A Student's Perspective (Warning - Long)

[SmokeyX]

A Student's Perspective (Warning - Long)

Dear Volnation,

I started writing this as a reply to another thread, but it got to be a little long so I decided to make my own thread.

I thought Volnation might enjoy seeing things from my perspective, so here goes...

Background

I'm 22 years old (born 1991)
I'm a Senior Mechanical Engineering Major at UT
I grew up in Knoxville
My parents were season ticket holders for most of my childhood
I played 10 years of football and have two state rings

Titles

The last time we won a National Title - 1998 - I was 7 years old

The last time we won a Conference Title - 1998 - I was 7 years old

The last time we won a Divisional Title - 2007 - I was 16 years old

Translation?

We have not been nationally relevant since I was a sophomore in high school

Let that sink in for a minute before moving on


Childhood Experience

Yah, we're awesome!

Everyone who was anyone was a Vols fan and proud of it!

High School Experience

Meh, we're ok.

Most of my friends were fans of other teams… including bama (ugh…)

It wasn't "cool" to be a Vols fan

College Experience

We are terrible. What have we done to anger the football gods?

Being a Vols fan has been downright embarrassing the past few years. Most of my high school friends went to either bama or georgia for college, so yeah… getting together to watch games for the last few years has been painful. Also, my mother's side of the family are all die hard LSU fans…

Just to hammer home my college experience, here's some bold face facts

Since I have been a student at UT...

We have not had a winning season

We have been unranked except for a single week as #25 in 2012

We have been to exactly 1 bowl game, which we lost

We were beaten by a combined 107 - 27 by Oregon in 2010/2013

We were beaten by a combined 122 - 29 by Alabama 2010-2012

We were beaten by a combined 132 - 77 by Florida 2010 - 2013

Until this year, I have not seen a single game where the Vols "gave their all for Tennessee"

Every year, I have watched as a flood of "fans" left the stadium in the 3rd/4th quarter

We didn't beat a ranked opponent until October of my senior year

We were beaten by Kentucky with a WR as a QB

We were curb stomped by ****** VANDY!


So, for all of those repeatedly calling out the students and saying "well in my day…", heed this. I've sat in the student section in every home game for four years for every snap. For every student who came in when I did, all we've known is losing. All we've known is heartbreak. We didn't have the privilege of seeing Peyton play. We didn't get to see a nationally relevant team. We didn't get to enjoy beating any of our rivals. We didn't get to see the Vols win at anything. Instead we got Dooley and the amazing disappearing vols. It's been the norm for us to play for a half or a quarter of a game and then fold like a cheap tent. So excuse me if I don't blame my fellow classmates for not coming to games. or being apathetic.

Butch certainly has the team on the right track and is doing all of the right things. However, the taint of the last few years isn't going to magically disappear. We are going to have to build this team back "brick by brick", and teach this team how to win. This includes the fans! When we beat South Carolina, most of the students had no idea how to celebrate. Trust me, the excitement is there. The desire is there. We just have to let Butch show us the way to win.

For the student section to be back and rocking like it used to be...

We don't even have to win!
We just have to have a reasonable expectation to be competitive (i.e. not quit halfway through a game or get beat like dogs)

Moral of the story?

Cut us some damn slack. It's been a tough few years to be a student fan.

So, that's my $0.02. I hope it gives a few of you some perspective

Sincerely,

SmokeyX

 

[zaqhhh]

At least you got the good years early some of us a bit younger have only had the end of Fulmer kiffin and Dooley eras but glad to finally be on track
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[keckjm]

A Student's Perspective (Warning - Long)

Dear Volnation,

I started writing this as a reply to another thread, but it got to be a little long so I decided to make my own thread.

I thought Volnation might enjoy seeing things from my perspective, so here goes...

Background

I'm 22 years old (born 1991)
I'm a Senior Mechanical Engineering Major at UT
I grew up in Knoxville
My parents were season ticket holders for most of my childhood
I played 10 years of football and have two state rings

Titles

The last time we won a National Title - 1998 - I was 7 years old

The last time we won a Conference Title - 1998 - I was 7 years old

The last time we won a Divisional Title - 2007 - I was 16 years old

Translation?

We have not been nationally relevant since I was a sophomore in high school

Let that sink in for a minute before moving on


Childhood Experience

Yah, we're awesome!

Everyone who was anyone was a Vols fan and proud of it!

High School Experience

Meh, we're ok.

