Dear Toxic Tennessee fans—go play in traffic and have a terrible Christmas—we are lucky in spite of you.

[The Tall Gguy]

Scrolling through this thread gave me flashbacks of the insane mental gymnastics the true fan police would go through to justify keeping Fulmer around in 2008.

OP literally has trotted out a greatest hits album including

" Its the Fans Fault We're Losing"

" It's the Refs Fault We're Losing "

" It is literally anyone else's fault other than the guy in charge and the players fault we're losing "

"I'm an Alum and You're Not"

" I'm a hypocrite that is going to call out toxic fans by using toxic insults"

And everyone's favorite ditty " Go be a Bama Fan"

You forgot the infamous " You're a troll"

 

[Volfan1000]

I’m a Tennessee alum. Came here in 06’ because I wanted to go to a school with a big sports program, and be proud of my Alma mater.

I was a student Fulmer’s last year. I grew up a Michigan fan and I saw how two different programs conduct themselves. Michigan is similar in that Lloyd Carr was fired, probably before he should have been. And Michigan endured a decade of incompetence to pay for their decision of getting rid of a coach that won them a NC in 1997.

Tennessee pulled the same stunt with Fulmer. And we’ve been an absolute joke in football since. Firing Fulmer was the biggest mistake any major program has ever made. We went from
Being a blue blood to being a door mat, and a joke. Anyone that was vocally anti Fulmer and put pressure on the AD to act is responsible for the decade plus of incompetence.

If Tennessee was in the same position as Michigan was with Harbaugh, say—with Peyton Manning—and say Manning lost his first 3 or 4 games against Bama—they would have tarnished Manning’s legacy and probably chased him off. Michigan did the logical thing, fought to keep their guy—and now Michigan has defeated Ohio State 3 times in a row and will probably win a national championship this year.

And now I’m seeing many of the same morons cut from the same cloth—putting that same toxicity at Coach Rick Barnes.

If you need to spew venom and criticism—why not target the right thing. Officiating.

Tennessee has endured insane officiating across every major sport, and it’s not a coincidence. I don’t know why the officials have chosen to screw our school and our athletics; but they have. And it’s not an opinion. It’s not in my head.

Look at the stats. Heres the stats from this past football season.View attachment 598859

Check out the free throw discrepancy in Tennessee basketball games. It’s absurd. How much do we put up with before enough is enough???

If you must be toxic—aim that toxicity at the officiating and demand an inquiry or change at an institutional level.

Holding our coaches—who we are lucky to have—to absurd standards while not acknowledging the unfair level of play is insane and stupid.

To our whiny, annoying, toxic, embarrassing fan base—May you have a terrible Christmas and please go become an Alabama fan and annoy and embarrass those clowns. Christmas is the perfect time for you to get your transition completed and become the brave Alabama or Florida fan you know you really are Deep inside of you. I’m tired of you making the university I actually graduated from—look bad.

Thank you Coach Barnes, Coach Heupel, and Coach Vitello for being the best 3 coaches a school has across the major sports.

Go Vols!

Major thanks go to Currie, Hart and White for hiring the three most visible coaches across the major sports.

 

[hUTch2002]

Your opinion is probably awful. There is objective truth. And if you want Rick Barnes gone—you’re objectively an idiot and deserving of people like me hating on you for being dumb.

I’ll give you this. Your posts make me laugh. Well done!

I don’t think firing Fulmer was the mistake as he was no longer competitive against ranked teams and playing .500 ball in the SEC over a few years. The mistakes were the awful hires.

 

[hUTch2002]

Rick Barnes is great. But the truth is he has never or will ever win a title. That’s fine because we’ve had some great SEC seasons. But he is putting out the same product over and over no matter what. We look great then boom, we have stretches of WTF is wrong. So let’s all share our opinions. You are welcome to come make long winded posts on how dumb we are. We’re welcome to come say I told you so once we choke again in March.

Except the SEC title.

