Tennessee Is A Basketball and A Football School

#26
#26
Tux said:
Exactly. Great fans get it and are not allowing either sport to get in the way of the other sport. They are both great and neither has to suffer at the expense of the other, as some fans think they have to.

To think that basketball has to suffer and take a backseat to football is small-minded.
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Bball doesn't have to suffer at expense of football. We can strive to be great in both. We will always be a football school. Just bc we r a football school doesn't mean we can't try to have a good bball program. Another poster made great point....most fans would probably pick sec football title over bball national title. I would without hesitation.
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#28
#28
Comments denigrating UT basketball used to be in fashion in Knoxville. If you thought basketball was a snore and a bore, you were in the majority. It was cool to blow off men's basketball.

UT fans, who get it, understand that you root for the school...in anything. You don't thumb your nose at a sport because, what - they haven't achieved what some believe is worthy of their attention.

The facts are that UT basketball has been successful both in the SEC and in the NCAA Tournament in the past 6 years. During that same time, UT has ranked 4th in attendance nationally. It is not just the size of Thompson-Boling Arena that is the root cause of swelling attendance. No, TBA has always been cavernous. No, it has been the success of the team that has been the catalyst for our huge attendance numbers.

Our success on the hardcourt does not have to end and we do not have to go back to blowing off basketball as a sideshow entertainment venue. With the right hire, our basketball program can continue to stay strong and grow. There is no reason why our basketball program cannot be mentioned in the same vein as Kentucky Basketball, Indiana Basketball, Kansas Basketball, North Carolina Basketball, Texas Basketball, and Ohio State Basketball.

Both Tennessee basketball and Tennessee football can be successful at the same time and we can all enjoy the perception and reality that we can be good at both and be known as a school for both. Those who want to denigrate either in order to build up the other is hurting both programs.
 
#29
#29
Start a poll asking Tennessee fans if they would rather win the SEC in football or make a men's basketball Final Four. That will answer your question.
 
#30
#30
Tux said:
Comments denigrating UT basketball used to be in fashion in Knoxville. If you thought basketball was a snore and a bore, you were in the majority. It was cool to blow off men's basketball.

UT fans, who get it, understand that you root for the school...in anything. You don't thumb your nose at a sport because, what - they haven't achieved what some believe is worthy of their attention.

The facts are that UT basketball has been successful both in the SEC and in the NCAA Tournament in the past 6 years. During that same time, UT has ranked 4th in attendance nationally. It is not just the size of Thompson-Boling Arena that is the root cause of swelling attendance. No, TBA has always been cavernous. No, it has been the success of the team that has been the catalyst for our huge attendance numbers.

Our success on the hardcourt does not have to end and we do not have to go back to blowing off basketball as a sideshow entertainment venue. With the right hire, our basketball program can continue to stay strong and grow. There is no reason why our basketball program cannot be mentioned in the same vein as Kentucky Basketball, Indiana Basketball, Kansas Basketball, North Carolina Basketball, Texas Basketball, and Ohio State Basketball.

Both Tennessee basketball and Tennessee football can be successful at the same time and we can all enjoy the perception and reality that we can be good at both and be known as a school for both. Those who want to denigrate either in order to build up the other is hurting both programs.
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I think the majority roots for the school, but you're absolutely crazy if you think basketball is equal to football!
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#31
#31
milohimself said:
Start a poll asking Tennessee fans if they would rather win the SEC in football or make a men's basketball Final Four. That will answer your question.
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We all know the result of that poll. Ain't nothin' like running through the T. Ain't nothin' like TN football under the lights on saturday night. I do wish the basketball program all the best though.
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#32
#32
I'm a former college football player. I love it as much as any fan. But I want to win both championships equally as bad. There is not reason why we can't

It obviously bothers some fans to want to win both equally as bad, otherwise, we not see so much objection, wriggling and whining.
 
#33
#33
This is a very good post and thread. I think Tennessee will always be thought of as a football school first. But it's important that both basketball programs are strong national contenders and fill the seats regularly. Let's face it - it's all about revenue and securing the future. I agree - this basketball HC hire is really important and should not be done in haste. We want a solid x's and o's coach as well as a program builder. The Dooley hire was a good lesson for all to see. Let's do the same for the BB HC.
 
#34
#34
milohimself said:
Start a poll asking Tennessee fans if they would rather win the SEC in football or make a men's basketball Final Four. That will answer your question.
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which forum would it go in? :)

and to the OP, you act like fans can't just support both. Just because fans typically favor football around here doesnt mean they dislike bball. But to say that basketball and football are on an equal level at UT is just plain dumb.
 
#35
#35
Tux said:
I'm a former college football player. I love it as much as any fan. But I want to win both championships equally as bad. There is not reason why we can't

It obviously bothers some fans to want to win both equally as bad, otherwise, we not see so much objection, wriggling and whining.
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No Tennessee fan is going to disagree with that. We ALL want to win the National Championship in any sport possible. That said, if i had to choose between winning football while sucking at bball, or winning bball while sucking at football, id choose football every time.
 