Most of my friends were fans of other teams… including bama (ugh…)

It wasn't "cool" to be a Vols fan

College Experience

We are terrible. What have we done to anger the football gods?

Being a Vols fan has been downright embarrassing the past few years. Most of my high school friends went to either bama or georgia for college, so yeah… getting together to watch games for the last few years has been painful. Also, my mother's side of the family are all die hard LSU fans…

Just to hammer home my college experience, here's some bold face facts

Since I have been a student at UT...

We have not had a winning season

We have been unranked except for a single week as #25 in 2012

We have been to exactly 1 bowl game, which we lost

We were beaten by a combined 107 - 27 by Oregon in 2010/2013

We were beaten by a combined 122 - 29 by Alabama 2010-2012

We were beaten by a combined 132 - 77 by Florida 2010 - 2013

Until this year, I have not seen a single game where the Vols "gave their all for Tennessee"

Every year, I have watched as a flood of "fans" left the stadium in the 3rd/4th quarter

We didn't beat a ranked opponent until October of my senior year


So, for all of those repeatedly calling out the students and saying "well in my day…", heed this. I've sat in the student section in every home game for four years for every snap. For every student who came in when I did, all we've known is losing. All we've known is heartbreak. We didn't have the privilege of seeing Peyton play. We didn't get to see a nationally relevant team. We didn't get to enjoy beating any of our rivals. We didn't get to see the Vols win at anything. Instead we got Dooley and the amazing disappearing vols. It's been the norm for us to play for a half or a quarter of a game and then fold like a cheap tent. So excuse me if I don't blame my fellow classmates for not coming to games. or being apathetic.

Butch certainly has the team on the right track and is doing all of the right things. However, the taint of the last few years isn't going to magically disappear. We are going to have to build this team back "brick by brick", and teach this team how to win. This includes the fans! When we beat South Carolina, most of the students had no idea how to celebrate. Trust me, the excitement is there. The desire is there. We just have to let Butch show us the way to win.

For the student section to be back and rocking like it used to be...

We don't even have to win!
We just have to have a reasonable expectation to be competitive (i.e. not quit halfway through a game or get beat like dogs)

Moral of the story?

Cut us some damn slack. It's been a tough few years to be a student fan.

So, that's my $0.02. I hope it gives a few of you some perspective

Sincerely,

SmokeyX

UT snow balled themselves with bad after bad decisions. The decision to not fire Fulmer sooner hurt us. The decision to not retain Chevis hurt us. Dooley hiring killed us. Just very piss pour decisions got us here, and being about your age and attending UT as well I feel your pain as a student.

 

[Shakinthefat]

Can I suggest grad school, at least 2 years...things are turning. By the way my college football team won 3 games in my 4 years.

 

[DocVOLiday]

I'm a current student. I feel for bad for the other students who are big fans of UT. They don't know what they're missing, but they also don't know what it's like to actually see the vols win/compete every week.

Things are finally changing and I couldn't be happier. After all, being a huge tennessee fan is the reason I came to school here. GO VOLS

 

[GlockVol]

Thanks for the perspective. When I was there in the 70s we wouldn't think of missing a home game and had to stand in line early to make sure we even got a ticket. It was always packed and the students had a good time. Makes me sad to realize that so many students and former students have missed out on so much. Hang in there cause we're coming back! Go CBJ!

 

[ALLVOL 4LIFE]

It's been tough for all of us and all we can do now is TRUST that CBJ is going to bring football back to where we belong and us as fans along with them.

Just like the point I tried to make in my thread during the bye week about Penn St. filling up their stadium every game with all they went through, WE have to keep coming and continue to give us a home field advantage by keeping that place rocking.

The only time I have heard Neyland any louder than this weekend was when the fumble against Arkansas in 98 happened. Just keep spreading the word and let them know that some of us truly appreciate the effort you guys put in to making a lot of noise. Also lets for sure do our best to not have to sell tickets to our opponents. Go Vols!

 

[dimera23]

A Student's Perspective (Warning - Long)

Dear Volnation,

I started writing this as a reply to another thread, but it got to be a little long so I decided to make my own thread.

I thought Volnation might enjoy seeing things from my perspective, so here goes...

Background

I'm 22 years old (born 1991)
I'm a Senior Mechanical Engineering Major at UT
I grew up in Knoxville
My parents were season ticket holders for most of my childhood
I played 10 years of football and have two state rings

Titles

The last time we won a National Title - 1998 - I was 7 years old

The last time we won a Conference Title - 1998 - I was 7 years old

The last time we won a Divisional Title - 2007 - I was 16 years old

Translation?

