Ramblings of a Fulmer Critic

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#1
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WA_Vol

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#1
Here's the status of the program if you want to base it on rankings (reality).

Since 1998 here are UT's final poll rankings:

AP, Coaches

1999: 9; 9
2000: none; 25
2001: 4; 4
2002: none; none
2003: 15; 16
2004: 13; 15
2005: none; none

Now for the fairy tale minded these rankings wont make any difference.

UT finished ranked in the top 10 twice.
UT finished ranked in the top 25 four times.
UT finished outside the top 25 3 times.

Maybe we can dispel some myths and put these to bed now.

UT has had 3 bad years in the last 6, or half the time. (Unless you consider being ranking outside the top 25 a good year.) This isn't Fulmer's "first bad year."

This decade UT has finished in the top 25 3 times, and outside the top 25 3 times. Hardly a "perenial top 10 team" this decade. Half the time ranked, half the time unranked and finished in the top 10 once (top 5).

For the doubters here are the rankings go look for yourself:

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/polls_1936_present.html


Last, i'm aware i'm :horse: and some of you will be :banghead: so :Bbiteme:


not a bammer :bammer:
 
#3
#3
Since you are in this mode, compare the Fulmer record against Spurrier, Richt, Saban, Meyer, Tuberville etc. A turnaround is imperative!! Other than that, are we having fun yet?
 
#4
#4
AHHHHHHHHH!!!! My Eyes! My Eyes!


It's Bea Arthur's Heinie!!!!!!!!!!
 
#6
#6
(jdsa @ Jan 21 said:
And now that Randy Sanders has moved on maybe things'll get better. . .
Click to expand...

Exactly, since Coach Cut left things have been a little off. He's back now, so why not wait and see what happens before we buy into the sky is falling mentality. :mf_surrender:
 
#8
#8
why do we put up with our own fans always slandering our coach on a Vols board and let them get away with it? Didnt he make enough off season adjustments for you to be satisfied? He re hired Cutliffe who is an offensive master mind, our defense wont miss a beat again this year, ainge cant do anything but improve... And most importantly last year was a learning experince for all our players... Maybe we were just one year away from being a really good team... I think this year will be good for UT football fans. Can you please stop slandering our coach everytime you post though? It really gets stupid after awhile listening to everyone cut down on Fulmer and if you dont belive in him that much then go on a bama board and talk to them about how much fulmer sucks... At least there you will fine someone that will agree with you...
 
#10
#10
(oklavol @ Jan 21 said:
Here's the status of the program if you want to base it on rankings (reality).

Since 1998 here are UT's final poll rankings:

AP, Coaches

1999: 9; 9
2000: none; 25
2001: 4; 4
2002: none; none
2003: 15; 16
2004: 15; 15
2005: none; none

Now for the fairy tale minded these rankings wont make any difference.

UT finished ranked in the top 10 twice.
UT finished ranked in the top 25 four times.
UT finished outside the top 25 3 times.

Maybe we can dispel some myths and put these to bed now.

UT has had 3 bad years in the last 6, or half the time. (Unless you consider being ranking outside the top 25 a good year.) This isn't Fulmer's "first bad year."

This decade UT has finished in the top 25 3 times, and outside the top 25 3 times. Hardly a "perenial top 10 team" this decade. Half the time ranked, half the time unranked and finished in the top 10 once (top 5).

For the doubters here are the rankings go look for yourself:

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/polls_1936_present.html


Last, i'm aware i'm :horse: and some of you will be :banghead: so :Bbiteme:


not a bammer :bammer:
Click to expand...



Since you are so unhappy with Fulmer I am curious as to the answers he had for you when you asked him face to face what the problem is and what he is going to do to fix it.

You have discussed this with him, haven't you?

 
#12
#12
(KentheOrange @ Jan 21 said:
Since you are so unhappy with Fulmer I am curious as to the answers he had for you when you asked him face to face what the problem is and what he is going to do to fix it.

You have discussed this with him, haven't you?
Click to expand...