 

[hUTch2002]

Alum here. So I guess if I said that I'm less than pleased with Barnes coaching (not wanting him fired, however) and blaming officiating is a cop-out in a game like last night, does that pass your litmus test since I'm an alum? Or because I have a contrary opinion to you it's a disqualifier? Officiating IS terrible - but it doesn't tell the full story or paint the picture of how our system works - we are going to (most times) have less chances at the stripe because we DONT attack the basket and we fade away on most of our midrange and distance jumpers.

Why come in here acting like you are the arbiter of being a Vol because you are an alum? Who cares? There are Vol fans from all walks of life, pulling the alum card is just silly.

Dialogue is healthy, but this constant bickering and walling off different opinions (on all sides of this argument, to be clear) is just another symptom of a societal issue. We can't debate, exchange ideas, or otherwise share knowledge and ideas without it turning into an US versus THEM, zero-sum affair. And telling people to "go play in traffic" and "have a terrible Christmas" doesn't speak well to your position or your humanity.

This is the dumbest post in this thread and your opinions are just horrible.

Sorry, I just wanted to see what it was like to be the OP for a second. You seem pretty reasonable to me.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I get it but sometimes you’ve got to move to the next level. Take football for instance. We sucked for over a decade and would have been happy to just make a crappy bowl. We’ve made some crappy bowls so then we made some good bowls. Need to make an SECCG. Then maybe win an SECCG. Next step is the playoffs. I don’t expect a National Championship yet until we get a good taste of the playoffs. Once we do, the natural progression would be an NC.

Basketball pretty much had sucked for several years then we got an unexpected trip to the Sweet Sixteen with Cuonzo the Clown. I’m very thankful to have Barnes and it sure beats the previous past 30 years or so minus the Bruce Pearl years. We’ve had many Sweet Sixteens and I feel that Barnes has gotten us to the highest level that we’ve never been before on a consistent basis

But it’s time to move up to the next level. I’m ready for a Final Four and to compete for an NC. Barnes got us here and he’s now got our expectations up. It’s time for us to do better. I don’t think it’s too much to ask and I don’t think that people criticize the program for just kind of hanging around where it is are being unreasonable. I don’t think anybody does not appreciate where we are at and the state of the program under Barnes. But you play sports to win. And you should always be shooting for a championship. I understand it takes baby steps but we have went as far as we can go in this baby step. Time for the next step. Final Four and a NC! If some of you are satisfied then enjoy this baby step. I’m ready to win it all. That’s not unreasonable to expect and I can wish for anything I want.

Now you can go play in traffic in the middle of I75 on a Friday afternoon at 5:30 in West Knoxville if you’re so pathetic that you think you can tell the rest of us what we expect or wish for. If you like where we are at then enjoy it. I’m ready for more than this.

What does a coach who wins 75% of his games need to do differently in the NCAA tournament from what he does in the regular season? Be specific. There are actual adjustments to make. Rick makes them

 

[ColinS]

I’m a Tennessee alum. Came here in 06’ because I wanted to go to a school with a big sports program, and be proud of my Alma mater.

I was a student Fulmer’s last year. I grew up a Michigan fan and I saw how two different programs conduct themselves. Michigan is similar in that Lloyd Carr was fired, probably before he should have been. And Michigan endured a decade of incompetence to pay for their decision of getting rid of a coach that won them a NC in 1997.

Tennessee pulled the same stunt with Fulmer. And we’ve been an absolute joke in football since. Firing Fulmer was the biggest mistake any major program has ever made. We went from
Being a blue blood to being a door mat, and a joke. Anyone that was vocally anti Fulmer and put pressure on the AD to act is responsible for the decade plus of incompetence.

If Tennessee was in the same position as Michigan was with Harbaugh, say—with Peyton Manning—and say Manning lost his first 3 or 4 games against Bama—they would have tarnished Manning’s legacy and probably chased him off. Michigan did the logical thing, fought to keep their guy—and now Michigan has defeated Ohio State 3 times in a row and will probably win a national championship this year.

And now I’m seeing many of the same morons cut from the same cloth—putting that same toxicity at Coach Rick Barnes.

If you need to spew venom and criticism—why not target the right thing. Officiating.

