National Image

#1
rexvol

rexvol

The Minister of Defense
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
18,124
Likes
54
#1
I was wondering how people see the Vols around the nation. Im curious about Tennessee's image from the standpoint of someone not in the SEC. How do you think the rest of the nation sees us? Remember that ESPN ad with the hillbillies on the elevator and the pig named Rocky Top, sometimes I wonder if that's really how the rest of the country thinks of us. That's one of the reasons a championship football program is so important to me.
 
#2
#2
I heard Kirk Herbstreit on the radio this afternoon in Atlanta being interviewed by Buck Belue and John Kincaid. The subject they were talking about was Southern Cal and their chances against UCLA.

Herbstreit said something to the effect that Southern Cal was an elite team that is on an incredible streak, but that these streaks eventually end and the team returns back to earth. He said we have seen similar streaks with Florida State, Tennessee and Miami.

I would say his view is pretty reflective of the national view, that Tennessee is an elite program working towards getting back on top, but that their is only enough room for a few teams at the top at any given time.
 
#3
#3
I travel quite a bit on business, and often watch a lot of games at sports bars, etc around the country. And strike up conversations regularly about college football.

Anywhere in the southeast has their biased preconcieved notions.


I travel to Texas(Dallas, Fort Worth) a lot, and the general response is that they feel Tennesse along with the SEC is over rated and inferrior to the Big 12 schools. Even after the Cotton bowl a couple years ago, they still don't show respect -- but this is a typical Texas resonse about anything.

Almost everywhere else in the country I have generally had the same response. They have respect for Tennessee, see them as perenial power. There is also an overall opinion that Fulmer has underacheived--I am always defending him.

I have found very few Michigan fans that give me too much trouble since that 2001 bowl game.

Almost everywhere I go, they say their conference (insert Pac-10, Big 10, ACC) and the SEC are the 2 best conferences in the nation.
 
#4
#4
I would also like to add, there always seems to be a local kid that the other person can recognize, that is playing or recently played for Tennessee.

I was in WA & OR last summer and had several conversaions about Erik Ainge, everybody was telling me that he is better than performed and told me that he would have a good year--but they also told me California was going to show us how good Pac-10 was.
 
#5
#5
rexvol said:
Remember that ESPN ad with the hillbillies on the elevator and the pig named Rocky Top, sometimes I wonder if that's really how the rest of the country thinks of us.
Click to expand...

i thought that was one of the funniest commercials ESPN ever had. Remember the orange blood IV? classic. it's too bad so many people took it as anything more than just a joke
 
#6
#6
One thing I find interesting is that more often then not, people tend to like the same teams in different conferences.

I have found by asking people who their favorite team in different conferences the following:

People whose favorite team is OSU, GEORGIA, TENNESEE, or OKLAHOMA, tend to pick one of these schools as their favorite of the other conference.
(meaning if you favorite team is OSU, when asked who your favorite team in the Big 12, they would say oklahoma)

The same goes for FLORIDA, MICHIGAN, & TEXAS. The fans of these teams pick the other teams when asked about those conferences.

I haven't picked up on a pattern for Pac-10 or ACC. There are always exceptions, but am suprised to see this pattern.

I know it prolly sounds absurd, but try it.
 
#7
#7
volfanbill said:
i thought that was one of the funniest commercials ESPN ever had. Remember the orange blood IV? classic. it's too bad so many people took it as anything more than just a joke
Click to expand...


I agree. The pig named Rocky Top was hilarious.
 
#9
#9
I just didnt see it as funny.Nor the "trailer park frenzy" comment as funny. But, to each his own.
 
#11
#11
I like Corso's deadpan line to the tailgaters on the elevator: "You guys here for the game?"
 
