CFN's attempt to bring us back down to earth

#1
YAZ

YAZ

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#1
Let's be reasonable about the David Cutcliffe lovefest, okay? Make no mistake: Cutcliffe had Erik Ainge a lot more relaxed and prepared, and certainly, the move has already paid off for Phil Fulmer and Tennessee. But let's not think Ainge has fully arrived; equally so, let's not think Cutcliffe has this offense where it needs to be. There are two words that desperately need to be injected into the larger discussion about Tennessee's offensive quality at this point in the young season: Syd'Quan Thompson. That's right--Tennessee's offense profited largely from the ineptitude of the young California cornerback who didn't have a clue on the Neyland Stadium turf Saturday evening. With two horrible plays, Thompson turned 10-yard catches into game-breakers. And after those two touchdowns, the rest of Cal's defense simply quit.

One thing that has to be understood about almost any sport, except for a purely individual sport such as golf, is that the quality of performance--if evaluated fairly, objectively and reasonably--is partly a product of the opponent's efforts. This is quite true even in a sport like tennis, which is an individual sport but is nevertheless a sport in which the individual athlete plays off an opponent who demands and calls forth a given set of actions and adjustments during a competition. Andre Agassi's second-round match at the U.S. Open last week wouldn't have been special if Andre hadn't had a gifted opponent on the order of Marcos Baghdatis to make the proceedings that much more compelling. Roger Federer's tennis matches against Rafael Nadal are special because Nadal calls forth skills from Federer that the Swiss superstar rarely has to use against other players. Almost all athletic competitions are partly framed not just by the individual athlete or team, but by their opponent.

With that said, then, Tennessee played a solid football game on Saturday, but its opponent--like it or not--detracted from Tennessee's performance by bringing nothing to the ballpark. Cal was putrid, and there's no getting around it. That's not a knock on Tennessee, just an undeniable reality. If Tennessee is to be heralded as a great team, the Vols need to step up and beat Florida on Sept. 16... and even then, that's assuming Chris Leak can elevate his game in a make-or-break, career-defining season. Tennessee is solid, and David Cutcliffe made some notable improvements. But let's not think the Vols' offensive coordinator is a genius just because a young-pup Golden Bear cornerback had a disastrous night in Knoxville. Hold off on the hosannahs until after the Gators have been beaten, and then you can claim to deserve a lofty ranking. That's quite fair, even if it outwardly seems to be a bit harsh.
 
#2
#2
#1, where'd the article come from?

And #2, the game was made by more than two plays, that is a terribly unfair assessment. There is no denying that Tennessee was just THAT GOOD on D, which somehow this author completely ignored that side of the game, and focused completely on the TN O vs. the Cal D...
 
#3
#3
Well, unless there is a "perfect team" out there, we will always be trying to expose and take advatage of the other teams weaknesses. To say we did not accomplish anything by beating Cal the way we did, to me does not make sense. Kudos to Cut for finding the chinks in the armour. I bet Cut is looking at Fla right now with his super x-ray vision. A small well placed stone can bring down the giant, but don't expect us to arm wrestle with him. Your going down you uncircumscised Phlorida Philistine!
 
#4
#4
rwemyss said:
#1, where'd the article come from?

And #2, the game was made by more than two plays, that is a terribly unfair assessment. There is no denying that Tennessee was just THAT GOOD on D, which somehow this author completely ignored that side of the game, and focused completely on the TN O vs. the Cal D...
Click to expand...
Got that off CollegeFootballNews.com

Fair Points RW.
I do agree that we should hold off major assessments until post Florida though.
 
#5
#5
I agree. While the offensive power was amazing Saturday night (35 points in 2.5 quarters!!)..some (maybe a lot) of it was likely due to Cal's weakened secondary. However, we cannot overlook the other part of the score..0 points through 2.5 quarters against a good Pac-10 offense. Just look at how well we stopped the rush (especially when we had to ... before the game was a blowout). There is not denying that Lynch IS something special...and we just killed him with speed. He couldn't get anywhere on us in the 1st half...and what about Morley chasing him down from behind late in the game??...I thougt that I was going to jump right out of the stadium!! I was very impressed with Morley's performance Saturday night...I hope that he keeps that up when called upon.
 
