OneManGang
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Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Kentucky
Sometimes, it requires an outsider's perspective to bring things into sharper focus and to realize the special things in life.
My younger son and I sat in our lofty perch in Neyland Stadium Saturday watching Tennessee and Kentucky go through the motions of a football game. I say 'go through the motions' as it was clear from the opening kickoff that neither contestant really wanted to be there. The proud blue-clad denizens of Lexington had suffered through a horrifically bad season and knew that Head Kat Joker Phillips was coaching his last game as his dismissal had been announced some weeks ago and after that, the remainder of the season surely seemed like a scene from The Green Mile or Dead Man Walking.
For our beloved Vols, a similar decision had been made. Head Vol Derek Dooley was told his services were no longer required after the Vanderbilt debacle but had either been told or had volunteered to forgo coaching the season finale against the aforementioned Kats. Go quietly or else?
In any event, it was left to Interim Head Vol Jim Chaney, in likely his last appearance in Orange 151, to greet the 2012 seniors and oversee the last home game.
It was sometime in the second quarter when Younger Son & Heir dropped a bombshell. He has been attending the University of Dayton for the last two years and was, I thought, perfectly happy to be a five-hour drive from Mom and Dad and was flourishing.
Dad, I'd like to go here next year.
Huh? What?
I said I'd like to go to UT next year. I'll live on campus, I mean, I'm used to fending for myself, but I really want to be a part of this. With that he gestured toward the expanse of Neyland Stadium and, by extension, the University surrounding it.
Are you sure?
Well, I like UD but I am REALLY coming to hate Ohio. He is majoring in Political Science at UD and I found myself turning to search out the windows on the tenth floor of McClung Tower where I spent many hours talking to professors as a PoliSci type on The Hill back in the Age of Great Lizards.
It's taken me a couple years away to figure out just how special this place is.
I saw MY University once again through his eyes. He understands. He gets it.
We sat in a companionable silence for a while and watched the proceedings taking place on the greensward of Shields-Watkins Field below, cheering and clapping or grumbling and cussing as appropriate. Occasionally we talked of the mechanics of making the switch but that was about it.
It was somewhat later when the 2012 promo for the BasketVols came on the JumboTron. For those of you who haven't seen it, it ends with the camera panning up to the scowling visage of Head Vol Cuonzo Martin who challenged the assembled by growling, Do YOU want to be remembered forever? Then make a STATEMENT.
My boy got a strange look and said, Jeez, Dad, after that I'm afraid NOT to come here!
Thanks, Coach.
The saddest part of the last five years of Tennessee football has been that the players have been repeatedly challenged to make a STATEMENT and have consistently declined to do so. Vols across the Fruited Plain have only one real request of Santa in 2012: Please, Sir, allow the University of Tennessee's football program to take advantage of this opportunity to start anew with the incoming Head Vol and his staff. The UT Athletics Department has got to make a STATEMENT with this hire.
As the great John Ward once said, It's time.
I see no real reason to go into a dry recitation of who did what and who sat on his b*tt regarding the events of Saturday. The season-ender against the MildKats truly holds no portents for next season. There will be a host of upheavals, arrivals and departures betwixt now and August 31 which will mark the beginning of the *insert Coach's name* era on The Hill.
And so, mi amigos, one last time before we again gather some 279 days hence:
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way SCORE!
3. If at first the game or the breaks go against you, dont let up PUT ON MORE STEAM!
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
7. Carry the fight to Kentucky and keep it there for sixty minutes.
I'd also like to use this opportunity to thank everyone who has been following my musings over this season. While the results were not what any of us hoped, adversity tends to teach better and more long-lasting lessons than unearned success. It does warm the cockles of this Old Vol's heart to see that page-view clicker go up and read your responses.
To the entire Vol Nation I say: Good Luck, Godspeed and I'll see you next year!
