still expect no love for the Vols from him. What he fails to emphasize is that the result was what it should have been / would have been without the errant whistle. So it ended as it should have anyway.

Written on David Climer: Tennessee Vols gamble season on Justin Worley:

Dear KNS...while it's cool to include articles from other Tennessee newspapers (sometimes their perspectives are a nice change of pace), could you please set the links to those articles so that they open in new tabs or new pages instead of leaving your page? One of the first rules of web sites is that you never lead someone from your site...anyway, just a suggestion.

Written on Do you think Tennessee made the right hire with Dave Serrano as baseball coach?:

Great hire! The guy's a proven winner and loves UT. I was watching the CWS tonight and found myself getting excited about the possibility of actually seeing us back there again someday...I had albeit given up on that under the last coach.

GO VOLS!!!

Written on Peter Sirmon teaches linebackers through cross-training:

I like this sound of Coach Sirmon's approach. Smart coaches have a better chance of turning out smart players. With what we're hearing about the new strength and conditioning program, it sounds like our LB's (the leaders of the defense) will be physical AND smart! I like the combination.

Written on Hands of Stone: Center getting a grip on right handed :

Young men like this make me proud to be a Vol fan and a college football fan. Thanks, James!!!

Written on Vols take Manhattan, looking for No. 3 starter :

Oops...make that 13-2, not 15-1. I should read more carefully so I actually see the difference between a score and our season record.

Written on Vols take Manhattan, looking for No. 3 starter :

It's nice to be 15-1, but this is as light a non-SEC schedule as we've had in some time. No big name teams to warm up for a tough SEC run. I hope these guys will be ready for an exponential jump in competition when March 18th rolls around. The trip to Lexington will be the first indication of where this team really is.

Written on Justin Wilcox commited to staying with Vols:

I think that the juggling act that Wilcox pulled off this year was impressive. We have youth and a lack of depth, not to mention we've been playing two DEs at DT most of the year. No, there were times I wish he had been more aggressive, etc, but the reality is that he did an admirable job with what he had on hand.

He's a good DC...when he has the bodies to truly play his style of defense, I think we'll all be pleased. In other words, this is good news.

And by the way, Texas is in disarray, so anyone who says that they could get him just for the asking has not been paying attention to the details this year. There are serious issues in Austin...

Written on Tennessee's defense passes thin test :

This is a special group of young men...I'm proud of all of them!!!

Written on Johnny Majors visits Duke, David Cutcliffe:

"...but the Hall of Famer returned to Duke on Wednesday to visit one of his favorite former players and the coach whose career he helped launch."

Coach Cut did not play for Coach Majors...he's a Bama product.

Written on Former UT running back Bryce Brown says he was homesick and 'never fit in':

There are a bunch of 18 year olds in Iraq and Afghanistan who are pretty far from home these days too...and they don't have the comforts of Gibbs Hall and Cumberland Ave. I have ZE-RO sympathy for Mr. Brown and would continue to fully support our Athletics Department's decision to deny a release. At some point these kids have got to do some growing up. Commitments should be honored...just as a Soldier, Marine, Sailor or Airman.

Written on Dooley won't change ... uniforms, that is:

VT's uniforms last night were HORRIBLE! They were hard to read and they took the focus off the game at kickoff and made it some kind of misguided fashion statement. And did you notice? They still lost the game! Maybe, just maybe, UT's black jerseys could re-appear when a game falls on Halloween night (every few years), but other than that, let's keep UT Football about the Orange, not about some shoe company's fashion whim of the week!!!

Written on Search for punt returner begins again :

Seems like historically we've had the most success with DBs back there. Terry Fair returned a few for TDs, and there have been others. For whatever reason, I can't see us having a receiver back there, much less a tailback. Maybe we could use Teague and have a taste of both worlds since he's a converted WR playing DB.

Written on Adams: Fans can help against Oregon :

in response to FamousDuck:

Brothers and Sisters of College Football,
I greet you all (y'all?) with great respect and I apologize most sincerely that you've had to endure the harassment of several trolls claiming to be fans of the University of Oregon. The only thing I offer to you that has validity is their home base, oregonlive.com, what many of us consider to be the troll center, the garbage heap, the urinal of all of college football. I wouldn't click on oregonlive.com for ANYTHING because what is there is what you have been receiving. I am sorry. I guess every state has troll-people but ours seem quite repulsive.