Tennessee has endured insane officiating across every major sport, and it’s not a coincidence. I don’t know why the officials have chosen to screw our school and our athletics; but they have. And it’s not an opinion. It’s not in my head.

Look at the stats. Heres the stats from this past football season.View attachment 598859

Check out the free throw discrepancy in Tennessee basketball games. It’s absurd. How much do we put up with before enough is enough???

If you must be toxic—aim that toxicity at the officiating and demand an inquiry or change at an institutional level.

Holding our coaches—who we are lucky to have—to absurd standards while not acknowledging the unfair level of play is insane and stupid.

To our whiny, annoying, toxic, embarrassing fan base—May you have a terrible Christmas and please go become an Alabama fan and annoy and embarrass those clowns. Christmas is the perfect time for you to get your transition completed and become the brave Alabama or Florida fan you know you really are Deep inside of you. I’m tired of you making the university I actually graduated from—look bad.

Thank you Coach Barnes, Coach Heupel, and Coach Vitello for being the best 3 coaches a school has across the major sports.

Go Vols!

Very mature post till you started blaming the refs and brought yourself down to the same level as the fans your complaining about. We don't get to the free throw line because we constantly settle for jump shots and want take the ball to the rim. Starting running a real offense and we will get to the line more. We got agressive early in the second half against Purdue and got a bunch of free throws and then drifted back into shooting wild threes.

 

[JoeMiltonsAgent]

You forgot the infamous " You're a troll"

Thats on his Greatest Hits Vol. 2 LOL

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Tennessee Athletic Department has, in the past, repeatedly given the fan base the middle finger with coaching hires (Dooley, Butch, Pruitt, O'Neil, Green, Tyndall...)
It is no wonder so many are quick to assume the worst when things start to trend down...this has been proven over and over to be an accurate indication of a coach being in over his head.
Barnes has assembled a high talent program but struggles to get consistent results. Heupel has also built a high talent program, but has 2022 uscjr loss and not even competitive in 4 losses in 2023.
I think we have to question when things don't look right.

Kevin O’Neill was the UT fan choice for that post Wade hire. He had Marquette in the Sweet 16 and the NCAAT Regional was in Knoxville. He was a popular coach throughout his tenure. Fans appreciated the excellent defense. He became a pariah only when he got into a pissing match with Dickey and ran off to Northwestern while actively sabotaging the search for his replacement.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Very mature post till you started blaming the refs and brought yourself down to the same level as the fans your complaining about. We don't get to the free throw line because we constantly settle for jump shots and want take the ball to the rim. Starting running a real offense and we will get to the line more. We got agressive early in the second half against Purdue and got a bunch of free throws and then drifted back into shooting wild threes.

Our offensive scheme produces tons of open looks. At that point it's about execution. My Goodness, it's as "real" of an offense as it gets. JJJ took it to the basket several times last night when the opportunity presented itself. Knecht hit some pure bombs, but he also attacked the rim, in dominating fashion at times. Even Aidoo knocked down his open looks.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I think that KO was also the first UT coach to do his post game radio show live for the UT fans that stuck around after games at the TBA. However, I really don’t remember him AND John Ward doing it courtside. JW used to call the games from one of those boxes at the back of the 100 level seats opposite the benches.

 

[Tnphil]

It's official...Refs in football and basketball...umps in baseball all have it in for UT. We have been such a powerhouse that has owed the college sports world that the NCAA...SEC office...and referees are out to get us.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I think that KO was also the first UT coach to do his post game radio show live for the UT fans that stuck around after games at the TBA. However, I really don’t remember him AND John Ward doing it courtside. JW used to call the games from one of those boxes at the back of the 100 level seats opposite the benches.

I absolutely loved Stokley, in its time it was fantastic. Hell, even then, it seated 13,000

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I absolutely loved Stokley, in its time it was fantastic. Hell, even then, it seated 13,000

KO of course only played in the TBA. It opened in about Devoe’s 8th year here.