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]GO VOLS![/FONT]
MAXOMG
:hi:
Sometimes, it requires an outsider's perspective to bring things into sharper focus and to realize the special things in life.
My younger son and I sat in our lofty perch in Neyland Stadium Saturday watching Tennessee and Kentucky go through the motions of a football game. I say 'go through the motions' as it was clear from the opening kickoff that neither contestant really wanted to be there. The proud blue-clad denizens of Lexington had suffered through a horrifically bad season and knew that Head Kat Joker Phillips was coaching his last game as his dismissal had been announced some weeks ago and after that, the remainder of the season surely seemed like a scene from The Green Mile or Dead Man Walking.
For our beloved Vols, a similar decision had been made. Head Vol Derek Dooley was told his services were no longer required after the Vanderbilt debacle but had either been told or had volunteered to forgo coaching the season finale against the aforementioned Kats. Go quietly or else?
In any event, it was left to Interim Head Vol Jim Chaney, in likely his last appearance in Orange 151, to greet the 2012 seniors and oversee the last home game.
It was sometime in the second quarter when Younger Son & Heir dropped a bombshell. He has been attending the University of Dayton for the last two years and was, I thought, perfectly happy to be a five-hour drive from Mom and Dad and was flourishing.
Dad, I'd like to go here next year.
Huh? What?
I said I'd like to go to UT next year. I'll live on campus, I mean, I'm used to fending for myself, but I really want to be a part of this. With that he gestured toward the expanse of Neyland Stadium and, by extension, the University surrounding it.
Are you sure?
Well, I like UD but I am REALLY coming to hate Ohio. He is majoring in Political Science at UD and I found myself turning to search out the windows on the tenth floor of McClung Tower where I spent many hours talking to professors as a PoliSci type on The Hill back in the Age of Great Lizards.
It's taken me a couple years away to figure out just how special this place is.
I saw MY University once again through his eyes. He understands. He gets it.
We sat in a companionable silence for a while and watched the proceedings taking place on the greensward of Shields-Watkins Field below, cheering and clapping or grumbling and cussing as appropriate. Occasionally we talked of the mechanics of making the switch but that was about it.
It was somewhat later when the 2012 promo for the BasketVols came on the JumboTron. For those of you who haven't seen it, it ends with the camera panning up to the scowling visage of Head Vol Cuonzo Martin who challenged the assembled by growling, Do YOU want to be remembered forever? Then make a STATEMENT.
My boy got a strange look and said, Jeez, Dad, after that I'm afraid NOT to come here!
Thanks, Coach.
The saddest part of the last five years of Tennessee football has been that the players have been repeatedly challenged to make a STATEMENT and have consistently declined to do so. Vols across the Fruited Plain have only one real request of Santa in 2012: Please, Sir, allow the University of Tennessee's football program to take advantage of this opportunity to start anew with the incoming Head Vol and his staff. The UT Athletics Department has got to make a STATEMENT with this hire.
As the great John Ward once said, It's time.
I see no real reason to go into a dry recitation of who did what and who sat on his b*tt regarding the events of Saturday. The season-ender against the MildKats truly holds no portents for next season. There will be a host of upheavals, arrivals and departures betwixt now and August 31 which will mark the beginning of the *insert Coach's name* era on The Hill.
And so, mi amigos, one last time before we again gather some 279 days hence:
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way SCORE!
3. If at first the game or the breaks go against you, dont let up PUT ON MORE STEAM!
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
7. Carry the fight to Kentucky and keep it there for sixty minutes.
I'd also like to use this opportunity to thank everyone who has been following my musings over this season. While the results were not what any of us hoped, adversity tends to teach better and more long-lasting lessons than unearned success. It does warm the cockles of this Old Vol's heart to see that page-view clicker go up and read your responses.
To the entire Vol Nation I say: Good Luck, Godspeed and I'll see you next year!
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]GO VOLS![/FONT]
MAXOMG
:hi:
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