Recruiting Forum Football Talk III

[BigSteve09]

After the Vandy loss in 2016, I told my fiancee (now wife) after the game that Butch was not the dude who was going to take us where we wanted to go. Not that he was about to be fired right then, but that he probably was never going to win an SEC East title here, especially with the team you could see he was going to have coming back next year. It ended up coming apart for him even faster than I realized.

Butch's most absurd statement to me, even worse than Champions of Life or 5-Star Hearts, was him saying at 2017 SEC Media Days that the 2016 season was not a disappointment, and that the 2015 and 2016 seasons were 2 of the greatest seasons at Tennessee in the last 20 years. I can rattle off hand, purely from memory without even having to look them up, about 5 seasons within the last 20 years that were better than 2015 and 2016. 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007. I think he looked back and knew about the national championship season, but thought that the 2015 and 2016 seasons were next best after that. That was just such an absurd comment given Tennessee's history, and it was like after the 2016 season he smacked the dust off his hands and said "Man, I've done a really good job here." I do not think he every truly understood what the expectations were here.

After we lost that game I left my phone at home and went on like a 3 hour walk. Usually I can shake losses off, especially after some of the more insane losses we had suffered up to that point, but that one really infuriated me. I was so mad.

Your second paragraph is so spot-on for his personality in general. He wanted everyone to get on their knees because he had done better than anyone had since Fulmer, but he couldn't accept or own his failures. He had no excuse to let victories slip through his fingers in 2015, or to have 2016 go completely off the rails. He talked a big game, got some dudes on campus, and crapped the bed. He never owned that.

 

[Christian Lowe]

Thank you I appreciate that. I'm giving this one shot and if she's not going to give some effort herself after I've bent over backwards for her then I'm absolutely moving on.

I was in your position in college. The girl I was dating at the time was a clemson cheerleader and I lived two counties over. Idk why I fought so hard to keep that relationship afloat. No doubt she cheated on me the entire time

 

[tnvols72]

Lots of good memories of butch guys around here tonight

never should have run him out of town it sure seems now

Glad he got ran out. He did not have enough sense to start AK instead of 1 yard Hurd. Ark St looking for a few extra fans.

 

[SweetasSoda]

LMAO I regret saying anything...

How much do I owe y'all for the advice?

Sorry, Cat, I have not had time to get on today. It's awesome that you're willing to work on the relationship. Maybe we all needed to do this before marriage so there would not be so many divorces. Glitch is so right about The 5 Love Languages. It not only helps with couples but for parents also. So even if it does not end up working out for you two, the counseling and the book could really give you help with another relationship. Everyone else was also right in it takes both people giving their all everyday to make a marriage work. And we all love you so you know you are worth having someone to love you back. ......Married 35 years + 4 dating

 

[cHiZzLeVOL]

Don’t care what anyone says…..

This is one of the best Uniforms in College Football and we don’t wear it anymore…..

 

[RikidyBones]

Pruitt and JG were worthless

View attachment 388902

*The New Orleans Saints select Jarrett Guarantano*

I'd retire if I was Quez.

 

[cHiZzLeVOL]

*The New Orleans Saints select Jarrett Guarantano*

I'd retire if I was Quez.

If he doesn’t start and play well for WSU this year I don’t think he will make it in the pros.

There is way too much tape on him to show why you wouldn’t pick him.

 

[volbeast33]

I hope you never get proven wrong on that. I think you underestimate what being trapped in a bad marriage can do to a person, man or woman. Unless you're a really disconnected and/or horrible person, it'll damage people.

You are never trapped in a bad marriage…. Just leave….. I was in a bad marriage for ten years…. Mainly bc I don’t believe in divorce….. it didn’t harm me psychologically or emotionally….. that’s bc I am mentally tough and not bc I’m disconnected or a horrible person.
everyone has to do what feels right to them but I don’t believe in counseling or any of the other things discussed…. These are the rules I live by:
1. Be happy being alone…. If you aren’t than your partner won’t matter.
2. Act like a man…. No female wants an emotional pansy.
3. Help out…. Act like you live by yourself
4. Spend more time with her than you do your friends or like myself and not even know what friends are LOL
5.Don’t sweat the small stuff…. Very few things that i truly care about and are worth standing my ground over
6. Make her feel desired
7.be very careful about the day you marry(no football season)….. I got married Memorial Day weekend which is perfect…..already was going to be forced to spend it with them so now I kill two birds with one stone and never forget the date.
Happily Married 11 years so far.