12,700. John Ward’s spot up in that wooden shack hanging from the Stokely rafters was pretty cool at the time. At the TBA JW was in the box just on UT’s side of mid court and the TV cameras were in the box on the immediate other side of mid court.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

KO of course only played in the TBA. It opened in about Devoe’s 8th year here.

12,700. John Ward’s spot up in that wooden shack hanging from the Stokely rafters was pretty cool at the time. At the TBA JW was in the box just on UT’s side of mid court and the TV cameras were in the box on the immediate other side of mid court.

They got 13,100 in there for big games. Look it up. Seriously. John Ward was always easy to spot because there was a "Vol Radio" banner hanging underneath them. I mostly remember A. W. Davis being his analyst. As great as Ward was in football, he was even greater in basketball

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

They got 13,100 in there for big games. Look it up. Seriously. John Ward was always easy to spot because there was a "Vol Radio" banner hanging underneath them. I mostly remember A. W. Davis being his analyst. As great as Ward was in football, he was even greater in basketball

12,700 seating capacity. But many more were squeezed in. I liked those “shelves” in the 4 corners.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

12,700 seating capacity. But many more were squeezed in. I liked those “shelves” in the 4 corners.

Yeah, I know what the capacity was, but I also remember the reported crowd size for big games

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Yeah, I know what the capacity was, but I also remember the reported crowd size for big games

I don’t remember the announced attendance being anything other than 12,700. They weren’t counting people as they entered. Some of the 12,700 didn’t always show up, but they were counted in the officially announced sell outs of 12,700.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I don’t remember the announced attendance being anything other than 12,700. They weren’t counting people as they entered. Some of the 12,700 didn’t always show up, but they were counted in the officially announced sell outs of 12,700.

Ok

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Kevin O’Neill was the UT fan choice for that post Wade hire. He had Marquette in the Sweet 16 and the NCAAT Regional was in Knoxville. He was a popular coach throughout his tenure. Fans appreciated the excellent defense. He became a pariah only when he got into a pissing match with Dickey and ran off to Northwestern while actively sabotaging the search for his replacement.

From 1994-97, Kevin O'Neill was the head coach at the University of Tennessee. Inheriting a team that had won just five games the year before, O'Neill had the Volunteers playing in the National Invitation Tournament in two years (1996). He posted a 36-47 (. 434) record in Knoxville.

Are we talking about the same guy?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

From 1994-97, Kevin O'Neill was the head coach at the University of Tennessee. Inheriting a team that had won just five games the year before, O'Neill had the Volunteers playing in the National Invitation Tournament in two years (1996). He posted a 36-47 (. 434) record in Knoxville.

Are we talking about the same guy?

O’Neill wasn’t an unpopular coach. He became a very unpopular ex-coach. UT fans liked the intensity that he brought. Even though the team was challenged to shoot the ball into the TN River.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

From 1994-97, Kevin O'Neill was the head coach at the University of Tennessee. Inheriting a team that had won just five games the year before, O'Neill had the Volunteers playing in the National Invitation Tournament in two years (1996). He posted a 36-47 (. 434) record in Knoxville.

Are we talking about the same guy?

O'Neill would have his timeout huddles out away from the sideline. It usually meant an epic ass chewing

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

There were no seniors on KO’s 3rd (and final) team and CJ Black and Charles Hathaway were a great pair of freshmen posts. Plus Isiah Victor redshirted (which created the conflict between KO and DAD) and Tony Harris were KO recruits that were freshmen the year after KO left. The program was about to emerge as a big time contender. It was KO’s roster that he left for Green that lead them to NCAAT’s in the next 4 years. CJG underachieved with what he inherited.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

O'Neill would have his timeout huddles out away from the sideline. It usually meant an epic ass chewing

I remember him calling a TO one time, walking about 10 feet onto the court as his team was coming to the bench, and then started cussing them out while literally jumping up and down while wildly waving his arms. Fans were ready for his brand of basketball after 5 years of Wade being a nice guy.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

O’Neill wasn’t an unpopular coach. He became a very unpopular ex-coach. UT fans liked the intensity that he brought. Even though the team was challenged to shoot the ball into the TN River.

Is this the coach that lost to Tennessee Tech at home?