#6
#6
YAZ said:
Let's be reasonable about the David Cutcliffe lovefest, okay? Make no mistake: Cutcliffe had Erik Ainge a lot more relaxed and prepared, and certainly, the move has already paid off for Phil Fulmer and Tennessee. But let's not think Ainge has fully arrived; equally so, let's not think Cutcliffe has this offense where it needs to be. There are two words that desperately need to be injected into the larger discussion about Tennessee's offensive quality at this point in the young season: Syd'Quan Thompson. That's right--Tennessee's offense profited largely from the ineptitude of the young California cornerback who didn't have a clue on the Neyland Stadium turf Saturday evening. With two horrible plays, Thompson turned 10-yard catches into game-breakers. And after those two touchdowns, the rest of Cal's defense simply quit.

One thing that has to be understood about almost any sport, except for a purely individual sport such as golf, is that the quality of performance--if evaluated fairly, objectively and reasonably--is partly a product of the opponent's efforts. This is quite true even in a sport like tennis, which is an individual sport but is nevertheless a sport in which the individual athlete plays off an opponent who demands and calls forth a given set of actions and adjustments during a competition. Andre Agassi's second-round match at the U.S. Open last week wouldn't have been special if Andre hadn't had a gifted opponent on the order of Marcos Baghdatis to make the proceedings that much more compelling. Roger Federer's tennis matches against Rafael Nadal are special because Nadal calls forth skills from Federer that the Swiss superstar rarely has to use against other players. Almost all athletic competitions are partly framed not just by the individual athlete or team, but by their opponent.

With that said, then, Tennessee played a solid football game on Saturday, but its opponent--like it or not--detracted from Tennessee's performance by bringing nothing to the ballpark. Cal was putrid, and there's no getting around it. That's not a knock on Tennessee, just an undeniable reality. If Tennessee is to be heralded as a great team, the Vols need to step up and beat Florida on Sept. 16... and even then, that's assuming Chris Leak can elevate his game in a make-or-break, career-defining season. Tennessee is solid, and David Cutcliffe made some notable improvements. But let's not think the Vols' offensive coordinator is a genius just because a young-pup Golden Bear cornerback had a disastrous night in Knoxville. Hold off on the hosannahs until after the Gators have been beaten, and then you can claim to deserve a lofty ranking. That's quite fair, even if it outwardly seems to be a bit harsh.
Click to expand...

1. There is a small bit of truth in the article. UT picked on a freshman DB.

2. But last year UT played 60 minutes without finding those same weaknesses in opponents. This year the game plan was made to exploit those weaknesses.

3. Very little mention about the demoralizing effect UT's run stopping ability had on the Cal offense. Sure the Cal QBs were shellshocked, but the two running backs will eventually play on Sunday and they were chased down all day by relatively inexperienced linebackers. The UT defense is FAST.

4. A win in the Fla game requires NO FURTHER VALIDATION. If UT wins that game, it doesn't matter if Chris Leake plays like CJ Leake on that particular day. A beat down of the Florida Gators is a quality win NO MATTER WHAT.

5. I am on record as saying that Cal's defense was big and slow, but at least the UT offense was prepared.
 
#7
#7
Lexvol said:
1. There is a small bit of truth in the article. UT picked on a freshman DB.

2. But last year UT played 60 minutes without finding those same weaknesses in opponents. This year the game plan was made to exploit those weaknesses.
Click to expand...

Great point. Ainge looked like he had a hard time finding the center for the snap much less finding a weakness in the opponent last season. Talent can only take you so far. Preparedness can take a team further. But in-game adjustments turn close games into blowouts.
 
#8
#8
Lexvol said:
1. There is a small bit of truth in the article. UT picked on a freshman DB.

2. But last year UT played 60 minutes without finding those same weaknesses in opponents. This year the game plan was made to exploit those weaknesses.

3. Very little mention about the demoralizing effect UT's run stopping ability had on the Cal offense. Sure the Cal QBs were shellshocked, but the two running backs will eventually play on Sunday and they were chased down all day by relatively inexperienced linebackers. The UT defense is FAST.

4. A win in the Fla game requires NO FURTHER VALIDATION. If UT wins that game, it doesn't matter if Chris Leake plays like CJ Leake on that particular day. A beat down of the Florida Gators is a quality win NO MATTER WHAT.