Yes I did discuss it Fulmer and he said he would work like heck to get bettter, the defense is playing good enough to win, and they are 19 points away from having a really good year.
 
#13
#13
(vols2345 @ Jan 21 said:
Can you please stop slandering our coach everytime you post though? It really gets stupid after awhile listening to everyone cut down on Fulmer...
Click to expand...


I find it interesting, that posting UT's rankings in the AP poll and coaches poll from 1999 to present is now considered slander and cut downs.
 
#14
#14
(oklavol @ Jan 21 said:
I find it interesting, that posting UT's rankings in the AP poll and coaches poll from 1999 to present is now considered slander and cut downs.
Click to expand...

Well now you know. :thumbsup: Who said good things never happen this late at night?
 
#15
#15
I support Fulmer and I am willing to let him right the ship but the bottom line is that this has been coming for a while now and I think most of us will agree that staff changes should have made before this year. Furthermore, let's not pretend like finishing out of the top 25 in 3 of the past 6 years is up to our standards.

I will say it again, that I am a Fulmer supporter. However, I am beginning to question his ability more than I ever have in the past. I am not completely jumping up and down with joy the way that these staff changes played out.

We all love Tennessee football but let's face it, I don't think anyone is overly excited about this upcoming season. This team could suprise as they have done many times before, but a mediocre season (by our standards) is more than likely eminent.
 
#16
#16
(vol_freak @ Jan 21 said:
I support Fulmer and I am willing to let him right the ship but the bottom line is that this has been coming for a while now and I think most of us will agree that staff changes should have made before this year. Furthermore, let's not pretend like finishing out of the top 25 in 3 of the past 6 years is up to our standards.

I will say it again, that I am a Fulmer supporter. However, I am beginning to question his ability more than I ever have in the past. I am not completely jumping up and down with joy the way that these staff changes played out.

We all love Tennessee football but let's face it, I don't think anyone is overly excited about this upcoming season. This team could suprise as they have done many times before, but a mediocre season (by our standards) is more than likely eminent.
Click to expand...

Well said. I think that most of us feel that way. Fulmer has had some incredible seasons, some mediocre seasons and a couple of just plain bad seasons. Some of it is in his hands while other things are not. I think the biggest question is, which way are we going here? Are we going to hope next season is better, or hope that next season is worse? The obvious answer would be for the better, but I wonder sometimes reading some of the posts.

Nobody knows what's going to happen next season. Being ranked number three preseason and finishing like we did is proof of that. If that drastic extreme can take place, then why not the other way too?
 
#17
#17
No doubt that anything can happen, that's why they play the games. However, after the past 7 seasons without an SEC title, I don't think many are going to hang our hats on this being the year. Hopefully it will be a very good year, but it's not likely to be a great year. Then again, stranger things have happened.

I just think that a lot of fans are very very bitter and disappointed after the way last season went. Add to that some coaching changes that didn't blow our doors off (not saying they are bad) and a recruiting class that is not going to be top 5 like we expect, and it's easy to be a little down.
 
#18
#18
(Orangewhiteblood @ Jan 21 said:
Well said. I think that most of us feel that way. Fulmer has had some incredible seasons, some mediocre seasons and a couple of just plain bad seasons. Some of it is in his hands while other things are not. I think the biggest question is, which way are we going here? Are we going to hope next season is better, or hope that next season is worse? The obvious answer would be for the better, but I wonder sometimes reading some of the posts.

Nobody knows what's going to happen next season. Being ranked number three preseason and finishing like we did is proof of that. If that drastic extreme can take place, then why not the other way too?
Click to expand...

My guess is that we'll figuratively evoke visions of Bea Arthur's boodie so many times it will gain form and substance, be naturally attracted to its closest known match in this universe, and will hover over Phil's head until eventually he can't think of anything else....
 
#19
#19
Believe me, I'm not predicting that we're going to win the National Championship next year. I'm just looking to get back into a decent bowl game here.

My biggest problem with Tennessee football, and it has been for a while, is that we never seem to win the big games when they count from something. When we do win the big ones, I feel like it was luck more than anything.