 

[BigOrange15]

Don’t care what anyone says…..

This is one of the best Uniforms in College Football and we don’t wear it anymore…..

View attachment 388935

That helmet with the Smoky Mountains design is still ELITE.

 

[nicksjuzunk]

AP on the investigation

 

[nicksjuzunk]

Just like watching an UGA football season play out

 

[nicksjuzunk]

Lots of good memories of butch guys around here tonight

never should have run him out of town it sure seems now

 

[BigOrangeVols]

Just went to my first couples therapy... Ughhhhhhhhh

What’s his name?

 

[nicksjuzunk]

How was the 50 yard touchdown pass that went over double-coverage to a spot that only his guy could catch it, allowing a great athlete to make an incredible catch, not a good pass?

Out of curiosity, what's your take on this one:

If It’s caught and the receiver didn’t have to break stride or contort his body, sounds like it’s spot on to me. Winston put it where it had to be with that coverage

 

[Orange And Garnet]

The real missed opportunity post-2008 was 2015-17 under Butch. The 2015 team should have won 10 games and had an SECCG berth, and that was with a team that was deemed by many before the season as not quite "ready to win" yet. The 2016 squad brought back all the key pieces, but somehow lost to South Carolina and Vandy. If they did not burn Dobbs's redshirt in 2013, he likely would have come back for the 2017 season, which I think drastically changes the direction of that season.

Butch still likely ends up fired because he could not develop the talent he acquired, but if he got the aforementioned results his recruiting likely does not drop off and he could have stuck around a few more years. He gets a lot of grief here, and for good reason, but it is amazing just how close he got to making it here.

Looking back at those teams it definitely makes me think what could have been. We went 8-4 and had fourth quarter leads again Oklahoma, Arkansas and AT BAMA. That was an 11-1 team. 2016 should have been just as good or better but what killed Butch was the injuries then whatever off the field mess was going on.

 

[Orange And Garnet]

Looking back at those teams it definitely makes me think what could have been. We went 8-4 and had fourth quarter leads again Oklahoma, Arkansas and AT BAMA. That was an 11-1 team. 2016 should have been just as good or better but what killed Butch was the injuries then whatever off the field mess was going on.

Dang we had a fourth quarter lead against Florida too!
EDIT: I’m wrong here. Didn’t have a fourth quarter lead against Arkansas but did have a lead if I remember correctly. Regardless it wasn’t a game we shoulda lost. We let Florida beat us twice in 2015

 

[Orange And Garnet]

2015

Up 17-3 on OU in the 4th quarter at home
Up 27-14 on Florida in the 4th quarter
Came out 14-0 at home and couldn't capitalize

2016

I'm still puzzled about South Carolina like you. We were coming off of a bye, with the East still up for grabs, and laid a dud. The only thing I could think was that the team was way more injured and divided after the Georgia, A&M, and Bama games. Seemed like that's when our lack of depth on defense started to really hurt.

That Vanderbilt game was the maddest I've ever been after a Tennessee loss. And we've had some worse ones, I think. But the culmination of what should have been into a team that lost to Vandy and didn't even achieve anything worthwhile. It was so infuriating.

Then you add in all the stupid excuses, slogans, and straight up nonsense that he would spout following those games. I very much remember the lost 4 games by 17 points line because he wouldn't shut the hell up about it between 2015 and 2016. He was constantly selling, which is fine if you don't know better. He bragged about things that weren't worth bragging about and dismissed greater goals like he had done it all before. "Yeah, we returned every key player and lost games we had no business losing, but we're the champions of life. Oh, and here's a trashcan." What a jackass.

Butch needs to go back up to Big Ten land, I truly think he can be successful recruiting and coaching there. His teams did fine against Iowa, Northwestern, and Nebraska. I think that league is more his speed.

