A look at the program from a former player

#52
#52
utvolkyle06 said:
OP Come-On Man!
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My last post on this matter. If any are familiar with my posting over the past year, pretty sure they've come to realize I'm a straight shooter and if I have personal opinions I tend to voice them and in my own words without living vicariously through some random player that I supposedly made up from OU. I don't troll. Don't pass on information that I won't later admit to being wrong if it comes out that way. Don't need to make up stories to cover for my own thoughts or to get "likes." Don't recall first names of people I've worked with for two years now much less someone I spoke to for less than ten minutes and probably will never run into again. The guy could have told me "John Smith" and I still wouldn't have remembered even the first name after I walked out of the store. It's just the way I am.

We had a nice conversation about the state of UT football and I asked his opinion on a few things, others he added along the way. For me, I thought it was a unique perspective from someone not connected with our program, but still held it in high enough regard to follow it to an extent. I didn't agree with everything he said, but thought it was interesting especially from someone who had played on the college field instead of the normal posters who generally have little to add.

You want to believe it, fine. You don't believe it, fine. I'm not going to lose sleep over it either way.

I do ask if you want to question my integrity to at least do your homework before passing judgment that "he's making it up" because I want "likes" or the fact I'm afraid to speak my own mind on what I happen to believe about this program.

Take the original post as you will. But I'm done here.
 
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#53
#53
GAVol said:
I've got no reason to doubt you. But you've got to admit, that's one hell of a random conversation to happen on aisle 5 at Academy Sports.
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I've had conversations with strangers who were wearing orange, especially if it is an unusual place for a Vol fan to be. You sort of feel compelled to ask them if they are a Vol fan (or just wearing the cap because they like the look), and if they are, talk about the current state of the program, or how they became a VFL. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, OP. I liked your post and agree with his assessment.
 
#57
#57
Poor guy. Goes out to buy a pair of shoes and gets sucked into a 45-minute stop-n-chat with a total stranger, all because he decided to put on the wrong sweatshirt. Bad day.
 
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#60
#60
Jaytrain5 said:
Had our first baby back in February, and work travel has been rough for last 4-5 months...life's just been in the way of my message board time. Priorities are all screwed up.
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Glad to see you're snapping out of it. :p
 
#65
#65
Grand Vol said:
My last post on this matter. If any are familiar with my posting over the past year, pretty sure they've come to realize I'm a straight shooter and if I have personal opinions I tend to voice them and in my own words without living vicariously through some random player that I supposedly made up from OU. I don't troll. Don't pass on information that I won't later admit to being wrong if it comes out that way. Don't need to make up stories to cover for my own thoughts or to get "likes." Don't recall first names of people I've worked with for two years now much less someone I spoke to for less than ten minutes and probably will never run into again. The guy could have told me "John Smith" and I still wouldn't have remembered even the first name after I walked out of the store. It's just the way I am.

We had a nice conversation about the state of UT football and I asked his opinion on a few things, others he added along the way. For me, I thought it was a unique perspective from someone not connected with our program, but still held it in high enough regard to follow it to an extent. I didn't agree with everything he said, but thought it was interesting especially from someone who had played on the college field instead of the normal posters who generally have little to add.

You want to believe it, fine. You don't believe it, fine. I'm not going to lose sleep over it either way.

I do ask if you want to question my integrity to at least do your homework before passing judgment that "he's making it up" because I want "likes" or the fact I'm afraid to speak my own mind on what I happen to believe about this program.

Take the original post as you will. But I'm done here.
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Don't waste your time reasoning with the 10%ers. I appreciated the story.
 
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#66
#66
Speaking of Oklahoma..

Two months ago I was hiking around a lake, north of Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Along comes a guy in a Kevin Durant T-shirt. Turns out he's Danish. But loves American basketball, and once spent a semester as a student in OK.

True story.
 
#68
#68
I lived in Chandler, OK for two years working on a oil rig. I saved and payed my way thru UT. I did go to a Police concert in Norman at the university center there. I then banged a gymnast from OSU in Stillwater. That's my Oklahoma experience.
 
#69
#69
brian-bosworth.jpg



Did he look like this?
 
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#70
#70
Grandvol is a stand up poster. He has no reason to lie.

Thanks for the story grand.


Btw slick Shelley is from Tulsa. And played at Tulsa after transferring from UT. He played for Gus malzahn

Robert Meacham is from Oklahoma as well. Tulsa I believe. I meet his mother and niece at UT during the 2007 Kentucky game I believe. We sat right behind her and she held my son so he could see the halftime show better and offered to take us back after the game to get some autographs.
 
#71
#71
Obsessed said:
Grandvol is a stand up poster. He has no reason to lie.

Thanks for the story grand.


Btw slick Shelley is from Tulsa. And played at Tulsa after transferring from UT. He played for Gus malzahn

Robert Meacham is from Oklahoma as well. Tulsa I believe. I meet his mother and niece at UT during the 2007 Kentucky game I believe. We sat right behind her and she held my son so he could see the halftime show better and offered to take us back after the game to get some autographs.
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Demarco Cobbs is the only player from OK that I remember recruiting that we didn't get. But he went to TX.
 
#72
#72
Grand Vol said:
I happened to be in Academy Sports yesterday and saw a guy in there wearing a UT sweatshirt. You see them out in Oklahoma, but generally not that often. So I of course compliment him on his wise choice of apparel and ask where he is from. Surprised to find he isn't from Tennessee but was recruited by UT before deciding on Oklahoma where he played WR. Anyway, never caught his name, but the subject turned to football and the state of UT's program. In short, he's an OU fan because he played there, but keeps up with UT as much as he can.

On Worley: Said he wasn't a bad QB but seemed too hesitant in his throws. Good game manager, but needs more decisiveness.

On Dobbs: Good QB that with seasoning will make a great option QB. Said he needed to get confidence in throwing the long ball especially with talented receivers UT has, but will only get there through practice and game time. Also said he's "got some serious zip" on his passes that the receivers need to take into account.

On the receiver corps: Said Pig, North, Croom and Downs should be the only ones tossed to each and every pass play. Said Smith should be sitting on the bench until he finds his hands. But overall said UT had about the best group underclassman receivers in college right now and will be serious threats when they get to Junior and Senior marks.

On Coaching: Said the play calling was a little bland, but with a change in offensive strategy play calling should be simple as the entire team has to have it down before getting more complicated. Says Butch is the kind of coach the players can respond to and play for far more than Dooley and Kiffin. Also said we should have given Fulmer another year to see what would have happened had we pulled in Boyd or Petty (he was recruited when Fulmer was in charge). But also said Butch should have slowly incorporated the read option rather than pulling all stops to get it done this year.

On the defense: Said the most critical problem was a lack of speed and not enough depth at the critical positions. Said he feels AJ should be playing above where he is since he appears to have a lot more talent that isn't showing up on the field. But did say "Big Dan is a scary dude" and Sutton was going to be "a beast" by the time he is a junior. Potential high first round draft pick if he keeps up with what he is doing now.

Overall said the program was about where it could be expected to be with the coaching changes, strength of schedule and lack of recruiting. But also said it could be quickly turned around with the addition of a few key elements, some motivation and changing the mindset of where UT football is today.

I know, cool story bro...

But interesting to hear the perspective from a former player on the outside that appears to have kept up.
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Was the guy white or AA and did he look llike he could play. About how old was he. Whe did he reminsd you of as far as former playas. Did he resemble Al Bundy or Al Wilson?
 
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