The SEC East is a TOUGH conference to play in. It's even tougher now that Steve is at SC. If we were in the Big East, life as a Vol fan would be much easier. But we all know that, it's remembering it that's sometimes the problem.

As for this recruiting season, I don't think that we're going to feel the aftershocks of it as much as people think. As we all know, we had a solid class last year that will be playing some this year. Most of this years class won't even be playing next year. As long as we get some decent athletes (and we are), I think it will be ok. But that's just me.
 
#20
#20
I agree about recruiting. I am not too concerned about this class. I think we are going to fill some needs and get some good players. We won't get the same "Hype" that we usually do though.

A nice bowl game would be good but looking over the schedule it's going to be a tough year. The SEC East is just brutal like you mentioned.
 
#21
#21
(vol_freak @ Jan 21 said:
I support Fulmer and I am willing to let him right the ship but the bottom line is that this has been coming for a while now and I think most of us will agree that staff changes should have made before this year. Furthermore, let's not pretend like finishing out of the top 25 in 3 of the past 6 years is up to our standards.

I will say it again, that I am a Fulmer supporter. However, I am beginning to question his ability more than I ever have in the past. I am not completely jumping up and down with joy the way that these staff changes played out.

We all love Tennessee football but let's face it, I don't think anyone is overly excited about this upcoming season. This team could suprise as they have done many times before, but a mediocre season (by our standards) is more than likely eminent.
Click to expand...
If Coach Fulmer doesn't feel the heat you and all of us are bringing then a head coaching change is in order. However, I will agree with others that the possibility of a turnaround is not out of the question since our skipper did attain a National Title in '98. Haven't given up on coach but in my silly opinion his rope has been shortened appreciably. I think he can right the ship but his carte blanche status has been diminished. While I am one in the minority about the impact of heralded recruiting classes (due to the fact that one doesn't know how the talent will translate from HS to college) it has become apparent that coaches prowess in recruiting, that has been taken for granted over the years, becomes ever more important to his success. I am a long time Volunteer fan who has been bleeding orange forever and am looking forward to a great football campaign in '06. I'm sure Mike Hamilton is equally interested in Volunteer success and he has the hammer. Losing seasons are not acceptable!
 
#22
#22
Guys u all know how i feel about Fulmer, i am not going to sit here and name call or ridicule him. OklaVol posted some real valid points, the football program is really just an average program these days, the numbers show it. Its not the players, we recruit some of the best in the country, so what is the problem. That my friends is a very easy one to answer, coaching,coaching, and coaching. It doenst matter if we have a top 5 recruiting class every year, if we cant develop them it doesnt matter. Up until all the firings and resignings our offensive coaching was very average to say the least and it showed on the field. With this years coaching staff i hope it is better, but i dont really expect much more of a difference. I for one am looking forward to this coming season because i hope it is Fulmers last.
 
#23
#23
Good post and welcome back Oklavol. I feel we can realistically look at Fulmer's performance since 98 and justly criticize him without being a "Fulmer Hater" as many want to label us on this board. (Quite the contrary for myself. as CPF was in my college class at UT and we were both fellow Middle Tennesseans and if he turned it around and played in the SEC c'ship game I'd be the happiest person around). However, in my profession you have to look at not only the diagnosis, but the prognosis, and based on the last 7 years the prognosis for ressurecting the program to the late 90's state is not good.

To say that the 2005 5-6 record was a "fluke" is like saying thar the Exxon-Valdez disaster was a fluke and that the ship's capitain warranted a raise and a contract extension!

Nevertheless, I can agree that CRP should have one more year. If he goes 5-7, 6-6 or 7-5 I think most of us (except for a few zealots) would agree that he needs to go. If he goes 12-0 or 11-1 almost 100% of us would agree he stays with a contract extension. However, what I see coming is a record somewhere in between these extremes and at this time next year we will be arguing the same points!
 
#24
#24
(rockydoc @ Jan 21 said:
what I see coming is a record somewhere in between these extremes and at this time next year we will be arguing the same points!
Click to expand...

I'm afraid you're probably right.
 
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