We have not been nationally relevant since I was a sophomore in high school

Let that sink in for a minute before moving on


Childhood Experience

Yah, we're awesome!

Everyone who was anyone was a Vols fan and proud of it!

High School Experience

Meh, we're ok.

Most of my friends were fans of other teams… including bama (ugh…)

It wasn't "cool" to be a Vols fan

College Experience

We are terrible. What have we done to anger the football gods?

Being a Vols fan has been downright embarrassing the past few years. Most of my high school friends went to either bama or georgia for college, so yeah… getting together to watch games for the last few years has been painful. Also, my mother's side of the family are all die hard LSU fans…

Just to hammer home my college experience, here's some bold face facts

Since I have been a student at UT...

We have not had a winning season

We have been unranked except for a single week as #25 in 2012

We have been to exactly 1 bowl game, which we lost

We were beaten by a combined 107 - 27 by Oregon in 2010/2013

We were beaten by a combined 122 - 29 by Alabama 2010-2012

We were beaten by a combined 132 - 77 by Florida 2010 - 2013

Until this year, I have not seen a single game where the Vols "gave their all for Tennessee"

Every year, I have watched as a flood of "fans" left the stadium in the 3rd/4th quarter

We didn't beat a ranked opponent until October of my senior year


So, for all of those repeatedly calling out the students and saying "well in my day…", heed this. I've sat in the student section in every home game for four years for every snap. For every student who came in when I did, all we've known is losing. All we've known is heartbreak. We didn't have the privilege of seeing Peyton play. We didn't get to see a nationally relevant team. We didn't get to enjoy beating any of our rivals. We didn't get to see the Vols win at anything. Instead we got Dooley and the amazing disappearing vols. It's been the norm for us to play for a half or a quarter of a game and then fold like a cheap tent. So excuse me if I don't blame my fellow classmates for not coming to games. or being apathetic.

Butch certainly has the team on the right track and is doing all of the right things. However, the taint of the last few years isn't going to magically disappear. We are going to have to build this team back "brick by brick", and teach this team how to win. This includes the fans! When we beat South Carolina, most of the students had no idea how to celebrate. Trust me, the excitement is there. The desire is there. We just have to let Butch show us the way to win.

For the student section to be back and rocking like it used to be...

We don't even have to win!
We just have to have a reasonable expectation to be competitive (i.e. not quit halfway through a game or get beat like dogs)

Moral of the story?

Cut us some damn slack. It's been a tough few years to be a student fan.

So, that's my $0.02. I hope it gives a few of you some perspective

Sincerely,

SmokeyX

Respectfully, it sounds to me that your generation should learn to love something even when you don't win. It builds character that will benefit you greatly in life.

 

[DocVOLiday]

Thanks for the perspective. When I was there in the 70s we wouldn't think of missing a home game and had to stand in line early to make sure we even got a ticket. It was always packed and the students had a good time. Makes me sad to realize that so many students and former students have missed out on so much. Hang in there cause we're coming back! Go CBJ!

I wish we still had real tickets that we could get in line for. Would be fun to camp out. yall old people are lucky in that respect! Im jealous


Some friends and I stayed here over fall break just so I didn't miss the game. Some lump all the students in one category, but there are still alot of us hardcore vols- orange to the core.

 

[ALLVOL 4LIFE]

Can I suggest grad school, at least 2 years...things are turning. By the way my college football team won 3 games in my 4 years.

That sucks! Did you go to Tourney Center...JK!

 

[drgreear]

I completely agree. I'm 20 and let's put it this way: when I was in kindergarten Tennessee won the national championship. My senior year of high school Tennessee went 6-7. That's a humongous decline. Tennessee fans were laughed at by the time I was in high school. Better days ahead though.

 

[TNVolunteerGrad]

I just graduated. I'm really envious of all the newer students, they may actually get to enjoy a good season or two.. my best as a student? 7-6 under Kiffin.

 

[jjay2518]

There is nothing better than being on campus after a big win. Hopefully those will start happening more often. Knoxville will riot if we beat Florida next year.

One if the best nights of my UT career was the Florida win in 2001. Yes it was an away game, and yes a huge mob of students rushed the stadium from all over campus to tear down the goalposts.