Anyhow, while our football history is limited, compared to yours, I believe that our young men (and women, I'm sure you'll find our cheerleaders most impressive) will give a much better example of Oregon integrity and sportsmanship than the rude bloggers who imposed themselves upon you recently. Our team is very fast, both in pace and across the field, noticeably so, both offense and defense. Watch for it; each unit works quite well together.

You are probably aware also that the Ducks run the spread no-huddle offense. Our signature play is the inside zone-read and the QB (Darron Thomas, red-shirt sophomore) can read several defensive players before deciding how to 'mesh' with the RB's. I think that all of you will be faked out at least several times regarding who actually has the ball. ( I watch most of the Duck practices but I got faked out myself 3 times last Saturday.) Coach Kelly says that he is going to have both LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner on the field at the same time for UT and if he does, that will present some problems because they are both VERY quick, fast and STRONG, and if you don't know who's got the ball, that makes it even worse.

We've got several good receivers, two exceptional in David Paulson TE, and Jeff Maehl WR; soft hands, good moves.

Our defense is deep, quick and talented, front to back, nuff said. They want to score against your offense and they might.

But no mistake, my orange-clad brethren, the Ducks will show up to enjoy the experience and the challenges you present. Perhaps they will Win the Day; I am sure that they will win your hearts. They are greats kids with a coach of integrity.

Good sportsmanship to you all and we'll lOOk forward to you visiting us in a couple of years.

FamousDuck

Thanks FamousDuck! Classy opposing fans like you are always welcome here. We've got some fans from other SEC schools who regularly contribute here and offer some valuable perspective. We welcome all who just want to talk football.

If you and your family visit Neyland Stadium for the game, I hope you're treated well and made to feel welcome in Knoxville. It is a great environment for football. I will be up in Autzen Stadium for next year's re-match and am already looking forward to it. It looks like a great facility as well.

While I certainly hope it's in a losing effort, I hope your team and your fans enjoy the experience of night football in Neyland Stadium Saturday, and I pray it's injury free for both sides!

Written on Chris Walker: 'The bar has been raised' :

in response to SoCalGuy:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

How's that new defense working out for you so far, SoCalGuy? Giving up 588 yards against an obviously out-matched team is no way to usher in the new season. Shoot, if UH could tackle even a little bit, I'm not sure y'all get out of Honolulu with a win.

Don't worry though...you'll all be in the Lane Kiffin Hate Club with all of us soon enough. And when you are, we'll try to be sympathetic. After all, a lot of us have tasted that Kiff-Kool-Aid too.

Written on Adams: Fans can help against Oregon :

in response to CCLC:

Yes___Im______A______DUCK______FAN.
How do you even say that with a straight face.....
LMAO!

Because "Yes_I'm_A_Duck_Fan" is just a troll just trying to drum up a ruckus. Look at how he's posting shotgun replies to all these different posts. I live in the Western US and the spirit about college football out here is pathetic. I find it hard to believe that any PAC-10 fan would show that much punch to get on a UT site and make these kinds of classless, taunting posts. Oregon has never won anything, so they have no room to boast or brag. They've also never played in an environment like Neyland Stadium at night. New Mexico doesn't have our speed, and in spite of our lack of depth, we're not totally bereft of talent.

I'll bet Chip Kelly's not talking to his team like "Yes_I'm_A_Duck_Fan" is talking to us. I'll be he's shaking in his boots that his Ducks are on the brink of yet another upset loss in front of a national TV audience. The SEC ain't the PAC-10 in many more ways than just one.

Written on Kiffin on debut at Southern Cal: I’m really disappointed :

in response to kcsbigorng:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Goodnight, Chesty, wherever you are!

Written on Ja'Wuan James quickly settling into role:

I think this big man will play well in the first half of the season. And then, once he realizes he can play in the SEC - and I mean he really believes in himself - we'll all be witnesses to the beginnings of yet another dominant All American O-Lineman's career at Tennessee.

