National Image

#26
#26
rexvol said:
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.
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for years i was the only vol fan i knew, espn, jefferson pilot, et al have boosted ut football big time in southern indiana especially. a couple of years ago sitting in bar in indianapolis to watch ut miami, i talked bartender into getting the game on one set, within 20 minutes we had it on big screen with all kinds of vol fans watching. its nice to have company, but kind of miss being the only vol fan in the crowd. in fact i resent everyone commenting on my ut garb that it is because of coach pearl coaching here in evansville,( i am not a pearl fan) and i have to correct folks that it is all about the football vols, sorry to you bball fans, i love the game, but i aint over don defoe getting the boot! go vols, ps very pleased to see coach green sititng on iu basketball bench with coach sampson this year, i am a green fan too.:peace2:
 
#27
#27
Well I lived in Big Ten country twice WI and PA, and Texas with the Big 12, and the generally consensus is their conference is #1 be it the Big 10, or the Big 12, and the SEC is #2.

If the fan knows the history of how Fulmer was hired, and the NCAA investigation into Alabama, then they typically think Fulmer is a snake in the grass, and don't care for the program.
 
#28
#28
The Monday Night Football commercials are talking about Eagles-Panthers as Steve Smith vs. Donte Stallworth. It's nice to see a Vol get some positive national exposure.
 
#29
#29
OrangeSquare said:
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.
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Well, of course, all of us here have one team, but ol JW actually pegged me... of course I'm a Vols fan, but I do find myself pulling for Ohio State and Oklahoma.

I like watching West Virginia's games. Just fun to watch. In the ACC, I'd just always pull for whoever played Miami and Florida State... of course, it didn't have the same appeal this year. :)
 
#30
#30
Here in Georgia, the people think of Tennessee as a much bigger rival than I thought of UGA when I was in school. To me, I'd rather have beaten Alabama or Florida any year.

By the way, all the UGA clothing went on sale 60% off when they lost to Vandy. I had to laugh. Those dawg fans are die hard!
 
#31
#31
looking at this years roster, i counted 24 different states (including DC). granted all 11 southeastern states were counted, and texas. that still leaves OR, NJ, CA,MI, HI, OR, IL, PA, DC, OH, OK, and WV as states we have players from. only places i truly see missing is the Midwest and New England. how many greats come from New England? not sure how many greats come from Midwest, as often they play 8 man football and what not. So i wonder if it truly does affect UT getting players because of a supposed image? i would say no
 
#32
#32
KSVOL said:
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.
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Interesting... I live in Big 12 country and haven't heard anyone around here proclaim the Big 12 to be better than the SEC in at least a couple of years. Most reasonable Texas fans even concede that their home game environment doesn't rival that of the big dogs in the SEC.
 
#33
#33
KSVOL said:
They like them because our Orange is unique. Nobody in the country has our orange.
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As an aside when I was at UT in the 70's, Auburn's colors were dark blue with a small amount of Orange trim. Now they, especially, the fans in their stands and the coaches are mainly Orange. Somehow this irks me!:rtfm:
 
#34
#34
As a BAMA fan I see UT as a football powerhouse year in and year out. I honestly see The Vols as one of those teams that always stand out with those west coast schools. Great school, great team.

Now if they could get new fans......:p
 
#35
#35
thanks rev... as i've said, i think bama is a good coach away from returning to their national dominance. guess we shall see. i understand the rodriguez deal is still making lots of noise even as we speak
 
#36
#36
volfanbill said:
thanks rev... as i've said, i think bama is a good coach away from returning to their national dominance. guess we shall see. i understand the rodriguez deal is still making lots of noise even as we speak
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Hey I didnt say it to kiss up, its true.

Also I hope you are right about our coach situation. It would be nice to be respected again. :good!:
 
#37
#37
I moved to Columbus, Ohio after living in TN for 7 years and let me tell you the guys I worked with were always hounding me about how the football team was all related, it drove me crazy then I was like whatever. I live in PA now and at work they are renevating our IV room so we have been relocated to an off-site trailer and I get the old you feelin at home down there in the trailer and ya know what it's funny cause I did live in a trailer and that was in WV for a year, and let me tell you them WV folks sure get their share of jokes. I love my Tennessee Vols and I just roll with the punches about me livin in TN.
 