5. I am on record as saying that Cal's defense was big and slow, but at least the UT offense was prepared.
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agree with all of this...and one other thing, if Cal is in fact as bad as they protrayed Saturday night, and we're as good as we protrayed Saturday night, then, the result should stand as is.

as much complaining as we have done about barely beating teams like Memphis, UAB, Rutgers, Duke etc....i think the same philosophy applies...if Cal is that bad, then we should've beat the crap out of 'em. that's what good teams do when they play bad teams. And that's what we did Saturday night. All the better if Cal wins the Pac 10, then the win looks all the better, but even if they don't, then we did exactly what we should do when playing an inferior opponent. thoroughly beat them down.
 
#9
#9
TBALLVOL said:
Well, unless there is a "perfect team" out there, we will always be trying to expose and take advatage of the other teams weaknesses. To say we did not accomplish anything by beating Cal the way we did, to me does not make sense. Kudos to Cut for finding the chinks in the armour. I bet Cut is looking at Fla right now with his super x-ray vision. A small well placed stone can bring down the giant, but don't expect us to arm wrestle with him. Your going down you uncircumscised Phlorida Philistine!
Click to expand...

Hey TBALL, why not break out the oranja? :lol: It would go great with RACK 'EM! :) :salute:
 
#10
#10
jakez4ut said:
agree with all of this...and one other thing, if Cal is in fact as bad as they protrayed Saturday night, and we're as good as we protrayed Saturday night, then, the result should stand as is.

as much complaining as we have done about barely beating teams like Memphis, UAB, Rutgers, Duke etc....i think the same philosophy applies...if Cal is that bad, then we should've beat the crap out of 'em. that's what good teams do when they play bad teams. And that's what we did Saturday night. All the better if Cal wins the Pac 10, then the win looks all the better, but even if they don't, then we did exactly what we should do when playing an inferior opponent. thoroughly beat them down.
Click to expand...

Yet another point. When is the last time UT beat a team (other than UK) into the ground like they did Saturday? That is the way to handle an inferior opponent.
 
#11
#11
That article tries to enlighten the sporting world by throwing a big factor into the shadows: Cal could have provided help over the top, as most teams would have done in that situation. However, call manned up most of the game so that they could commit 8 and 9 players to stopping our running game (in which we still ran for over 200 yards.)

Also, it did not look like the defense had given up when they were trying to stop Hardesty...

Or how about Swain's and Brown's TDs? We were not picking on a freshman in those instances.

So, let's take away Meachem's two TDs, and try to reinvent the game. We keep our starters in mid way through the fourth quarter and we probably win 28-0.
 
#12
#12
YAZ before this game CAL was predicted to do this do that their defense has 3 or so all-americans, they have 2 rbs who were potential heisman cand. one being lynch who only had 74 yds, come on buddy just admit it TENNESSEE IS TENNESSEE FOOTBALL AGAIN, where it has been in past years and where it will be for YEARS TO COME GO VOLS GO VOLS
 
#13
#13
Those 2 plays did not sack or pressure the cal qb or shut down the cal running game. Those two plays did not shut down the Cal offense from scoring until it was too late.
 
#14
#14
I just read an article that cited Mebane as saying UT's o-line was the best he'd faced at Cal. When you win the battle up front, you'll score points. If it hadn't been on hitches to a 210 lb WR against a 180 lb DB, it would have been a power running attack or TE across the middle or a skinny post or a go route or screen or whatever.

The best thing about this game is that they achieved the first level of what they wanted to do with the o-line: be physical, be mobile.
 
#15
#15
TennVols423 said:
YAZ before this game CAL was predicted to do this do that their defense has 3 or so all-americans, they have 2 rbs who were potential heisman cand. one being lynch who only had 74 yds, come on buddy just admit it TENNESSEE IS TENNESSEE FOOTBALL AGAIN, where it has been in past years and where it will be for YEARS TO COME GO VOLS GO VOLS
Click to expand...

Easy there champ! We are on the same side here, believe me.
I 100% agree that we have made great strides since last year.
I am simply choosing to not jump the gun and hold off on any in depth opinions of where we are at realistically until after week 3.

So far, so good. Let's keep up that intensity.

I hope you are taking all that smack to Neyland Stadium every Saturday and backing our boys up rather than just flapping away on this board every day!