Written on Barbara Dooley to kick off Knoxville Quarterback Club luncheons:

in response to VandyGrad:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

And if anyone could speak with authority on "hilarous" football, it would be a Vandy grad. ;-)

Written on Offensive line is source of pride:

in response to Witch_Doctor:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Vindicated Offensive Line?

Written on Offensive line is source of pride:

in response to Witch_Doctor:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Victorious Offensive Line?

Written on Adams: Kevin Cooper no fan of the Kiffin way :

"Coach Dooley is showing everybody how to do it the right way. He's showing everyone that the only way to be successful is to do it the right way - as opposed to last year when it was do whatever it takes.

"Coach Dooley brings values and morals to the team, which, in turn, creates spirit. It makes the team better in general and gives you an intangible. I feel like doing the right thing all the time is how you build a championship program."

Comments like this from our players makes me feel very good indeed about our new coach. I respect Kevin's opinions and his matter-of-fact way of stating them. There's no pejorative under-tone in his comments, and as one who's been through all three recent coaches I think he's clearly earned the right to express himself. I'm glad he's happy with the new staff.

Good job, Kevin, and good luck this season!!!

Written on Wylie forging personal bond with Vols :

I agree with you, Keepitreal4vols, but in the mean time, here you go: http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-foot...

Written on Fulmer: Galbreath 'One of my favorites' :

Harry and I were acquaintances at UT. He was a genuinely good guy and never strutted around like some kind of big time star (although he was). He was just a hell of a football player and an every day guy. We could use more guys like Harry in this world, not fewer. Today's a sad day for the Volunteer family.

Written on Higdon 'lucky my whole life' :

Coach Higdon was always approachable and a genuinely kind man. He dedicated his professional life to UT and the Orange and as some have already pointed out, he was a rare point of stability in the high turn-over staffs under Coach Majors (CJM knew coaching talent, as the NFL and college coaching rosters full of his former assistants suggest, but he was TOUGH on them).

As a fellow Holston Warrior, I too am biased in Coach Higdon's favor. But if you'd ever actually met the man there's no doubt about his love and dedication to the Vols. And this is, after all, the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame...it ain't Canton. Give the guy his due and please be respectful of a fine man in his moment of long overdue recognition.

Written on Myles dismissed after second arrest:

“What’s important to know is our standard of conduct is much greater than what the legal standard is.”

If he sticks to this and backs it up with strict actions, I'd tolerate a 2-10 season this year. We MUST make a long-term change in this "boys will be boys" mentality that's dated as far back as the Majors era.

Throw the bums out coach! If they were under 18 and in a bar illegally - much less drinking - they were breaking the law. Get 'em out of my university! If they were fighting at all, get 'em out of my university. There is NO reason to be doing either and I'll tolerate no excuses to the contrary.

Written on Matt Darr, nation's top punter for 2010 class, signs with Vols:

George Cafego and the General can stop rolling now...wait...is that tap-dancing I hear? Nah, but I bet they'd approve!!!

Written on Adams: Expansion can't top SEC tradition :

Since moving out west is has taken me a while to realize just how little college football matters out here. I'd say John Adams is right in his assessment. It's sad, really, but I recently got a hug from a Gator fan in Reno because she was just so happy to meet someone from another SEC school. Strange days indeed...

Written on Cal too much for Vols in rugby, 36-0 :

Don't know about now, but when I played rugby for UT back in the 80's we were known as "The Old Boys." We played at Fulton Bottoms by Robert Shaw. It is a pure club sport (no scholarships), so we not only played other schools, but also city sides (teams) like the Knoxville Possums, and Nashville's side.

I'm very glad to hear that Butch is still coaching at UT. He's a great coach and an all around good guy. As I recall, he played for the US national team (the Eagles) back in the day.

So if you live in Knoxville, look into it! It's a fun sport to watch and you'll catch on to the flow and the rules of the game before long. At first it'll look like semi-organized pick-up & smear, but it's actually a very fun game to play - and watch.

"Lets Go, Old Boys!!!"

Written on Sportswriters remember Haywood Harris:

I was honored to meet Mr. Harris while I was a student at UT many years ago. Quite frankly, I was nobody...and I was never going to be anybody in his world. And yet, as everyone above has reflected, he treated me like I was the most important person in the room. I have never forgotten his kindness and I will always remember him as an essential part of what it was to experience UT sports. His passing makes me truly sad.