#38
#38
Here in Clemson when we talk football, everyone here sees UT as a perrinial power. Reasonable fans know they got lucky in the Peach Bowl. To me the biggest indication of the respect we have from others is that nobody wants to play us. We are a very long way from being someone's homecoming team. They know that playing UT is very good chance to get beat (statistically about a 75% chance.)

When all the waffling fans were calling for Fulmers resignation last year, several Clemson fans asked if I thought he would/could come to Clemson. As if I have any impact on Fulmers's decision making.

ClemsonVol
 
#39
#39
I think Tennessee gets respect from all over the country. As much as we've been on t.v., the players drafted in the NFL, the size of our stadium, etc. have given people around the country a glimpse of what we are all about.

One thing I have noticed when talking to someone outside of SEC land: They never bring up our strength of schedule compared to the rest of the SEC.
 
#40
#40
I live in Columbus and as far as respect, it seems to me that none of these guys have any idea about the programs of other teams.

In all serious, we have gotten a decent amount of respect.
 
#41
#41
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!!!!!!!!!
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Wasn't it after a dramatic Colts game this year that Peyton was asked about the atmosphere surrounding that game and said, "There's nothing like football in Knoxville on a Saturday night."
 
#42
#42
j_thrill said:
Wasn't it after a dramatic Colts game this year that Peyton was asked about the atmosphere surrounding that game and said, "There's nothing like football in Knoxville on a Saturday night."
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He beat the Broncos, the NFL's top defense this year, in a comeback victory on the road. He mentioned that Denver is a great football town the likes of which he hadn't seen since Knoxville.
 
#43
#43
From my experiences, the top teams in the SEC are viewed as a bunch of teams just on the cusp of being great, but rarely getting there. You know, great but not quite on the same level as Michigan, Ohio State, USC, Miami, etc.
 
#44
#44
gcb/hoosiervol said:
i have to correct folks that it is all about the football vols, sorry to you bball fans, i love the game, but i aint over don defoe getting the boot!
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You loved him so much yet you can't get his name right? :crazy:
 
#45
#45
I live in big ten land, they have respect for SEC but they still think their superior. My brother in-law does a sports radio show every sunday on wolverine football(hes a DIE HARD FAN)he loves just as much as i love my vols. He thinks we are no challenge to big ten teams i called in on his show once and started the topic and it actually was very interesting what callers were saying. I brought up 2001 and they said that was the most calls theyve ever gotten on that show. Alot of them did agree that they wouldnt want to play us in neyland. Ive been to the big house(gosh do i regret it) I WAS ALSO WEARING MY ORANGE VOLS JERSEY AND HOODY. big house is extremly quite NOTHING like neyland. But they have little respect for us and conf.
 
#46
#46
KSVOL said:
They like them because our Orange is unique. Nobody in the country has our orange.
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I tell Texas fans here all the time that their color is brown and they say, "No, it's burnt orange." To which I reply, "What happens when you burn something? It turns brown."

Texas may have the ugliest colors in football imo. Reminds me of what's left in a babies diaper.
 
#47
#47
rexvol said:
I tell Texas fans here all the time that their color is brown and they say, "No, it's burnt orange." To which I reply, "What happens when you burn something? It turns brown."

Texas may have the ugliest colors in football imo. Reminds me of what's left in a babies diaper.
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I think I changed a 'Texas' diaper last night.
 
#48
#48
rexvol said:
I tell Texas fans here all the time that their color is brown and they say, "No, it's burnt orange." To which I reply, "What happens when you burn something? It turns brown."

Texas may have the ugliest colors in football imo. Reminds me of what's left in a babies diaper.
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Just remind your Texas friends on why were the volunteers:

Tennessee acquired its name "The Volunteer State" in the early days of the nineteenth century in the War of 1812. At the request of President James Madison, Gen. Andrew Jackson, later President, mustered 1500 from his home state to fight the Indians and later the British at the Battle of New Orleans


Also in 1836, volunteers rescued Texas, when Santa Anna marched across the Rio Grande, and tried to take San Antonio, and ultimately Texas, in what turned out to be the Battle of the Alamo.

So if not for Tennessee volunteers, there wouldn't be a State University in Austin.
 
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