 

[VolFromNashville]

Shoot. My freshman year was 08, Fulmer's last. My last season as a student ended with Dooley. I got to see coach Jones' O&W game before I graduated this past May. I made it a point to go to the first game of the coach Jones era to complete the cycle so to speak. I'm a bit jealous of the freshman this year who get to see this man work and bring UT back during their time on the Hill. However, I fully appreciate every win a ton more now than I did. Wyoming taught me to never underestimate another team. Ever.

 

[SmokeyX]

I wish we still had real tickets that we could get in line for. Would be fun to camp out. yall old people are lucky in that respect! Im jealous


Some friends and I stayed here over fall break just so I didn't miss the game. Some lump all the students in one category, but there are still alot of us hardcore vols- orange to the core.

Agreed. I would love to camp out for tix

 

[biggestvols]

Cut y'all som slack?

You don't get any slack. In my day if we wanted slack we made our own slack from bear hide and cured it with tears from the opposing fans.

Build student section brick by brick:

Y'all better get your butts to the games because these will be the best times. Yeah it is fun to beat Bama several years in a row and roll over lesser competition by 50 pts. BUT when we break these losing streaks it is gonna be something you won't want to miss. When we beat UGA next year at home...don't miss it! When we beat FL next year at home (I think it's at home) don't miss it! Rising to the top is gonna be tons of fun in the stands. Nothing like winning as the underdog.

Fun Tip for students....GOALPOST instruction:

When we win these big games tear down the goalposts. They are there to kick game winning field goals and then tearing down. If you all go, they can't stop you and they won't care. TEAR THEM MOTHAS DOWN!

 

[jtipto10]

I just graduated. I'm really envious of all the newer students, they may actually get to enjoy a good season or two.. my best as a student? 7-6 under Kiffin.

I just graduated too. The south carolina game that year is still the best game i've ever been to (halloween, everyone was mega drunk and in costumes, we dominated, black jerseys). Unfortunately that's the only game worth remembering.

on the other hand, we made the elite 8 in bball! no other vol fans can say that

 

[BaldBiker]

I was 34 when I saw UT win a National Championship. In an awesome twist of fate, I was living in Florida when it happened.

 

[VolunteerbyBirth]

Respectfully, it sounds to me that your generation should learn to love something even when you don't win. It builds character that will benefit you greatly in life.

Respectfully, that is one of the most asinine comments I have read. By your logic I should learn to love the Jacksonville Jaguars just for the sake of building character.

 

[MaTaLa]

Respectfully, it sounds to me that your generation should learn to love something even when you don't win. It builds character that will benefit you greatly in life.

I think he's got that covered...sheesh.

I've sat in the student section in every home game for four years for every snap.

And "Your generation"?? Really?? All 2 billion of them?
Prefacing your statement w/ "Respectfully" doesn't make it any less condescending.

 

[Rizzo924]

I feel your pain, but I have to say - I was a UT student from 1975-1979 & I went to every game (at least as far as I can recall). That was the Bill Battle era, i.e., the losing to North Texas State era, so, while I fully understand what you're saying, I still don't understand why students don't go to games. The only thing I can figure out is that there are more entertainment (cable TV, etc.) options now. Well, that & Neyland is bigger now, so maybe there are a greater # of student seats. Moved to TX after graduation, but moved back to Knoxville in time to see the end of Majors' era (the loss to Spurrier coached Duke), so I've witnessed my fair share of crappy football games. Tell everyone you know to get to Neyland ASAP, we've turned the corner, and if they go now, at least they'll be able to say they were there for the turnaround & also will be in a better position to appreciate what's coming!

 

[Coug]

Respectfully, it sounds to me that your generation should learn to love something even when you don't win. It builds character that will benefit you greatly in life.

Boom!

Exactly! You don't see the other 90,000 fans in the stadium staying home because "our team isn't good". To top it off our tickets cost FAR more than $10.

 

[JoseDaMofo]

Boom!

Exactly! You don't see the other 90,000 fans in the stadium staying home because "our team isn't good". To top it off our tickets cost FAR more than $10.

Yeah, students' $10 tickets cost anywhere from $10,000-$20,000 per year. Nice try, though.

 

[gordonr24]

I'm jealous of all the students that are coming in next year.

 

[OrangeByBirth]

When I was at UT, we had not won a national championship in my lifetime. I have attended games since I was 5 years old. I continue to go even though I have moved away a bit. I don't go just to see us win. I go to help us win.