Written on Graduation day worth savoring for UT basketball :

in response to Witch_Doctor:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Nice one, WD...best troll-control comment of the year.

Written on Single-parent Elliott always is on the go:

I love the Big Orange...I love our sports teams...but it's people like this that continually make me so proud of my university. Thank you for sharing your story with the Volunteer Family coach! You and your family will be in our prayers through thick and thin!!!

Written on Adams: Fulmer, Gore good choices :

I've often spoken in defense of John Adams in the past...not this time. This "article" is a petty, self-serving screed that betrays a vindictive streak that serves no one. Sad thing is, it has nothing to do with Al Gore or Phil Fulmer. This rant is entirely about John Adams. I'm disappointed that he's chosen to live down to the opinion that many on here have of him.

Written on Dooley on Bryce Brown: As of now he's not a part of the team :

in response to naffy:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

You must be new to the troll business. Generally people like you try to sound at least a little engaged and informed as they make their intentionally incendiary comments. You're like an overeager teenager on a first date. Slow down, learn a little bit about what's going on around here, and then try to stir the pot. Otherwise you're just making the other ridiculous trolls who frequent this site look sensible.

Now ssshhhhhhh....shhhhhhhh...that's a good boy.

OK, to the real Tennessee folks on here:
I agree with those who feel that if Brice wants to go we'll be OK. I wish him well although I agree that this is a bad move on his part. I suspect that neither Coach Dooley nor Coach Kiffin had much to do with this. No doubt we'll be fine either way, but I do feel bad for Brice. If he ends up at K-State he'll play for a great guy, but a sagging program...certainly no national TV time coming to Manhattan any time soon.

GO VOLS!!!

Written on Roots strong for UT’s Campbell:

"Holy Cow", Coach Campbell!!! As good a math teach as you were, you were even better at taking care of the Vols' playing (and practicing) surfaces. I was always proud to tell friends that I knew you back in the day. Now go spoil that grand-baby and enjoy some well-deserved time. Like you said, no mulligans!!!

Written on Walk-on Cannington savors career with Vols :

Obviously without dedicated, high quality walk-ons like Quinn who pay-to-play, we would not have come close to winning 99 games over the past four years. Any coach will tell you how vital these true student athletes are to any program in any team sport. We Vol fans owe a huge debt of gratitude to these all-too-often unsung heroes of our beloved teams. Not all of them get their "Rudy" moments...I'm very glad Quinn's gotten a few of them. I'm very appreciative GVX saw fit to post this article.

Great job, and thanks Quinn!!!

Written on UT baseball weekend preview:

Um...did we lose to Western KY or Eastern KY. This article says Western while yesterday's says Eastern. I'm not picking on the KNS, but it's a little confusing. I guess I'll got to utsports.com and see which one of those teams we played.

Come on Vols!!! Let's tighten up before we get into SEC play. No sense beating OSU up in Corvallis and then losing to the Colonels OR the Hilltoppers. Tighten up and play to your potential and we could have an exciting year this year!!!

GO VOLS!!!

Written on Hardesty impresses NFL scouts with combine numbers:

Good Luck Montario! You've always been a loyal Vol and we love you for it!!!

I also find this article reassuring as to why highly touted - and obviously talented - Brice Brown found it difficult to get a lot of touches this past season. I guess it's not that he's not what we hoped when he signed so much as he was playing behind an NFL-caliber tailback! That's reassuring...

Written on How ready are you for spring football practice?:

in response to VolnotHAMILTONfan:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Any time there is a change at the top, interest in Spring Practice peaks. That is 100% natural, and is probably experienced anywhere they even remotely care about football. I live in SC and I can tell you that when USC brought in Holtz, and then again when they brought in Spurrier, the coverage was thick. The same can be said for last year when Clemson switched from Bowden to Swinney. So it's no knock on the sophistication of the fan base to show an interest in Spring Practice when there has been a change at the helm.

I'm very excited to get a feel for how this staff will coach and interact with the media, but mostly I want to hear what the players think. They, after all, are the ones who must buy into the new regime. I want to hear what their take is. If that makes me a "dolt" or unsophisticated in some so-called fans' eyes, so be it.