Agree with the Vandy loss. I have never been more mad at a Tennessee loss. Sad? Yes. But pure madness? No. I had to check myself that night hahaha

 

[Vols4us]

You are never trapped in a bad marriage…. Just leave….. I was in a bad marriage for ten years…. Mainly bc I don’t believe in divorce….. it didn’t harm me psychologically or emotionally….. that’s bc I am mentally tough and not bc I’m disconnected or a horrible person.
everyone has to do what feels right to them but I don’t believe in counseling or any of the other things discussed…. These are the rules I live by:
1. Be happy being alone…. If you aren’t than your partner won’t matter.
2. Act like a man…. No female wants an emotional pansy.
3. Help out…. Act like you live by yourself
4. Spend more time with her than you do your friends or like myself and not even know what friends are LOL
5.Don’t sweat the small stuff…. Very few things that are truly care about and stabd my ground over
6. Make her feel desired
7.be very careful about the day you marry(no football season)….. I got married Memorial Day weekend which is perfect…..already was going to be forced to spend it with them so now I kill two birds with one stone and never forget the date.
Happily Married 11 years so far.

Good advice, agree with all of them and had a similar life experience even tho I'm an old guy now. Divorced after 8 miserable years of marriage that I could no longer endure. A couple of years later married the love of my life who had a similar first marriage experience. 36 years and going strong. Cannot and do not want to imagine my life without her.

Adding a few to your list for us:
1) For believers - when we placed Jesus in the center of our marriage everything clicked as it should.
2) The old adage of never going to bed/sleep angry with one another is true. Talk it out with both looking for ways to reconcile your differences. When you become one instead of two, again, everything clicks.
3) Have common interests. I knew immediately I was on the right track in our dating when she told me she was a big Vol fan and her version of what was happening on the football field and baseball diamond. It became "git the deal dun" at that stage.

 

[Smokey X]

He said he’s head over the hills for her, it’s worth it to him. @Catbone, I know girl thinking. If she says she misses you after a breakup and going to couples therapy and you were just dating, she’s still interested. It’s either she’s scared or there’s something about your relationship that is bugging the crap out of her, but don’t want to let go. Either that or she’s bat sh!t crazy.

finally, the true female admission......

 

[Brillovol]

@Brillovol walking through the cafeteria doors in elementary school and catching the stench of hot dogs and sauerkraut…
View attachment 388925

Kraut was too boujee for Putnam County. The hamburger was grey mystery meat and cheese wasn’t an option.

Oh, but we had the food pyramid on every classroom wall for health’s sake.

 

[triadvolfan]

And only on VN are 9 wins seasons ridiculed

Unreal how ungrateful and forgetful this board is of the only few good years we have had in recent memories

Are we allowed to criticize seasons that win 0 conference games? The 2017 team makes the 2020 team look like national champions.

 

[DarthVol1]

No wonder my kids are too damn picky. These were the choices I had. This and that awful rectangle pizza with off-tasting chocolate pudding that was the highlight of the week.

Prison food woulda been an upgrade.

You say potato, I say tater.

 

[BruinVol]

Butch deserves credit for getting the players to Tennessee, nothing more.

If it weren't for Dobbs, Kamara, and Jennings carrying the team or pulling miracles, Butch wins 7 games per season max. Dobbs alone was worth 2 wins a year, in spite of horrible play calling and game management.

butch made big mistakes but playcalling wasn’t an issue until he made the grave mistake of hiring Larry scott.

brian Kelley had one awful year and was allowed to clean house and has fixed it. It’s very reasonable to think Butch could have us in a much better spot today than where we are now if allowed to survive his one bad year. Remember how good he was recruiting at that time.

Sorry it’s not popular here but the post butch years have buried us deep

 

[TheRain]

Don’t care what anyone says…..

This is one of the best Uniforms in College Football and we don’t wear it anymore…..

View attachment 388935

Yup. Every recruit that walks through the door wants to take a picture in one.

 

[BruinVol]

After the Vandy loss in 2016, I told my fiancee (now wife) after the game that Butch was not the dude who was going to take us where we wanted to go.

He wasn’t but the problem is that coach to “to take us where we want to go” hasn’t been found yet and likely isn’t going to be. The “where we want to go” expectations of this program are “old school” and I hate to remind people that bama and Georgia and the entire SEC isn’t Fulmer era “old school” anymore.


8-9 win seasons are the ceiling for this SEC era and we ran the only man of the last 4 coaches we have had that could do it out of town.