#12
#12
to honestly answer the question, the state of tennessee has that "image", but big deal. I've seen Tennessee game in several different states and everytime they may crack a joke about Tennesseans, but they don't think i'm a one toothed no shoe wearin hick that sleeps with my sister. I'll speak to anyone willing to talk back or listen to me and they all treat me with class. Even while I'm blaring Rocky Top in a Sports Bar with maybe only two other UT fans in a crowd of 150. Worst deal i ever had was this year actually. Watched the Memphis game from a sports bar here in Norfolk, a mere block from Granby High School, home of UT's own David Yancey and someone had the nerve to say Fulmer was running up the score when Yancey scored as they were eating clock. But they all admit that Tennessee has a good program, I've even heard some say we should lay off Fulmer, and they generally know many of the players.
 
#13
#13
In relatively recent times, I feel two factors have boosted our national image immeasurably: the '98 title year of course, but even more so, I think Peyton Manning has forced a great deal of attention on the program. I can't tell you how many times during a Colts game, they have shown that now-archaic looking clip of Peyton warming up during pre-game in a Vol home jersey. It doesn't hurt that the guy who may end up regarded as the greatest NFL quarterback in history (if he isn't already), chose to play his college ball at the foothills of the Smokeys.
That said, I think there is definitely - more so in certain areas of the country, like the west coast I'd say - a fair bit of the hillbilly image still prevailing, and we may never shake that altogether. I mean, let's face it...I can't be the only one while watching the games, who cringes a little sometimes at shots of Fulmer and Chavis on the sidelines, looking very much like they could just as easily be wearing camouflage, an orange hunting hat and sporting a jaw full of Chattanooga Chew. Also, I have long felt that our shade of orange and the utter simplicity of our uniforms is not apetizing to non-Vol, non-Southern sports fans around the country. I have no doubt, truth be told, that it's tipped the scale on the decision of a few good potential recruits, at least. We LOVE the orange, of course, but I fear we're in the minority.
I'd say our national image is now about what it will probably always be...the only respect we'll get on a large scale, is the kind we go out and earn...and even then, we won't get it from most.
Go Vols!!!!!!!!!
 
#14
#14
volfanbill said:
they may crack a joke about Tennesseans
Click to expand...

True. I once took a little ribbing from a girl in Boston who later that night, showed me (and the entire bar) a big bruise on her boob that a family member had put there. -- IRONY :whistling:
 
#15
#15
All Vol! said:
I can't be the only one while watching the games, who cringes a little sometimes at shots of Fulmer and Chavis on the sidelines, looking very much like they could just as easily be wearing camouflage, an orange hunting hat and sporting a jaw full of Chattanooga Chew.
Click to expand...

In my humble opinion, this is exactly how a football coach at a major southern school should look.
 
#16
#16
All Vol! said:
That said, I think there is definitely - more so in certain areas of the country, like the west coast I'd say - a fair bit of the hillbilly image still prevailing, and we may never shake that altogether. I mean, let's face it...I can't be the only one while watching the games, who cringes a little sometimes at shots of Fulmer and Chavis on the sidelines, looking very much like they could just as easily be wearing camouflage, an orange hunting hat and sporting a jaw full of Chattanooga Chew. Also, I have long felt that our shade of orange and the utter simplicity of our uniforms is not apetizing to non-Vol, non-Southern sports fans around the country. I have no doubt, truth be told, that it's tipped the scale on the decision of a few good potential recruits, at least. We LOVE the orange, of course, but I fear we're in the minority.
Click to expand...

I should add that our LOVE of orange is an added incentive. People dont' think burnt orange at texas, they dont' think gold equals Notre Dame, they don't think USC when they hear maroon. Orange equals Tennessee. even over Syracuse. I've heard/seen many comments from recruits saying "i can't wait to see all that orange" potential recruits come in and are amazed at our love of orange and UT football. I've also heard it in every city I've been wearing orange. I have orange nautica and Ralph Lauren polos and people automatically say "someone's a Tennessee fan" without even knowing i'm from Tennessee. I should also say what's wrong with the country boy image? I don't hunt and I don't chew, but some of the greatest people I know live and breath hunting and chewing, plus tobacco is a MULTI-BILLION dollar industry. that doesn't just go on in the South. It goes on in Michigan, upstate New York, all over the West. Enjoy your heritage and be proud of it.
 