GO VOLS!!!

Written on David Climer: Jonathan Crompton draft projection may surprise all in NFL:

I wish you nothing but the best, Jonathan! In spite of all the nay-sayers (including some posting here), you have continued to stay true to the Vols and to Tennessee. And on the field you finally showed us what we'd all wanted/expected to see during the latter half of this past season. But through it all, you accepted and suffered through one horrible situation after another and you have come through it. I hope you find an NFL home where you can have time to learn a system and then work your way into the starting job.

My dream game would be to see any Jonathan Crompton-led team beat the Sanchez-led Jets...with Eric Ainge standing on the sidelines holding a clipboard and wearing a ball cap. Now THAT would be a measure of justice.

Written on UT intern Rubio linked to major recruiting violations at Central Florida :

in response to FearThisElephant:

UCF is the biggest threat out there to the Gators, Canes and them injuns. Now, having a great coach in O'Leary, they have positioned themselves to become a powerhouse for sure. Great recruiting class this year. Lots of talent already on board. Can you say a shuffle of the big boy's pecking order is around the corner? I think so.

Every. Yes every program exploits the gray areas. UCF has a huge bulls eye on their back from the "tattle tails". They are gaining ground in every area. The big 3 plus others will target every little recruiting detail because soon it will be the only way to take them down.

Great university with a interesting concept on diversification of studies. The Knights will soon become a college household word. As the keyboard turns....

Don't be surprised to see UCF replace Pitt in the Big East if, and when, the Panthers bolt for the Big Ten (+1) soon. That would give the state of Florida five BCS-eligible teams to fight it out during in-state recruiting.

Written on Former Vol lineman Daryle Smith dies:

This is so very sad. He was a classmate at UT and I remember him fondly. He was a part of something very special at UT ('85 Vols), but nothing so special as his family. My prayers are with them and his whole community. Rest in peace, Big Man!!!

Written on UT intern Rubio linked to major recruiting violations at Central Florida :

I think we've all had a belly full of the "appearance of impropriety" over the past 12 months. My view is that anyone associated with the past staff who was involved in any of their brushes with the NCAA should be gone (and there was never a mention of the two hold-over coaches being named in any potential violations). The new staff should be able to start off with a clean slate in the NCAA's eyes.

Further, I think most football fans (Vols fans included) can make a clean distinction between hard, aggressive, and effective recruiting and cheating. I still believe that you can recruit kids based on your academics, your tradition, your facilities, their opportunity to play early, and the enthusiasm of your fan-base. You don't have to cheat, and I don't accept that all successful programs do. Some would say that I take a Pollyanna view of the ugly under-belly of college athletics. However, I would always rather be derided as a homer than vindicated as a cynic.

Written on Vanderbilt offers Catholic OT Kerbyson:

in response to Futurecoach16:

As the guy earlier said, I wasn't implying anything about the place the kid was coming from other than the school being wrong in the article. I know Catholic produces very good athletes, as is evident from their immediate success in the bigger districts. I do follow KIL athletics.

My apologies then...when I came along the error had already been fixed. I hope you can see where I was coming from, though, given the circumstance as it existed when I read the article. No offense intended...

Written on Vanderbilt offers Catholic OT Kerbyson:

in response to Futurecoach16:

Catholic = Farragut now? I'm not one who usually criticizes the KNS, but come on...

If a kid's a good player he's a good player. Please don't imply that Farragut is the only school in Knoxville that produces D-I ready players. AE, Maryville, Alcoa, Catholic, Webb, Fulton, Bearden and plenty of other Knoxville area schools have all put kids into Division One.

Bear in mind that the KNS is not the Daily Beacon. If a Knoxville kid gets an offer from any D-I school (especially an SEC school) as a junior, that's news-worthy for Knoxville's sports page.

Written on Steven Pearl can smile about playing time :

in response to johnlg00#206211:

Team offense consists of more than just scoring. In addition to all the other things he does, Steven sets the best screens on the team and he keeps the ball moving. That has value even beyond the assists he is credited with.

Excellent point! It seems like SportsCenter's obsession with dunks and 3-Pt shots has watered down most fans' appreciation of the more subtle aspects of the game.

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