#36
#36
The two can be mutually exclusive. We can be a football school but still want to have a great bball program. Those of us saying we r a football school doesn't mean we don't want basketball to be awesome. So lumping all "football school" people into a "don't care about basketball" bucket isn't really accurate.
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#37
#37
That's because Tennessee fans had to live for many years with a solid football program while being noncompetitive in hoops for many years.
 
#38
#38
Tux said:
I'm a former college football player. I love it as much as any fan. But I want to win both championships equally as bad. There is not reason why we can't

It obviously bothers some fans to want to win both equally as bad, otherwise, we not see so much objection, wriggling and whining.
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Some folks can want to win them equally as bad. Some folks have a preference. I think it bothers you to say that we can have a preference for one and still be invested in both. I enjoy football more, but I'm still deeply invested in both sports. Even if the majority of fans are like me, there's no reason we can have success in both. The trick is not avoiding having a priority, the trick is being highly invested in both.
 
#39
#39
RockyTopHoosier said:
The two can be mutually exclusive. We can be a football school but still want to have a great bball program. Those of us saying we r a football school doesn't mean we don't want basketball to be awesome. So lumping all "football school" people into a "don't care about basketball" bucket isn't really accurate.
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Look at it this way: After all the Pearl stuff, Hamilton's job still rides on the success of Dooley. If UT basketball goes back to the crapper, people will be upset for a year but eventually get over it. A decade of futility with UT football has caused heads to roll.
 
#40
#40
Indianavol4eva said:
which forum would it go in? :)

and to the OP, you act like fans can't just support both. Just because fans typically favor football around here doesnt mean they dislike bball. But to say that basketball and football are on an equal level at UT is just plain dumb.
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It sure looks like many on here want to denigrate basketball and label it a sideshow antic.

Part of that attitude may stem from fans in the south not being exposed to or sharing in great basketball for several decades.

Your last sentence is pretty hilarious when you think about it. Now, I want to be on record , that I love both equally and want both to win championships. However, basketball has been playing on a higher stratosphere at UT than football for several years now.

Whether you want to admit it or fear feeling pain in this, many fans now view UT as a basketball school. The reality is that we are a successful basketball school and we should not be ashamed of it. Stop hiding behind the bushes. Come out and support both with equal aplomb. It does not hurt nor does it make you any less of a man.
 
#41
#41
Tux said:
Most UT fans get it. You can love both sports. UT is a major player on both stages. Florida fans, Ohio State fans, texas fans-all get it. I think that most UT fans get it. Those who don't get it, must be involved in some sort of fantasy macho world.

The fact is that Tennessee is a basketball school too. You can't deny that. Stats back my statement up.
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Facts back up what? If your talking about the past 6 years yes. If your talking about tradition no. How many NBA players do we have? Not many how many NC do we have? None, our biggest accomplishment is the elite 8. UT is and will always be a football school and if Hamilton doesn't come through with a big hire we are going back to bottom.
 
#42
#42
As many have said I dipise the notion that just becasue I prefer football more that it makes me any less of a hoops fan.
 
#44
#44
Take a look at Arkansas fans. They get it. They want to be good at both sports equally bad. Here they are waiting to watch and listen to the press conference announcing Mike Anderson as their new head coach. They are not worrying about which sport is bigger or better. They are rooting for both with a passion.

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#45
#45
milohimself said:
Look at it this way: After all the Pearl stuff, Hamilton's job still rides on the success of Dooley. If UT basketball goes back to the crapper, people will be upset for a year but eventually get over it. A decade of futility with UT football has caused heads to roll.
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...and heads have been rolling indeed
 
#47
#47
Cdywolfe said:
I think it's fair to say that 75% of the UT fanbase would rather win the SEC in football than win the National Championship in basketball. Not myself or the maybe not even the majority of posters on this board but the fanbase as a whole. This is a football school and it's not even close.
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More like 95%.
 
#50
#50
Tux said:
It sure looks like many on here want to denigrate basketball and label it a sideshow antic.

Part of that attitude may stem from fans in the south not being exposed to or sharing in great basketball for several decades.

Your last sentence is pretty hilarious when you think about it. Now, I want to be on record , that I love both equally and want both to win championships. However, basketball has been playing on a higher stratosphere at UT than football for several years now.

Whether you want to admit it or fear feeling pain in this, many fans now view UT as a basketball school. The reality is that we are a successful basketball school and we should not be ashamed of it. Stop hiding behind the bushes. Come out and support both with equal aplomb. It does not hurt nor does it make you any less of a man.
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it doesn't matter how well we are performing in each sport. That's got nothing to do with it. UT is a football school regardless of what is going on in each sport right now. I still watch every bball game that we play, and i still pay attention to bball recruiting. However, i love UT football so much more, and i think most feel the same.... notice that you are in the minority just based off of the people posting in this thread.
 
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