#17
#17
Let me just be clear that I was not criticizing Phil or John; they've done a great deal for the program, no doubt about it, and I don't personally care if they come to the game drinking Billy Beer. I was just saying that it sometimes feels a little easier to imagine why the hillbilly image persists to some extent, around the country.
 
#19
#19
Here in Kansas all people think the Big 12 is by far the best and can't believe everybody else in the country doesn't also think its the best. I tell them everybody thinks their own conference is best, whether its SEC, Big 10, Pac 10, etc. They are stunned and in disbelief of such heresy. However, they almost all say they like the Vols' uniforms, are impressed with Neyland stadium and especially like the orange and white checkerboard end zones.
 
#20
#20
that's really cool stuff to hear - a little surprising to think that folks outside TN or the south, would make a point of complimenting our uniforms, but that's nice to hear. My comments in that regard were mostly hunch, so I may be wrong. Nice post!
 
#21
#21
They like them because our Orange is unique. Nobody in the country has our orange.
 
#23
#23
JonWard said:
One thing I find interesting is that more often then not, people tend to like the same teams in different conferences.

I have found by asking people who their favorite team in different conferences the following:

People whose favorite team is OSU, GEORGIA, TENNESEE, or OKLAHOMA, tend to pick one of these schools as their favorite of the other conference.
(meaning if you favorite team is OSU, when asked who your favorite team in the Big 12, they would say oklahoma)

The same goes for FLORIDA, MICHIGAN, & TEXAS. The fans of these teams pick the other teams when asked about those conferences.

I haven't picked up on a pattern for Pac-10 or ACC. There are always exceptions, but am suprised to see this pattern.

I know it prolly sounds absurd, but try it.
Click to expand...
I... didn't follow this at all. :wacko: :ermm:

You're suggesting that if you're a Tennessee fan, there's a good chance you like Ohio State and Oklahoma, and so on?
 
#24
#24
tidwell said:
I... didn't follow this at all. :wacko: :ermm:

You're suggesting that if you're a Tennessee fan, there's a good chance you like Ohio State and Oklahoma, as well?
Click to expand...

I only have ONE team, but if I were picking a team from each conference that I kind of like to watch play, they would be.......

ACC- N.C. State
Big East- West Virginia
Big 12- Texas Tech
Big Ten- Purdue
Pac-10- Arizona St.
 
#25
#25
All Vol! said:
In relatively recent times, I feel two factors have boosted our national image immeasurably: the '98 title year of course, but even more so, I think Peyton Manning has forced a great deal of attention on the program. I can't tell you how many times during a Colts game, they have shown that now-archaic looking clip of Peyton warming up during pre-game in a Vol home jersey. It doesn't hurt that the guy who may end up regarded as the greatest NFL quarterback in history (if he isn't already), chose to play his college ball at the foothills of the Smokeys.
That said, I think there is definitely - more so in certain areas of the country, like the west coast I'd say - a fair bit of the hillbilly image still prevailing, and we may never shake that altogether. I mean, let's face it...I can't be the only one while watching the games, who cringes a little sometimes at shots of Fulmer and Chavis on the sidelines, looking very much like they could just as easily be wearing camouflage, an orange hunting hat and sporting a jaw full of Chattanooga Chew. Also, I have long felt that our shade of orange and the utter simplicity of our uniforms is not apetizing to non-Vol, non-Southern sports fans around the country. I have no doubt, truth be told, that it's tipped the scale on the decision of a few good potential recruits, at least. We LOVE the orange, of course, but I fear we're in the minority.
I'd say our national image is now about what it will probably always be...the only respect we'll get on a large scale, is the kind we go out and earn...and even then, we won't get it from most.
Go Vols!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I recall in high school we did a domestic exchange program with some kids from California. They all expected us to be hillbillies and were surprised that our homes had all the standard amenities and appliances. Still, they expected some inferior education. Then I told them my SAT score. Most of them didn't even realize it was possible to score that high. There's some rednecks around, but I'd take our brightest kids against the top scholars of any state, anytime.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top