GOOOOOO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#16
#16
Lexvol said:
Yet another point. When is the last time UT beat a team (other than UK) into the ground like they did Saturday? That is the way to handle an inferior opponent.
Click to expand...
it's been a while....i know that...i think maybe Syracuse in 2000? like 30 to 7 or something, and that wasn't all that impressive...i was at that game and remember thinking we needed to be a lot better, quick.

either way, good or bad Cal team, a beat down is what we needed.:dance2:
 
#17
#17
If Tennessee is to be heralded as a great team, the Vols need to step up and beat Florida on Sept. 16... and even then, that's assuming Chris Leak can elevate his game in a make-or-break, career-defining season. Tennessee is solid, and David Cutcliffe made some notable improvements. But let's not think the Vols' offensive coordinator is a genius just because a young-pup Golden Bear cornerback had a disastrous night in Knoxville. Hold off on the hosannahs until after the Gators have been beaten, and then you can claim to deserve a lofty ranking.

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#18
#18
jakez4ut said:
it's been a while....i know that...i think maybe Syracuse in 2000? like 30 to 7 or something, and that wasn't all that impressive...i was at that game and remember thinking we needed to be a lot better, quick.

either way, good or bad Cal team, a beat down is what we needed.:dance2:
Click to expand...

We put a heck of a beat down on MSU a couple of years ago...
 
#19
#19
This was posted on CFN:
Quick Hitters From The Weekend's Action

Let's be reasonable about the David Cutcliffe lovefest, okay? Make no mistake: Cutcliffe had Erik Ainge a lot more relaxed and prepared, and certainly, the move has already paid off for Phil Fulmer and Tennessee. But let's not think Ainge has fully arrived; equally so, let's not think Cutcliffe has this offense where it needs to be. There are two words that desperately need to be injected into the larger discussion about Tennessee's offensive quality at this point in the young season: Syd'Quan Thompson. That's right--Tennessee's offense profited largely from the ineptitude of the young California cornerback who didn't have a clue on the Neyland Stadium turf Saturday evening. With two horrible plays, Thompson turned 10-yard catches into game-breakers. And after those two touchdowns, the rest of Cal's defense simply quit.

One thing that has to be understood about almost any sport, except for a purely individual sport such as golf, is that the quality of performance--if evaluated fairly, objectively and reasonably--is partly a product of the opponent's efforts. This is quite true even in a sport like tennis, which is an individual sport but is nevertheless a sport in which the individual athlete plays off an opponent who demands and calls forth a given set of actions and adjustments during a competition. Andre Agassi's second-round match at the U.S. Open last week wouldn't have been special if Andre hadn't had a gifted opponent on the order of Marcos Baghdatis to make the proceedings that much more compelling. Roger Federer's tennis matches against Rafael Nadal are special because Nadal calls forth skills from Federer that the Swiss superstar rarely has to use against other players. Almost all athletic competitions are partly framed not just by the individual athlete or team, but by their opponent.

With that said, then, Tennessee played a solid football game on Saturday, but its opponent--like it or not--detracted from Tennessee's performance by bringing nothing to the ballpark. Cal was putrid, and there's no getting around it. That's not a knock on Tennessee, just an undeniable reality. If Tennessee is to be heralded as a great team, the Vols need to step up and beat Florida on Sept. 16... and even then, that's assuming Chris Leak can elevate his game in a make-or-break, career-defining season. Tennessee is solid, and David Cutcliffe made some notable improvements. But let's not think the Vols' offensive coordinator is a genius just because a young-pup Golden Bear cornerback had a disastrous night in Knoxville. Hold off on the hosannahs until after the Gators have been beaten, and then you can claim to deserve a lofty ranking. That's quite fair, even if it outwardly seems to be a bit harsh.
Scout.com: Monday Morning Quarterback
 
#24
#24
I dont disagree. Its Tuesday time to start thinking about the rest of the schedule. Weve got a way to go if we are going to beat Florida. Make no mistake, TN was exciting and had the one thing we havent seen in a long time in Neyland... HEART, BUT! We still have weaknesses. Im really excited about Florida, but damn, UT has had fits against the kind of option AF runs. Florida is down the road, and I think we have alot to do before that game. Sure Im excited about this game after sat, but I was excited about this game well before that. Florida is a whacky team that I think will prove to be inconsistent, just like I think Cal is a team that is going to struggle with inconsitency this season. This weekend we saw a down Cal team. Not bad, just down. If Florida is up, we may have a battle on our hands in week 3. Honeymoon is over, back to work.
 
#25
#25
My problem with CFN's line of thinking is that WHENEVER a good team crushes another good team, it's always that the losing team brought nothing.

BUT that is unfair in some cases.

In this case, Tennessee's BETTER team MADE Cal bring nothing. See what I'm saying?
 
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